The Eco-Strategies Group LLC

Background

Royal J. Nadeau
President, The Eco-Strategies Group

Education:
Ph.D Rutgers – The State University, New Brunswick, NJ
M.S. University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
B.S. SUNY Plattsburg, Plattsburg, NY

Certifications

NJDEP Certification in Subsurface Evaluation
ESA Certified Senior Ecologist

Experience:

Dr. Nadeau is a charter member of the Environmental Response Team that originated as a Special Force in the National Contingency Plan. He was instrumental in the implementation of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Recovery Act (CERCLA) as a member of the various task forces that were responsible for developing the implementation strategies. He is familiar with the changes to CERCLA that occurred with the passage of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA); e.g., Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know (Title III), Chemical Emergency Preparedness and Prevention (CEPP), and the Community Action Plans. Knowledge of these, along with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Clean Air Act (CAA), the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), and state and local regulations have paved the way for TEG to develop sound and practical treatment, cleanup, and restoration strategies.
Dr. Nadeau has kept current with the latest advances in innovative technologies for remediating environmental emergencies and hazardous waste sites. He addresses the technical problems of sites on a site-specific basis. The use of soil gas surveys to evaluate VOC contamination was one such approach promulgated by Dr. Nadeau, and since accepted as the industry standard for evaluating Superfund sites. He has kept current on technical information appearing in the scientific literature concerning the human and environmental health effects of toxic materials and hazardous wastes, and uses this knowledge to develop and apply novel and advanced approaches in the areas of risk assessment, extent of surface and subsurface contamination, and appropriate on-site cleanup techniques. His special talents and skills allow him to respond to situations in a cost-effective and expeditious manner without sacrificing scientific credibility.
Dr. Nadeau has placed great emphasis on wetland deliniation, construction and restoration, as well as the hydrology of the surrounding areas. He is familiar with the appropriate species for each habitat and locale, and has considerable experience regarding wetlands regulations on Federal, State, and local levels.
As an environmental scientist, Dr. Nadeau has the ability to analyze, interpret, and evaluate test results. He is intimately familiar with the variety and complexities of multi-media data and he has conducted special workshops and seminars on geophysical survey techniques and groundwater remediation technologies. These seminars have stressed the interpretation of field-acquired data and its utility, extent of contaminations, and off-site migration.

Deputy Branch Chief - Environmental Response Team
Section Chief - Environmental Impact Section
Environmental Scientist
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Office of Solid Waste & Emergency Response/Office of Emergency & Remedial Response/Emergency Response Division/Emergency Response Team
As Deputy Director of the ERT, Dr. Nadeau shared fully in the direction and control of the Center, which managed the largest national program for providing technical advice and training to On-Scene Coordinators and Project Managers. Dr. Nadeau also served as the USEPA’s international expert and the technical representative for government and industry work groups in the area of response to catastrophic oil spills and cleanup methods/strategies. He was also an Agency technical expert for interagency teams on ecological risk, damage assessments, reclamation, restoration, and equipment development, who provided technical representation for Agency, interagency and technical societies and seminars of national and international importance. He was instrumental in initiating and guiding the development of new applications of existing knowledge in the prevention, control, and cleanup of releases of hazardous substances, and actively encouraged the development of new methodology and techniques.

Section Chief

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/ Environmental Impact Section, Environmental Response Team
Dr. Nadeau served the USEPA as Chief of the Environmental Impact Section in the Environmental Response Branch. He directed the development of procedures to rapidly respond to environmental emergencies and uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. He directed the preparation, evaluation and review of environmental assessments to ensure that response actions produced the least overall impact on the environment and local population. He directed the development of data and evaluation of information to ensure that effective restoration activities were carried out. He made recommendations after considering the impact of an incident, validity and reliability of the procedures and value of the study to the overall program needs.

Chief Biologist

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/ Office of Wastewater Programs/Oil & Hazardous Materials Division/ Emergency Response Team
As Chief Biologist, Dr. Nadeau directed collection and analysis of environmental samples required to carry out the functions of the Emergency Response Team. He provided technical expertise and advice pertaining to the toxic effects and environmental impact of hazardous materials spills, and assessed the significance of discharges of toxic wastes. He coordinated difficult and complex environmental investigations, interpreted the results of these investigations, and prepared comprehensive reports of each study. Dr. Nadeau interfaced with scientists from the government and the private sector to exchange information assessing damage and restoration techniques. He prepared and gave lectures for training programs and conferences, served on national program committees, and provided technical assistance and expert opinion in legal proceedings. He developed criteria and protocol for assessing environmental damage from oil and hazardous material spills to coastal and inland ecosystems, including socio-economic impacts.

