ACHMM Election: Vote Today!

New Name Proposed

National Conference a Huge Success

Arnofksy Presented Top Honor

GSHMM, OSHA Forge Alliance

Call for "ACHMM of the Month" Nominations

ACHMM Adds New Family Member

IHMM Awards First CHMP Credentials

Drugs Affect More Drinking Water

States Aim to Cut Gases by Making Polluters Pay

Tapping Power From Trash

U.S. Gets a "C" In WMD Report

Finding Weapons

ACHMM Internet Resources

Call for "ACHMM of the Month" Nominations

Each month ACHMM recognizes the hard work, extraordinary achievements and contributions of a member or chapter. You can submit an ACHMM of the Month nomination via e-mail today. Nominees must be an ACHMM certified or affiliate member or an ACHMM local chapter.

When submitting a nomination, be sure to include the name(s), contact information and a brief description (250 words or less) of the deserving member's or chapter's accomplishments or contributions. The ACHMM Awards Committee will select an honoree to be featured in The Manager each month.

Honorees will be notified in advance and asked to provide a photo. ACHMM of the Month honorees receive a special certificate of recognition.

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ACHMM Adds New Family Member

ACHMM Executive Director Cedric Calhoun, his wife Amanda and son Gavin have added a new member to their family. The new addition—a girl weighing 8 pounds, 2 ounces—was born Thursday, Sept. 25 at 5:25 p.m. At press time she had not yet been named. Amanda and the baby—and Cedric!—are doing well.

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IHMM Awards First CHMP Credentials

The Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM) awarded certificates to the first 15 hazardous materials workers to qualify under the new Certified Hazardous Materials Practitioner^™ Program earlier this month.

IHMM introduced the CHMP program in October 2007 to provide front-line hazmat workers a means of obtaining professional recognition for their knowledge and skills. IHMM has worked closely with hazardous materials experts and professional psychometricians to develop an examination that reflects the proper scope and depth of knowledge that hazardous materials practitioners must master to be regarded as highly skilled. The certification examination covers hazardous materials identification; handling and shipping; emergency planning and response; sampling and analysis; site investigation and remediation; and project management.

Among its many benefits, the CHMP credential increases worker visibility to his or her employer that requires this expertise. To qualify for the exam, candidates must have at least five years of relevant experience or an Associate of Applied Science degree and three years of relevant experience. The CHMP exam is administered by computer-based testing throughout the year at testing centers across the United States.

As with any certification with merit, the CHMP credential does have an expiration date affixed to it. Every five years, the certification holder must renew his or her credential by documenting both continued employment in the field and participation in professional development activities to stay current on new information and changes in the field.

For more information about the CHMP credential contact IHMM at (301) 984-8969 or www.ihmm.org.

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Drugs Affect More Drinking Water
Associated Press
© 2008 Information, Inc.

An Associated Press article that disclosed trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in drinking water supplies prompted officials in a minimum of 27 cities to test drinking water. The results revealed that at least 46 million Americans are exposed to drug-contaminated drinking water supplies.

Positive tests occurred in Reno, Nev.; Savannah, Ga.; Colorado Springs, Colo.; and Huntsville, Ala. Most U.S. cities, including New York City, have yet to analyze drinking water. While the amount of drugs detected in drinking water supplies is minute, researchers say evidence suggests that even incredibly diluted concentrations of pharmaceutical residues hurt fish, frogs, and other aquatic life in the wild and weaken the functioning of human cells in the laboratory.

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States Aim to Cut Gases by Making Polluters Pay
New York Times
© 2008 Information, Inc.

A program that would charge utilities for the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions they release into the atmosphere is set to launch soon. The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative seeks to impose restrictions on CO2 at 233 power plants by charging energy producers for each ton of pollutants emitted.

The program offers power plants financial incentive to change the way they operate, while raising money to underwrite conservation and renewable-energy programs in participating states. Bidding for allowances is scheduled to begin Sept. 25.

Though the program has been lauded by state officials and environmentalists as an innovative mitigant to industrial pollution, critics note that the emissions cap is based on overestimates of CO2 output, which has fallen steadily over the last few years.

"The supply of allowances is more than what the market needs," says Milo Sjardin, head of the North America division of the research and analysis firm New Carbon Finance. "Prices are not going to be high, not for the foreseeable future." Sjardin adds that the market is also "not going to produce a lot of emission reductions" as long as the supply of allowances outstrips utilities' need.

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With the push for cleaner forms of energy more states are experimenting with energy-producing projects that use landfill methane.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Landfill Methane Outreach Program, there is an inexhaustible number of opportunities for landfill methane-based projects. State, federal and local governments, along with energy entrepreneurs and private energy and waste-management companies, are taking a closer look at landfill methane as a viable energy source because of the environmental benefits of capturing methane.

In terms of emissions, landfill methane is at least 20 times more toxic than carbon dioxide and the EPA estimates that landfills account for a quarter of all methane releases associated with human activity. Currently, there are more than 51 operating landfill methane projects in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, and new opportunities at more than 90 other sites.

