joseph good langanAs a Senior Project Manager for Langan, a global engineering and environmental consulting firm and valued REGENESIS client, Joseph Good has become a true specialist within an already specialized industry.  Since 2007, Good has operated from Langan’s New York City office, managing large-scale environmental remediation projects.  This includes site assessment and New York State Brownfield investigation and remediation. In an industry that impacts nearly every region of the world, Good’s geographic and environmental specialization in the New York City area, the most populated in the U.S., underscores how much attention is needed in this city’s ongoing remediation efforts. Shares Good, “I have worked my entire career in the Langan New York City office, and the vast majority of my experience is on projects within the five boroughs of New York City.” Although his focus is on New York City and its surrounding metropolitan areas, there is still variety in his work. Share’s Good, “My current responsibilities include Phase I and II environmental site assessment, and managing New York State Brownfield investigation and remediation. But I also work with the New York State Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) and the New York City Office of Environmental Remediation (OER) on regulated site application, investigation and remediation. So even though most of my work centers on the New York City area, there is nice diversity attached to it.”

The Path Toward Engineering

Good began working with Langan in 2007 as an intern, while he was finishing his B.S. in Civil Engineering, which he obtained from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. In 2010, the company helped support his efforts in earning his Master’s in Engineering from the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, where he worked as a research assistant and teaching assistant while in graduate school. “One reason I selected engineering is because I have always enjoyed solving problems.”  Good is a LEED accredited professional and a licensed Professional Engineer in New York and Illinois.  To stay current within the industry, Good promotes “lunch and learn” sessions with his co-workers, and often attends 2-3 presentations a week to learn about new products, industry trends, or regulatory developments. He also attends conferences around the country to stay abreast of the latest advancements in remediation technology.

A PlumeStop Story

When it comes to working with REGENESIS, Good appreciates the depth of experience and solutions that come from working with a firm that prides itself on proven results. He shares, “I know when I call REGENESIS, I’ll receive valuable insight and the ideal solution.  We’ve been working together for a number of years and I respect their experience and appreciate their advice.” On one project in particular, Good recalls working with REGENESIS on a complex brownfield in a New York City neighborhood. He continues, “It was an extremely challenging brownfield in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, where chlorinated volatile organic compounds and petroleum contamination was identified in soil, groundwater and soil vapor.  We developed a combined treatment plan to pre-treat the site with persulfate, and complete the remediation with a PlumeStop® injection.  We had to integrate the remediation with a time-sensitive development, which drove construction of a sub-foundation network of injection/monitoring wells that could remain accessible via a cellar vault.  This in situ well network allowed a phased remedial approach that prevented major delays and associated cost impacts to the project, and allowed for confidence in the remedial approach, should rebound be identified in the future.” As for specific REGENESIS products that he and Langan use, three in particular come to mind. “Traditionally,” says Good, “We have successfully used ORC® and ORC Advanced® to address residual contamination associated with relatively straightforward petroleum spills.  More recently, we have seen a large push for PlumeStop® as a faster solution to address dissolved phase contaminants on mixed contaminant sites.”

The South Island of New Zealand

Married and living in the New Jersey suburb of Hoboken with his wife and their dog, a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, Good enjoys exploring all that the Tri-City area has to offer, which includes a round of golf, running, and attending a favorite concert.  But it’s his passion for travel, especially to New Zealand, where he earned his graduate degree, that tops his list.  He continues, “My favorite travel destination is the South Island of New Zealand.  New Zealand is known as the adrenaline capital of the world and I enjoyed the bungee jumping, skydiving, hang-gliding and jet boating. But by far my favorite activity there was hiking through the Southern Alps on the pristine trails.” He also finds time to stay actively involved in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and is its Younger Member Forum (YMF) president. As for what he enjoys most about his work, Good points to the rewarding experiences of working with talented, smart people to solve complex environmental problems. He concludes, “I am lucky to work with an amazing mentor, Jason Hayes, and an extremely dedicated staff that keep the work environment exciting and fresh.  We have a unique collaborative team approach in the office that relies on integrating diverse backgrounds, such as chemistry, engineering, environmental science, policy, and geology.  I love the team approach to problem solving, with each member pulling their own weight. I firmly believe the “whole is greater than the sum of its pieces”!

REGENESIS is proud to have Joseph Good, Senior Project Manager with Langan, as a valued client and partner in environmental remediation, and appreciates his specialized experience and contributions in providing successful remediation outcomes for REGENESIS and its clients.