Thursday, October 29, 2009

ASTM E 2600 Vaper Intrusion Screen Under HUD

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Multifamily Housing has adopted Tier 1 vapor intrusion (VI) screens (the first of four tiers) under ASTM E 2600 as a mandatory component of Phase I environmental site assessments conducted under the agency's MAP (Multifamily Accelerated Processing) Guide. MAP is the procedure used by hundreds of MAP-approved lenders and HUD field offices throughout the country to process loan applications for Federal Housing Administration multifamily mortgage insurance.

Under the revised policy, a HUD Phase I ESA must include an initial vapor intrusion screen to determine if there is a potential for vapors to occur in the subsurface below existing and/or proposed on-site structures from those hazardous substances, petroleum and petroleum products that consist of VOCs, SVOCs and inorganic volatile compounds.

HUD is one of two Federal lending agencies that that prescribe additional mandatory requirements to a Phase I ESA. The Small Business Administration also has additional environmental review requirements for participation in its lending programs.

SBA Environmental Review / RSRA / Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Requirements

Caltha LLP assists prospective Buyers and their Lenders in meeting Due Diligence, Environmental Site Assessment and Environmental Review requirements. To request a quote on-line, go to Caltha Environmental Assessment Quote Web Page.

Caltha LLP provides expert environmental consultant services in California to obtain environmental permits, evaluate regulatory requirements, and to develop cost effective compliance programs.

For further information contact Caltha LLP at
info@calthacompany.com
or
Caltha LLP Website



Sunday, October 11, 2009

SPCC Tier I Facility Plans in California

Spill Prevention, Control & Countermeasure – SPCC Rule Compliance 40 CFR 112
SPCC Plans and State Spill Control and Spill Reporting Requirements


Caltha LLP provides technical support to facilities nationwide to comply with US EPA Spill Prevention, Control & Countermeasure (SPCC) Rules (40 CFR 112) and State-specific spill prevention, spill preparedness and spill reporting requirements. Caltha provides SPCC Plan services in a number of flexible formats, ranging from turn-key services where we provide a complete SPCC Plan, to ad hoc technical guidance to facility or corporate staff as they prepare Plans and compliance programs. Caltha also provides technical support in developing and implementing SPCC Inspection programs, and in developing and presenting annual SPCC Training.

Caltha specializes in assisting smaller to medium sized facilities that qualify for self certification of their SPCC Plan and/or qualify to use the SPCC Template Plan format.
The SPCC Rule (40 CFR 112) now allows SPCC Plans to be self-certified (no PE certification required) by facilities, if they meet a certain conditions. Some facilities, “Tier I Facilities”, can also use a streamlined SPCC Plan format, the SPCC Template Plan. For Tier I Qualifying facilities, the facility must also certify that it meets all the requirements necessary to use the SPCC Template Plan format. All "self-certified" SPCC Plans, including those using the SPCC Template Plan format, will still need to be signed by a responsible person on behalf of the facility.

Caltha LLP provides expert environmental consultant services in California to obtain environmental permits, evaluate regulatory requirements, and to develop cost effective compliance programs.

For further information contact Caltha LLP at
info@calthacompany.com
or
Caltha LLP Website



Thursday, October 8, 2009

Airport Deicing Discharge - Proposed Rules

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed regulations requiring airports to collect at least some of the deicing fluid after it is used on aircrafts with a goal of cutting chemical discharge by 22%. The regulations would require six of the 14 major U.S. airports that are the biggest users of deicing fluid to install deicing pads or other collection systems to capture 60% of fluid sprayed and to install deicing pads or other collection systems. Some of the targeted airports include:

  • New York's John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports,
  • Chicago's O'Hare,
  • Boston Logan International,
  • Cleveland-Hopkins International, and
  • New Jersey's Newark Liberty International

It would then be the airports' responsibility to ensure that the collected fluid was treated and handled in accordance with requirements. Some 200 smaller facilities around the US would have to collect 20 percent of the fluid by using technologies such as a glycol recovery vehicle, while airports with fewer than 1,000 yearly jet departures would not be impacted.

For more information on water quality services, go to:

Water Quality Standards - Water Discharge Permit - Aquatic Toxicology Services


Caltha LLP provides expert environmental consultant services in California to obtain environmental permits, evaluate regulatory requirements, and to develop cost effective compliance programs.

For further information contact Caltha LLP at
info@calthacompany.com
or
Caltha LLP Website



State SWPPP Templates and State Stormwater Training

Caltha LLP provides technical support to facilities nationwide to comply with US EPA and State stormwater discharge permit requirements.

Caltha specializes in industrial site permitting and compliance. We have experience with a broad range of industrial sectors.

SWPPP Plans & State-specific SWPPP Templates
Caltha LLP maintains a library of SWPPP Templates developed to meet the requirements of individual States. Separate stormwater plan templates are provided to Industrial, Municipal (MS4) and Construction stormwater dischargers.

Using a SWPPP Template, the level of effort required to complete a stormwater pollution prevention plan meeting State permit requirements is significantly reduced. The quality, ease-of-use, and effectiveness of the plan are also enhanced.

For more information on SWPPP Templates for individuals States, including California, go to:

SWPPP Templates - State SWPPP Requirements

Caltha LLP provides expert environmental consultant services in California to obtain environmental permits, evaluate regulatory requirements, and to develop cost effective compliance programs.

For further information contact Caltha LLP at
info@calthacompany.com
or
Caltha LLP Website