Background
Royal J. Nadeau
President, The Eco-Strategies Group
Education:
Ph.D Rutgers – The State University, New Brunswick, NJ
M.S. University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
B.S. SUNY Plattsburg, Plattsburg, NY
Certifications
NJDEP Certification in Subsurface Evaluation
ESA Certified Senior Ecologist
Experience:
Dr. Nadeau is a charter member of the Environmental Response Team that
originated as a Special Force in the National Contingency Plan. He was
instrumental in the implementation of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Recovery Act (CERCLA) as a member of the various task forces
that were responsible for developing the implementation strategies. He is
familiar with the changes to CERCLA that occurred with the passage of the
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA); e.g., Emergency Planning
and Community Right-to-Know (Title III), Chemical Emergency Preparedness and
Prevention (CEPP), and the Community Action Plans. Knowledge of these, along
with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Clean Air Act
(CAA), the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), and
state and local regulations have paved the way for TEG to develop sound and
practical treatment, cleanup, and restoration strategies.
Dr. Nadeau has kept current with the latest advances in innovative technologies
for remediating environmental emergencies and hazardous waste sites. He
addresses the technical problems of sites on a site-specific basis. The use of
soil gas surveys to evaluate VOC contamination was one such approach
promulgated by Dr. Nadeau, and since accepted as the industry standard for
evaluating Superfund sites. He has kept current on technical information
appearing in the scientific literature concerning the human and environmental
health effects of toxic materials and hazardous wastes, and uses this knowledge
to develop and apply novel and advanced approaches in the areas of risk
assessment, extent of surface and subsurface contamination, and appropriate
on-site cleanup techniques. His special talents and skills allow him to respond
to situations in a cost-effective and expeditious manner without sacrificing
scientific credibility.
Dr. Nadeau has placed great emphasis on wetland deliniation, construction and
restoration, as well as the hydrology of the surrounding areas. He is familiar
with the appropriate species for each habitat and locale, and has considerable
experience regarding wetlands regulations on Federal, State, and local
levels.
As an environmental scientist, Dr. Nadeau has the ability to analyze,
interpret, and evaluate test results. He is intimately familiar with the
variety and complexities of multi-media data and he has conducted special
workshops and seminars on geophysical survey techniques and groundwater
remediation technologies. These seminars have stressed the interpretation of
field-acquired data and its utility, extent of contaminations, and off-site
migration.
As Deputy Director of the ERT, Dr. Nadeau shared fully in the direction and control of the Center, which managed the largest national program for providing technical advice and training to On-Scene Coordinators and Project Managers. Dr. Nadeau also served as the USEPA’s international expert and the technical representative for government and industry work groups in the area of response to catastrophic oil spills and cleanup methods/strategies. He was also an Agency technical expert for interagency teams on ecological risk, damage assessments, reclamation, restoration, and equipment development, who provided technical representation for Agency, interagency and technical societies and seminars of national and international importance. He was instrumental in initiating and guiding the development of new applications of existing knowledge in the prevention, control, and cleanup of releases of hazardous substances, and actively encouraged the development of new methodology and techniques.
Dr. Nadeau served the USEPA as Chief of the Environmental Impact Section in the Environmental Response Branch. He directed the development of procedures to rapidly respond to environmental emergencies and uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. He directed the preparation, evaluation and review of environmental assessments to ensure that response actions produced the least overall impact on the environment and local population. He directed the development of data and evaluation of information to ensure that effective restoration activities were carried out. He made recommendations after considering the impact of an incident, validity and reliability of the procedures and value of the study to the overall program needs.
As Chief Biologist, Dr. Nadeau directed collection and analysis of environmental samples required to carry out the functions of the Emergency Response Team. He provided technical expertise and advice pertaining to the toxic effects and environmental impact of hazardous materials spills, and assessed the significance of discharges of toxic wastes. He coordinated difficult and complex environmental investigations, interpreted the results of these investigations, and prepared comprehensive reports of each study. Dr. Nadeau interfaced with scientists from the government and the private sector to exchange information assessing damage and restoration techniques. He prepared and gave lectures for training programs and conferences, served on national program committees, and provided technical assistance and expert opinion in legal proceedings. He developed criteria and protocol for assessing environmental damage from oil and hazardous material spills to coastal and inland ecosystems, including socio-economic impacts.
While Chief of the Biology-Microbiology Section, Dr. Nadeau directed a team of biologists and microbiologists in the collection and analysis of aquatic biological samples required to carry out the planned program of studies of the division. These duties entailed supervising the preparation of interpretive reports of biological investigations; i.e., Cities Service Spill, Clarksburg Herbicide Spill, PCBs in the Hudson River, Benthic Survey in Lower Hudson, Vacia Talega Mangrove Survey, and Bridgeport White Cedar Swamp Study. Dr. Nadeau was often called upon to explain and defend the results of these studies within Federal Court at the direction of the Department of Justice. Dr. Nadeau served on the Ocean Dumping Bioassay Working Group which was charged with developing a rationale document of the Bioassay Requirement for EPA’s Ocean Dumping Permit Program. Dr. Nadeau chaired an International Steering Committee for the NEPCO 140 Oil Spill Study to characterize the economic and ecological impact of the spill. As Chief of the Biology Program, Dr. Nadeau was an integral player in the formulation and implementation of the State-EPA (Region II) agreement on water quality monitoring in Region II.
As the chief biologist for the Oil and Hazardous
Material Spills Branch, Dr. Nadeau coordinated and supervised
biological-related research in damage to aquatic communities by oil and
hazardous material spills. Dr. Nadeau served as the Agency’s Project
Officer on a number of grants to major oceanographic and limnology
institutions; i.e., Woods Hole Oceanographic and Rennselear Polytechnic
Institute. Dr. Nadeau responded and served as the Agency’s chief scientist
and advisor to the U.S. Coast Guard at a number of major oil spills; i.e., Zoe
Colotronics in Puerto Rico, Tamano Spill in Portland, ME, and New Haven Harbor
Spill. While being Chief Biologist, Dr. Nadeau conducted a study to document
the impact of discharge of heavy metals from the Marathon Battery Site into
Foundry Cove, Cold Spring, NY. (Marathon Battery later became one of Region
II’s premier Superfund cleanup with much of the adjacent marsh being
excavated and revegetated with native plants.)
Publications & Presentations
The Eco-Strategies Group, P.O. Box
433, Allamuchy, NJ 07820
908-850-0859 Fax: 908-850-8406
www.theeco-strategiesgroup.com