OUR TEAM


Senior Ecologist

Nick Buhbe, MS

Nick is a senior ecologist with over 25 years of experience, specializing in assessment of aquatic biological resources, ecological risk assessments, water quality studies, sediment testing, preparation of environmental planning compliance documents, and wetland-related project work. His wetland work has included ecological community assessments in estuarine and riparian settings, restoration project construction management, and studies related to water quality impairments. His portfolio includes physical, chemical, and biological evaluations of water and sediments.
Nick brings expertise in incorporating toxicological evaluations into multidisciplinary studies and his project experience has incorporated indirect assessment tools (e.g., ecological risk calculations using water quality criteria, sediment benchmark concentrations, and food web modelling) to address severely impacted sediments in the context of infrastructure permitting, remediation, site closure, allocation of liability, and strategic planning.
Nick has led several regulatory programs for complex projects subsequently permitted by the California Coastal Commission, California Regional Water Quality Control Boards, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In addition, He has submitted both technical reports and project-related permit applications multi-agency and stakeholder groups managing the regulatory oversight of contaminated sediments in southern California. He is well versed in the Clean Water Act, the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act, the Magnuson-Stevens Act, and Endangered Species Act, and analogous state regulations. Nick has a Master’s in Biology from San Diego State University and a Bachelor’s in Marine Biology from the University of Santa Cruz.

Nick's Certifications & Memberships

• OSHA 40-Hour HAZWOPER
• NAUI Open Water II Scuba Diver
• Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC)
• OSHA DOT Hazardous Materials Transport Training
• Western Association of Dredging, Pacific Chapter - President
• Society of Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology (SETAC), Southern California Chapter - Member
• CEDA Panel on Beneficial Use of Dredge Material
• California Estuarine Research Society - Member