scs

July 2, 2021

Environmental Engineers at SCS Engineers

If you thrive in a friendly, collaborative, and client-focused company, SCS Engineers is the place for you. We’re looking for field technicians to work collaboratively on our Field Services teams nationwide. Use our job search to find your desired location. Specific information is posted for each open position.

Under general supervision, our technicians operate, monitor, and maintain gas migration control and recovery systems, including gas well monitoring and adjustment, troubleshooting, and system repairs. Be part of a team working for the good of our clients, communities, and the environment.

 

Open Positions at SCS Engineers

 

Become one of the engineers, consultants, scientists, and technicians that help private and public entities run cleaner and more efficiently, build stronger communities, and develop renewable energy solutions. A very rewarding place to have a career!

 

 

Posted by Diane Samuels at 6:00 am

July 1, 2021

nsps
Register for SCS Engineers’ free webinar on July 15, at 1:30 pm EASTERN TIME.

 

The EPA’s published clarifications, technical revisions, and new rule versions for the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) and New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for MSW landfills may feel like alphabet soup right now.

SCS Engineers’ upcoming webinar and open Q/A forum on July 15, 2021, at 1:30 Eastern is free and could help keep you informed and on track for compliance by September 27, 2021.

neshap regulations
Our panelists will advise on the essential key information, deadlines, and changes to field operations to address during the transition from the old to the new NESHAP and NSPS rules.

• Surface emissions monitoring;
• Wellhead monitoring and corrective action requirements;
• Delegation of authority to the state, local, or tribal agencies for emission standards;
• Applicability of the General Provisions under 40 CFR 63, Subpart A to affected landfills;
• Monitoring data for control devices during startup, shutdown, and malfunctions (SSM);
• Gas collection and control system installation;
• Compliance timing and reporting;
• Open question and answer throughout the webinar.

 

REGISTER for Compliance During the NSPS/EG and NESHAP Transition Period

 

 

 

 

Posted by Diane Samuels at 10:38 am

July 1, 2021

landfill data app
SCS WDT ensures data integrity by collecting flare readings directly into a mobile device and SCSeTools.

 

The most recent update expands SCS WDT™ to enable Yokogawa data uploaded to SCSeTools using wireless data transfer to the document gallery. The data is filed in the Flow Data WDT folder for each site and is easily available as raw data for air monitoring reports and other uses.

Technicians onsite insert the flare’s data card into a dongle attached to a mobile phone. The application automatically downloads the data to SCS DataServices, a secure web-based LFG management application. The phone’s GPS locates the flare and places the data into the appropriate landfill site. The data is available immediately, literally in seconds, for review and analysis. This app saves on average 5 labor hours per site per flare by removing extra steps in the process. Several landfills report even higher labor time savings.

Landfill technicians can choose to download data from a range of dates or all of the data. Managers can see exactly where the readings originate when taken and immediately see exceedances. This MobileTools app’s interface gives clients access to information that drives critical operating decisions and provides historic data for corporate directives and landfill gas OM&M programs. Quick access to raw data is valuable for air monitoring and modeling commonly conducted for EPA’s criteria pollutants and NMOCs.

 

Download the app and learn more at SCS MobileTools®.

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by Diane Samuels at 6:00 am

June 30, 2021

brownfields remediation
Brownfields remediation helps all communities across the nation.

 

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 was signed into law on March 11, 2021. It provides funds to address health outcome disparities from pollution and the COVID–19 pandemic.

EPA is assisting under-resourced communities by quickly getting out ARP funding to leverage important programs that improve air quality, drinking water, revitalization of brownfields, diesel emissions from buses in low-income communities and communities of color. In addition, the agency is awarding its first competitive grants focusing directly on the unequal impacts the COVID-19 pandemic has had on communities of color, low-income communities, and other vulnerable populations.

Projects include training, developing citizen-science tools, pollution monitoring, and educational campaigns to enable EJ advocates such as SCS Engineers, scientists, and decision-makers to address pollution and create thriving communities.

