MWH announces contract amendment for Everglades restoration project
• MWH and Jacobs Engineering Group awarded contract amendment for ongoing restoration of Florida Everglades; Acceler8 program expedites key comprehensive Everglades restoration plan projects
WEST PALM BEACH, FL, Sept. 5, 2007 -- MWH, in a joint venture with Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., announced they were awarded a $32 million contract amendment by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) for program management support services on the Acceler8 Program, which is part of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). The new amendment will run through 2012.
"CERP provides us with an exciting opportunity to give back to the Everglades while still addressing the growing water resource issues in south Florida," said Tommy Strowd, assistant deputy director for Everglades Restoration. "This Program aims to reestablish the natural south Florida ecosystem by improving the quantity, quality, timing and distribution of the water delivered to critical natural systems. MWH and Jacobs have provided valuable staff support to assist the SFWMD with achieving these goals through accelerated project delivery on the Acceler8 Program and other related environmental restoration projects."
The MWH and Jacobs joint venture began providing program management support services to SFWMD for the Everglades restoration in February 2002. In October 2004, SFWMD established the Acceler8 Program to expedite the schedules of eight critical restoration CERP projects in order to complete them sooner. In the first year and a half, three of the chosen projects were completed and efforts are underway to finish design and construction of the remaining projects, which are planned to be completed by 2012.
Started in 2001, CERP is the largest environmental restoration project in the world and is designed to restore the south Florida ecosystem, including Everglades National Park. Many of south Florida's water issues stem from an imbalance in available water levels throughout the year. During the rainy season, south Florida accumulates too much water to store and releases an average of 1.7 billion gallons of fresh water into the ocean tide on a daily basis; however, the region often experiences severe droughts and water restrictions during the dry season. CERP is addressing the region's water-related issues by building new reservoirs to store excess water from the rainy season that can be released into the south Florida ecosystem during the dry season.
"We appreciate the opportunity to continue working with the South Florida Water Management District on the world's largest environmental restoration program to preserve this American treasure," said Greg Hillebrenner, MWH project manager. "This important Program addresses key water issues related to restoring the extraordinary Everglades ecosystem, where over 70 threatened and endangered species reside."
MWH has been in the south Florida area for over 30 years and employs over 130 people throughout its various offices in the region. In addition to the Florida Everglades restoration program, MWH has played a key role in large capital programs for Miami Dade County, Fla.; Hillsborough County, Fla.; and the City of Cape Coral, Fla.
Headquartered in Broomfield, Colo., MWH is a private, employee-owned firm with approximately 6,000 employees worldwide. The company provides water, wastewater, energy, natural resource, program management, consulting and construction services to industrial, municipal and government clients in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, India, Asia and the Pacific Rim.
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