Season’s greetings from all of us at Barr! We are grateful for the opportunities we’ve had this year to work with our clients and partners on a wide range of interesting, challenging projects, across all the industries we serve.
We’re also looking forward to seeing what 2023 brings our way. We’re passionate about our work and about the services and solutions we provide to clients.
Barr’s approach to client service, and our emphasis on developing collaborative client relationships, reflects our culture and institutional philosophy. While we’ve been seeing a fair amount of industry consolidation in recent years, Barr remains independent. As an employee-owned company in which no single individual owns more than 1 percent of our stock, Barr has a highly engaged and dedicated workforce.
This means you can count on us as a reliable partner in solving complex problems and advancing your critical goals, for years to come.
On behalf of everyone at Barr, thank you for your trust and partnership in 2022. We’ve worked hard to earn it, and we plan to do the same in 2023 and beyond.
Ward Swanson, who began serving as Barr’s president and CEO in 2021, helps industry and regulatory authorities solve complex analytical issues related to preserving and restoring the environment. He is a nationally recognized expert on geochemical analysis, hydrocarbon fingerprinting, low-level mercury analysis, dioxin and furan analysis, and chemicals of concern such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and 1,4-dioxane. His three decades of experience also encompass environmental-data quality assurance and quality control; laboratory regulation and certification; analytical methodologies; and internal-database quality.
Civil designs create homes for the holidays
Designing Africa's first potash processing facility
Q&A: Are mussels impeding your underwater project?
EPA begins enforcement of coal-ash disposal rule
Floodplain management expert joins Barr
From our CEO
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Watershed-wide analysis improves strategies to manage climate change
An ecosystem approach to watershed planning and water resource protection
Stormwater O&M: When construction ends, the work begins
How will changes to the TRI/PFAS reporting rule affect your facility?
Barr brings a straightforward approach to Minnesota PFAS cost estimate study
Diving into the data as an air quality specialist
How safe is your tailings dam?
The evolution of PFAS analytical methods over the last decade
Mining the Intermountain West: From operations to consulting
Six reasons to add RNG to your energy portfolio
Balancing power generation with air quality compliance
Wind turbine foundations now and in the future
Summarizing recent changes to NEPA
Making the most of every opportunity
Gaining real-world experience through Barr’s internship program
From a client’s perspective
Using waste heat recovery for carbon management
Minnesota's mine-reclamation legacy enters exciting new chapter
Building climate resilience through green infrastructure design
Navigating CCR compliance under recent EPA determinations
Municipal waste stream PFAS removal and destruction: Current alternatives and cost
EPA proposes rule to reduce ethylene oxide emissions from commercial sterilizers
Barr celebrates Founders Day: A CEO’s perspective
Five steps to develop a greenhouse gas inventory for agricultural manufacturing
How will the new PFAS MCLs affect NPDES permits?
Time to repower your wind energy site?
Adding lithium to mining operations: Environmental, permitting, and ESG factors
Adding lithium to mining operations: Engineering and design factors
Collecting data from the skies with reality capture technology
Green infrastructure and stacked-benefits projects
EPA proposes maximum contaminant levels for six PFAS in drinking water
Minnesota DNR releases new commercial solar siting guidance
Emerging PFAS destruction technologies
The Inflation Reduction Act: Manufacturing focus
Domestic uranium production on the rise
EPA's latest proposed rule eliminates PFAS reporting exemption
Introducing Barr’s ugly holiday sweater contest winner
Designing Africa’s first potash mine
The Inflation Reduction Act: Mining focus
The Inflation Reduction Act: Power focus
A deeper look into the promising new PFAS destruction approach
Tailings storage facilities: A unique challenge for a critical industry
The Inflation Reduction Act: Fuels focus
Making an impact in the Rocky Mountain Region
From Boy Scout to Senior NEPA Consultant
Stabilizing a community's backup water supply
Q&A: In your ESG journey, keep the destination in mind
Inflation Reduction Act opens door for energy investment
Reviving landings on Lake Michigan's Plum and Pilot Islands
PFAS: What’s all the hype?
Becoming an environmental engineer: A problem solver’s dream career
Siting a solar farm on brownfields, landfills, and former industrial sites
Analyzing climate change risks with GIS mapping
Explosives engineering: Is it as dangerous as it sounds?
Is biological sulfate treatment the key?
Achieving work-life balance as a female engineer and military spouse
Acid rock drainage: More than just a mining project concern?
Incorporating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies
Developing long-term PFAS solutions
Establishing climate change adaptation strategies
Designing new tools and solutions for stormwater quality improvement
Maximizing the usefulness of big data and the Internet of Things (IoT)
Uncovering the technical challenges of paste, filtered tailings, and mine backfill
Adding value with technology-enhanced imaging
Navigating floodwater management
Harnessing the power of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technology
Delivering innovation on Department of Energy projects
Q&A: Spotlight on safety
Transforming water treatment plant design
Unlock funding for abandoned mines
Proactive permitting strategy powers solar project success
Stormwater: Underground and under control
Financing your project with federal infrastructure funding
SEC proposes broad climate-related reporting rules
Fuel standards and carbon intensity to drive profitability
New PFAS rule to have broad implications
Restoration project near Lake Superior wins top honor
Slope stabilization puts mine site back in operation
Stormwater management plan promotes sustainability
First steps toward fixing a dam
Which tailings management solution is right for your mine?
Turn the pieces into a picture with a data integration plan
"Backyard" rainwater feature reduces downstream pollutants
Modeling roadmap helps manage chloride levels
Statistics unlock answers to contamination questions
Getting started on your ESG journey? Barr can help
Water ride makes a splash at Branson theme park
Facing climate-change challenges with confidence
TRI updates include new reporting requirements
Q&A: Survey season in Michigan
Are trolley-assist haul trucks the next advancement for Minnesota mines?
Barr names Ward Swanson as president and CEO
Island Lake Dam repair project wins engineering award