Atlas’ Mike Filmyer reflects on his 40‑year engineering journey in water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure. Mike highlights some of the memorable projects he has been involved in and offers advice to up and coming engineers who are interested in making a difference to protect public health, preserve natural resources and help communities flourish and thrive.

For more than four decades, I have had the privilege of contributing to the design, management and improvement of water, wastewater and stormwater systems that millions of people rely on every day.

These essential yet often unseen systems form the backbone of healthy, sustainable and resilient communities. My journey in engineering has been shaped by a deep belief that infrastructure is more than pipes, pumps, tanks and treatment processes — it is about protecting public health, preserving natural resources and ensuring that communities can thrive.

A Dual Foundation in Biology and Engineering

My path into engineering began with a strong grounding in biology from St. Joseph’s University, followed by a second degree in Environmental Engineering Technology from Temple University.

The combination of biological insight and engineering rigor helped me understand not only how infrastructure works, but why it matters — especially when dealing with water quality, ecological health and regulatory compliance. Early in my career, this interdisciplinary knowledge proved invaluable as I began working in Baltimore before returning to my hometown of Glenside, Pennsylvania, where my roots and career both continued to grow.

Engineering in Service of Communities

Across my career, I’ve worked on hundreds of projects spanning water treatment plants, wastewater facilities, stormwater systems, pump stations, force mains, storage tanks and complex regulatory programs.

Each project brought its own unique challenges, but the most rewarding aspect has always been the impact on the communities we serve. Some of the highlights that continue to make me proud include:��

• An Anaerobic Digestion & Cogeneration Facility, where waste biogas was transformed into renewable energy for the community.
• An 18-inch force main installed via Horizontal Directional Drilling under the Lehigh River, a technically complex project that protected both infrastructure and the river ecosystem.
• A 3.4-million-gallon underground Combined Sewer Overflow storage facility, which eliminated millions of gallons of polluted discharges into local waterways. This tank was placed under a local university’s tennis courts, which were replaced as part of the project.

These projects, and many others like them, illustrate the critical role engineers play in public safety and environmental stewardship.

Technology as a Transformational Force

Over the past 40 years, technology has continually reshaped how we design and operate infrastructure. I’ve seen firsthand how advanced SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems, new materials, better treatment technologies and improved hydraulic modeling have expanded what’s possible. My work on SCADA upgrades for regional authorities brought real‑time system visibility and operational reliability to facilities that previously operated with limited monitoring.

Technology has enabled us to make systems smarter, safer and more sustainable, and it will continue to drive the future of engineering.

Sustainability and Environmental Responsibility

Sustainability has been a thread running through my entire career, long before it was a buzzword. Whether designing Best Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce pollutant loads, preparing National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit renewals or implementing stormwater reduction plans, I have seen how thoughtful engineering can dramatically improve environmental outcomes.

Projects such as stormwater BMPs, streambank restoration efforts or regenerative stormwater conveyance systems illustrate how engineered solutions can harmonize with natural systems.

Our responsibility as engineers is not only to solve today’s problems, but to protect ecosystems for generations to come.

Advice to the Next Generation of Engineers

One unique aspect of my career is the long-standing relationships I’ve built with my colleagues, many of whom I’ve worked with for decades. That continuity of people, knowledge and a shared mission has allowed us to take on increasingly complex challenges with confidence and collaboration.

To those entering the profession, or early in your careers, I offer a few guiding principles:

• Stay curious. Engineering changes constantly; lifelong learning is essential.
• Remember who you serve. Infrastructure exists for people and the environment, so keep communities at the center of every design.
• Embrace the details. In our field, precision saves money, prevents risk and protects lives.
• Seek mentors and be a mentor. Much of what I know came from generous colleagues who shared their expertise.
• Stand proudly in the impact you make. Engineers often work behind the scenes, but our work shapes the world.

A Career Built on Purpose

From wastewater treatment plants to pump stations, SCADA systems to stormwater BMPs, my career has been shaped by the belief that engineering is a public trust. Every design, every calculation and every decision carries with it the responsibility to safeguard communities and the environment.

As I reflect on more than 40 years in this profession, I am grateful for the opportunities I’ve had, the people I’ve worked with and the communities our work has contributed to. And as new generations begin to lead, I am confident the future of engineering will continue to bring innovative, resilient and sustainable solutions to the challenges ahead.

