Madeline German, P.G Joins RSG Team

Richardson Smith Gardner and Associates Inc., hires new talent to help clients manage complex options and regulations

Raleigh, NC (March 23, 2012) - Raleigh-based solid waste engineering and consulting firm Richardson Smith Gardner & Associates Inc. (RSG) announce Madeline German has joined the firm as a project geologist. German, who has more than five years of experience in the solid waste industry, will assist RSG clients in understanding complex options, the potential costs involved, and the best path to maintain state and federal regulation compliance.

Prior to joining RSG, German worked as a consultant assisting facilities across the Carolinas with overseeing groundwater compliance and designing hydrogeologic studies. Her remedial experience includes a focus on soil and groundwater contamination using monitored natural attenuation, biological treatment technology and landfill gas alternatives.

“Madeline’s experience in the complex geology of the Blue Ridge, Piedmont and Coastal Plain physiographic provinces will allow her to quickly and efficiently tailor the best possibilities to a site’s specific compliance motivations,” said Stacey Smith, P.E., and president of RSG. “Her understanding of critical groundwater issues will assist RSG clients in making informed, cost-saving and timely decisions.”

A graduate of Appalachian State University where she majored in hydrogeological and environmental studies, German began her career performing a variety of laboratory analyses on groundwater, wastewater and stream samples at a family-owned laboratory outside of Greensboro. She has since conducted soil and groundwater sampling, overseen well installation and injection procedures, designed hydrogeological studies and remediation plans and implemented groundwater and landfill gas monitoring systems. She also mapped municipal water and sewer lines using GIS and has utilized Visual Modflow and AutoCAD for contamination mapping.

For more information contact:
Joan Smyth, P.G.
Principal, Senior Hydrogeologist
919.828.0577 x221
joan@rsgengineers.com

Lori Ann Phillips, P.E. joins Richardson Smith Gardner and Associates, Inc.

New hire grows RSG’s expertise in air quality and landfill gas services.

RALEIGH, NC -- An engineer with diverse air quality compliance experience has joined Raleigh-based solid waste engineering and consulting firm Richardson Smith Gardner & Associates, Inc. (RSG).

Lori Ann Phillips, P.E., who has managed environmental and air quality issues for public and private facilities, has been named Project Engineer at RSG, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Ms. Phillips is the latest hire to help further RSG’s commitment to the development and application of innovative technologies in the area of solid waste management. Ms. Phillips will be a key member of a team that will advise clients about permitting and compliance issues related to air emissions.

“We are pleased to offer the talents of an engineer such as Lori to our clients seeking practical, cost-effective solutions that address the typically sensitive issues surrounding air emissions,” said RSG President, Stacey Smith, P.E. “Her extensive, previous experience in dealing with these issues will help us tailor solutions that can substantially reduce the impact of landfill gases for our client base.”

Ms. Phillips most recently was a permit engineer for the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, reviewing air permit applications for the department’s Division of Air Quality. Previous experiences in similar roles with Arcadis and with Progress Energy, as well as a research role at N.C. State University, round out Ms. Phillips impressive resume.

“I look forward to preparing our clients to face the myriad issues associated with air quality compliance and permitting,” said Ms. Phillips. “I am excited about joining the RSG team, and being a part of RSG’s commitment to innovative approaches to solid waste solutions.”

Ms. Phillips’ commitment to air quality began while still an engineering student at Wilkes University, where she was student chapter president of the Air and Waste Management Association, an organization in which she is still active. She also holds a Masters Degree in Civil Engineering from N.C. State and recently earned her Professional Engineer’s license.

For More Information Contact:

Mr. Stacey A. Smith, P.E.
President
Richardson Smith Gardner & Associates, Inc.
http://www.rsgengineers.com/
(919) 828-0577, ext. 127
stacey@rsgengineers.com

Financial Assurance for Corrective Action at Landfills - House Bill 209

On March 1, 2011, House Bill 209 (HB 209) was introduced by primary sponsors, Representatives Dan Ingle (District 64 – Alamance County) and Mitch Gillespie (District 85 – Burke and McDowell Counties). The proposed bill, if adopted, will amend certain financial assurance requirements for sanitary landfills sanctioned by Session Law 2007-550 (Senate Bill 1492).

As ratified, SB 1492 placed additional requirements for new and existing landfill facilities. One of these requirements directed the owners or operators of sanitary landfills to establish financial assurance in the amount of three million dollars (minimum) to cover the potential assessment and corrective action costs. Local governments and solid waste authorities could fulfill this prerequisite by satisfying the local government financial tests or by committing a capital reserve fund. However, this legislation did not provide any alternatives for privately held facilities to comply with this financial obligation.

As currently transcribed, HB 209 proposes to reduce the financial assurance obligation to two million dollars and sets forth provisions to allow the owners and operators of landfills permitted on or before August 1, 2009 means to satisfy the financial assurance commitment through the development of a trust fund under the following provisions:

• The trustee shall be an entity which has the authority to act as a trustee and trust operations are regulated and examined by a State or Federal agency;

• A copy of the trust agreement shall be placed in the facility’s operating records;

• Payment into the trust fund shall be made annually by the owner or operator over a period not to exceed five years;

• Payment into the fund shall be made in equal annual installment amounts;

• The trust fund may be terminated by the owner or operator only of the owner or operator establishes financial assurances by another means; and

• The trust agreement shall be accompanied by formal certification of acknowledgement

HB 209 passed the first reading in the House on March 3, 2011 and was referred to the House Committee on the Environment which met to discuss the merits of the provisions on May 26, 2011. The bill was passed by the committee and will move on to the floor.

