EDUCATION

M.S. - Environmental Engineering, Polytechnic Institute of New York, 1977

B.S. - Civil Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 1962

  PROFESSIONAL LICENSES

Professional Engineer - New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts

Diplomate - American Academy of Environmental Engineers

  PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

American Society of Civil Engineers

Solid Waste Association of North America, past president NY Chapter

  PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Mr. Kuniholm has more than 35 years of experience in a wide range of complex environmental project management and design responsibilities.  He has managed or directed more than 80 major projects with budgets to $8 million and staff of up to 25 professionals.  These projects have involved site investigations, and treatability studies; site planning; feasibility and economic evaluations; design of landfills and landfill closures; landfill gas systems; greenhouse gas credits; remedial designs; dredging and containment, development of major resource recovery facilities; MRF design; compost project development; hazardous waste management facilities; sludge and residual waste disposal; leachate treatment and disposal; recycling planning and facility evaluation; wastewater collection and treatment; permitting; regulatory interaction; environmental assessment; air and wastewater permits; public information programs; construction administration; startup and operations. Specific projects include:

As Vice President, Project Director and solid waste division leader for the New York office, he is involved with landfill and landfill gas projects, economic evaluations, greenhouse gas evaluations, energy recovery, due diligence studies, odor control, master planning; recycling programs; transfer station and other projects including investigations, reports, designs, peer review, quality assurance and construction oversight activities for clients in several states.

Solid Waste Planning and Economic Evaluation Examples:

• Project Director for planning and economic evaluations for two  phases of development for   a new publicly owned landfill in Vermont.  Phase 1, economic study  completed  in 2001 and a Phase 2 privatization initiative underway in 2009, included planning and economic feasibility evaluation for the proposed  new landfill,  site development and operating costs with  financial proforma and tipping fee analysis and assessment of competitive position for the Greater Upper Valley Solid Waste Management District.  Phase 2, ongoing in 2009 includes assessment  of a “privatization” initiative, development of an RFP for private waste companies,  initial and extended  terms, regulatory requirements, financing and waste  tonnage options evaluations, tip fees  and assessment of competitive position, risks and benefits to the District.
• Directed economic evaluation and development of an RFP for procurement of a private landfill gas to energy project at the Sullivan County, NY landfill in 2007, including  parameter definition, RFP preparation, evaluation of proposals, comparison of costs and financial benefits to the County, vendor negotiations and recommendations for procurement.
• Directed Town of North Hempstead, NY $200 million solid waste management program, including multi-phase landfill development and design, 1,000-tpd resource recovery facility (WTE) plan development and project implementation.  Activities included waste quantification, site selection, review of European systems, technology selection, analysis of alternative air pollution control systems, environmental impact analysis, preliminary air permit preparation, air dispersion and risk assessment modeling,  economic analysis, economic/financial analysis, RFP development, evaluation of responses, vendor negotiations, energy market evaluation, and an extensive public information/participation program.  Extensive interaction with Town attorneys, financial analysis, and potential vendor contract provisions.
• Development of C & D processing facility preliminary designs and recycled product market studies for Bourne, MA.  Determination of C&D composition, impact of residual deposition on landfill life and LFG implications. Review of technologies and evaluation of area competition for waste. Preliminary economic evaluations of feasibility in proposed market.
• Solid waste planning, recycling program implementation,  waste stream analysis, and landfill design for the Town of Southampton, NY.  A comprehensive solid waste master plan encompassing all aspects of facilities requirements, siting, and environmental assessment.  Prepared mandatory recycling program, market analysis, and recommended solid waste composting system.  Analysis of source separation collection options, cost, and methods.
• Project Director for the SWACO (Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio) Economic Analysis of Infrastructure and Operations study, which is generating about 2 million tons of solid waste per year for landfill disposal.  Economic study developed conceptual technical models and cost estimates for methods of receiving and increasing waste density   at the Franklin County Sanitary Landfill.  The study included an analysis of waste baling, rehabilitation and conversion of existing Jackson Pike Transfer Station,  economic hauling, leachate recirculation and bioreactor technologies.  A financial proforma comparison was completed comparing the present and future disposal and processing alternatives.  Potential for recycling options from raw waste at transfer station was considered. 
• Directed solid waste composting and co-composting project planning and feasibility development for Monroe County, Rochester, NY.  Prepared RFP and technical contract provisions for the project.  Evaluation of economic and technical proposals for conversion of existing RDF facility of produce compost feedstock R&D permitting, pilot demonstration, market study, and full scale evaluation.  Recommendations for private development of facilities.
• Project Director for technical and economic due diligence assessments and expenditure monitoring on behalf of banks and lenders providing capital for private companies to develop and operate landfill gas to energy projects in the northeast.

