February 2008 - PUBLIC EDITION

• NMSHMM Direct from Bangalore, India
• NMSHMM Member Profile: Chris Cutler, CHMM
• Committee News
  • Government Affairs and Local News Stories
• Upcoming Meetings and Events
• Monthly Meeting Location
• Job Openings
• NMSHMM Officers and Committee Chairs

NMSHMM Direct from Bangalore, India
Richie Spangler, CHMM
Sandia National Laboratories

Editor's note: This month's President's message was sent from Bangalore, India.

Hello to NMSHMM from the sunny spot of Bangalore, India. When you receive this newsletter, I should still be in India with the US delegation teaching the Essentials of Hazardous Materials Management course. For all of you who are wondering (as I did) why we are teaching professionals from India about US regulations, I wanted to let you know that we are customizing the course to focus on what you might call "risk" compliance rather than the "regulatory" compliance and focusing our discussions on how to mitigate risks rather than on how to comply. For example, why use a 55-gallon container in a satellite accumulation area rather than a 60-gallon container? There is probably not a good risk based reason other than there needed to be a limit and a standard drum size was convenient. But the point is to establish a limit on how much you manage in order to mitigate potential risk with dispersed management of waste and stick with it.

The US Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers (ACHMM) delegation met with the Chairman of the Karnataka Pollution Control Board, who is the equivalent of a Regional Administrator in the USEPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and the Principle of the Bangalore Institute of Technology (see photograph below), which is the equivalent of a University President. I expect we will have more opportunities to meet with a wide variety of environmental professionals once the workshop gets underway.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Tom Skibitski, New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) / U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Oversight Bureau Chief for joining at last month's lunch meeting. He gave us an overview of the programs at the NMED/DOE Oversight Bureau and provided us with some interesting insight on how they work with the regulated DOE community. We had a large turn out with several new members joining us at the event.

By now all of you should have received the e-mail ballots for this year's board elections. Please be certain to cast your ballot for your favorite candidates. We have already had a record number of ballots returned, and we are looking forward to receiving even more. I think the move to e-mail makes it more convenient for members to make their voices heard in the election process. Thank you to all who have already voted!

Despite its potential effect on our waistlines, chocolate is not considered a hazardous material. What might make it a hazardous material is if it is delivered on February 15th instead of the 14th and it ends up flying back at you at a high rate of speed . . . so please be certain to keep chocolate out of the hazardous material category and have a wonderful Valentine's Day on the 14th . . .

The US Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers (ACHMM) delegation
met with the Chairman of the Karnataka Pollution Control Board in Bangalore, India.

Up to Table of Contents

NMSHMM Member Profile

Company Name and Location: Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Detachment 2, Operating Location Kirtland New Mexico (quite a mouthful, isn't it?).

Title: Chief, CBRN Avoidance (and that doesn't stand for Crash and Burn Avoidance, regardless of what Debbie may tell you).

Hometown: Canton, Ohio

Family: Wife Donna (11 ½ yrs), kids Cynthia (8), Alan (6) and Olivia (3)…don't forget the canine family member, Ginger (10)

Words that best describe me: Outgoing, driven, and competitive.

Favorite current project: If I told you about it, I would have to kill you…

Biggest challenge on job: Keeping things running on an even keel in a forward direction when working with both AF and Army personnel.

If I won the lottery: Keep working…I joined the military to serve my country and I am not done yet…but it would make it a lot easier to travel back to Ohio to see the family.

People would be surprised if they new: I am a naturally lazy person.

An accomplishment that makes me feel great is: You mean aside from getting my CHMM?? That would be my wife and I raising three children who everyone else tells us are well-behaved, even if they don't act that way for us.

Last book read: I usually have two or three that I am reading at any one time…but I just finished re-reading A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L'Engle.

If I could travel any place, I would go to: Back to Europe, this time with the family.

If I just had more time, I would: Relax…when is there ever time for that?

Words of wisdom: "That's all a man can hope for during his lifetime - to set an example - and when he is dead, to be an inspiration for history." William McKinley…25th President of the United States and resident of Canton, Ohio.

Up to Table of Contents

Committee News

Government Affairs and Local News Stories
Compiled by Barry Birch, CHMM, and Eric Johnson, AICP, CHMM

As of January 27, the following environmental bills had been introduced during the 2008 New Mexico legislative session. Information on bill status can be found on the web at legis.state.nm.us/LCS/Billfinder.asp and general information can be found at legis.state.nm.us/LCS/.

