The Third Ward Milwaukee River remediation project is a pivotal step in cleaning up the Milwaukee River. It targets the site of a decommissioned manufactured gas plant that once operated in the area. 

A Collaborative Effort to Clean Milwaukee's River

Brennan was selected as the prime contractor for this ambitious project, tasked with dredging contaminated sediments and treating water to restore the river's health. Working closely with GEI Consultants, Inc. (GEI), the project’s design engineers, Brennan is delivering comprehensive solutions that combine environmental restoration, water treatment, and marine construction expertise.

The Port of Davisville, located in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, has a rich history as a former Naval Air Station dating back to World War II. The Quonset Development Corporation (QDC), responsible for overseeing port operations, is undertaking a major project to rehabilitate Pier 1. Originally built during the 1940s, the pier has served its purpose for decades but now requires significant updates to support ongoing port activity.

J.F. Brennan Company (Brennan) was selected as the prime contractor for the project, tasked with carefully demolishing and reconstructing portions of the pier. “The overall objective is to allow the Port of Davisville to berth an additional car carrier on the south berth of Pier 1,” said Brennan Senior Project Manager Alex Baittinger. “The improvements we’re making will extend the life of this pier easily into the 2070s.”

J.F. Brennan Company (Brennan) is proud to announce that it has been recertified as a Certified™ by Great Place To Work® for the eighth consecutive year. 89% of employees affirm the company as a great workplace, a 2% increase from last year’s 87%, underscoring Brennan's commitment to fostering a positive workplace culture.

Over 80% of Brennan employees participated in the Great Place to Work third-party survey, providing valuable feedback highlighting the company’s ongoing dedication to its team. The survey revealed strong results across several key areas, including justice, corporate image, and camaraderie, which have been central to Brennan’s success.

With the president of a leading cruise line committing to going green, offering shore power became essential for places like Pier 66. The purpose? For cruise ships to switch off their engines while docking and use electricity instead, conserving fuel and reducing emissions. This change would lead to cleaner air for Seattle and other ports adopting the same practice.

Procuring a Power Source for Pier 66

Pier 66 lacked a power source at that time, so the Port of Seattle began procuring one. The solution involved laying submarine cable on the seabed alongside Seattle's shore, linking Pier 66 to renewable energy from Seattle City Light. Here's how we did it.

TAMPA, FL (June 26, 2024) — The Western Dredging Association (WEDA) has honored J.F. Brennan Company (Brennan) and GEI Consultants with a 2024 Safety Excellence Award for their work on the Third Ward Milwaukee River remediation project. GEI and Brennan accepted the award at WEDA’s Annual Dredging Summit and Expo in Tampa, Florida.

WEDA’s Safety Excellence Award recognizes individual organizations or project teams for exceptional safety performance and for exhibiting a proactive approach to raising safety awareness in the dredging workplace.

J.F. Brennan Company, Inc. (Brennan) overcame significant design challenges to complete a dredging project that involved hydraulically pumping slurry over a long distance of 10.4 miles. Brennan employees designed the dredging system and executed the entire project using Brennan-owned pipeline and equipment. 

We're at Minnesota Power's hydroelectric dam in Scanlon, Minnesota, to replace 7 of the structure's Tainter gates. Extending the life of this renewable energy source by 50 to 100 years, the Scanlon Dam Gate Replacement Project enables the further creation of clean, renewable power provided to local communities. 

We were pulled into the project very early on during the design phase of the project. Both Brennan and Minnesota Power attribute the project's success to early contractor involvement.

We are at the Lock and Dam 19 facility in Keokuk, Iowa, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Our team replaced an 18,000-LB, 105-FT underwater soundbar with wet-mateable connections (cables and speakers that can be connected and disconnected underwater). This underwater acoustic deterrent system (UADS) upgrade allows divers to replace individual speakers if underperforming rather than continuing to remove the entire system.

Why? The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is spearheading a 3-year study to reduce the number of invasive carp moving toward the Great Lakes. It is the only study on the Mississippi River evaluating a deterrent for invasive carp. 

This year, Brennan's blog posts garnered an impressive readership of over 27,000. An analysis of our most searched topics identified the most significant issues in the environmental and marine construction industries, including those most relevant to our company's operations. This leads us to the question: What were our industry's most frequently researched topics?

We've examined Brennan's most popular articles of the year -- let's count them down!

J.F. Brennan Company (Brennan) is honored to accept this year's award for Outstanding Philanthropic Organization from the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Upper Mississippi Valley Chapter. The chapter represents nonprofit organizations throughout Southwestern Wisconsin, Northern Iowa, and Southeastern Minnesota.

Brennan’s work brings us all incredible pride and purpose as we serve clients throughout the inland and purpose as we serve clients throughout the inland and coastal waterways. Through this work, we receive opportunities to truly become part of the fabric of the communities in which we operate by giving back." says Chief Operating Officer Mike Binsfeld.