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LSP Board of Registration Summarizes Proposed 309 CMR Amendments

At their October 8, 2024, meeting, the LSP Board discussed the steps they are taking to prepare for administrative approval to release their proposed 309 CMR 1.00 -9.00, Regulations of the Board of Registration of Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup Professionals. There is not currently a specific timeframe for public review and comment on the proposed regulations, but the LSP Board shared preliminary documents including:

Provided below is a brief summary of proposed changes most pertinent to LSPs.

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Updates from LSP Board of Registration

Upcoming LSP Exam

The LSP Board of Registration website notes that the next LSP exam will be held on February 26, 2024. 

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LSP Board "Environmental" Seat is Vacant

The Board of Registration of Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup Professionals (aka the LSP Board) has one vacant seat which, according to statute, must be filled by persons who are “. . . members of statewide organizations that promote the protection of the environment at the time of appointments and who are knowledgeable with respect to issues involving responding to releases of oil and hazardous materials.”

The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Governor. The term of service is four years. Board meetings occur monthly, except for the months of July and December. Click here for more detailed information about this volunteer position.

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LSPA Introduces Practice Tip of the Month for September 2023

The following LSPA practice tip was introduced at the September 2023 Membership Meeting, which was held in-person at the Westborough Doubletree hotel on September 21, 2023.  

If you are an LSP, DON’T WAIT – Sign up now for the
LSP Board of Registration’s online portal called ePlace/Accela.
This will allow you to submit your annual fee, renewal application, address information,
and other documents electronically.
First time users need to register before they can log in/begin.
To register, go to Accela Citizen Access (mass.gov) to create an account.




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LSP Board of Registration - IMPORTANT UPDATE

The LSP Board of Registration has informed the LSPA that the following email was sent out to every active LSP to inform them that they can now sign up for the online portal called ePlace/Accela. This will allow LSPs to start using the online platform to submit renewal applications, pay invoices, change address, and many other actions. 

Please note that the online portal does have a Help Desk option ([email protected]). For any questions about getting set up or following that, the Help Desk is the preferred option to resolve those questions.

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License Renewal and Other News From the LSP Board of Registration

For LSPs With July 30, 2023 Renewals

LSPs with July 30, 2023 renewals must renew through the current paper process.

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Governor Baker Appoints Two LSPA Members to LSP Board of Registration

The Commonwealth’s Board of Registration of Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup Professionals (the LSP Board) has two new members. The recent appointment by Governor Baker of LSPs Craig Ellis and Paul McKinlay to the Board, filled the two remaining open seats. The 11-member board licenses and regulates the 458 LSPs statewide.  
Millie Garcia-Serrano, LSP Board Chair, welcomed Craig and Paul to their first Board meeting on Tuesday, March 8, 2022.  Beverly Coles-Roby, LSP Board Executive Director, shared each of their bios. The LSPA congratulations Craig and Paul, both LSPA members, on their appointments. 

The enabling legislation for the LSP Board (MGL c. 21A, Sections 19A-19J) establishes the Board as an independent entity, located for administrative purposes within the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Section 19A specifies that the Board should consist of eleven members, each of whom serves a four year term; Board members do not receive compensation from the Commonwealth for their work on the Board. 

The Chair of the Board is the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) or his designee; the designee must be a full-time employee of the Department at all times while chairing the Board. The current designee is Millie Garcia-Serrano, Regional Director, MassDEP Southeast Regional Office.

The other ten members of the Board, all appointed by the Governor, are as follows:  
  • There are five seats on the Board for currently-licensed LSPs
    • David Austin, AECOM
    • Kathleen Campbell, CDW Consultants
    • Craig Ellis, Beta Group
    • Gregg McBride, GZA GeoEnvironmental
    • Paul McKinlay, Weston & Sampson
  • Three Board members must be members of statewide organizations that promote the protection of the environment 
    • Kirk Franklin, Frank Corp.
    • Patrick Herron, Mystic River Watershed Association
    • Debra M. Listernick, O'Reilly Talbot & Okun Associates
  • One Board position is designated for a hydrogeologist
    • Gail Batchelder, HRP Associates, Inc
  • One member of the Board is designated for a member of a labor organization
    • James N. Smith, Department of Neighborhood Development, City of Boston, MA
Read bios of LSP Board members here.


LSPA Introduces New Compliance Tip for January 2022

The following LSPA compliance tip was presented at the January 2022 Membership Meeting, which was held virtually through the Zoom webinar platform, on January 27, 2022.  

