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2019-2020 LSPA Membership Meeting Dates

August 09, 2019 - POSTED BY Kristi Lefebvre POSTED IN Blog

Mark your calendars! The LSPA Membership Meeting dates and locations for 2019-2020 have been announced. The LSP Association's membership meetings take place monthly from September through June in the Greater Boston area. See below or 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,"Environmental Law: Part 1," is being held on September 26, 2019. 

Meeting Date & Location  Topic & Speaker
Wednesday, September 18, 2019 
Boston Marriott Newton, Newton
Liz Callahan and Paul Locke, MassDEP
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Hilton Garden Inn, Springfield		 Environmental Law: Part 1
Jeanine Grachuk, Beveridge & Diamond
1.0 non-DEP Regulatory Credit
Course #1626A
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Mechanics Hall, Worcester 		 Annual Dinner
October 2019
Hilton Garden Inn, Springfield
Environmental Law: Part 2

Michelle O'Brien, Pierce Atwood LLP
 1.0 non-DEP Regulatory Credit
Course #1626B
Thursday, November 21, 2019 
Doubletree Hotel, Westborough		 Topic for Credit
 November 2019
Hilton Garden Inn, Springfield		  Environmental Law: Part 3

 1.0 non-DEP Regulatory Credit
Course #1626C
 December 2019
Downtown Boston Area		  Co-Sponsor the EBC Winter Garden Party 
 Thursday, January 16, 2020
Doubletree Hotel, Andover		   Topic for Credit
Michael Marley, XDD Environmental
 Wednesday, February 12, 2020
Doubletree Hotel, Westborough

 Theory and Applications of ISCO Injectate Selection and
In Situ Remediation Using Activated Carbon Based Injectates

 
Speakers from ISOTEC and AST Environmental
1.5 Technical Credits 
Course #1677
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Holiday Inn, Mansfield 		  Topic for Credit
Tuesday, April 14, 2020 
Crowne Plaza, Woburn		  Topic for Credit
 Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Doubletree Hotel, Westborough		  Topic for Credit
Thursday, June 18, 2020
Holiday Inn, Taunton 		  Topic for Credit and LSPA Scholarship Presentation
You'll notice that we've added some new locations this year -in Andover, Mansfield and Woburn, MA. The changes were based upon feedback collected in an LSPA member survey. While we can't accommodate every request received, we are listening and doing our best to adjust accordingly. Any ideas for meeting topics or locations, please let us know! You can email [email protected].
  
LSPA committee meeting dates have also been finalized for the upcoming year. Now is the perfect time to get involved, connect with a committee chair or sit in on an upcoming meeting. With eight LSPA Committees, there is something for everyone. We welcome your interest and support at any level! Click here to learn more.    
 
Annual corporate packages will be announced shortly. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please email Kristi Lefebvre at [email protected] and we'll make sure you receive the information as soon as its published.


LSPA Announces FY 20 Board Officers and Welcomes New Board Member

July 31, 2019 - POSTED BY Kristi Lefebvre POSTED IN Blog

LSPA Announces FY 20 Board Officers and
Welcomes New Board Member

The LSP Association (LSPA) recently announced leadership changes to the Board of Directors as well as the election of a new Board member. These changes went into effect on July 1, 2019.

The LSPA welcomes new Board member:
  • Joseph Roman, LSP, Senior Project Manager and Human Health Risk Assessor, GEI Consultants, Woburn, MA.
Two Board members were elected for a second term:
Officers for this fiscal year are:

  • Michele Paul, LSP, Director of Environmental Stewardship for the City of New Bedford, MA, has been appointed as LSPA President.
  • Matthew Young, Senior Project Manager with Cumberland Farms in Westborough, MA, will continue to serve as Treasurer of the LSPA.
  • Lauren Konetzny, LSP, Senior Project Manager at Cooperstown Environmental in Andover, MA, will continue serving on the Board of Directors as Clerk.
  • Marilyn Wade, LSP and Managing Engineer with Brown and Caldwell in Andover, MA, will serve as Past President of the LSPA; her terms as President were 2017-2018 (FY 18) and 2018-2019 (FY 19).
See the full list of LSPA Board members here.
There are also several new committee chairs/co-chairs. Please click here to view the complete list of LSPA Committee Chairs.

