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Commonwealth List of COVID-19 Essential Services

by: LSP Association
Category: News
Mar
24
Today, Governor Charlie Baker issued an emergency order requiring all businesses and organizations that do not provide "COVID-19 Essential Services" to close their physical workplaces and facilities to workers, customers and the public as of Tuesday, March 24th at noon until Tuesday, April 7th at noon. These businesses are encouraged to continue operations remotely.
 
The Baker-Polito Administration issued a list of designated businesses and other organizations that provide essential services and workforces related to COVID-19 that shall continue to operate brick and mortar facilities during this two-week time period.
 
The seventh bullet under "Public Works" refers to "Licensed site clean-up professionals and other workers addressing hazardous spills, waste sites, and remediation."  
 
The LSPA applauds the Governor for recognizing the role that LSPs and related professionals have in safeguarding health, safety, public welfare, and the environment.  We trust that individual companies will implement this responsibility with the safety and well being of their employees, stakeholders, and the general public in mind.
 
LSPs and others working in the field should be prepared to answer questions about how their work relates to the Governor's COVID-19 Essential Services.
 
Donations of PPE
The LSPA suggests that environmental consulting firms consider reaching out to their local first responders and hospitals to inquire if they are accepting donations of personal protective equipment. All reports indicate that additional supplies are needed to meet the needs for testing and treating patients.
 
We will be in touch.
Be safe,
Michele Paul, LSP
LSPA President

LSP Licenses Extended per Governor's Order

by: LSP Association
Category: News
Tags
Mar
19
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

COVID-19 Update: LSPA Holding Virtual Events

by: Kristi Lefebvre
Category: News
Mar
11
Due to the fast changing COVID-19 situation and Governor Baker's State of Emergency declaration, the LSPA is postponing or holding all events virtually or by conference call until further notice. This includes the March 19 member meeting, committee meetings, and upcoming courses.
 
We appreciate your patience as we take some time to manage the logistics of offering meetings and courses virtually. We will be in communication when we have specifics to share regarding rescheduling. This information will also be posted on the LSPA website blog, courses page, and meetings & events page, as appropriate.
 
As noted in our earlier email, the LSPA will provide refunds to any event for which you have registered in which you do not participate.
 
The LSPA Board and staff are continuing to assess the situation and following these resources:
 
Massachusetts Department of Public Health: 
 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
 
World Health Organization:

We will be in touch.
Be well.
Michele Paul, LSP
LSPA President

COVID-19 Information

by: Kristi Lefebvre
Category: News
Tags
Mar
10
Dear Friends:

The LSPA Board and staff are staying abreast of updates from the CDC, MEMA, and the MA Governor's Office regarding COVID-19, the Coronavirus. We realize the situation is quickly changing and will inform our membership as soon as possible should the LSPA decide to postpone or cancel any plans or events.

We encourage every individual to make the best decision for themselves about whether or not to attend an event. Should you decide to not attend an event for which you have already paid and registered, please contact us at [email protected] and we will provide you with a full refund.

See the Situational Awareness Statement #1 here from MEMA, March 7,2020, along with this poster. Read a Press Release here from the Governor's Office, March 4, 2020.

The LSPA received an email from MA Energy and Environment Secretary Theoharides on Friday, March 6th which we have copied below. She wrote that:

Although Massachusetts remains low risk, state officials continue to coordinate with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and implement CDC guidance. To provide you with updated information, I wanted to forward a press release issued earlier this week by the Administration. In it, you will find information about ongoing efforts as well as resources for additional information on COVID-19.
  
Additionally, going forward you will be receiving updates directly from the Administration regarding continued efforts and updated information.
 
