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When Thomas Donn decided to launch his own environmental consulting business in March of 2001, his primary goal was to provide practical solutions to emerging environmental challenges. His objective, along with his then business partner, was to grow a firm that could clearly explain complex technical and regulatory issues in a manner that was easily understandable to a wide range of clients. They also wanted to cement and deliver on their mantra of, “on budget, on time, and no surprises”, as a way to firmly differentiate themselves from other environmental remediation firms. Fast forward to today, and it is clear Donn has successfully grown and positioned EnviroSouth, a valued Land Science® and REGENESIS client, into a leading environmental consulting company. Headquartered in Greeneville, SC, EnviroSouth offers its clients an array of services that include soil and groundwater remediation, real estate environmental site assessment, soil and groundwater contamination assessment, Brownfields property restoration, and other environmental related services. Donn shares, “We have become successful in setting ourselves apart from the competition. And that’s why many of our clients rely on EnviroSouth environmental consultants year after year for all their environmental needs.”

As the founder, President, and Principal Hydrogeologist of EnviroSouth, Donn’s day-to-day responsibilities include advising clients on the technical and regulatory options related to purchasing and remediating commercial and industrial Brownfield properties, as well as troubleshooting projects to ensure the outcome matches client expectations and passes through the regulatory approval process. When asked what he enjoys most about his work, he points to the satisfaction of seeing properties converted into reusable sites, suitable for redevelopment. He continues, “I appreciate being part of the vibrant growth and remediation of a Brownfield site as a key advisor and facilitator.” Donn continues,  “Transforming blighted properties that are often eyesores, into productive and attractive facilities which bring jobs to communities is very gratifying. I also enjoy developing our professional staff of geologists, engineers, and environmental scientists, since it helps them become more independent and confident in their abilities, translating to their success on projects they manage.” Prior to starting EnviroSouth, Donn gained valuable experience in the environmental remediation industry, serving in several key positions, including Geologist, Hydrogeologist, and Environmental Services Department Manager, as well as Branch Manager for a 27-person branch office, where he performed environmental consulting, ecological services, geotechnical engineering and construction materials testing.

Prior to beginning his professional career, he earned a B.S. in Geology from the University at Buffalo and a M.S. in Geology from Miami (Ohio) University.  He shares, “I chose a career in environmental sciences because I had a keen interest in geology and a desire to provide effective and cost-conscious solutions to help contribute to cleaning up our planet.”  To stay current with industry trends and the latest technology, Donn often attends technical conferences to maintain familiarity with new remediation methods, as well as refinements of design and field techniques. In addition, he occasionally serves as an expert witness, and has authored several white papers and articles for publication.

When it comes to working with Land Science, Donn says he appreciates their advanced experience and responsiveness. He continues, “Land Science provides good technical resources and they are proactive to our requests for quotes. They also offer excellent customer service and assistance with our logistical needs.  We recently completed a project with them on a former textile mill that was redeveloped.  They were very helpful in ensuring the project was a success , including coordinating with installation contractors.” The project included the installation of Geo-Seal® and Vapor-Vent™. He explains, “The project was a Brownfield redevelopment of a long-shuttered textile mill in South Carolina.  Based on the poor condition of the concrete and wood floor, the client decided to remove the existing floor, so it provided a perfect opportunity to install a top of the line vapor barrier, such as Geo-Seal®, to prevent TCE in the shallow soils from entering the renovated building.  The installation was inspected thoroughly by EnviroSouth’s own in-house LandScience® certified inspector.  Subsequent testing showed the indoor air was free of TCE, and the roof vent showed elevated TCE concentrations as evidence that the vapor vents were doing their job as planned.”

Residing in Greeneville, SC, outside of work Donn enjoys wilderness backpacking trips, especially to his favorite destination in Glacier National Park.  He shares, “Glacier is the perfect place for getting away from it all with no cell phone coverage!  There is also the rush of knowing that around any corner you could come across a bull moose or an angry mama grizzly!” He has also enjoyed volunteering at a local YMCA, where he holds a Board position, and serves on the March of Dimes Real Estate Executive Committee for his local chapter. When asked what he sees the future holds for environmental remediation, Donn points to an increased emphasis on risk assessment as a growth area. He continues, “I believe the trend toward performing remediation based on risk assessment is here to stay.  Remediating sites that have a likelihood of adversely impacting human or environmental receptors just makes good sense.  The recent trend of looking much closer at and preventing the presence of potentially harmful vapors inside buildings is one of the most logical and cost-effective types of remediation we can provide.  For the past few decades, environmental regulators were requiring millions upon millions of dollars to be spent on cleaning up soil and groundwater, but largely ignored the effects of breathing harmful vapors.  This new awareness of evaluating vapors seems obvious now, but it was just a matter of the awareness of the environmental regulators and good technical practitioners to bring the science to this point.”  And what advice would he offer to those considering a career in the environmental remediation industry?  He concludes, “I would suggest becoming involved with an environmental services company early on, perhaps as an intern. We have had several summer interns from Clemson University’s highly regarded Environmental Engineering program.  This provides them the real-life aspects of environmental consulting work, especially working outside in the field.”

