January 2009
| PLEASE NOTE: Some newsletter content is only available to members in good standing of NMSHMM. |
- ACHMM Is Now the Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals (AHMP)
- Sad News to Report
- Local News Stories
- Upcoming Meetings and Events
- Monthly Meeting Location
- Job Openings
- NMSHMM Officers and Committee Chairs
| Our Mission |
| To
provide environmental professionals in the Southwest a
forum for professional development, education, and networking opportunities; and to offer our community environmental, health, and safety expertise |
ACHMM Is Now the Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals (AHMP)
Brian Pence, CHMM
Assaigai Analytical Laboratories, Inc.
Greetings NMSHMM,
Happy New Year! In the months to come, NMSHMM will be holding elections for the Board of Directors (in January), sponsoring a spring field trip, hosting the annual meeting and banquet in March, and as always, will be hosting exciting monthly luncheons at the Uptown Bar and Grill. So, stay tuned for details in the monthly newsletters and on this website.
If you have not been to the ACHMM website recently or have not otherwise heard the news, the ACHMM is now the Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals (AHMP). The renaming of the ACHMM seems a bit awkward now, but the new name will be more inclusive of all hazardous materials professionals, including the new Certified Hazardous Materials Professional (CHMP) credential.
Mark your calendars now for the AHMP national conference, August 30 - September 2, 2009, in San Diego, California. The national conference is a great opportunity for networking, continuing education, fun, and accumulating those continuing education credits for recertification. So, register now and join your colleagues in San Diego later this summer.
May the New Year bring you growth and prosperity. I look forward to seeing you soon. Be safe!!
This month, we also have some sad news to pass along to our members and colleagues. Mary Le Force, a long-time NMSHMM member and former member of our board, passed away on January 7, 2009 after a long battle with cancer. Mary was a past NMSHMM President and contributed much time and effort to NMSHMM and hazardous waste management in New Mexico. She will be missed.
Local News Stories
Compiled by Eric Johnson, AICP, CHMM
The following are news stories reported during the past month:
- On December 5, the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water
Utility Authority (ABCWUA) opened the tap to their treatment
plant that will bring water from the San Juan-Chama Drinking
Water project to Albuquerque water users. The project has a long
history dating from 1963 when the City of Albuquerque signed the
original contact to purchase water from the San Juan and Chama
rivers. (Albuquerque Journal,
12-5-08)
- Santa Fe County approved an oil and gas ordinance in
response to citizens concerns about proposed oil and gas
drilling in the Galisteo Basin. The New Mexico Oil Conservation
Division is also developing special rules for oil and gas
development in Santa Fe County.
(Santa Fe New Mexican, 12-9-08 and 12-11-08)
- According to a USA Today
article titled “The Smokestack Effect”, two Tijeras schools
(Roosevelt Middle School and A. Montoya Elementary), were among
the worst seven percent of schools nationwide in terms of air
quality because of manganese and manganese compounds in the air.
Parents and teachers complain of sinus infections, bronchitis,
asthma, pneumonia, and skin rashes, which may be related to
emissions from the nearby Rio Grande Portland Cement plant.
(Albuquerque Journal, 12-10-08)
- The State Capitol was evacuated on December 11 after an
envelope containing a suspicious white powder was opened in the
governor’s office. Several state capitols received such
envelopes during early December. More than 20 people were
quarantined and taken to St. Vincent Regional Medical Center for
treatment. A preliminary field test indicated that the power was
“not biological or toxic.” Further analysis found that the
powder was not “anthrax or any other type of dangerous chemical
pathogen.” (Santa Fe New Mexican,
12-11-08)
- Signet Solar, based in California, plans to construct a
solar energy panel production plant in Belen. Initially 200
people will be employed at the plant, and this figure could
increase to 600 employees by 2010. The plant will manufacture
large, thin-film silicon modules, which will be used for energy
production at a nearby 700-acre solar energy farm in the
proposed Rancho Cielo community near Interstate 25.
(Albuquerque Journal, 12-17-08)
- The Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security
Administration (NNSA) plans to consolidate nuclear material
nationwide at the following locations: (1) plutonium trigger
manufacturing and other plutonium research to Los Alamos
National Laboratory (LANL): (2) uranium manufacturing,
dismantling, and research to a new center at the Y-12 Oak Ridge
complex in Tennessee; (3) plutonium warhead assembly and
disassembly at the Pantex facility near Amarillo; and (4)
tritium production and plutonium storage at the Savannah River
Complex in South Carolina. Plutonium stockpiles will be removed
from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California.
