July 2008 - PUBLIC EDITION

• Clandestine Drug Labs To Be Discussed At the Next NMSHMM Meeting
• Start Planning for the NMSHMM Essentials of Hazardous Materials Management (EHMM) Course
• Encourage a Colleague to Join ACHMM and Increase your Impact!
• Recruit-A-Member Campaign Recognition!
• Committee News
  • Government Affairs and Local News Stories
• Upcoming Meetings and Events
• Monthly Meeting Location
• Job Openings
• NMSHMM Officers and Committee Chairs

Clandestine Drug Labs To Be Discussed At the Next NMSHMM Meeting
Brian Pence, CHMM
Assaigai Analytical Laboratories, Inc.

Greetings NMSHMM,

I want to take this opportunity to thank J.W. Biava, VP/Operations Manager for Assaigai Analytical Labs, Inc. and Operations Manager for Immunolytics Inc., both of Albuquerque, for his presentation on mold detection and remediation. Mold may well be the next asbestos, in terms of remediation in various settings, public and private. As scientists learn more about how mold is connected to human immune responses, detection and remediation of this problem are sure to at the forefront of environmental health standards.

Our monthly luncheon will be Wednesday, July 16 at 11:30 am at the Uptown Bar & Grill. Our speaker this month will be Stephen Connolly, NMED Emergency Response Coordinator. Mr. Connolly will be giving a presentation on the Clandestine Drug Laboratory Program, a statewide approach to clandestine laboratory cleanups. I hope to see you there.

With the arrival of monsoon season, remember to plan work early and seek shelter before a storm arrives. New Mexico leads the nation in per capita deaths from lightning strikes, so please don't take those dark clouds for granted.

Be safe!!

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Start Planning for the NMSHMM Essentials of Hazardous Materials Management (EHMM) Course
Paul Karas, CPG, CHMM

This year NMSHMM will be offering the EHMM Course (formerly the ACHMM National Overview Course or NOC) November 17 - 19, 2008, at the New Mexico Environment Department District 1 office, 5500 San Antonio Dr. NE, Albuquerque, NM. The course dates allow participants who are seeking CHMM certification to sit for the exam immediately following the course. Testing centers nationwide, including Albuquerque, offer the exam during the last two weeks of odd numbered months (see www.IHMM.org  for more information on the exam).

For those unfamiliar with the EHMM, this 3-day course offers a comprehensive review of environmental laws and regulations as well as a basic review of safety and health principles that you need as a hazardous materials manager. This course provides an excellent opportunity to review the three general categories that are covered on the CHMM Exam:

• Science and Technology
• Regulations and Compliance
• Management Issues

It provides an overview of major topics and issues involving hazardous materials management, and is an excellent way to prepare for the CHMM Exam. Many environmental professionals take the CHMM Overview Course to satisfy training or re-certification requirements, enhance competence in the profession, and obtain information regarding new rules and regulations. NMSHMM utilizes the EHMM training materials provided by the national ACHMM. Additionally, enrollees benefit from course instructors who are practicing environmental professionals in business, industry, academia and government agencies who possess specialized knowledge and expertise in each of the course's technical areas.

The fee for the NMSHMM EHMM Course will be $695.00 for the full three days of instruction, ACHMM Hazardous Materials Management textbook, a course manual, and refreshments. Early registrants (prior to October 6, 2008) will receive a $50 discount for a course price of $645.00. Registrants who have previously participated in the NMSHMM EHMM (or NOC) will be eligible for a reduced rate of $300.00 but will not receive a copy of the ACHMM textbook.

Look for further updates on the NMSHMM EHMM in this newsletter, on the web at www.NMSHMM.org, and in special e-mail notices over the next few months. Please contact Paul Karas, NMSHMM Education/Professional Development Committee Chair, at 505-243-3200 or  if you are interested in learning more about the EHMM, volunteering to assist with running the EHMM, or in being considered as an instructor.

Encourage a Colleague to Join ACHMM and Increase your Impact!

You are the greatest testimony to the benefit of membership! By influencing a colleague, staff or associate to experience an ACHMM membership you will:

• Expand your network of hazardous materials professionals in the EHS/S industry;
• Strengthen ACHMM to ensure the voices of EHS/S professionals are heard;
• Receive national recognition in The Manager E-newsletter and on the ACHMM website.

Be eligible to win fabulous prizes in the ACHMM Recruit-A-Member campaign! We hope to see your name in the spotlight as ACHMM launches this membership recruiting campaign! Check out the ACHMM website http://www.achmm.org.

Recruit-A-Member Campaign Recognition!

Congratulations to our new member recruiter recognized by ACHMM! NMSHMM's first winner of the Recruit-A-Member Campaign is Paul Karas. He recruited new ACHMM members between January 15 and February 29, 2008. He received a $100 American Express gift card for his efforts and will be entered to win a registration to the 2008 ACHMM National Conference.