A big thanks to everyone who volunteers their time and energy; it's what makes the LSPA run!

Past President Marilyn Wade (l) passes the
gavel to Michele Paul (r), current President. 
Do you have a great story to tell? Join LSPA's Story Slam!

July 25, 2019 - POSTED BY Kristi Lefebvre POSTED IN Blog

Do You Have a Great Story to Tell? 

Join Our 2nd Annual STORY SLAM

 
We had so much fun at last year's Story Slam that we're doing it again. See the highlight reel here.    
                                                                                
This year, the LSPA will host a fun, casual event in late September for storytellers and others and then from there, two storytellers will be tapped to tell their stories at the Annual Dinner on October 17.  So, dig into your professional history for stories to tell; they can be funny, surprising, touching, insightful, enlightening, weird, or sentimental. AND they must be true.  
 
Sharing stories, particularly oral storytelling, is a time-honored tradition dating back to ancient civilizations and cultures.  At the LSPA, we are proud of our community's history and culture so, let's tell each other some stories! 
 
During the STORY SLAM, each storyteller will tell their story in front of a live audience. The stories will be short, no more than 5 minutes and centered around this theme:
 
Thrills & Spills in Waste Site Cleanup 
The LSPA will host a fun, casual event in late September and then from there, two storytellers will be nominated to tell their stories at the Annual Dinner on October 17.  Two coveted Story Slam Trophies will be presented.  

Janet Connolly, LSP, ARCADIS, 
Winner of 2018 LSPA Story Slam

If you want to share your story, please let Kristi or Wendy know by August 20, 2019. Don't hesitate to contact Wendy with any questions or ideas.
 
And you can check out clips from last year's STORY SLAM on LSPA's YouTube Channel.     


Don't Assume Your Insurance Will Cover A Home Heating Oil Spill

July 23, 2019 - POSTED BY Kristi Lefebvre POSTED IN Blog

Ryan Kath and NBC 10 have aired a 3rd installment in their series on residential heating oil spills, and this time it's a bit of good news for one Massachusetts homeowner.  MassDEP has stepped in to assist with sampling and assessment at a property previously highlighted.

This story continues to drive home the point that in order to be protected from serious financial impacts, homeowners who use oil heat must proactively contact their insurance broker to request coverage.  Most homeowners assume they are covered, when in fact most are not.

Watch the story here.    

The LSP Association (LSPA) is sponsoring legislation to address this problem.  Senate bill 594 would require insurance companies to automatically provide this coverage.  Read more here and here to learn how the LSPA's legislation will close a loophole.

For more information contact Wendy Rundle, LSPA Executive Director, [email protected].


LSPA Submits Comments to MassDEP on 2019 Proposed MCP Amendments

July 22, 2019 - POSTED BY Kristi Lefebvre POSTED IN Blog


On Friday, July 19, 2019, at the end of MassDEP's public comment period, the LSPA submitted our comments on the 2019 Proposed MCP Amendments. Our cover letter summarized three key topics of concern: PFAS, Risk Characterization, and Transition Provisions. A separate document included 15 pages of comments.  

As usual, the LSPA process started with a call to members to submit their comments to the LSPA Regulations Committee.  Then committee co-chairs Joe Roman (GEI) and Dan LaFrance (Fuss & O'Neill) assembled a team of "champions" to review, develop, and vet comments.  Many thanks and kudos to that group for an awesome job pulling together a solid draft set of comments.

These comments were reviewed by the LSPA Board and finally by Michele Paul (City of New Bedford), the LSPA's new President. 

We encourage you to share any additional thoughts and comments with the LSPA at [email protected].  


