Chris Steinmetz
Grant County PUD

Megan Puncke
Black & Veatch

This Session Is Proudly Sponsored By

DESCRIPTION

Presentations from the FERC, an Independent Consultant Team, and a licensee covering in-progress and completed Comprehensive Assessments followed by a panel discussion. The panel will explore lessons learned during the transition to the post-2022 Part 12D safety inspection program, the variety of scientific, engineering and operations expertise involved, and challenges and benefits to licensees.

This Panel is within the Technical, Dam Safety, and Engineering Track at the conference. 
 
This session is a 201-level discussion for those looking to take a deeper dive into this subject matter.  

Moderator:
Jeanne L. Finger, Senior Project Manager, AECOM

Panelists:

• Doug Boyer, Risk-Informed Decision Making Branch Chief, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
• Chris Steinmetz, Dam Safety Engineer, Grant County PUD
• Lyle Stone, Geotechnical Engineer, GeoEngineers
• Megan Puncke, Deputy Dams Business Leader, Black & Veatch

Speaker Bios:

• Jeanne Finger has taken a new role with AECOM supporting FEMA's Risk MAP and National Dam Safety Programs. Most recently with City of Spokane Water & Hydroelectric, she redeveloped the Owner’s Dam Safety Program and maintained the City’s operating license with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as well conducting asset condition assessments and capital planning. Prior gigs with consulting firms were also in the water sector. Credentials include a BSCE from UCLA, an MSCE from University of Kansas, PE, PMP, and Water Distribution Manager from Washington Department of Health. Originally hailing from southern California, after a 22-year stint in Kansas City, Jeanne now resides in Spokane, WA.
• Doug Boyer is a civil engineer and engineering geologist with over 38 years of experience in dam safety. He currently serves as the Chief, Risk-Informed Decision Making Branch for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in Portland, Oregon. Previous employment includes positions with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Risk Management Center, Bureau of Reclamation, and as a consultant. He has a B.S. degree in Geology from Penn State and an M.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.
• Chris Steinmetz is a civil engineer with 9 years of experience – including dam safety surveillance and monitoring, engineering and risk analyses, management of mitigation and improvement projects and coordination with the FERC Division of Dam Safety and Inspections.
• Lyle Stone is a Geotechnical Engineer with 19-years of experience in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. In addition to Dams and Levees he also leads geotechnical analysis and design projects for waterfront structures and other municipal infrastructure.

• Megan Puncke is an engineering geologist and project manager with 17-years of experience, including program management for dam seismic retrofit projects, geologic interpretation during dam design and construction, dam safety, and surveillance and monitoring. She has worked as an IC Team Project Manager for comprehensive assessments and periodic inspections under the current guidelines, as well as serving as an Instrumentation SME for three comprehensive assessments.