Past RISEP Meetings

Past RISEP Meetings

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RISEP's Luncheon with Bob Ballou -Friday, April 25, 2008.

The luncheon took place at the Airport Radisson in Warwick, RI from 12:00 to 2:00 pm. Bob Ballou, RI DEM's Assistant to the Director, provided an overview of legislative initiatives that RI DEM will pursue in 2008 and a summary of legislation enacted in 2007. Mr. Ballou made himself available to answer attendee’s legislative questions.

RISEP’s April Luncheon – Wednesday April 2nd, 2008; 12:00 to 2:00 pm

April’s RISEP luncheon featured panel members discussing their experience with designing LEED buildings. LEED is the acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The LEED Green Building Rating System encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria. For more information on LEED visit the U.S. Green Building Council LEED website click here.

RISEP’s February Luncheon – Tuesday February 5^th, 2008; 12:00 to 2:00pm

Alisa Richardson, P.E., from RI DEM’s Water Resources Office provided an overview of the Water Resources Office Guidance for Groundwater Withdrawals which applies to pump tests or withdrawals greater than 10,000 gallons/day. Click here to download RI DEM’s Pre-Application Guidance for those Seeking a Groundwater Withdrawal Permit for greater than 10,000 GPD.

She also provided us a very informative presentation entitled: “Water Withdrawals in Rhode Island - Changes to protect our Rivers, Streams and Wetlands”. Click here to view her presentation in Adobe .pdf format.

November Luncheon-Thursday, November 8th, 2007.

The speaker for our Fall Meeting was Terry Gray, Assistant Director for Air, Waste, and Compliance, RI DEM.

Terry provided an overview of the mission and initiatives of RI DEM’s Bureau of Environmental Protection. Topics included investigation and remediation of contaminated properties, proposed guidelines for Brownfield’s assessments, findings from RI’s Arsenic Commission, and RI’s Industrial Property Remediation and Reuse Act. Terry’s presentation “New Developments in Site Remediation-Legislative and Policy Changes in 2006-2007” is available in Adobe .pdf format by clicking here.

September Luncheon - Tuesday, September 25, 2007.

Our speaker was Michael P. Long, Senior Vice President of William Gallagher Associates. He provided an introduction to the roles of environmental insurance and commonly available types of environmental insurance products. Mr. Long’s career includes over 25 of experience in the areas of site cleanup, hazardous waste storage and disposal, environmental regulation and insurance. He received his B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and has a Masters Degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government, at Harvard University.

June Luncheon – Tuesday, June 5, 2007 – 12:00 pm

John Warner provided an overview of his current research in the green chemistry field. Green chemistry is the environmentally friendly design of chemical products and processes to reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances.

John Warner co-developed the 12 principles of green chemistry, which help to transition the concept of green chemistry into practice. The 12 principles of green chemistry can be found at http://www.greenchemistry.uml.edu/.

May Luncheon – Wednesday, May 2, 2007 – 12:00 pm

Tricia Jedele, Special Assistant Attorney General, RI Department of Attorney General, provided an overview of recent climate change related litigation including the State of Massachusetts vs. the EPA and The Association of International Automobile Manufacturers v. W. Michael Sullivan, in his official capacity as Director of DEM. To view her informative PowerPoint® presentation, click here.

March Luncheon – Tuesday, March 13, 2007 – 12:00 pm

Ames Colt, Chair of the Rhode Island Bays, Rivers, & Watersheds Coordination Team, provided an overview of the mission and 2007 initiatives of the Coordination Team. The Rhode Island Bays, Rivers, & Watersheds Coordination Team was created by the General Assembly as a permanent interagency commission and seeks to improve approaches to protecting RI's bays, rivers and watersheds, enhancing their ecological, economic, cultural and recreational values. To learn more about the Coordination Team visit their website at www.ci.uri.edu/RIBayTeam/default.html.

December Luncheon - December 6, 2006 - 12:00pm

Omay Elphick, deputy director of Peoples Power and Light, provided an overview of alternative energy in Rhode Island. He discussed the different techniques in Rhode Island to work with the utility company to buy back excess electricity from photovoltaic, hydropower, and wind energy production. Omay also discussed how Rhode Island will meet the established alternative energy goals.

