Thomas H. Forbes, PE

Mr. Forbes is a registered professional engineer licensed in the States of New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. He has over thirty-six years of experience focused on brownfield and hazardous waste site investigation and remediation; petroleum-impacted site remediation; due diligence for environmentally-impaired properties; groundwater and industrial wastewater treatment; and environmental regulatory compliance services. He holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University at Buffalo. He is currently a Vice President and Principal Engineer for Roux (2023-present). Mr. Forbes’ investigations and cleanups have included well over 250 sites contaminated with a wide range of materials, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), chlorinated solvents, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, heavy metals, cyanide, radioactive isotopes, and petroleum contamination. He has evaluated and successfully implemented cost-saving and innovative treatment technologies on a conventional and design-build basis (e.g., in situ and ex situ physical-chemical, thermal, and biological treatment), as well as removal and containment methods for remediation. Mr. Forbes has also played an instrumental role in extending and improving the New York State Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP) through voluntary consulting efforts with congressional and senate leaders, as well as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). He has also assisted numerous manufacturing and pharmaceutical clients through the development of strategies, plans, and permit applications necessary to secure and maintain state and federal environmental regulatory compliance.

• Project manager for remedial investigation, alternatives analysis, and remedial construction to facilitate redevelopment of over 450 acres of former Bethlehem Steel Corp manufacturing site property encompassing 33 separate New York State BCP sites in Lackawanna, New York. Contaminants of concern primarily include petroleum organics, solvents, PCBs, and heavy metals. Currently managing remediation of over 500 acres of additional property on the Site under a NYSDEC Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action Program.

• Supervised monitoring and remedial measures during redevelopment of the Riverbend Site in Buffalo, New York for a new solar panel and battery system manufacturing operation. Developed a Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (TENORM) reuse work plan and variance application, which was the first ever employed in New York State. The plan was accepted by New York State, saving tens of millions in disposal costs.
• Led design-build construction of a 5 million gallon per day (MGD) capacity cooling water pH adjustment system for PVS Chemical Corporation. The project included design of feed forward pH control system, adjustment tank and mixer construction, process, and chemical feed piping modifications to neutralize sulfuric acid discharges. Successfully implemented startup and demonstration testing.

• Served as project manager representing multiple potential responsible party (PRP)-led remedial construction activities to address heavy metal and chlorinated solvent impacts at the Peter Cooper Landfill NPL site. Responsible for oversight and coordination of remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS) planning and implementation activities, lead technical contact with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and remedial measures design and construction on a design-build basis. Achieved site closeout in 2011. Subsequently assisted with technical consulting to facilitate reuse of the property as a public park.

• Project Officer for NY State BCP remediation and civil engineering design on a former industrial property to facilitate construction of a 290,000 square foot (SF) manufacturing building, which currently produces a consumer cleaning product for Proctor & Gamble.

• Served as environmental consultant for Thermo Fisher Scientific, Grand Island, New York facility. Assist with numerous compliance programs and serve as technical expert for design of a new on-site wastewater treatment plant employing sequencing batch reactor technology for organics removal.

• Assisted confidential client’s legal counsel negotiate a consent decree with New Mexico Environment Department related to cleanup of chlorinated solvent releases to overburden and fractured bedrock aquifer from a former manufacturing operation in Albuquerque, NM. Presently assisting in management of in situ groundwater cleanup and monitoring work.

• Expert witness to legal defense team for a former electronic parts manufacturer under suit by Orange County Water District, Fullerton, California for primary drinking water aquifer contamination by chlorinated solvents and emergent organic contaminants. Served as technical consultant during mediation and settlement discussions; prepared expert report and lead technical arguments on behalf of defendant to support claim dismissal, ultimately leading to settlement.

• Served as technical expert for environmental counsel to City of Batavia, NY to support of restrictions on groundwater extraction well permit capacity for a private entity operating near the City’s potable water production wellfield.

• Forbes, Thomas H. and Frappa, Richard H. "Innovative Remedial Measures for the Mercury Aircraft Site" Proceedings of the Purdue University 50th Annual Industrial Waste Conference, May 1995.

• Frappa, Richard H., Forbes, Thomas H. and McManus, Anne Marie "A Blast to Remediate” Industrial Wastewater, July/August 1996.

• Forbes, Thomas H. and McManus, Anne Marie "Advanced Oxidation Technology and Application” Proceedings of the University at Buffalo 28th Mid-Atlantic Industrial and Hazardous Waste Conference, July 1996.

• Forbes, Thomas H. et al - "Pay to Throw in Buffalo" Proceedings of 1997 Solid Waste Association of North America annual conference.

• Forbes, T.H. & Werthman, P.H. "Development of Site-Specific Cleanup Levels for Commercial Redevelopment of a Large Former Steel Works," presented at the Brownfields 2000 Conference, Atlantic City NJ, October 2000.

• Forbes, Thomas H. and Frappa, Richard H. "Innovative Remedial Measures Almost 10 Years Later at the Former Mercury Aircraft Site" Proceedings of the National Groundwater Association Northeast Conference, October 2002.

• Forbes, Thomas H. "Ins and Outs of the New York State Brownfield Cleanup Program" Air & Waste Management Association, Niagara Frontier Section, Annual Environmental Seminar (presentation), April 2006.

• Forbes, Thomas H. "Brownfield Redevelopment" Proceedings of Half Moon Seminar’s “New York Environmental Compliance for Design Professionals” conference, September 2008.

• Forbes, Thomas H. “New York State Brownfield Cleanup Program Update" Air & Waste Management Association Annual Environmental Seminar (presentation), April 2009.