February 2009
| PLEASE NOTE: Some newsletter content is only available to members in good standing of NMSHMM. |
- Annual Dinner at Seasons - Monthly Meetings Moving to Golden Corral
- Proposed 2009-2010 NMSHMM Budget on Website
- NMSHMM Renewal Time
- NMSHMM Unsung Hero Nominations
- 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 |
Annual Dinner at Seasons - Monthly Meetings Moving to Golden Corral
Brian Pence, CHMM
Assaigai Analytical Laboratories, Inc.
I want to thank the speakers for our January luncheon, Rudy Holm, of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and David Raymond, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Coordinator for New Mexico. The topic of Hazardous Materials Security Issues was timely and informative. It is unfortunate that we, as hazardous materials professionals, may be the front line of defense for against a terrorist threat. However, when empowered with the right information and good contacts, we all can play an important part in protecting our communities and our country.
Save the date! The NMSHMM annual banquet is approaching. Please join us on Friday, March 20, 6:30 pm at Seasons Rotisserie and Grill. We will be having a delicious buffet dinner and fun door prizes. Our keynote speaker this year will be Rick Sprott. Rick is currently the president of the Air and Waste Management Association (AWMA) and recently retired as the head of the state of Utah’s Environment Department. Rick has also been involved in the Western Governor’s Association (WGA) and the Western Climate Initiative (WCI). We welcome Rick as a New Mexican, now living in Angel Fire, and look forward to learning more of his experiences as an environmental manager at the higher levels of our profession. The cost for dinner is $35.00/person (a $47 value). Space is limited to 50, so please make your reservations early (RSVP to ).
This month’s luncheon will be changing locations. We will be meeting at the Golden Corral Buffet on Central and Eubank at 11:30 am. Our speaker this month will be Janet Kerley, CHMM. Janet is the Association of Hazardous Materials Professionals (AHMP) delegate to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Janet will be discussing the new ANSI standard for ES&H training.
My tenure as president is almost over and I know there are many of you that I have not met, so please join us for our February luncheon and/or the annual dinner. I look forward to seeing you soon!
Proposed 2009-2010 NMSHMM Budget on Website
Debbie Finfrock, PE, CHMM
The NMSHMM fiscal year will come to an end March 31, 2009. Members can access the proposed 2009/2010 NMSHMM budget at www.nmshmm.org (or just click here and enter your username and password when prompted), under the What’s New section. The spreadsheet includes columns showing the 2008/2009 budget, the estimated spending in the 2008/2009 year (based on actual amounts spent plus estimates for the next two months), and the proposed budget for the coming fiscal year. Other than the decrease in the value of our investments, NMSHMM stayed within our budget. The NMSHMM Board will vote on this budget at the February 17th Board Meeting. If members have any comments or proposed changes, please submit them to by February 16.
NMSHMM Renewal Time
Debbie Finfrock, PE, CHMM
NMSHMM dues for the 2009/2010 fiscal year are due April 1, 2009. At $30 per person, NMSHMM membership is an outstanding value for a professional organization. NMSHMM has kept their dues at this same low rate for over five years, despite increased costs. There are three easy ways to renew your membership:
- Join or renew your AHMP membership by clicking on the appropriate link on the right side of the AHMP home page. Add dues for the Roadrunner Chapter (NMSHMM) to your combined dues invoice.
- Join or renew online at nmshmm.org by clicking the membership link on the left side of the home page. Click on the link to the membership form in the second paragraph and pay your renewal dues by credit card.
- Join or renew by snail mail by completing the membership form on the membership page of nmshmm.org and mailing your check for $30 with the form to NMSHMM, PO Box 92132, Albuquerque, NM 87199.
Thanks to all of our valued members who paid their dues. We have 76 NMSHMM members for the 2008/2009 fiscal year. Over half of us are CHMMs and 40% of us are also members of the Alliance of Hazardous Material Professionals (AHMP). Members in good standing will be sent their membership certificates in April.