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Committee News

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

The following are news stories reported during the past month:

• An Albuquerque brownfield site on San Mateo north of Alameda will be redeveloped into a 120,000 square foot business park. At a cost of approximately $950,000, workers are excavating 85,000 cubic yards of dirt, trash, and tires and transporting the trash and tires to the Cerro Colorado Landfill. (Albuquerque Journal Business Outlook, 6-9-08)
   
• Shipment from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad were resumed. A LANL transuranic waste drum containing prohibited liquid levels was recovered and removed from WIPP, which allowed shipments to resume. (Albuquerque Journal, 6-7-08, 6-10-08 and 6-15-08)
   
• Approach Resources, Inc., is challenging a 4-month oil and gas drilling moratorium issued by the Rio Arriba County Commissioners. The company has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court contesting the county's right to issue a moratorium when the state has already authorized the company to drill four test wells in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near US 64. (Albuquerque Journal, 6-15-08)
   
• In June, the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) urged people not to buy, eat, sell, or serve tomatoes suspected of having a role in the salmonella outbreak. The NMED identified the following tomatoes to avoid: raw red plum, red Roma, and red-ground tomatoes grown in certain areas of Mexico and Florida unless approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Five early cases of salmonella poisoning were identified in Shiprock, and a total 68 cases were later identified statewide. (Albuquerque Journal. 6-12-08, 6-20-08, and 6-27-08)
   
• In a wrongful-death lawsuit, the University of California admitted releasing "non-dangerous quantities" of waste in Acid Canyon at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) from World War II through 1951. The family of Lowell Ryman claims he died of cancer in 2005 as a result of exposure to radioactive wastes while playing in Los Alamos canyons during the 1950's. (Albuquerque Journal, 6-18-08)
   
• The Gila Resources Information Project reached a settlement agreement with Phelps Dodge regarding cleanup of the Chino Mine near Silver City. Phelps Dodge agreed to use an advanced form of reverse osmosis to remove metals and sulfates from the mine's wastewater rather than diluting the wastewater with nearly 9,000 acre-feet of groundwater annually, as originally proposed. (Albuquerque Journal, 6-29-08)
   
• Former NMED Secretary Peter Maggiore, acting as a consultant, said Approach Resources, Inc., can safely drill for oil in the Rio Chama. Mr. Maggiore said wells can be drilled with the use of tanks instead of pits and avoid damage to hydrologic resources. (Albuquerque Journal Business Outlook, 6-30-08)

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Upcoming Meetings & Events

July 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.

July 6, NMSHMM at the Isotopes Game. Upper deck seats at Isotopes Park.  All you can eat food.  Seating is limited: minimum of 40 people and maximum of 50.  Seats will be split between NMSHMM and the Health Physics Society.  Reservations taken on a first-come, first-served basis.  Cost for Isotopes Night is $25.00/person.  RSVP to .

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

July 16, 11:30 am, NMSHMM Luncheon/General Meeting at Uptown Sports Bar and Grill, 6601 Uptown Boulevard NE, Albuquerque. Stephen Connolly, NMED ER Coordinator, will give a presentation on the Clandestine Drug Lab Laboratory Program, which is the statewide regulatory approach for clandestine laboratory cleanups.

August 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.

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

August 20, 11:30 am, NMSHMM Luncheon/General Meeting at Uptown Sports Bar and Grill, 6601 Uptown Boulevard NE, Albuquerque. Speaker to be announced.

September 2, 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.

September 7-10, ACHMM National Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. See ACHMM website at: www.achmm.org for more information.

September 16, 5:30 pm, NMSHMM Board Meeting at CDM offices, 6000 Uptown Blvd. NE, Suite 200. All members are welcome.

September 17, 11:30 am, NMSHMM Luncheon/General Meeting at Uptown Sports Bar and Grill, 6601 Uptown Boulevard NE, Albuquerque. Speaker to be announced.

October 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.

October 14, 5:30 pm, NMSHMM Board Meeting at CDM offices, 6000 Uptown Blvd. NE, Suite 200. All members are welcome.

October 15, 11:30 am, NMSHMM Luncheon/General Meeting at Uptown Sports Bar and Grill, 6601 Uptown Boulevard NE, Albuquerque. Speaker to be announced.

October 18-20, New Mexico Environmental Health Conference at the Radison Hotel in Albuquerque, on Carlisle at I-40. For more information, visit the conference web site at: www.nmehc.net. 

November 4, 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.

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

November 19, 11:30 am, NMSHMM Luncheon/General Meeting at Uptown Sports Bar and Grill, 6601 Uptown Boulevard NE, Albuquerque. Speaker to be announced.

November 17-19 Essentials of Hazardous Materials Management (EHMM) Course (formerly the ACHMM National Overview Course) at the NMED District 1 office, 5500 San Antonio Dr. NE, Albuquerque. Contact Paul Karas, NMSHMM Education/Professional Development Committee Chair, at 505-243-3200 or  if you are interested in learning more about the EHMM, volunteering to assist with running the EHMM, or in being considered as an instructor.

Did we miss something? To get your event added to the calendar please contact Eric Johnson at .

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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.

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Job Openings

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

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NMSHMM OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS

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

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