Mitchell A. Wiest, PG, LEP

Mr. Mitchell A. Wiest is a Professional Geologist (PG) and Licensed Environmental Professional (LSP) with over thirty years of experience designing, implementing, and overseeing hydrogeologic investigations; and the cleanup of Brownfield/Redevelopment, state voluntary, state transfer program, CERCLA, RCRA, and TSCA sites across the United States. He has considerable experience assisting clients and their counsel complete redevelopment projects including the characterization, decontamination, and decommissioning of commercial and industrial properties, as well as regulatory negotiations and transaction support. Additionally, Mr. Wiest’s technical specialties include the development of conceptual models for complex hydrogeologic settings, remedy selection, in situ and ex situ remedy design and implementation, groundwater/fate and transport modeling, LNAPL and DNAPL characterization, and environmental due diligence.

• Principal-in-Charge for supporting the purchase and redevelopment of a 100-year-old landmark building, including pre-acquisition due diligence, hazardous building materials survey, comprehensive environmental oversight during select demolition and abatement, and LSP services. Work also included the preparation of pro forma cost estimates of future environmental liabilities to assist with purchase and sales negotiations and agreements. Other services involved development of the technical specifications for and oversight of interior abatement, including asbestos, lead paint, PCB-containing ash, radioactive signage, petroleum-impacted soil, and solvent-impacted sludge.
• Principal-in-Charge overseeing the redeveloped of abandoned urban parcel impacted by PCBs, lead, and other contaminants, providing acquisition support to a development team that purchased the abandoned junk yard. Services included environmental site assessments followed by regulatory negotiations that resulted in a unique interim use cleanup plan approved by state (MCP) and federal (TSCA) regulatory agencies. Excess impacted soils were fully characterized for off-site disposal, including on-site stabilization of lead, as part as part of the interim use program that will allow the Site to be safely and productively used while the final redevelopment plan is designed and initiated. Additional services included full-time oversight and community air monitoring during the interim use clean and ongoing LSP, site assessment, risk assessment, and remedial design tasks.
• LEP-of-Record and Principal-in-Charge overseeing the demolition and redevelopment of a 100-year-old, 20-acre former precious metal fabrication facility. Designed and executed an investigation that relied on relatively low-cost, fast turn-around techniques to determine locations for more detailed and invasive techniques. Concurrent to the initial facility investigation, a multi-phased wetlands investigation was completed that included delineation, surface water and sediment sample collection, and risk evaluations. Additionally, during the same initial six-month period that the above tasks were completed, a permitted hazardous waste storage area closure plan was completed. Following a review of the initial data, a follow-up investigation resulted in a site conceptual model and remedial action plan that facilitated the transfer of the upland portion of the Site to a new owner, was quickly and cost-effectively completed. Following the transfer of the property, managed and oversaw the decontamination of the facility interior (i.e., asbestos and lead abatement, process equipment decontamination, and hazardous material disposal), facility demolition, and the remediation of site soils. Contaminants of concern included numerous metals, including free-phase mercury, residual and separate-phase hydrocarbons, PCBs, and solvents.
• LEP-of-Record for the redevelopment of an urban property consisting of 30 individual former tax lots. The project—which included Phase I and Phase II ESAs (investigation of soil and groundwater), remedial action plan preparation, waste pre-characterization of soils targeted for excavation and off-site disposal—has received a Brownfields-targeted loan from the Connecticut Department Economic and Community Development, following the submission of a successful application. Additional services included project advocacy with the Connecticut Environmental Justice Program, representation at various public meetings, and LEP oversight during remediation and construction activities.

• Stratford Holding, LLC v. Foot Locker Retail, Inc., et al., United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, Case No. CIV-12-0772-HE. Expert Report. 2017.