EDUCATION

M.S. – Environmental Engineering, Duke University, 1985

B.S.E. – Civil Engineering, Duke University, 1980

  PROFESSIONAL LICENSES

Registered Professional Engineer - Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Solid Waste Association of North America

Air and Waste Management Association

  PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Mr. Peterson joined SCS in 1985 with experience in landfill design and operations, ground water and landfill gas (LFG) monitoring, and experience from the state regulatory perspective. Since then he has worked primarily on LFG control and recovery projects. He is the leader of the SCS Reston office Landfill Gas Group consisting of ten persons, including seven professional engineers, working almost exclusively on LFG projects. His expertise in this specialty field has led to LFG consulting assignments in Europe, Asia and South America.

Mr. Peterson directs LFG migration investigations and energy utilization studies; designs and prepares plans, specifications, cost estimates and operation and maintenance (O&M) manuals for LFG systems for energy recovery and control of emissions, odors, and migration; and is involved in permitting, construction engineering, system start-up, and trouble-shooting. Designs have included LFG recovery systems; active control systems (both air injection and extraction/flare systems) in or adjacent to landfills; passive control systems; and systems to protect buildings located adjacent to and on landfills. He has designed more than 70 LFG migration control, odor (emissions) control and recovery systems and is an expert in air permitting for landfills and LFG systems. Specific project experience includes:

• Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)—Project manager for the evaluation of methane recovery from landfills located in the TVA service territory. Over 200 landfills were assessed to develop a ranked list of the seven most promising sites. A detailed cost pro-forma was prepared for these sites, including potential revenues from emissions reductions. Two follow-up studies were conducted (1999) including:

• Evaluation of non-commercial conversion technologies applied to LFG utilization: fuel cells, micro turbines, advanced turbines, and Stirling-cycle engines.

• Preparation of preliminary designs and detailed cost estimates for two utilization projects (boiler fuel and power generation).

• Mecklenburg County, NC—Project Manager and primary consultant to Mecklenburg County regarding LFG migration at three closed landfills. The work included a review of existing monitoring well locations and recommendations for additional wells. Monitoring and investigation led to the design and construction oversight of gas control systems for two on-site structures (a maintenance garage and park ranger’s office) at two of the landfills.

• I-66 & I-95 Landfills, Fairfax County, VA—Investigations, designs, construction oversight, and operations consulting for six separate LFG migration and odor control systems around sections of the I-66 and I-95 Landfills. The I-95 control systems received the 1997 Excellence Award for LFG systems from the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA).

• I-95 Landfill, Fairfax County, VA – Project management and design of an LFG collection system to fuel two 3.2 MW power plants and a multiple flare system to combust excess gas. The project included a fully-automated condensate collection and pre-treatment system and coordination of system design with closure plans involving a membrane cap.

• Alpha Ridge and New Cut Landfills in Howard County, MD—Project manager for LFG collection and flaring systems in conjunction with capping of the landfills. Other LFG- related services included a Title V permitting, a risk assessment, and utilization feasibility study.

• Prince William County Landfill, VA—Project director for design and permitting of a LFG collection and control system to both comply with NSPS and to fuel a 2-MW power plant.

• Roanoke Valley Resource Authority landfill and Caroline County, VA—Project Director for LFG collection system design projects.

• Project manager for Title V permit applications for seven landfill facilities in Pennsylvania, four in Maryland, and three in Maryland.

• Anne Arundel County Landfill, MD—Project manager for LFG system design. The project also included an evaluation of onsite LFG utilization feasibility and preparation of an implementation plan, NSPS Tier 1 and 2 reporting, design plan preparation and Title V permitting.

• Wilders Grove Landfill, Raleigh, NC—Project manager for the design of an LFG recovery system using LFG as a boiler fuel. This project was nominated by the North Carolina Energy Division, and subsequently recognized in 1994 by the U.S. Department of Energy, for a national award under the Utility Technology Category for Energy Innovation.

• Pine Grove Landfill, PA—Project director for the design and permitting of an LFG odor control system. The project involved design/build/operate services in conjunction with SCS' wholly owned subsidiary, SCS Field Services (SCS-FS). The initial system required temporary candle flaring of LFG collected from vertical wells, horizontal collectors, surface collectors and leachate facilities. The final design incorporates two enclosed flares. Air permitting for a landfill expansion and Title V were also performed.

• Hanes Mill Landfill, Winston Salem, NC—Project director for the design of a LFG recovery system for a gas turbine cogeneration project.

