Governor Appoints Letavic to Science & Technical Advisory Committee at Chesapeake Bay Program

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Our senior project manager Erin Letavic has been appointed by Governor Wolf to the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Science & Technical Advisory Committee. The Chesapeake Bay Program is the leading voice directing the restoration of our nation’s largest estuary for recreation, industry, and the environment.  It advises state and federal agencies on policy and provides both funding and resources to entities working to improve water quality at the grassroots level.  The program’s Scientific & Technical Advisory Committee ensures that the advice and resources it provides are scientifically sound.  Members offer independent scientific and technical guidance, serve as a liaison to the region’s scientific community, and facilitate cooperation among research institutions and agencies within the watershed.

We believe Erin will be a great addition to this committee because of her broad-ranging knowledge and experience with Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts: She has two degrees – one in environmental engineering and the other in geology.  She has more than 17 years of experience helping municipalities with MS4 permitting and compliance, and she leads HRG’s work as the coordinator for 13 counties currently participating in DEP’s Phase 3 WIP Countywide Action Plan program.  She’s also an impaired streamside landowner herself and a passionate watershed advocate.

Erin Letavic

“I’m excited to bring my perspective as a practitioner and my experience on the ground to the committee. I want to give a program-level perspective on local implementation challenges, and I’m grateful that the governor and the Chesapeake Bay Program are giving me that opportunity.”

 

Jason Hinz Honored as One of Engineering’s Top Young Professionals

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Jason HinzJason Hinz is being honored by Engineering News-Record (ENR) magazine as one of the Top Young Professionals in the construction and design industry.  He is profiled alongside the other honorees in the February issue of ENR’s Mid-Atlantic edition.

Hinz is a civil group manager at Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG).  He oversees a team of almost 30 professionals who primarily provide municipal engineering support to local communities and also assist with water quality and stormwater management needs.

He is also committed to serving his community.  Hinz is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and volunteers his time planting trees and cleaning up litter.

HRG’s civil practice area leader Matt Bonanno says, “Jason inspires and motivates his team with a calm and thoughtful demeanor, and he regularly receives glowing reviews of his work from his clients.  We are grateful to have him on the HRG team, and we’re happy to see him recognized by ENR alongside a very talented group of industry peers.”

 

ABOUT ENGINEERING NEWS-RECORD’S TOP YOUNG PROFESSIONALS PROGRAM

Engineering News-Record is a weekly magazine with more than 60,000 paid subscribers that covers news in the architecture, engineering and construction industry. In addition to its national publication, it also publishes several regional editions.

Each year, the regional editions recognize 20 industry professionals as the “best of the best.”  Applicants are evaluated on their education, industry experience, leadership, and community service.

The Mid-Atlantic edition focuses on Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C.

 

ABOUT HRG

Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) is a nationally ranked design firm providing civil engineering, surveying, and environmental services. The firm was founded in Harrisburg in 1962 and has grown to employ more than 250 people in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. For more information, please visit the website at www.hrg-inc.com.

 

Matt Vanaskie Joins HRG as Senior Project Manager

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Matt VanaskieMatthew Vanaskie has joined the civil group at Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. as a senior project manager in our Lewisburg office.  He has 15 years of experience in water resource management, which includes watershed planning, NPDES permitting, MS4 compliance, and the design of water, sewer, and stormwater systems.  He also assists communities with capital planning and budgeting.

Vanaskie is a licensed professional engineer and has presented at industry conferences for the Pennsylvania Water Environment Association and the Water Environment Federation.

“We’re very excited to have Matt on our team,” HRG assistant vice president Erin Threet says. “We already have a strong team of experts in the land development and water/wastewater sectors in this office, and we have always had a deep bench of water quality experts throughout the organization.  With Matt on board, we have a senior water quality expert here in Lewisburg to enhance our service offerings to local clients in the surrounding communities.”

 

ABOUT HRG

Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) is a nationally ranked design firm providing civil engineering, surveying, and environmental services. The firm was founded in Harrisburg in 1962 and has grown to employ more than 200 people in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. For more information, please visit the website at www.hrg-inc.com.

2 HRG Projects Honored by Tri-County Regional Planning Commission

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Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc (HRG) provided engineering services for two of the honorees at last week’s Premier Projects award ceremony: the Tuscarora Street Townhomes redevelopment and the West Caracas Avenue Parking Lot.

The Tuscarora Street Townhomes project successfully replaced an abandoned and blighted property in Susquehanna Township with new, affordable, and attractive housing. It was recognized in the Growing Our Communities category.

Tuscarora Street Townhomes redevelopment

A rendering of the proposed Tuscarora Street townhome development during design

The West Caracas Avenue Parking Lot incorporated stormwater Best Management Practices like porous pavement to promote groundwater recharge and reduce the amount of runoff from the site. These BMPs also filter pollutants from the runoff, protecting local water quality. At the same time, the design creates greater parking efficiency and improves access management in a vital economic center within the township. The project was recognized in the Growing Within Our Environment category. (You can learn more about the project and the benefits of porous pavement in this article.)

West Caracas Avenue wins Premier Project Award

(From left to right) HRG team members Scott Fisher, Alex Greenly, Lindsay Bonanno, and Matt Bonanno celebrate the West Caracas Avenue parking lot honor with Derry Township leaders Charles Emerick, Lauren Zumbrun,Mike Callahan, and David Habig

We want to congratulate the Dauphin County Land Bank Authority, Susquehanna Township, and Derry Township, on these honors and thank them for the opportunity to assist with each project.

ABOUT THE PREMIER PROJECT AWARDS

This annual awards program is sponsored by the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission to honor projects which exemplify the goals of Dauphin County’s comprehensive plan. Land development, ordinance revisions, infrastructure improvements, and revitalization initiatives are all eligible for this recognition.