Waste to Energy and Integrated Solid Waste Planning Examples:

• Town of North Hempstead, NY development of 1000 TPD Waste to Energy facility including all aspects of systems, procurement under 120-w  RFP process, negotiations  and contract agreement.
• Evaluation of solid waste resource recovery alternative for Middletown, CT including siting, technical review, tipping fee analysis, waste quantification, air permit requirements, and vendor negotiations for a 550-tpd WTE facility.
• Resource recovery planning, development, procurement, and permitting for $100 million 800-tpd waste-to-energy (WTE) and recycling facilities in Dakota County, MN, including technical and air resources assessments.
• Investigation and development of field leaching studies for resource recovery plant fly ash/bottom ash mixtures for various uses at the Chester County Solid Waste Authority Landfill in Honeybrook, PA, including protocol approvals.
• Development and permitting of private hospital waste disposal and incineration projects in New York State and other locations, including technology evaluation, economic studies, procurement, design criteria development, and permitting.

Recycling, Material Recovery and Transfer Station Examples:

•  Project Manager/Director for a new Recycling Center/Transfer station and  public works maintenance facility for the City of Yonkers.  This project rehabilitated an old drop-off site, by re-constructing a new bi-level citizens drop-off area, building a new maintenance garage and re-arranging site traffic and City staff work areas.  The project won the American Public Works Association NY Metro Gold Award in 2000.

• Project Director for Construction and Demolition waste processing and transfer station improvements and NYSDEC permit design report for a 300 TPD  Astoria Carting  Co. facility in Brooklyn, New York.  Traffic analysis, off-site parking a customer queuing,  environmental assessment, annual facility permitting, drainage designs, and materials handling modifications, spray water system and yard improvements.

• Conducted a solid waste transfer station economic feasibility study and improvements design for Jefferson County, NY.  Reviewed compaction equipment vs. open top loading, hauling equipment and other design  and operating improvements.  Reviewed transfer trailer equipment needs and types, including modifications to existing equipment.

• Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) development, RFP preparation,  proposal evaluation, negotiations, permit application, construction administration, and start-up for a multi-materials 2,500 ton-per-week facility in Monroe County, NY.

• Recycling program development for the Town of North Hempstead, NY included source separation studies, market evaluations, processing facilities design, and operating contract RFP preparation for a 125-tpd system, negotiations, and public information programs

Landfill Projects:

• Riverhead, NY Landfill.  Comprehensive evaluation of closure option, including waste reclamation and capping for closed 100 acre site.  Cost estimates and evaluation of options for closure or waste reclamation.  Design and contract documents, cost estimates for 40 acre closure, geomembrane cap, waste relocation and large earth moving contract.  Permits and design report. CQA and field engineering and Certification Report.

• Project Director for Sullivan County, NY Phase I Closure Design and Construction  CQA, LFG and odor control projects involving many tasks, evaluations and designs for the County landfill.  High hydrogen sulfide levels caused significant odor issues.  Prepared Odor Control Plan. Prepared Title V permits.  Prepared LFG Master Plan.  Supported LF expansion permit process public and regulatory hearing process.

• Project Manager for Closure Plan/Master Plan evaluations at a 73 acre landfill for the Development Authority of the North Country.  Project included: cap system evaluations; landfill gas/odor control plan; stormwater management plan; sequential fill plan; and drainage and roads.  Initial odor evaluation studies were conducted with interim recommendations.

• Project Director and Certifying Engineer for Hartford, CT Landfill vertical expansion  and “piggyback” Closure of the ash landfill on the existing MSW/ash section.   Investigated liner systems, gas generation under liner, use of existing cover soils, stability analysis.  Prepared plans and specifications for public bidding and evaluated bids for award.  Directed field staff and resident engineers during construction and prepared Certification Reports for state approval.

