June 2001

EC&S Acquires Advantage Land Surveys, LLC

By Lee Blodgett, R.E.P.A.

I have always believed that opportunities are only limited to our ability to recognize them and to act upon them. This proved to be the case this spring when we were blessed with the opportunity to add much needed surveying capacity when we began a cooperative relationship with Advantage Land Surveying (ALS), a Traverse City based survey company.

This successful partnering has resulted in EC&S acquiring ALS and merging operations into our Traverse City Garfield Road office. The resulting synergy includes a beneficial balance of experience and youthful talent.

This combination has generated a highly motivated department able to provide timely, state of the art and quality service at competitive rates.

We look forward to continuing to service your project needs and we appreciate the opportunity to continue to service our ALS customers. Following is a copy of a recent press release announcing this event that captures the significant details.

Lee E. Blodgett
CEO

TRAVERSE CITY, MI (May 22, 2001) ­ EC&S, a full-service company that provides complete environmental consulting, civil engineering, and land surveying services, announced that it has acquired the Traverse City company Advantage Land Surveys (ALS).

The two companies' merged operations will now be conducted from EC&S' Traverse City office, and will result in EC&S nearly tripling its surveying capabilities.

"This acquisition is a major development for EC&S because it increases our capacity for additional survey work," said EC&S CEO Lee Blodgett. "We will immediately be able to field five survey crews instead of two, which is a significant benefit to our clients. The experience and expertise that the ALS employees bring to EC&S further demonstrates our commitment to growth by providing quality, value and timely results to our clients throughout the state."

Four key employees from ALS have joined EC&S as part of the acquisition. The four, and their new EC&S positions, include: Dennis Everson, Survey Project Manager; Robert Duranczyk and Robert Lockman, Survey Crew Chiefs; and Charles Hauser, Survey Crew Assistant. ALS owner Beth Knol, P.E., will be available to provide consulting services to EC&S.

"I feel very good about this acquisition for three important reasons," Knol said. "One is that my employees are joining a company that in a few short years has established an excellent reputation for providing a full range of surveying and civil engineering services. Secondly, the employees will have the opportunity to play significant roles in continuing to bolster EC&S' growth and reputation in the market. And finally, ALS has built up an excellent customer base and I'm confident that the professionals at EC&S will be able to continue to provide the quality of survey service those customers deserve and expect as well as the ability to service their other land development needs."

Since 1995, the EC&S workforce has expanded from 12 to 35. In 2000, EC&S posted net service revenues of $1,576,000 and projects an increase to $2,160,000 for 2001. Blodgett said that with the addition of the ALS employees, he projects $2.7 million in net service revenues in 2002, a 25 percent increase.

Blodgett credits the growth to the company's commitment to personalizing solutions for customers by tailoring services to any size project.

"We have been able to build relationships with our clients by earning their trust by focusing on quality, value and timely results," Blodgett said.

EC&S was established in 1990, and initially tailored its environmental consulting services to Underground Storage Tank owners, the oil and gas industry, and to parties involved in real estate transactions. EC&S subsequently expanded its services to include compliance and regulatory consulting, hydrologic and geological investigations, storm water management, wetland services, remedial design, civil engineering and land surveying.

EC&S began offering survey services with the acquisition of Walker Land Surveying of Traverse City in 1999. Survey services that EC&S provides include: platting and subdivision surveys; condominium surveys; property surveys; topographic surveys; utility surveys; GPS; pipeline surveys; mortgage surveys; construction staking; and well location surveys. Civil engineering services include design, geotechnical and construction engineering services. Staff includes professional engineers and surveyors; computer aided drafting (CAD) technicians, construction inspectors and certified construction testers.

EC&S' corporate office is located at 2748 Garfield Road in Traverse City. The company also has offices in Alpena and Kalamazoo, and you can visit the EC&S website at www.ecswebsite.com.

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By Mark Chilcott

As of September 2000, the Michigan Renaissance Zone Program has spurred more than $736 million in combined private investments. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) launched the Renaissance Program in 1996 and awarded zones and sub zones to economically distressed urban and rural communities. The MEDC's strategy was to jumpstart business growth by virtually eliminating taxes to businesses and residents that locate within the zones. To date, the program has been very successful in attracting developers, new companies, and creating new jobs and new investment.

