A Division of OE Enterprises, Inc

Errol Nelson P.E. (Environmental Analyst/Engineer)

Areas of Expertise Environmental Checklists EIS's Engineering Permit Assistance Air/Noise/Traffic Analysis Storm Drainage Systems Wetland Delineation Experience 43 years Education B.S. Chemistry Seattle Pacific University M.S. Forestry University of Washington Professional Registration Civil Engineer - Washington Professional Affiliation Air and Waste Management Association Institute of Noise Control Engineering Publications/Presentations Technical Presentations: To Enlighten or Obscure, 1977 Environmental Requirements and Their Impact on a Surface Mine, 1977 SEPA: Writing the New Style EIS's, 1984 Relational Anomalies in 'A' Weighted and Linear Scale Sound Level Measurements Associated with Jet Aircraft Departures, 1997 *(see Abstract below)

During the past 43 years Mr Nelson has been professionally involved in several areas of environmental analysis. For the past 25 years dba Optimum Environment he has been providing general environmental, technical and engineering services, including; air quality, noise, water, traffic, storm drainage analysis, and topographic mapping for over 130 public and private clients. Prior to that Mr Nelson spent twelve years as an environmental analyst and engineer for two consulting firms. Over the past twenty-eight years he has participated in over 300 environmental studies under the National and Washington State Environmental Policy Acts. Responsibilities included air quality analysis, noise analysis, other technical analysis, general project management, proposal preparation, budgeting and scheduling, and client and agency liaison. Projects included residential, industrial and commercial development, roads, comprehensive plans, parks and surface mines. Follow-up work often included presentations and attendance at public hearings and permit acquisition for the project. Mr Nelson was also employed for five years with an air pollution control agency. Responsibilities included industry source registration, the emission inventory, the air monitoring and data handling programs, and construction and supervision of the authority lab. Prior to that he spent two years with a forest products company conducting original research in organic chemistry identifying commercial products from tree and pulp waste. Volunteer activities include over 35 years involvement (two as president) with the Mountaineers, a 15,000 member outdoor club. He has also served on numerous volunteer committees for schools, counties and the State, including: three years on the Citizens Water Quality Advisory Committee to METRO; eleven years on the Wash State Winter Recreation Commission; and the Municipal league of King County Candidate Evaluation Committee. Mr Nelson has been a soccer referee since 1978, and presently officiates adult and youth games. He currently serves as a Treasurer of the Washington State Soccer Association, and assigns officials to top amateur and professional league games in Washington.

Abstract: To clarify the loudness issue related to jet aircraft operations a noise study was conducted using multiple noise meters taking simultaneous sound level measurements on "A" weighted and Linear scales in both airport and non-airport noise environments. Normally, differences in full spectrum "A"/Linear scale Leq measurements average about 15dB. However, during jet aircraft departures differences as small as 4dB were observed; and the smaller the difference the louder the perceived jet noise. Simultaneous measurements suggest that a significant amount of jet noise is not being measured by sound level meters; and, the relational scale anomaly observed provides a simple indicator of jet aircraft loudness.

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