• Project Director for Cost/Benefit analysis study for proposed Leachate Recirculation System (LRS)/bioreactor installation at the Atlantic County Utilities Authority landfill in Egg Harbor, New Jersey.   Develop conceptual design of LRS and additional landfill gas quantities and collection system.  Prepared capital and O & M cost estimates for LRS.  Provide analysis of water balance on the site, probable waste absorption factors, pumping system and pros/cons analysis including calculation of air space savings.  Prepared financial proforma evaluation indicating potential range of long term savings.

• Chester County Solid Waste Authority, Project Director for 12 acre geomembrane cap, LFG system integration, cost estimate bid documents evaluations and  CQA support.

• Landfill work for the Town of North Hempstead, NY involved expansion and upgrading of the landfill and leachate treatment facilities at a 75-acre double-lined site handling about 225,000 tons per year of municipal solid waste and ash residue.  Development included treatability studies and design of a state-of-the-art leachate treatment plant.

• Expert Testimony and reports in support of litigation concerning landfill settlement and landfill soil materials claims during construction at the Smithtown, NY landfill site.

• Project analysis and technical review of leachate recirculation system cost analysis for Casella Waste Systems Hyland landfill in New York.  Reviewed design criteria, water balance and cost estimates.

• Landfill closure planning and design for a 20-acre municipal landfill, Westwood, NJ. Project included water quality study, permitting, and innovative recreational multipurpose uses of the closed landfill site.  Extensive public participation and evaluation of post closure alternatives, integrated with the final cap, passive landfill gas venting system and drainage plan.

• Interim project director for the New York City Fresh Kills landfill Leachate Mitigation Study.  Senior engineering consultant on leachate treatment and containment system designs involving nutrient removal, collection and pumping, slurry walls and long-term monitoring.

• Closure planning and design for 20-acre private landfill in Ulster County, NY.  Leachate collection, stability analysis, traffic analysis, and permitting negotiations.

• Project director for site investigations, planning, feasibility studies, and remedial designs for capping and closure of New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP) $230 million Phelps Dodge composting plant on 35-acre Class 2 inactive hazardous waste site in Maspeth, Queens, New York City.  Project involved complex management, Consent Order scheduling, and phasing for removal of asbestos, lead paint, PCB, UST’s hazardous sludge, ash, and debris prior to demolition of more than 50 structures.  Remedial designs included capping of a variety of heavy metals, volatile and semi-volatile compounds in soils and groundwater, and dredging and disposal of contaminated marine sediments.  Permitting, public participation, wetlands review, archeological studies, and health risk analysis were included.

• Quality assurance manager for several new cell design/construction contracts for the 330-acre Edgeboro landfill for the Middlesex County Utilities Authority in New Jersey.

• Directed evaluation of leachate treatment facility, upgrade designs and construction management at 300-acre Chester County Solid Waste Authority landfill in Honeybrook, PA.

• Directed closure planning and design  and construction of a 12-acre industrial solid waste landfill for U.S. Pipe and Foundry Co., Burlington, NJ.

• Landfill closure planning, permitting, design, and surface/groundwater quality analysis utilizing sludge derived product (SDP) capping materials for 24-acre Woodbine, NJ site.

• New cell, capping, closure design, construction administration and leachate collection system design for Southampton, NY landfill using state-of-the-art materials, and steep-slope erosion control methods.

• Sludge lagoon closure and capping design for Hamilton Township, NJ, with hydrogeologic and stability investigations, wetland, and storm permits.

• Investigations of U.S. Pipe and Foundry Company stormwater and groundwater discharge permit requirements, SCS permits, infiltration basin design for landfill capping, and closure and development of best management practices (BMPs) for stormwater quality mitigation on 120-acre site.

• Landfill siting evaluation, economic analysis, and technical concept development for Luzerene County, PA. Studies included hydrogeological, wetlands traffic, and environmental assessments.

• Landfill work for the Town of North Hempstead, NY involved master planning and expansion/upgrading of the landfill and leachate treatment facilities at a 75-acre double-lined site handling about 225,000 tons per year of municipal solid waste and ash residue. Development included treatability studies, design of a state-of-the-art leachate treatment plant, construction administration and extensive public participation program.

• Leachate treatability studies, preliminary design and permit restructuring for Ramapo, NY landfill leachate treatment plant upgrade.

