September 2007 - PUBLIC EDITION

• National Overview Course . . . well sort of
• Committee News
  • Membership: NMSHMM By-Laws E-Mail Vote Results
  • Government Affairs and Local News Stories
• Field Trip to Advent Solar
• Upcoming Meetings and Events
• Monthly Meeting Location
• Job Openings
• NMSHMM Officers and Committee Chairs

National Overview Course . . . well sort of
Richie Spangler, CHMM
Sandia National Laboratories

Brian Pence and I attended the Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers (ACHMM) National Conference held in Washington D.C. last month as representatives from the NMSHMM Board of Directors. In addition, there were several other attendees from New Mexico, including NMSHMM members Chris Cutler, Vern Hershberger, and Larry Watson. This was the second largest attendance with 712 attendees, more than 50 exhibitors, 8 technical sessions, 2 panel discussions, and 3 keynote speakers. There was a well-received HazMat Drill and there is a new report on what happened at that drill located on-line at http://video.nbc4.com/player/?id=143185.

In addition to the learning opportunities, the conference provided a backdrop to recognize many Certified Hazardous Materials Managers (CHMMs) from across the country for their accomplishments in a variety of categories. One major award recipient has a New Mexico/NMSHMM connection: Allison King, former ACHMM president came to speak at a NMSHMM meeting in Santa Fe two years ago and she was the recipient of the Pete Cook Founder's Award.

The conference ended with the ACHMM National Board Meeting, where one of the interesting things communicated was the new title for the venerable National Overview Course. You may have received an e-mail announcing the new course title "Essentials of Hazardous Materials Management." This is part of an effort to take the course out to an audience beyond those who are planning on taking the CHMM test. Speaking of the test, many of you may have heard that the Institute of Hazardous Materials Managers (IHMM) has established a new computer based testing (CBT) process for taking the CHMM examination. The test is now available the last two weeks of every odd numbered month at a local testing center. For Albuquerque, the testing center is CompUSA located at 4610 Cutler NE. This will allow more flexibility in taking the CHMM examination for those who wish to become CHMMs.

There is good news, the on and off Advent Solar field trip is officially on again with Mike Sanders having arranged for 15 NMSHMM members to attend at tour at 1:00 PM on September 28, 2007. Please see the accompanying article in this issue for further details. A big thanks goes out to Mike for making this happen!

Next month is the NMSHMM Essentials of Hazardous Materials Management course being given at University of New Mexico from October 10 through 12. There is still space available to take the course and the next CHMM examination in at the end of November, so attendees will have some time to decide whether they are ready for the test or not. Please pass the word around to people you know. Speaking of October, next month we will be having our monthly meeting in Santa Fe to have an opportunity to make it more convenient for our northern New Mexico members to participate in a NMSHMM meeting. The meeting is currently scheduled to take place for dinner on October 17, 2007.

I want to take a moment to apologize to all of the members for the tardiness of this newsletter and last month's newsletter. I have not been completing my president's message on time and have been trying the patience of Eric Johnson who gives so much of his time to put together the newsletter each month. I want to include a personal thank you to Eric for his work to keep the newsletters flowing for the benefit of the entire membership.

Finally, September brings the New Mexico State Fair to Albuquerque. This year's fair goes through Sunday, September 23. My first visit to the New Mexico State fair was in 1984 (nope that is not a typo). and I have made at least one visit every year since then. I hope everyone has the opportunity to go and visit the exhibits, competitions, and concerts available at the fair and maybe I will run into you there . . . with a (pick your favorite) green chile corn dog/roasted corn/cotton candy/smoked turkey leg/Navajo Taco/Asbury Café Pie (a la mode or not - your choice) in your hand.

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Committee News

Membership
Debbie Finfrock, PE, CHMM
Membership Committee Chair

NMSHMM By-Laws E-Mail Vote Results
Due to the recent success of the NMSHMM Bylaws e-mail vote (22 replies out of 50 members), we will hold the next NMSHMM Officer Election by e-mail. For those concerned about the "paper trail" for the votes, we keep copies of all the e-mail replies. We think this is the best way for busy people to express their intentions for the organization without being bogged down by paper ballots and postage.

We still need to have your latest mailing address in order to send you the hard copy newsletters, so please be sure to send me your new business or home address when they change. If you notice incorrect information on our membership database, please send the corrections to .