Chief

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/ Region II / Biology-Microbiology Section/ Surveillance and Analysis Division
While Chief of the Biology-Microbiology Section, Dr. Nadeau directed a team of biologists and microbiologists in the collection and analysis of aquatic biological samples required to carry out the planned program of studies of the division. These duties entailed supervising the preparation of interpretive reports of biological investigations; i.e., Cities Service Spill, Clarksburg Herbicide Spill, PCBs in the Hudson River, Benthic Survey in Lower Hudson, Vacia Talega Mangrove Survey, and Bridgeport White Cedar Swamp Study. Dr. Nadeau was often called upon to explain and defend the results of these studies within Federal Court at the direction of the Department of Justice. Dr. Nadeau served on the Ocean Dumping Bioassay Working Group which was charged with developing a rationale document of the Bioassay Requirement for EPA’s Ocean Dumping Permit Program. Dr. Nadeau chaired an International Steering Committee for the NEPCO 140 Oil Spill Study to characterize the economic and ecological impact of the spill. As Chief of the Biology Program, Dr. Nadeau was an integral player in the formulation and implementation of the State-EPA (Region II) agreement on water quality monitoring in Region II.

Aquatic Biologist U.S. EPA/ Oil & Hazardous Material Spill Branch/ National Environmental Research Center/ Office of Research and Development
As the chief biologist for the Oil and Hazardous Material Spills Branch, Dr. Nadeau coordinated and supervised biological-related research in damage to aquatic communities by oil and hazardous material spills. Dr. Nadeau served as the Agency’s Project Officer on a number of grants to major oceanographic and limnology institutions; i.e., Woods Hole Oceanographic and Rennselear Polytechnic Institute. Dr. Nadeau responded and served as the Agency’s chief scientist and advisor to the U.S. Coast Guard at a number of major oil spills; i.e., Zoe Colotronics in Puerto Rico, Tamano Spill in Portland, ME, and New Haven Harbor Spill. While being Chief Biologist, Dr. Nadeau conducted a study to document the impact of discharge of heavy metals from the Marathon Battery Site into Foundry Cove, Cold Spring, NY.

Services

Wetlands Science:

Delineation- Performed in accordance with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published guidelines that are based on hydrographic conditions, plant community, and hydric soil conditions. These parameters are used within a matrix to determine where wetlands end and the upland begins.
Characterization - Wetlands occur within a wide spectrum of types, ranging from fresh water flood plain woodlands to coastal salt marshes, each type supporting unique plant and animal communities. Characterization is performed using the techniques and parameters employed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and State regulations.
Evaluation - Certain wetlands are considered to be critically sensitive habitats because of location and the ecological services. Some states require a statement of interpretation that incorporates an evaluation in accordance to guidelines published by the State and in agreement with appropriate general ecological principles.
Constructed Wetlands - Constructed wetlands are wetlands created to compensate for the loss of wetlands due to man's activities. Many of these constructed wetlands need physical and biological rehabilitation while newly constructed wetlands require monitoring of the plant and animal communities and hydrographic regime to determine if corrective actions are needed. A monitoring plan and a scheme to implement corrective action is essential for a constructed wetland to comply with state and federal requirements for placement in the wetlands mitigation bank system.

Design and Conduct Fate and Transport Investigations:
Often times, spills of hazardous substances and oil are not detected until the neighboring residents bordering the site have noticed strange odors or fluids in their basements or nearby streams.
Tracking a subsurface contaminant requires a knowledge of local soils, geology, groundwater movement, and the physical/chemical characteristics of the contaminant. TEG has experience in determining the fate and transport of subsurface contaminants using 'state-of-the-science' technologies.
Knowing the appropriate field analytical contamination and methodologies combined with the confirmatory laboratory analyses can result in a cost savings in terms of time and money. TEG will design, recommend appropriate investigation tools, and conduct studies for locating and tracking contaminant movement in soils, groundwater, and surface waters.
Related site examples
Remediation Selection and Design Recommendations:
Selecting the appropriate cleanup remedy for contaminated soils and sediments can be bewildering and daunting for landowners and responsible parties. Fortunately, decision matrices have been derived from research and demonstration projects, case histories, and site projects for various remedies used at hazardous materials sites ranging from incineration, thermal desorption, pump and treat, and dig/disposal methodologies.
TEG has the theoretical and working familiarity with the advantages and shortcomings of these remedial technologies from observations and evaluation under field operating conditions over a twenty year period. As such, this information is valuable in making recommendations to clients; responsible parties, public environmental officials of concerned citizen groups.
Contaminant specific
Environmental media
Environmental condition limitations - biological soft engineering
Chemical and physical treatments
Biological and phytoremediation
Remediation and restoration of disturbed sites - A large portion of the total number of sites on the Federal and states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut lists are within a hundred miles of New York City. Many of these sites are already, or soon-to-be considered for Brownfields status.
Dr. Nadeau, while with the US EPA's Environmental Response Team, and his colleagues worked to develop a strategy for using bioremediation technology to remove diminished heavy metals and petroleum compounds from contaminated soils at a number of these sites.
On-site soil conditioning in the early phase of treatment, with later introduction of native plant species leading to the creation of natural habitats, is critical in the urbanized setting for enhanced biodiversity and refuges for migratory species.
For petroleum contaminated sites, a Phased Approach involves a scheme to improve the soil physical and chemical conditions to create the proper environment for the growth of natural microbial populations. These naturally-occurring microbes degrade the petroleum compounds over time providing that the soil conditions are optimally maintained during the active treatment phase.
Once the contaminant levels are reduced during the active phase, a native meadow or woodland can be created. A planting program can be implemented that incorporates grasses, both cool season annuals and warm season grasses, and forbs common to native meadows.
TEG can evaluate the contaminants and soil conditions on a site-by-site basis to determine the feasibility of using the Phased Approach or other appropriate soil rehabilitation technology.
Landowners are encouraged to create successful natural habitats as part of the redevelopment phase and are often eligible for conservation easements and other incentives. The Federal and state natural resource agencies, in conjunction with private conservation foundations, have active programs for acknowledging habitat creation.

