We recently recognized AECOM for its outstanding work completed in the former National Southwire Aluminum (NSA) site in Hawesville, Kentucky. AECOM is a fully integrated professional and technical services firm that designs, builds, finances and operates infrastructure assets around the world for public- and private-sector clients.

In 1994, NSA was listed on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Priorities List (NPL) because of groundwater and soil contamination resulting from NSA’s aluminum refining operations.  After a little more than two decades of work to address these problems, the site groundwater and soil met the performance standards established by EPA, and the site was removed from the NPL on Oct. 5, 2015.

“It was very challenging work in which Southwire worked collaboratively with EPA Region 4 and the Kentucky Division of Waste Management to successfully complete the remediation,” said Paul Sims, Southwire’s director of remediation and public affairs.

Sims recognized John Priebe and Alicia Shull of AECOM’s Cincinnati, Ohio office for being key to the overall success of the remediation efforts.  In recognition of AECOM’s superior efforts, Southwire presented them with a token of appreciation. In accordance with Southwire’s focus on sustainability, the unique award was a hand-turned bowl made by retired Southwire Environmental Coordinator Don Phillips from a piece of cedar wood that was salvaged from a debris pile.