Land Science is proud to have Tom Donn, President and Principal Hydrogeologist at EnviroSouth, as a valued client and partner in environmental remediation, and appreciates his technical experience and diverse contributions in providing successful remediation outcomes for Land Science® and its clients.

Ask Sigrida Reinis, Ph.D., what she likes most about her work, and she’ll likely respond by saying she enjoys the challenge of addressing complex environmental remediation projects, much like a modern day detective. It’s just one reason Reinis, an Associate at Langan Engineering and Environmental Services, Inc., a leader in integrated land development engineering and a valued REGENESIS/Land Science client, looks forward to her work. Shares Reinis, “I like solving mysteries, and in the environmental engineering world, we are often confronted with the unexpected – weird data, odd trends, and bizarre existing site conditions, to name just a few. Figuring out how the dots are connected or how to make the best of a less than perfect situation is what makes the work both interesting and engaging.” The day-to-day challenges associated in the cleanup of various sites, coupled with the continued growth of Langan Engineering and Environmental Services are, in part, why Reinis has continued to enjoy her role with the Langan team for more than 20 years. She also appreciates the diversity in her work that contributes to a busy, ongoing schedule of activities. She continues, “At any given time, I am serving as Project Manager for up to a dozen projects, most of which are related either to post-closure landfill redevelopment or gas/vapor intrusion mitigation for existing or new buildings.”

For Reinis, choosing a career in environmental remediation began upon graduation from the University of California at Berkeley, where she received her B.S. in Civil Engineering. She continues, “When I graduated with my B.S. from Cal Berkeley in 1984, the Federal Superfund program was just getting off the ground, and I had the great fortune of being hired by Dr. Don Treadwell, a geotechnical engineer who was transitioning himself and his firm (Geomatrix Consultants Inc.) into the new field of environmental engineering.” Reinis also added a Master’s in Civil Engineering, followed by her Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, both of which were also earned at the University of California at Berkeley. To stay abreast of current trends and technologies in her field, Reinis takes advantage of an extensive range of in-house continuing education and training offered through Langan Engineering and Environmental Services. She also participates in external education and training opportunities, and for the past few years has served as a member of the Interstate Technology Regulatory Council (ITRC) Methane Detection Task Force. In her free time, Reinis enjoys a variety of outdoor activities with her wife, Tracy. She shares, “We both enjoy cycling, running, hiking, and all forms of skiing – cross-country, downhill, and telemark. I’m also a certified professional cross-country ski instructor and am a certified cycling coach.” In addition, Reinis volunteers with local charities and participates in fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Foundation through their Team In Training and Light the Night programs. She adds, “More recently, I have served as volunteer for AIDS/Lifecycle, a 7-day, 545-mile bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles that benefits the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center.”

When asked which Land Science products she prefers, Reinis points to Geo-Seal® and Retro-Coat™, and offers up a few examples where she and her team have had success. She shares, “The Land Science products that I am most familiar with are the sub-slab gas/vapor barrier membrane Geo-Seal® and the top-of-slab gas/vapor barrier membrane Retro-Coat™. I am currently managing three very different projects that all involve the application of Retro-Coat™. One is an empty warehouse on a former Naval Air Station that is being converted into a high-tech manufacturing space, and a second is an office building on a previously closed landfill that, when originally constructed in the mid-1980s, was equipped with a sub-slab venting system but not a gas barrier membrane. The third is a relatively new building that, despite being equipped with a sub-slab venting system and gas barrier membrane, is being treated with Retro-Coat™ in localized areas to mitigate potential vapor intrusion while we continue to search for the root cause of elevated levels of VOCs in indoor air, which we believe are linked to an indoor source.” When asked what she feels the future holds for environmental remediation, Reinis feels there is room for improvement in the toxicological space. She adds, “Vapor intrusion has been an active area of research and engineering for well over a decade, but the toxicological research, particularly involving the inhalation exposure route, is still lagging. Consequently, regulations and guidance remain subject to change and debate.” When asked about the most demanding aspect of her work, she quickly refers to tight deadlines. “It’s a challenge when asked to produce a complete report from scratch in one day or less,” she says. “The redevelopment world moves at an incredibly fast pace, especially when the real estate market is booming.”

When it comes to addressing how her industry has evolved over the years, Reinis feels there are always new contaminants to challenge environmental professionals. She concludes, “There is always a new “emerging” contaminant – there was dioxin, then MTBE, now PFOA and PFOS and 1,4-dioxane – and always someone looking for a technical or scientific solution to old or new problems. The industry is constantly evolving, but generally for the better.”

REGENESIS is proud to have Sigrida Reinis, an Associate at Langan Engineering and Environmental Services, Inc., as a valued client and partner in environmental remediation, and appreciates her vast experience and commitment to providing successful remediation outcomes for Land Science and its clients.