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PFAS Webinar Series on May 18 & 25, 2023

Join FET for a 2-part PFAS series that will focus on national issues as well as what is happening in Wisconsin.

Each session will feature a panel discussion and will look at PFAS from both a legal and technical perspective.  The first day will kick off with Taryn McKnight, PFAS Practice Leader for Eurofins Environment Testing America based in Sacramento, California.  She has nearly 20 years of experience in the environmental testing industry specializing in emerging contaminants and pathways of concern with a focus on PFAS and Vapor Intrusion assessments.

The second session will begin with Associate Professor Christy Remucal, who leads the Aquatic Chemistry group at UW-Madison and is the Director of the Water Science and Engineering Laboratory.  She will discuss the Sources, Background, and Fate of PFAS in Wisconsin and the Great Lakes.  Transport of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the Great Lakes is of great importance as this large freshwater system provides drinking water to over 40 million people. After discussing the spatial distribution of PFAS in the five Laurentian Great Lakes, this presentation will explore the roles of tributaries and groundwater as key sources of PFAS to Lake Michigan. Measurements of PFAS in waters and sediments from tributaries of Green Bay demonstrate that PFAS concentrations range many orders of magnitude when comparing unimpacted sites and sites impacted by PFAS-containing aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) use. This environmental data is also used to investigate PFAS partitioning from water into sediment, the surface microlayer, and naturally forming foams. Finally, the presentation will explore the ability to apply PFAS forensics to trace sources of contamination. 

Click here for an agenda. 

 

 

May is National Clean Air Month!

During May, National Clean Air Month is celebrated in association with the American Lung Association, starting in 1972. The important part of this campaign is to teach people about the impact that clean air can have on quality of life and how to keep our air clean.

Learn about the WHO air pollution guidelines aiming to improve health and air quality!

 

 

 

 

Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Potential Future Designations of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) as CERCLA Hazardous Substances

EPA is issuing an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) asking the public for input regarding potential future designations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).

This request for input and information follows EPA’s September 2022 proposed Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) designating PFOA and PFOS as CERCLA hazardous substances. EPA is currently reviewing comments received on the proposed rule.

EPA is considering whether to initiate a future action that would potentially designate precursors to PFOA, PFOS, and possibly seven PFAS and their salts and isomers, or some subset thereof, as hazardous substances, in addition to PFOS and PFOA.

  • Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)
  • Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)
  • Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)
  • Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) (sometimes called GenX)
  • Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)
  • Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)
  • Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA)

EPA is asking for public comment on the proposal for 60 days — comments must be received on or before June 12, 2023.

For more information:

 

 

 

 

Additional REsources

Featured Article

Driving Sustainable Excellence: The Green Masters Program® for Business Sustainability and Leadership

By Christa Kananen, Program Manager, Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council

As sustainability becomes an increasingly important aspect of modern business operations, organizations are seeking effective ways to manage and improve their sustainability performance. The new Green Masters Program® from the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council (WSBC) offers a unique approach by providing a comprehensive yet customizable framework that prioritizes sustainability action areas that are important to your business and stakeholders.

The new Green Masters Program® is a framework to define, prioritize, manage, and improve your company’s sustainability performance. Purpose-built for small to mid-sized manufacturers and companies getting started in sustainability, the virtual platform offers a scalable standard for sustainability performance improvement. What makes the standard unique is it wraps WSBC membership around the certification, providing valuable resources, education, and a supportive community. This comprehensive approach allows organizations to enhance their sustainability efforts and make meaningful progress in their sustainability journey.

Some of the key advantages include:

