Concurrent Sessions II | April 29 | 11:30 – 1:00 PM

Effective land-use and environmental planning is not just about comprehensive plans and desktop analysis — it is about creating vibrant, resilient communities that balance environmental protection with human needs. This session delves into the critical role of public and key stakeholder engagement in shaping sustainable land and water-use decisions. We will explore innovative strategies for fostering meaningful dialogue with diverse stakeholders, including engagement tools, technological advancements, partnership opportunities, and collaborative decision-making processes. Case studies will highlight successful examples of community-driven environmental planning by demonstrating how inclusive participation can lead to more equitable and environmentally sound outcomes. By empowering citizens to have a voice in the future of their communities, we can build a more sustainable and equitable world.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the Importance of Public and Stakeholder Engagement
• Explore Innovative Engagement Strategies
• Develop Practical Skills for Effective Engagement

Katherine Amidon, AICP
Water Resources Senior Planner
Bolton & Menk, Inc. 

Katherine is a water resources senior planner with a focus on planning, land use/water quality, stakeholder engagement, park development, and infill redevelopment. She began her career in 2011 and as project manager for multiple municipal projects, now leads teams of professional engineers, landscape architects, planners, and subcontractors in environmental assessments, strategies, and planning. An AICP-certified planner, Katherine holds a master's degree in city and regional planning with an emphasis on environmental planning and projects of public interest. She is most passionate about projects that involve water, and she takes a sustainable approach to project research, innovation, and implementation.

Madeleine Bolick, GISP, PhD
Senior GIS Specialist
Bolton & Menk, Inc. 

A South Carolina native, Madeleine began her GIS career in 2018 and serves as a senior GIS specialist on the Bolton & Menk team. An expert in advanced geospatial research, she has experience as a city GIS administrator and has a depth of understanding and experience at all project levels including highly detailed mapping and analysis using cutting-edge technologies like machine learning, Python programming, and UAVs, as well as creating GIS tools for public engagement strategies. Madeleine’s passion for GIS lies in its ability to help examine our environment and create a more sustainable future.

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) challenges practitioners to assess the potential environmental impacts of federal undertakings, no matter how routine or complex. Most federal actions have a clear project location, established construction boundary, and well-defined context in which to consider the severity of impacts. But what happens when you are tasked with undertaking the NEPA process on a long-term planning action, a project with an uncertain outcome, or a proposed action that seems to include everything plus the "kitchen sink"? How can you frame your NEPA analysis to account for market conditions or a project that may require decades to fully implement? How do you define "context" in terms of significance of impacts when you are dealing with fluid project constraints? While it is not possible to account for every circumstance that may arise, it is possible to address these real-life uncertainties with out-of-the-box thinking and the ability to consider the outside influences on the project in the real world. Uncertainty is a fact of life, and it need not inhibit your analysis.

Learning Objectives

In this presentation, we will present examples of recent NEPA documents that required accounting for uncertainties in scale, location, or time. We will share the strategies we used to develop defensible NEPA documents, provide meaningful analyses, and help the agency and decision-makers achieve their mission.

Erin J.M. Kouvousis, CHMM, CEA
Senior Environmental Scientist
Potomac-Hudson Engineering, Inc. 

Erin Kouvousis is a Senior Environmental Scientist with nearly 15 years of experience supporting a range of NEPA and compliance projects for federal, state, and private-sector clients. Over 13 years of her career have been with PHE, first in the Washington, D.C. area and now in Ohio. She has supported some of the nation’s most complex Environmental Impact Statements and managed NEPA tasks for projects planned across the country. In addition to NEPA, she currently supports multimedia environmental compliance audits at facilities nationwide. She holds a B.S. in Conservation and an M.S. in Ecology from Kent State University.

Many states are interested in improving their scores and rankings regarding sustainable development goals (SDGs), as reported by the United States Sustainable Development Report. All 50 states are scored and ranked based on efforts to address 17 SDG goals related to economic, social, and environmental justice factors. Many businesses and corporations consider SDG ratings when selecting a state for investment in growth and new facilities, and citizens are increasingly interested and concerned with how their state is addressing SDGs.Branches of state government invest heavily in nature-based solutions to address environmental concerns. As used here, "nature-based solutions" (NBS) is a broad term that encompasses the use of nature and natural, environmental processes to address an environmental concern. For example, many state Departments of Transportation use the restoration, enhancement, and protection of natural ecosystems to meet compensatory mitigation requirements under the federal Clean Water Act. State Departments of Environmental Protection may sponsor and promote stormwater programs that utilize.

Learning Objectives

• Introduce Sustainability Development Goals (SDG)
• Demonstrate how Clean Water Act Mitigation can enhance a State's Ranking
• Introduce "nature-based solutions" (NBS) modeling

Kevin Tweedy

Speaker information coming soon.