May Luncheon - Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 12:00pm

The May luncheon was a joint luncheon with RI's American Institute of Chemical Engineer's (AIChE). The guest speaker was Steve Majkut, chief of RIDEM's Office of Air Resources. Mr Majkut discussed the changes to air resources regulations regarding distributed generation and combined heat and power as well as other pertinent topics in the Office of Air Resources.

March Luncheon - Wednesday, March 8, 2006 - 12:00pm

Michael McMahon, Executive Director of RI Economic Development Corporation (RIEDC), was the guest speaker at RISEP's March luncheon. Mr. McMahon discussed business opportunities for RISEP members, upcoming projects and the future plans of RIEDC.

Wednesday, December 7th at 12pm

Dwight Peavey from US EPA Region 1 was our guest speaker at the winter luncheon on December 7, 2005. Dwight Peavey discussed recent changes to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Program and Region I Emergency Planning & Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA) enforcement actions and planned upcoming enforcement initiatives.

Wednesday, May 4th at 12pm

Deborah French McCay from Applied Science Associates (ASA) discussed Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) and how it was applied for the North Cape Oil spill in 1996. The presentation was a very informative and detailed description of oil spill impacts and compensation for spilled oil.

Wednesday, October 19th at 12pm

Mike Sullivan, the new DEM director, presented the "hot" topics of RIDEM at the October Luncheon. Topics included the heath of Narragansett Bay, cess pool phase outs, expediting permitting, and making it publicly available the length of time to complete a permit by consultants via the world wide web.

Wednesday, March 9th at 12 pm


Rich Hittinger/RISEP with Tom Armstrong/RIDEM	Rich Enander/RIDEM with Dave Hazebrouck/RISEP

Ron Gaganon from RIDEM and Rich Enander discussed ERPs (environmental results programs) for Autobody shops, UST facilities and some proposed new ERPs.

Wednesday, November 10th at 12pm

Brenda Pope, RIAC Vice President, Environmental Management Systems, discussed "Implementation of Environmental Management Systems in China". Brenda's presentation and pictures were a great demonstration of why environmental management systems are much needed in China.

Tuesday, October 26th, 12pm

Greg Gardner from GEI gave a great presentation that explained issues of concern, investigation, characterization and remediation of MGP (Manufactured Gas Plant) sites.

Click here to view Greg's presentation (or right click on "click here" to download). Please note this presentation is confidential and cannot be copied without credit to GEI Consultants, Inc. For use of any information provided in the presentation please contact:

Gregory Gardner, LEP
GEI Consultants, Inc.
455 Winding Brook Drive
Glastonbury, CT 06033
phone: 860-368-5336
fax: 860-368-5300
e-mail: GGardner@geiconsultants.com

Information about MGS sites:
Manufactured gas plant was an industrial facility at which gas was produced from coal, oil and other feedstocks. The gas was stored, and then piped to the surrounding area, where it was used for lighting, cooking, and heating homes and businesses.
These sites often contain abandoned underground structures and pipes containing coal tar or other MGP residuals. Some of these waste materials (especially coal tars) may have migrated from existing/former structures and may be present in the subsurface. Impacts to surface water bodies and their sediments are also common since MGPs were typically located near a source of water.
It is not common to find MGP wastes exposed on the ground surface. Most of these plants have been closed for at least 50 years, and in some cases over 100 years. In many cases, subsequent redevelopment of the MGP sites has removed or covered wastes that were exposed at the surface. However, exposed wastes are sometimes found, and on some sites coal tars may migrate upwards to the ground surface from below.

Wednesday, May 12th 12pm

Fred Vincent, acting director of RIDEM, discussed priorities, directions, and challenges of RIDEM. The meeting took place at the Radisson Airport Hotel in Warwick.

For more photos click here.