  • Cost-effective approach: The program is designed to be cost-effective, making it accessible for organizations of varying sizes and budgets.
  • Comprehensive framework: provides a comprehensive framework for addressing sustainability challenges.
  • Customizable approach: The program allows organizations to define and prioritize sustainability action areas that align with their specific goals and stakeholder expectations. It provides a flexible and customizable approach that can be tailored to your organization’s unique needs and requirements.
  • Measurable outcomes: Emphasizes the importance of measuring and reporting sustainability outcomes. It provides tools and methodologies to assess and track the progress of sustainability initiatives, enabling organizations to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and stakeholder engagement.
  • Stakeholder engagement: The program encourages organizations to engage with their stakeholders, including employees, customers, investors, and local communities, in defining and implementing sustainability initiatives. This promotes transparency, accountability, and collaboration, which can enhance your organization’s reputation and relationships with stakeholders.
  • Sustainability leadership: By participating, organizations can position themselves as sustainability leaders within their industry and community. It allows organizations to demonstrate their commitment to environmental, social, and governance responsibilities, which can enhance their brand image and competitive advantage.
  • Membership: provides member organizations with a wealth of resources and educational materials to support their sustainability journey. These resources may include best practices, case studies, templates, webinars, and other educational materials that can help organizations enhance their understanding of sustainability concepts and implementation strategies.

The new program emphasizes systemic integration of sustainability into business processes and implementation of best practices to drive improved outcomes. The program starts with a materiality worksheet to document the relative importance of sustainability topics based on stakeholder and company interests. Participants can use this information to identify their business priorities and include just those priority topics in their assessment. Participating companies can start earning recognition by including at least three topics in their assessment and can add additional topics (and achieve higher levels of recognition) as priorities evolve and sustainability initiatives are integrated into their business model.

For more information contact: https://www.wisconsinsustainability.com/

 

 

 

Job Postings

ehs specialist

JOB SUMMARY

The primary purpose of this position is to manage all environmental, health and safety compliance in the Milwaukee, Milwaukee West and Technical Center locations.

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Integrate the company’s safety, health and environmental programs in a manner that promotes 100% compliance with applicable laws, permits, policies and procedures.
  • Identify conditions and practices that could lead to injury, property damage, chemical release, business interruption or non-compliance through observation or informal and formal audits.
  • Investigate injuries, property damage and chemical releases to determine root cause and contributing factors.
  • Manage environmental permits to ensure compliance at the facility.
  • Manage MOC process at each facility to ensure all are executed as required by SOP.
  • Review of all existing PPE certifications and draft any new as required.
  • Coordinate all medical evaluations for employees required to wear respirators.
  • Perform product/process specific compliance audits.
  • Manage IH monitoring program at each facility.
  • Manage PSM program at each facility to ensure all procedures and training are kept current.
  • Manage the confined space rescue program. Must make sure the inventory list is kept current and rescue equipment is available and in satisfactory condition.
  • Schedule, facilitate, track and perform JSAs.
  • Serve as primary contact at each location for agency inspectors.
  • Manage emergency response program at each facility to ensure training and compliance are maintained and all responders are qualified.
  • Manage and maintain PPE inventory
  • Act as First Aid coordinator for each facility. Responsible for scheduling training, maintaining equipment, maintaining BBP control plans and vaccinations.
  • Act as Safety Committee Chairperson for each facility. Schedule meetings, track minutes and report findings to Operations Managers.
  • Participate in LEPC regularly in conjunction with plant management.
  • Assist with chemical disposal and profiling at each facility as required.
  • Coordinate medical monitoring as required for each facility.
  • Assess and draft proposals addressing any ergonomic issues in each facility.
  • Coordinate with local EMT and hospitals to assure capabilities.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION 

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Industrial Safety or Natural Sciences required.
  • Three to five years chemical experience with manufacturing background required.
  • Ability to effectively communicate, both verbally and in writing, with employees and management.
  • Must have communication and interpersonal skills, along with the ability to read, write, and speak English.
  • Strong computer skills and knowledge of Power Point, Word, and Excel required.

 PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Ability to sit and/or stand up to 10 hours per day.
  • Ability to climb ladders and stairways up to 30 feet in height up to 10 times daily.
  • Ability to lift up to 50 lbs. Occasionally.
  • Due to safety concerns, the wearing of contact lenses is prohibited.
  • Ability to wear a respirator for up to 4 hours a day. Please refer to the SOP for facial hair guidelines.

JOB EXPECTATIONS 

  • Uphold Hydrite’s Standard of Excellence through a continuous commitment to maintain quality facilities and provide quality products and services to internal and external customers.
  • Participate in RCRA, regulatory, health & safety and process training activities as required. Review changes/additions with your supervisor.  Must be RCRA compliant.
  • Regular attendance is essential.
  • Perform all duties outlined in relevant SOPs and all other duties to be assigned.
  • Work with other staff members to maintain workload balances. Provide back-up support as necessary.
  • Support effective communication with all Hydrite departments where responsibilities overlap to ensure success of the branch team.

