May Meeting - A Recent History of the Corps of Engineers’ Contribution to the Restoration of the Buffalo River Area of Concern (AOC): Lessons from the Sand Box

Abstract

A diverse and organized alliance of Great Lakes advocates spearheaded efforts to restore the ecological integrity of the Great Lakes and now work together under the flag of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Locally, a group of dedicated partners representing various agencies, organizations, and levels of governments have worked tirelessly and found ways to work together to rally around the common cause of restoration of the Buffalo River Area of Concern. As a result, over one million cubic yards of contaminated sediment has been dredged from the river and placed in a Confined Disposal Facility.  Habitat restoration projects covering miles along the banks of the river have been implemented or will be by the end of this year. These successes will have huge positive consequences for both the human and natural environments. The Buffalo District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has played a critical role in the planning, design and implementation of these projects. This session will provide an overview of the Corps’ place in a network demanding and motivated partners, along with some observations concerning the means and methods of partnership.

Speaker Bio

Bryan Hinterberger joined the U.S. Army as an active duty soldier in September 2001 and served until January 2007. During his service he completed two tours of duty in Iraq, where he worked as a Human Intelligence Collector with the 1stArmored Division and Joint Special Operations Command. He was also fortunate enough to spend a year at the Defense Language Institute studying Russian in Monterey, California and to live with his family in Wiesbaden, Germany.   After leaving the service, Bryan studied at SUNY Buffalo State, where he received a B.S. in Urban and Regional Analysis and Planning. Bryan began his career with the Buffalo District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in June 2009 and has spent the majority of that time working as both a Plan Formulator and Project Manager on Ecosystem Restoration and Navigation Civil Works Projects. As the Buffalo District Manager of the Great Lakes Remedial Action Plans Program, Bryan has acted as the liaison to the Areas of Concern (AOC) communities in Ohio and New York since 2009. His primary responsibility in this capacity has been to communicate technical capabilities and assistance that can be provided by the Corps of Engineers, and to partner with Federal and State Agencies, local governments and non-profit organizations on efforts to delist Areas of Concern.