Funding currently being distributed totals approximately $2.8 million for 14 EJ-focused projects, with more to be announced soon throughout the country. In addition to the Baltimore City grant, today’s announcement includes funding for the following projects in underserved communities:

  • City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin – for outreach and education through a Healthy People, Homes, and Neighborhood campaign.
  • City of Fort Collins, Colorado – for a housing intervention program targeting indoor air quality.
  • South Coast Air Quality Management District, California – to establish an Air Quality Academy to provide resources and training to improve environmental literacy and air quality data.
  • Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, California – for a community health worker pilot program on asthma awareness.
  • Public Health-Seattle & King County, Washington – for community health worker training on healthy homes and home assessments.
  • Tohono O’odham Tribal Nation, Arizona – for developing local plans to address air quality issues.
  • Virginia Department of Environmental Quality – for developing and implementing an EJ training academy and EJ map-based tool.
  • Alabama Department of Environmental Management – for public education on air pollution and disinfectants.
  • City of Houston, Texas – to launch the Houston Inspires/Houston Inspira public education campaign to engage with communities about clean air and COVID-19 creatively.
  • City of Madison, WI – to implement Intervene Against COVID-19, a public education, training, and emergency planning program.
  • City of Hartford Department of Health and Human Services, Connecticut – to implement a new strategy to increase outreach on asthma and environmental hazards.
  • City of San Pablo, CA – to deploy an afterschool internship program for disadvantaged high school students to raise awareness and mitigate the impacts of COVID-19.
  • Massachusetts Department of Health – to support the Asthma Prevention and Control Program, which seeks to improve asthma outcomes in multiple underserved communities.

 

EPA also announced for the first time how the agency would distribute the $50 million in ARP funds.

A breakdown is provided below:

  • $16,650,000 will be used to fund EJ grants. This includes State EJ Cooperative Agreement awards (SEJCA), EJ collaborative problem-solving (EJCPS), and EJ small grants (EJSG). Tribes and territories are eligible for each of these programs, and the application requests have closed for this fiscal year. This funding also helps with capacity building, training and assessments, the Puerto Rico drinking water systems capacity assessment, and a new Appalachia Initiative for Revitalization. It will provide technical assistance and environmental youth STEM training in overburdened communities.
  • $7,000,000 will fund a tailored use of the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) rebate program to address priority EJ issues for reducing diesel pollution. This DERA rebate program will fund electric school buses using screening criteria with the goal of reaching fleets in underserved communities with multiple air quality and health challenges.
  • $5,130,000 will be used to expand civil and criminal enforcement to include monitoring near low-income communities and drinking water sources for pollution, including air toxics and hazardous metals. It also supports EJ analyses related to oil and gas production and refining and support for environmental crime victim outreach.
  • $5,000,000 will help communities tackle the challenge of assessing, cleaning up and preparing brownfield sites for redevelopment. This educational video helps you understand how funding may be used.
  • $4,850,000 will go to children’s health issues and fund the Children’s Healthy Learning Environments Grant and Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs). PEHSUs build capacity in vulnerable communities to reduce children’s environmental exposures in child-occupied settings and address children’s COVID-19 environmental health risks.
  • $4,700,000 will be used for drinking water and compliance monitoring in rural and tribal areas. This supports small and underserved public water systems and wastewater treatment facilities through in-person technical assistance, including a circuit rider program, and supports integrating EJ into EPA permit writing.
  • $2,150,000 will support the agency’s community-driven solutions to collaboratively build community capacity to address air and water issues in underserved communities. Specialized technical assistance will help align school reopening investments with clean air and neighborhood cooling shelter needs and promote equitable resilience and revitalization.
  • $1,600,000 will support the Tribal General Assistance Program. This program supports efforts by tribes to engage their community members on priority EJ water and air quality issues. Tribes and indigenous organizations will also be eligible for all the above support mechanisms.
  • $720,000 will be used to enhance the development of EJSCREEN, the EJ analysis tool, and support related resources.
  • $700,000 is allocated for a climate protection program to advance data analytics work in the Office of Air and Radiation to identify cumulative burdens, improve equity outcomes for vulnerable communities, and advance regulatory analytics and policy modeling to incorporate environmental justice considerations better.
  • $500,000 will support new methods of outreach and support for those performing analysis and outreach related to critical EJ issues in the oil and gas sector.
  • $1,000,000 will be used for administrative costs under the 2% reserved in the law for this purpose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by Diane Samuels at 6:00 am

