Wahid S. Khan, PE, LSRP

Principal Engineer

About

Contact Information

Phone: (732) 584-6500

Email: wkhan@rouxinc.com

Location: Somerset, NJ

LinkedIn Profile

EXPERTISE

Environmental Due Diligence and Liability Assessments

Compliance Auditing

Multi-media Site Investigations and Remediation in Complex Geological Setting

Innovative Site Closure and Exit Strategies including Performance-Based Remediation

Litigation Support and Expert Services

EDUCATION

MEng, Environmental Engineering - Stevens Institute of Technology

BTech, Civil Engineering - Indian Institute of Technology

Wahid S. Khan, PE, LSRP

Principal Engineer

Mr. Khan is a New Jersey Licensed Site Remediation Professional (LSRP) and a registered Professional Engineer with over twenty-five years in environmental due diligence; environmental liability assessments and cost estimation; environmental compliance auditing; drinking water quality assessments; vapor intrusion investigation and mitigation; and multi-media remedial investigations, including forensic studies, feasibility and treatability studies, settlement negotiations and litigation services; and design and implementation of cost-effective and innovative remedial technologies under RCRA, TSCA, CERCLA, NJ ISRA, NJ Spill Act, NY State BCP, NY State VCP, and other State regulatory, voluntary, and Brownfields cleanup programs. Mr. Khan, who holds a MEng. in Environmental Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology, is currently a Principal Engineer for Roux. As an LSRP, Mr. Khan has been responsible for technical direction and regulatory compliance of more than fifty commercial and industrial sites in every stage of investigation and remediation in New Jersey. As the lead remedial engineer, Mr. Khan has worked on numerous large-scale remedial engineering projects, including multiple Superfund, MGP, and dry cleaners sites across the country. At these sites, he has developed innovative site closure and/or exit strategies, including performance-based remediation for a multitude of multi-million-dollar projects in complex geologic settings to address a variety of contaminants, including recalcitrant and emerging contaminants such as 1,4-dioxane, chlorobenzenes, MTBE/TBA, hexavalent chromium, and perchlorate. In addition, Mr. Khan has worked on numerous international site assessment, environmental investigation, and remediation projects located in Australia, Bulgaria, Spain, Bangladesh, Canada, Puerto Rico, Brazil, China, and Singapore.

