March 2018 - All about Cross-Connection and Backflow Prevention

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March 2018 - All about Cross-Connection and Backflow Prevention

As Americans, we have come to expect that our drinking water supply will be safe and reliable, and with a few notable exceptions such as the situation in Flint, Michigan, this is a reasonable expectation. Federal, state, and local governments have invested billions of dollars to ensure that water delivered to our homes and workplaces is safe to consume. However, routine systems, equipment, and activities have the potential to contaminate water supplies and water systems. By understanding and implementing cross-connection protection practices, we can help to minimize the risk of contamination to our potable water supplies.

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October 2017 - Proven Strategies for Expediting National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Reviews

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October 2017 - Proven Strategies for Expediting National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Reviews

Several administrations have made attempts to "streamline" the NEPA process, and in January of this year President Trump issued Executive Order (EO) 13766 Environmental Reviews and Approvals for High Priority Infrastructure Projects, followed in June by EO 13807 Establishing Discipline and Accountability in the Environmental Review and Permitting Process for Infrastructure Projects. The goal of these efforts is to reduce the overall timeline for environmental reviews, with an emphasis on optimizing efficiency, interagency coordination, and reducing unnecessary burdens. In response to the President's Executive Orders, in September 2017, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued an "initial list of actions" it will take to enhance and modernize the federal environmental review process, which includes development of a framework for implementation of "One Federal Decision," new guidance for implementing NEPA, and a review of existing CEQ implementing regulations to identify needed changes and clarifications. However, the implementation of these new Executive Orders and related changes to review processes, guidance, and potential regulatory changes will ironically take some time.  

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October 2017 - PHE Receives Award for Outstanding Environnmental Analysis

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PHE was selected by the San Diego Chapter of the Association of Environmental Professionals at their annual Awards Gala in the category of “Outstanding Environmental Analysis Document – Environmental Assessment” for our work on the Final Environmental Assessment for Recommissioning of Three Military Training Routes in Southern California and Modification of Three Military Training Routes in Southern Arizona. PHE completed this project for the Department of the Navy in January 2017, analyzing environmental impacts to resources across 12 counties in Arizona and California.

April 2017 - EPCRA 101: Tips for Successfully Navigating EPCRA Reporting Requirements

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The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) requires most federal and industrial/commercial facilities to report information related to their use of hazardous materials.  For federal facilities, Executive Order (EO) 12856, Federal Compliance with Right-To-Know Laws and Pollution Prevention Requirements, first established EPCRA reporting requirements, which were later emphasized in EO 13693, Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade.

This article reviews EPCRA reporting requirements, summarizes some of the hazardous materials that are commonly reported and those that are sometimes overlooked, and provides tips and insights to help facilities remain in compliance.

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March 2017 - PHE staff go all in at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms as part of Waste Characterization Study

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March 2017 - PHE staff go all in at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms as part of Waste Characterization Study

PHE's Julia Norris and Paul DiPaolo demonstrate their dedication as part of a study to quantify the amount of recyclable materials in MCAGCC's waste streams in support of efforts to reduce landfilled waste and evaluate a Materials Recovery and Recycling Facility.

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JANUARY 2017 - PHE PULSE: 10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT UPDATES TO HAZARDOUS WASTE REGULATIONS

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On November 28, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published its final Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Rule in the Federal Register. The new rule makes over 60 changes to the existing Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) generator regulations. Although some of the changes are minor or simple clarifications, many are significant and potentially applicable to every industry that generates hazardous waste. The new rule reorganizes the regulations to make them more user-friendly, clarifies many ambiguities and contradictions, and addresses previously documented gaps in the regulations.

Here are ten things that you should know about the new rule prior to it taking effect.

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NOVEMBER 2016 – PHE AWARDED 5-YEAR BLANKET PURCHASE AGREEMENT FOR NEPA SUPPORT TO DOE, NNSA, and FERC!

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Potomac-Hudson Engineering, Inc. (PHE) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a 5-year Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), including the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).  This BPA, valued at a maximum of $91M, is for the preparation of environmental impact statements (EISs), environmental assessments (EAs), and related documents to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).  This BPA may also may be used to procure other environmental support services including floodplain and wetland assessments; Clean Water Act permitting; cultural resources surveys and consultation; biological resources surveys, assessments and consultation; incorporating NEPA considerations into Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) documents; and preparing environmental reports required for NRC license application reviews.

This marks PHE’s third consecutive award of this contract, building upon over 10 years of successful support to DOE programs on a nationwide basis.  PHE has been DOE’s most successful small business provider under previous contract awards, and has led NEPA studies supporting may of DOE’s most challenging initiatives. PHE will be supported on this BPA by its teaming partners S.S. Papadopulos & Associates (SSP&A) and Trinity Engineering Associates (TEA), both of whom have proven records supporting DOE on complex environmental and human health studies.

OCTOBER 2016 - Gryphon | PHE | ECATS Joint Venture Awarded 5-Years Regional Environmental Acquisition Tool (REAT) Contract!

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PHE is pleased to announce that the Gryphon | PHE | ECATS Joint Venture has been awarded a five-year Regional Environmental Acquisition Tool (REAT) Indefinite Delivery-Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Contract for Environmental Consulting Services (ECS).  Under the contract Gryphon I PHE I ECATS will provide support to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), South Atlantic Division (SAD) for various Department of Defense (DoD) and Interagency and International Services (IIS) customers and programs, for support and advice on multimedia environmental and occupational health and safety-related services, as well as full environmental compliance services.