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Shannon Ashurst

Shannon Ashurst
Shannon Ashurst
Consultant

Shannon Ashurst

Consultant

Ms. Shannon Ashurst has 18 years of environmental consulting experience, working on remedial investigations, toxicology evaluations, long-term monitoring programs, ecological risk assessments, and allocation projects.  She has participated in and managed sediment and groundwater investigations for private and government clients.  Projects have included performing site characterizations and remedial investigations, monitoring post-dredge ecosystem recovery, evaluating potential dredge prism characterization approaches, conducting source characterization studies, assessing remedial action compliance with project benchmarks and criteria, performing ecological risk assessments, and assistin...

Ms. Shannon Ashurst has 18 years of environmental consulting experience, working on remedial investigations, toxicology evaluations, long-term monitoring programs, ecological risk assessments, and allocation projects.  She has participated in and managed sediment and groundwater investigations for private and government clients.  Projects have included performing site characterizations and remedial investigations, monitoring post-dredge ecosystem recovery, evaluating potential dredge prism characterization approaches, conducting source characterization studies, assessing remedial action compliance with project benchmarks and criteria, performing ecological risk assessments, and assisting with remedial action optimization evaluations.  Ms. Ashurst has participated in the planning, sample collection, data analysis, and reporting phases of these projects.  Data analysis has included chemical distribution evaluations, statistical comparisons (e.g., source evaluations, derivation of site-specific cleanup levels, trend analysis), bioassay test evaluations, and risk modeling.

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Remedial Design

Former Wood Treating Site, Remedial Action Optimization, Springfield, Missouri Supporting a client in the evaluation of the current remediation system in place at a former wood treatment facility. Activities include reviewing available data, identifying data gaps and assisting with associated work plan development, and assisting and supporting client communications with local, regional, and state stakeholders and interested/concerned parties. Project responsibilities have encompassed both technical (database development, data analysis, ecological risk evaluation, and report development) and administrative (project management, budget management, and other client support) duties.
Superfund Site, Remediation Program, Seattle, Washington Supported a non-time-critical removal action to address contaminated soil at a site within the Lower Duwamish Waterway Superfund site. Activities included characterizing soil to determine remedial footprints, identifying appropriate fill materials to use as part of remedial actions, supporting installation of a new stormwater management system (including permitting coordination among several agencies), and developing a long-term operations and maintenance plan
Former Wood Treating Site, Remedial Action Optimization, Kansas City, Missouri Supporting a client in the evaluation of the current remediation system in place at a former wood treatment facility and evaluating human health and ecological risks associated with past site uses. Activities include reviewing available data, identifying data gaps and assisting with associated work plan development, and assisting and supporting client communications with local, regional, and state stakeholders. Project responsibilities have encompassed both technical (database development, data analysis, ecological risk evaluation, and report development) and administrative (project management, budget management, and other client support) duties.
Former Steam Plant, Seattle, Washington Supporting the development of a site RI/FS for a multi-party PRP group, as well as an interim action on a client-owned sub-parcel for development into a community park. Work includes data analysis and reporting for the steam plant, technical review of other PRP consultant’s deliverables, and participation in and client advocacy during agency meetings.

Monitoring

Wood Treating Facility, Whatcom County, Washington Participating in and managing a long-term groundwater monitoring program at an active wood treating facility that historically used treating solutions of creosote and pentachlorophenol. Work includes managing fieldwork, evaluating data, reporting, and acting as client liaison with the managing agency (EPA). Work has also entailed responding to the most recent five-year review, successfully advocating for a revised, less costly evaluation approach than the one originally requested by EPA.
Ward Cove Long-Term Monitoring, Ketchikan, Alaska Participating in and managing a long‑term sediment monitoring program offshore of a former pulp mill to ensure that the remedial action remains protective of the benthic environment. Work includes analyzing sediment profile and plan view images, evaluating toxicity and taxonomic data, generating associated reports, and communicating with the client, client representative, and agency.
Superfund Site, Long-Term Monitoring Program, Seattle, Washington Managed a long-term groundwater monitoring program at a remediated Superfund site having a multi-party PRP group.  Work included verification that site groundwater meets designated remediation benchmarks and evaluation of contaminants of concern over time.  Liaised between lead agency (EPA) and PRP group members.
Former Steam Plant Long-Term Groundwater Monitoring, Seattle, Washington Managed the compliance groundwater monitoring program to evaluate whether cleanup criteria were met at a site with a multiparty PRP group. Work included managing the field program, coordinating with subcontractors and other site PRP consultants, reviewing data, and preparing associated data reports, as well as monitoring project budget.
Post-dredge Ecosystem Recovery Monitoring, Portland, Oregon Characterized and monitored a river channel pre- and post-dredge to determine compliance with a National Marine Fisheries Service biological opinion.  Work included assessment of surface sediment chemistry, bathymetry, and benthic community.
Port Authority Site Monitoring, SeaTac, Washington Managed a groundwater and surface water monitoring program to verify compliance with water quality benchmarks and criteria.  Determined mercury source and assessed impact on an area of locally elevated concentrations.

