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March 2000
Environmental
Management:
Essential Component of a Sound
Business Plan
By Ben Komrska, C.P.G.
Industry
leaders are increasingly incorporating pollution prevention into their
daily business operations. Environmental stewardship and product resource
management which in the past were rarely considered, are no longer considered
radical left-wing thinking, but instead, essential elements of a sound
business operation.
In response to consumers' demand, business must continue to develop and provide products and services in ways that have minimal environmental impact. Products should be safe in their intended use, efficient in their consumption of energy and natural resources, and be reused or recycled if possible.
Companies that engage in pollution prevention do so because they know waste costs them money. Resource reduction can help limit the liabilities that accompany waste disposal. Waste that is not generated can not return as a liability requiring future clean up.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
Forward-looking companies voluntarily incorporate into their business activities a continued focus on minimizing pollution through environmental compliance. Environmental compliance can be obtained by integrating the environmental considerations into all aspects of their operations, utilizing management tools such as waste material handling policies, material conservation and recycling protocols, and safety training. However, the most important point to remember is that no single corporate environmental management tool is a panacea, nor can it guarantee success. It must be implemented within a framework or system that supports its continued use. Both employees and managers must be aware of and engaged in environmental management.
Without a company-wide environmental management backbone, there is little chance a business can promulgate this type of environmental awareness into their business culture. Therefore taking a proactive approach and making it a part of daily business activities is essential.
One important reason for developing an environmental management system is to improve the bottom line-that is, reducing costs and/or increasing revenues, especially over the long term. In addition, it ensures that possible "hidden costs" of environmental damage can be accounted for and reflected. There are some innovative new approaches with government incentives, such as voluntary agreements by corporations to conduct environmental audits and activities in lieu of facing penalties and fines, show promise of integrating business and governmental compliance. This is a positive step toward a win-win situation for both the corporate world and governmental regulations.
WASTE REDUCTION/REUSE
For environmental and economic reasons, business and industry should constantly strive not only to decrease operating costs, but also to reduce the volume and costs of its resources and waste. The issue is not one of how much is being consumed in any absolute, material sense, but to strive to continually improve resource efficiency while reducing environmental impacts.
Perhaps the most familiar aspect of waste reduction initiatives are companies instituting and encouraging internal recycling and reuse programs. In some cases it is possible to convert waste into products or materials.
ENVIRONMENTAL AUDITS
Voluntarily conducting an environmental audit remains an integral component to starting an environmental management approach to business.
Governmentally enforced environmental audits are in an increasingly broad sense, being applied to pollution control programs, health, employee safety, product safety, transportation safety, and security. Although environmental audits are primary compliance oriented, as companies themselves strive to go beyond compliance, so too have audits, encouraging a more proactive approach by industry.
SUMMARY
In conclusion, the integration of environmental considerations into everyday business is a long-term challenge. It takes constant attention and commitment, and a corporate culture to support it, but such efforts will contribute to a harmonization, not just of environmental regulation and enforcement, but also of corporate policy and practice, as companies innovate and voluntarily implement these policies and procedures into their everyday business activities.
Transaction
Information
The Environmental
Site Assessment Process, continued
By Lee Blodgett, R.E.P.A.
In
our initial newsletter we discussed the initial step in Environmental
Site Assessments (ESA) - the Transaction Screen or Phase I. Phase II of
an ESA is conducted if it is necessary to further evaluate identified
potential areas of environmental impact, for the purpose of providing
sufficient information to verify or negate the existence of a potential
contamination. Phase II work typically includes soil and/or groundwater
testing or more extensive research to obtain sufficient information to
assist the user in making informed business decisions about the property.
At the completion of Phase II of an ESA, the environmental professional should be able to conclude that either a) the ESA has provided sufficient information to render a professional opinion that there is no reasonable basis to suspect the presence of hazardous substances or petroleum products, or b) the ESA has confirmed that hazardous substances or petroleum products have impacted the site.
