Over the past few decades there has been an increased awareness of the importance of water quality. Many municipalities and industrial facilities have upgraded or installed new technologies to meet the demand for clean water. Advances in water quality science show that further improvements are needed to ensure a plentiful water supply and to protect the natural environment.
- By W. Wesley Eckenfelder, William Ney Hansard
- October 01, 2005
This article originally appeared in the 10/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
This article originally appeared in the 09/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce or prevent pollution at its source, before it's generated.
- By Mark Wysong
- September 01, 2005
This article originally appeared in the 09/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
The other day a person preparing to make a presentation on small aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) asked me for a "sexy spin" on fuel tanks. I wasn't sure if I should be amused or upset. Fuel tanks are designed to hold fuel. That's it.
- By David Harris
- July 01, 2005
This article originally appeared in the 07/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
"Location, location, location." How often have we heard that mantra from developers describing successful projects? Locations balancing access to their target market and proximity to resources of labor, transportation, or public utilities enhance the financial return on investment.
- By David E. Koch
- June 01, 2005
This article originally appeared in the 06/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
Unlike asbestos and lead, the permissible levels of mold are neither clearly defined nor strictly regulated. There are no definitive guidelines for what constitutes a mold-contaminated building, or for that matter, how to treat it.
- By Steven R. Silicato, REM, CIE
- May 01, 2005
This article originally appeared in the 05/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instrumentation has become an essential as a tool for expediting and improving site characterization for inorganic contaminants and corrective remediation. On site, it is useful for determining contamination boundaries, monitoring remediation efforts, pre-screening clearance samples of soil and sediment, and eliminating potential downtime from off-site lab testing.
- By Laura Stupi
- May 01, 2005
This article originally appeared in the 05/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
As most environmental professionals who perform or review Phase I environmental site assessments (Phase I ESAs) probably know by now, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) upcoming all appropriate inquiries (AAI) regulations will have a significant impact on how Phase I ESAs are conducted.
- By Michael E. Covert, P.G.
- May 01, 2005
This article originally appeared in the 05/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
What factors should you consider when faced with the dual hazards of chemical exposure and flash fire? The simple answer is barrier -- both chemical and thermal barrier. However, as much as we wish that personal protective equipment (PPE) selection could be a simple process, this one word '"barrier'" encompasses a number of both chemical-protective and flash-fire-protective properties that need to be considered during the protective clothing selection process.
- By James P. Zeigler, Susan Lovasic
- April 01, 2005
This article originally appeared in the 04/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
On January 11, 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act ("SBLR&BRA" or "Brownfields Amendments"). The act amends the innocent landowner defense against liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), which is also known as Superfund, and extends liability protection to new categories of landowner, i.e. the "bona fide prospective purchaser" and "contiguous property" owner.
- By Jon E. Kallen, Donald F. Allen
- March 01, 2005
This article originally appeared in the 03/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
Despite at least a perceived drop in enforcement, there continue to be developments in regulation and litigation involving solid and hazardous waste. As many predicted, the Bush administration has not been particularly active on the environmental front. Although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports an increase in the amount of civil penalties recovered in the last fiscal year, the fine print reveals that this "increase" is the result of a relatively few number of larger cases.
- By Stephen I. Addlestone, JD
- January 01, 2005
This article originally appeared in the 01/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
There are numerous case studies of failed remedial systems, which in turn can be linked to the remedial design team not fully understanding the site conditions. Often the most effective way to clean up these recalcitrant sites is source/migration control rather than intrusive remediation. The best solution can only be determined if the site is properly understood.
- By Russell A. Schuck, PG
- November 01, 2004
This article originally appeared in the 11/01/2004 issue of Environmental Protection.
A recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency press release (EPA Region 8, 11/24/2003) reads as follows: "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Denver office is seeking penalties of more than $400,000 against 17 facilities in North Dakota for violations of the federal Clean Water Act's Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plan Regulations"
- By John Adams
- July 01, 2004
This article originally appeared in the 07/01/2004 issue of Environmental Protection.
Successful coastal brownfield redevelopment requires a timely approach to the following critical components: (1) a comprehensive brownfield site selection and acquisition strategy; (2) analysis of environmental liability; (3) coastal permitting strategy and site feasibility analysis; (4) demolition, site preparation and remediation strategy; (5) addressing stakeholders' concerns; and (6) identifying public/private partnership opportunities such as public financial incentives and leveraging private investment.
- By Keane Callahan, Earl W. Phillips, Jr., Pamela K. Elkow, Esq.
- March 01, 2004
This article originally appeared in the 03/01/2004 issue of Environmental Protection.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has historically regulated arsenic at 50 parts per billion (ppb), but the agency will lower the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for arsenic to 10 ppb by 2006. Some states are even setting their own limits well below this level.
- By Darin St. Germain
- February 01, 2004
This article originally appeared in the 02/01/2004 issue of Environmental Protection.
Hazardous materials (hazmat) compliance has a significant impact on the product life cycle in every organization that is involved in the use, manufacture or transport of dangerous goods. Developing integrated hazmat processes results in measurable improvements in revenue, costs and performance.
- By Gregory Swiech
- February 01, 2004
This article originally appeared in the 02/01/2004 issue of Environmental Protection.
Despite changes in administration and economic and geo-political uncertainties, there continue to be developments in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) programs affecting waste management. This article examines several of those developments.
- By Stephen I. Addlestone, JD
- January 01, 2004
This article originally appeared in the 01/01/2004 issue of Environmental Protection.