Atlas technologists Jim Kooser, Wetlands and Natural Resources Practice Leader, Midwest and Northeast Regions and Eric S. Goddard, PWS, Ecological Resources Project Manager highlight the role of native soils in restoration. Strategic soil planning not only enhances ecological outcomes but also reduces costs through faster recovery and lower maintenance.��

Across the U.S., agencies are investing billions of dollars to restore wetlands, uplands and ecosystems as well as reclaim orphaned wells and redevelop brownfields. These initiatives carry high stakes: they reverse decades of land use impacts, improve stormwater management and help rebuild critical habitats. The most successful restoration strategies go deeper than what’s visible above ground. Lasting success depends on what happens beneath the surface. By addressing soil structure, restoring hydrology and supporting healthy nutrient cycles and microbial life, Atlas helps agencies and developers achieve outcomes that endure, cost less to maintain and deliver stronger returns on public investment.��

Why Soil Matters��

When restoration approaches prioritize speed and immediate cost savings, the result is compacted soil during earthmoving, the application of low-cost seed mixes quickly and considering the job complete as soon as something green appears. The outcome is predictable: invasive or undesirable species dominate while target native plants struggle in degraded soil conditions.����

Foundation Work Happens Underground��

Sustainable restoration begins with what you can’t see. Before any seed hits the ground, four critical soil factors determine project outcomes: soil structure, chemistry, biology and hydrology.����

Native soils function as complete ecosystems. Beyond basic sand, silt and clay, soil also contains organic matter and living microbial communities that cycle nutrients, regulate moisture, create structural microhabitats and strengthen plant resilience. Compaction and the removal of accumulated soil organic matter essentially break this biological engine, leaving restoration efforts to fight an uphill battle.����

The shift in approach is straightforward: address the soil foundation before vegetation establishment, and native species gain the competitive advantage they need to thrive in the long term.����

Practical Soil Development Strategies��

• Prevent Compaction Damage: Heavy machinery destroys soil structure with every pass. Instead, loosely pile materials and use low-pressure, tracked equipment for final grading. For severely compacted areas, the “push-up method” — creating aligned soil stacks with minimal pressure, then light grading — can restore essential porosity. Deep tilling to a depth of 2-4 feet optimizes the root growth capacity of trees, shrubs and meadow species.������

• Feed the Microbiome: Incorporate fine organic matter such as sawdust to increase soil carbon, enhance water retention and support beneficial microbes that aid native plant health and resilience. When possible, repurpose on-site tree and shrub material to reduce waste and naturally enrich the soil.����

• Balance Nutrient Chemistry: Test soil conditions before adding fertilizers. Former agricultural sites often contain excess nitrogen that fuels the growth of invasive species. Carbon-rich amendments can help rebalance these conditions, depriving non-native species of their preferred higher-nitrogen environment.����

Strategic Species Selection��

Match plant choices to restoration goals, whether that’s pollinator support, wildlife corridors, visual appeal or ecosystem reconstruction. In many cases it’s all the above. Regional native species offer proven compatibility with local soil and climate conditions.����

Maximize ecosystem resilience by incorporating plants with varied bloom periods and mature heights. Establish native meadows through drilling, broadcasting or hydroseeding techniques. In deep-tilled areas, combine tree and shrub planting with strategically placed brush piles made from site debris. These serve as wildlife refuges, carbon stores and seed banks that accelerate natural regeneration.����

Long-Term Performance Advantages��

Well-established native systems require minimal ongoing intervention. Initial watering and weed management may be necessary during the first growing season. After that, annual dormant season mowing often provides sufficient maintenance. Forested areas require some initial understory maintenance but become increasingly self-sustaining as canopy coverage develops.��

The broader benefits extend beyond reduced maintenance. Properly designed native systems control stormwater runoff, filter pollutants, support biodiversity and deliver measurable ecological value. These projects succeed not just by what gets planted, but by what flourishes over time.����

The Bottom Line��

Investing in soil strategy shifts the focus from short-term site turnover to long-term ecosystem health with aesthetic benefits. It requires more upfront planning, but the return on investment is clear: better environmental outcomes, fewer future interventions and measurable cost savings. Start with the soil, and you build a legacy that lasts.����

What’s the marvel behind this feat? It’s LA’s groundbreaking ‘sponge’ infrastructure — an intricate web of permeable surfaces and spreading grounds that shun traditional drainage systems in favor of retention.

This collective effort not only averted the potential flooding that urban areas are prone to — but also achieved a milestone in water conservation, capable of supporting over 100,000 households annually. By turning urban areas into water collectors, LA is forging a path to reduce its dependence on distant water sources, fortifying itself against the capriciousness of climate change.

But the city’s lush rain gardens and permeable pavements aren’t just about function. They indicate the arrival of cooler, greener cityscapes that resonate with a populace hungry for sustainability. Pittsburgh and other metropolises are now casting their nets for inspiration, eager to develop their own water-storing strategies.