Ecological Risk Assessment

San Jacinto River Waste Pits RI/FS, Harris County, Texas Conducted a baseline ecological risk assessment for a former pulp mill waste site; the wastes have dioxin/furan contamination.  The site is located in an estuary, and has onsite riparian areas and adjacent uplands.  The risk assessment aided in the development of remediation goals for the site.
Berry’s Creek Study Area, New Jersey Supported ecological data analysis to evaluate bioaccumulation and toxicity of representative biota and plants exposed to mercury and PCB contamination.  Performed preliminary risk evaluation for avian and mammalian receptors to refine the conceptual site model, identify exposure pathways and appropriate endpoints.  Provided support for planning of Phase 3 field sampling and assisted with the baseline ecological risk assessment.
Former Fill Site, Fox Point, Delaware Supporting ecological data analysis to evaluate risks posed to biota exposed to the offshore areas of the former fill site; contaminants of potential concern are metals, PAHs, PCBs, and pesticides.  Performing a screening evaluation of contaminants of potential concern to help inform the baseline ecological risk assessment, which is currently under way.
Steel Mill Facility, Portland, Oregon Supporting terrestrial ecological risk assessment for a riparian riverbank area adjacent to the facility.  The evaluation is being done to confirm that source control measures enacted are sufficient to address potential risk to terrestrial ecological receptors.  Contaminants of concern include metals and PCBs.  Work includes developing a conceptual site model, identifying receptors, screening contaminants of concern in the post-remediation data set, calculating exposure concentrations, and determining risk.
Electric Generating Station, Honolulu, Hawai'i Supported a site-specific ecological risk assessment pertaining to contaminated sediments in a bay offshore of an electric generating station. The risk assessment revised a prior assessment, incorporating new sediment and tissue data and calculating site-specific preliminary remediation goals to better delineate the remedial footprint and support remedial design decisions.
Former Sawmill Facility, Darby, Montana Conducted a baseline ecological risk assessment for a former saw mill.  Contaminants of concern include pentachlorophenol, PAHs, petroleum hydrocarbons, and dioxins/furans.  The site is located near the foothills of the Bitterroot Mountains.  Current land uses adjacent to the now-vacant facility include agriculture, residences, and commercial/industrial development.  The risk assessment will be used, in part, to develop site-specific cleanup levels for the facility.
Stream Ecological Risk Evaluation, Missouri Supported studies to address ecological risk related to mine tailings in gravel-bedded streams of the Missouri Ozarks. Risk studies developed information on benthic community structure, benthic invertebrate toxicity, and chemistry of soil, tissue, sediment, sediment porewater, and surface water. Synthesis of these data with results of stream geomorphology and sediment transport evaluation supported development of sediment remediation goals and stream mitigation design.

Site Characterization

Former Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) Sediment RI/FS, Seattle, Washington Characterized sediment adjacent to a former MGP, in support of the development of possible remedial alternatives.  Determined contaminants of concern, nature and extent of impacts, and derivation of site-specific cleanup levels.  Participated in human health and ecological risk evaluations.
Dredged Material Sediment Characterization, Longview, Washington Participated in a sediment characterization project to support maintenance dredging.  This work was performed according to the requirements of the dredged material evaluation and disposal procedures from the Dredged Material Management Program and the 2006 freshwater testing requirements outlined in Regional Sediment Evaluation Team guidance.  Sediments were evaluated relative to criteria to determine the suitability of dredged material for unconfined open water disposal in the Columbia River.  Activities included bioassay result validation, interpretation, and reporting.
Wetland Site Characterization, Portland, Oregon Characterized surface and subsurface wetland soils and sediments to inform possible remedial actions and potential reuse options for site soils.
Mitigation Planning Support, Seabeck, Washington Characterized an estuary to assess its potential to provide intertidal habitat mitigation for a planned expansion at a neighboring U.S. Navy facility.  Project work included geotechnical, biological, habitat (wetland, terrestrial, and aquatic), and sediment/soil chemistry sampling and evaluations.
Dredge Prism Characterization Alternatives Evaluation, Portland, Oregon Compared alternate dredge prism characterization approaches—typical (discrete) sampling approach versus multi-increment sampling (composite) approach.  Collected sediment cores for discrete and composite samples for subsequent analysis of contaminants of concern and data evaluation.
Source Characterization Study, Blaine, Washington Investigated the influence of refinery piers on adjacent sediments.  Determined sources of contaminants of interest.  Evaluated confounding factors in bioassay assessment (e.g., sulfides).

Cost Allocation

Superfund Sediment Site Allocation Support, Seattle, Washington Supported the client and legal teams through the review of project and historical documents to aid allocation litigation in a multi-party PRP Superfund site.  The site consists of a multiple-mile length of river and numerous PRPs.  Primary contaminants of concern are PCBs, PAHs, arsenic, and dioxins/furans.
Sediment Cleanup Allocation Support, Port Angeles, Washington Supported the client and legal teams through the review of project and historical documents to aid allocation litigation in a multi-party PRP priority environmental cleanup and restoration site identified by the Washington State Department of Ecology. The site included sediments in a working harbor with historical and current industrial impacts. Primary contaminants of concern were dioxins/furans, PCBs, PAHs, and metals.
Superfund Sediment Site Allocation Support, Portland, Oregon Supporting the client and legal teams through the review of project and historical documents to aid allocation litigation in a multiparty PRP Superfund site.  The site includes sediments in a working harbor with historical and current industrial impacts.  Primary contaminants of concern are dioxins/furans, PCBs, PAHs, and metals.
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