As a reminder, people are advised to take many of the same steps they do to help prevent colds and the flu, including:
  • Wash hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
  • Avoid touching your eyes and face.
  • Clean things that are frequently touched (like doorknobs and countertops) with household cleaning spray or wipes.
  • Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or the inside of your elbow.
  • Stay home when feeling sick.
  • Stay informed.
  • Get a flu shot.
We will be in touch.
Be well.
Michele Paul, LSP
LSPA President

LSPA Comments on Proposed PFAS Revisions to MassDEP's Drinking Water Regulations

by: Kristi Lefebvre
Category: News
Mar
02
On Friday, February 28, 2020, the LSPA submitted a comment letter to MassDEP's Drinking Water Program on proposed revisions to 310 CMR 22.00, Drinking Water Regulations, pertaining to PFAS.
 
Read our letter here.  Read the proposed PFAS Drinking Water regulations and related MassDEP information here.
Many thanks to the LSPA Regulations Committee who spearheaded this effort.
 
The LSPA will be monitoring the practice in the coming year to see how these and the MCP PFAS regulations are implemented.
 

LSPA Unveils February 2020 Compliance Tip

by: Kristi Lefebvre
Category: News
Feb
13

The LSPA presented the following compliance tip at the February 2020 Membership Meeting at the DoubleTree Hotel in Westborough, MA on February 12, 2020.  

COMPLIANCE TIP OF THE MONTH

Read More

LSPA Scholarship Fund Now Accepting Scholarship Applications

by: Kristi Lefebvre
Category: News
Feb
11
The LSP Association Scholarship Fund is now accepting applications for educational scholarships for the 2020-2021 academic year. The scholarship program supports continued education within environmental fields of study at colleges and universities throughout New England. Deadline for submission is Friday, April 24, 2020.
 
The goal is to provide two scholarships, each up to an amount of $5,000, to qualified individuals. 
 
One of the scholarships, established in 2007, honors the outstanding contributions to the profession of LSPA past president Jeffrey M. Hardin, and is awarded to an individual who is part of the LSP community. The applicant for this scholarship must be an LSPA member or an immediate family member of an LSPA member and enrolled in a degree program at an accredited New England college or university. 
 
The applicant for the other scholarship does not have to be an LSPA member or in the immediate family of an LSPA member but must be a qualified Massachusetts resident who is enrolled in a Massachusetts college or university with a major in environmental studies.
 
Please visit www.lspa.org for application information. Deadline for submission is Friday, April 24, 2020.  

MassDEP Updated Its CAM Protocol for Method for Determination of EPH

by: Kristi Lefebvre
Category: News
Jan
27

The LSPA received the following email from MassDEP on Thursday, January 23, 2020. 

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has updated its Method for the Determination of Extractable Petroleum Hydrocarbons (EPH) and the corresponding CAM protocol, WSC-CAM-IVB, Quality Control Requirements and Performance Standards for the Analysis of Extractable Petroleum Hydrocarbons (EPH) in Support of Response Actions under the Massachusetts Contingency Plan.  The updates include revised holding times when samples are frozen, clarifications on the peak integration process during calibration, and a series of other minor revisions and clarifications.  A complete list of the updates is provided in the preface of the revised method.  The revised method may be found here. 

Read More

LSPA Unviels January 2020 Compliance Tip

by: Kristi Lefebvre
Category: News
Jan
17

The LSPA presented the following compliance tip at the January 2020 Membership Meeting at the DoubleTree Hotel in Andover, MA on January 16, 2020.  

COMPLIANCE TIP OF THE MONTH

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Representative Robert DeLeo Awarded River Hero Award

by: Kristi Lefebvre
Category: News
Tags
Dec
06


Earlier this week, LSPA Executive Director Wendy Rundle, attended the Annual Dinner Meeting of the Massachusetts Rivers Alliance where Representative Robert DeLeo, MA Speaker of the House was presented with a River Hero award.  Also attending from the LSPA were Susan Chapnick, former LSPA Board member and President of New Environmental Horizons; Dot McGlincy, LSP and Executive Director of MA Association of Conservation Commissions (MACC); and Joel Mooney, LSP and Sr. VP Haley & Aldrich, an LSPA Platinum Partner.


Speaker DeLeo, and Wendy Rundle, right after she mentioned the LSPA's S.594 to require insurance for remediation of residential home heating oil releases.


