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Michele Abbene

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Michele Abbene
Project Scientist

Michele Abbene

Project Scientist (225) 346-9534 Baton Rouge, LA mabbene@integral-corp.com

Ms. Michele Abbene is an environmental scientist with more than 10 years of experience. She has a broad environmental background having worked in the consulting, government, academic, and non-profit fields. Prior to her current position, she worked as a state scientist investigating environmental complaints and spills that required regular interaction with the public, industry, and regulators. Ms. Abbene has specialized skills, including facility with GIS software, management of environmental data sets, and spatial data analysis and mapping. Ms. Abbene has project management experience as well as extensive field experience sampling soil, groundwater, surface water, soil vapor, and indoor and outdoor air. Her project experience includes conducting ecological assessments, soil excavation oversight, and environmental restoration and monitoring.

The Benthic Zone (January Edition): Integral's Sediment Newsletter

Press Release

January 04 2023

Bioremediation and Phytoremediation of an Oil-Contaminated Salt Marsh in South Louisiana

Resource

January 04 2023

GIS Analysis

Interactive Map of Sediment Sampling, Navassa, North Carolina Created a user-friendly, interactive map in an easily shareable PDF format for use by various stakeholders. Mapping required compiling and displaying hundreds of sediment contaminant results over topographic data to allow users to easily understand the current state of the project, data gaps, and proposed future efforts.
Habitat Assessments, Various Locations Regular use of ArcGIS to assess and map project sites. Included geospatial analysis of vegetation health and type, wetland status, soil regimes, and proximity to other features. Developed figures for reports and presentations.
Wildlife Habitat Enhancement and Certification, Belvidere, New Jersey Field manager and ecologist for land management of a former munitions facility. Project work included GPS and GIS mapping of natural resources, and implementation and monitoring of wildlife enhancement projects for small and large raptors, songbirds, and bats. Vegetation surveys were completed for habitat areas and wildlife observations for birds, amphibians, insects, and mammals. Developed site maps in ArcGIS for resource monitoring.
Wildlife Habitat Enhancement and Certification, Williamsburg, Virginia Field manager and ecologist for land management for wildlife enhancement projects at a former chemical facility. Maintained GIS database of site features, and conducted fieldwork to monitor change in ecosystem health over time utilizing GPS and GIS. Responsibilities included baseline vegetation and wildlife survey for bats, birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and insects; management of purple martin colony; evaluation of pollinator meadow areas; and installation of habitat features for eastern bluebird, wood ducks, and bats. Assisted in the preparation of Forest Management Plan and conducted seasonal wildlife and vegetation surveys within each of the distinctive habitat areas for Wildlife Habitat Council's Wildlife at Work Certification (Wildlife Monitoring Plan) for a 600-acre site in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Remediation Construction Oversight

University Campus Development, Roosevelt Island, New York Project manager for development of a 12-acre campus on Roosevelt Island, New York. Responsibilities included excavation oversight that allowed for reuse of more than 50,000 tons of soil intended for offsite disposal; stormwater pollution prevention plan compliance; community air monitoring; and permitting support for discharge of wastewater from an innovative geothermal well.
Former Power Plant Redevelopment, Brooklyn, New York Project Manager for redevelopment of a former power plant on the Gowanus Canal that involved remediation of PCBs in soils and sediments under TSCA and remediation of belowground structures. Managed subcontractors, site safety plan, and implemented community air monitoring plan.
Former Railyard Redevelopment, Brooklyn, New York Field manager for Phase II environmental site assessment investigation of soil, groundwater, and soil vapor. Construction oversight for excavation of more than 200,000 tons of soil, including implementing an in situ waste characterization program, and environmental support for demolition, asbestos, and lead abatement.

Air Quality Monitoring

Baton Rouge Capital Region, Louisiana Environmental regulator with focus on air regulations. Led and conducted Routine Full Compliance Evaluation inspections to determine the degree of compliance with permits and applicable regulations including Louisiana Air Quality Regulations State Implementation Program, Title V of Clean Air Act (40 CFR Part 70), New Source Performance Standards (40 CFR Part 60), National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (40 CFR Part 61 and Part 63), Compliance Assurance Monitoring (40 CFR Part 64), and specific responsibilities of Accidental Release Program (40 CFR Part 68). Inspections included field tours, records review, and interviews with operating personnel from some of Louisiana’s largest refineries and chemical manufacturing facilities. Deliverables included technical reports to document non-compliance and written referrals to the enforcement division for issuance of violations of air regulations.