Number	Title	Sponsor
HB 22	Uranium-related Health Study	Lundstrom
HB 80	NM Highland Forest and Watershed Institute	Garcia, T.
HB 119	Alternative Energy for Schools Grant Act	Garcia, T.
HB 125	Oil Conservation Division Oversight Committee	Foley
HB 146	Solar Energy Research Park and Academy	Lujan, B.
HB 219	Low-income Home Energy Assistance	Sandoval
HJM 2	Superfund for Uranium-Contaminated Sites	Pena
HJM 6	Reporting on Government Waste	Cote
HJM 7	Study Coal Surtax	Begaye
HJM 8	Change Waste Allowed in WIPP Site	Heaton
SB 17	Uranium Mining Hearings, Permits and Locations	Lovejoy
SB-35	Energy-efficient Appliance Tax Credit	Feldman
SB-36	Green Building Certification Training Program	Feldman
SB 47	NMSU Non-native Phreatophyte Removal	Cinseros
SB-100	Solar Market Development Eligibility	Feldman
SB-189	Home Energy Relief Fund Distributions	Lopez
SB-210	Residential Energy Efficiency Loan Program	Martinez
SB-234	NM Tech Carbon Sequestration Project	Jennings
SB-241	Public Utility Low-income Customer Rates	McSorley
SJM 11	State Electronics Procurement and Recycling	Feldman
SJM 13	Traditional Was of Life in Forest Plan	Griego, Wallace
SJM 20	Expand State Capitol Recycling	Sanchez, M

The following are news stories reported during the past month:

• The New Mexico Attorney General's Office informed the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) that the agency must disclose a 2006 technical report on the mixed waste landfill at Sandia National Laboratories. After NMED sued Citizen Action to keep the report secret, the advocacy group initiated a countersuit against NMED and accused the agency of violating open meetings and open records laws. "Our analysis is that the requested document is a public record and the report should be disclosed," stated Attorney General Gary King. (Albuquerque Tribune, 1-10-08; Albuquerque Journal, 1-11-08)
• Governor Bill Richardson commented on the proposed oil and gas drilling by Tecton Energy in Gallisteo Basin area: "I feel that there shouldn't be drilling in the Galisteo Basin. In my judgment, it's a very fragile ecosystem that has archaeological and groundwater issues." (Santa Fe New Mexican, 1-11-08)
• Governor Bill Richardson and Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Secretary Joanna Prukop commented that the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) environmental assessment for oil and gas drilling in Otero Mesa is incomplete and insufficient. Secretary Prukrop stated: "Rather than an Environmental Assessments, a complete Environmental Impact Statement is necessary to protect this vulnerable geographic area. The adverse repercussions to the environment are irrecoverable if oil and gas exploration continues without more in-depth study." (New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department press release, 1-14-07)
• Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) will sell its natural gas operations to Continental Energy Systems, a Michigan-based company, for a price of $620 million. PNM's gas operations has 815 employees and serves 495,000 residential and business customers. (Albuquerque Journal, 1-15-08)
• Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez reassigned Alfredo Santistevan from serving as Environmental Health Department Director to Deputy Director of the Cultural Affairs Department after the Albuquerque Journal reported that the city had exaggerated greenhouse gas reduction statistics and other environmental successes. The city also removed a report from their website that contained erroneous information on Albuquerque's greenhouse gas reduction and other environmental issues. (Albuquerque Journal, 1-15-08)
• Schott Solar, based in Mainz, Germany, will start construction of a $100 million, 200,000-square foot solar technology factory at Mesa del Sol in February. New Mexico provided $130 million in incentive for the factory, which will eventually employee 1,500 workers. (Albuquerque Journal, 1-15-08)
• NMED in cooperation with the New Mexico Recycling Coalition (NMRC) and the Roadrunner Chapter of the Solid Waste Association of New Mexico (SWANA) will offer solid waste operator certification training courses. Courses will be offered on compost and recycling facilities (see NMRC web site at www.recyclenewmexico.com) and landfills and transfer stations (see SWANA web site at www.nmswana.com). (NMED press release, 1-16-08)
• NMED is requesting proposals from qualified entities interested in organizing the first annual statewide watershed forum. To obtain a copy of the request for proposals, visit the following NMED web site link: www.nmenv.state.nm.us/SWQB/RFP. (NMED press release, 1-16-08)
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6 designated the Espanola Basin as New Mexico's first sole source drinking water aquifer. As a result of the designation, all federally funded projects in the basin will require EPA review. The sole source aquifer extends from Tres Piedras to south of Santa Fe and provides drinking water for more than 170,000 people in three counties. (NMED Press Release, 1-18-08; Santa Fe New Mexican, 1-27-08)
• A suspicious, milky-colored rain fell over Silver City on January 7 creating local concern. A National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) satellite image indicated that the source may have been a dust plume rising from a dry lake bed near Willcox, Arizona. Rain samples have been sent to New Mexico Tech, New Mexico State University, University of Texas at El Paso, and NMED for further investigation. (Albuquerque Journal, 1-16-08 and 1-24-08)
• The Pueblo of Acoma received a $150,000 grant to recycling old tires into a running track for pueblo members. The track will be constructed from at lest 95% shredded scrap tires from around New Mexico. (Albuquerque Journal, 1-17-08)
• The City of Albuquerque is reducing water use at public parks and "water-guzzling" golf courses. Water conservation methods that are being used include: (1) unused turf removal (8.76 acres in 2007); (2) new grass planted at Arroyo del Oso Golf Course uses half the water as bluegrass; (3) providing narrow fairways and not irrigating rough at golf courses; (4) soil chemistry designed to absorb less water; and (5) weather sensors check for moisture, heat and other factors before providing water. (Albuquerque Journal, 1-17-08)
• The Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority adopted new rules requiring new buildings to include high-efficiency toilets, recycling evaporative coolers, slope and size requirements for turf, rainwater collection systems, and other measures for any new construction hooking up to the water system. Katherine Martinez, New Mexico Home Builders Association government affairs director responded: "This one completely caught us off guard … It's pretty extreme." (Albuquerque Journal 1-24-08)
• Governor Bill Richardson and 13 other governors sent a letter to the EPA Administrator expressing disappointment in the administration's dismissal of a waiver that would allow states to reduce vehicle greenhouse gas emissions. The letter stated that EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson acted in appropriately when he denied a waiver on a comparison of California's emission standards to possible co-benefits of the recently enacted federal Energy Bill. (NMED Press Release, 1-24-08)
• The Navajo Nation intends to sue the EPA regarding inaction on an air permit application for the proposed Desert Rock coal-fired power plant. The 1,500-megawatt power plant would be constructed on Navajo Nation land southwest of Burnham, in an area that already has two coal-fired power plants. (Santa Fe New Mexican, 1-23-08; Albuquerque Journal, 1-26-08)
• A bill was introduced into the state legislature that would allow utilities to recover some of their lost profits when customers buy less electricity because of energy efficiency programs. House Speaker Ben Lujan introduced the bill for the Governor's Office. The current rate structure is believed to discourage utilities from promoting energy efficiency and conservation. (Albuquerque Journal, 1-26-08)
• The City of Albuquerque issued a $41,800 notice of violation to Twin Mountain Construction for their asphalt batch plant located near the Big I (I-25/I-40 interchange). Ed Adams, Albuquerque's Chief Operating Officer said: "It's a great place for a park. It's a lousy place for a batch plant." (Albuquerque Journal, 1-26-08)
• High Lonesome Wind Ranch LLC proposes to construct a wind farm south of Willard this spring. The project sponsors will submit an application to Torrance County for a special use district for the wind farm. (Albuquerque Journal, 1-26-08)
• A controversial bill to establish a Regulatory Process Task Force that would either streamline state regulations or unravel state regulations (depending on your point of view) was tabled by a 5-4 vote in a Senate Committee. "The 5-4 vote should send a signal out to everybody that New Mexico is not open for business," said Bob Gallagher, president of the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association. "It's part of a larger package of deregulation bills … that are being pushed by a few industries upset that regulation are pushing them to clean up their pollution." (Albuquerque Journal, 1-28-08)
• Uranium mining could return to New Mexico. With the price of uranium running $90-$100 per pound, the town of Grants could see uranium production return. (Associated Press, 1-28-08)

