Bio
Dr. Chris Sinton uses his broad, multidisciplinary background in geology and materials science to help clients rapidly and accurately assess and solve a range of environmental issues. He has applied his extensive experience in project management and practical laboratory and fieldwork to remediation projects, site assessments, litigation support, and cost allocation. He works closely with clients and counsel to develop data-driven solutions for complex, multifaceted projects.
Relevant Experience
Remedial Design
Sediment Remedial Design at Active Steel Mill, Portland, Oregon — Serve as geology lead for sediment predesign investigations and the remedial design of a 2-mile stretch of a 10‑mile, multiparty Superfund sediment megasite. Plan sediment porewater seepage and chemistry studies to evaluate potential groundwater discharge through the sediment bed. Data collected are evaluated and used in modeling of chemical stability and cap design. Serve as a lead for modeling the speciation of metals in water and for evaluating the effects of redox condition on solubility, with a particular emphasis on the behavior of manganese sourced from slag and natural soils. Perform evaluation of background, including naturally occurring levels of metals with respect to buried contamination evaluations, impacts source control, and future attainment of cleanup levels.
Mining
Rare Earth Metal Market Evaluation, Global — Delivered global market study on rare earth minerals for a market research firm and a client mining company. Reviewed pricing, worldwide sources, and production processes.
Evaluation of Heavy Metals near Mine, Alaska — Manage project team for long-term monitoring of heavy metal concentrations in sediment and soil near a massive sulfide mine. Serve as lead in writing monitoring reports for state regulatory compliance. Field lead for sediment sampling.
Environmental Impact Assessment
Former Fertilizer Manufacturing Facility, Time-Critical Removal Action, Guánica, Puerto Rico — Manage work plan and characterization of soil and sediment in support of removal action for contamination of PCBs. Project planning involves health and safety, quality assurance, soil sampling, and stormwater source control. Use historical data to assess contamination of nearby water bodies.
Source Control and Sediment Cleanup Multiparty Allocation Support, Portland, Oregon — Provide technical and editorial support to allocation of CERCLA cleanup and natural resource damage costs. Reviewed reports on facility use, fate and transport models, and sediment chemistry to support remedial design. Authored expert reports on historical sources of PCBs from industrial sources and waste streams.
Evaluation of Heavy Metals in Cayuga Lake, New York — Planned and managed sampling and analysis of sediments in the delta and floodplain downstream from a lead-contaminated CERCLA site to assess the potential impacts of lake sediment metals concentrations on ecosystems and human health.
Historical Industrial Site Evaluation, New York — Conducted soil core logging and sampling at historical industrial sites in urban and rural settings. Used knowledge of regional geology to develop conceptual site model and establish background levels of contaminants. Field lead for sediment sampling survey in riparian area.
Risk Assessment, Umatilla Army Depot, Oregon — Provided data management and analysis for risk assessment associated with CERCLA cleanup of metals and munitions in soil and groundwater.
Risk Assessment of Heavy Metal Exposure, Butte Mine, Montana — Provided data management and analysis for risk assessment associated with metals remediation at a CERCLA site.
Risk Assessment of PCBs, Metals, and Pesticides at the Lowry Landfill, Colorado — Provided data management and analysis for risk assessment of volatile organic compounds, PCBs, metals, and pesticides associated with CERCLA site.
Former MGP Site, New York — Oversaw site characterization activities to delineate impacts to soil and groundwater at former manufactured gas plant (MGP) in urban area.
Litigation Support
Litigation Support for Complex Multiparty Environmental Incident, California — Serve as project manager for litigation involving multiple parties and multiple testifying experts. Manage an array of analytical data sets for sediment, water, and air.
Litigation Support for PFAS in Groundwater, New Jersey — Serve as project manager for litigation involving PFAS in groundwater at two large chemical manufacturing plants. Manage large data sets and document collection to provide cohesive, data-driven analysis of past aqueous film-forming foam use and hydrological fate and transport.
Litigation Support for PFAS in Groundwater, Colorado — Provide analysis of hydrogeology and historical groundwater PFAS data to assist counsel in a legal matter.
Former MGP Sites, New York — Work with team to provide client with comprehensive expert reports on the operational history and environmental impacts of several former MGPs.
Litigation Support for Proposition 65 Compliance, California — Evaluated heavy metals in soils in urban areas in litigation support for industrial facility. Developed narrative and graphical data presentations to help client find an equitable solution.
Litigation Support for PFAS in Groundwater, Colorado — Wrote report on PFAS in municipal water supplies in a region of PFAS-contaminated groundwater.
