EBI News for September 09, 2026 – SWCA launches companywide Construction Services program

HDR concludes PEL studies improve delivery of transportation projects

A new study sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Transportation Research Board found that planning and environmental linkage (PEL) studies can help accelerate transportation project development. The two-year study, led by HDR (Omaha, Neb.) in coordination with the study sponsors, found that agencies can use PEL studies to carry planning decisions more efficiently into the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, creating a stronger foundation for project delivery. HDR identified benefit-cost ratios ranging from approximately 2.0 to 7.5, indicating that the benefits of PEL studies generally outweigh their implementation costs. The HDR team also reviewed 24 recent FHWA environmental impact statements and found that projects using planning products developed through a PEL study generally completed the NEPA review process significantly faster than projects that did not. Time savings were particularly notable for complex projects and corridor initiatives.

SWCA launches companywide Construction Services program

SWCA (Phoenix, Ariz.) announced an important step in expanding support for its construction clients with the establishment of a companywide Construction Services program. Construction Services has long been a cornerstone of SWCA’s work, drawing on decades of experience delivering field-based services, including large habitat restoration and environmental construction projects across the Southwest. As project opportunities continue to grow in size, scope and complexity, the new program will provide the leadership and processes needed to scale SWCA’s construction business. New senior construction services roles have been created to provide strategic leadership across regions and business groups.

Tetra Tech announces environmental contracts

Tetra Tech (Pasadena, Calif.) announced two environmental contracts in August. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office for Coastal Management selected Tetra Tech for a five-year, $49-million multiple award contract to provide geospatial and engineering services for NOAA’s Digital Coast platform. Tetra Tech will support hazard mitigation, coastal monitoring and development, habitat restoration, and ocean planning for coastal resources nationwide. Separately, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization selected Tetra Tech for a $16.8-million contract to provide planning, engineering design, and technical support for its national Land Revitalization Program.

Gradiant wins major water contract for hyperscaler in West Texas

Gradiant (Boston, Mass.) announced a contract to deliver a turnkey water and wastewater package for one of the world’s largest hyperscalers’ data center campus in West Texas. The contract covers both potable water supply and wastewater treatment. The win adds to Gradiant’s data center portfolio built around HyperSolved, its integrated cooling water platform for AI data centers, combining treatment technologies, CURE Chemicals, and SmartOps. “Water-scarce regions are where the next wave of hyperscale growth is happening, and most operators don’t have a way to get there,” said Prakash Govindan, CEO of Gradiant. “We’re giving them one. This project shows hyperscalers can build in these markets without water becoming the reason they can’t.”

Aventia broadens infrastructure capabilities 

Aventia (Baton Rouge, La.), an environmental and infrastructure services firm launched by Bernhard Capital Partners in 2022, announced the acquisition of Louisiana-based Bryant Hammett & Associates (BHA).  Founded in 1984, BHA is a civil engineering, land surveying and hazard mitigation firm that serves Central and Gulf South Louisiana. It has grown to around 30 employees and operates five offices. The firm’s engineers, surveyors and mitigation specialists deliver comprehensive infrastructure services across public works, community development and disaster resilience projects. “We launched Aventia to be a nationwide environmental consulting leader, helping clients address critical mitigation and resilience work. BHA represents a strong strategic fit that expands this mission,” said Chris Dillon, a partner at Bernhard. Aventia employs more than 400 professionals.

EA awarded environmental remediation services contract 

EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc., PBC (Hunt Valley, Md.) has been awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity multiple award task order contract to perform environmental remediation services (ERS) for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)–Omaha District. Projects under this small business set-aside contract will be performed for customers of the Northwestern Division of USACE. This marks the sixth in a series of ERS contracts held by EA in support of the USACE-Omaha District. The contract includes a wide range of environmental remediation services at hazardous, toxic, and radioactive waste or Military Munitions Response Program sites. The contract’s estimated total value is $249 million, to be shared among the pool of 11 small business awardees.

Training becomes the fastest-growing EHS investment priority

Seventy-three per cent of organizations plan to increase their environment, health and safety (EHS) budgets in 2027, according to new research from Verdantix (London, UK). The rise is driven by growing investment in workforce training, contractor oversight and digital technologies aimed at identifying risks earlier. In comparison, the share of firms expecting no change to their EHS budget has fallen sharply from 31% in 2025 to 23% in 2026. The Global Corporate Survey 2026: EHS Budgets, Priorities and Tech Preferences report also reveals that training is the fastest-growing EHS investment area, with 66% of organizations planning to increase investment in 2027. The proportion of organizations actively piloting AI tools increased from 33% to 42% in one year, but only 7% have rolled out AI extensively across their EHS operations due to concerns about data readiness and governance.

