Hull CEO to Speak at Crain’s Ohio Shale Gas Forum in Cleveland April 19

Hull CEO Craig A. Kasper is part of an expert panel that will present “Ohio Shale Boom: Tapping New Profits,” a forum sponsored by Crain’s Cleveland Business.  The event is scheduled from 7-9:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 19, at The Ritz-Carlton in Cleveland. To register for the forum, visit: http://www.crainscleveland.com/marketing/bizbfast.html. For more information on the panelists, click here.

Ohio EPA Recommending No Change to Residual Waste Rules at this Time

On January 19, 2012, the Ohio EPA Division of Materials and Waste Management (DMWM) issued a notice requesting input from interested parties on whether the current Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) Chapter 3745-30 should be revised at this time.  OAC Chapter 37845-30 is set to be reviewed in 2012 in accordance with the 5-year rule review process.  Per the Ohio EPA notice, DMWM is suggesting the residual waste rules not be revised at this time, and that the new review date be set for 2017.  The rules could be reviewed at an earlier date if deemed necessary.  No changes are suggested at this time primarily due to the proposed federal coal combustion residual management rules, which would likely affect OAC Chapter 3745-30.

Ohio EPA plans to file a “no change” with the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) in March 2012, which will be subject to review during the standard 90-day review period.   Ohio EPA is requesting that input on the “no change” recommendation be submitted by February 29, 2012.  Comments should be addressed through this link:  http://ohioepa.custhelp.com/ci/documents/view/1/AvUC~wqOCv8SYAD~Ggse~yL~Jvkq~0r~9um~5Tr~.

Hull has assisted our clients with the implementation of safe and responsible waste management programs in 12 states for more than 30 years.  We are very familiar with and have been involved in the evolution of waste management and environmental regulations at both the federal and state levels.  We support Ohio EPA’s decision and believe it makes sense to delay the revision of the residual waste rules until the federal coal ash rules are finalized, which should provide a sound basis for Ohio’s rules.  If you would like more information on the status of Ohio EPA’s waste-related rule or the rule-making process, please contact Hull’s Waste Management Division Leader, William Petruzzi, PG in our Toledo office at 419.385.2018 or bpetruzzi@hullinc.com.

Hull CEO Guest Lectures at Harvard Unversity Graduate School of Design (GSD)

Hull CEO Craig Kasper recently guest lectured at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD) on the complexities of redeveloping large industrial sites. Highlighting the Lakeview Bluffs redevelopment project in Painesville, Ohio, Kasper covered many topics of interest to the graduate students, who are specializing in landscape design, architecture, finance, and real estate. This lecture is one in a series Kasper has given over the past five years at the GSD and Harvard Business School on brownfields redevelopment and sustainability. Click here to read the case study.

Hull Hosts Ohio EPA at Cleveland Geotechnical/Materials Testing Laboratory

On November 15, 2011 Hull & Associates, Inc. hosted several professionals from Ohio EPA’s Division of Materials and Waste Management (DMWM) at their Geotechnical/Materials Testing Laboratory located in Bedford, Ohio.  Ohio EPA staff members from their Northwest, Northeast, and Central offices participated in discussions on various geotechnical laboratory testing procedures and how the results are interpreted and used in design and construction of DMWM projects – such as landfills, lagoons, impoundments, etc.  Hull appreciated the opportunity to share experiences and challenges related to geotechnical laboratory testing and soils-related construction activities.

Hull’s AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) Accredited Geotechnical/Materials Testing Laboratory provides our customers with personalized, timely and competitively-priced analytical testing services.  Established in 1987 to assist with our landfill construction quality assurance services, we have expanded our services to include a more comprehensive selection of soil tests.  Hull’s laboratory consistently maintains a high level of data quality as validated through our successful participation within AASHTO’s Accreditation Program.  Our staff includes quality laboratory technicians, laboratory supervisor, laboratory technical advisors and a laboratory manager.  Our testing services include:

Moisture Content
Liquid/Plastic (Atterberg) Limits                                                 
Hydrometer Analysis                                                                
Sieve Analysis
Specific Gravity                                                                       
Flexible Wall Permeability
Constant Head Permeability                                                      
Unconfined Compression; Stress-Strain Curve                           
Direct Shear of Soils
Optimum Moisture/Maximum Dry Density (Standard/Modified Proctors)
Insoluble Residue in Carbonate Aggregates
California Bearing Ratio
One-Dimensional Consolidation
Triaxial Compression Tests
Bulk Density/Unit Weight
Organic Matter Determination
Classification of Soils (Unified System)
Description/Identification of Soils (Visual/Manual)

If you would like additional information or lab testing pricing, or if you would like to schedule a private lab visit, please contact Hull’s Geoenvironmental Practice Leader/Laboratory Manager, Shawn McGee, PE in our Bedford office at 440.232.9945 or smcgee@hullinc.com.

