NW Natural Gas Interceptor Trench Remediation Project
Portland, Oregon

2024 Excellence in Environmental Engineering and Science™ Awards Competition Winner
 - Grand Prize in Industrial Waste Practice

Webinar Summary

The webinar will describe the initial work begun in 2009 to clean up and remediate a former manufactured-gas plant site located directly on banks of the Willamette River in Portland Oregon.  The site soils are contaminated with high levels of volatile organic compounds including F-002 listed hazardous solvents, naphthalene, cyanide, heavy metals, high levels of soluble iron, and mechanically emulsified oils. 

We will describe the method used to intercept contaminated groundwater flowing through the site from reaching the river, which fluctuates with daily tides and by seasonally.  That groundwater containing a variable “chemical soup” is pretreated in two plants: one for hazardous wastewater and one for nonhazardous wastewater before being combined and sent to the main plant for further processing and discharge to the river.  

Recent changes to groundwater flow necessitated the design of a new trench system to intercept and treat a new more concentrated waste stream within the existing process, while still maintaining the original operation which must operate 24/7/365.

We will describe the design approach taken to overcome the initial and more recent challenges posed by a continually changing waste stream with a wide range of contaminants and a final discharge governed by very restrictive discharge limits. We will also include lessons learned. The plant has operated continuously since 2013. The more recent improvements began operating on the same 24/7/365 basis since 2022.  

About the Presenter

Mr. Driscoll is the president of Aponowich Driscoll & Associates Inc (ADA), an international environmental engineering consulting firm based in Atlanta Georgia and Abreu Dominican Republic, which has operated in over 40 countries.  

He is a licensed professional engineer in Oregon and four other states and a licensed wastewater operator.  He has over 45 years of engineering and operations experience and is the principal author of the 2008 McGraw-Hill book, “Industrial Wastewater Management, Treatment and Disposal.”

Mr. Driscoll prepares the designs for industrial and hazardous wastewater facilities as an independent engineer for Sevenson Environmental Services, a Niagara Falls-based remediation contractor.  He has prepared and executed designs on over 100 project sites with Sevenson. The title project won the Grand Prize for Industrial Design in 2024 from the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists.

Mr. Driscoll holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering and an MS in Environmental Engineering, both from Michigan State University.  He also holds an MBA from Boston College and a Certificate of Advances Studies in International Business from Northeastern University in Boston.

Webinar Format

This webinar will include a moderated Q and A session following the speaker’s presentation. The session is open to environmental engineering and science professionals across all sectors and career stages. Our objective is to offer special insights on leading edge solutions for graduate and undergraduate students as well as early to mid-career environmental professionals who are considering specialty certification.

AAEES Board Certified Individuals: Attend this event and earn 1.5 PDHs towards your PDH requirements for maintaining your specialty certification.

Click here to register for this webinar.