NMSHMM Unsung Hero Nominations
We would like to recognize a NMSHMM member who has served our organization and the community. Please send nominations to .
Local News Stories
Compiled by Eric Johnson, AICP, CHMM
The following are news stories reported during the past month:
- New Energy Economy, a non-profit organization, filed a
petition to implement a cap on greenhouse gas emissions with the
New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board. The board intends to
hold a hearing on this proposal in August.
(Santa Fe New Mexican, 1-5-09;
Albuquerque Journal 1-6-09)
- At a public meeting held at the State Library in Santa Fe,
residents from areas near proposed wind farm sites in San Miguel
and Taos counties voiced their concerns about impacts from tall
wind turbines. Many of those present were from El Valle, a
community along the Pecos River in San Miguel County where up to
50 wind turbines are proposed on a nearby mesa.
(Santa Fe New Mexican, 1-6-09)
- The New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources
Department received a $3.8 million grant from the U.S. Office of
Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. The grant money will
be used to reclaim abandoned mines near Truth or Consequences,
Lordsburg, Grants, and Socorro starting in July.
(Albuquerque Journal, 1-7-09)
- The Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute
received a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) to develop environmental health indicators for
cardiovascular disease caused by air pollution. Research is
needed to confirm whether particulate matter, ozone, and diesel
exhaust exposures can cause cardiovascular disease.
(EPA News Release, 1-8-09)
- Existing transmission lines do not have enough capacity to
handle anticipated energy needs. Steven Michel, with Western
Resource Advocates, believes two types of transmission lines are
needed: small feeder lines to link renewable energy facilities
with the grid and large bulk transmission lines to conduct
energy between states. The Sun-Zia project proposes to construct
a 500-kilovolt, 470-mile long transmission line across New
Mexico and Arizona. The 1,250-mile long High Plains Express
Transmission system would expand regional transmission in
Wyoming, Colorado, eastern New Mexico, and parts of Arizona
through several interconnected transmission line projects. A
proposed wind farm in Lincoln and Torrance is considering a
power grid in the center of New Mexico.
(Santa Fe New Mexican, 1-10-09 and
1-16-09)
- The City of Albuquerque continues to reduce water use with
per capita water use declining to 161 gallons per day in 2008.
For comparison, Albuquerque had a per capita water use rate of
220 gallons per day in 1998.
(Albuquerque Journal 1-14-09)
- The Western Environmental Law Center filed a lawsuit against
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) claiming that the BLM
violated several federal laws by issuing oil and gas leases on
more than 68,000 acres of public land in New Mexico.
(Santa Fe New Mexican, 1-15-09)
- Advent Solar in Albuquerque cut 55 employees from its
workforce in January due to the credit crisis. The company is
seeking financing to acquire soil cell and module manufacturing
equipment. (Albuquerque Journal,
1-17-09)
- Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall are seeking federal
stimulus money environmental cleanup activities at Los Alamos
National Laboratory (LANL). Last year, LANL received $152
million for cleanup activities.
(Albuquerque Journal 1-17-09)
- The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) intends to
inspect tire dealerships, automobile dealerships, and motor
vehicle fleets for compliance with state requirements for
tracking, disposing of, and recycling scrap tires. Tire dumps
and stockpiles have potential environmental risks, especially
fire potential. (Albuquerque Journal,
1-19-09)
- NMED reached an agreement with the Homestake Mining Company
to connect residents of the San Mateo Creek Basin to the Village
of Milan water system. The presence of groundwater contaminants,
such as uranium, selenium, radium and lead, near historic
uranium mining-related activities at a Superfund site prompted
this action. (Santa Fe New Mexican,
1-22-09)
- John Fogarty, of New Energy Economy, wants to create
partnerships between businesses, universities, and governments
“to capture the green wave of investment that’s out there.” An
example is the training program at Mesalands Community College
in Tucumcari on how to construct, maintain, and service wind
turbines. (Santa Fe New Mexican,
1-21-09)
- NMED was working to make sure that salmonella contaminated
peanut butter products from the Peanut Corporation of America
plant in Blakely, Georgia, were not being used in New Mexico.