• Design and construction administration of a 15-acre clay-lined industrial landfill with leachate containment for the Olin Corporation.

• Site development design and construction administration of a 10-acre sludge landfill for Templeton, Massachusetts.

Landfill Gas Examples:

·        Sullivan County, NY Project Director for Land fill gas Odor  control studies and field olfactometer  monitoring and reporting, Master Plan for LFG facilities for existing and phase expansion,  Energy evaluation of NYPA prepared preliminary design, recommendations for modifications and pretreatment systems and various contractual provisions.  Evaluation of available gas for Phase I and Phase II future landfill expansion.

·        Warren County, NJ  Multi project landfill gas and odor control assessment assignments, with several design/build projects with SCS Field Services.  High H2S concentrations resulted in need to install sulfur scrubbing system.  Air emissions permitting, balance of plant design for sulfur removal system and construction management assignments.

·        Project Director for various design aspects and feasibility for  LFG to  energy facilities including  Pennsauken, NJ 3 MW reciprocating engine electric power plant, Lancaster County, PA, 20 MW plant at Middlesex Cty, NJ due diligence study,   3 MW plant design for PPL at Lebanon, PA, Cape May County, NJ 120 kW microturbine design development.

·        Project Director for Rockland County Sewer District No 1 digester gas to energy system under NYSERDA grant to develop alternative for utilization of existing flared gas for power and heating at the WWTP complex.

·        Contractual due diligence evaluations for Hudson Bank for Crapo Hill, MA  3 MW LFGTE facility financing, including permit assessment, contractual evaluation, gas generation assessment, engine system evaluation and proforma costs.

·        Program Director for Middle sex Generating Co. (NERC) projects at MCUA, Edison and ILR landfills involving 6-mile landfill gas pipeline design, construction assistance, permitting, energy facility due diligence studies, cost analysis, gas generation reports and environmental assessments.

·        Due diligence study for Hudson Bank evaluation the financing for the 22 MW Middlesex Generating Co. LFG fired plant, including development of facility test protocol, collection system evaluation and cost estimates for improvements, porforma analysis  and update.

·        For GSF Energy, directed LFG plant environmental regulatory assessment study for plant decommissioning.   Prepared NJ Preliminary Assessment Report in support of plant sale.

·        Project development and review for two leachate recirculation system (LRS)/bioreactor  permitting and design projects for Barre and Chicopee Waste Management sites in Mass.  Projects involved review and selection of conceptual alternatives for effective bioreactor design and leachate recirculation operation, water balance concepts and calculations, development of permits, design criteria and operations monitoring procedures.

·        Project Director for Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporations landfill gas Master Plan, Odor Control and Energy Utilization reports.  Evaluation of alternative LFG utilization systems and long term planning.  Primary focus was on preventing major odor issues for the Corporation.

·        Project Director for NSPS Tier 2 landfill gas evaluation studies, landfill air emissions submittals and Title V Permit applications at publicly owned landfills in Watertown, Rochester and Colonie,  NY, in MA, NJ and PA.

·        Leachate recirculation/bioreactor study and historical review of available technologies and applications, in relation to landfill gas generation and collection at a municipal landfill  in Burlington County, NJ.  Researched various leachate recirculation systems, design criteria, failures and success stories at several sites around the US.

·        Contractual due diligence study for New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut landfill gas projects, including environmental testing, odor control and permit compliance.

·        Project Director for design  and construction administration of an award winning Cape May County, NJ 1.3-mile landfill gas pipeline from a municipal landfill to a state educational facility for use as heating fuel.  Project included condensate removal system, road crossings, permitting and agency approvals.

·        Project Director for energy use feasibility study and development of a LFG co-generation facility for Burlington County, New Jersey, involving development of a 1.6 MW electric power generating plant with hot water loop for heating of an on-site greenhouse.  Development of direct use of LFG for boiler heating fuel.

·        Project Director for design, construction assistance and permitting of a 5000 cfm 6-mile landfill gas pipeline connecting 3 NJ landfills (including MCUA’s largest landfill in NJ) to a 20 MW combined cycle co-generation power plant.  Extensive evaluations, river crossings and permit work were included.

