In early September, the Wharton-Smith project team at the Georgia Pacific Foley Cellulose completed the Effluent Disposal System project, a discharge flow diversion from the current plant outfall to the tidal portion of the Fenholloway river.

The team joined representatives from Georgia Pacific, Hazen and Sawyer, Tetra Tech, Woolpert, and Reynolds Construction to celebrate. Barbeque, prepared by Project Manager Sloan Hagerty and Project Executive Mike Alexakis, was on the menu, including beef brisket, pulled pork, baby-back ribs, and chicken. According to attendees, not a morsel was left! See more pictures.

“This was a project pursuit that started in August of 2016 by a positive referral from Hazen and Sawyer and the efforts of the preconstruction pursuit team. Four years later, we get to see it completed and celebrate the achievements of all the individuals involved,” Mike said.

Chet Thompson, Fenholloway Project Improvements Program Manager, said a few words at the event. He talked about how this project had been envisioned in the 90s, and over the years, there were many people who said it couldn’t be done.

“I told Bob Hahn and Mike Alexakis, ‘The reason you all were selected is we didn’t believe just anybody could do this job. We were very specific in selecting Wharton-Smith to partner with us, and you have shown that you’re not just anybody. You are special in the fact that you could do it,’” Chet said.

To learn more about the project and its positive impact on the environment, visit the Fenholloway site. It documents the efforts by Georgia Pacific to restore the Fenholloway river. Wharton-Smith played a huge role in this accomplishment, executing over $120 million worth of work spanning three years from February 2017 until today.