Mara Elise Thornton

Education

M.S. Environmental Science2012 - 2014

Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

Thesis: Spatial modeling of BTEX attenuation in shallow alluvial aquifers using stochastic transport simulation

B.S. Earth Sciences2008 - 2012

University of Oregon, Eugene, OR

Minor in Geographic Information Science; graduated cum laude

Skills

Phase I & II Environmental Site Assessments (ASTM E1527-21) · NEPA Environmental Assessments & EIS preparation · Wetland delineation (Corps of Engineers 1987 Manual) · EPA SW-846 soil and groundwater sampling methods · ArcGIS Pro / ESRI spatial analysis · Remediation design: SVE, pump-and-treat, in-situ chemical oxidation · CERCLA / RCRA regulatory compliance · 40-Hour HAZWOPER certified (29 CFR 1910.120) · Risk assessment: RBCA Tier 1–3 analysis

Links

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marathornton-envsci · Portfolio: marathornton.carbonmade.com

Profile

Environmental scientist with 9 years of experience in remediation project management, wetland delineation, and NEPA compliance across Pacific Northwest industrial and municipal sectors. Specializes in soil and groundwater contamination assessment using EPA SW-846 methods and GIS-based risk modeling. Led remediation programs that reduced contaminant plume extent by 34% and saved clients over $1.2M in regulatory penalty exposure.

Work Experience

Senior Environmental ScientistMar 2020 - Present

Cascade Environmental Group, Portland, OR

Directed Phase I and Phase II ESA investigations for 18 commercial redevelopment sites annually, reducing project turnaround time by 22% through standardized field protocols and template reporting.
Managed a $3.4M CERCLA remediation project at a former dry-cleaning facility, achieving PCE groundwater concentrations below MCL cleanup goals 14 months ahead of the regulatory schedule.
Built a GIS-based contaminant plume tracking dashboard in ArcGIS Pro that cut quarterly reporting labor by 40 hours per project cycle and improved data accuracy for three concurrent client portfolios.

Environmental Scientist IIJun 2016 - Feb 2020

NorthBridge Environmental Consulting, Seattle, WA

Conducted wetland delineations and jurisdictional determinations on 26 linear infrastructure projects totaling over 140 miles, securing Section 404 permits with zero agency-requested remands.
Prepared NEPA Environmental Assessments for four federal highway expansion projects, coordinating with FHWA, USFWS, and tribal stakeholders to resolve 11 resource conflicts before public comment periods.
Trained and mentored a team of 5 junior scientists in soil sampling methodology and chain-of-custody procedures, reducing laboratory resampling requests by 31% over two field seasons.

Environmental Scientist IAug 2014 - May 2016

Pacific Basin Environmental Services, Eugene, OR

Collected and logged over 1,200 soil and groundwater samples at brownfield sites using EPA SW-846 protocols, maintaining a 99.4% sample acceptance rate across 8 laboratory partners.
Assisted in preparation of Remedial Investigation reports for 6 state-listed Superfund sites, contributing technical sections that received no deficiency comments from ODEQ reviewers.
Operated direct-push drilling rigs and monitored well installations at 14 sites, reducing mobilization costs by $18,000 annually through optimized equipment scheduling.