Ben Virts

About Ben Virts

WSP’s growing Earth and Environment Team proactively advances our Clients’ goals by applying a broad diversity of science and engineering backgrounds, expertise and skillsets. This Team partners with public and private clients in the energy, transportation, real estate, and institutional industries, as well as federal, state, and local governments to reach their objectives through the application of responsible environmental and social stewardship practices.I reinforce this Team as a Professional Wetland Scientist and Delineator with strong qualifications in environmental permitting, ecological restoration, remediation, regulatory compliance, and project management. My background includes over 25 years of diverse experience, including projects throughout the Mid Atlantic, Northeast and Southeast. Projects have included electric and natural gas transmission, renewable energy, transportation and municipal utilities infrastructure in addition to industrial, commercial/institutional and residential development. Specific ecological restoration focused expertise encompasses all aspects of stream and wetland mitigation and restoration project development including feasibility studies; preliminary site assessments; cost-benefit analysis; existing conditions and reference community data collection and analysis; engineering design development coordination; permitting and approvals; contractor selection and construction administration; as-built development/reporting; and post development success monitoring, maintenance, and reporting. My service specialties include: • Utility Planning and Permitting • Renewable Energy Development • Project Siting and Routing • Wetland, Stream and Ecological Restoration • Project Management• Resource Assessment and Monitoring • Stakeholder Coordination• 401/404 C.W.A. Permitting • Wetland Delineation • Regulatory Compliance • Pollution Assessment and Remediation • Construction Oversight

Experience

1. Vice President Environmental Scientist

   WSP in the U.S.

   Oct 2021 — Present · Virginia Beach, VA, US

   As a member of the WSP Team, I provide support to our growing Earth and Environment Team in championing the achievement of our Clients’ goals and schedules while simultaneously balancing the avoidance and minimization of adverse environmental, social, and economic impacts. Geographically based in Virginia’s Hampton Roads Community, I provide direct natural resources and permitting practice support to WSP’s Mid-Atlantic Region (VA, MD, DC, PA, NJ, DE, and WV) and her sister regions throughout WSP USA’s service footprint.

Education

• Virginia Tech

  B.S., Environmental Science - Aquatic Resources Concentration + Biology & Chemistry Minors

  1994 — 1997

Skills

• Environmental Permitting
• Mitigation
• Environmental Science
• Wetlands
• Water Resources
• Soil
• Sampling
• Environmental Impact Assessment
• Remediation
• Groundwater
• Groundwater Remediation
• Environmental Compliance
• Water Quality
• Land Development
• Stormwater Management
• Civil Engineering
• Field Work