New Capacity for Affordable Bay Area Soil Reuse: Stevens Creek Quarry Reclamation Project Gets Regulatory Green Light

August 22, 2026

Path Forward Partners is pleased to announce that the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board has approved the Soil Acceptance Criteria and Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) we developed for the Stevens Creek Quarry Reclamation Project in Cupertino. For Bay Area soil reuse projects, that means a permitted, cost-effective destination for excess soil and it arrives as other large-scale reclamation projects in the region near completion, restoring much-needed capacity for the affordable, compliant reuse of construction soil.

The reclamation anticipates approximately 20 million cubic yards of imported soil. What that means on a project: excess soil that would otherwise go offsite at premium disposal cost now has a compliant reuse outlet, with a clear, up-front process for confirming whether your soil qualifies, before you mobilize.

Behind that outcome: separate shallow and deep acceptance criteria built on the site conceptual model, future land use, regional background metals concentrations, human-health and ecological considerations, with leaching models run under both U.S. EPA and Water Board methodologies. We worked directly with California-certified laboratories to confirm the criteria is met, then translated the framework into decision-tree flow charts and a defined evaluation process, so soil sources can be screened quickly instead of relitigated one at a time.

For reclamation and quarry operators, that approved framework is the asset. It’s what turns a reclamation plan into a permitted, working soil acceptance program, with a basis for evaluating millions of cubic yards over the life of the project.

Congratulations to the Stevens Creek Quarry and Path Forward teams on reaching this important project milestone!

Generating excess soil on a Bay Area project and looking for a lower-cost reuse option? Or developing a soil acceptance program and QAPP that a regulator will approve? Send us a message, we’re glad to talk through your site.

Learn more about our Clean Fill Evaluations and Development of Soil Import Acceptance Criteria here: Clean Fill Evaluations and Development of Soil Import Acceptance Criteria

#Stevens Creek Quarry #Soil Reuse #Soil Management #Reclamation #Environmental Consulting #QAPP #Beneficial Reuse #Bay Area #Path Forward

Path Forward’s David Grunat Talks UST Cleanup Costs with ABC7 as SB 445 Deadline Reshapes California Sites

May 19, 2026

Path Forward's David Grunat on ABC 7 News discussing underground storage tanks

Path Forward Partners is proud to share that our own David Grunat was recently interviewed by ABC7’s Lyanne Melendez for a segment examining the real-world costs of cleaning up underground storage tank (UST) sites across California. The feature comes at a pivotal moment for the industry, as operators statewide work through the aftermath of a major regulatory deadline that has reshaped how, and how quickly, legacy tank infrastructure gets addressed.

The Regulatory Backdrop

At the center of the segment is Senate Bill 445, passed by the California Legislature in 2014, which required owners or operators to permanently close single-walled USTs that don’t meet current design and construction standards by December 31, 2025. The law specifically targeted tanks installed before January 1, 1984 that lack modern safeguards, as well as certain tanks built before January 1, 1997, systems that, in many cases, have been sitting underground for decades without the secondary containment and leak-detection capabilities required of tanks installed today.

Owners and operators who did not permanently close their single-walled UST systems by the deadline are now out of compliance, cannot legally operate those tanks, and are subject to enforcement action, including red-tagging, which prevents fuel deliveries and dispensing, along with civil penalties from $500 to $5,000 per day, per UST. For property owners, gas station operators, and developers holding sites with legacy tank infrastructure, that combination of legal exposure and daily-accruing penalties has turned what was once a long-term compliance item into an urgent, immediate priority.

Why the Deadline Created a Bottleneck

While SB 445 was signed into law more than a decade ago, many small and independent operators have struggled to upgrade or close their tanks in time, often due to permitting backlogs, funding constraints, and contractor shortages, particularly in rural or underserved areas. That lag created a wave of last-minute activity heading into the deadline, and now a wave of post-deadline enforcement and remediation work as operators who missed the window scramble to come into compliance.

Removing or closing a UST is rarely just a matter of pulling a tank out of the ground. Site investigation, soil and groundwater sampling, corrective action planning, and, where contamination is discovered, full remediation can add substantial time and cost to what might otherwise look like a straightforward removal project. That complexity, and the real dollar figures behind it, is exactly what the ABC7 segment set out to unpack, and why David’s technical perspective was a valuable addition to the story.