LSPA Scholarship Fund Awards Scholarships for 2019-2020 Academic Year

June 26, 2019 - POSTED BY Kristi Lefebvre POSTED IN Blog

For the past 16 years, the LSPA Scholarship Fund has been awarding educational scholarships to individuals pursuing degrees in the fields of science, environmental engineering, or other majors that are consistent with the goal of becoming a Licensed Site Professional. At LSPA’s June 11th Membership Meeting in Taunton, MA, the LSPA Scholarship Fund awarded three individual scholarships. 

Veronica Gonsalez received the $5,000 Jeff Hardin Memorial Award, which is presented to an LSPA  member or member of their immediate family, who exemplifies the goal of environmental excellence. For those who remember Jeff, you know he strove for environmental excellence. Veronica is well-deserving of this scholarship.

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LSPA's June 2019 Compliance Tip

June 12, 2019 - POSTED BY Kristi Lefebvre POSTED IN Blog

The LSPA presented the following compliance tip at the June Membership Meeting at the Hilton Hotel in Woburn, MA on June 13, 2019.  

COMPLIANCE TIP OF THE MONTH 

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LSPA Election Results and Board Changes

June 12, 2019 - POSTED BY Kristi Lefebvre POSTED IN Blog

The LSPA Board is pleased to announce that three candidates have been elected to the LSPA Board of Directors for 2019 - 2022:
  •  Patrick Corcoran, LSP, Senior Project Manager, ATC Group Services. Mr. Corcoran will begin his second 3-year term on July 1, 2019. 
  •  Joseph Roman, LSP, Senior Project Manager and Human Health Risk Assessor, GEI Consultants, Inc. Mr. Roman will begin his first 3-year term on July 1, 2019. 
  • Matthew Young, Senior Project Manager, Environmental, Cumberland Farms. Mr. Young will begin his second 3-year term on July 1, 2019. 
At the end of June 2019, LSPA Past President Mike Penzo's Board term will come to an end. Mike is an LSP at Penzo Consulting and faculty at two area universities. We thank him for his contributions as a Board member, President, and Past President. We are confident that his legacy work supporting students and encouraging their involvement in the LSPA will not end with his Board term. 


LSPA Welcomes Secretary Theoharides

June 07, 2019 - POSTED BY Kristi Lefebvre POSTED IN Blog

The LSPA leadership is planning a meeting with Kathleen Theoharides, the Commonwealth's new Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs.  See Governor Baker's recent announcement here.   

Read the LSPA's letter of congratulations here.

The LSPA's President Elect Michele Paul, LSP, Director of Resilience and Environmental Stewardship for the City of New Bedford, has worked with the new Secretary on climate change and resiliency issues as part of the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program.  Prior to her appointment, her Twitter handle was @ClimateKatie.
 
The LSPA looks forward to working with Secretary Theoharides in the year ahead, especially as climate change becomes more of a consideration at MCP sites.

LSP Exam Prep & Overview

May 29, 2019 - POSTED BY Kristi Lefebvre POSTED IN Blog

Would it surprise you to know that at least 50 emerging professionals are considering or actively planning to take the LSP Exam in the next few years?  That’s how many people attended the LSPA’s event last week hosted by the LSPA's Emerging Professionals Committee.

It was a curious and focused group who attentively listened while three new LSPs shared their experiences:

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Exposure Point Concentrations and You: Calculating 95% UCLs and Employing ProUCL to compute them for use as EPCs

May 28, 2019 - POSTED BY Kristi Lefebvre POSTED IN Blog

Hardly the title for a stellar course, right?  WRONG!

These two smiling, smart people received rave reviews from course participants:

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Nancy M. White and Iris Davis Memorial Golf Tournament

May 21, 2019 - POSTED BY Kristi Lefebvre POSTED IN Blog

Nancy M. White and Iris Davis Memorial Golf Tournament

When: Friday, June 7, 2019
Time: 7:00 AM Registration; 8:00 AM Shotgun Start
Location: Far Corner Golf Course, 5 Barker Road, Boxford, MA - Directions

This event is being held in memory of our dear friends Nancy and Iris on June 7, 2019 at Far Comer Golf Course in Boxford, MA. Registration begins at 7:00 AM, with tee-off at 8:00 AM.