• Baltimore County, MD—Project manager for LFG management at five landfills. LFG monitoring data and migration controls were evaluated regarding protection of adjacent commercial and residential properties. Served as reviewing principal for an air injection system to control off-site migration and a comprehensive LFG collection/flare system for emissions and migration control at the Eastern Landfill.

• Cumberland County Landfill, Millville, NJ—Project manager for developing an LFG master plan.

• Rikers Island, NY—Project management and design of active and passive methane gas control and detection systems for the George R. Vierno, Otis Bantum, Rose M. Singer, and other prison facilities on Rikers Island, New York. Project activities included design, construction monitoring, system start-up, operation and maintenance manual preparation, and development of monitoring and safety protocols during construction. Designed and provided construction engineering for passive methane controls for 42 temporary inmate housing units (sprung structures) on Rikers Island.

• Alliance (formerly Empire) Sanitary Landfill, Taylor, PA—Project manager for the design and permitting of an LFG collection and flare system. Other tasks included preparing an LFG feasibility study, calculating facility emissions for state air regulation requirements, and Title V and RACT permitting.

• Monmouth County, NJ—Project management and design of three LFG collection/flare systems. All three projects were design-build in conjunction with SCS-FS. The Phase I system met New Jersey regulations requiring zero methane detection within on-site structures. The Phase II projects abated landfill odors by extracting LFG from an existing leachate collection system and, subsequently, from an expanded extraction well system in the active landfill.

• Richmond, VA—Project director for a multi-year contract with the City of Richmond to provide engineering services for their five inactive landfills, including evaluation and remediation of existing LFG migration control systems.

• Hartford Landfill, CT—Engineering for a design-build project for an LFG collection/flare system for LFG migration and odor control. The project tasks included permitting an interim candle flare, a permanent enclosed flare, and O&M manual preparation.

• Fresh Kills Landfill, NY and Perryman Landfill, MD—Design of passive vent trench systems for LFG migration control.

• Southern Landfill, Delaware Solid Waste Authority—Project manager for LFG control and recovery. The project involved the investigation of landfill odor sources, evaluating LFG yield, the economic feasibility of LFG utilization, and estimating NMOC emissions for compliance with future landfill emissions regulations. In addition to preparing construction documents (including an air permit) for the permanent system, an interim odor control system to flare LFG was designed and constructed.

Project director for an odor control project for a construction and debris landfill owned by Sanifill, Inc. in Delaware. The project included design and permitting of an odor control system, including field work, evaluation of odor treatment technologies, design of the gas collection and odor control system, preparation of an O&M manual, and coordination with state regulators.

Other project experience with SCS includes:

• Project manager for a landfill closure in Hanover Township, New Jersey, including preparation of a closure plan and construction drawings and specifications in accordance with local and state regulations.

• Evaluation and design of geosynthetic and gas venting layers for landfill caps.

• Design of four vapor extraction systems for remediation of soils contaminated with various volatile organic compounds.

System Evaluations Projects:

• Evaluation of existing LFG collection systems and preparation of design modifications for the Taylor Road Landfill, Hillsborough County, Florida; Holtsville Landfill, Brookhaven, New York; Lanchester Landfill, Chester County, Pennsylvania; and Titcomb Pit Landfill, Amesbury, Massachusetts.

• Town of North Hempstead's Port Washington Landfill, NY—Design, permitting, construction oversight, start-up operation, and trouble-shooting of two LFG emissions and odor control systems. The project included one vertical well system, one horizontal collection system, and two enclosed flares.

Prior to joining SCS, Mr. Peterson served as SCA Services' Mid-Atlantic Regional Engineer overseeing New Jersey landfills, including four operating and five closed sites. He provided engineering support for operating and constructing sanitary landfills, including on-site engineering for excavation and capping/lining landfills.

International Experience:

• Sao Paulo, Brazil—As part of EPA’s Landfill Methane Outreach Program, performed LFG utilization feasibility assessments of 5 landfills. Tasks included site visits, field testing, analysis of active extraction test results (at two sites), conceptual collection system design, and report preparation. While in Sao Paulo, Mr. Peterson gave a presentation on LFG utilization at a regional environmental seminar.

• Anshan, Peoples Republic of China—At the invitation of the mayor of Anshan, Mr. Peterson visited the City to observe numerous environmental problems (including water and wastewater treatment, solid waste management, steel manufacturing emissions, and oil and gas production wastes) and to present information on how the US is addressing the same issues. A second visit was conducted to present a seminar in landfill and landfill gas design to a team of engineers assigned to design the City’s new landfill.

• Oviedo, Spain—As a subconsultant to Technicas Reunidas in Madrid, prepared preliminary design layout, details, and specifications for a LFG utilization system as part of a design build bid proposal.

