Charter Steel in Saukville announced it has been awarded one of the state's top engineering awards for a plan that creates 60 acres of new wetlands and will help reduce the potential for flooding near its plant. The American Council of Engineering Companies of Wisconsin (ACEC WI) in Madison called the design, construction, and start-up of the Charter Steel wetlands project "revolutionary." The ACEC WI also praised contractor Earth Tech Inc. of Milwaukee for completing the Charter Steel project that created a unique natural environment to help manage storm water.
"Charter Steel has an ongoing commitment to operate in an environmentally responsible way, and we are honored we've been recognized for this work with our partner Earth Tech," said Tari Emerson, procurement and environmental manager at Charter Steel. "We've found projects like this are not only good for the community, but also make good business sense. The end result is that we now have more wetland acreage, more green space and have ensured that we are being sensitive to our neighbors in and around the area."
The Earth Tech Inc./Charter Steel project was among 12 winners of the 2004 ACEC WI State Finalist Awards given to projects that exhibit innovation, quality planning and technical expertise. The award submission for the Earth Tech Inc./Charter Steel project was entitled "Uniting Wetlands + Runoff = Success." The awards will be presented to both Earth Tech Inc. and Charter Steel on Friday, March 26, during a banquet at the American Club in Kohler.
"Working with solid partners like Earth Tech allows us to develop and adopt good policies that demonstrate our commitment to a sound environment," said Emerson. "Charter Steel is committed to continue operating in an environmentally responsible manner, and our hard work will not stop with this successful project."