June 29, 2021

PFAS Fate and Transport in WTE Facilities
SWANA Applied Research Foundation Study Results, PFAS FATE AND TRANSPORT IN WASTE-TO-ENERGY FACILITIES

 

The findings of the studies reviewed in this report are encouraging concerning the ability of today’s U.S. WTE facilities to effectively treat solid waste that contains PFAS and not emit detectable levels of PFOA in the process. For the formation of PICs, the pilot-scale investigation conducted at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology is encouraging in its findings that the combustion of PTFE did not create any of the 31 types of PFAS suspected of being potential PICs produced during the combustion process.

In conclusion, based on this research, SWANA is cautiously optimistic regarding the role of WTE facilities in the destruction of PFAS in MSW. The thermal destruction of PFAS in high-temperature combustion systems such as WTE facilities may represent one of the few commercially proven options available to society to destroy these problematic, forever chemicals.

The full report, PFAS Fate and Transport in Waste-to-Energy Facilities, is currently only available to SWANA ARF subscribers. SWANA members receive free access to ARF industry reports one year after publication; the abstract is available online and worth reading.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by Diane Samuels at 6:00 am

June 28, 2021

ccr update registration

SCS periodically prepares Technical Bulletins to highlight items of interest to our clients and friends.  We publish these on our website.

Our most recent Bulletin summarizes and updates the TCEQ’S New Rules Implementing Compliance and Registration Requirements for Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) Management. In addition, this Bulletin covers TCEQ’s development of a program for implementing the Federal rules governing CCR facilities in Texas. While TCEQ’s CCR program needs to be at least as protective as the federal CCR rules, there are important distinctions in Chapter 352.

 

CCR facilities will be required to submit a detailed application in 2021 to obtain a TCEQ registration. 

 

SCS’ Texas-based professionals are experts on TCEQ’s new program for registering coal combustion residue (CCR) sites. We are currently working to support multiple sites needing to meet the December application deadline. Our engineers and geologists know how to use site-specific design and related technical documents to complete TCEQ’s detailed application for a registration consistent with TCEQ’s new regulatory program.

For additional information on the updated regulations, deadlines, and compliance requirements, contact:

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by Diane Samuels at 6:00 am

June 25, 2021

Now hiring entry-level field technicians

 

If you thrive in a friendly, collaborative, and client-focused company, SCS Engineers is the place for you. We’re looking for field technicians to work collaboratively on our Field Services teams nationwide. Specific information is posted for each open position. Use our job search to find your desired location.

Under general supervision, our technicians operate, monitor, and maintain gas migration control and recovery systems, including gas well monitoring and adjustment, troubleshooting, and system repairs.

 

Open Positions at SCS Engineers

 

Become one of the engineers, consultants, scientists, and technicians that help private and public entities run cleaner and more efficiently. A very rewarding place to have a career!

 

 

 

 

Posted by Diane Samuels at 6:00 am

June 24, 2021

Cystic Fibrosis Fundraiser

 

Staff, family, and friends of SCS Engineers Miami and Boca Raton offices braved the intermittent scorching heat and torrential downpours to reign supreme at the 8th Annual Kick CF Celebrity Kickball Tournament in Palmetto Bay, Florida. After three previous showings that fell short, SCS Ballbarians Team Captain Troy Schick shared that “the timing of the win was a perfect way to safely reconnect as an office after 14 months of remote working. We were able to focus on having fun, which was our key to success!”

