Dale Finnesgaard

Biography

 Dale assists clients with wastewater, solid waste, and site remediation projects and serves on Barr's board of directors. When Dale tackles a project, he sticks with it. For nearly two decades he has been the project engineer and project manager for remedial actions at a Minnesota Superfund site. At times, progress has been frustratingly slow, but he takes satisfaction in the fact that the groundwater-containment and remedial systems are now working well and the site has been redeveloped for commercial and industrial use. Dale’s long-term commitment to his clients includes assisting a Minnesota beet-sugar cooperative with its environmental permitting for the past 13 years. As part of this work, he helped secure regulatory approval for water-quality credit trading to offset phosphorus in the discharge from a new wastewater-treatment plant. Water-quality best management practices introduced to reduce phosphorus from nonpoint sources have included using oats as a cover crop. This provides early-season protection for young sugar beets and the soil, increasing yields while reducing the phosphorus in stormwater runoff. In his free time, Dale enjoys travel, music, and fine dining and finds events like the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival a good way to combine all three. If you need a restaurant or live-music recommendation for the Big Easy—or help with site remediation—he’s a great resource.

Research Interest

 Environmental Science