EDUCATION

B.S. – Geology, James Madison University, 1998

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS

 

Certified Professional Geologist in the Commonwealth of Virginia (No. 001687)

Certified Professional Geologist in the State of Delaware (No. 1234)

Certified OSHA Hazardous Materials Site Worker (40 Hour)

Confined Space Entry

American Red Cross – Standard First Aid

 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

 

Blue Ridge Association of Realtors (BRAR)

Shenandoah Valley Oil Heat Association

Northern Shenandoah Valley Safety Network (NSVSN)

  PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Mr. Shelhamer is a senior project geologist with the Environmental Services Group in SCS' Winchester, Virginia, office. He has experience conducting subsurface site investigations involving underground and aboveground storage tank (UST/AST) closure procedures; monitoring well installation, soil and groundwater sampling; aquifer testing and computer modeling; groundwater data interpretation, report preparation, and groundwater remediation technology. Mr. Shelhamer regularly conducts site, risk, and remediation assessments of properties with suspected/confirmed petroleum contamination.

Representative Projects:

Storage Tanks

• Chippokes Plantation State Park, Surry, VA.  Implemented corrective actions in response to a subsurface release of gasoline. Constructed an underground header line, manifold it to four wellheads, and connected the header line to a skid mounted vacuum extraction system. Performed operations and maintenance, water level measurements, and manual free product recovery on a monthly basis, in addition to quarterly sampling and monitoring reports.

• Multiple Sites, Round Hill, VA.  Investigated the source, transport, and impacts of Methyl Tert Butyl Ether (MTBE) in groundwater. Supervised the removal of leaking USTs, installation of monitoring wells, periodic sampling, and aquifer modeling. Assisted in the design, acquisition, and installation of two treatment systems to clean the petroleum contamination in the shallow and deep aquifer. Other duties involve troubleshooting the equipment, adjusting product applications, and tracking the systems’ effectiveness. Continue to provide assistance to operations and maintenance services to date.

• Darby Residence, Ashburn, VA.  Performed a subsurface investigation in response to a former leaking underground storage tank containing home heating oil. After several monitoring wells were installed and tested, the contaminant plume was discovered to be migrating toward a community supply well located on an adjacent property. A groundwater remediation system was installed utilizing a dissolved oxygen in-situ treatment unit. Microbes, nutrients, and enzymes were added in the source area. Two downhole pneumatic total fluids pumps were installed to regain hydrologic control of the site. Operation and maintenance of the equipment and periodic groundwater monitoring continues to date, however significant reductions in contaminant concentrations have been demonstrated.

• Woodbridge Glass Company, Woodbridge, VA.  Remediating petroleum contaminated groundwater impacted by two former leaking USTs containing heating oil. Frequent correspondence with the regulatory agency including the pre-authorization process for approval of activities, verification of work performed, reimbursement application claims, and reconsideration packages. Assess the feasibility, effectiveness, appropriateness, and relative cost of several various remedial technologies designed to target free-, dissolved-, residual-, and vapor-phase contamination and to provide recommendations. Design, acquisition, delivery, and installation of a groundwater remediation system featuring dual-phase extraction. Constructed the associated extraction wellheads, buried header line, and electrical conduit. Apply and obtain a discharge permit, requiring specific monthly sampling and report submissions. Polished discharge flows to a nearby stormwater sewer drain.

• Waterford Farm, The Plains, VA.  A potable supply well is located approximately 1,000 feet downgradient from a leaking underground farm tank containing gasoline. Highly impacted soils in the source area were excavated, transported, and disposed off-site. Ten monitoring wells were installed at the site, and two contain measurable free product. Three pneumatic total fluids pumps provide water to a treatment system consisting of an oil/water separator, product collection drum, batching tank, float controlled injection pump, and dissolved-oxygen infusion chamber. Biosurfactant, petroleum degrading bacteria/enzymes, and nutrients are periodically mixed into the effluent. Groundwater samples are collected and analyzed on a monthly basis for inorganic parameters and microbial plate count.

Due Diligence

• Multiple Sites, VA.  Performed environmental due diligence assessments for properties ranging from undeveloped agricultural tracts of land to urban commercial parcels. Environmental assessments encompass a thorough review of the current environmental condition of the site and surrounding properties through field reconnaissance to identify potential areas of contamination; review and interpretation of historical data to identify past management practices; a review of available federal, state, and local environmental databases for regulated facilities and reported releases of hazardous substances; and ultimately the identification of potential environmental liabilities that may be present.