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown Congratulates City of Wilmington

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown congratulates the City of Wilmington, Ohio on the recent dedication of their Solar Project. Brown states, "By utilizing these technologies, we can come closer to energy independence." Click here to read the full story.

University of Toledo Receives $1.3 Million Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Grant to Create Treatment Wetlands

Congratulations to the University of Toledo (UT) for receiving a $1.3 million U.S. EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) grant to design and construct a terraced wetland system at Maumee Bay State Park in Lucas County, Ohio.  This project will reduce the amount of bacteria, nutrients and sediment entering Lake Erie through the Wolf Creek watershed and will help reduce the number of swimming advisories at the park’s lakefront beach. 

U.S. EPA announced Ohio GLRI grant recipients at the University of Toledo Lake Erie Center on August 8, 2011.  Ohio received 11 grants totaling $4.5 million; UT’s grant was the largest award in Ohio.  U.S. EPA’s GLRI fiscal year 2011 grant program will result in the award of 70 grants totaling nearly $30 million.  Remaining grants to be awarded will be announced throughout the Great Lakes Basin within the next several weeks. 

Hull is pleased to have assisted with the GLRI grant preparation, including providing input on the technical approach, preliminary design and implementation costs.  We are also honored to serve on the Wolf Creek-Berger Ditch Committee with representatives of TMACOG, the City of Oregon, Lucas and Wood counties, ODNR, Ohio EPA, USGS, and UT to help identify sources, analyze factors, and develop science-based solutions to address the ongoing bacteria issues at Maumee Bay State Park.

For more information on this project, please contact Bill Petruzzi in Hull’s Toledo office at (419) 385-2018 or bpetruzzi@hullinc.com, or contact the grant project manager, Dr. Daryl Dwyer, at (419) 530.2661 or daryl.dwyer@utoledo.edu.  Additional information on the GLRI program is located at www.greatlakesrestoration.us.

Hull Recognized by ENR as a Top 500 Design Firm

Hull is proud to be recognized by Engineering News Record (ENR) as a Top 500 Design Firm for the sixth year. The 500 largest U.S.-based design firms are ranked according to revenue for design services performed in the previous year. Hull ranked 422 this year.

Click here for a complete list of the Top 500 firms.

For more information, please contact Tiffany Gibson, Director of Marketing, in our Dublin office at 614.793.8777 or tgibson@hullinc.com.

Hull Raises $25,000 for Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Hull presented a check totaling $25,000 to Kinder Key of Nationwide Children’s Hospital before kicking off its 11th annual Charity Memorial Golf Outing Thursday, June 2, 2011 at Tartan Fields Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio.

Hull CEO Craig Kasper and COO Dave Richards present Kinder Key of Nationwide Children's Hospital with $25,000 check. From left to right: Subha Lemback, Kate Portzline, Grace Portzline, Aaron Portzline, Craig Kasper, Dave Richards

Hull sponsors the annual golf outing during Memorial Tournament week with proceeds from the event – which are raised through generous individual and corporate donations – benefiting Kinder Key at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.  With the help of 56 sponsors and 127 golfers, Hull collected $25,000 in contributions for this year’s event – bringing the total raised for Kinder Key since the event’s 2001 inception to $105,000.  To help in recognizing this exceptional milestone, Hull invited 9-year-old Grace Portzline of Granville, who at the age of five months had a life-saving open-heart surgery performed at Nationwide Children’s Hospital to correct a congenital heart defect, to assist with today’s check presentation.

“It is an honor for us to be a long-time supporter of Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the outstanding work of Kinder Key,” said Hull CEO Craig A. Kasper.  “Thanks to the generosity of our employees, clients, and friends, we’ve been able to raise $105,000 for Nationwide Children’s Hospital over the past 11 years through our annual golf outing and Hull’s Giving Back program.  ‘Giving Back’ is an extremely valued and important part of our company’s culture and we know the funds raised from the event directly benefit children and families right here in our community – children like Grace and her family.”

Kinder Key volunteers are dedicated to supporting the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Heart Center. The Heart Center is one of the largest and most sophisticated cardiac care centers in the United States, able to treat both children and adults with congenital heart disease using the most advanced technology available.  Since its inception in 1954, Kinder Key has raised over $2 million for the life-saving work which takes place at the Heart Center every day.