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Government Affairs and Local News Stories
Compiled by Barry Birch, CHMM, and Eric Johnson, AICP, CHMM

• The Executive Director of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality will renew Asarco's current five-year air permit for the Asarco facility in El Paso despite local opposition. Jim Kelly, a member of the Get the Lead Out Coalition, responded, " The Impact from Asarco is serious. It is real. It is in our soil, in our water, in the air we breathe." ( El Paso Times, 7-29-07) In a related story, Asarco began removal of lead and arsenic contaminated soils in several properties in Anapra, New Mexico. The properties were contaminated by mill operations from the Asarco copper smelter in El Paso, which closed in 1999. In this $200,000 project paid by Asarco out of money owed to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), up to two feet of contaminated soil will be removed from yards and replaced with clean soils and landscaping. (NMED Press Release, 8-16-07; El Paso Times, 8-17-07)
   
• The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) ordered Giant Industries Inc. and San Juan Refining Company to investigated and clean up contamination at the Bloomfield Refinery. In violation of the New Mexico Hazardous Waste Act, the refinery allowed diesel fuel, gasoline, crude oil, and other contaminants to leak from storage tanks, pipes, and other areas into the soil, surface water, and groundwater according to NMED. (Associated Press, 7-31-07)
   
• The Northern New Mexico Citizens Advisory Board, a Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) environmental advisory board chartered by the Department of Energy (DOE), has 10 openings for board members. Interested individuals should call the board at 505-989-1662 or visit their web site at www.nnmcab.org. (Santa Fe New Mexican, 7-31-07)
   
• Governor Bill Richardson petitioned the Nuclear Regulator Commission (NRC) to reconsider the use of a "general environmental impact statement" for proposed uranium recovery operations including in-situ leach recovery facilities and conventional mills to be located in western United States. The Governor requested that the NRC issue and allow public review of individual Environmental impact Statements for proposed uranium mines and mills in New Mexico on a case-by-case base. (Governor's office press release, 8-1-07)
   
• Saint Vincent Regional Medical Center, of Santa Fe, illegally dumped medical waste in the Caja del Rio Landfill and could be subject to a fine exceeding $100,000. Blood-soaked medial waste including syringes, bloody tubing, and gauze was found at the landfill. Later in the month, the Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency found a blood-tainted latex glove and a thumb-sized, blood-tainted piece of gauze in a waste load destined for the landfill. In response, the medical center contacted Stericycle, a medical waste firm, and had the load transported to Albuquerque. The medical center is reviewing its procedures and options for infectious waste. (Santa Fe New Mexican, 8-2-07, 8-10-07, 8-15-07)
   
• On August 3^rd, NMED Secretary Ron Curry ordered DOE to remove a container from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) that was prohibited under WIPP's state permit. The container, which had liquids, was sent from the Idaho National Laboratory in July. DOE removed the container from WIPP in August. The drum would not harm human health or the environment, but liquids are prohibited under WIPP's state permit. (NMED Press Release, 8-3-07, 8-17-07; Albuquerque Journal 8-7-07, 8-15-07)
   
• The debate continued regarding the proposed biomass plant near Estancia. The plant would provide an alternative energy source, and Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) had signed a 20-year contract to buy electric power from the 35-megawatt plant. The New Mexico Coalition for Clean and Affordable Energy and Forest Guardians oppose the project because of air quality impacts and lack of an adequate plan to protect forests. NMED Secretary had denied the air quality permit, but in Environmental Improvement Board hearings, efforts were moving forward to develop an agreement between Forest Guardians, NMED and the project proponent, Western Water and Power Production LLC. (Albuquerque Journal, 8-5-07, 8-18-07 )
   
• Twelve families in Peñasco will receive cleaner drinking water as a result of a NMED Petroleum Storage tank Bureau project to replace a water line. Drinking water had been contaminated by a leaking petroleum storage tanks from the A-1 Auto gas station along NM 75. (NMED Press Release, 8-14-07; Albuquerque Journal 8-15-07)
   
• The Department of Interior considered giving a 30-day extension of the 60-day public review of the 1600-page draft environmental impact statement for the proposed Desert Rock coal-fired power plant on the Navajo Nation in northwestern New Mexico. Mike Eisenfeld, of the San Juan Citizens Alliance, said, "Merely providing 60 days for the public to review a two-volume, 1600-page technical document is absurd." U.S. representative John Salazar, of Colorado, said, "The possible impacts of the proposed plant to our air, water, and health needs to be fully understood." George Hardeen, a Navajo Nation spokesman for President Joe Shirley noted, "President Shirley still sees this as the keystone for reviving the Navajo Nation economy." (Albuquerque Tribune, 8-18-07; Associated Press, 8-17-07)
   
• WIPP is considering the disposal of 2600 cubic meters of non-defense waste from commercial sources such as decommissioned nuclear power plants, food irradiation, medical procedures, and industry research and development. Such waste is designated as Greater Than Class C or GTCC waste. DOE representatives presented this proposal at a public meeting at the Carlsbad Pecos River Village Conference Center. (Carlsbad Current Argus, 8-14-07)
   
• New Mexico Department of Game and Fish is releasing rotenone into waters in the Valle Vidal region of the Carson National Forest in an effort to remove non-native fish and provide room for the Rio Grande cutthroat trout. The goal of the project is to remove non-native rainbow trout, brown trout, and other fish from 150 miles of streams, 25 lakes, and Costilla Reservoir in northern New Mexico. (Santa Fe New Mexican, 8-15-07)
   
• Chamisa Hills Golf and County Club, in Rio Rancho, intends to appeal NMED permit conditions for its ponds. NMED set stringent conditions for water quality, soil, and vegetation monitoring in order to prevent outbreaks of avian botulism, which has killed wild birds at the ponds in recent years. (Albuquerque Journal, 8-19-07)

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Field Trip to Advent Solar
Mike Sanders, CHMM
Secretary

A field trip to the Advent Solar, Inc. facility in Albuquerque has been scheduled for Friday, September 28, 2007.  Advent Solar is a manufacturer of advanced technology solar cells and modules. The company was founded in 2002 and began operations in 2003.

