Environmental services are a significant aspect of Hanson’s project work. As our chief environmental scientist, Kevin Seals manages the environmental portions and permitting of large-scale projects that require federal approval under the National Environmental Policy Act, including preparing environmental assessments and impact statements for infrastructure projects across the country.

Since joining Hanson in 1987, Kevin has prepared Section 404 permits under the Clean Water Act, which includes wetland delineations, habitat evaluations, surveys for threatened and endangered species and mitigation planning for impacts to these protected resources. He also specializes in geotechnical soils analysis, Phase I environmental site assessments for hazardous materials and soil organic vapor sampling and gas chromatography testing for leaking underground storage tanks.

Kevin has contributed to many notable projects, including the Springfield Rail Improvements Project and the Hunter Lake project, both in Springfield; the development of the Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area in Chandlerville; the Stratton-Bolger Lock and Dam lock capacity and water-level improvements in McHenry County; the widening and reconstruction of a 22-mile section of Interstate 90 (Jane Addams Memorial Tollway) in Boone, McHenry and Kane counties; and the reconstruction and widening of a 3.6-mile section of the South Tri-State Tollway in Cook County, all in Illinois. Kevin has also prepared environmental impact statements for the Illinois Department of Transportation on highway improvements for Illinois Route 172 near Quincy, Illinois Route 67 south of Jacksonville and Illinois Route 20 at East Dubuque.

An active member of the Association of Conservation Engineers, the Society of Wetland Scientists and the Association of State Wetland Managers, Kevin also serves on the Center for American Archeology’s board of directors. He is the face of Hanson’s public engagement activities, managing open houses, media releases and community presentations to high school students in the Sangamon CEO program, events with neighborhood associations regarding the Springfield Rail Improvements Project and assisting at the Illinois Transportation and Highway Engineering Conference at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Kevin was also highly involved in the congressional process of working with the National Park Service and Illinois’ U.S. senators to facilitate the Springfield 1908 Race Riot Site’s proclamation as a national monument by President Joe Biden in 2024. Additionally, he has been instrumental in developing and managing the Grow Our Own Minority Participation Program, an award-winning program for encouraging students to pursue careers in the fields of engineering and science.

IN KEVIN’S WORDS
“I have spent my entire 37-year career at Hanson primarily because the colleagues I work with are also my best friends in my personal life. This has made my work-life balance a seamless relationship, and the services we provide for our clients are even more enjoyable while working with friends!”