CEMS March 2013 newsletter (5)
Transcription
CEMS March 2013 newsletter (5)
March Movie –Switch Sponsorships Available CEMS is currently accepting sponsors for the March Move –Switch. For $100, your company can be a sponsor. Sponsorship includes a location to set up in the lobby, and two theater tickets (with two $5 drink vouchers) for the movie. For more information please see the CEMS movie link at http://www.chwms.org/?q=node/598 or RSVP to [email protected]. Monthly Newsletter March 2013 March Movie - (no regular monthly luncheon) Topic: Feature movie presentation of Switch Date/Time: Wednesday, March 13, 2013, 7pm screening, 5:30pm doors open for registration (please note the day and time change) Location: Denver Film Center, 2510 E. Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO (theater right next to the Tattered Cover on Colfax) for directions see http://www.denverfilm.org/filmcenter/denverfilmcenter/ CEMS presents a screening of Switch, a new award-winning documentary that moves past the politics to deliver the straight answers on energy. Is fracking polluting our water? How dangerous is nuclear? Will gasoline prices continue to rise? Can we clean up coal? Can renewables really power our future? CEMS, in coordination with Arcos Films, would like to invite you to a screening of Switch, a new awardwinning documentary that moves past the politics to deliver the straight answers on energy. Watch the trailer at www.switchenergyproject.com. The Switch Energy Project is a groundbreaking film, video and education program - uniting diverse audiences in a shared understanding of energy and promoting efficiency. Switch delivers straight answers to today’s most controversial energy questions as energy visionary Dr. Scott Tinker travels the world, exploring leading energy sites from coal to solar, oil to biofuels, most of them highly restricted and never before seen on film. He seeks the truth from international leaders of government, industry and academia, then cuts through the confusion to discover a path to our energy future as surprising as it is practical. “I took my students to a screening of SWITCH, and we spent most of the following class discussing it, a testament to its value as an educational tool. It was amazing...” Amy Jaffe, Rice University Energy Program “Every person in America should see and digest this film.” Douglas Johnson, Statoil “SWITCH really puts all the pieces together, and makes me optimistic for the future.” Erin Geoffroy, Environmental Defense Fund Cost: $10, which includes a $5 voucher for popcorn/small drink or alcoholic beverage of your choice from the Henderson Lounge and light appetizers prior to screening OR BE A SPONSOR For $100, your company can be a sponsor for this fabulous event. Sponsorship includes a location to set up in the lobby, and two theater tickets (with two $5 drink vouchers) for the movie. Please RSVP to [email protected] or by calling (303)674-8364. You may also pay online via Paypal at the CEMS website: http://chwms.org/?q=node/598. PAGE 3 From the Board… Energy, gotta love it! by Mike Moes, P.E., Erler & Kalinowski, Inc. We live in fascinating times. Mobile tech devices; planes, trains, and automobiles (and private space travel); server centers storing our photos, movies, and entire libraries for instantaneous access; incredible medical diagnostics and cures. And, quite frankly, relatively cheap energy to power it all, at least in the U.S., thanks to abundant coal and newly accessed reserves of oil and natural gas, along with hydro, geothermal, nuclear, growing amounts of wind and solar, and budding alternative fuels. Energy has certainly fueled our prosperity, and some would say climate change too. Hats off to the CEMS Programs Committee, especially Jacki Malone and John Fontana, for stepping outside our luncheon boundaries and organizing a screening of the Switch energy documentary for the March meeting. While many CEMS members support the energy industry, routine responsibilities are typically too far down in the weeds to provide a broader perspective or expertise in the values, consequences, and true costs of differing energy resources. So what? We can do our jobs quite well, quantifying emissions, engineering controls, cleaning up spills, assessing risks, managing liabilities, implementing restoration, etc. That is all important work in supporting the energy producers and the energy users that make