We will meet with safety engineer and tour leader Steve Gunther at the Advent Solar facility headquarters at 1:00 pm. We expect the field trip will take no more then 2 hours to complete the tour, so we should be done by 3:00 pm.  Advent is part of a new, exciting, and innovative industry in the Albuquerque area, and this will be an opportunity to observe their manufacturing and waste minimization and management processes.  The trip is limited to NMSHMM members only, with a maximum of only 15 people, first come, first serve.  In order to sign up for the trip please send an email by Thursday, September 20 to .   Directions to the facility will be e-mailed to participants within about a week of the tour.

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Upcoming Meetings & Events

September 4, 11:30 am, New Mexico Chapter of the Air and Waste Management Association (AWMA) monthly meeting at Furr's Family Dining (6100 Central Avenue SE, southwest of San Pedro) in Albuquerque.

September 18, 5:30 pm, NMSHMM Board Meeting at CDM offices, 6000 Uptown Blvd. NE, Suite 200. All members are welcome.

September 19, 11:30 am, NMSHMM Luncheon/General Meeting at Uptown Sports Bar and Grill, 6601 Uptown Boulevard NE, Albuquerque. Steve Jetter, NMED, and Intera will present the North Railroad Avenue Plume Remediation - Project Update.

September 20, 11:30 am, New Mexico Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) monthly technical meeting at Furr's Family Dining (6100 Central Avenue SE, southwest of San Pedro) in Albuquerque.

September 28, 1:00 pm, Advent Solar Field Trip. Please RSVP to Mike Sanders at  by September 20.

October 3, 11:30 am, New Mexico Chapter of the Air and Waste Management Association (AWMA) monthly meeting at Furr's Family Dining (6100 Central Avenue SE, southwest of San Pedro) in Albuquerque.

October 10, 11, and 12, NMSHMM's Essentials of Hazardous Materials Management (National Overview Course) for the CHMM Exam, University of New Mexico, Science and Technology Park Rotunda, 801 University Boulevard SE, Albuquerque.

October 16, 5:30 pm, NMSHMM Board Meeting at CDM offices, 6000 Uptown Blvd. NE, Suite 200. All members are welcome.

October 17, 6:00 pm, NMSHMM Dinner in Santa Fe. Jackie Burton, of Sundance Environmental, will discuss the 3-D Modeling of groundwater Systems for the Gila River Project in Arizona. This software has been used by EPA Region 9 (this project), U.S. Navy, and U.S. Department of Agriculture to help visualize contaminant migration. Location to be announced.

October 18, 11:30 am, New Mexico Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) monthly technical meeting at Furr's Family Dining (6100 Central Avenue SE, southwest of San Pedro) in Albuquerque.

November 6, 11:30 am, New Mexico Chapter of the Air and Waste Management Association (AWMA) monthly meeting at Furr's Family Dining (6100 Central Avenue SE, southwest of San Pedro) in Albuquerque.

November 13, 5:30 pm, NMSHMM Board Meeting at CDM offices, 6000 Uptown Blvd. NE, Suite 200. All members are welcome.

November 14, 11:30 am, NMSHMM Luncheon/General Meeting at Uptown Sports Bar and Grill, 6601 Uptown Boulevard NE, Albuquerque. Speaker to be announced.

November 15, 11:30 am, New Mexico Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) monthly technical meeting at Furr's Family Dining (6100 Central Avenue SE, southwest of San Pedro) in Albuquerque.

December 4, 11:30 am, New Mexico Chapter of the Air and Waste Management Association (AWMA) monthly meeting at Furr's Family Dining (6100 Central Avenue SE, southwest of San Pedro) in Albuquerque.

December 18, 5:30 pm, NMSHMM board meeting at CDM offices, 6000 Uptown Blvd. NE, Suite 200. All members are welcome.

December, 6:00 pm, Annual Christmas Social. Date and location to be announced.

December 20, 11:30 am, New Mexico Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) monthly technical meeting at Furr's Family Dining (6100 Central Avenue SE, southwest of San Pedro) in Albuquerque.

Did we miss something? To get your event added to the calendar please contact Eric Johnson at .

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Monthly Meeting Location

Our regular monthly meetings are held at Uptown Sports Bar and Grill (6601 Uptown Boulevard Northeast; click here for a map). Meetings are held the third Wednesday of the month (unless replaced by a special event as announced via this newsletter) from 11:30 am until 1:00 pm. If you have any ideas for speakers or field trips, please contact a NMSHMM board member.

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Job Openings

For the latest job openings, please click here.  (MEMBERS ONLY)

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Please send contributions for future newsletters to Eric Johnson at . Thanks!

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