Water Management
Assessment of Health Hazards of Roadside Springs, Central New York State — Managed multiyear water quality and user study of public roadside springs. Conducted analysis of dissolved metals/anions and bacterial contamination. Developed and implemented a survey of spring users.
Assessment of Manganese Sources in Municipal Watershed, New York — Co-managed a team to sample and analyze surface water, groundwater, and sediment to determine sources of seasonal excess manganese in the watershed of a municipal water supply.
Product Stewardship
Product Life Cycle Assessment — Provide technical expertise in support of a product life cycle assessment for a common industrial feedstock.
Climate Change
Carbon Sequestration Measurement of Forested Parcel, Ithaca College, New York — Led a project team to assess baseline organic carbon pool in trees and soil in a 500+ acre forested land parcel. Work involved creating representative sample plots, measuring and identifying trees, and collecting and analyzing soil cores to support the development of an institutional carbon neutrality plan.
Materials Science
Improved Properties for Sintered Alumina Ceramics — Managed a project to determine the characteristics of alumina ceramics made using a novel nano-coating process to disperse sintering dopants.
Improved Commercial Glass Melting — Managed licensing contracts and workflow to develop a novel method of reducing the time to melt commercial soda-lime and borate glasses.
Development of Glass Compositions for Rapid Ion-Exchange Strengthening — Worked with industrial partners to test novel glass compositions for rapid ion-exchange strengthening. Tested the compositions for high temperature viscosity, mechanical performance, and corrosion resistance to determine commercial viability.
Development of Low-Density Ceramic Tile Siding — Managed a proof-of-concept project with client to develop highly porous, insulating ceramic tile for building cladding.
Ceramic Coating for Hydrocarbon Recovery — Managed a project to develop a semi-continuous ceramic coating with high electrical resistivity for in situ hydrocarbon recovery at depth.
Waste Management
Corrosion of Silicate Glass Ceramics by Oxide Melts and Impacts on Glass Recycling — Part of an international research team to address issues of transparent glass ceramics as refractory impurities in post-consumer recycled glass. Conducted high-temperature characterization of commercial glass melts and contaminants.
Feasibility Study for Shaped Aggregate from Waste Gypsum — Team member of a project to determine the feasibility of using phosphogypsum, a waste product from phosphate ore processing, as a raw material to create a synthetic ceramic aggregate into a novel, interlocking shape.
Renewable Energy
Demonstration of Solar Water Pumping Systems for New York State Agriculture — Led a team that installed and demonstrated the use of photovoltaics for powering off-grid pumps for surface and well water systems. The project was funded by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.
Small Wind Demonstration System, New York — Secured funding (NYSERDA) and led a team that installed a 50-kW wind turbine system on a farm. Organized public outreach to promote small wind as a source of renewable energy for agriculture.
Renewable Installer Insurance Assistance Program, New York — Project manager working with regional solar/wind installers and the New York State Solar Industry Association to study insurance barriers for installers. Created guide (published by NYSERDA) for the insurance industry to better understand the renewable energy installer business and appropriately classify premiums.
Marine Science
Age and Origin of Seamounts, Galapagos Region — Researcher in multiyear project to determine the nature of volcanic seamounts and drowned islands in the Galapágos region. Shipboard scientist on a 2010 research cruise that mapped and sampled seamounts in the northern region. Conducted radiometric (40Ar-39Ar) and geochemical analysis on recovered magmas.
Age of Submarine Seaward Dipping Lava Flows, Eastern Greenland — Shipboard petrologist on Ocean Drilling Program 152 off the southeastern coast of Greenland. Conducted radiometric age analyses (40Ar-39Ar) of recovered magmas to determine evolution of magmatism.
Education & Credentials
Ph.D., Oceanography, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 1996
M.S., Oceanography, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 1996
B.A., Geology, Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont, 1988
Registered Geologist, Oregon (License No. G2958)
Professional Geologist, New York (License No.001378)
Continuing Education
OSHA 40-Hour HAZWOPER
OSHA 8-Hour HAZWOPER Supervisor
First Aid/CPR/AED Certified
Mine Safety and Health Administration Certification (2024)
Achievements & Awards
Fulbright Scholar, 2008, National University of La Plata, Argentina
National Science Foundation Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Earth Sciences, 1996
Insights & News
Market Update
The Benthic Zone (September 2025 Edition)
Resources
Technical Impracticability Waivers: An Underutilized Tool for Managing Sediment Sites
Posters
Assessing Background Arsenic in Portland Harbor Sediment and Riverbank Soil
Resources
Deep Decarbonization of Glassmaking