James A. Jacobs, PG, CHG, CPG, CPetG, FGS, ToR QISP/QSD/QSP, Clearwater Group

James A. Jacobs, P.G., C.H.G., C.P.G., C.Pet.G., ToR QISP, ToR QSD/QSP has over three decades of experience as a geologist and practices nation-wide. He is licensed as a Professional Geologist in AK, AR, CA, ID, OR, PA, TX, WA, WY. He is a Certified Hydrogeologist in CA and WA and he is the qualifying individual for an engineering contractor and drillers license. He is focused on answering geologic and forensic questions related to costs of environmental impairment on real property and mitigation measures. He develops site histories reviewing documents and augmenting studies by collecting, describing, and analyzing soil, rock, groundwater, vapor and stormwater samples. Other projects relate to peer review and contractor safety and cost evaluation. Since 1990, he has worked extensively on and written widely about the assessment and remediation of soil and groundwater impacted by petroleum hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents, heavy metals and nitrates. Forensic studies have been used to identify the source of contaminants and current locations in the subsurface along with the chemical associations helps to provide information as to the possible age of the compounds, the use, storage and disposal of the industrial chemicals. Contaminants studied have included gasoline, diesel, motor oil, fuel oil, crude oil, benzene, toluene, tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA), 1,4-dioxane, Freon 11, chromium and Cr(VI), lead, arsenic, nickel, zinc and nitrates. He has inspected dozens of oil and gas producing properties and estimated costs of cleanup at oil and gas fields, and he has performed oil and gas production verification studies. Jacobs is a Fulbright Senior Scholar winning 4 awards in environmental engineering and science teaching post-graduate classes and workshops in risk-based subsurface environmental management and sustainable remediation methods, including field sampling methods, laboratory analysis, data evaluation and reporting. He has given professional workshops and short courses through many associations, including Association for the Environment, Health and Sciences, American Institute for Professional Geologists, Battelle Conference, and others. Jacobs is a Certified Professional Geologist and a Certified Petroleum Geologist, and he has performed projects related to oil field lease evaluations and cleanup estimates. Since 2002, he has been an elected director of two public agencies, a local sewer district, and a community services district.  More information: www.jamesajacobs.net 

Litigation Experience: Jacobs has worked on dozens of litigation projects since 1990, and numerous depositions and expert testimony for both plaintiff (60%) and defense (40%) lawyers. Some cases require forensic identification and development of mitigation measures for contaminants in soil and groundwater. Other cases involve reviewing contractor safety documents and invoices, oil lease cleanup, sewer and septic issues, soil fungi, indoor mold, clandestine labs, OSHA worker safety, remediation cost recovery, erosion control, stormwater treatment, oil pipeline leaks, crude oil spills, and proper disclosure during real estate transactions.

Expertise: Forensic environmental science related to fate and transport and exposure issues to petroleum hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents, nitrates, metals, fungi, sewer wastes, and chemicals from drug labs. My expertise is in the fate and transport and developing the site conceptual model of how the contaminants arrived on the site, use, storage, safety and worker practices, disposal, and daughter products. Sites include underground storage tank sites, oil fields, industrial facilities, factories, dry cleaners, gasoline stations, airports, landfills, wastewater plants, commercial spaces, brownfields, redeveloped areas, and sewer lines.

Summary: James A. Jacobs is a consulting geologist, having worked with water, oil and coal resources over a period of three decades. He has developed, co-authored and edited books on topics such as MTBE (2000), Chromium(VI)Handbook (2005), Oil Spills and Gas Leaks: Environmental Response, Prevention, and Cost Recovery (2014, McGraw-Hill), Acid Mine Drainage, Rock Drainage and Acid Sulfate Soils (2014; Wiley and Sons), and Hydraulic Fracturing: Development of Unconventional Oil and Gas Resources, Environmental Protection and Cost Recovery Techniques (In press, McGraw-Hill). Jacobs has both undergraduate and graduate degrees in geology. He is a Fulbright Senior Scholar winning 4 awards in environmental science teaching post-graduate workshops and classes in risk-based subsurface environmental management and sustainable remediation methods, including field sampling methods, laboratory analysis, data evaluation and reporting. He is licensed as a Professional Geologist in California and several other states. He is a Certified Hydrogeologist in California, a Certified Professional Geologist through the American Institute of Professional Geologists, and a Certified Petroleum Geologist through the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.