our economy hum and fuel our lifestyle. Yet, as current issues such as the Keystone XL Pipeline, global warming (and what to do about it), and 40% of the corn crop going to ethanol permeate U.S. politics and the general conversation, I think I hear too much from the “opinionated uninformed,” if you know what I mean. Natural gas burns cleaner than coal, yet both release methane during production, so how important is that? What are the life-cycle emissions and wastes from solar? What are temporal limitations on ramping baseload power plants when the wind stops blowing? And why does it matter? I wouldn’t pretend to know all the answers. In fact, as a chemical engineer and frequent participant in ChemE meetings on conventional and alternative energy resources, I’m pretty sure there are no easy answers to the best resources for fueling our world. But that makes the possibilities exciting, and the next 10 to 20 years of energy development will be fun to watch. I haven’t seen Switch yet. I suspect (and hope) it’s an “awareness” documentary, at least shining light on real issues you won’t see explained on the 10 o’clock news, making us all think a little more about the choices out there, and allowing us to be more informed voices in the conversation. Thanks again to the Programs Committee for pulling this off. CEMS has also opened the screening to members of other local organizations as a form of community service and education, helping fulfill our mission. Enjoy the show! Mike Moes is a professional engineer with 26 years of experience in environmental engineering and consulting, including 21 years at Erler & Kalinowski, Inc. (EKI). Mr. Moes served as CHWMS President during 2000, and is currently a Director with both CHWMS and the Colorado Brownfields Foundation and is also active with the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. 2013 CEMS Officers: President: Ann Prouty, Faegre Baker Daniels LLP, (303) 607-3500, [email protected] Vice-President: Derek Wintle, CDM Smith, (720) 264-1149, [email protected] Secretary: Noreen Okubo, US EPA Region 8, (303)312-6646, [email protected] Treasurer: Joe Dischinger, Fairfield and Woods, P.C., (303) 894-4404, [email protected] Past President: Patrick Scher, Sky Research, (720) 810-4607, [email protected] Board Members: Todd Bragdon, CDM Smith, (720) 264-1113, [email protected] John Fontana, Vista GeoScience, (303)2771694, [email protected] Jacki Malone, Aquionix, Inc., (303) 289-7520, [email protected] Mike Moes, Erler & Kalinowski, Inc., (303) 796-0535, [email protected] Joe Schieffelin, CDPHE, (303) 692-3356; [email protected] Committees: Programs & Professional Development: Jacki Malone, Aquionix, Inc., (303) 289-7520, [email protected] Bob Greenslade, Fullbrigh & Jaworski LLP [email protected], (303) 801-2747 John Fontana, Vista Geoscience [email protected] , (303) 2771694 Membership: Kate Fangman, Technology Laboratory, Inc. (970) 490-1414, [email protected] Ann Prouty, Faegre Baker Daniels LLP, (303) 607-3500, ann.prouty.faegrebd.com Golf: Co-Chair Brian LaFlamme, Nationwide Environmental Services, Inc., (303) 232-2134, [email protected] Dave Rowland, A&D Environmental, (970)989-9411, [email protected] Scholarship: Caroline G. Lee, Faegre Baker Daniels LLP, (303)607-3696, [email protected] Website: Juliana Reid, CEMS, (303) 6748364, [email protected] PAGE 4 MEMBERSHIP – RENEWALS AND NEW MEMBERS A big thank you to all those members who renewed, and welcome to our newest members. Renewal – Individual Tim Fitzpatrick, Laboratory Data Consultants, Inc. Patrick Scher, Sky Research Joanna Thies, Perkins Coie, LLP Scott Wisher, Vironex, Inc. Renewal Corporate ARCADIS U.S., Inc. Jason Adams Brent W. Barker Jamie Brodt Nick Butel Monica Dupre Cary Ellmers Jeff Gillow David Gomes Treck Hohman Penelope Hunter Jason Kerstiens Jim Knight Ken Lehman Dave Lipson Jerry Mohnhaupt Richard Murphy Chris Rutledge Tyler Sale Kevin Szympruch Hans H. Van Aller IV Phillip Zelenak Jean Zodrow Matt Bauer Susan Byers Catherine Gallagher Brett Grooms Hans Johannes Miriam Koesterich Teresa Lujan Tricia Olson Randy Sillan Richard Walther Todd Bechtel Lee Christoffersen Mary Gilkison Sara Handy Patrick Keller Sonja Koldewyn Janis Lutrick Kelli Jo Preston Jonathan Spitzinger Lauren Werckenthien Neil Bingert Kathryn Cloutier Darla Gill Monica Heintz Linda Kemp Amanda Kuhl Laura Madsen Patrick Quinn Matt Spurlin Drew Werth Clair Booth Craig