The General Assembly’s 2011 regular session’s cross over date is June 9, 2011. If the provisions of HB 209 are to be enacted, a companion bill in the Senate may need to be introduced and all actions or modifications adjusted by any of the reviewing legislative committees have to be approved by both houses of the General Assembly prior to ratification.

A copy of House Bill 2009 can be found at: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2011/Bills/House/HTML/H209v1.html

The primary sponsors of the bill may be reached at the following contact information:

Rep. Dan Ingle
Dan.Ingle@ncleg.net
(919) 733-5905

Rep. Mitch Gillespie
Mitch.Gillespie@ncleg.net
(919) 733-5862

RSG will continue to monitor this important legislation and will provide updates as appropriate.

EPA Extends the Deadline for 2010 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting

In a press release issued earlier today, EPA has announced that it is extending the deadline for reporting of 2010 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions under 40 CFR Part 98 beyond the original due date of March 31, 2011. This extension will provide EPA with sufficient time to develop and implement the electronic Greenhouse Gas Reporting Tool (e-GGRT), which is required to report emissions. Originally scheduled for release in late February or early March, the press release now states that EPA “plans to have the final electronic reporting tool available in late summer”. No revised reporting deadline was given, although it will presumably follow the release of the reporting tool, in late summer or early fall of 2011.

The entire press release and associated information is available from the EPA at http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/extension.html.

Jeri Covington joins Richardson Smith Gardner and Associates, Inc.

New hire bolsters RSG’s expertise in reducing the cost of solid waste management for municipalities

RALEIGH, N.C. – (January 18, 2011) - The solid waste engineering and consulting firm Richardson Smith Gardner & Associates, Inc. (RSG) has hired Jeryl Covington, P.E., the 11-year director of environmental services for the City of Greensboro, North Carolina.

RSG has been lowering solid waste disposal costs by developing and applying innovating technologies since it started in 1991. Now with the addition of Covington, the company says it can advise municipalities and companies about improvements to the business side of solid waste operations. “Because of her role in Greensboro, Jeri has dealt with as many challenges as anyone in the state,” says RSG President Stacey Smith, P.E. “She brings knowledge of day-to-day operations that we can’t necessarily see as “outside” engineers. This improves our ability to offer solutions that help solid waste groups accomplish their goals.”

As a project manager at RSG, Covington will help organizations optimize their waste management programs by evaluating waste streams and costs. “I empathize with clients and will target the development of strategies and products that are really useful and efficient and meet their budget needs,” says Covington

During her tenure with the City of Greensboro, she oversaw everything from budgets and environmental compliance to site selection for a new landfill/transfer station and trash collection from more than 65,000 households. Covington says, “I’ve been in the operator’s seat. I’ve looked at budgets. I’ve looked at duct-taped equipment. I can help clients figure out how to make it all work."

Covington has worked in the public and private sector since she graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in civil engineering.

Covington is passionate about supporting the industry, lending her leadership and knowledge to a wide range of organizations. She’s on the board of directors for the Solid Waste Association of North America, serving as chapter president in 2007 and 2009. She’s also on the board of the Sustainability Council’s Public Technologies Institute. Smith says, “We’re pleased to be able expand our services by hiring Jeri, because she has such a strong reputation among her peers as well as state agencies.

In the past she’s served on the board of the National Association of Local Government Environmental Professionals, American Society of Civil Engineers, the Engineering Technology Advisory Board for Guilford Technical Community College and the board of the Communities in School of Greensboro.

For More Information Contact:

Mr. Stacey A. Smith, P.E.
President, RSG
(919) 828-0577, ext. 127
stacey@rsgengineers.com

GHG Permitting for Landfills put on Hold

According to a press release issued by the U.S. EPA on January 12, 2011, EPA is deferring greenhouse gas (GHG) permitting requirements for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from biomass-fired and other biogenic sources, including landfills.  EPA plans to complete a rulemaking in July 2011 that will defer permitting of CO2 emissions from these sources for three years.  During this time, EPA will consider the more than 7,000 comments received during July 2010, including whether burning of biomass results in a net increase in CO2 emissions.

EPA also plans to issue guidance to state and local permitting agencies that, during the three-year deferral period, the use of biomass as fuel, including landfill gas, constitutes Best Available Control Technology for GHG emissions.

Setting Government Straight Public Comment Period

Governor Perdue seeking feedback from counties on regulatory reform


Governor Beverly Perdue has initiated a Regulatory Review process aimed at reviewing the thousands of government regulations and rules that have been implemented by various state agencies and regulatory commissions. At a press conference Thursday in Chatham County, Governor Perdue announced her Setting Government Straight initiative and invited the comments of NCACC First Vice President Kenneth Edge of Cumberland County and Chatham County Commissioner George Lucier to give the county perspective.

Governor Perdue is specifically seeking feedback from counties about any rules, regulations and requirements that do not make common sense. As part of this process, the Governor has instructed all of her cabinet agencies to stop creating new rules unless they are absolutely necessary and justifiable, until a thorough review can be completed.

Governor Perdue wants to hear from you about specific examples of how state government and local government intersect in areas such as the departments of Environment and Natural Resources, Commerce, Health and Human Services, and Transportation. The governor’s team is looking for specific examples of how these interactions can be streamlined for better efficiency and cost-savings.

Governor Perdue has created a Web site to solicit feedback. This is a great opportunity for our counties to highlight some real-world examples of redundant and ineffective state regulations that impede county service delivery.   The website address for comment is:
http://www.governor.state.nc.us/forms/setGovernmentStraight.aspx/