Brice Environmental Services Corporation

Lookie here 👀 Here are the “Fab Five” who manage and work at our new and improved Anchorage warehouse: -Drew McLaughlin, Regional Director -Mike Sautel, Warehouse Manager -Greg Filbey, Alaska Equipment Manager -Jason Agnew, Logistics Operations Manager -Andrew Platt, Operator and Warehouse Support Brice spent the last several months establishing our new and improved warehouse operations built to meet the demands of our ever-growing company. Inside this former Korean church, turned warehouse, various functional groups from safety to survey/aerial imaging, chemistry, Brice swag, and more, have dedicated space to manage supplies, equipment, and inventory. The positive vibe at the warehouse was palpable during a recent visit—a jovial, hardworking, and team-spirited crew that love working at the warehouse! We are proud to be Brice! L to R: Andrew Platt, Greg Filbey, Mike Sautel, Jason Agnew; missing: Drew McLaughlin (out of office on this day) #Proud2BeBrice #Alaska #ANC #smallbusiness #aecindustry #team

While visiting our original Fairbanks office, our staff came across a bit of Brice history. Our first logo! From back in the day. In speaking with a member of the founding family, Sam Robert Brice, President of our holding company— Calista Brice, he shared that our first logo was designed by his cousin, Steve Brice, in the early 1990s. In the early 2000s, it was replaced with the current logo we have today. How fun to uncover a piece of history that began when the Brice family planted roots in Alaska just before statehood which then grew to an over 50-year legacy that continues today. Brice Environmental Services Corporation was established in 1991. Click here to read the backstory of our founding and a timeline of the evolution: https://buff.ly/4dGFL35 #Proud2BeBrice #Alaska #ANC #smallbusiness #aecindustry #backstory

Wild things happen while working in Alaska. Literally and figuratively. This past summer, Brice started the groundwork to build a new fuel pier on Shemya Island, AK. One day, our subcontractor spotted a rare whale known as a Cuvier’s Beaked Whale washed ashore at the project site and reported it to our Protected Species Observer (PSO) team who promptly called and emailed NOAA as required. Not surprising, news of this rare species sparked interest—NOAA and the Museum of the North University of Alaska Museum | Museum of the North immediately asked for samples and that we send the skull to Anchorage for analysis and later placement in the museum for public viewing. Within 11 days of encountering the whale, the samples and head were sent off to Anchorage. Needless to say, this was an experience every marine biologist lives for: “… Never in a million years did I imagine I would have the opportunity to see a Cuvier’s Beaked Whale in person, let alone take samples. Cuvier’s Beaked Whales live globally in temperate, tropical, and subtropical waters. They can dive to about 10,000 feet (almost 2 miles) for a little more than 200 minutes (roughly 2 hours), which are record holders for the world! It makes sense that we would see one here on Shemya, as this island is right on the edge of the very deep continental shelf known as the Ring of Fire. Little is known about them because they are very cryptic, so strandings help us learn more about these shy animals…We had incredible support from the Shemya community, the marine mammal conservation network in Alaska, and Brice. We are grateful to Lisa Minelli, Pam Mueller, Captain David Jones, Joshua Hamilton, and Ross Cook for their support and assistance in overcoming the challenges of conducting such a significant task in a remote location.” ~Kat Leavitt, Brice Marine Biologist Said, Project Superintendent, Greg Anderes: …”We’re glad to help out and contribute to the science of rare marine species.” All activities were authorized by NOAA/NMFS SA-AKR-2023-02. There were no intrusive activities taking place at the project site. @AlaskaVeterinaryPathologyServices #Proud2BeBrice #Alaska #ANC #8a #whales #uniquejobs

It’s easy to get lost in the technical details of our work in Alaska. But there are so many interesting fun facts to be had that don’t necessarily show up in project documents. Take this one: Brice is performing a PFAS remedial investigation at the Former Haines Fuel Terminal which was once part of the Haines-Fairbanks pipeline in Alaska. During the Cold War, the terminal was used to transport jet fuel to Fort Greely, Eielson Air Force Base, and Ladd Army Airfield (now Fort Wainwright). The fuel terminal never experienced a fire and most of the PFAS contamination is in the administrative area. Thus, it seems that PFAS contamination may have been the result of periodic testing of the fire suppression systems. Now, here’s the fun fact! During the early days of creating fire suppression systems, ox blood was a key ingredient. When mixed with water, ox blood created a stable foaming agent that could be applied to put out fires—a practice once used at the Former Haines Fuel Terminal. Anecdotally, the ADEC regulator in Haines recalled that the Haines Fuel Terminal tank farm used ox blood. Because sometime after the facility was shut down in 1979, the Army gave the City of Haines the remaining drums of ox blood which were no longer viable due to coagulation. The ADEC regulator then helped to determine the proper disposal of the ox blood drums. Today, ox blood has been replaced by synthetic agents. #Proud2BeBrice #Alaska #ANC #smallbusiness #environmental #funfacts #PFAS

In Alaska, there are endless anecdotes and stories in and from the places where we work that bring so much more meaning and purpose to our work. It’s no wonder that people who come to work in Alaska, often stay in Alaska. Here’s another one for the Brice book of field stories and anecdotes: Back in 2021, our marketing and communications specialist snapped this picturesque photo from Eareckson Air Station (EAS), Shemya Island. In the foreground is a shipwreck that has sat on this corner of the island since 1988. Not surprisingly, shipwrecks are a “thing” across the Aleutian Islands which are infamous for unpredictable and harsh weather patterns that often lead to shipwrecks like these. In fact, there are over 180 shipwrecks across the archipelago as documented by the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. Until recently, there were no plans to remove this particular vessel. But as part of our contract to rebuild the fuel pier, Brice was tasked to remove this shipwreck because it sits within the footprint of the fuel pier construction project where we will place ~88,000 tons of shoreline armor. Recent storms split the ship in half and dragged it further east on the beach. Brice moved the vessel onshore and used torches and other means to cut it into pieces for ease of transport and disposal off island via barge. In 2014, the US Air Force, which operates EAS on Shemya Island, commissioned a historical investigation into this shipwreck. You can read the backstory of this vessel using this link. https://buff.ly/4g313KS #Proud2BeBrice #Alaska #ANC #smallbusiness #aecindustry #usairforce #shipwreck #aleutianislands

