From site assessments to hazardous materials, Andrew Wicks brings hands-on experience to every project. Based in Enola, Pennsylvania, he supports environmental compliance and field investigations throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region. In Part One of his spotlight, we sat down with Andrew to learn how his role informs critical decisions on projects across the region.
What are your roles and responsibilities?
I manage and perform Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) and hazardous material compliance for Dawood’s renewable energy and infrastructure clients. My background includes asbestos and lead inspections, subsurface sampling, NEPA reporting, avian nest surveys, wetland delineations, and permitting.
Since joining Dawood, I’ve also been learning the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) environmental review systems and plan to earn my asbestos inspector certification to assist with a large upcoming PennDOT project.
Tell us the difference between Phase I and Phase II ESAs.
Phase I includes desktop research of the site’s history and visual site reconnaissance to assess the risk for contamination. If contamination (or likely contamination) is identified, the Phase II assessment would include sampling soil, groundwater, or building materials to quantify any hazards. For example, if a site is located at a former gas station, the Phase I may consider the potential contamination from underground storage tanks to be a Recognized Environmental Condition (REC) and recommend a Phase II ESA to collect samples to determine the extent of impacts. This analysis has an important bearing on any future site development.