Compliance Tip:
All LSPs should have recently received an invoice from the LSP Board of Registration indicating that their annual renewal fee of $225 is due by March 1, 2022. Paying this fee in a timely manner is necessary to maintain your license. If you have not yet received an invoice, you should contact the LSP Board at [email protected]. More details about payment can be found at 309 CMR 2.09 Annual Fee. 

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LSPA Members Identify Their Priority Issues

On February 1, 2021, the LSPA sent an email blast to all members asking them to rank nine practice issues, involving various regulations, policies, and programs, in order of importance to them.  Our intent was to help focus our resource and advocacy efforts on the issues most important to our members.  

We received responses from about 20% of our members (lower than usual for LSPA surveys) and you told us that your top three issues were:
  1. Finalize outstanding guidance/policies: AULs, Engineered Barriers, Historic Fill, etc. (MassDEP)
  2. Soil Management: Assist with needed capacity, beneficial uses, PFAS disposal (MassDEP and others)
  3. PFAS: Address background conditions and MCP release exemptions (MassDEP)
Each of these three issues were in the top three choices for over 50% of the respondents. 

Here are the percentages of respondents who listed the other issues as a top three choice:
  1. Asbestos in Soil: Streamline and clarify regulations (MassDEP) – 29%
  2. PFAS Private Well Sampling Program: Address MCP responsibility and liability issues (MassDEP) – 26%
  3. LSP Board of Registration: Update regulations, improve operations (EOEEA) – 23%
  4. 21J Fund: Reconcile LSP decision making and allowed reimbursements (MA Department of Revenue) – 18%
  5. Brownfields Tax Credits: Reconcile LSP decision making and allowed reimbursements (MA Department of Revenue) – 17%
  6. Public Involvement: Update guidance documents (MassDEP) – 8%%
Many thanks to the 60+ members who volunteered to be involved in LSPA efforts to advance these issues; in fact, many respondents volunteered to work on several issues. At this time, LSPA leadership is discussing how best to proceed and we expect that in the coming weeks, an LSPA Board member or Committee Chair will reach out to volunteers to invite them to participate in a committee or focus group, or even help form a new subcommittee. So stay tuned!

We look forward to working together to make some progress on these issues. Please don’t hesitate to contact [email protected] with suggestions and questions.
Michele Paul, LSP
LSPA President

 

LSP Licenses Extended per Governor's Order

The LSPA received word on Wednesday night directly from MassDEP Commissioner Suuberg noting that Licensed Site Professionals are included in the Governor's Executive Order that addresses extending licenses for certain professions by 90 days. An excerpt is below.

Extending the Licenses of Certain Licensed Professionals: Governor Baker signed a new emergency order to ensure that licensed professionals do not have their licenses or registrations lapse due to unforeseen problems with renewal during the COVID-19 emergency. Specifically, under this order, occupational or professional licenses of individuals that are in good standing and that would otherwise be up for renewal during the COVID-19 emergency shall be extended for 90 days after the end of the public health emergency. This order does not affect license extensions that have already been granted in earlier emergency orders.
 
Read the Emergency Order here: Extension of Professional Licensure Order

Commissioner Suuberg wrote that the LSP Board will address steps moving forward, and that "We hope these actions will provide some relief and flexibility as the important work of the LSP community moves forward in the weeks ahead."

The LSPA very much appreciates the consideration given by the Baker-Polito Administration to the work of LSPs and related practitioners during this challenging time.

Best wishes, 
Michele Paul, LSP
LSPA President

LSPA Urges EOEEA to Fill Vacant "Environmental" Seat on LSP Board

The LSPA has heard back from MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA) Secretary Matt Beaton's office that "Commissioner Suuberg from MassDEP has reached out to multiple environmental organizations asking for recommendations for this seat."  

This is in response to a letter the LSPA sent urging that the seat, vacant for 5 years, be filled. Read the letter here


LSPA Members Appointed to LSP Board of Registration

LSPA Members Fill Two Vacancies at LSP Board of Registration
 

Congratulations to long-time LSPA members, Gregg McBride and Marc Richards, for their recent appointments to the LSP Board of Registration of Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup Professionals (aka The LSP Board). Gregg McBride fills the LSP in manufacturing seat and Marc Richards was appointed to the LSP at large seat. Please see below for more information on our new Board members!

With these two new appointments, one vacant seat remains on the 11 member Board of Registration. Three Board members must be members of "statewide organizations that promote the protection of the environment" at the time of appointments and who are knowledgeable with respect to issues involving responding to releases of oil and hazardous materials." One of these environmental seats is vacant and has been for over three years. 