The use of drones, high resolution satellites, automation, and machine learning are revolutionizing our ability to collect and analyze robust digital datasets. These tools are rapidly transforming the scale and efficiency of digital data collection and facilitating the development of comprehensive environmental solutions. Drone- and satellite-based sensors such as multispectral or hyperspectral can detect what the human eye cannot and provide meaningful data on environmental conditions. This digital data collection generates gigabytes and terabytes of information at resolutions down to square inches but how do we best manage this information. The value of the resolution can easily become weighed down by the size of the datasets. Therefore, automation and machine learning are key to unlocking these large datasets.

Case Study: Coastal Infrastructure Resiliency Nature-based Solutions Monitoring Leveraging nature-based solutions to protect critical infrastructure is vital to having a resilient community. Evaluating and monitoring the success and challenges of these projects will help inform future projects to better prepare for increases in sea level rise and severe storm events. CDM Smith used drone-mounted multispectral drones and machine learning to monitor a living shoreline adjacent to bridge spanning a tidal salt marsh. This included developing digital datasets to track changes in site topography, shoreline position, vegetative health, and biomass. Drone-derived digital elevation data was used to assess contractor performance and facilitate adaptive management to ensure project success. The data was also used for compliance with the USACE 404 permit.

Learning Objectives

• Basic remote sensors for drones that capture relevant environmental data
• How machine learning models are applied for environmental characterization and evaluation
• How AI and drones can be leveraged to evaluate vegetative cover, biomass, and species in support of USACE permit compliance and mitigation monitoring

Amy Kopale 
GIS and Remote Sensing Specialist
CDM Smith

Amy is a GIS and remote sensing specialist at CDM Smith with experience in geospatial analysis and modeling. Her project work often involves leveraging open source and commercial data to better understand and solve human-environmental problems. She is experienced in remote sensing principles and applications, with expertise in leveraging optical remote sensing data and machine learning for environmental analysis.

Contaminated sites are being creatively repurposed as renewable energy projects to address concerns about climate change, meeting tomorrow's energy needs, and cutting costs for consumers today. Projects such as community-scale solar can lower utility bills, boost grid reliability, reduce emissions and reliance on non-renewable resources, and generate jobs and workforce development opportunities. Equitable redevelopment processes can deliver these benefits through collaborative partnerships between developers, local governments, community members and EPA. This session will share strategies and tools available to return Superfund sites back to productive use and will explore real-world examples from Louisiana. Join us to hear from practitioners who are delivering multiple benefits to communities with climate and environmental justice concerns, and to discuss ways EPA can support your efforts.

Learning Objectives

• Hear examples of planning for renewable energy to build local resiliency.
• Discuss practical strategies for projects that add solar development on contaminated land in a way that delivers community benefits.
• Identify EPA tools and resources available to support equitable development of brownfields and Superfund sites.

Andrew Reicks. GISP, CFM 
Title
Sky Wave at CDM Smith

Andrew Reicks is a Certified GIS Professional and Floodplain Manager with over nine years of experience as a geospatial data scientist. He leads Sky Wave's remote sensing and machine learning applications. He has created custom machine learning/deep learning models leveraging lidar, multispectral, and hyperspectral data. Andrew has a bachelor's degree from The University of Iowa and a masters in GIS from the University of Minnesota. He is also an FAA licensed part 107 drone pilot.

Over the past two years, the Preservation Society of Charleston (PSC) and Anson Street African Burial Ground Project (ASABG) worked with community members to identify and document Black burial sites in the City of Charleson, SC through the Mapping Charleston's Black Burial Grants Project. The Project was funded by a grant from the National Park Service African American Civil Rights Grant Program. The goal of the project is to provide the City of Charleston with a comprehensive map of burial grounds so these sacred sites can be better protected from development impacts.This session will be a joint presentation from PSC and TRC Companies key Project Team members. We will provide an overview and demo of the public-facing Esri Experience Builder application built within the Preservation Society's ArcGIS Online platform. The application and its data are shared with the City of Charleston for integration into their Esri environment and the public have access to the application, which includes a survey feature allowing community members to contribute additional burial ground location data. The presentation will include information on the history and goals of the project and will highlight the collaboration that took place between the PSC and TRC to build a user-friendly geospatial application.

Learning Objectives

The Preservation Society of Charleston is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of the City's character, quality of life, and diverse neighborhoods. The PSC has served as a thought-leader and community organizer since 1920, using lessons from the past to inform future city planning. The Mapping Black Burial Grounds Project, the focus of this presentation, is just one of the important initiatives led by the PSC. Understanding our community history and connections is an important component of cultural and historic preservation. For historic preservation to be inclusive and truly reflect our shared history, it is crucial to recognize and honor the contributions of African American communities to American history and culture. It strengthens community identity and inspires future generations to appreciate their heritage. This presentation will focus on the importance of historic preservation to our local communities and highlight the importance of location intelligence in providing valuable insights and data that help in various aspects of conservation and management. We will discuss the collaborative approach between the historic preservation and geospatial experts that led to the successful execution of a tool that can help prioritize management efforts, facilitate community engagement, and inform policy development. The Project showcases how the integration of GIS technology with historic preservation enhances the management and analysis of cultural heritage sites.

