Preston has substantial technical and regulatory knowledge of solid waste management and landfill design. Permit applications can be prepared for existing landfills, landfill expansions, new landfills, and alternative waste management facilities.

Preston designs surface and groundwater monitoring plans required by landfill permits. The plans are designed to collect reliable data in order to establish compliance with the permit. This involves construction of groundwater monitoring wells and establishing surface water collection points. Samples are then collected at the required frequency. Normally an annual report is prepared that includes a statistical and trend analysis of the data.

A Hazardous Waste Contingency Plan can be developed as part of the Standard Operating Procedures for large-quantity hazardous waste generators. The safe operational methods outlined in the plan help minimize the risk of fire, explosion, or unplanned release of hazardous materials/wastes into the environment. Specific provisions of the plan would be executed in the event of an emergency in order to minimize potential adverse effects on plant personnel, equipment, property, and the neighboring vicinity. Preston can also draft a description of action that would include local, state, and federal emergency notification lists, facility emergency response actions and evacuation plans, and other facility-specific information.

Preston has the resources to conduct all phases of property assessment. A Phase I property assessment is performed to identify the presence of any hazardous substances or petroleum products that may have migrated to or been released on a property.

Preston has the resources to conduct all phases of property assessment. If contamination is encountered during the Phase I assessment, a Phase II investigation can be conducted to gather the soil and/or groundwater data necessary to evaluate any environmental hazards.

Preston can also conduct a site investigation to determine the extent of soil and/or groundwater contamination. Depending on the severity of the contamination encountered during the site investigation, a suitable corrective action plan could be developed and implemented to achieve the remediation goals.

Abandoned, idled, or underused industrial and commercial facilities/sites where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination are commonly referred to as brownfields. An essential component of brownfield redevelopment is a professional assessment of the environmental liabilities associated with the property. Considering the risks posed to future land uses, Preston Engineering has assessed environmental liabilities at brownfields and has developed industrial and commercial site corrective action plans.

Preston staff have expert knowledge of Risk-based Corrective Action (RBCA) regulations for leaking underground storage tanks (LUSTs) in Iowa and Illinois.  Based on significant technical qualifications, Preston was selected as the contractor to assist the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) in reviewing Tier 1 Reports and Tier 2 Site Cleanup Reports for LUST sites. To date, Preston has reviewed RBCA reports for more than 5,000 LUST sites in Iowa.

Preston provides environmental assistance to owners of underground storage tanks (USTs). Closure sampling – in accordance with Iowa or Illinois UST rules – can be performed when tanks are removed from the ground. If a release from a UST has occurred, the required site investigation can be conducted and an appropriate corrective action can be recommended if necessary.