Divine Jacques Gillette Kim Heinze Aaron Kempf J. Benjamin Latham Jesse Manley Susan Riggs Julie Sueker Bill Zahniser Christiane Bohn Lisa Farrell Tom Herrod Rose Maes Justin Sterger Cindy Bosco Aimee Fenlon Gene Hook Alice Nightengale Gregg Thomas Janet Burgesser Sue Davidson Steve Gonzales Stacy Guillaume Peter Kates Steve Keenan Paul Schmiechen Ben Siller Celia VanDerLoop Jerry Williams Nicholas A. Ochs Brent A. Scarbrough Travis Snyder Melissa Anderson Daniel Burns Steve Compton Brandon Fetter Pat Garland Dustin Held Steve Kahn Tom Murphy John Ragan Kyle Schlidt Marylou Sivigliano Kyla Vaughan Cade Wilson Patrice Barnett Liz Carney Aimee Des Rochers-Cole Brandon Finn Devin Girtin Devin Hencmann Jordan Krider Heather Otterstetter Rob Rebel Tarah Schultz Steve Sivigliano Andy Verbonitz Eric Baum Susan Borden Gavin Casson Brian Christopher Ryan Dial James Dockter Rob Fishburn Brett Forkner John Groh Melissa Halverson Brooke Herb Liz Houle Ryan Kritzberger Paloma Lang John Peterson Keith Pollman Debbie Rountree Chris Roy Cindy Scott Chris Shephard Justin Solomon Nick Talocco Kay Vollmayer Mait Walker City and County of Denver, Env’l Quality Division and DIA Paul Bedard Diane DeLillio John Hambright Gary Laswell John Student Dave Wilmoth Bill Benerman David Erickson Michele Herman Debbie Loya John Surette Frontier Environmental Services, Inc. Clay Combrink Daniel S. Hinds Ronald J. Southworth LT Environmental, Inc. Ashley Ager Ray Brammer Jeff Citrone Brian Dodek Alexis Fricke Phillip Hamlin Mike Hupp Kristin Miller Chad Powell Lindsay Sanders Jim Short Becci Treitz Todd Warnke Maureen Anderson John Brown John E. Cocroft Jeremy Espinoza Shelly Fronapfel Tom Harp Jake Janicek Dan Moir Chris Purcell Lee Schafer Paul Shumate Mike Unger Michael Wicker New – Individual Mark A. Molen, Molen & Associates, LLC March Movie –Switch Sponsorships Available CEMS is currently accepting sponsors for the March Move –Switch. Join Vista GeoScience as a sponsor. For $100, your company can be a sponsor for this fabulous event. Sponsorship includes a location to set up in the lobby, and two theater tickets (with two $5 drink vouchers) for the movie. For more information please see the CEMS movie link at http://www.chwms.org/?q=node/598 or RSVP to [email protected]. PAGE 5 PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Advertise Your Business Here! Please contact [email protected]. For information on listing products and services in the CEMS newsletter, please contact CEMS at (303)674-9752 or [email protected]. CEMS Meeting Sponsorships Sponsors for a CEMS lunch meeting are provided a table where brochures or other materials can be displayed. The cost to sponsor a CEMS meeting is $30 for members and $85 for non-members. The non-member rate includes a one-year CEMS individual membership. Please send your request to sponsor a lunch meeting to [email protected]. PAGE 6 CO ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SOCIETY REGULATORY UPDATE FEDERAL AND STATE ACTIONS IMPACTING COLORADO By Sarah M. Shechter, Burns, Figa & Will, P.C. February 2013 The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has approved new rules requiring oil and gas operations to sample water wells before and after drilling to ensure that drinking water supplies are not contaminated. More information about the new groundwater sampling rules and the proposed setback requirements is available at http://cogcc.state.co.us/. The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has given preliminary approval to rules imposing new requirements for “setbacks,” or the minimum distance between drilling operations and occupied buildings. More information about the new groundwater sampling rules and the proposed setback requirements is available at http://cogcc.state.co.us/ . The EPA has finalized an updated Total Coliform Rule that would require drinking water utilities to assess their systems and fix potential sources of contamination if E. coli is detected above a certain level. More information on the Total Coliform Rule is available at http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/rulesregs/sdwa/tcr/regulations.cfm. The EPA has issued a final rule that clarifies which materials may be treated as fuel rather than solid wastes when burned in boilers or solid waste incinerators. The revisions to the final rule are available at http://op.bna.com.env.nsf/r?Open=aada-937lgu. Legislation signed