Mr. Ritter is a registered civil engineer with over 30 years experience. He has provided consulting and design services on a wide range of environmental engineering assignments, including residential, commercial, and industrial projects, from preliminary design through construction. Mr. Ritter has also served as expert witness on many cases.

Registration

• Registered Professional Engineer, (CA #38688; NV 09261)
• Registered Environmental Assessor (CA # 07816)
• Licensed Real Estate Broker (CA #01108674)

Fields of Competence

• Phase I and Phase II assessments
• Engineering cost estimation
• Property development & redevelopment
• Closure, decontamination and decommissioning
• Brownfields and hazardous waste engineering
• Hydrology and water quality
• Environmental impact assessments
• Expert witness and litigation support

Education

• B.S. University of Wisconsin, 1974
• M.S., Civil Engineering, Stanford University, 1976

Professional Affiliations

• San Francisco BAR Association Environmental and Real Estate Sections
• California Environmental Business Council
• California Association of Realtors (NAR)
• Professional Environmental Marketing Association (PEMA)

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For FugiColor, performed Phase I and regulatory compliance audit of photo finishing facilities in Colorado, South Dakota, Alabama and Utah.

For Del Monte Foods, conducted a Phase I ESA at a research & development facility in Walnut Creek, California. Completed engineering evaluations of onsite storm water drainage and wastewater treatment systems.

For the Santa Rita winery, evaluated regulatory issues associated with winery expansion. Conducted inventory of 25 California wineries, identifying wastewater production, treatment, and discharge options.

Assisted the City and County of San Francisco Muni by review of engineering operations and recommendations for system upgrades to achieve better compliance.

For IBM, completed audit, and made value-added recommendations, to achieve improved compliance with no interruptions or downtime in plant operations.

For Aqua International, performed environmental audits of three breweries in Russia, meeting all requirements of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC).

For the San Francisco Water Department, designed and implemented environmental audit of the Harry Tracy Water Treatment Plant, including recommendations and cost estimates for upgrades to attain compliance.

For the DOE-Oakland designed a quality improvement program and led key sessions that resulted in improved schedule adherence and cost control.

For IBM, developed hazardous waste compliance training program, including course curricula and training manuals, and computer-assisted audit program.

For Stanford University, conducted site audits of hazardous research facilities, resulting in lower regulatory risk exposure.

For other corporate clients, designed training programs, and assisted clients achieve compliance and achieve significant operational cost savings.

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For a prospective purchase in San Leandro, estimated the potential costs to remediate soils and shallow groundwater affected by dry cleaner solvents, and assisted buyer in negotiations.

For Agilent Technologies, estimated the soil cleanup and building closure costs for three Bay Area facilities. Served as key technical representative in negotiations with property owners and landlords.

For Chevron Real Estate Management Company (CREMCO) conducted environmental audits, reuse evaluations, and engineering cost assessments for transfers of commercial and industrial properties.

Analyzed cost recovery claims for reinsurance at 40 hazardous waste sites in southern California, including critical review of engineering methods, cleanup levels, and remedial cost estimates

For the Kirker Pass landfill application, designed an innovative engineering economics model and applied it in cost-revenue and ratepayer cost analyses.

For Pepsi Americas, estimated cleanup costs at 340 sites nationwide, including manufacturing plants, plating shops, foundries, maintenance yards, gasoline stations, and landfills. Served as lead technical expert in negotiations with insurance carriers.

For a large portfolio of legacy sites, evaluated historic claim histories and designed probabilistic methods to estimate likely future remedial costs.

Prepared engineering cost estimates for closure plans at several industrial wastewater treatment plants at the Naval Air Station Alameda.

For the U.S. Navy Public Works Center, San Francisco Bay, prepared cost estimates for closures and engineering work plans, demolition and closure of former base buildings and structures, receiving the Navy’s outstanding achievement award.

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Conducted site assessments at industrial, residential and commercial properties. Provided front-end strategic planning for site development, and evaluated site constraints, key issues, and preliminary layouts.

