BRINJAC ENGINEERING ASSISTS IN THE BABB CREEK "GROWING GREENER" PROJECT, HELPS PRESERVE PA's WATER RESOURCES David E. Hess, Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, visits the Babb Creek site. (Harrisburg, PA) - Brinjac Engineering, one of Pennsylvania's largest and leading engineering consulting firms, played a major role in the Babb Creek Project, providing design services and analysis to aid in the upgrades made to the existing Antrim Acid Mine Drainage Treatment Plant located at the Anna S. Mine Complex in Morris Township, Tioga County, Pennsylvania. The restoration of Babb Creek, started in October 2001, called for the upgrade to the existing treatment plant used to treat a large underground mine discharge. On average the plant treats up to 800 gallons of water per minute, but can go up to 2,000 gallons per minute. Competing with national and local engineering firms, Brinjac was awarded the contract to assist in the upgrades based on the firm's ability to provide an economical solution to the problem while meeting challenging engineering requirements. Brinjac conducted preliminary studies and a thorough cost analysis, determining the most advantageous and economic alternatives. "The upgrade needed to provide redundancy and improve reliability while expanding the capacity of the existing system," Mike Guntrum, P.E., C.E.M., project manager for Brinjac Engineering, said. "Had the project not been initiated, there would have been a breakdown, causing a loss in the ability to treat acid mine drainage, forcing discharges into Babb Creek and contaminating the water." David E. Hess, Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, visited the Babb Creek site, and publicly commended the Babb Creek Watershed officials for their hard work and commitment to protecting Pennsylvania's environment. Secretary Hess presented the Project directors with a ceremonial check for $2.2 million as part of a grant awarded last July. The Babb Creek Project was executed using the "Growing Greener" grant program, administered by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The Growing Greener grants, given to watershed protection projects, are helping to restore areas damaged by decades of surface and strip mining. The Babb Creek Project was one of the larger Growing Green programs in the state. Engineering a better future since 1955, Brinjac Engineering, Inc., provides a variety of engineering services across the state through its fully staffed offices in Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Lehigh Valley. For further information about the firm, please visit www.brinjac.com. For additional copies of this news release, please contact Karen Gross (717) 975-2148, kgross@hersheyphilbin.com. ###

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