Luis Vargas

Associate Scientist

Bio
Relevant Experience
Education & Credentials

Bio

Mr. Luis Vargas is an environmental scientist focused on contaminated site investigation and remediation with 2 years of experience collecting, organizing, and presenting data. He works on a variety of environmental contaminants, including PFAS, PCBs, pesticides, and heavy metals. He is knowledgeable in data processing and presentation of data in ArcGIS Pro. He also contributes to technical reports by researching and synthesizing findings. Mr. Vargas is experienced in industrial stormwater compliance and frequently prepares regulatory materials for clients. He also assists with sampling soil, sediment, stormwater, and surface water for remedial investigations and monitoring programs. Mr. Vargas performed research in wetland biogeochemical cycling at the University of California, Berkeley.

Relevant Experience

Data Management

Support for PCB-Contaminated Soil Remediation, Guánica, Puerto Rico — Organized and summarized dust monitoring data from excavation and backfill sites for submittal to EPA. Tracked quantities of soil waste produced and fill materials purchased. Created a system for tracking stormwater and erosion observations across the site.

Support for a PFAS Litigation Case, Widefield, Colorado — Reviewed case documents to gather relevant PFAS chemistry data. Organized laboratory data for entry into a database.

GIS Design

Geographic Modeling for a PFAS Litigation Case, Widefield, Colorado — Collected geographical data from case documents and developed a hydrologic model in ArcGIS Pro to aid in determining sources of PFAS contamination in groundwater.

Geographic Figures for a PFAS Litigation Case, Confidential Location — Collected geographical data from case documents to model the transport of PFAS via groundwater. Prepared figures to present to clients and guide litigation efforts.

Web Development

Update State PFAS Regulations Dashboard, United States — Researched state standards for PFAS in soil and water and added this information to a data set for use in updating an online reference tool.

Remedial Investigation

Sediment Sampling and Processing, Portland, Oregon — Supported field team in sediment core processing for a predesign investigation. Processed subsurface sediment samples and assisted with nonaqueous-phase liquid identification.

Soil and Stormwater Sampling for Various PFAS Investigations, Campbell, California — Sampled and processed soil cores and stormwater runoff to aid PFAS characterization investigations. Assisted with preparing documentation for sampling events.

Leachability Evaluation for Soil Contaminants, Seattle, Washington — Analyzed data from soil and groundwater sampling efforts to determine the leachability potential of various contaminants of concern in soil. Recommended areas for further investigation based on findings.

Regulatory Compliance

Stormwater Compliance Documents, Various Locations, Northern California — Prepared text, data tables, and GIS figures for inclusion in stormwater pollution prevention plans and hazardous materials business plans for various clients throughout Northern California.

Monitoring

Stormwater Runoff Sampling for Monitoring Programs, Bay Area, California — Assisted internal team with stormwater runoff sampling for various government monitoring programs. Collected and processed samples for low-impact development projects and a watershed contaminant monitoring program.

Technical Writing

Benthic Survey for Offshore Wind Project, New Jersey — Assisted in writing various technical reports summarizing the findings of a benthic survey performed to guide the design of an offshore wind project. Reviewed text, GIS figures, and data tables to ensure quality.

Stormwater Management

Education & Credentials

B.S., Environmental Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, 2023

Continuing Education

OSHA 40-Hour HAZWOPER

First Aid/CPR/AED Certified

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