In 2017, we endeavored to refresh our website to better reflect who we are and what we do.   At the core, we’ve always known our success is entirely due to our people.   But putting that into the right combination and flow of words?   A challenge we had to get right.   And that we did.   What’s truly gratifying, however, is hearing our words reflected back to us by our clients.   Here’s what we mean:   Recently, we received a commendation and thank you letter from a long-time repeat client who is about to retire after 3+ decades of service in the government.   START QUOTE: [Client] always knew the job would go well when a Brice crew was involved. This put our project managers at ease when work was done in close proximity to [sensitive project sites]. The key to your success has always been the employees involved…   ...Whenever I had the opportunity to get out in the field…I was always impressed with their “can do” attitude and attention to detail, with an eye toward heading off potential issues before they developed. They all have tremendous work ethics.   I’d like to thank [staff] who routinely went beyond the call of duty to ensure projects kept moving forward in spite of many challenges…Over the years, [they] have provided outstanding service to [client]. END QUOTE.   We are immensely proud of this successful relationship and partnership and how it reflects who we are and endeavor to always be.   And while this particular program manager may be moving on to the next phase of life, we are committed to supporting the agency with the same level of professionalism and work ethic. We look forward to it, in fact.   Indeed, it IS about people, just as we wrote on our website in 2017:   Good, honest people who care about the legacy they create each time they put ink onto paper, interject a thought into a discussion, or step foot onto a project site. And at Brice Environmental Services, we hire the best of the best.   Read the full statement at the link 👇 .   https://lnkd.in/eUDc_9dG   #Proud2BeBrice #Alaska #ANC #smallbusiness #aecindustry #itsaboutpeople

Meet our growing safety team: Lindsay Smith, Training Coordinator Jamey Smith Sr. EHS Manager Charity Irmen, HSE Specialist Recently, the team convened in Anchorage. Their task? Continuous improvement. Together, they reviewed project submittals, company SOPs, and risk assessments. * The work the team has done has been effective. Through regular staff contact, periodic training, and project reviews, their constant influence on employees is evidenced in our zero recordable incident year to date. Cheers to that! Lastly, during their recent get together, the HSE team also began discussing 2025 targets and goals—always good to be ahead of the game when it comes to safety! Great job, team! #Proud2BeBrice #Alaska #ANC #smallbusiness #aecindustry #safety

At Brice, we’re always taking on unique scopes of work wherever and whenever we can to help solve problems for our valued clients. We’ve got the people, the skills, and the resources. One such unique scope of work was the removal of invasive species on Wake Island Atoll—a project we completed this past year. On a visit to this remote locale, it’s hard to miss the plethora of the non-native Ironwood trees that have taken over swaths of land across the atoll. While it’s not been entirely clear how this nonnative tree made its way to Wake Island. The need to remove the trees was surely clear, to improve habitat for native species and reduce safety concerns in areas adjacent to the active WIA runway. An environmental assessment determined that the best method would be nonintrusive to minimize impact to this National Historic Landmark and Pacific Remote Island Marine National Monument. Thus, the Brice team used chainsaws to cut down the trees; an excavator for further felling and stacking; and a chipper to chop up the wood for stockpiling. The work was performed without impact to migratory birds, and after ensuring the areas for removal were free of any UXO left behind on this former World War II battlefield. #Proud2BeBrice #Alaska #ANC #smallbusiness #environmentalrestoration

It’s the height of field season, and our crews are busy getting this year’s work done. So, here and there, we’re taking the opp to look back at past accomplishments. Here’s an interesting one. But…but…what’s turkey frying oil got to do with Brice Environmental Services, you ask? Here’s the story! During our first Wake Island solid waste removal contract that kicked off in 2016, Brice was challenged with removing all sorts of items from the island: old tires, heavy equipment, vintage vehicles, scrap metal, what have you. While digging through decades-old piles of solid waste entangled in vegetative growth had its challenges, even less straight forward was dealing with five, 10,000-gallon tar tanks which were partially filled with nonhazardous tar that had to be removed for proper disposal. But how…? The Brice team’s problem-solving skills were put to task and proved their worth. Through a combination of trial and error and concerted research, the team learned that turkey frying oil would do the job! Once procured, it took a couple dozen gallons of turkey frying oil and hand-scrapers to successfully remove the tar from inside the tar tanks. The team then used a plasma cutter to split the tanks in half so they could be stacked like bowls on the barge for the long haul back to mainland USA for proper transport and disposal. The successful removal of these tanks and other solid waste from Wake Island was a major feat in support of Air Force environmental goals. You can read the full story about this contract on our website. #Proud2BeBrice #Alaska #ANC #smallbusiness #creativesolutions

Sometimes we reach out and ask our people: Hey there! Can you please take a fun snap of y’all on the project you’re working on? And they deliver! This one’s from a few years ago--admittedly an oldie, but a goodie! A fun shot of the field team at one of our past projects in beautiful Kaui, Hawaii—construction of support facilities for a radar tower. And it came with the perfect caption: “Great Teammates Are Always On Our Radar” Because at Brice, that’s what we are—a great team of people. #Proud2BeBrice #Alaska #ANC #smallbusiness #companyculture #team