NAWE wins national engineering excellence award

FOREST LAKE, MN, June 1, 2005 -- North American Wetland Engineering LLC, of Forest Lake has received the prestigious American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Grand Award for engineering excellence.

The award was presented for NAWE's design of an engineered wetland to remediate a petroleum contaminated former BP refinery in Casper, Wyo. One of seven national projects recognized by the ACEC, the innovative wetland treatment design paved the way for the site's transformation into an award winning Robert Trent Jones Golf Course. The RETEC Group Inc., was the lead environmental firm on the project.

NAWE is a pioneer in the development of engineered wetlands for wastewater treatment and remediation of contaminated sites. They are recognized worldwide for their contributions to environmental preservation and restoration. The Casper facility is one of the oldest and largest refineries in the West, operating from 1908 until 1991. As a result of common operating practices during that time, it is estimated that 30 million gallons of oil leaked into the shallow aquifer adjacent to the North Platte River. The site will take 50 to 100 years to clean up.

The NAWE (www.nawe-pa.com) designed treatment system is integrated into the water features of an 18-hole golf course built on the former refinery site. By using new, "green" technology the old refinery has been transformed from a site that once seemed destined to remain an unused brownfield to a landmark helping to redefine the community.

The innovative BP system is the largest remediation wetland in North America. The project also recently won the Seven Wonders Awards for Engineering Excellence from the Minnesota Society of Professional Engineers.

ACEC (www.acec.org) is the business association of America's engineering industry, representing approximately 5,500 independent engineering companies throughout the United States engaged in the development of America's transportation, environmental, industrial, and other infrastructure. Founded in 1910 and based in Washington, D.C., ACEC is a national federation of 51 state and regional organizations.

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