by President Obama January 2 that would stave off hundreds of billions of dollars in automatic tax increases and budget cuts includes an extension of the wind production tax credit and several other energy-related tax incentives for alternative power, biofuels, and energy efficiency. The STRONG Act is available at http://1.usa.gov/Wpwm4d. The EPA will allow backup stationary engines that generate electricity to run without emissions controls for 100 hours per year during electricity peak-use periods and emergencies, but the engines must use ultralowsulfur diesel fuel beginning in 2015, according to a final rule the agency released January 15. The final rule is available at http://www.epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/t3/fr_notices/rice_fin_amend_011413.pdf. RECRUIT AND PROFIT!! Recruit a NEW member for CEMS and get a $12.00 credit voucher! For each person you persuade to join CEMS, you will be issued a $12.00 voucher that you can apply to the CEMS fee of your choice, whether it be a luncheon, workshop or your own membership renewal. Note that you cannot take credit for a member’s renewal. However, there is NO LIMIT to the number of vouchers you can accumulate. Just have the new member put your name on the referral portion of the Membership Application Form. And keep those new members coming!! PAGE 7 Save the Date – 2013 CEMS Annual Golf Tournament to be held Friday, September 6, 2013, at 1:00 PM at Fox Hollow! CEMS Scholarship Information The Colorado Environmental Management Society (formally Colorado Hazardous Waste Management Society) is pleased to announce that it is offering scholarships to students at Colorado universities/colleges. Undergraduate and graduate students in engineering, geology, environmental sciences, law, or another field in which they may address environmental issues students are eligible for the scholarships. Students must intend to work in an environmental field. Other requirements are noted on the application form. The application form and all items required by the application (including essay and a current resume) must be submitted via e-mail by 5:00p.m. Mountain Time on Friday, February 28, 2013. CEMS plans to award three scholarships of $1,500.00 each in 2013. Questions regarding the scholarship or the application process should be submitted via e-mail to Caroline Lee ([email protected]). Please see the following link for a complete application: http://chwms.org/?q=node/584#attachments Presentation Opportunities for Upcoming CEMS Meetings The CEMS Program Committee is currently searching for "interesting, topical and informative" presentations for our meetings in 2013. This is a great opportunity to network with your peers, share information and technology, and become more involved with the environmental community. CEMS is interested in an assortment and variety of topics relevant to environmental and natural resources professionals. Each monthly presentation is roughly 50 minutes, followed by a question and answer period. If you or someone you know is interested in presenting at our monthly meetings, our bi-annual workshops, or our annual conference, please feel free to contact one of the following members of our Programs Committee: John Fontana ([email protected]), Bob Greenslade ([email protected]), or Jacki Malone ([email protected]). MEMBERS ON THE MOVE....... To be included in this section, submit your previous information along with your new information either by fax to Juliana Reid at (303) 674-8364, or email to [email protected]. Changes must have occurred within the last three months, and your membership must be current. PAGE 8 Meet a CEMS Board Member Bob Greenslade, Senior Associate, Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. – Programs & Professional Development Committee I’m a little far east, some Sweet Home Alabama, a dash of Magnum P.I. (sans mustache), and a sprinkling of Mickey Mouse. I’m about as close as you can get to a military brat without actually being one. My father served a stint in the Marines and then joined the American Red Cross as a case worker supporting U.S. military personnel. I was born in Taiwan, but soon thereafter we left for Paris Island, South Carolina. This was followed by Fort Walton Beach, Florida; Fort Rucker, Alabama; Schofield Barracks and Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii; and Orlando, Florida. By the time we reached Orlando, I