The Cost and Logistics Conversation

For operators and property owners navigating this process, the questions tend to cluster around a few recurring themes. What will investigation and cleanup actually cost if contamination is found? How long will the process take, and what does that mean for site operations or a pending property transaction? Are there funding resources available to offset the expense?

On that last point, California does offer some financial relief through the state’s UST Cleanup Fund and the Replacing, Removing, or Upgrading Underground Storage Tanks (RUST) Program, though the deadline for submitting a claim for reimbursement of eligible corrective action costs is December 31, 2034, with the fund itself sunsetting on January 1, 2036. The resources exist, but owners and operators are well served by starting the process as early as possible rather than treating these funds as a fallback for later.

Path Forward’s Role

At Path Forward Partners, this is the kind of work we do every day: helping clients move through complex environmental challenges, from initial site investigation through remediation and closure, with clear strategy, technical rigor, and practical, cost-conscious solutions. Whether a client is facing a post-deadline enforcement situation, planning a tank removal proactively, or trying to understand what a UST issue means for a property transaction, our approach is the same. We give clients a clear picture of the technical and regulatory landscape early, so decisions about cost, timeline, and risk can be made with real information rather than guesswork.

We’re grateful to ABC7 and Lyanne Melendez for the opportunity to bring that perspective to a broader audience, and for shining a light on an issue that affects property owners and operators across the state.

📺 Watch the full segment on ABC7.

Learn more about Path Forward Partners at Underground Storage Tank Removal.

#Environmental Consulting #UST #Site Remediation #SB 445 #Real Estate Development #Environmental Compliance #Path Forward Partners #Brownfields

Path Forward Partners Now Provides Nevada Environmental Consulting Services, Backed by David Grunat’s New Certified Environmental Manager Credential

May 15, 2026

Path Forward Partners is pleased to announce the expansion of our services into Nevada, extending our science-driven approach to Nevada environmental consulting for a new region and a new set of clients and partners.

As part of this growth, David Grunat is now a Certified Environmental Manager, a credential that strengthens our team’s ability to support complex environmental projects across the state. This designation reflects the same technical rigor and practical problem-solving that has defined our work throughout California, and it positions us to bring that same level of expertise to Nevada’s environmental consulting landscape from day one.

Whether it’s site investigation, remediation strategy, regulatory navigation, or the kind of technically demanding projects that require both deep expertise and a clear path forward, we’re ready to support clients and partners across Nevada with the same commitment to clarity, strategy, and results that has guided our work since our founding.

We’re excited for this next chapter and look forward to building strong relationships throughout the region.

Interested in working with us in Nevada? Send us a message, we’d love to talk through your site or project.

Learn more about Path Forward Partners at www.pathfw.net.

#Environmental Consulting #Nevada #Path Forward Partners #Environmental Compliance #Business Expansion #Certified Environmental Manager

Path Forward’s David Grunat Testifies in Support of SB 1258, Advancing Streamlined Housing on Cortese List Infill Housing Sites

April 17, 2026

Path Forward Partners is proud to share that our Principal Geologist, David Grunat, recently testified as a key technical witness in support of Senator Scott Wiener’s SB 1258 for Cortese List infill housing sites before the California Senate Environmental Quality Committee.

SB 1258 is intended to help streamline infill housing projects on sites listed on the Cortese List, while maintaining strong environmental oversight and public health protections. These sites, often former industrial or commercial properties, represent some of California’s best opportunities for sustainable infill development, yet they frequently face procedural barriers despite being well understood and actively managed under existing regulatory programs.

That gap between a site’s actual environmental status and the procedural hurdles standing between it and productive reuse is exactly the issue David’s testimony addressed. Drawing on decades of hands-on experience with contaminated site investigation, regulatory cleanup programs, and risk-based mitigation, David highlighted how science-driven, regulator-supervised cleanup can safely support housing production on legacy sites. His perspective offered committee members a technical, on-the-ground view of how these sites are actually managed in practice, not just how they appear on a list, and why that distinction matters for a state facing both a housing shortage and a need to responsibly reuse its existing land inventory.