representative projects
  • LSRP and ISRA Services, Multiple Sites, New Jersey: As the LSRP, directed and managed compliance with the Industrial Site Recovery Act (ISRA) and Spill Compensation and Control Act (NJ Spill Act) at more than 50 industrial sites for clients in various industries. Sites have included major pharmaceutical manufacturing and research and development facilities; chemical manufacturing, storage, and distribution facilities; automotive processing facilities; plastics manufacturing; lead-battery manufacturing; and printing and publishing facilities. Major responsibilities at these sites included providing guidance on ISRA alternative compliance options such as obtaining Remediation In Progress Waivers (RIP) and De Minimis Quantity Exemption Affidavits, preparation of PA, implementation of SI/RI, strategic planning, design and implementation of remedial actions, and issuance of Response Action Outcome (RAO) letters. Contaminants included petroleum and petroleum solvents, chlorinated solvents, DNAPL/LNAPL, heavy metals, pesticides, PCBs, and semi volatile organic compounds. Impacted media included soil, sediments, groundwater, surface water, indoor air, soil vapor, and concrete.
  • Confidential Superfund Site, USEPA Region 2: Engineering lead for pre-design investigation and remedial design/build of a pump and treat (P&T) system to address a chlorinated solvent contamination in a karst bedrock aquifer at a Superfund Site, which encompasses an area of about 16.5 square miles (10,600 acres) that extends about 10 miles. The selected remedy for operable unit (OU) 1 involved pumping and treatment of groundwater in the most highly contaminated area and monitored natural attenuation (MNA) for areas downgradient from the treatment area. The remedial activities also included installation of Point of Entry Treatment (POET) systems and/or water line service systems. As part of pre-design investigations, Mr. Khan designed and implemented a Treatability Study, which eliminated the need for inorganic treatment that saved both capital (at least $0.25 Million) and operation and maintenance costs. In addition, as part of an emergency removal action, Mr. Khan designed and implemented a soil vapor extraction (SVE) system (with GAC as an off-gas treatment system) and a sub-slab depressurization system (SSDS) in less than a month for mitigating vapor intrusion resulting from CVOC-impacted groundwater when the active industrial facility was faced with a shut down and/or evacuation order from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).
  • Chemical Insecticide Superfund Site, New Jersey: Project manager and lead engineer responsible for the remedial design ($2-million fee) of a 6-acre Superfund Site. Prepared technical specifications using SPECSINTACT, contract drawings, and bid documents for excavation and offsite disposal/treatment of approximately 400,000 tons of arsenic, pesticide, and herbicide-contaminated soil, of which approximately 30,000 tons of hazardous soil contained underlying hazardous constituents (UHC). The innovative design that included extensive Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping saved at least $20 million in disposal costs. During the $45-million remedial action, Mr. Khan also provided construction management services and participated in weekly construction progress meetings, which were also attended by representatives from the USEPA, USACE, NJDEP, local and county offices, affected neighbors, and their consultants.
  • Confidential Superfund Site, USEPA Region 4: Engineering lead responsible for a remedial design, construction, and start-up of SVE system at the Southwest Disposal Area of a Superfund Site in Region 4. The soil vapor extraction (SVE) remediation system includes a vapor/liquid separator, a blower with a capacity range between 1,000 and 2,000 acfm (actual cubic feet per minute), a heat exchanger, and a granular activated carbon off-gas treatment system. The SVE system was designed to operate for a minimum of two years at a total estimated cost of approximately $4 million.
  • Due Diligence and Site Assessments, Various Locations: As the technical lead, conducted hundreds of environmental due diligence assessments for clients in United States, Canada, and across the world including Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Portfolios included sites with large and complex legacy contamination issues spanning over several decades. These assessments have been performed in support of merger and acquisition (M&A), real estate transactions, financing, insurance evaluations, and other business transactions. The scope of these projects has ranged from high-level environmental reviews performed as part of multi-billion-dollar transactions, to standard Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) performed to support the purchase or sale of a single site.
  • East River Science Park, New York City: Project manager and lead engineer responsible for a long-term (3 years) large construction project, which involved redevelopment of a commercial bioscience research and development campus that currently consists of two 14-story buildings with below grade parking spaces. To minimize the amount of hazardous soils, utilized a combination of field-based analysis (i.e., real-time screening with x-ray fluorescence [XRF]) and certified laboratory analytical methods to delineate and excavate the potentially hazardous materials during construction. Prepared Soil Management Plan (SMP) and Certified Closure Report to the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) to document the soil excavation, onsite reuse, and offsite disposal/beneficial reuse activities.
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERT RETENTIONS/APPEARANCES
  • Provided expert and litigation support for a lawsuit filed against more than two dozen defendants, including manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of perchloroethylene or PERC. The cost recovery action was filed by one of the largest public drinking water system suppliers in New York who sought damages for PCE contamination of more than 200 drinking water wells. This project involved a review of documents and preparation of a report regarding the relative contribution of defendant parties.

  • As the consulting expert, provided litigation support and prepared environmental Expert Report for a Civil Action lawsuit that involved groundwater and vapor exposures to chlorinated solvents in fractured bedrock, emanating from an adjacent industrial site. Careful review and additional investigation conducted on behalf of the Plaintiff identified additional exposure pathways and a new emerging mobile contaminant (1,4-dioxane) that was not previously identified by the defendant and was not being addressed by ongoing treatment by the existing pump and treat system. Participated in court-appointed mediation as an expert and negotiated settlement terms.

  • Consulting expert and fact witness for an insurance matter involving a class action suit against a Fortune-500 client for groundwater contamination at a former chemical manufacturing facility in New Jersey that was remediated using Electrical Resistance Heating (ERH) and Dual Phase Extraction (DPE). Provided sworn deposition.

  • As the LSRP, provided mediation support for over a $200 million-dollar insurance claim at several Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) sites in New Jersey. Prepared an independent estimate of alternative remedial actions for use in settlement discussions. Participated in settlement discussions and presented alternative remedial approaches for each site. The claim was settled for less than $150 million.