was in sixth grade, showed no hint of athletic talent, and preferred books to PE (I once tried to bring a book to PE). To the surprise of none, I became one of those kids who name their fish after notable chemists and physicists and memorize pi to 30+ digits out of boredom. In short, I was destined to be an engineer! (Even though I somehow managed to have a high school girl friend, an atypical trait for an engineer). After seven years of Catholic school, I left Florida for Rice University in Houston, Texas. I graduated in 1996 with Bob at the Selfoss waterfall in Iceland a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a “concentration” in environmental engineering and went to work for Amoco E&P as a production and reservoir engineer. A couple of years later, BP “merged” with Amoco and I went looking for a job. With crude prices hovering around $11/bbl—a shocking figure compared to today—I did a side-step and accepted an environmental consulting job with ERM in Austin. Consulting led me to law school. We were hired to provide litigation support for the grand jury investigation and subsequent criminal indictment of Koch Petroleum over allegations concerning benzene, during which I assisted with witness interviews and traveled with a team of defense attorneys. In 2003, I ended up at the University of Texas School of Law. Three years later, I was at Fulbright in Austin practicing all aspects of environmental regulatory law, but specializing in Clean Air Act issues. Unfortunately, I developed an allergy to ambient concentrations of a local mold. Years of immunotherapy shots pretty much failed and it was time to leave Austin. I transferred to Fulbright’s Denver office in May of 2012. Austin doesn’t have a pro Football team, so I didn’t feel too guilty about jumping on the Broncos/Manning bandwagon. As a result, my post-season hopes were crushed along with those of everyone else in my newly adopted city. There’s always next year. As for interests, I love to travel. The best part of law school Bob at the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland was study abroad my third year, which gave me a base in London from which I visited as much of Europe as possible. My favorite destinations have been Iceland, Ireland, Croatia, and Peru. Oddest thing I’ve seen: pink flamingo’s wading in a half-frozen lake at 12,000 feet in Bolivia’s altiplano. Weirdest thing I’ve eaten: putrefied shark, an Icelandic delicacy (I really don’t recommend it). Next up: a Yellowstone road trip at the end of May. Bob Greenslade, Senior Associate Fulbright & Jaworski, LLP Tabor Center 1200 17th Street, Suite 1000 Denver, Colorado 80202-5835 (303)801-2747 [email protected] PAGE 9 Who is CEMS eMS? John Bolders, Olsson Associates, Colorado Region Office Leader My parents immigrated to Colorado in 1962 from the Netherlands. We spent a few years in Canada before moving to Colorado, eventually settling in Littleton. I earned my Bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado in 1976 (Biology) and my Master’s degree from Colorado State University in 1980 (Wildlife Biology). I married my wife of 32 years in 1980. I wanted to manage exotic game, so I moved in 1981 to Corpus Christi, Texas, to pursue wildlife management opportunities on the 800,000-acre King Ranch. The job never happened because I started to work for the Texas Department of Water Resources as a hazardous waste compliance inspector. After three years of inspecting refineries, petrochemical plants, hazardous waste landfills, and injection wells, we decided to return with our newborn baby to the Denver area. In early 1985, I met Patric Galvin, Kemper Will, and Regan Heath. We started a consulting firm named Industrial Compliance, focusing on hazardous waste management and solid waste landfill design. We performed many hazardous waste inspections and cleanups and designed many of the current solid waste landfills along the Front Range. From a historical perspective, Industrial Compliance was one of the founders of CHWMS and I have been a member since 1987. My favorite project was the Aerrco solvent-recycling site cleanup, which began shortly after we started the company. The Aerrco project involved the removal of several hundred hazardous waste drums, cleanout of solvent recycling distillation bottoms from tanks, and groundwater assessment and remediation. During this process, I had the privilege of working with some