Evaluated zoning requirements, entitlements process, and siting and design constraints for numerous residential and commercial development proposals.

For a soils cleanup in Nevada, completed highest and best use analyses and impaired land valuation. Assisted EPA successfully negotiate compensation settlements for residential relocation and demolition.

Conducted land capability analysis, watershed mapping, groundwater supply projections, and septic tank suitability analyses, for the Los Laureles Grade Land Capability/Constraints Analysis, in Monterey County.

For the City of Brentwood, directed a siting evaluation for the annexation and development of a proposed residential subdivision.

Managed a proposed rezoning in the City of Pleasant Hill, including growth inducement analysis.

Designed physical and institutional constraints analysis for the 550-acre Villa Nueva area in Monterey County.

Developed risk-based cleanup criteria, and led successful negotiations with state and county regulators.

Performed a permitting and environmental evaluation for the San Francisco Southwest Water Pollution Control Plant for the City and County of San Francisco.

Assisted in the alternative plan formulation for the Las Vegas Valley Water Quality Management Plan and Environmental Assessment, for Clark County, Nevada.

For the Old Ben Coal Company, designed an environmental reconnaissance for proposed power plant siting in east Texas, including constraints mapping, and air quality analyses for a proposed mine and plant.

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Designed decontamination oversight procedures, including verification and sampling methods, and served as owner’s representative for numerous fire department and regulatory agency inspections.

For Agilent, prepared closure plans for semiconductor facilities in Palo Alto, Santa Clara, and Newark. Represented Agilent in negotiations with local fire departments, and obtained closure approvals. Provided construction oversight, including health and safety planning, daily checklists, sampling, inspections punch list preparation, and final closeout.

Prepared closure plan for the ITT Industries, Mountain View facility, addressing removal of hoods and duct work, decontamination of surfaces and floors, asbestos tile removal, and soil and wipe sampling.

For Accutronix, prepared closure plan for former research and development facility in Menlo Park. Directed fast-track decontamination, including decommissioning of equipment and structures, washing floors and walls, waste characterization and disposal, and confirmation sampling for metals and volatiles.

For Honeywell, designed closure and cleanup plans for former semiconductor facility in Milpitas, including demolition of walls and sub floors, verification sampling, required tenant repairs, including roof and wall restoration, re-painting, floor tile replacement, sump backfilling, and parking lot re-paving.

For Solectron, developed closure approach for former lead handing equipment. Directed onsite sampling and developed preliminary design for decontamination.

For Avery Dennison, developed closure plans for former ceramics manufacturing facility, addressing lead levels on surfaces, demolition of interior walls, and demolition and backfilling of former tank pads and sumps.

Prepared closure plan for Battery Acid Neutralization Pit, at NAS Lemoore, for the U.S. Navy Public Works Center, San Francisco Bay.

Prepared closure plans, waste processing systems, and clean closure sampling plans for Casmalia Resources Landfill - RCRA Part B Permit Application.

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Brownfields and Hazardous Waste Engineering

Conducted site assessments and cleanup studies at many industrial, residential and commercial properties.
Provided front-end strategic planning and evaluated development costs and insurance options.

Designed closure-in-place and natural attenuation solutions for soil and groundwater contamination.

Developed risk-based cleanup criteria and led successful negotiations with state and county regulators.

For the Kingsburg Landfill brownfields site in Fresno County, helped develop sampling plans and evaluate wetlands management plans.

For numerous sites, designed innovative and low impact field sampling programs, addressing soil, sediment, ground and surface water and indoor air quality.

Developed design-build partnership with the U.S. Navy at several former California bases, resulting in 30-50% cost savings during decommissioning and reuse.

For San Mateo County, designed innovative capping solutions to eliminate pathways to underlying soils, incorporating landscaping, automated irrigation, parking, sidewalks, lighting, handicapped access, and other urban features.

Assessed environmental risk associated with impaired industrial properties, and directed human and ecological risk assessments.

As part of the Yakima Plating Shop RI/FS for the U.S. EPA Region X, evaluated health and safety plans and selected preferred treatment option at former plating shop.

