Get to Know Noel!
Name:
Noel Russ
Office:
Greater New York
Practice Area:
Environmental Liability Management (ELM)
Areas of Expertise:
Emergency Spill Response, Incident Management, Hazardous Waste, DOT/HAZMAT Compliance
About Me in 140 Characters:
Hi, my name is Noel Russ. I am a Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM) and live in the Hudson Valley near Kingston, NY. I am the service line leader for Antea Group Incident Management (AIM), but with my diverse background, I intersect with many of our practices in my day-to-day work.
Hiking, climbing, and snowshoeing are my passions. I relish being outdoors in the cold, embracing the tranquility. I practice hatha yoga every day to align my mind and body. A devoted enthusiast of live music, especially electronic jazz, I attend as many shows as possible. My wife, our children, and our new granddaughter, Phoebe, keep me happily busy and grateful. I eagerly anticipate introducing Phoebe to the wonders of the natural world.
Favorite thing about being an environmental remediation practitioner?
Noel Russ Practitioner Spotlight
What is the most interesting project you’ve ever worked on?
I led the largest state-funded HAZMAT cleanup in NY history, managing a fire at an uninsured chemical distributor involving over 5,000 containers, most with damaged labels. It was a huge challenge and in the middle of a busy city, so community health & safety were front & center. I was fortunate to have a talented and dedicated team who worked in high levels of PPE, 7 days a week for 2 months without incident. We successfully characterized and removed multiple tractor-trailer loads of drums and lab-packed chemicals from the site.
What’s your favorite part of your job?
I find immense joy in assisting people with their environmental challenges. What sets Antea Group apart for me is the thrill of receiving unexpected calls from colleagues presenting intriguing and demanding projects. Despite being relatively new to the team, I've noticed that as more people become aware of my skills, my phone keeps ringing with exciting opportunities. It's a dynamic environment that keeps me eagerly anticipating each new day.
If someone at a party asks what you do, how to you respond?
I introduce myself as an environmental consultant, and if people are curious, I've got a treasure trove of stories that range from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to a pun-worthy incident involving half a million bees that were spilled on the side of the New York State Thruway. Because when you deal with spills, sometimes it's oil and other times, it’s hard to BEElieve.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
As a kid, my home was basically a sci-fi library, with books by authors like Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein, so naturally I wanted to be an Astronaut.
What was your first job?
My first job was a family affair. At the tender age of 12, I joined my dad, a civil engineer, and his partner, a land surveyor, in the great outdoors. My summer gig involved trekking through the woods, lugging stakes, and wielding a topographic survey rod. It was both a crash course in hard work and an early introduction to the world of engineering and surveying.
What is on the top of your bucket list?
Hiking and climbing at least 30 miles in every significant mountain range, always with my wife and adventure partner Denise at my side.
