On December 3, 2018, LSPA Board Member Jeanine Grachuk, Principal at Beveridge & Diamond, spoke about “How Geologists and Environmental Consultants Interact with Lawyers” to 20 students at a meeting of the Student Chapter of the LSP Association at Bridgewater State University. Always great to connect practitioners with students, and possible future LSPs (or attorneys!).

The LSPA celebrated its 25^th anniversary in style on October 25^th at Mechanics Hall in Worcester. The only thing better than the gorgeous, historical venue was the fact that 350 LSPA members and friends were in attendance. It was a great night: food, drink, 17 Past LSPA Presidents in attendance, three Contribution to the Practice awards, and that doesn’t even include the evening’s entertainment. 

We were excited to hear Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s a cappella group, the Audiophiles, perform. What a talented group of future engineers and techies!

The LSPA presented the following compliance tip at the November Membership Meeting at the DoubleTree Hotel in Westborough, MA on November 13, 2018.  

The LSPA kicked off its “school” year with a great event on September 25^th sponsored by Regenesis. 

We heard a high energy and far ranging talk by Jay Ash, MA Secretary of Housing and Economic Development. Secretary Ash covered topics including his time as Mayor of Chelsea, collaboration with several LSPA members with whom he has worked (all good experiences!), Governor Baker’s bipartisan administration, exciting economic development projects happening statewide, and why he is optimistic about the Massachusetts innovation economy. MassDEP Commissioner Marty Suuberg gave a broad reaching overview of the 25 year privatized program and generously acknowledged the important role of the LSPA in this work. He spoke about MassDEP priorities going forward, including the use of new technology to improve government transparency, emerging contaminants, climate change and resiliency, and brownfields development. Both speakers addressed the value of the work that LSPs and other practitioners do, and its importance to the economic and environmental health of the Commonwealth. 

The LSPA presented the following compliance tip at the September Membership Meeting at the Newton Marriott in Newton, MA on September 25, 2018.  

• Full Three Days: $295 (Savings of $255)
• One Day: $150 (Savings of 75)

LSPA’s newly-formed Sole Practitioners Group has developed a skills matrix, which lists sole practitioners along with their areas of expertise. With certain projects, you may be looking for a particular skill set or hoping to add another environmental professional to your team. This skills matrix will help you to find the best person for your team/project. The list, which is maintained by Stephen Boynton of Subsurface Environmental Solutions, LLC, chair of the Sole Practitioners Group, is available to members of that group. Please contact Steve for more information at 781.608.6119 or via mail [email protected].  

• David Leone, LSP, Associate Principal with GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. of Norwood, MA,  Director at Large.
• Charles Young, LSP, Senior Environmental Project Manager at Stantec, of Quincy, MA, Director at Large.

Officers for this fiscal year are: 

Mark your calendars! The LSPA Membership Meeting dates and locations for 2018-2019 have been announced. The LSP Association's membership meetings take place monthly from September through June in the Greater Boston area. Click here to view the schedule for the upcoming year.

Member meetings are also held in Springfield, MA about four times a year; the schedule is announced as meeting topics become available. The first meeting is September 13, 2018 "A Fresh Look at Brownfields Challenges and Opportunities"

Last month, the LSPA offered an 8-hr field course in the greater Falmouth, Massachusetts, area entitled, “Sediment, Surface Water, and Biota Sampling Methods to Support MCP Assessments.” This is a repeat course and each time it has been offered, we have received excellent rave reviews. Here are a few comments that we received after the June 2018 course:

 For the past 15 years, the LSPA Scholarship Fund has been presenting educational scholarships to individuals pursuing a degree in the field of science, environmental engineering, or other major that is consistent with becoming an LSP or environmental professional.  At LSPA’s June 13^th Membership Meeting in Taunton, MA, the LSPA Scholarship Fund awarded two individual scholarships. 

The LSP Association (LSPA) is pleased to announce that two new At-Large members were elected to the Board of Directors: David Leone, LSP, Associate Principal, GZA GeoEnvironmental, Norwood and Charles Young, LSP, Associate and Senior Environmental Project Manager, Stantec, Quincy were elected by LSPA members in early June. Their three year terms begin on July 1, 2018.   

          
(Shown on Left: David Leone, Shown on Right: Charles Young)

• EPA will initiate steps to evaluate the need for a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for PFOA and PFOS. We will convene our federal partners and examine everything we know about PFOA and PFOS in drinking water.
• EPA is beginning the necessary steps to propose designating PFOA and PFOS as "hazardous substances" through one of the available statutory mechanisms, including potentially CERCLA Section 102.
• EPA is currently developing groundwater cleanup recommendations for PFOA and PFOS at contaminated sites and will complete this task by fall of this year.
• EPA is taking action in close collaboration with our federal and state partners to develop toxicity values for GenX and PFBS by this summer.