Webinar Series: Siting and Environmental Considerations for Data Center Development
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Siting and Environmental Considerations for Data Center Development
Wednesday, September 24 and Wednesday, October 15, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm ET
This two-part series reviews multimedia considerations for new data center developments including discussion on site selection, brownfields, noise, permitting, and water utilization.
If you missed Part 1, you can still register for the series! Attend Part 2 and receive a download to view Part 1.
Full Series: $169 A&WMA Member; $229 Nonmember
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Please be advised that only one user can log into the account to view the webinar and access cannot be shared. After registering, you will receive an email with an access link and instructions. Enter the web conference via the link 10 minutes prior to the webinar start time. You will need to log into the A&WMA account that was used to register for the event.
Part 2: Air Permitting and Modeling – An Innovative Approach for Intermittent Sources
Wednesday, October 15, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm ET
The continued expansion and electrification of the economy, along with lowering air quality standards, continues to provide challenges for industries across the country. From AI to pulp and paper, the need for air quality compliance demonstrations as part of the permitting process continues to lead to innovative solutions to address EPA model limitations, complex source operation, and stringent air quality standards. This webinar will provide an overview of the data center market trends, address common compliance approaches for data centers, discuss new and novel tools to demonstrate compliance, and provide regulatory perspective on these topics.
Individual Webinar: $99 A&WMA Member; $149 Nonmember
Part 1: Data Centers, the Rise of AI, and Environmental Site Selection
Wednesday, September 24, 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm ET
Environmental site selection for data centers is a complex process beyond the initial consideration of land and reliable power availability, along with the proximity to fiber optic hubs. As the demand for power and data processing continues to grow, additional complications are now surfacing with the desire for onsite generation and the repurposing of brownfield sites becoming more attractive. Brownfield industrial sites often have necessary infrastructure already in place including high-capacity power lines and transportation network, but they may also come with pre-existing environmental conditions. As these centers grow in size to accommodate growing capacity and power needs, other factors such as wetland permitting, noise considerations, and air quality permitting also become more complicated. The webinar covers data center market growth and the rise of AI, its impact on environmental site selection, and provides an overview of the site selection process.
Session 1 Presenters:
Josh Cassarino, Associate Principal, Trinity Consultants
Josh brings over 10 years of experience in data center and on-site power generation and design and construction. As the data center acoustics lead for his company, Josh works closely with top hyperscalers and colocation providers nationwide from due diligence through site commissioning. His technical leadership and cross-disciplinary knowledge make him a key contributor to high-performance infrastructure development. With internal education being important to his firm, Josh is a proud leader in content creation and hosting education sessions for new employees. Born into a music family, Josh is an acoustical engineer and a "triple-threat" musician and producer. The combination of his degree in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Acoustics and love for music provides him with a unique approach to projects.
Ali Farnoud, Chief Strategy Officer, ALL4
As the Chief Strategy Officer at ALL4, Ali oversees the data center, power, and chemical sectors. Before this role, he was a key leader at Ramboll, where he significantly grew the data center sector in the Americas, managed a strategic account, and established a large air quality consulting team in Arlington, Virginia. He also served as a global air quality expert for data centers. With 18 years of experience, Ali's expertise is in air quality permitting and compliance, assisting diverse clients across multiple industries. He holds a Ph.D. from Southern Methodist University, where his research focused on controlling particulate matter from diesel engines. Ali also serves on the board of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the Catholic University of America, where he was previously an adjunct professor.
Andrew Horwath, PE, Environmental Engineer, Associate, Langan
Andrew Horwath, PE, is an Environmental Engineer from Indianapolis, IN, with over two decades of experience in environmental engineering and consulting. He is a licensed professional engineer in 13 states, specializing in brownfield redevelopment, environmental investigation, remediation design, and regulatory compliance. Andrew has a robust background in transforming contaminated sites into valuable assets, ensuring they meet environmental standards and support community revitalization. His expertise extends to the development of data centers on brownfield sites, where he integrates sustainable practices and innovative solutions to overcome site-specific challenges.
Presenter/Moderator: Kim Marcus, Senior Principal Geologist, Landau Associates
Mr. Kim Marcus has 52 years of experience in the field of geology and is based in Landau Associates' Portland office. He specializes in hazardous waste, regulatory compliance, due diligence, risk mitigation, and strategic assessment. Mr. Marcus has worked on over 5,000 assessment and remediation projects. He has extensive experience consulting oil & gas, forest products, power, and manufacturing facilities. Kim is a Professional Geologist, Hydrogeologist, and Engineering Geologist, Washington #1540, Past President of the Air & Waste Management Association and Past President of the Pacific Northwest International Section of the A&WMA.
Session 2 Presenters:
Nathaniel Collett, Work Lead, Physical Science Researcher/Scientist III, Dispersion Modeling Unit, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Air Pollution Control Division
Nathaniel Collett is one of the work leads for the Dispersion Modeling Unit as part of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Air Pollution Control Division. He received a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and has been involved in evaluating ambient air impacts including monitoring and modeling since 2010. Prior to joining the State of Colorado in summer 2022, he worked in environmental consulting, primarily concerning air quality regulations and compliance.
Ali Farnoud, Chief Strategy Officer, ALL4
As the Chief Strategy Officer at ALL4, Ali oversees the data center, power, and chemical sectors. Before this role, he was a key leader at Ramboll, where he significantly grew the data center sector in the Americas, managed a strategic account, and established a large air quality consulting team in Arlington, Virginia. He also served as a global air quality expert for data centers. With 18 years of experience, Ali's expertise is in air quality permitting and compliance, assisting diverse clients across multiple industries. He holds a Ph.D. from Southern Methodist University, where his research focused on controlling particulate matter from diesel engines. Ali also serves on the board of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the Catholic University of America, where he was previously an adjunct professor.
Dr. Tanvir Khan, Project Leader, NCASI
Dr. Tanvir Khan is a Project Leader at NCASI, specializing in air quality measurement, atmospheric science, and environmental data analysis. He leads field-based evaluations of NextGen air sensors and develops methods to improve regulatory air dispersion modeling. Since joining NCASI in 2022 as a Senior Research Engineer, Dr. Khan has provided technical guidance on air regulatory issues to support the forest products industry.
Jason Reed, Certified Consulting Meteorologist, Ramboll
Jason Reed is a Certified Consulting Meteorologist with over 25 years of experience managing air quality modeling projects across the western United States. He specializes in complex AERMOD and CALPUFF analyses for NSR permitting, SIP development, and NEPA assessments across multiple industries including power generation, oil and gas, data centers, and industrial manufacturing. Mr. Reed is currently working with several state air quality agencies with their NSR modeling programs that includes modeling reviews, training, and updates to resources and guidance. He is an expert in data center modeling and Monte Carlo statistical techniques, regularly presenting at national conferences and implementing best practices.
Moderator: Tony Schroeder, CCM, QEP, Principal Consultant, Trinity Consultants
Tony Schroeder is a Principal Consultant with Trinity Consultants’ Cleveland, Ohio office. Tony has over 22 years of professional experience and assists clients with a variety of air quality environmental needs including air permitting and regulatory compliance assistance, dispersion modeling analyses, and litigation support. Tony is a past Chair of the A&WMA Modeling and Meteorology Committee and current Chair of the EM Magazine Editorial Advisory Committee. He has been designated a Certified Consulting Meteorologist and Qualified Environmental Professional. He earned a B.S. in Atmospheric Science from Ohio State and a M.S. in Meteorology from Penn State.