Data Review and Validation:

Many state and Federal environmental regulations require the submittal of data to environmental enforcement agencies. These data must be generated using standard protocols and methodologies and be evaluated for conformance with the precision and accuracy of the procedures. TEG has many years experience and familiarity with EPA Analytical Protocols that are often required for environmental data submittals.
TEG is familiar with new and innovative methodologies that can be utilized to satisfy data submission requirements to the regulatory agencies; e.g., in-situ measurements using field analytics.
TEG can review data packages and reports from Phase II and Site Investigations to meet site closure requirements under CERCLA and state regulations.

Communications and Training:

TEG realizes the importance of effective communication and teaching skills to convey ideas, concepts, and environmental principles to the public. The TEG members and associates give talks and lectures to academic and other groups of all ages. TEG has a vast amount of experience in organizing workshops and seminars using steering committees to establish objective and curriculum for these events. For example, Dr. Nadeau has served as the Course Director for courses on subsurface investigations, hydrogeology and ecological restoration for EPA and other agency technical personnel.
TEG will provide trained facilitators for groups with backgrounds and interests to develop consensus and direction to address controversal issues. These facilitators are familiar with group dynamics, but as environmental scientists, they often can address technical issues that arise during the meetings as well.

Watershed Issues:

Addressing non-point source pollution is now a requirement by the EPA for municipalities and facilities. A plan that includes management of water quality parameters; e.g., microbial, suspended solids, petroleum compounds, and chlorides must be submitted for review and compliance with these new regulations. Included within this plan is the requirement to address traditional stormwater issues as well.
Within the past few years, concern for maintaining base flows in small streams has resulted in alteration in stormwater design and practices. Included in this are provisions for remediating the impact of pollutant loads from stormwater, realizing that the greatest pollutant loads occur very early in the hydrograph of a storm.
TEG can provide advice and consultative services to municipalities and like organizations who now are required to meet these new regulations, by performing reviews and commenting on the reports submitted by consulting engineers to insure that the most up-to-date innovative and Best Management Practices are being utilized in design and remedy proposals.
TEG scientists are experienced and knowledgeable aquatic ecologists and chemists who are familiar with the various stormwater control measures available, both on-site and off-site.

Natural Habitat Creation and Restoration:

With the loss of habitat being the main cause for biodiversity decline in urban and suburban areas, there is sincere interest on the part of private and public conservation foundations/agencies to enhance biodiversity across the nation. TEG, with its strong background in the science of ecology, can serve the public and private concerns who are interested in creating habitats and enhancing degraded habitats.
Degradation of habitats occurs primarily through neglect and the intrusion of alien species. TEG can formulate a remediation plan which includes a plan for invasive species removal/control. In addition, TEG will recommend steps that should be taken for replanting and future husbandry practices to bring the habitat into its fullest enhancement potential. TEG can generate remedial plans for all ecological habitats from lakes and ponds, wetlands, open fields, and woodland using sound science to establish habitats which are diverse in species and provide distinct ecological services.

Open Space - Natural Landscape Conservation:

With dwindling open space from sprawl and housing development in the Northeast, many townships and landowners have realized the need and importance for preservation and maintaining open space. The benefits of open space to communities as a whole far exceeds those from development.
TEG, with its ecological-based mission, is well versed with the necessities of landscape for ensuring population movements within uninterrupted land corridors. In addition, certain keystone species require more land for territory and feeding. TEG factors all these requirements in developing a plan for townships and landowners interested in acquiring and maintaining lands for open space, using the science of ecology as its basis. With sound science, TEG will assist those organizations prepare proposals for funding for acquiring key land parcels to prevent landscape fragmentation and loss of biodiversity.