Surveying

Wildlife Habitat Enhancement and Certification, Belvidere, New Jersey Field manager and ecologist for land management of a former munitions facility. Project work included GPS and GIS mapping of natural resources, and implementation and monitoring of wildlife enhancement projects for small and large raptors, songbirds, and bats. Vegetation surveys were completed for habitat areas and wildlife observations for birds, amphibians, insects, and mammals. Developed site maps in ArcGIS for resource monitoring.
Wildlife Habitat Enhancement and Certification, Williamsburg, Virginia Field manager and ecologist for land management for wildlife enhancement projects at a former chemical facility. Maintained GIS database of site features, and conducted fieldwork to monitor change in ecosystem health over time utilizing GPS and GIS. Responsibilities included baseline vegetation and wildlife survey for bats, birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and insects; management of purple martin colony; evaluation of pollinator meadow areas; and installation of habitat features for eastern bluebird, wood ducks, and bats. Assisted in the preparation of Forest Management Plan and conducted seasonal wildlife and vegetation surveys within each of the distinctive habitat areas for Wildlife Habitat Council's Wildlife at Work Certification (Wildlife Monitoring Plan) for a 600-acre site in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Ecological Restoration

Landfill Stabilization and Habitat Creation, Brooklyn, New York Project and field manager for the transformation of a former municipal landfill into a rare maritime grassland habitat across a 70-acre island in Marine Park, Brooklyn, New York. Habitat design incorporated several vegetative zones to provide diverse nesting habitat for avian species. Conducted seasonal monitoring and reporting.
Industrial Landfill Closure, Rensselaer, New York Field manager and ecologist for the evaluation of an alternative landfill cap designed for natural habitat use for a former chemical facility. Conducted monitoring and reporting to demonstrate that an alternative landfill cover on a 9-acre industrial landfill in Rensselaer, New York, promoted ecological diversity and created valuable wildlife habitat.
Waterfront Redevelopment, East River, New York Field manager for benthic community evaluation for a waterfront redevelopment site located within an inlet of the East River and greater New York City harbor area. Completed benthic, sediment, and surface water sampling to evaluate the effects of the contaminated sediment on the benthic community. Work was performed in support of the creation of tidal marshes, provision of benthic habitat structures, and the partial removal of a bulkhead to provide public access to the created water feature.
Habitat Restoration and Monitoring, Upton, New York Field manager and ecologist for the restoration monitoring, supplemental planting, and invasive species control activities along a 2-mile stretch of the Peconic River. The restoration activities followed sediment removal for the remediation of metal-contaminated sediments in the emergent marsh and forested riparian wetland system.
Wildlife Habitat Enhancement and Certification, Belvidere, New Jersey Field manager and ecologist for land management of a former munitions facility. Project work included GPS and GIS mapping of natural resources, and implementation and monitoring of wildlife enhancement projects for small and large raptors, songbirds, and bats. Vegetation surveys were completed for habitat areas and wildlife observations for birds, amphibians, insects, and mammals. Developed site maps in ArcGIS for resource monitoring.
Wildlife Habitat Enhancement and Certification, Williamsburg, Virginia Field manager and ecologist for land management for wildlife enhancement projects at a former chemical facility. Maintained GIS database of site features, and conducted fieldwork to monitor change in ecosystem health over time utilizing GPS and GIS. Responsibilities included baseline vegetation and wildlife survey for bats, birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and insects; management of purple martin colony; evaluation of pollinator meadow areas; and installation of habitat features for eastern bluebird, wood ducks, and bats. Assisted in the preparation of Forest Management Plan and conducted seasonal wildlife and vegetation surveys within each of the distinctive habitat areas for Wildlife Habitat Council's Wildlife at Work Certification (Wildlife Monitoring Plan) for a 600-acre site in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Sediment Sampling

Interactive Map of Sediment Sampling, Navassa, North Carolina Created a user-friendly, interactive map in an easily shareable PDF format for use by various stakeholders. Mapping required compiling and displaying hundreds of sediment contaminant results over topographic data to allow users to easily understand the current state of the project, data gaps, and proposed future efforts.

van Breugel, M., J. Hall, D. Craven, M. Bailon, A. Hernandez, M. Abbene, and P. van Breugel. 2013. Succession of ephemeral secondary forests and their limited role for the conservation of floristic diversity in a human modified tropical landscape. PLoS One 8(12):e82433. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0082433

Barnes, P.W., H.L. Throop, D.B. Hewins, M. Abbene, and S.R. Archer. 2012. Soil coverage reduces photodegradation and promotes the development of soil-microbial films on dryland leaf litter. Ecosystems 15:311-321.

Benotti, M.J., M.L. Abbene, and S.A. Terracciano. 2007. Nutrient Loading in Jamaica Bay, Long Island, New York: Predevelopment to 2005. USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2007–505. 17 pp., online only.

Abbene, M., D.J. Reid-Green, and A. Ludlow. 2014. Beyond remediation: Designing an alternative landfill cover for habitat restoration and carbon sequestration in an industrial corridor. 2014 Conference on Ecological and Ecosystem Restoration, New Orleans, LA. Paper Abstract.

Abbene, M.L., J.D. Reid-Green, and N. Epler. 2013. Phytotechnology cover for industrial landfill closure. 10th Annual International Phytotechnologies Conference, Syracuse, NY. Paper Abstract.

Tobler, M.A., D.A. White, M.L. Abbene, and P.W. Barnes. 2009. Decomposition of standing dead litter is inhibited by solar UV-B in a southern marsh ecosystem. 2009 ESA Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM. Poster Abstract.

Abbene, M.L., P.W. Barnes, H.L. Throop, and S.R. Archer. 2008. Interactive effects of UV radiation and soil coverage on leaf litter decomposition in velvet mesquite (Prosopis velutina). 2008 ESA Annual Meeting, Milwaukee, WI. Poster Abstract.

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