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May 2019 LSPA Compliance Tip

May 16, 2019 - POSTED BY Kristi Lefebvre POSTED IN Blog

The LSPA presented the following compliance tip at the May Membership Meeting at the DoubleTree in Westborough, MA on May 16, 2019.  

COMPLIANCE TIP OF THE MONTH 

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Coming Soon - LSPA Ballot for 2019 Board Election

May 10, 2019 - POSTED BY Kristi Lefebvre POSTED IN Blog

Voting will open on Friday, May 17, 2019 for the 2019-2020 LSP Association (LSPA) Board of Directors election. Board positions will take effect July 1, 2019. 
 
Ballots will be sent by email to all LSPA members, both Full and Associate. We encourage all members to vote.
 
The LSPA's 9-member Board of Directors is composed of LSPA members who combine experience in environmental work with a passion for supporting and promoting the LSP practice. Current LSPA Board members are shown here.
 
There are three open seats on the Board for this election; the term length is from FY '19 through FY '22. Provided below are the four candidates on this year's ballot. Please click on each candidate's name to read more about him.
The LSPA Board nominated three candidates for the ballot. 
 
The LSPA Bylaws allow for a candidate who obtains a written petition, signed by at least 10 Full and/or Associate LSPA members in good standing, and submitted 30 days in advance of the election, to be placed on the ballot for election.  

The LSPA Bylaws state "Of the nine members on the Board, up to two Director positions may be filled by Associate members."  The two current Board members who are Associate (non-LSP) LSPA members are Jeanine Grachuk and Matthew Young.  

To view all the candidates' statements of interest, photos, and responses to LSPA Board questions, click here.
  
New Board members will be announced at the LSPA monthly membership meeting on Thursday, June 13, 2019 at the Hilton Hotel in Woburn, MA, from 6:00 - 8:00 PM.
Please note that voting will close on June 7, 2019, at 5 PM.
 
If you have questions or comments, please contact Wendy Rundle, LSPA Executive Director at [email protected] or 617-484-4027.
 
Thank you,
 
Marilyn Wade, LSP
LSP Association President
LSPA Requests Comments by May 31st on the Proposed MCP Revisions

April 29, 2019 - POSTED BY Kristi Lefebvre POSTED IN Blog

MassDEP has recently released the 2019 Proposed MCP Revisions. The revisions are available here on the MassDEP website.  
 
The LSPA Regulations Committee is assembling the LSPA's comments on the proposed revisions and would like your input. We have prepared a template to track comments and aid in consolidating feedback from the regulated community.  MassDEP has also suggested providing alternative language if it helps provide context for a comment, so please do so if applicable. Please use the template posted under Technical Resources.     
 
MassDEP will also be holding five public meetings associated with the MCP Public Comment period in May 2019. The list of public meetings is available here.

Please send your comments, suggestions, and revisions to the LSPA Regulations Committee 2019 MCP Revisions email address [email protected] by Friday, May 31, 2019. 
 
We cannot guarantee that your comments will be included in the LSPA document so, as always, we urge you to also submit your comments directly to MassDEP.
 
The LSPA will provide comments to MassDEP by the July 19, 2019 deadline.  


April Compliance Tip

April 22, 2019 - POSTED BY Kristi Lefebvre POSTED IN Blog

The LSPA presented the following compliance tip at the April Membership Meeting at the Holiday Inn in Taunton, MA on April 23, 2019.  

COMPLIANCE TIP OF THE MONTH 

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Proposed MCP Revisions Available

April 19, 2019 - POSTED BY Kristi Lefebvre POSTED IN Blog

The proposed revisions to the Massachusetts Contingency Plan (310 CMR 40.0000) are now available on MassDEP's website at: https://www.mass.gov/lists/2019-proposed-mcp-revisions and a Public Hearing Notice has been published in the Massachusetts Register. This will kick-off an extended 3-month long public comment period that will end July 19, 2019, and will include five public hearings at MassDEP Offices across the state and additional meetings as needed/requested.
 