If significant impact to the site is discovered in the ESA, there are options as to how a purchaser may want to proceed, including options for cleaning up the site and/or conducting a Baseline Environmental Assessment (BEA). We will discuss what a BEA is and when it is prudent to do one in our next newsletter.
Environmental
Bulletin
New Drain
Code
By Garth Greenan, P.E.
As you may know,
the legislature has been working on revising the Drain Code of 1956. In
December 1999, the State House passed Bill 4803, designed to replace the
existing code. The bill has been sent to the Senate, where it may be amended.
Some of the key provisions of the bill include allowing assessment of
drain taxes to public corporations and public lands, requiring consideration
of environmental impacts of projects, and streamline the process for creating
the drains. Additional information, both for and against the bill, is
available from the House Legislative Analysis Section.
What's
New at EC&S
Improved
Technology Saves Money at Alpena Site
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By Richard Brege, C.P.G.
EC&S
is presently using a new technology at one of our on-going leaking underground
fuel tank remediation projects. To more effectively treat the contaminated
groundwater, and, in an effort to lower our client's cost, EC&S proposed
an improved treatment system, using a direct oxygen injection system.
The system involves injecting pure oxygen through a series of well points,
into the contaminated groundwater. The oxygen will enhance natural processes
that reduce concentrations of contaminants in the subsurface (bioremediation).
Previous oxygen enhancement efforts utilized expensive materials, which
released a minimal amount of oxygen to the subsurface. Cost savings of
approximately $7000 for our client over the next two years is expected
with this new system, resulting from using locally purchased bottled oxygen
rather than more expensive materials purchased elsewhere.
Brownfield
Redevelopment Funding
Revitalization
Revolving Loan Fund
By Mark Chilcott
Developers
familiar with the State of Michigan's brownfield funding tools are familiar
with the Site Reclamation Grant (SRG), however, most know little about
another powerful funding tool - The Revitalization Revolving Loan Fund.
Revitalization Loans can be used at properties with development potential.
The property can have known or suspected environmental problems (in contrast,
SRGs can only be utilized for known contaminated properties). Loan dollars
can be used for environmental investigation, BEAs, demolition, and interim
response. The local unit of government or brownfield authority in which
the property resides must be the applicant and pass-through entity for
loan dollars. There is no limit to the amount of money that can be requested
and interest rates in 1999 were a mere 2.25%. Loan payments can be deferred
for the first 5 years and there is a 15 year repayment period for the
loan. This loan can be utilized in conjunction with other financing sources
(SRG, commercial financing, etc.). Also, depending upon the negotiations
with the brownfield authority, it is possible to have all or a portion
of the loan repaid via incremental tax capture.
If you are in process with or considering the development of a potentially contaminated or known contaminated property, this funding tool can be very helpful. For more information contact Mark Chilcott.
Land
Development News
Storm Water Permit and Monitoring Requirements
By Garth Greenan, P.E.
Many
developers and owners of property under construction know the requirement
for having a soil erosion control plan. Depending on the size of the project,
and how the stormwater discharges from the site, they may not be aware
that additional permit coverage may be required. Michigan has developed
rules under the Federal Storm Water Regulations that require the owner
of the property with a project construction area greater than five acres
and a point source discharge to apply to MDEQ for coverage under the permit-by-rule
requirements. The permit-by-rule requirements have specific provisions
for the owner. The owner must have a state certified Storm Water Operator
inspect the construction site once per week and within 24 hours after
a precipitation event that causes a discharge from the site. A log must
be kept of the certified Storm Water Operator's inspections, and it is
the responsibility of the Storm Water Operator to report to the owner
soil erosion control measures needing maintenance or repair. EC&S
provides certified Storm Water Operator services.
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| 2748 Garfield
Road North, Suite 9 Traverse City MI 49686 |
Phone 231-941-2366
• Fax 231-941-2375 Email info@ecswebsite.com |
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