ABOUT HRG

Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) is a nationally ranked design firm providing civil engineering, surveying, and environmental services. The firm was founded in Harrisburg in 1962 and has grown to employ more than 200 people in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. For more information, please visit the website at www.hrg-inc.com.

Michael Hess Joins HRG as Senior Project Manager

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Mike Hess, P.E.Michael Hess has joined Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) as a senior project manager in the firm’s civil group. He will be responsible for providing municipal engineering services to clients throughout Central Pennsylvania and managing complex water quality projects.

Mr. Hess is a licensed professional engineer with broad-ranging experience serving both the public sector and the private sector. He has assisted residential and commercial developers with site design and permitting, and he has assisted municipalities with stormwater management, water quality, transportation infrastructure, plan reviews, and regulatory compliance.  He has also managed multi-disciplinary projects for government agency clients at both the federal and state level.

HRG assistant vice president Ed Ellinger is glad to welcome Hess back to the HRG team: “Mike worked with us early in his career, and we are so happy to have him back representing our clients. They will benefit greatly from his diverse skill set in all aspects of municipal engineering, particularly stormwater management, which is an increasingly important issue to local communities these days.”

 

ABOUT HRG

Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) is an employee-owned, nationally ranked design firm providing civil engineering, surveying, and environmental services. The firm was founded in Harrisburg in 1962 and has offices in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. For more information, please visit our website at www.hrg-inc.com.

 

 

HRG Clients Obtain $35 Million in Latest Round of PENNVEST Funding

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HRG helped our clients obtain more than $35 million in grants and loans from the most recent round of funding announced by PENNVEST this month. More than a third of the funding PENNVEST announced is going to clients HRG helped apply to the program.

The following grant and loan recipients received application assistance from HRG:

Houtzdale Municipal Authority in Clearfield County
The authority received a $22 million loan to replace 185,000 feet of waterline and 1,200 service lines and meter pits. This project will address water loss and ensure reliability of the system. (Our State College office manager Jeff Garrigan will be presenting this project at the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities’ Conference this September alongside Houtzdale’s plant superintendant John Gallagher. Be sure to attend this workshop for valuable advice on controlling non-revenue water loss.)

Stoneboro Borough in Mercer County
The borough received a $2.6 million loan and $2.9 million grant to install a new storage reservoir and replace 19,500 feet of waterline, fire hydrants, and service connections.

Clarion Borough in Clarion County
The borough received a $684,078 loan and $1.2 million grant to install 22 storm water inlets and 2,835 feet of corrugated metal pipe to connect with the existing conveyance system. The work will help to prevent recurrent flooding of homes and businesses.

Lower Swatara Township in Dauphin County
The township received a $5 million loan to replace a 48-inch outfall and install 7,245 feet of new storm sewer, along with 210 feet of drainage swales. This project will also help to prevent the flooding of private properties.

(The full list of grant and loan recipients is available in this press release from Governor Wolfe.)

HRG’s financial services team has extensive experience applying for and winning grant and loan assistance from the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority. Over the years, we have obtained more than $500 million in grants and loans for our clients from this program, and we can help you find grant and loan opportunities for your water, sewer, and stormwater projects.

Contact a member of our Financial Services Team to discuss grant and loan opportunities for your community.

Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority Wins Governor’s Award for Local Government Excellence

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The Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority (WVSA) received the Governor’s Award for Local Government Excellence at a ceremony in Harrisburg on April 11, 2018. WVSA was honored for spearheading an innovative, regional approach to stormwater management that is saving municipalities in Luzerne County millions of dollars on their regulatory compliance and pollutant reduction efforts.  Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) helped WVSA develop this approach.

 

Hundreds of communities across Pennsylvania are required to apply for a permit under the state Department of Environmental Protection’s MS4 program. This program is designed to manage stormwater runoff to prevent pollutants from entering our watersheds and reduce the risk of flooding. The latest round of permitting requires many communities to cut the level of pollutants they discharge to a particular watershed by as much as 10% over the next five years. The cost of producing and implementing these pollutant reduction plans can be too much for many local governments whose budgets are already stretched thin.

With that in mind, WVSA asked HRG to prepare a feasibility study focused on whether regional cooperation among all the municipalities in the county could lower the cost of compliance.  According to HRG’s study, the approach will indeed save participating municipalities more than $200 million over the next 20 years.  Some savings come from sharing the cost of planning and other fixed expenses, but the biggest savings come from the construction of best management practices meant to help the communities reach their pollutant reduction goals. Working together, the municipalities can construct fewer, more effective projects that do a better job of reducing pollution for a lower cost than municipalities would be able to achieve on their own.

 

 

Toby Creek Impoundment

How Municipalities in the Wyoming Valley are Cutting Stormwater Management Costs by up to 90%

Learn more about this excerpt from an article about WVSA’s stormwater program in The Authority magazine. The first in a series of articles on WVSA, this piece discusses the many ways regional cooperation will save municipalities money over the next five years.

 

ABOUT THE WYOMING VALLEY SANITARY AUTHORITY

The Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority (WVSA) has been providing wastewater treatment service for residents of Luzerne County since 1962. WVSA’s service area includes 35 municipalities from Harveys Lake to Pittston to Newport Township. Learn more about the authority and its services at www.wvsa.org

ABOUT HRG

Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc. (HRG) is a nationally ranked design firm providing civil engineering, surveying, and environmental services. The firm was founded in Harrisburg in 1962 and has grown to employ more than 200 people in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.  For more information, please visit the website at www.hrg-inc.com.