Environmental Science Associates (ESA), a leading California environmental consulting firm, is pleased to announce that on July 11, 2011, Past Forward, Inc., a Northern-California based cultural resource consulting firm, has joined with ESA. The addition of Past Forward’s principals, Dr. Rebecca Allen and Scott Baxter, supports ESA’s strategy to deepen technical services in cultural resources throughout the West.

“Rebecca and Scott are widely known as some of the best problem solvers in the Cultural Resources Management industry. Widely respected in the academic community, they have earned a reputation as being cost efficient and delivering work products ahead of schedule! Their addition elevates our ability to provide in-house cultural resources products and solutions several notches above the rest of the field,” says ESA’s Cultural Resources Practice Leader, Dr. Mitch Marken.

“As our new Northern California Cultural Resources Director, Rebecca will provide technical leadership and problem solving capabilities to our already robust Cultural Resources Group,” says Erich Fischer, Director of ESA’s Central Valley/Sierra Region. “Coupled with Scott’s senior technical expertise, ESA will continue to provide our clients the highest level of service related to cultural resources management, permitting and compliance.”

Dr. Rebecca Allen established Past Forward in 1998 to conduct historical and archaeological studies and research, as well as public outreach. Trained in CEQA and NEPA, Dr. Allen and Scott Baxter have performed field studies and authored cultural resource management documents for environmental, historical, and archaeological projects throughout California, Nevada, and Arizona. They have published numerous articles and books targeted towards academic and public audiences. Both Dr. Rebecca Allen and Scott Baxter are Registered Professional Archaeologists, as well as being on the California Council for the Promotion of History’s listing of Registered Historians.

Press Release: Past Forward Joins ESA and Strengthens Cultural Resources Management Expertise