Highlights included a strong defensive performance by Marc “The Pride of Buffalo” Lefebvre and dazzling base running by Troy Schick who made the highlight reel by stealing second base on UM gridiron standout and 14-year NFL veteran wide receiver Santana Moss.

Emily Vasquez organized the event with support from Claudia Pineda and Natasha Wylie. The team and cheering section included Aidan Gallagher, Dustin Philipp, Evan Darpini, Tim Tedesco, Marc Lefebvre, Daniel Dietch, Daniella Dobrowolski, Anabel Rodriguez-Garcia, Thiago Vega, Emily Vasquez, Claudia Pineda, Natasha Wylie, Rebecca Wylie, and our ringers, Miguel Ponce, Elan Bustamante, Alex Saavedra, Eric Saavedra, and Rick Sanders and Judah Dietch.

SCS Engineers was proud to sponsor the event to benefit the Cure Cystic Fibrosis Miami, a local family foundation, to raise awareness and funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to fulfill its mission to cure cystic fibrosis and to provide all people with the disease the opportunity to lead full, productive lives by funding research and drug development, promoting individualized treatment, and ensuring access to high quality, specialized care.

 

The 8th Annual Kick CF Celebrity Kickball Tournament in Palmetto Bay raised more than $50,000!

 

 

 

 

Posted by Diane Samuels at 6:00 am

June 23, 2021

california ab 32

 

California’s AB 32 legislation has proven to be one of the most successful legislation in the U.S. regarding statewide efforts to reduce GHG emissions. This has been started with the implementation of the early action measures stated in the Scoping Plan, which included early regulations to reduce GHG emissions in many different industry sectors, and then moved to the establishment of the MRP and C&T programs, which have created incentives for facilities to reduce their GHG emissions. The nine early action measures have been documented to reduce California’s GHG emissions with an estimated reduction of 13.16 percent from 1990 emissions in the year 201813. As a result of these programs’ implementations, California has met its goal to reach 1990 emissions levels by 2020 and had done so by 2016, four years before its proposed target year.

With the continued implementation of new programs at the state, local, and federal level, growing economic incentives to reduce emissions, and drive that led to the success of the emissions reduction goals of AB32, California is on a very promising path to achieving its latest goals to combat climate change.

 

Opportunities to Learn More

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by Diane Samuels at 10:35 am

June 23, 2021

quality consulting engineers
A portion of the SCS Tracer Environmental team at a RETA conference. Close teamwork and quality are essential.

 

The purpose of SCS’s internal Quality Management System (QMS) is to provide our clients quality solutions ethically. With that goal in mind, SCS Tracer Environmental (a specialty practice at SCS Engineers) has developed numerous internal systems to provide quality consulting services.

For example:

  • We use an internal project checklist to ensure we consistently deliver quality reports and safety programs.
  • Our cross-training allows our team to provide a wide range of OSHA’s Process Safety Management and EPA’s Risk Management Plan-related services.

To help our clients stay in compliance, Tracer developed another quality-related system to track recurring compliance due dates for our nearly 400 clients. Our due date tracking system allows us to generate reminders for them before their actual need.

Tracer’s system of quality programs has evolved; however, the key component of providing quality solutions remains unchanged – teamwork. Without teamwork, no quality system will create success. This collaborative effort within Tracer and other practices at SCS Engineers helps us achieve our common goal of delivering quality solutions.

Sometimes that means we need to step up and help a colleague on a project with a quick turnaround time. Or, if the unexpected happens, a new project manager may need to jump in – sometimes mid-project. We take the initiative to respond to all client emails if we know the client manager is unavailable. We form internal committees to revise procedures, checklists, and templates, always intending to improve efficiency and increase quality.

Merriam-Webster defines teamwork as “Work done by several associates with each doing a part but all subordinating personal prominence to the efficiency of the whole.” With mutual trust and respect, and the free exchange of knowledge in a collaborative environment, we continue to deliver quality through teamwork.

 

We thank our SCS Quality Management Gurus, who are always helping us find better ways to deliver excellence!

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by Diane Samuels at 6:00 am