LSPA Launches November 2019 Compliance Tip

by: Kristi Lefebvre
Category: News
Tags
Nov
21

The LSPA presented the following compliance tip at the November 2019 Membership Meeting at the DoubleTree Hotel in Westborough, MA on November 21, 2019.  

COMPLIANCE TIP OF THE MONTH

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Introduction to Drilling Techniques with Technical Drilling Services

by: Kristi Lefebvre
Category: News
Tags
Nov
21

Last night, LSPA’s Emerging Professionals Committee hosted Introduction to Drilling Techniques with Technical Drilling Services (TDS). At the sold-out event at their headquarters in Sterling, TDS demonstrated various drilling and monitoring well installation methods.  Environmental consultants along with students from Bridgewater State University (BSU) learned about basic drilling/sampling techniques (including continuous and discrete soil cores) and groundwater monitoring well installations on a 15-foot monitoring well.  

Here are a few photos from the event (photo credit to Michael Penzo).

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MassDEP’s Natural Resource Damages Program at Work

by: Kristi Lefebvre
Category: News
Tags
Nov
18

In anticipation of the LSPA’s November 21, 2019 member meeting on MassDEP’s Natural Resource Damages (NRD) Program, the LSPA highlights one such project:  the completion of the Mystic Riverfront Restoration project on the shores of the Mystic River in Arlington, MA at a location directly impacted by a 2013 spill of nearly 10,000 gallons of diesel fuel.

To compensate for the harm to the Mystic River from the spill, MassDEP settled a claim for Natural Resource Damages. These funds support work that began in 2017 and involved MassDEP, DCR, the Town of Arlington's Conservation Commission and DPW.

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LSPA 26th Annual Dinner Wrap-Up

by: Kristi Lefebvre
Category: News
Tags
Oct
29

The LSP Association’s Board of Directors hosted over 300 attendees at this year’s Annual Dinner at Mechanics Hall in Worcester. It was a wonderful night and great to see so many LSPA members, clients, and friends. Click here to see the photograph album from the evening.

In addition to a performance by the Harvard-Radcliffe Veritones, the LSPA presented its Contribution to the Practice Awards. The following recipients were honored for their outstanding efforts: 

Read More

Should Insurance Protect Homeowners From Financially Devastating Heating Oil Spills?

by: Kristi Lefebvre
Category: News
Tags
Oct
23
Many thanks to Ryan Kath of NBCBoston for another installment, which aired last night, on LSPA efforts to require insurers to cover the costs of remediating home heating oil spills and leaks.

The LSPA Legislative Committee is appreciative of Senator Anne Gobi's sponsorship of S. 594. 

LSPA Scholarship Fund Annual Silent Auction

by: Kristi Lefebvre
Category: News
Oct
10
Greetings LSPA Members and Friends; 
 
As you know the LSPA Annual Dinner is coming up on Thursday, October 17th and along with it, the annual silent auction for the LSPA Fund Scholarship. The Fund is in need of auction items - large or small. Examples of past donations include food baskets, beer, wine, sporting events, timeshares, sports memorabilia, trips, gift certificates, etc.  
 
Here is your chance to get your name out there on behalf of the LSPA Scholarship Fund! All donated items (tax deductible, mind you), will be displayed at the Annual Dinner on tables around the banquet hall for all to view along with a note of sponsorship. Please help the LSPA Scholarship Fund raise additional funds for education!
 
To pledge donations, please contact Lisa Malmgren by Tuesday, October 15.  Thank you in advance for your continued support!


LSPA Launches September 2019 Compliance Tip

by: Kristi Lefebvre
Category: News
Sep
19

The LSPA presented the following compliance tip at the September 2019 Membership Meeting at the Newton Marriott in Newton, MA on September 18, 2019.  

COMPLIANCE TIP OF THE MONTH 

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2019-2020 LSPA Membership Meeting Dates

by: Kristi Lefebvre
Category: News
Tags
Aug
09
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

by: Kristi Lefebvre
Category: News
Jul
31

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!

by: Kristi Lefebvre
Category: News
Jul
25

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.     


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