(Albuquerque Journal, 12-17-08)
- The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) intends to
issue a $371,400 fine to the Northwest New Mexico Regional Solid
Waste Authority for 15 alleged violations at the Red Rocks
Regional Landfill in Thoreau. The alleged violations include
failure to cover material, control litter, keep space as small
as possible, use safe storage practices for scrap metal and
tires, and develop a waste screening plan. (Santa Fe New Mexican, 12-19-08)
- The Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency may cancel their
spring hazardous waste drop-off day, although a final decision
has not been made. The agency is preparing a request for
proposals to seek bids for the operation of a
household-hazardous waste facility, which would be financed
through an environmental surcharge on monthly bills. In the
meantime, Santa Fe residents can take household hazardous waste
to a transfer station. (Santa Fe New
Mexican, 12-22-08)
- The City of Albuquerque is initiating a rewards program for
10,000 households participating in a pilot recycling program.
These households have received blue bins, and the households
will be monitored for use of the bins for recycling. Households
that recycle can receive coupons or other rewards at
establishments such as Garduño’s or John Brook’s supermarkets.
(Albuquerque Journal, 12-23-08)
- The Public Regulation Commission voted to require Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) to pay businesses 15 cents for each solar-produced kilowatt-hour of electricity that businesses use. Residences will continue to receive an incentive of 13 cents per kilowatt-hour. Under state law, PNM is required to obtain 6% of its total energy sales from renewable energy sources, such as wind and biomass, and by 2011, PNM will be required to obtain 10% of its energy sales from renewable energy sources. (Santa Fe New Mexican, 12-23-08)
|
Society luncheon meetings are held at
Uptown Sports Bar and Grill, 6601 Uptown Blvd. NE, at 11:30 on the third Wednesday oof the month (except Mar. and Dec.) |
| January 2009 |
NMSHMM Board Elections – Ballots will be sent and received by e-mail.
January 20, 5:30 pm, NMSHMM Board Meeting at CDM offices, 6000 Uptown Blvd. NE, Suite 200. All members are welcome.
January 21, 11:30 am, NMSHMM Luncheon/General Meeting at Uptown Sports Bar and Grill, 6601 Uptown Boulevard NE, Albuquerque. Rudy Holm, of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and David Raymond, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), will speak on Vulnerability Assessment, Threat Reporting, and Other Hazardous Material Security Issues.
| February 2009 |
February 3, 11:30 am, New Mexico Chapter of the Air and Waste Management Association (AWMA) monthly meeting at the Golden Corral (10415 Central Avenue NE, northeast of Eubank) in Albuquerque. Speaker to be announced.
February 17, 5:30 pm, NMSHMM Board Meeting at CDM offices, 6000 Uptown Blvd. NE, Suite 200. All members are welcome.
February 18, 11:30 am, NMSHMM Luncheon/General Meeting at Uptown Sports Bar and Grill, 6601 Uptown Boulevard NE, Albuquerque. Speaker to be announced.
| March 2009 |
March 3, 11:30 am, New Mexico Chapter of the Air and Waste Management Association (AWMA) monthly meeting at the Golden Corral (10415 Central Avenue NE, northeast of Eubank) in Albuquerque. Speaker to be announced.
March 17, 5:30 pm, NMSHMM Board Meeting at CDM offices, 6000 Uptown Blvd. NE, Suite 200. All members are welcome.
March 20,
NMSHMM Annual Dinner Mark your calendars - more details in future newsletters| April 2009 |
April 7, 11:30 am, New Mexico Chapter of the Air and Waste Management Association (AWMA) monthly meeting at the Golden Corral (10415 Central Avenue NE, northeast of Eubank) in Albuquerque. Speaker to be announced.
April 14, 5:30 pm, NMSHMM Board Meeting at CDM offices, 6000 Uptown Blvd. NE, Suite 200. All members are welcome.
April 15, 11:30 am, NMSHMM Luncheon/General Meeting at Uptown Sports Bar and Grill, 6601 Uptown Boulevard NE, Albuquerque. Speaker to be announced.
Did we miss something? To get your event added to the calendar please contact Eric Johnson at .
|
Society business meetings are held at CDM's offices, 6000 Uptown NE, Suite 200, at 6:00 on the third Tuesday of the month (except Mar. and Dec.) |
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.
For the latest job openings, please click here. (MEMBERS ONLY)
NMSHMM OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS
|
Officers: President Past-President President-Elect Treasurer Secretary At-Large Director At-Large Director |
Committee Chairs: Communication Education/Professional
Development Finance Legislative Affairs |
Please send contributions for future newsletters to Eric Johnson at . Thanks!