Environmental engineering is the integration of science and engineering principles to

improve the natural environment, to provide healthy water, air, and land for human habitation
and for other organisms, and to clean up pollution sites.[citation needed] Environmental engineering can
also be described as a branch of applied science and technology that address the issue of
energy preservation, production asset and control of waste from human and animal activities.
Furthermore, it is concerned with finding plausible solutions in the field of public health, such
as waterborne diseases, implementing law which promote adequate sanitation in urban, rural
and recreational areas. It involves waste water management and air pollution control,
recycling, waste disposal, radiation protection, industrial hygiene, environmental sustainability,
and public health issues as well as a knowledge of environmental engineering law. It also
includes studies on the environmental impact of proposed construction projects.
Environmental engineers study the effect of technological advances on the environment. To do
so, they conduct hazardous-waste management studies to evaluate the significance of such
hazards, advise on treatment and containment, and develop regulations to prevent mishaps.
Environmental engineers also design municipal water supplyand industrial wastewater
treatment systems[1][2] as well as address local and worldwide environmental issues such as the
effects of acid rain, global warming, ozone depletion, water pollution and air pollution
from automobile exhausts and industrial sources.[3][4][5][6]
At many universities, environmental engineering programs follow either the department of civil
engineering or the department of chemical engineering at engineering faculties. Environmental
"civil" engineers focus on hydrology, water resources management, bioremediation, and water
treatment plant design. Environmental "chemical" engineers, on the other hand, focus on
environmental chemistry, advanced air and water treatment technologies and separation
processes.[citation needed]
Additionally, engineers are more frequently obtaining specialized training in law (J.D.) and are
utilizing their technical expertise in the practices of environmental engineering law.[citation needed]
Most jurisdictions also impose licensing and registration requirements.

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Solid waste management[edit]
Solid waste management is the collection, transport, processing or disposal, managing, and
monitoring of solid waste materials. The term usually relates to materials produced by direct or
indirect human activity, and the process is generally undertaken to reduce their effect on
health, the environment, or aesthetics. Waste management is a distinct practice from resource
recovery, which focuses on delaying the rate of consumption of natural resources. The

management of wastes treats all materials as a single class, whether solid, liquid, gaseous, or
radioactive substances, and the objective is to reduce the harmful environmental impacts of
each through different methods.

Environmental impact assessment and mitigation [edit]

Main article: Environmental impact assessment
Scientists have air pollution dispersion models to evaluate the concentration of a pollutant at a
receptor or the impact on overall air quality from vehicle exhausts and industrial flue gas stack
emissions. To some extent, this field overlaps the desire to decrease carbon dioxide and other
greenhouse gas emissions from combustion processes. They apply scientific and engineering
principles to evaluate if there are likely to be any adverse impacts to water quality, air
quality, habitat quality, flora and fauna, agricultural capacity, trafficimpacts, social impacts,
ecological impacts, noise impacts, visual (landscape) impacts, etc. If impacts are expected,
they then develop mitigation measures to limit or prevent such impacts. An example of a
mitigation measure would be the creation of wetlands in a nearby location to mitigate the filling
in of wetlands necessary for a road development if it is not possible to reroute the road.
In the United States, the practice of environmental assessment was formally initiated on
January 1, 1970, the effective date of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Since that
time, more than 100 developing and developed nations either have planned specific analogous
laws or have adopted procedure used elsewhere. NEPA is applicable to all federal agencies in
the United States.[10]

Water supply and treatment[edit]

Sewage treatment plant, Australia

Engineers and scientists work to secure water supplies for potable and agricultural use. They
evaluate the water balance within awatershed and determine the available water supply, the
water needed for various needs in that watershed, the seasonal cycles of water movement
through the watershed and they develop systems to store, treat, and convey water for various
uses. Water is treated to achieve water quality objectives for the end uses. In the case of
a potable water supply, water is treated to minimize the risk of infectious disease transmission,
the risk of non-infectious illness, and to create a palatable water flavor. Water distribution

systems are designed and built to provide adequate water pressure and flow rates to meet
various end-user needs such as domestic use, fire suppression, andirrigation.

