Expert Details
Visual Impact Assessment Methodology
ID: 730904
New York, USA
He also has general experience in environmental impact assessment scoping, inventory, analysis and writing EIS's. He also has 25 years’ experience in developing and applying methods for freshwater wetland delineation, function assessment, and mitigation. He is currently involved in developing and monitoring constructed wetlands for water quality treatment and is working with the US EPA on assessment of "ecological-cultural services" derived from wetlands.
He has had 12 years’ experience as vice-president of an environmental consulting firm doing visual impact assessment; wetland delineation, assessment and mitigation; environmental assessment of transportation, industrial development and mining projects; park planning and design; and expert witness in court and quasi-judicial settings.
He recently (2010-11) worked with the Massachusetts Cape Cod Commission as the only technical consultant to develop a methodology for assessing the impact of offshore wind turbine farms with state jurisdiction.He worked with Plum Creek Associates in 2009-2010 to develop appropriate methodology for assessing the visual impact of the Moose head lake region development project in the United States at some 22,000 acres. He also testified to the Maine Unconsolidated Lands Commission regarding such impacts.He has consulted on behalf of Scenic Hudson - a not for profit in Poughkeepsie NY- on several very large power plant, transmission line and mining projects in the Hudson River valley. His hearing testimony help drive major visual resources mitigation measures for these proposed projects.He has (2010-2012 )worked with the University of Chile in Santiago Chile to develop sustainable ecotourism management strategies for the different public protected areas for all regions of Chile. This also included a teleconference to reach all regions of Chile with the results. He has also worked to develop sets of indicators for sustainable ecotourism management.He has recently worked on visual impact assessment for several consulting firms involved with siting large wind farms both on shore and off shore in the US.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1982 | Degree: PhD | Subject: Environmental Planning | Institution: University of California , Berkeley |
| Year: 1973 | Degree: MLA | Subject: Landscape Planning | Institution: University of Massachusetts , Amherst |
| Year: 1970 | Degree: BS | Subject: Environmental Design | Institution: University of Massachusetts , Amherst |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 1979 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Professor | Department: Environmental Studies |
Responsibilities:He is a former Department chair for Environmental Studies and Director of the Employer (10 Years)> he now teaches courses in community sustainability planning, environmental & energy auditing, sustainable business management, and wetland policy & management. He advises undergraduate students in environmental policy, planning and law as well as graduate students in environmental and natural resources policy (PhD) and in water and wetland resources (PhD, MS, MPS) as well as environmental studies (MS & MPS). |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1988 to 1989 | Employer: USCOE Water Exp. Station | Title: Intermittent Research Scientist | Department: Waterways Experiment Station |
Responsibilities:Developed visual Resource Assessment procedure for the the US Corps of Engineers and worked on cultural wetland assessment methodology as part of the the Corp's Wetland Evaluation technique (WET). |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1990 to 2002 | Employer: Landscape Architects, PC | Title: Vice-President | Department: |
Responsibilities:He was primary project manager for visual impact assessment and wetland assessment services subcontracting to environmental engineering firms in New York State over 12 years. Major projexcts included NYS DOT highway projects, Mining projects, park development, industrial park development and natural resource inventories. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1980 to 1982 | Employer: US Geological Survey | Title: Intermittent Faculty | Department: Planning |
Responsibilities:He worked on reviewing and developing methods of alternatives futures planning for the US Geological Survey related to mining impacts. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1977 to 1979 | Employer: UC Berkeley | Title: Post-graduate Research landscape architect | Department: Dept. of Landscape Architecture |
Responsibilities:He wrote and administered a research grant to assess the validity and reliability of the USDI Bureau of Land management visual contrast rating methodology which resulted in major changes in how it was used. he also co-developed the first national/international meeting on visual resource analysis which had over 800 attendees from 48 states and 11 countries with 104 papers in the "Our National Landscape" Proceedings. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1975 to 1976 | Employer: USDA Ext. Serv. OSU Corvallis | Title: Research Associate | Department: Geography Department |
Responsibilities:Co-developed materials for environmental impact assessment scoping and public participation process with a grant from USDA Extension. This project included a model environmental assessment form, EIA manual and application to three demonstration projects(highway, timber management Plan and water resource development) in Oregon. This was one of the first projects to promote scoping prior to the CEQ regulations for such. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1974 to 1975 | Employer: Boston and Amherst MA | Title: Associate Planner | Department: Executive Office of Environmental Affairs |