·        Project Director for LFG studies and designs at Town of Islip, NY C&D landfill.  Odor evaluations, gas generation estimates, LFG collection and flare design, quarterly monitoring, Title V permits, construction oversight.  This site had low Btu gas with 20,000 ppm of H2S requiring care in selection of collection and redundant flare design for odor control.

·        Designs review and construction quality assurance for landfill gas projects in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

·        Martinez, CA evaluations, designs and start-up assistance for utilization of landfill gas as fuel in multiple hearth sludge burning incinerators.

Publications/Presentations

Author and presenter of many technical papers at various professional conferences on a variety of topics including solid waste management, landfill gas systems, bioreactor and leachate  recirculation  system design, leachate treatment, recycling, stormwater management, site remediation and site planning.

Sustainability and “Carbon Footprint” Issues for Solid Waste management Facilities. New York Federation of Solid Waste Associations. Lake George, NY May 2008

Kuniholm. P. F.  C & D Fines: Recycling and Odor Control Issues. SWANA Landfill Symposium. Nashville, TN  June 2006

Kuniholm, P. F.  Brownfield Cleanup of a Waste Drywall Dump. New York Federation of Solid Waste Associations. Lake George, NY May 2006.

Kuniholm P.F. Two Stage Aerobic – Anaerobic Bioreactor Operation.  New York Federation of Solid Waste Associations. Lake George 2005

Kuniholm. P. F. Ground Sulfates in C & D Wastes Cause Major Odor Problems at Landfills. SWANA Landfill Conference Boulder, CO June 2005

Kuniholm, P.F. Predicting Future Landfill Capacity and LFG Production in New York SWANA Wastecon  Phoenix 2004

Kuniholm, P. F., Plasma Arc Processing of Household Hazardous and Medical Wastes, New York Federation of Solid Waste Associations, Lake George, May 2003

Kuniholm, PF, Basic Landfill Bioreactor Kinetic Model,  SWANA Wastecon, Long Beach, CA November 2002.           

Kuniholm, P.F., Brownfields Projects on Former Solid Waste Sites, presented at 2002 NY Federation of SW Associations, Lake George, NY.

Kuniholm, P.F., Bioreactor Design & Permitting Experience, 2001 NY SWANA LFG Conference, Albany, NY.

Kuniholm, P.F., Leachate Recirculation Provides LFG Opportunities. SWANA Wastecon 1998, Charlotte, NC.

Kuniholm, P.F. and Simkins, R.W., 1998.  Leachate Recirculation Offers Economic Opportunity and Requires Changes in Landfill Gas Collection.   National Solid Waste Management Association, Wastetech ’98 Austin, TX. February

Kuniholm, P.F., 1993.  Chemical Industry Council/NJ Spring Conferences, presentation on Stormwater Management.

NJ Legislative Task Force on Site Remediation, Panel Member, 1993-94.

World Environmental Center, 1994, Host to Eastern European Delegations on American Environmental Consulting.

Kuniholm, P.F., 1990.  Leachate Strength Varies Widely Over Time at Long Island Lined Landfill, presented at WLPF Specialty Conference on Landfills, Chicago, IL, July.

Kuniholm, P.F. and L.F. Diaz, 1990. Assessing Opportunities for Solid Waste Composting in NY,  presented at the 1990 Conference on Solid Waste Management and Materials Policy, New York, February.

Kuniholm, P.F., 1989.   Guide to Estimating Recycling Capture Rates,  presented at the New England Resource Recovery Conference.  Newport, RI, June 6.  Published in Biocycle.

Kuniholm, P.F. and J.F. Kornberg, 1988.  Balancing Recycling and Water-to-Energy Programs on Long Island, presented at the New England Resource Recovery Conference, Portland, ME, June 9.

Kuniholm, P.F., 1988.  Staged Approach to Recycling in North Hempstead, Long Island, presented at American Public Works Association Spring Conference, Buffalo, NY, May 2.

Kuniholm, P.F., J.F. Kornberg, and J.F. Delaney, 1988.  Implementation of a Generic Environmental Impact Planing Process for Integrated Solid Waste Management on Long Island,  presented at the New York Legislative Commission Conference on Solid Waste Management, New York, NY, January 21.

Kuniholm, P.F., M. Barmasse, and H.D. Stubing, 1985.  Variable Leachate Treatment System; A Case Study, presented at the ASCE National Environmental Division Conference, Boston, MA, July.