Many Renaissance Zones also qualify as Eligible Brownfield Property, which enables a developer to procure local Brownfield Redevelopment Authority assistance, state grants and loans and Brownfield Single Business Tax Credits. Developers are finding that Michigan Renaissance Zone projects leveraged with state brownfield redevelopment tools will generate returns greater than returns on traditional greenfield sites.

EC&S is currently working on Michigan Renaissance Zone/Brownfield Redevelopment Projects in the City of Rogers City and City of Alpena. If you are interested in learning more about these projects or the Michigan Renaissance Zone program contact Mark K. Chilcott.

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Enviromental Bulletin
MDEQ Amends Administrative Rules for
Land Divisions and Subdivisions

By Donald Palczewski

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Drinking Water and Radiological Protection Division, Environmental Health Section, has recently amended and supplemented the administrative rules for land divisions and site condominium proposals intended to be served by individual on-site water supply and/or sewage disposal systems. The amended rules bind both governmental authorities having jurisdiction to approve the project and the design consultant, presenting less flexibility than in the past. A recurring theme of the statutes emphasizes the role of the design professional with a responsibility that is for the benefit of the general public, evidencing qualifications and expertise. There are a number of significant changes to Rules 401 to 405 of the Michigan Administrative Code and the addition of Rules 406 to 428 to the code by authority conferred to the Department of Environmental Quality by the Land Division Act. Developer compliance with the applicable sections of the Land Division Act and Condominium Act has important consequences; consultation with a qualified design professional is encouraged with respect to subdivisions of land if public water and public sewers are not available and it is intended that the project will be served by individual on-site sewage disposal systems and/or individual wells.

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Transaction Information
Home Heating Oil

By Rich Micklin, C.P.G.

Winter is past and the furnaces are hopefully turned off until next October. Summer is the time to think about having that old heating oil underground storage tank (UST) removed. Many of you have converted to natural gas, propane, or switched to an aboveground fuel oil tank. Human nature being what it is, there is a tendency not to have the old fuel oil UST removed until it becomes absolutely necessary.

Removal usually becomes a necessity when your house is put up for sale or you want to re-finance your home. Most lenders have become very knowledgeable of the environmental risks posed by USTs and will insist on either the collection of soil samples from around the UST or the removal of the UST prior to approving any financing for the property. Some lenders will accept an inspection of the ground surface for evidence of spillage around the UST's fill pipe coupled with the advancement of soil borings around the UST to its base. The lenders may accept a field inspection of the soil recovered from the borings or they may require that laboratory analyses be performed on the soil from them. Other lenders require the actual removal of the UST and a complete inspection of the UST for evidence of leakage and the excavation for evidence of petroleum impact. They may also require laboratory analysis of soil samples collected from under the UST.

Neither process is lengthy. Sample results can generally be available approximately one week after their collection. Most USTs can be removed in one day or less. The best approach is to remove any UST as soon as it is no longer used since it will contain residual fuel and sludge that can cause significant environmental damage many years after it has stopped being used. For a more comprehensive discussion of USTs, please visit our website at www.ecswebsite.com.

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Land Development News

By Garth Greenan, P.E.

Working with local organizations can provide information that can assist in a project development. One valuable source of information available to those who are involved in development projects in the Traverse City area is The Watershed Center for Grand Traverse Bay. Grand Traverse Bay is one of the most valuable resources to the community, and is a key component in the quality of life in Northern Michigan. EC&S is a supporter of The Watershed Center for Grand Traverse Bay. It is a credible source of information for a variety of interests, including the news media, academics, industry, regulatory officials, shoreline property owners, boaters, developers, farmers and tourism and recreation specialists. To learn more about The Watershed Center see their website at www.gtbay.org.

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2748 Garfield Road North, Suite 9 Traverse City MI 49686		Phone 231-941-2366 • Fax 231-941-2375 Email info@ecswebsite.com