To apply, click here: https://boards.greenhouse.io/hydritechemicalco/jobs/4972535

air quality compliance administrator

The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) owns and operates six reliever airports and the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport (MSP). Air quality management is integrated into all aspects of airport operations and development. The Air Quality (AQ) Administrator’s efforts will focus on assisting the MAC develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive air quality compliance program. This position will be responsible for the collection of data and information to conduct air emission inventories, perform air quality data analyses and complete required reporting to meet environmental compliance obligations for the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC)-owned airports. The AQ Administrator will also work with various MAC departments to promote emission reduction programs in order to support organizational sustainability goals.

Other responsibilities will include providing regulatory interpretations and technical guidance to MAC staff and performing regulatory compliance assessments. The AQ Administrator will assist in evaluating emission control technologies, assist in the development of compliance strategies, assess compliance costs, and evaluate the effects on ongoing airport and tenant operations. In addition, the AQ Administrator will be responsible for oversight of the MAC’s participation in the Airports Council International’s Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) program. The AQ Administrator will also assist with the coordinated integration of air quality program management and data tracking into the MAC’s environmental management system. 

 JOB DUTIES

  • Implement and manage air quality program activities to ensure compliance with state and federal environmental regulations and permit requirements for MAC facilities
  • Perform air quality compliance reviews to evaluate and minimize compliance risks at MAC facilities
  • Perform air quality assessments, including fieldwork, modeling, data acquisition and analysis, and emission inventory development at MAC facilities
  • Prepare air quality reports for submission to regulatory agencies, MAC departments and other stakeholders to meet permit requirements
  • Document and maintain air quality program records
  • Manage MAC’s participation and drive future achievements in the ACA program, including compiling data, preparing, and submitting annual applications, as well as reviewing data capture methodologies and calculations for enhancement opportunities.
  • Coordinate miscellaneous efforts associated with air quality programs – attend meetings, direct consultant work, coordinate with construction project work, track and maintain compliance with executed agreements and monitor post-implementation activities
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams on air quality and energy management 
  • Provide regulatory interpretations and technical advice to MAC staff
  • Interface with regulatory agencies and work in conjunction with MAC Community Relations on neighborhood/community organization and general public interactions
  • Assist with implementing, maintaining, and enhancing department environmental management systems.
  • Promote and help establish a culture of sustainability within the organization.
  • Perform duties in a manner that supports the MAC’s commitment to stakeholders, the community and environmental stewardship
  • Other duties as assigned

 

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS 

  • Bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering, environmental science, or other physical science field with specialized training in air quality compliance and pollution control practices
  • Minimum of three years of work experience in air quality management/engineering and/or regulatory compliance, including outdoor air quality assessments, air emissions monitoring and inventories, Clean Air Act permitting and greenhouse gas reporting
  • Prior experience with the successful development, implementation, management, and ongoing evaluation of an organizational air quality program
  • Knowledge and firm understanding of local, state, and federal air quality regulations and requirements, including RICE NESHAP requirements
  • Proficient skill level using Microsoft Office 365 productivity tools
  • Strong communication skills (oral, written and listening)
  • Ability to demonstrate sound, ethical and professional judgement to solve problems and make decisions
  • Ability to work independently and drive solutions, using strong critical thinking and analytical skills
  • Ability to complete work assignments and deadlines in an accurate and timely manner
  • Valid MN driver’s license

Salary: $84,347.00 – $116,425.00 Annually

Location: 6040 28th Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota

To apply: https://www.metroairports.org/about-us/careers

Jobs Available ads are placed in the FET monthly newsletter EnviroNotes, and online for two consecutive months at a cost of $400 per ad ($300 for FET patron member companies).

Jobs Desired ads are free of charge for anyone who is searching for a position in the environmental field.

Additional questions can be directed to FET at raichyl@fetinc.org

Copy submitted for the ads are subject to editing in accordance with technical and policy guidelines and space requirements.