Legislation like SB 1258 sits at a genuinely difficult intersection: protecting public health and the environment while also removing unnecessary friction from housing production on sites that, in many cases, have already been extensively characterized and are actively managed under agency oversight. Getting that balance right requires input from people who work directly with these sites, understand the regulatory frameworks governing them, and can speak to what responsible reuse actually looks like in practice.

We’re grateful for the opportunity to contribute that technical perspective to an important policy discussion at the intersection of environmental protection, housing, and smart growth, and we’ll continue supporting policy efforts that advance both public health protections and California’s housing needs.

Learn more about Path Forward Partners at Regulatory Negotiation and Strategy.

#Environmental Policy #Infill Development #Brownfields #Cortese List #Housing Policy #Environmental Quality #Path Forward Partners

Path Forward Celebrates 7 Years!

October 17, 2025

This month marks seven years since Path Forward Partners was founded in 2018, and what an incredible journey it’s been. Since our start, we’ve had the privilege of assisting on hundreds of properties across California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and Texas.

From Phase I & II Environmental Site Assessments and Vapor Intrusion Assessments and Mitigation System Design, to Remedial Designs, Feasibility Studies, and ongoing Operations & Maintenance, our work continues to be driven by the same purpose we started with: helping clients move their projects forward with confidence, clarity, and environmental responsibility.
None of this would be possible without our amazing team of geologists, engineers, and scientists whose expertise, collaboration, and dedication have been the foundation of our success.

We’re also deeply grateful to our clients and partners. Your trust and support have allowed us to grow and take on meaningful projects across diverse sectors including affordable housing, market-rate housing, office developments, and industrial properties.

If you’re planning a project that could use environmental support, whether it’s a due diligence assessment, remediation strategy, or vapor mitigation design, we’d love to help.

Let’s connect. Visit www.pathfw.net or reach out to our team to see how we can move your project forward.

Here’s to seven years behind us, and many more ahead!

#EnvironmentalConsulting #Anniversary #PathForwardPartners #EnvironmentalEngineering #PhaseI #PhaseII #VaporIntrusion #Remediation #BrownfieldRedevelopment #AffordableHousing #Geology #Engineering

Path Forward Supports ADMPs and AAMPs

September 24, 2024

Path Forward is a leader in asbestos dust mitigation and air monitoring projects subject to the legal requirements of the Asbestos Airborne Toxic Control Measure. If your project contains naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) and is subject to the ATCM, we can assist you through this complicated and cumbersome process. Our expert team will collaborate with you to develop a practical and achievable asbestos dust mitigation plan (ADMP) and asbestos air monitoring program (AAMP). Over the years, we have built relationships with local air districts including BAAQMD, SCAQMD, and SDAPCD and have proven success in getting these plans approved expeditiously.

Once our ADMPs are ready for implementation, we test the dedicated field equipment that will be used for the project to ensure successful data collection. Whether the sampling equipment is rented or owned, and no matter the duration (2 weeks or 2 years), we always strive to collect reliable and representative samples/data to help you demonstrate the efficacy of the best management practices (BMPs) employed by your project during dust-generating activities.

To minimize potential for regulatory agency fines or notices of violation (NOVs) that may be imposed from not collecting required samples (e.g., potentially due to improper battery life or a faulty pump), we keep spare sets batteries and an extra pump on hand in the unlikely event of equipment failure. When a NOA sampling result exceeds the Action Level (a level develop for BAAQMD with the assistance of a Path Forward Principal), we promptly will work with you and your contractors to determine the root cause of the exceedance, propose implementation of additional appropriate BMPs, and notify the local air district.

Contact us if your project has NOA and requires a plan to be developed and implemented. For more information visit us at Asbestos Dust Mitigation Plans/Asbestos Air Monitoring Plans (ADMP/AAMP).

#Path Forward #ACTM #asbestos #NOA #BAAQMD #ADMP #AAMP #DCP #NOV #SCAQMD #SDAPCD #CARB #TEM #BMPs

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