Laurel Fay
Manager of Preservation & Research
Preservation Society of Charleston

As Manager of Preservation & Research at the Preservation Society of Charleston, Laurel M. Fay manages preservation initiatives including the Mapping Charleston's Black Burial Grounds Project, Historic Markers Program, and Charleston Justice Journey. Laurel specializes in archival research, digital mapping, cemetery preservation, inclusive storytelling, visualization, and advocacy. She earned a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from Tulane University School of Architecture, and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing with a minor in Environmental Studies at the College of Charleston.

Amber Horrie
GIS Director
TRC Companies

Amber is the Technical Director of GIS Services, leading a group of geospatial and visualization experts. Amber and her team bring diverse experience in the development of data visualization tools to inform planning and decision making. Her experience includes geospatial analysis, database management, technical training for staff at all levels, and building community and stakeholder collaboration around geospatial technologies. She has created public facing geospatial applications in support of a variety of environmental projects. Amber has a thorough understanding of the technical workings of GIS and its capabilities and has worked with clients over the years to create efficiencies and innovative solutions to data management and GIS workflows.

In the years following the Civil War, trails and roads were built on Little Round Top at Gettysburg National Cemetery to allow for construction of monuments and circulation of visitors. Specifically, the Rehabilitation of the Little Round Top Visitor Use Area project included multiple elements that would cause ground disturbances. This rehabilitation project added parking, curbing, and proper storm drainage systems to park roads. Rehabilitation also removed and revegetated social trails and added interpretive signs throughout the Little Round Top area. Breastworks that were constructed during the civil war had fallen into disrepair over time were also disassembled and restacked. Archaeological monitoring of the demolition and construction phases of the rehabilitation project was required to record and document archaeological deposits that were to be impacted by ground disturbing activities and to ensure proper treatment of the monuments and historic features. 

Additionally, Stantec supported documentation of and, if possible, preservation of the 1890's Telford-type road base when observed during rehabilitation activities. Telford-type road construction was used during the Gettysburg National Park Commission Period and is a NRHP contributing feature of the park. Prior to ground disturbing activities metal detecting was conducted to recover artifacts related to the park period of significance. Stantec collected location data for 2,923 metal detector hits. Metal detector hits included battle-related items, such as Minié balls, artillery fragments, uniform buttons, and box plates, as well as items related to the Commemorative Era such as nails, iron straps, and souvenirs. Artifacts related to the period of significance for the park were collected and geographic information system location data was collected for each item.

Learning Objectives

Coming soon.

Steve Brann
Title
Organization 

Speaker bio coming soon!

"I wonder if other malacologists know about this kind of data?" This was the comment - made between an archaeologist and two biologists (the co-authors) while waist-deep in a Texas creek, searching for mussels - that sparked our proposed session. Specialists in seemingly unrelated fields, learning from each other through shared research. Freshwater mussel shells are commonly found in many archeological sites because people throughout history found them so useful - their meat was a food source, and their shells provided a raw material for everything from jewelry and tools to ceramics and paint. Archeologists study mussel shells to gain insights on ancient environmental conditions and the inhabitants' preferences and activities. As such, many (if not most) archeological testing and data recovery reports include detailed discussions of freshwater mussels with new data being made available to the public all the time. Malacologists/biologists investigate living mussels in modern waterways as well, to explore their habitats and ranges, and to manage their numbers in infrastructure development projects.

Malacologists routinely maintain detailed and up-to-date databases of species sightings and densities over time that are available to researchers. Scientists actively considering two distinct research perspectives on the same humble subject. What would happen if they did so together? Can mussel shells in a 3,000-year-old occupation site suggest certain species had a greater range than they do today? Could modern biological field efforts indicate how long it might've taken a pre-contact family to gather enough mussels for a meal? Can shell morphology inside an archeological site tell us where its occupants preferred to harvest mussels? Archeologist Mason Miller has worked with biologists on dozens of freshwater mussel studies in Texas. In this session, he will discuss highlights from his collaboration with biologists in the field, including detailed and meaningful archeological and biological interpretations derived from more than 30 archeological site excavations in the Lone Star State. In the end, Miller intends to encourage subject-matter specialists to look over their cross-disciplinary colleagues' shoulders and gain new insights and explore new research opportunities from which we all can benefit.

Mason D. Miller, M.A., Master of Arts in Nautical Archaeology; Registered Professional Archaeologist
Vice President
Environmental Research Group, LLC

Mason Miller is a Vice President, cultural resource specialist, and scientific diver at Environmental Research Group, LLC (ERG). Mason leads ERG's Austin, Texas office. Through his 20+ years of experience as a terrestrial archeologist and a biological study diver, Mason has developed a unique professional perspective that touches on the cultural and the natural resource worlds. He received his bachelor's degree in archaeology from the University of Texas at Austin and his master's degree in underwater archaeology from Texas A&M University in College Station. He lives in Dripping Springs, Texas with his wife and two sons.