The purpose of the proposed revisions is to update and clarify existing provisions for the notification, assessment and cleanup of oil and/or hazardous material contamination in the environment to ensure that actions are performed in a timely manner, are appropriately monitored and documented, and achieve of a level of No Significant Risk that is protective of public health and the environment.
 
The proposals include, but are not limited to:
  • Clarification and modification of provisions related to notification, Imminent Hazards, Tier Classification and Extensions, Remedial Additives, Status Reports, Remedial Monitoring Reports, Temporary Solutions, Active Exposure Pathway Mitigation Measures, Exposure Point Concentrations, Activity and Use Limitations, and public involvement;
  • New adequately regulated provisions for disposal sites with Radioactive Materials;
  • Updates to Reportable Concentrations (RCs) and numerical cleanup standards (Method 1) for a limited number of chemicals; and
  • The addition of RCs and Method 1 standards for six perfluoroalkyl substances-Perfluoroheptanoic Acid (PFHpA), Perfluorohexanesulfonic Acid (PFHxS), Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS), Perfluorononanoic Acid (PFNA) and Perfluorodecanoic Acid (PFDA)-emerging contaminants of concern for exposure in drinking water.
Questions about the public comment process, the meetings/hearing and/or the proposals may be emailed to [email protected].
 
The LSPA's Regulations Committee will spearhead the LSPA's response to the public comment period; we will send an email to LSPA members with details and deadlines early next week.


LSPA PFAS Task Force

April 19, 2019 - POSTED BY Kristi Lefebvre POSTED IN Blog

The LSPA Board realizes the need for an LSPA PFAS Task Force to cover the ever-changing and consuming topic of PFAS, and are in the process of setting out goals and a charter.  We would like to gauge interest and ask for volunteers now so that we can start to get organized. This sense of urgency stems in part from the formation of a MassDEP PFAS stakeholder group, and the fact that this group already had their first meeting.
 
Information on the MassDEP PFAS stakeholder group can be found here. 
 
The LSPA should have been on the invite list since we submitted a letter at the "PFAS Petition" hearing.  We have been in touch with the Drinking Water Program, Bureau of Water Resources who tells us the next stakeholder group meeting will be the week of June 17 - no definite date yet.
 
Attending these stakeholder meetings (which are open to the public) will be an initial key task for the group.
 
Please contact Wendy Rundle at [email protected] if you would like to join the LSPA Task Force. 
 
Costly Heating Oil Spill Cleanups Devastate Homeowners: Proposed Law Needed

March 26, 2019 - POSTED BY Kristi Lefebvre POSTED IN Blog

Ryan Kath and the team at NBC10 Boston have put together a news segment that illustrates the serious challenges – financial, emotional, and physical - of home heating oil spills, especially for those whose homeowners insurance policies exclude oil cleanup costs.  As Massachusetts Senator Anne Gobi (D-Spencer) stated, “Everything is wrong with this scenario.”

Many homeowners do not have the financial means to pay for costly cleanups. The backing of homeowners insurance companies is critical to make cleanups financially viable and to assure that home heating oil spills are timely and properly addressed for the protection of the public and the environment.

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March Membership Meeting Recap

March 21, 2019 - POSTED BY Kristi Lefebvre POSTED IN Blog

Thank you to all who attended last night's membership meeting in Westborough. We had a full house of 200 eager LSPs and other environmental professionals, and lots of networking. Liz Callahan and Nancy Bettinger of MassDEP presented an impressive review of the key topics in the 2019 "Proposed MCP Amendments." The presentation slides have been posted in the Member Materials section of the LSPA website and video will be added shortly.

Once the draft regulations are published, the LSPA Regulations Committee will be reaching out to LSPA members to solicit comments.  We expect a very busy few months of assembling and vetting comments.  Stay tuned for more information as it develops.

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