The peanut butter and peanut butter paste from the plant had
resulted in salmonella cases in the United States, but no cases
had been reported in New Mexico.
(Albuquerque Journal, 1-23-09)
- An explosion in front of the Sandia High School gymnasium in
Albuquerque was attributed to student who was found to have two
water bottles with aluminum foil and toilet bowl cleaner in his
backpack along with a slingshot and four golf balls. A similar
incident was report at a Target store in Albuquerque where an
explosion was heard after a teenage male purchased a case of
bottled water and three bottles of toilet cleaner.
(Albuquerque Journal, 1-22-09,
forwarded by Rudy Holm)
- Albuquerque continues to struggle to meet its recycling
goals. At present, the city is only recycling about 3 percent of
its trash, which is below the goal of 8 percent, but higher than
the 1.5 percent recycling rate the city had 18 months ago.
(Albuquerque Journal, 1-26-09)
- LANL employees and visitors may have been contaminated by beryllium at a storage area Technical Area 41. The contamination occurred sometime between 2001 and fall 2008. LANL is investigating how the contamination occurred. (Santa Fe New Mexican, 1-28-09; Albuquerque Journal, 1-29-09)
|
Society luncheon meetings are held at
Golden Corral Buffet on Central and Eubank (10415 Central Avenue NE) at 11:30 on the third Wednesday of the month (except Mar. and Dec.) |
| 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 12, New Mexico Chapter of American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) technical meeting, Furr’s Fresh Buffet, 2004 Wyoming Blvd. NE. For more information, e-mail .
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 new location, Golden Corral (10415 Central NE, northeast of Eubank) in Albuquerque. Janet Kerley, AHMP delegate to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) committee, will speak on the new ANSI standards for environmental safety and health training.
| 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 11, New Mexico Chapter of American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) technical meeting, Furr’s Fresh Buffet, 2004 Wyoming Blvd. NE. For more information, e-mail .
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 at Seasons Rotisserie and Grill, 2031 Mountain Road NW, Albuquerque. NMSHMM members and their guests will be served a $47 value meal for only $35 each. Speaker will be Rick Sprott, current president of the Air and Waste Management Association (AWMA) and recently retired as the head of the state of Utah’s Environment Department. Space is limited to 50, so please make your reservations early (RSVP to ). For more details, please click here.March 25-27, AHMP Leadership Workshop, St. Louis. For more information see AHMP web site at www.achmm.org.
| 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 9, New Mexico Chapter of American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) technical meeting, Furr’s Fresh Buffet, 2004 Wyoming Blvd. NE. For more information, e-mail .
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 new location, Golden Corral (10415 Central NE, northeast of Eubank) in Albuquerque. Speaker to be announced.
| May 2009 |
May 5, 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.
May 14, New Mexico Chapter of American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) technical meeting, Furr’s Fresh Buffet, 2004 Wyoming Blvd. NE. For more information, e-mail .
May 19, 5:30 pm, NMSHMM Board Meeting at CDM offices, 6000 Uptown Blvd. NE, Suite 200. All members are welcome.
May 20, 11:30 am, NMSHMM Luncheon/General Meeting at new location, Golden Corral (10415 Central NE, northeast of Eubank) in Albuquerque. Speaker to be announced.
| August 2009 |
August 30 - September 2, AHMP National Conference, San Diego. For more information see AHMP web site at www.achmm.org
| November 2009 |
November 16-19, Essentials of Hazardous Materials Management (EHMM) Course presented by NMSHMM at the NMED Albuquerque office, 5500 San Antonio Drive NE.
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 Golden Corral Buffet on Central and Eubank (10415 Central Avenue NE - 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!