ESG’s 25th Anniversary – 2022 in Review

2022 marked the 25th anniversary of our Environmental Services Group (ESG). Throughout 2022, we have celebrated this important milestone by looking back at the group’s formation, highlighting a few key projects, and featuring our staff and their work. As the year comes to a close we’d like to look back at some of the group’s accomplishments for the year.

Annakate Martin

ESG added two full time staff to the team in 2022 in addition to using several temporary staff for project assignments. Annakate Martin is a new wetland scientist who has joined ESG in November 2022.  Annakate previously worked for Environmental Technology Consultants as a lead natural resource specialist conducting wetland delineations, water and soil sampling, regulatory compliance, and field surveys.  Lauchlan Ray, a biologist who has periodically worked with ESG since 2018, was permanently hired in May 2022. Lauchlan has been working with ESG full time since December 2020 as a regulatory compliance specialist, certified erosion and sediment control lead, and biologist on several projects including the Oregon Department of Transportation’s (ODOT’s) Hazard Debris Management project. We are very excited to have welcomed both Annakate and Lauchlan to the team!

The group’s field work on the ODOT Hazard Debris Management project wrapped up this year. Our environmental compliance specialists identified onsite sensitive and regulated resources as part of their environmental compliance support during the cleanup activities. They worked in major transportation corridors in Oregon impacted by wildfires and assessed and noted sensitive habitat features near waterways, wetlands, and/or those regulated by federal state, and local environmental laws.

Adopt-A-Highway

The group also officially adopted a highway near Beachie Creek and have performed two official clean ups, not including the many unofficial ones completed during project work. The section of Highway 22 has a particularly sentimental meaning for the team as it is where field work started on the ODOT Hazard Debris Management project in December 2020 and includes several sensitive resources including a large wetland.

ESG started several interesting projects this year. The Columbia Bottomlands Conservation Bank really took off in early 2022 and will establish a large-scale aquatic resource restoration site and conservation bank for ODOT. ESG also started the regulatory compliance work for the Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Replacement Project. MB&G is part of a team led by HNTB, a firm we are excited to work with on another project.

Kate Custer climbing Mt Whitney

Our team members also had some great personal accomplishments. Daniel Covington made the move from Portland to Hood River with his family. Stuart Myers managed to sneak in a Hawaiian vacation. Wendy Wente’s daughter started college. Kate Custer summited Mt Whitney in California at an elevation of 14,505 feet.

2022 was a great year overall for the Environmental Services Group who are ready to take on 2023 with 25 years of successful service now completed.