Wednesday, March 10th 12pm

Current Detection & Prevention Methods were presented by Brian Blanchette, Ph.D., Laboratory manager of BAL laboratory. Moisture Sources and Indoor Air Quality Issues was presented by Matthew Montefusco from OASIS Environmental Contracting Services, Inc. The meeting was informative and well received for all who attended.

For more photos click here.

Wednesday, October 22, 2003 at 12:00 noon

Chris Deacutis from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management discussed issues associated with the Greenwich Bay fish and shellfish kill at the RISEP Luncheon on Wednesday, October 22nd.

DEM's report to Governor Carcieri on the Greenwich Bay fish kill has been released. A copy in pdf format is on the on-line resources page of the Partnership for Narragansett Bay web site.

Click here to open the PNB site. The URL for the PNB site is:
http://www.ci.uri.edu/projects/pnb

Click here to open the report. The direct link to the report is:
http://www.ci.uri.edu/projects/pnb/Documents/Greenwich-Bay-Fish-Kill-Report-to-Governor.pdf

Wednesday, May 21, 2003 at 12:00 noon

The RISEP Luncheon was on Wednesday May 21st at noon. Jan Reitsma, Director of R.I. Department of Environmental Management discussed:

RI LSP Issues;
Proposed Changes to UST Regulations; and
Other Proposed Regulatory Changes

Click here for more pictures

Thursday, March 27, 2003 12:00 noon

The RISEP Luncheon was at noon at the Radisson Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island. Don Grant the Spill and SPCC (Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure) Enforcement Coordinator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Region 1. Mr. Grant discussed the SPCC and FRP new rules. Click here for more information on these new rules, as presented by Mr. Grant.

Right click here and select "Save As" or "Copy To" to download the PowerPoint presentation.

Wednesday, December 18, 2002 12:00 noon

The RISEP Luncheon was at noon at the Radisson Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island. Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse, John Torgan from Save the Bay, and Tom Powers from Brayton Point were there for a panel discussion on the Brayton Point Power Plant in Somerset, Massachusetts.

Wednesday, November 6, 2002 12:00 noon

RISEP Luncheon was rescheduled for November 6th, noon at the Radisson Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island. Barbara Morin from Department of Environmental Management was speaking about air toxic regulations.

Wednesday, May 22, 2002

RISEP Luncheon Meeting, 12-2 pm, Airport Radisson, Warwick. Annual luncheon meeting and Brownfields Update. Terrance Gray, P.E., RIDEM Assistant Director for Air, Waste and Compliance, and Robin Main, Partner, Holland & Knight LLP discussed State and Federal Brownfield Legislation - Groundbreaking changes in brownfields.

Wednesday, March 20, 2002

RISEP Luncheon Meeting, 12-2 pm, Airport Radisson, Warwick. Tom Brueckner, Chief Engineer, Narragansett Bay Commission, will provide an update on design and construction of the Combined Sewer Overflow project and the impact this will have on water quality in Narragansett Bay.

Tuesday, February 12, 2002

RISEP Board Meeting, 5:00 pm, Edwards and Kelcey, 95 Cedar Street, Providence.

Monday, October 1, 2001

Edward G. O'donnell, project manager US Army Corps of Engineers New England district topic: Providence River Dredge Project Findings Of The Final EIS also, an update on The Rhode Island Corporation Wetlands Restoration Partnership (RI-CWRP) given by Richard Kleiman of Environmental Science Services, Inc.

The Providence River Dredge EIS Executive Summary is on the COE website (full document should be posted by week's end hopefully) www.nae.usace.army.mil, click on Projects and follow the links to Providence River.

To get on the Providence River Dredge EIS mailing list, contact Ed O'Donnell by e-mail at: Edward.G.O'Donnell@nae02.usace.army.mil or call 978-318-8375 or call Kirk Bargerhuff at 978-318-8029.

If you request the FEIS, Ed asks that you please be specific about what, if any appendices you would like. In total it's about 1 foot thick with all the appendices. Ed says that the less that's needed, the less trouble it is to mail, and the less space is taken up on your desk! The close of comments on the FEIS is October 1. You will be notified of any review meetings during the review period if you request to be on the mailing list.