Responsibilities:He was the only technical person that worked within EOEA to implement the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) which required environmental assessments and reports for all state funded projects. His worked included reviewing 1000 environmental assessment forms per year plus longer Environmental Impact Reports plus assistance in reviewing MEPA regulations for each state agency. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1972 to 1973 | Employer: Ellenzweig and Moore | Title: landscape architect planner | Department: Architecture and Planning |
Responsibilities:His work involved chief planner for the open space plan for Salem, Massachusetts and writing 4(f) cultural resource statements as part of the environmental impact statements for the Boston Transportation Review. |
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Government Experience
| Years | Agency | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2011 to 2011 | Agency: US EPA | Role: workshop participant | Description: He was participating as an expert on cultural ecosystems services derived from wetlands & estuaries |
| Years: 1988 to 1989 | Agency: US Corps of Engineers | Role: intermittent faculty | Description: He worked for the USCOE Waterways Experiment Station on visual resources and wetland assessment methods |
| Years: 1980 to 1981 | Agency: US Geological Survey | Role: intermittent faculty | Description: He worked on alternatives futures planning methods as they could be applied to minerals extraction. |
| Years: 1977 to 1979 | Agency: US Forest Service | Role: research landscape architect | Description: He managed a project to assess the validity of the USDI BLM visual contrast rating method. |
International Experience
| Years | Country / Region | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Years: 2009 to 2012 | Country / Region: Chile | Summary: Work with the University of Chile for the natural resource and economic development agencies to develop management models for ecotourism development in all public protected areas throughout Chile. |
| Years: 2012 to 2012 | Country / Region: Victoria-Gestai, Spain | Summary: Work with the Basque University in Victoria-Gestai Spain to review landscape student classification and management for the region. |
| Years: 2011 to 2011 | Country / Region: Taiwan | Summary: To present lectures at four different universities inTaiwan on sustainable wetland management. |
| Years: 2009 to 2009 | Country / Region: Guatemala | Summary: Conducted a short course on environmental research grant writing for DIPRECA which is the program for prevention and Mitigation of Disasters in Central America. There were 35 faculty member participants from Central America & the Caribbean. |
| Years: 2008 to 2008 | Country / Region: Yucatan, Mexico | Summary: Worked with CINVESTAV Merida Mexico faculty and SUNJY/ESF faculty on possible development futures in the Rio Lagartos, Yucatan region. This involved a US- Mexico faculty exchange plus running two workshops on site in San Felipie, Mexico. |
Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| National Association of Environmental Professionals Presidents Leadership Award |
| Licenses / Certifications |
|---|
| Certified Environmental Professional (NAEP) |
| Professional Appointments |
|---|
| NYS Great Lakes basin Advisory Council chair (Governors appointment); Onondaga Resource Recovery Agency board member; CNY Land Trust board member |
| Awards / Recognition |
|---|
| Who's Who in America since (Undisclosed), Who's Who environmental registry, plus other awards. |
| Publications and Patents Summary |
|---|
| He has written seven books, 54 book chapters, 70 peer reviewed articles, and 50 other non-peer reviewed publications |
Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
|---|
| He has had experience in 15 cases as an expert witness. Most of these cases involved the validity of visual impact assessment methods used. Cases include highways, mining projects, power plant with power lines, and large land development projects. |
| Training / Seminars |
|---|
| Expert has run Visual impact assessment training courses for the US Corps of Engineers, California DOT, Oregon DOT New York State DOT and most recently for the National Association of Environmental Professionals. He has also structured short courses for wetland assessment and stream restoration for NYS agencies. |
| Vendor Selection |
|---|
| He has had some experience finding vendors and sources for plant materials for wetland mitigation creation projects and for constructed wetlands creation and monitoring. |
| Marketing Experience |
|---|
| Expert co-teaches a course in sustainable business management and has taught short courses in organizations sustainability planning focusing on the latest trends. |
| Other Relevant Experience |
|---|
| Visual impact assessment methodology development, wetland assessment method development, and sustainability planning process. |
Language Skills
| Language | Proficiency |
|---|---|
| Spanish | He has minimal Spanish language capacity |
| French | He has minimal French language capacity |
Fields of Expertise
environmental impact assessment, freshwater wetland assessment, non-market valuation, natural resource, environmental restoration, environmental regulation, environmental management, wetland mitigation, wetland permitting statute, wetland statute, environmental site auditing, wetland classification, municipal water treatment constructed wetland, water treatment constructed wetland, land use environmental impact regulation, freshwater wetland, freshwater ecosystem, environmental impact, wetland, wetland boundary determination, watershed evaluation, land use environmental impact, environmental impact statement