IADC Young Authors Award Presented

Her responsibilities include coordination and participation in field activities and in community and public meetings, consultation with regulatory and resource agencies, and the preparation of NEPA and permit documentation to support proposed port and harbour development and dredged material management initiatives.

Her award-winning paper entitled, Masonville Dredged Material Containment Facility: Environmental Planning, Compliance and Compensatory Mitigation, was prepared as part of a large project at the Baltimore Harbor, Maryland, to accommodate dredged material which is statutorily required to be placed in a confined disposal facility. Limited options for placement facilities in Baltimore Harbor led the Maryland Port Administration (MPA) to develop an in-water facility that required the fill of 141 acres, including 130 acres of tidal open water, 10 acres of upland within the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area, and one acre of wetlands.

The project required permits or licenses from the US Army Corps of Engineers, a variety of state and federal agencies and compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Despite the many regulatory challenges, the approvals and permits necessary to begin construction were obtained within 28 months of public scoping as a result of the Port's collaborative decision-making process which incorporated numerous stakeholders and regulatory agencies.