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LSPA Awards 3 WES Grants in 2021 and 2022

by: Kristi F Lefebvre
Category: News
Tags
Jul
12
The LSPA is pleased to have awarded three WES Professional Practice Grants, totaling $17,500, over the past two years. The WES Grant award is a great way to secure funding to delve deeper into a topic of your choice that will further waste site cleanup work and advance the professional practice of LSPs. More details on the most recent projects and links to research findings are provided below. 

PFAS in New England: An Assessment of Distribution Data from Regulated Sites, Civil and Environmental Consultants (CEC) Inc., Raynham, MA. CEC completed a literature review to better understand the types of PFAS releases in New England. Empirical information was collected on a variety of parameters including PFAS plume length and area, the status of investigation and remedial activities, the maximum concentrations of regulated PFAS compounds detected in groundwater and soil proximal to the source sites, and the industry/source type at each location. 
 
The results of the review include analysis of PFAS distribution at regulated sites in New England to an effort to better identify and understand trends. Jon Kitchen, PG, LSP, presented CEC’s findings at an LSPA member meeting in April 2022. The slides and video from that meeting are available here.

Evaluation of PFAS in Rain Across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Woodard & Curran, Inc., Canton, MA. Woodard & Curran recently conducted a study to assess if PFAS is present in rain falling across Massachusetts and if so, at what levels relative to other studies. Another research question explored differences in PFAS concentration when different precipitation event types are considered. Twenty-five sampling stations were distributed across the Commonwealth.
 
At an LSPA May 2022 member meeting, the Woodard & Curran project team discussed the geographic distribution of PFAS detected and explored the different dynamics of each storm event. The slides and video from that meeting are available here. 

A third study, High Viscosity LNAPL Recoverability Assessment, is currently underway by Steve Boynton, LSP, of Subsurface Environmental Solutions (SES), Andover, MA. This research builds on the MCP requirement to evaluate LNAPL recovery “if and to the extent feasible.” The project will evaluate LNAPL thickness measurability by tracking the time required to obtain the depth to the LNAPL/water interface for various mixtures of No. 2 and No. 6 oil. The objective is to determine the viscosity above which typical transmissivity testing equipment (oil/water interface probes and peristaltic pumps) cannot be reliably used. It is hoped that results will assist in providing LSPs with a simple viscosity-based metric to conclude that transmissivity testing is or is not feasible. SES plans to present findings in a short course for technical LSP credit sometime in Fall 2022. 

Do you have a project idea that needs funding? Read more about how to apply for a WES Grant or complete the application formtoday!


LSPA Awards WES Professional Practice Grant

by: Kristi Lefebvre
Category: News
Tags
Aug
17
The LSPA is pleased to announce that a $2,100 WES Professional Practice Grant (WES Grant) has been awarded to a team who will conduct an "Evaluation of Elevated Background Concentrations of Lead in Urban Fill in the City of Boston, Massachusetts."  

This proposal was submitted by Mike Penzo, LSPA Past President, who will lead the project team, and Daniel Difrancesco, an undergraduate student at Bridgewater State University (BSU) and member of the BSU Student Chapter of the LSP Association, who will receive the WES Grant funds as a stipend for his research.
 
We look forward to learning more about their findings at a future LSPA membership meeting and in a subsequent newsletter article. Congratulations to Daniel and Mike!
 
How to Apply for a WES Grant
The WES Professional Practice Grant was established in honor of Wesley Simpson's longtime dedication and service to the LSPA. The purpose of the grant program is to advance the practice of rendering LSP Opinions and the professionalism of LSPs. 
 
Do you have an idea that you are interested in developing over the next six months or so that will produce a product contributing to the advancement of the state of the practice for the rendering LSP Opinions?
 
Do you want a little financial support to assist in assembling something that demonstrates the professionalism of LSPs participating in the MCP program?
 
The LSP Association is pleased to announce that up to $5,000 could be available to help complete your goal. Applications are accepted throughout the year on a rolling basis for the WES Grant. Program application information can be found on the LSPA website or by clicking here.
 
Here are some examples of topics discussed at various LSPA meetings that could benefit from more effort than is currently available at the LSPA board and committee level:
  • Update the LSPA's data base on the outcome of work completed in response to NOAFs by compiling data filed via BWSC Form 111.
  • Study and advise the LSPA on a scientific issue ("white paper") or a technical topic, for example coal ash, imminent hazard definition, telemetry.
  • Document the final resolution of waste disposal sites that were removed from the MCP process by filing a Downgradient Property Opinion.
  • Document the lines of evidence LSPs use to support the presence of Historic Fill and the removal of associated contamination from the risk characterization process.
All grant applications are evaluated by a three member WES Grant Review Committee. The committee then provides a recommendation to the LSPA Board of Directors, which votes on the awards.
 
Don't let those great ideas slip away - start the grant process by clicking here!
 
Please call 617.977.4304 or email [email protected] with any questions. 

WES Grant Applications Now Accepted on Rolling Basis

by: Kristi Lefebvre
Category: News
Tags
Jun
19
Do you have an idea that you are interested in developing over the next six months or so that will produce a product contributing to the advancement of the state of the practice for the rendering of LSP Opinions?
 
Do you want a little financial support to assist in assembling something that demonstrates the professionalism of LSPs participating in the MCP program?
 
The LSP Association is pleased to announce that up to $5000 could be available to help complete your goal. Applications are accepted throughout the year on a rolling basis for The WES Professional Practice Grant Program (WES Grant). Program application information can be found on the LSPA website or by clicking here.

Here are some examples of items discussed at various LSPA meetings that could benefit from more effort than is currently available at the LSPA board and committee level:
  • Update the LSPA's data base on the outcome of work completed in response to NOAFs by compiling data filed via BWSC Form 111.
  • Study and advise the LSPA on a scientific issue ("white paper") or a technical topic, for example coal ash, imminent hazard definition, telemetry.
  • Document the final resolution of waste disposal sites that were removed from the MCP process by filing a Downgradient Property Opinion.
  • Document the lines of evidence LSPs use to support the presence of Historic Fill and the removal of associated contamination from the risk characterization process
All grant applications are evaluated by a three member WES Grant Review Committee. The committee then provides a recommendation to the LSPA Board of Directors, which votes on the awards.

Don't let those great ideas slip away - start the grant process by clicking here!
 

LSPA Awards WES Professional Practice Grant to Haley & Aldrich Team

by: Kristi Lefebvre
Category: News
Tags
Jun
18

LSPA Awards WES Professional Practice Grant to Haley & Aldrich Team

The LSPA is pleased to announce that a WES Professional Practice Grant has been awarded to the Haley & Aldrich team of Richard Rago, Kristina McCarthy, and Jane Parkin Kullman for their  proposal entitled “Background Indoor Air Levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Air-Phase Petroleum Hydrocarbons (APH) in Office Buildings, Commercial Buildings, and Schools."  This is the first WES Grant awarded since its inception.