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Vacancy on LSP Board of Registration: LSPA Seeks Interested Candidates

There is currently a vacant seat on the 11 member Board of Registration of Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup Professionals (aka The LSP Board). The LSPA is soliciting interest from qualified professionals to serve on the LSP Board. 
 
Why is the LSPA involved with helping to identify possible Board candidates?
LSPs are the key constituents of the LSP Board, and the LSPA is the professional association for LSPs, so it is only logical that the LSPA would have an interest in identifying qualified candidates for the LSP Board. 
 
The LSPA is very invested in maintaining the LSP Board as a credible, responsive, and fully functioning entity in this privatized program, with all 11 seats filled. The success of the program depends on it.  
 
What seat is vacant?

Three Board members must be members of "statewide organizations that promote the protection of the environment at the time of appointments and who are knowledgeable with respect to issues involving responding to releases of oil and hazardous materials." One of these environmental seats is vacant and has been for over three years.

What are the expectations for a Board member?
At present, LSP Board meetings are held nearly every month, usually at one of the MassDEP regional offices, including Boston. At meetings, Board members review and vote on applications for course credits and license applications, and oversee investigations of complaints lodged against LSPs who may have violated the LSP Rules of Professional Conduct set forth in 309 CMR 4.00.
 
The term of service is four years. Besides attending meetings of the full Board, Board members are expected to participate on Application Review Panels (reviewing applications for licensure) and Complaint Review Teams (investigating complaints against LSPs).  Service on the Board is without compensation.
 
Click here for more information about the current Board. 
 
Where can I get more information?
If you or someone you know may be interested, please contact Wendy Rundle, LSPA Executive Director at [email protected] or 617-484-4027. 
 

Three Vacancies on LSP Board of Registration: LSPA Seeks Interested Candidates

There are currently three vacant seats on the 11 member Board of Registration of Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup Professionals (aka The LSP Board). The LSPA is soliciting interest from qualified professionals to serve on the LSP Board. 
 
Why is the LSPA involved with helping to identify possible Board candidates?
LSPs are the key constituents of the LSP Board, and the LSPA is the professional association for LSPs, so it is only logical that the LSPA would have an interest in identifying qualified candidates for the LSP Board. The LSPA has been involved in the past in assisting and supporting persons interested and qualified to serve on the LSP Board. 
 
The LSPA is very invested in maintaining the LSP Board as a credible, responsive, and fully functioning entity in this privatized program, with all 11 seats filled. The success of the program depends on it.  
 
What seats are vacant?
  1. Three Board members must be members of "statewide organizations that promote the protection of the environment at the time of appointments and who are knowledgeable with respect to issues involving responding to releases of oil and hazardous materials." One of these environmental seats is vacant and has been for over three years.
  2. An "at large" LSP seat has recently become vacant; this is one of five seats for currently-licensed LSPs.
  3. A seat for an LSP who is a "full-time employee of a manufacturing firm engaged in the utilization of hazardous materials" has recently become vacant; this is another one of the five seats for currently-licensed LSPs. 
What are the expectations for a Board member?
At present, LSP Board meetings are held nearly every month, usually at one of the MassDEP regional offices, including Boston. At meetings, Board members review and vote on applications for course credits and license applications, and oversee investigations of complaints lodged against LSPs who may have violated the LSP Rules of Professional Conduct set forth in 309 CMR 4.00.
 
The term of service is four years. Besides attending meetings of the full Board, Board members are expected to participate on Application Review Panels (reviewing applications for licensure) and Complaint Review Teams (investigating complaints against LSPs).  Service on the Board is without compensation.
 
Click here for more information about the current Board. 
 
Where can I get more information?
If you or someone you know may be interested, please contact Wendy Rundle, LSPA Executive Director at [email protected] or 617-484-4027 to discuss. 
 
What is the application review process?
Applicants are required to submit a resume and cover letter to:
 
Beverly Coles-Roby, Esq.
Executive Director
Board of Registration of Hazardous Waste Site Cleanup Professionals
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
One Winter Street 3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02108
617-292-5985

LSPA Request for an LSP Licensing Exam in May or June 2014

LSPA Request for an LSP Licensing Exam in May or June 2014

Read the LSPA’s April 4, 2014 letter to the LSP Board of Registration urging them to offer the LSP licensing exam in May or June 2014.  At its April 17, 2014 meeting, the LSP Board voted to offer the exam.