Designed and implemented characterization plans, drainage system design, and storm water prevention plans for Red Wing Incorporated’s Carriage House Foods underground storage tank project.

For Darling Delaware Company, designed site characterization and cleanup plans for leaking USTs at a Petaluma rendering facility.

For the U.S. EPA Region IX, directed Superfund cleanup of the Comstock Lode mining region in Nevada.

For Siemens Inc. in Santa Clara, evaluated plume modeling data and prepared conceptual cleanup design.

For Alza Corporation, designed ground water monitoring plans at the Alza Vacaville facility.

Designed and directed soil sampling program at the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Boron, California.

Designed groundwater treatment system in San Bernardino County for a public utility, including bench and pilot treatability considerations.

Engineer-in- charge for underground storage tank removal and replacement, MUNI Maintenance Facility, for City and County of San Francisco.

Engineer-in- charge for the removal and replacement of underground fuel storage tanks at several air force bases, for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

For Viking Truck Co., provided onsite engineering and construction management for cleanup of TCE spill.

For ARCO Alaska, designed a treatment system for volatile organic compounds at a sensitive wetland within the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.

For Fuller O’Brien Corporation in South San Francisco, prepared excavation, grading, and closure plans and specifications for a paint sludge pond cleanup.

For Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, designed excavation, grading, soils disposal, and ground water control plans, and served as construction manager.

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Estimated peak and average storm water runoff and water quality impacts associated with residential and commercial developments in many Bay Area counties.

Evaluated flood detention mitigation measures for the 1300-unit Dover Valley Planned Unit Development in the City of Fairfield.

Prepared hydrological impact analyses for the City of Del Rey Oaks General Plan

For the public works division of Bogotá, Colombia, developed flood control and wetland restoration plans for eight major wetlands areas.

For Santa Cruz County, designed and calibrated computer models predicting stream flows and simulated future land use effects on stream flow.

For the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, developed water supply alternatives for Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, and assisted in hydrological modeling.

Conducted water quality, flood control, and environmental suitability analyses for Clark County.

Performed technical water quality and hydrological evaluations of a former nickel mine in Del Norte County California, addressing drainage and erosion issues.

Prepared water quality, spills and ruptures, and discharge assessments for the ETSI Coal Slurry Pipeline.

For a proposed underground uranium mine in New Mexico, designed and implemented surface water sampling and stream rating curves.

For the Wyoming Water Development Commission, directed a reservoir water quality impact assessment and dredging permit application.

Assisted the EPA Region V to develop cleanup plans at a sensitive public housing project in New Orleans, including excavation of a former landfill below flood stage, dewatering shoring, and treatment of seepage.

For PG&E, evaluated water quality and temperature effects and non-point runoff analyses, and developed input parameters for instream flow group modeling.

For the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments, conducted hydrogeological investigation for recharge of the San Lorenzo and Carmel River Basins.

For Merck Chemical Company, designed and implemented a water quality-monitoring program for a large industrial discharger into San Francisco Bay.

As part of the Bollinger Canyon Interceptor EIR, completed water quality sampling and impact analyses for a proposed sewage interceptor line.

For the City of Santa Paula, directed environmental impact analyses of facility improvements and evaluation of wastewater reuse via irrigation.

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Environmental Impact Assessments

Managed the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for a 212-unit mobile home park in Napa County.

For Homestake Mining Company, directed an EIR of proposed exploration activities, McLaughlin Gold Mining Project, Napa County.

Conducted key water quality assessments in support of the Contra Costa County Criminal Detention Facility - EIR, in Contra Costa County.

Managed the North Bayside EIR/EIS, a comprehensive impact analysis for facility improvements to five San Mateo County wastewater treatment plants.

Developed the Initial Study for the U.S. Navy Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant, NAS Alameda.

For the California State Lands Commission, directed the Mojave Pipeline EIR/EIS, a 760-mile natural gas pipeline through Central Valley and San Francisco Bay Area.