• Rishon Lezion, Israel—As a subconsultant to Engineer David David, prepared design drawings and specifications for a LFG migration control system for a closed landfill to protect a proposed residential development and park.

• Essex, Cornwall, and Lancashire, U.K.—Hired by a U.S. firm to visit and evaluate four existing LFG to electricity projects in England that were offered for sale. Reviewed project economic pro formas, system operations and conditions, and performance data and prepared report.

• Dudaim Landfill, Beer Sheva, Isreal – Project manager for a LFG utilization feasibility study. Based on the results of the study indicating an economically favorable application of LFG as a boiler fuel (at a nearby polystyrene plant), he is now managing the design of the LFG collection system. In this role, he is developing design concepts, providing quality assurance review, and serving as the primary contact with the Israeli client.

Publications

Peterson, E.R. and G.P. McCarron. The Impact of New Air Regulations on Landfill Expansions. Proceedings: SWANA Wastecon 97, October 1997.

Vogt, W.G., T.R. Peyser, E.R. Peterson. Development of an Air Emissions Inventory for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills Under Title V. Proceedings: SWANA 19th Annual Landfill Gas Symposium. March 1996.

Carpenter, K., E.R. Peterson, C.M. Seager. "LFG Issues and Concerns for Landfill End Uses." Proceedings: SWANA 19th Annual Landfill Gas Symposium. March 1996.

McGuigan, M.J., E.R. Peterson, J.M. Smithberger, and W.L. Owen. "Case Study: I-95 Landfill Gas Recovery Project, Fairfax County, Virginia." Proceedings: First Biomass Conference of the Americas: Energy, Environment, Agriculture, and Industry. Burlington, Vermont. August 1993.

Peterson, E.R., et al. "Electrical Design Issues for Hazardous Locations." Proceedings: SWANA 16th Annual Landfill Gas Symposium. March 1993.

Peterson, E.R., W.G. Vogt, J.R. Vogt. "Emissions Control and Treatment of High Level Hydrogen Sulfide and Landfill Gas." Proceedings: SWANA 15th Annual Landfill Gas Symposium. March 1992.

Peterson, E.R. and R.W. Luce. "Predicting the Potential for Arsenic Contamination from Spent Gold Ore." STP-1162. Proceedings: ASTM. Symposium on the Application of Agricultural Analysis in Environmental Studies. June 1991.

Peterson, E.R., R.B. Gardner, and P.K. Foxwell. "Landfill Gas Issues Affecting the Design and Operation of Waste to Energy Facilities." Proceedings: Second International Conference on Municipal Waste Combustion. April 1991.

Peterson, E.R., W.G. Vogt, and M.J. McGuigan. "Landfill Gas: An Update on Issues and Technologies." Proceedings: Ninth Annual Virginia Waste Management Conference. April 1991.

Peterson, E.R. "Pending Subtitle ‘D’ Regulations and Their Effects on Landfill Gas Issues." Proceedings: GRCDA/SWANA 14th Annual Landfill Gas Symposium. March 1991.

Held, W.M. and Peterson, E.R. "Landfill Gas Pipe Selection and Installation." Proceedings: ASCE International Conference on Pipeline Design and Installation. March 1990.

Vogt, W.G., J.L. Briggs, and E.R. Peterson. "Disposal Options for Landfill Gas Condensate." Proceedings: GRCDA Seventh Annual Virginia Waste Management Conference. April 1989.

Gardner, R.B., E.R. Peterson, and W.M. Held. "Landfill Gas Migration and Odor Control -- The Hillsborough County and Palm Beach County Experiences." Presented at the Joint Annual Meeting of the Florida and South Florida Sections of ASCE. September 30,1988.

Peterson, E.R., P.J. Carrico, and J.M. Smithberger. "Subsurface Landfill Gas Migration: A Case History of an Air Injection System for Migration Control." Proceedings: 43rd Annual Purdue Industrial Waste Conference. May, 1988.

Peirce, J.J., G. Salfors, and E.R. Peterson. "Parameter Sensitivity of Hydraulic Conductivity Testing Procedure." Geotechnical Testing Journal. GTJODJ, Vol. 10, No. 4. December 1987. pp. 223-228.

Luce, R.W. and E.R. Peterson. "Compatibility of Clay and Synthetic Liners with Strong Acids." Proceedings: Waste Tech '86. Chicago, IL. October 20-22, 1986.

Peirce, J.J., G. Salfors, and E.R. Peterson. "Clay Liner Construction and Quality Control."Journal of Environmental Engineering 112(1). American Society of Civil Engineers. February 1986.