James L’Esperance, P.E.

Senior Consultant

James L’Esperance, P.E. Senior Consultant

Mr. James L’Esperance is a licensed professional engineer with more than 12 years of experience in project management, environmental remediation, and portfolio risk management. As a project manager, he develops overall site strategy, directs the implementation of complex environmental remedies, and interfaces with a variety of regulatory agencies and stakeholders for a wide range of sites under numerous state and federal programs. He provides a comprehensive lifecycle risk management approach to the projects that he oversees. Mr. L’Esperance also has broad engineering experience in environmental remedial actions, which includes the design and implementation of municipal...

Mr. L’Esperance also has broad engineering experience in environmental remedial actions, which includes the design and implementation of municipal water treatment systems, construction supervision of complex remedies, in situ remedy strategy development, and soil vapor remedial design. His experience includes managing sites impacted with chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOCs), PCBs, petroleum compounds, and various emerging contaminants, including perchlorate, hexavalent chromium, 1,4-dioxane, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

James L’Esperance, P.E.

Senior Consultant

Mr. L’Esperance also has broad engineering experience in environmental remedial actions, which includes the design and implementation of municipal...

Project Management

Municipal Water Treatment System at Superfund Site, Los Angeles, California Served as project manager for the design, permitting, and construction of a 2.8-million-gallon-per-day potable water system designed to provide groundwater containment at a CERCLA site. Oversaw the design of a treatment plant to remove chlorinated VOCs, 1,4-dioxane, perchlorate, and hexavalent chromium to below federal and state maximum contaminant levels and provide containment of a 2-mile-long plume. Coordinated with various state and local agencies to secure the numerous permits needed for the system construction and operation. Drafted bid specifications, oversaw competitive procurement, and implemented project controls to manage project risk and provide optimum value and cashflow stability.

Remedial Investigation and Liability Management, Newton, Massachusetts Served as project manager for the investigation and delineation of a commingled chlorinated VOC plume within the Massachusetts Contingency Plan program. Led the technical team through the development of a complex conceptual site model that included groundwater modeling and forensic analysis to support plume delineation. Oversaw the development of remedial alternatives and the strategic analysis of remedy selection to inform a feasibility study.

Groundwater Treatment System at Superfund Site, Los Angeles, California Served as project manager for the design, permitting, and construction of a 300-gallon-per-minute groundwater treatment system designed to provide groundwater containment and treatment of chlorinated VOCs, 1,4-dioxane, perchlorate, and hexavalent chromium to meet NPDES discharge requirements of a sensitive receiving waterbody. Successfully performed a basin recharge analysis showing beneficial reuse of the discharge water, saving millions of dollars in lifecycle replenishment fees. Drafted bid specifications, oversaw competitive procurement, and implemented project controls.

In Situ Chemical Oxidation Field Pilot Tests, Los Angeles, California Oversaw the implementation of pilot tests of in situ injections of persulfate within a heterogeneous unit containing fine-grained soils to treat both chlorinated VOCs and 1,4-dioxane. The pilot tests consisted of both traditional activation with manganese oxide and an extended pilot of electrokinetically delivered and thermally activated persulfate.

Property Disposition and Thermal Remediation, Bourg-lès-Valence, France Managed the design of a thermal conductive heating remedy to prepare a property in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France for disposition. Oversaw competitive procurement and contracting, orchestrated communication with the French regulatory agency (DREAL), and prepared sale documents.

Proactive Permeable Reactive Barrier Implementation, New Jersey Performed business case analysis to support the proactive implementation of a zero-valent iron permeable reactive barrier to enhance natural attenuation, reduce lifecycle costs, and support receipt of a Remedial Action Permit from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Worked with legal counsel to develop a sensitivity analysis that included risks associated with vapor intrusion and natural resource damages to adequately contemplate the future cost range of various remedial options.

Financial Analysis

Optimization of SEC Liability Obligations Using Modeling, Los Angeles, California Oversaw effort to reduce lifecycle disclosure obligations under Sarbanes-Oxley and ASC 410-30 reporting by discounting remedy operation cost estimates by the expected mass loading reduction over the life of the project, saving more than $10 million in reserve estimates while complying with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) disclosure requirements.