Wastewater treatment[edit]

Water pollution

There are numerous wastewater treatment technologies. A wastewater treatment train can
consist of a primary clarifier system to remove solid and floating materials, a secondary
treatment system consisting of an aeration basin followed by flocculation and sedimentation or
anactivated sludge system and a secondary clarifier, a tertiary biological nitrogen removal
system, and a final disinfection process. The aeration basin/activated sludge system removes
organic material by growing bacteria (activated sludge). The secondary clarifier removes the
activated sludge from the water. The tertiary system, although not always included due to
costs, is becoming more prevalent to remove nitrogen and phosphorus and to disinfect the
water before discharge to a surface water stream or ocean outfall. [11]

Air pollution management[edit]

Scientists have developed air pollution dispersion models to evaluate the concentration of a
pollutant at a receptor or the impact on overall air quality from vehicle exhausts and
industrial flue gas stack emissions. To some extent, this field overlaps the desire to
decrease carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions from combustion processes.

Environmental Protection Agency[edit]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is one of the many agencies that work with
environmental engineers to solve key issues. An important component of EPAs mission is to
protect and improve air, water, and overall environmental quality in order to avoid or mitigate
the consequences of harmful effects.

Education[edit]
Courses aimed at developing graduates with specific skills in environmental systems or
environmental technology are becoming more common and fall into broad classes:

Mechanical engineering courses oriented towards designing machines and mechanical

systems for environmental use such as water treatment facilities, pumping stations,
garbage segregation plants and other mechanical facilities;

Environmental engineering or environmental systems courses oriented towards a civil

engineering approach in which structures and the landscape are constructed to blend with
or protect the environment;

Environmental chemistry, sustainable

chemistry or environmental chemical engineering courses oriented towards understanding
the effects (good and bad) of chemicals in the environment. Focus on mining processes,
pollutants and commonly also cover biochemical processes;

Environmental technology courses oriented towards producing electronic or electrical

graduates capable of developing devices and artifacts able to monitor, measure, model
and control environmental impact, including monitoring and managing energy generation

from renewable sources.

Civil Engineering
Civil engineering consists of the design, construction, and maintenance of man-made and natural
infrastructures. Civil engineers apply their knowledge of mathematics and physical sciences to develop
ways to efficiently use natural resources and nature to improve the well-being of humanity and to protect
the environment. Civil Engineering graduates are responsible for designing and constructing civil
infrastructure systems, such as buildings, highways, bridges, water supply and treatment facilities,
landfills, etc. The work of civil engineers improves public health and the quality of life, while
recognizing the importance of natural systems. Civil engineers make a direct and immediate impact on
our society by designing and constructing sustainable and green projects.
Louisiana Tech University is located in the north-central part of Louisiana. Established in 1894, Tech is a
selective admissions university that awards bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees. The Civil
Engineering Program was initiated at Louisiana Tech in 1927.
The Civil Engineering Program has faculty and facilities that support Environmental and Water
Resources, Geotechnical, Structural, and Transportation Engineering. The Program awards a B.S. degree
in Civil Engineering as well as M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Engineering. Current Ph.D. students conduct
their dissertation research in Materials and Construction Systems and in Computational Analysis and
Modeling.
Civil Engineering students are encouraged to become involved in one of our active and award winning
student organizations which include:

AGC (Associated General Contractors of America),

ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers),
Chi Epsilon Honor Society, and
NASTT (North American Society for Trenchless Technology).
The Civil Engineering job market for Louisiana Tech graduates is outstanding, and students often have
multiple job offers before they graduate. The Civil Engineering Program is well recognized in Louisiana,
West Mississippi, South Arkansas, and East Texas. Our graduates are employed in both rural and
metropolitan areas by civil engineering consulting firms, oil companies, Louisiana municipalities, state
transportation departments such as LADOTD, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Louisiana Tech sponsors two job fairs each year to connect students with potential employers. The
events provide students with opportunities to meet recruiters from local and national civil engineering
consulting firms and oil companies, as well as local, state, and federal agencies that hire civil engineers.
Recent job fairs have attracted over 100 employers, providing excellent career opportunities for civil
engineering graduates and internships for civil engineering students.