It’s a sign of things to come, affirming that sustainability and resilience can coexist, and indeed flourish, in the heart of our urban hubs.

On May 25, the US Supreme Court issued a decision in the Sackett v. EPA case, a 14-year-long lawsuit over property rights and the legality of building on federally protected wetlands. All nine Justices agreed that the wetlands on the Sackett’s property should not fall under the jurisdiction of (CWA), permitting the Idaho couple to continue with construction of their new residence.

But there were substantial differences in the approach to the scope of the decision.

Justice Alito wrote the opinion for the five justice majority, which included Justices Barrett, Gorsuch, Roberts, and Thomas (note that Justices Thomas and Gorsuch prepared a separate concurring opinion).

Justice Kagan filed an opinion concurring with the judgement in favor of the Sacketts, but offered a more inclusive approach to the question of what wetlands should fall under federal jurisdiction. Justice Kagan was joined by Justices Jackson, Sotomayor, and Kavanaugh.

Background

The Sackett’s legal battle began in 2007, when they started earthmoving activities to prepare a 0.63-acre lot they owned near Priest Lake, Oregon.

The family received a notice from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to stop work to avoid impacts to wetlands on the property. The EPA based their jurisdictional decision on their conclusion that the wetlands on the Sackett’s lot drained into a non-navigable creek that then led to Priest Lake.

The Sacketts challenged EPA’s decision, and the various cases worked their way through the federal courts, ending with the 9th Circuit issuing an opinion that there existed a “significant nexus” between the wetland on the Sackett’s property and Priest Lake. On May 25, the Supreme Court overturned that decision and essentially voided the “significant nexus test.”

Summary of the Decision

Justice Alito ruled that courts should apply a more stringent test, outlined by four justices (Alito, Chief Roberts, Scalia, and Thomas) in a previous case (Rapanos v. United States). Alito relied heavily on Justice Scalia’s opinion, in which he wrote that the Clean Water Act (CWA) applies to a particular wetland only if it blends or flows into a neighboring water that is a channel used in interstate commerce — generally referred to as a Traditionally Navigable Water (TNW).

The majority wrote that the text of the CWA defined “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) as “geographical features” ordinarily described as “streams, oceans, rivers, and lakes.” The statute also clearly states that WOTUS includes wetlands that are “adjacent” to another WOTUS.

For decades, this meant that wetlands could fall under Section 404 even though they were separated from a TNW, provided there was some direct connection to that TNW. Thus, a wetland that was connected by even an ephemeral stream, through the greater stream network, eventually emptying into a TNW, fell under federal regulation.

Justice Alito, in adopting Scalia’s strict definition of adjacency from the Rapanos decision, wrote that wetlands can only fall under federal regulation if they possess a direct, relatively permanent connection to another WOTUS. Still, Alito seemed to indicate that to be adjacent, a wetland must be “indistinguishably” part of a stream, ocean, river, or lake.

Potential Effects

The US Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the EPA are expected to revise the WOTUS Rule once again. The rule recently enacted by the Biden Administration does not incorporate Justice Alito’s new, much narrower definition. The previous definition of WOTUS, one that has been in practice since 1986, also will not meet the new test in Alito’s decision.

It is clear so far that a wetland that is congruent with a stream or other regulated body of water will still fall under federal jurisdiction. It seems clear that a wetland that is adjacent to relatively permanent streams (intermittent or perennial streams) will also still be regulated, but that ephemeral streams would likely not be (ephemeral streams are not jurisdictional under the 1986 guidance). Furthermore, a wetland that is connected by a relatively permanent stream to a TNW should still be regulated.

The decision will most likely expand the definition of “isolated wetlands,” by removing from jurisdiction those wetlands that previously exhibited a “significant nexus” to another WOTUS. The attached diagram shows Atlas’ interpretation of the decision based on information we have to date.

Note that state wetland regulations still apply until changed by the individual state administrations or legislatures.

The index below lists the WOTUS definition that is currently applicable in each state. This will likely change as the Corps and EPA establish new rules and guidance following the Sackett Decision.

This is what is sitting in our wetlands! Beautiful green space for us to cherish. The lush greenery helps to clean the air, gives natural purifiers for our water, and provides a natural habitat for many species of amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals which are essential to our ecosystem. But this is what lives there.

Last month, I joined a team of my colleagues from Atlas along with other volunteers in a clean-up effort for the Great Gwinnett Wetlands. We cleaned up trash from the floodplain and wetlands bordering a section of Sweetwater Creek. There were times that I had to pause to just look at and touch the variety of plants growing, the water lilies that thrive and the colors that are so vibrant and alive there. It was simply breathtaking beauty.