Up to Table of Contents

Upcoming Meetings & Events

Note: NMSHMM board elections are scheduled for February. Ballots will be sent by e-mail.

February 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. George Hidy, of Envair/Aerochem, will present "Electricity Production and Climate Alternation."

February 19, 5:30 pm, NMSHMM Board Meeting at CDM offices, 6000 Uptown Blvd. NE, Suite 200. All members are welcome.

February 19, 6:30 PM, Disaster Action Team meeting, Mid-Rio Grande Chapter, American Red Cross, 142 Monroe NE, Albuquerque. Volunteers needed - for information call Scott Snyder at 265-8514.

February 20, 11:30 am, NMSHMM Luncheon/General Meeting at Uptown Sports Bar and Grill, 6601 Uptown Boulevard NE, Albuquerque. Chuck Akeley, Manager, NMED/Solid Waste Bureau/Enforcement Section will present "Management of Solid Waste in New Mexico."

March 6, 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.

March 18, 5:30 pm, NMSHMM Board Meeting at CDM offices, 6000 Uptown Blvd. NE, Suite 200. All members are welcome.

March 21, 6:00 pm, NMSHMM Annual Meeting and Dinner. Location and speaker to be announced.

April 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.

April 15, 5:30 pm, NMSHMM Board Meeting at CDM offices, 6000 Uptown Blvd. NE, Suite 200. All members are welcome.

April 16, 11:30 am, NMSHMM Luncheon/General Meeting at Uptown Sports Bar and Grill, 6601 Uptown Boulevard NE, Albuquerque. Speaker to be announced.

May 1, 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 20, 5:30 pm, NMSHMM Board Meeting at CDM offices, 6000 Uptown Blvd. NE, Suite 200. All members are welcome.

May 21, 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 .

Up to Table of Contents

Monthly Meeting Location

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.

Up to Table of Contents

Job Openings

For the latest job openings, please click here.  (MEMBERS ONLY)

Up to Table of Contents

Please send contributions for future newsletters to Eric Johnson at . Thanks!

Return to NMSHMM Newsletters Page