For Shell Oil Co., conducted marine traffic and accident analyses for their Refinery and Wharf Modification EIR.

Managed the San Francisco Glen Park Center EIR, a sitting study and environmental impact analysis of proposed commercial/residential project near BART.

For Chevron’s El Segundo Marine Terminal refinery upgrade, project director for the Initial Study and Negative Declaration.

Successfully fast-tracked the California Direct Pipeline EIR, for Home Oil Company, a 1,300-mile natural gas pipeline, including siting study and mitigation analyses.

Conducted noise, traffic, residuals disposal, and alternatives analyses for the San Francisco Resource Recovery Facility EIR for the City and County of SF.

As part of the San Francisco Southwest Water Pollution Control Plant Environmental Impact Report, conducted a siting study and environmental evaluation.

Directed the Initial Study - Aminoil USA Huntington Beach Cogeneration Project for Aminoil USA.

For Alvarez Development, directed the EIR for Silver Terrace, a 250-unit development in San Francisco.

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Expert Witness and Litigation Support

Served as expert witness and provided trial testimony on complex CERCLA cost recovery litigation. Provided expert opinions regarding source identification, fate and transport, cost effectiveness, petroleum exclusion, and consistency with National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP).

Served as expert witness in a case involving the adequacy of a Phase I ESA in Pleasanton, California. Key issues included proximity to a former landfill and gas migration toward a proposed housing development.

For a landfill remediation case, prepared expert technical opinion regarding the consistency of remedial actions with the NCP. Evaluated necessity and reasonableness of remedial costs incurred.

For TXU Electric, expert review of cost recovery claim for hazardous waste remediation at former manufactured gas plant site. Identified alternative source contributors and assessed cost allocations. Assisted counsel in successful settlement strategy.

For a case in litigation, provided technical review of proposed cost assessments for remediation of shoreline soils containing metals at an industrial facility in Oakland.

For a groundwater contamination case, designed a methodology to identify previous users of volatile organic compounds and identified potentially responsible parties, including addresses of record.

Served as expert witness and provided deposition regarding a Polanco Act cleanup in Stockton, California. Addressed source characterization, fate and transport, and alternative source contributions.

For a soil contamination toxic tort case, directed forensics team in technical responses addressing risk assessment, health effects, causation analyses, and site characterization. Performed statistical analyses relating plaintiff symptoms with contaminant distribution.

Assisted in successful Daubert challenge by preparing evidentiary objections to expert witness declarations and providing deposition.

For the DOE-Oakland, evaluated a DTSC cost claim. Prepared alternative cost estimates addressing agency's CEQA review and oversight.

For the Energy Transportation System Inc., provided deposition addressing potential impacts of proposed coal slurry pipeline, including ruptures and spills, stream crossings, and wastewater discharges.

For the U.S. Department of Justice, prepared storm drain report, data validation and waste disposal analyses, used in litigation defense at NAS Treasure Island.

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Honors and Awards

• Outstanding Achievement Award: Extraordinary Effort and Support, United States Navy Public Works Center, San Francisco Bay, July 9, 1997.

Publications

• "Geopressured Resource Development and its Impact on the Natural Environment," published in Proceedings of the International Gas Research Conference, 1981. Ritter, P.W., G.A. Robilliard, and K. Golabi.
• “Water Quality Concerns Associated with Stream Crossing Construction Activities,” in Proceedings of the Third Symposium on Environmental Concerns in Rights-of-Way Management. 1982
• "Waste Disposal Issues at the Carson River Superfund Site," published in Mercury in the Environment, by the Air and Waste Management Association, 1999.
• "Wetlands Management Plans in Bogotá Colombia," in Proceedings of the Wetlands for Wastewater Recycling Conference, Baltimore, Maryland, November 3-5, 1999
• "Characterizing Mercury in the Comstock Lode: Macro to Micro Techniques,” in Proceedings of the United States Environmental Protection Agency Conference: Assessing and Managing Mercury From Historic and Current Mining Activities, San Francisco, November 28-30, 2000.