Tech Talk: Navigating Environmental Remediation on the 3rd Base Line of West Sacramento’s Riverfront

This is a recording of a monthly Tech Talk online presentation given to our ASCE Capital Branch on August 18, 2026. For more information, to learn about other previous events, and to contact us, please go to our website here: https://capbr.r9-asce.org/2026/08/10/... ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION: The former Univar West Sacramento facility presented a complex environmental remediation challenge within one of the Sacramento region’s most visible redevelopment corridors adjacent to Raley Field (now Sutter Health Park). Historical chemical distribution, storage, and transfer operations resulted in impacts to soil and groundwater that required extensive investigation, regulatory coordination, and implementation of long-term remediation strategies. This presentation provides an overview of the site’s operational history, environmental impacts, investigation findings, remediation activities, and key project milestones that supported the continued redevelopment of West Sacramento’s riverfront district. Particular emphasis is placed on the technical and project management challenges associated with balancing environmental cleanup objectives, stakeholder expectations, and redevelopment schedules. As a Senior Engineer with ERM from 2016 through 2018, Guy Hopes served in multiple technical and project support roles throughout the cleanup process. Responsibilities included planning and oversight of groundwater and soil sampling events, data evaluation and interpretation, preparation of technical reports and regulatory deliverables, remediation system support, contractor coordination, and cost management. The audience will gain insight into the multidisciplinary nature of environmental remediation projects and the diverse responsibilities environmental engineers undertake to successfully move complex contaminated sites from investigation through remediation while supporting broader community redevelopment goals. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Guy Hopes, PhD Student/Civil Engineer Guy M. Hopes, PE, MSc, is the President-Elect of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Sacramento Section and an incoming Ph.D. student in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of California, Davis. He spent eight years with ERM, where he served as a Senior Civil Engineer managing complex environmental remediation and Superfund-related projects throughout California. His experience includes major multi-million-dollar cleanup efforts such as the Sacramento Railyards redevelopment, chemical manufacturing site remediation in Newark, and large-scale environmental restoration and reclamation projects. During his consulting career, he led multidisciplinary teams responsible for remedial investigations, feasibility studies, groundwater treatment systems, regulatory compliance, and construction management. His experience also includes Federal and State assignments with the USAF (Iraq 2022 Deployment), Department of Water Resources, and the State Water Resources Control Board. His current interests focus on treatment wetlands, watershed restoration, ecological engineering, and nature-based solutions for improving water quality and environmental resilience.