of the brightest and most energetic young attorneys in Denver representing the various potentially responsible parties for the cleanup. I was young and relatively inexperienced at project management, but the attorneys (collectively) were more than willing to provide me with the valuable commodity called “experience.” Maybe you will recognize some of the names of those young attorneys – Linda Rockwood, Betsy Temkin, Jim Spaanstra, Alan Gilbert, and Roger Freeman. John Bolders In the early 1990s, we sold Industrial Compliance to a division of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Shortly thereafter, I started Maxxim Environmental with Stuart Francone, Brian Kindsvatter, and Craig Pruett, specializing in hazardous waste management and transactional due diligence for the oil and gas industry. In 1998, we joined Terracon, and I became the regional environmental manager. Beginning in 2008, I worked with Cardno-TEC, providing environmental management systems consulting to NASA and the Marines. John and daughter Darcy on Grand Lake In July 2012, I joined Olsson Associates as the Colorado region lead and remain involved in hazardous waste consulting, environmental management systems, and due diligence for the oil and gas industry. Olsson Associates provides engineering and design services in transportation, structural, water resources, water/wastewater, land development, landscape architecture and urban planning, environmental resources and compliance, and survey. The firm has more than 20 offices in the Midwest and Southwest U.S. My wife, Becky, and I have six children, eight grandchildren, and 34 nephews/nieces. Darcy is my youngest at 18; she will graduate in May and will attend Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, to study nursing. That will be a major change for us – empty nesters! John Bolders, Colorado Region Office Leader Olsson Associates 4690 Table Mountain Drive, Suite 200 Golden, CO 80403 (303)273-2072 [email protected] PAGE 10 If you missed our last meeting, February 12. . . Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) Restoration Success of Mined Lands in Colorado by Henry Austin Department of Interior, Office of Surface Mining The Office of Surface Mining (OSM) was formed within the Department of the Interior in 1977. The mission of OSM is to protect society and the environment from the adverse effects of surface coal mining operations. There are three Regional OSM offices: Appalachian, Mid-Continent and Western. Within the Western Regional office, there are three area offices, in Farmington, New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico and Olympia, Washington, and three field offices, in Denver, Colorado, Casper, Wyoming, and the Tribal field office. Currently there are 10 active tribal mine properties with the Navajo, Hopi, Crow and Ute Mountain Ute nations. In the beginning (1977), OSM directly enforced mining laws and arranged cleanup of abandoned mine lands. Today, most coal states have developed their own programs. OSM’s focus is on oversight of the state programs and developing new tools through technology transfer to help the states and tribes get the job done. In Colorado, OSM collaborates with “stakeholders” including individual citizens, the Colorado Mining Association (CMA), Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety (DRMS), Western Governors Association, Western Interstate Energy Board, Interstate Mining Compact Commission, and various national, regional and local environmental nongovernmental organizations. On February 13, 2012, CEMS was pleased to have Henry Austin, from the OSM Reclamation and Enforcement Division speak on successful restorations in Colorado. Mr. Austin’s take-home message is that mined land restoration success is the result of significant planning. Stakeholder outreach and environmental stewardship during mining and restoration are used to ensure the land is restored to beneficial use. Land, water and vegetation uses are approved by DRMS to meet “agreed upon measurement protocols and success criteria.” There is no guessing on post-mining land use, rather the determination is the result of to a scientific, deliberate process. Measurements must meet agreed upon success criteria for companies to secure bond release. Mr. Austin’s slides can be viewed at: Link to presentation slides: http://chwms.org/files/CEMS%20February%202013%20presentation%20%5B1%5D.pdf