Our work area was located on the right bank of Sweetwater Creek on the property of Bethesda Park, but cut-off from the Park by the creek itself. The area has a sewer easement running through it, which provided excellent access to the wetlands, and is surrounded by residential development. In just three hours, a crew of 17 volunteers cleaned approximately eight acres of wetlands along a 2,300ft. section of the creek. In the end, an estimated 1,800 pounds of trash were collected in 94 bags, 15 tires, a mattress, and water heater, and a bicycle.

As I walked along picking up garbage, there were two things that struck me. How does all this trash end up in these wetlands? Second, there are so many simple things that can be done to keep these life-giving spaces safe, healthy and beautiful for generations to come.

To answer the first question – trash thrown in parking lots, roadways, ball fields, restaurants, on the streets gets swept up with floodwaters and back into rivers and creeks, and then into these wetland areas. Wetlands across the US provide many important services to the environment and to the public. They offer critical habitats for fish, waterfowl, and other wildlife; they purify polluted waters; and they help check the destructive power of floods and storms. Wetlands act as natural water purifiers, filtering sediment and absorbing many pollutants in surface waters. In some wetland systems, this cleansing function also enhances the quality of groundwater supplies. I am fascinated by the fact that wetlands present along rivers and streams absorb energy and store water during storms, which reduces downstream flood damage and lessens the risk of flash floods. The slow release of this stored water over time can help keep streams flowing during periods of drought. As a foodie, I love that wetlands provide food, cover, spawning, and nursery grounds for freshwater and marine life including trout, striped bass, pike, sunfish, crappie, crab, and shrimp. And, they are particularly vital to many migratory bird species. Nearly 7000 plant species live in U.S. wetlands, many of which can only survive in these wet environments.*

Wetlands are a productive and valuable resource that is worthy of protection and restoration. But all this beauty and value to our environment is at risk – simply because we are careless about how we dispose of our trash. And talk about TRASH! There were mattresses, a water heater, tires, children’s toys, soccer balls, and tennis balls! But the overwhelming item discarded in this wetland area was plastic bottles.

Just google plastic bottles and the impact on the environment, and you can spend hours reading about the ravaging effects that it has on the ocean, marine life, wetlands, the ecosystem, and it goes on and on. I am not an environmental scientist, nor do I claim to be an expert on the impact of BPA or plastic on our bodies, but what I saw and picked up was enough for me to make a change.

Driving home from that cleanup effort, my overriding thought was, I HAVE TO DO BETTER! Here’s what I plan to do moving forward.

First, I must apologize to my daughter who has consistently encouraged me to stop buying plastic water bottles at home. I have stopped! And here are some other simple things that I am doing:

1. Carry an eco-friendly reusable water bottle
2. Reduce my use of plastics, and if I can’t, then reuse and recycle all plastic
3. Use the water filter at home—I already have one in my refrigerator
4. Working with my office to implement a water purifying system
5. Carry reusable grocery bags to the store
6. Skip the straw and lid at the restaurant
7. Get educated, volunteer, and contribute in any other way that I can.

And I hope you will consider doing just one, or however many more meaningful steps you can take to protect our wetlands…our environment.

As we were cleaning up, John Butler, Gwinnett County’s Water Resources Outreach Manager, mentioned that this type of event is not just about getting all the trash from the Wetland area. A trash cleanup helps, but it is only a short-term solution. This effort is about raising the awareness of the volunteers so they can talk about it to someone else, and hopefully influence change.

I am certainly more aware, and I will work to make a change. I hope you will too.

Author:

Karlene Baron | Director of Communications | Atlas

Inclusive management of life connections and resources

For decades, environmental efforts focused on protecting nature and wildlife apart from humans to minimize impacts. That approach often focused on the “or”—a choice to protect singular resources or particular species, rather than considering the bigger picture—the “and”—inclusive of all life forms and the optimal balance to sustain them.

Today, we embrace a more holistic approach emphasizing interdependence among people, wildlife and our natural environment to support healthy biodiversity and sustainable benefits for all. By proactively pursuing symbiotic relationships throughout—from the smallest organisms to the full spectrum of creatures, plants and resources—holistic approaches focus on strengthening social, economic and ecological systems together, as a whole.

Such measures include natural or naturalized infrastructure solutions designed to achieve greater benefits such as resilience from climate impacts, improved water quality and supply, and sustainable cultivation of food and energy sources. For example, a growing number of communities benefit from existing or constructed wetlands actively managed to promote natural water treatment and supply, while also supporting surrounding residential development, recreation, fisheries, and even green energy production.

Compared with traditional infrastructure built to serve a singular purpose, holistic, multipurpose solutions prove to be more cost-effective and sustainable in the long run, delivering the trifecta of environmental, social, and economic returns on investment.