Brett D. Smith PE, PG, managing principal for ECA and ECA Geophysics, is a Registered Professional Engineer (PE) and a Licensed Professional Geologist (PG), with over 30 years energy and environmental industry experience and expertise. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Biology from the University of Utah, a Master’s degree in Geophysics from the Colorado School of Mines, is a registered professional engineer (PE) in Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington and a licensed professional geologist (PG) in Washington. Mr. Smith is a regulatory compliance expert, with special emphasis in the SPCC Rule (aka 40CFR112). Another of Mr. Smith’s core competencies is Geotechnical Geophysics, which determines bedrock depth, subsurface layering, as well as classifying proposed construction sites in regards to the International Building Code and the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program.
Brett began his Earth Sciences and Engineering career in 1984, as an oil company geophysicist, where he created subsurface structure maps and advised exploration staff as to the use of enhanced seismic data. Two years later, when oil nosedived to $10 a barrel, Brett’s career as an oil company geophysicist came to an abrupt end, but he soon made lemonade from lemons, retooled himself into an Environmental Engineer, obtained his PE / PG credentials and began acquiring valuable experience working with a State regulatory agency; served as an expert witness (hydrogeology); performed numerous Phase 1 and 2 environmental site assessments, hazardous waste investigations and hydrogeology characterizations and has been performing environmental and geotechnical geophysical surveying investigations ever since.
With a graduate degree from the Colorado School of Mines, which in 2014 was rated the best engineering college in America (USA Today), Brett performs ground penetrating radar (GPR), electromagnetic (EMI), magnetic (MAG), seismic refraction (SEIS), electrical resistivity (RES) and gravity (GRAV) surveys. Past surveys include work at Holloman Air Force Base (AFB) in New Mexico (EMI and MAG), Hill AFB in Utah (EMI and GPR), Galena AFB in Alaska (GPR), an abandoned Gunnery Range in the Mojave Desert (EMI and GPR), the Hanford Area nuclear reservation in Washington (GPR), th Columbia Nuclear Generation Facility in Washington, tribal land in Washington (EMI and MAG) and a detailed GRAV survey at Mount Shasta, California (MS thesis).
Since 2002, Brett has been assisting electric utilities, petroleum marketers and other industry clients with Oil Spill (SPCC) compliance (40CFR112), by preparing SPCC Plans, performing Tank Integrity Inspections (Steel Tank Institute’s Std SP001) and conducting 8-hour SPCC Training workshops. Brett has been a guest speaker regarding Oil Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) compliance at numerous events, including the Environmental Conference of Washington, a Certified Hazardous Materials Managers meeting, several Northwest Public Power Association (NWPPA) HazMat Task Force meetings and Engineering and Operations Conferences for the electric utility industry.
Brett’s extensive industrial / commercial experience as a Professional Engineer, Geologist and Geophysicist, combined with invaluable insights acquired when working as an Engineer-Geologist with a State regulatory agency, enables him to effectively and economically advocate on behalf of clients.