Portfolio Management of Environmental Liabilities, Various Locations, United States Developed and managed environmental reserve liabilities for numerous sites to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley reporting requirements and to provide smart and predictable portfolio management. Utilized sensitivity analyses to reduce reserve liability, develop a probable range of future reserve increases, and provide strategic opportunities based on project risk profile and business climate. Provided data to support the SEC 10-Q and 10-K filings.

Remedial Design

Remedy Optimization and Selection, Confidential Location Led a multi-disciplinary effort to optimize existing source area soil vapor extraction and groundwater recirculation systems by modeling both groundwater flow and mass extraction over time. Assembled and led a multi-consultant team that developed and evaluated downgradient in situ remedial alternatives. Conducted business analysis to select feasibility study recommendation.

Emerging Contaminant Potable Water Treatment System Design and Implementation, New Jersey Aided in design and oversaw construction of a 1.2-million-gallon-per-day water treatment plant implemented to treat PFAS. Vetted and selected treatment technology (granular activated carbon), and oversaw bench scale treatability testing. Assembled a hydraulic model of the treatment system and drafted bid documents. Provided owner’s representative services for the construction and commissioning of the treatment system.

Industrial Scrap Recycling, Bronx, New York Provided various engineering services for an industrial recycling yard, including working with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) to close a fuel oil spill and designing and implementing an 800-gallon-per-minute stormwater system that included a retrofitted duplex pump station and an oil/water/sand separator. Worked with NYSDEC and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to design, permit, and implement a new stormwater outfall into the river adjacent to the property.

Sub-Slab Depressurization System Design and Implementation, New York, New York Designed various engineering controls for several properties in the New York City area, including sub-slab depressurization systems (SSDSs) and vapor barriers. Performed SSDS pilot tests to aid in full-scale design and oversaw the installation of the engineering controls.

Engineering

PCB Excavation at Closed Landfill, Ohio Reviewed bid documents and provided recommendations on competitive bids for the removal of 16,000 tons of waste containing PCBs and mercury.

Industrial Recycling Site, Queens, New York Provided various engineering services for an industrial recycling yard specializing in recyclable plastics and scrap metal. Managed the implementation of an oil skimmer recovery system to remediate a diesel fuel spill; ultimately worked with NYSDEC to close the spill.

Oil Storage Facility, Brooklyn, New York Managed the implementation an oil skimmer recovery system to remediate a gasoline spill, performed plume analyses, and worked with NYSDEC to close the spill.

Remedial Pilot Testing, Design, and Implementation at a Superfund Site, New York Worked as part of the design and field team for a dense nonaqueous-phase liquid (DNAPL) site along the Hudson River. As part of the design team, assisted in designing multiple pilot-test methods for removing highly viscous DNAPL from the subsurface. Led the field team to implement the design.

Operation of Dual-Phase Extraction Treatment System, New Jersey Oversaw operations of a dual-phase extraction treatment system. Performed numerous process control design calculations for settling tanks, catalytic oxidizers, contaminant loading, and components and processes of the system. Programmed the system automation using programmable logic controllers and variable frequency drives.

Phase I Environmental Site Assessments, Various Locations, New York Area Performed multiple Phase I environmental site assessments at properties in New York City and the surrounding area.

Engineering Control Inspections, Various Locations, United States Performed the inspection for engineering controls at multiple sites, including vapor barriers and SSDSs. Performed calculations related to system flow and oversaw vapor barrier repairs.

Technical Support for PRP Mediation for Superfund Site, New Jersey Provided technical support for a CERCLA site PRP group. Performed calculations related to the chemical properties of chlorinated solvents and coal tar-creosote.

Remedial Cost Estimation, Various Locations, New York Area Performed multiple cost estimates for properties in and around New York City. Prepared complex calculations relating to various environmental remedies, including investigation, excavation, oxygen release compound injection, dewatering, disposal, construction, well installation, and operations and maintenance.

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