Trinity Consultants acquires Verux

Trinity Consultants (Dallas) announced the acquisition of Verux (Sacramento, Calif.), a consultancy with expertise in stormwater compliance, construction management and water pollution control manager training. Verux’s leadership team will play a key role in Trinity’s environmental consulting practice and continue to operate from its headquarters in Sacramento and regional offices throughout California. Since inception in 2010, Verux has helped contractors, agencies, municipalities and developers navigate the increasingly complex stormwater compliance and construction management landscape.

Ramboll reports positive organic growth in H1, but profitability below potential 

Ramboll (Copenhagen, Denmark) reported positive organic growth in the first half of 2026 and significant project wins in transport, energy and water infrastructure. But “profitability remains unsatisfactory and management is assessing how to unlock the company’s full potential,” according to a company statement. Revenue increased by 3.8% to DKK 9,028 million compared to the first half of 2025, while organic growth increased to 4.2% from -2.4% in the prior year period. However, profit after tax for H1 2026 was DKK -18,9m (DKK -32,8m in H1 2025). “Demand for our services remains healthy, our order book is growing, and our market positions are strong. At the same time, our profitability is unsatisfactory and does not reflect the quality of our business. My assessment is that Ramboll has significant untapped potential. Understanding how we unlock that potential is a key priority for management,” said Group CEO Christian Jensby. Key project wins in H1 included an action plan for modernizing management of wastewater compliance data for Pratt and Whitney.

Illinois solar project demonstrates path around grid interconnection bottlenecks

The 346-megawatt DC Gibson City Solar Project, developed by Earthrise Energy and delivered by Burns & McDonnell (Kansas City, Mo.), has achieved commercial operation using Earthrise Energy’s surplus interconnection strategy. According to a Burns & McDonnell news post, by connecting through the existing switchyard of an adjacent natural gas-fired peaking facility, the project leveraged available grid capacity rather than requiring a new interconnection, illustrating one approach to accelerating renewable energy deployment while maintaining grid reliability. “Interconnection has become one of the defining challenges for new energy projects,” said Jami Stone, construction project manager for Burns & McDonnell. “Projects like Gibson City demonstrate how developers can take advantage of existing infrastructure while combining innovative construction methods to deliver new renewable generation more efficiently.” The facility is expected to generate enough renewable electricity to power approximately 46,000 homes.

Civil Infrastructure Associates strengthens WSB’s municipal engineering and utility capabilities

WSB (Minneapolis, Minn.), a design and consulting firm, announced the acquisition of Civil Infrastructure Associates LLC (CIA), a municipal engineering firm specializing in water and wastewater utilities, civil/site design, aviation infrastructure, and surveying services. The acquisition strengthens WSB’s municipal engineering platform. CIA brings deep expertise in water and wastewater utilities, civil/site design, aviation, surveying, GIS, and infrastructure funding assistance. A portfolio company of GHK Capital Partners, WSB operates from more than 50 offices with approximately 1,800 employees nationwide. 

Virginia Tech scientists upcycle PVC

Virginia Tech chemists have developed a process that converts the plastic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) into polyalphaolefin, a key component in lubricants such as engine oil. Because of its chlorine content and variety of additives, PVC is among the hardest plastics to recycle. The team takes PVC from plumbing, window frames, even credit cards, and puts it into a solvent. Aluminum trichloride and alpha olefins are added and the mixture heated to 158 degrees Fahrenheit for three hours. The product extracted from the solvent is a relatively thick oil or lubricant. Published Aug. 5 in the journal Nature, the research could help recycle one of the world’s most landfilled plastics, in addition to producing a valuable industrial material.

Hazen collaborates on UK water industry research project

Hazen has been selected to collaborate on a project for UK Water Industry Research on Understanding the Carbon Impact of Tackling Substances of Emerging Concern (SECs). Hazen professionals are serving as technical lead, project manager and in other advisory positions on the project. The primary goal is to evaluate the greenhouse gas implications of managing SECs using a risk-based, scenario-led approach. Deliverables include developing a treatability matrix to map SEC mitigation to numerous advanced treatment technologies and identifying alternative treatment scenarios for the most effective management of various SECs.

BCEI awards contracts to Worley supporting U.S. data center expansion

Worley has been awarded three engineering services contracts by Burr Computer Environments, Inc. (BCEI) to provide engineering, design and procurement support services for energy center projects in the United States. The projects will support data center campus developments with behind-the-meter power generation. Completed energy centers will be using a combination of gas turbines, aeroderivative turbines, and reciprocating engines, as well as battery energy storage systems and intra-campus electrical distribution. “Together, these projects represent a significant program of energy infrastructure supporting the growth of major data center developments in the United States,” said Chris Ashton, Chief Executive Officer of Worley