In New York and New Jersey methane exceeds solar power as an energy source and powers generators in Connecticut that produce 169 Mw of electricity. It appears that more projects are on the way. The nation's largest landfill operator, Waste Management, is planning $400 million in investments in methane-to-electricity projects at 60 landfills across the country, including a new project at a landfill in New Milford, Conn.

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The Partnership for a Secure America gave the United States a grade of C for its efforts to prevent a nuclear, biological or chemical attack.

The group, made up of several 9/11 Commission members, former national security advisers and former lawmakers, graded the government's performance in several areas, including support for foreign scientists and integration of terrorism prevention programs.

The U.S. earned its highest grades for destroying half of its chemical weapons stockpile and working to destroy nuclear weapons abroad. However, the report pointed out that there has been little success in obtaining long-term support from foreign countries and criticized the government for disengaging from the Biological Weapons Convention.

The report card featured three main recommendations: the appointment of a White House adviser who has the ability to control funding for counter-proliferation programs; the creation of a strategic plan for all Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)-related programs; and increased international cooperation.

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The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's Forensic Science Center (FSC) is responsible for detecting some 12,000 substances as part of its work with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. FSC's innovations include the Easy Livermore Inspection Test for Explosives (ELITE), a palm-sized appliance that can identify more than 30 explosives.

To use the device, users first remove a tab from the system's card, swipe it across the suspicious material, and replace the tab into the card. One of two glass vials is broken to release a nucleophile that reacts with the phenyl group of trinitrotoluene (TNT) or comparable materials to create a complex that stains the card.

If the test is negative, the user breaks the second vial to release a reagent that reacts with organic nitrite compounds to form a pink diazonium dye, which is capable of detecting chemicals like RDX, HMX, ammonium nitrate and pentaerythritol tetranitrate. FSC also has developed a low-power chemical vapor sensor that can identify several chemical substances, such as VX and mustard gas, in places like buildings and pipelines.

The sensor unit features an array of microcantilevers that are each covered with a different polymer, says FSC scientist Bradley R. Hart, who led the device's development. The polymers react differently with individual compounds and mixtures can be assessed by a computer program. Researchers now hope to cover the cantilevers with fictionalized aerogels or metal nanoparticles in a polymer matrix to enable the detection of very low concentrations of chemicals.

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A Message From ACHMM
Elise Allen Frankfield, CHMM
ACHMM Secretary

Your Board of Directors spent much of its time before and during the National Conference in Minneapolis strategizing our organization's future.

Prior to the conference, the Board spent a day and a half with facilitator Stephen C. Carey, Ph.D., CAE of Association Management & Marketing Resources (www.ammr.com). Carey helped Board members evaluate the organization's mission, vision and goals and review its existing strategic plan. It was an interesting and informative session that allowed us to examine where ACHMM is as an organization and where we wanted it to be in the next few years. Most importantly, it provided us a clear roadmap to reach some of our major objectives over the next three years.

We came out of the session with draft vision and mission statements. Those are:

Draft Vision Statement: ACHMM's vision is to be the recognized global leader and resource for hazardous materials professionals.

Draft Mission Statement: ACHMM's mission is to provide value to our members and other stakeholders by focusing on the key goal areas of:

• Strengthening communications among members and stakeholders
• Enhancing public and government relations
• Strengthening our membership and partnership base
• Improving management and governance operations and strengthening our financial base
• Providing superior educational resources and opportunities
• Serving our membership and chapters by providing new products, services and tools for success

At its fourth-quarter meeting in Bethesda, Md. in November the Board will use the interim plan to begin setting the course for 2009 and beyond. Another facilitated strategic-planning session will be held in January and the new plan will be finalized shortly thereafter. This new strategic plan will aid the Board and our committees in managing tasks and activities to help us focus our efforts on those organizational objectives that are most important.

In addition to the strategic-planning session, the Board held its third-quarter meeting over two days during the National Conference. We received many updates about ACHMM's current momentum.

President Mike Mandracchia, CHMM indicated that the National Conference was a great success with many attendees who shared positive comments with him about the top-notch keynote speakers. (Read conference-related story below).

Also, Executive Director A. Cedric Calhoun, CAE provided the Board an update on the organization's state of affairs. He said that current member retention is 78 percent. Additionally, the Board approved his recommendation to hire a new national office staff member in 2009 with experience in implementing member programs and assisting with chapter development.

Treasurer Scott Butterfield, CHMM updated Board members on ACHMM's financial status. He indicated that ACHMM is on track fiscally for 2008 with projections from the National Conference consistent with budgets. He reported that the 2009 budget will need to wait for the strategic plan to be completed but that preliminary estimates would be developed.

The Board also received reports from several committees:

• The Nominations Committee had a full slate for the 2009 election with online voting taking place between Sept. 1 and Sept. 30. Members will be electing a vice president/president-elect, treasurer and two directors.
• The National Conference Committee created a "green" National Conference.
• The Chapter Development Committee provided useful tools and resources to chapter delegates that will help with a variety of different chapter issues, including governance, professional development and member recruitment.

The ACHMM Board and National Office are excited about the organization's many accomplishments in 2008. We look forward to developing a course of action for 2009 and beyond to ensure that ACHMM continues to exceed your expectations.

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ACHMM Election: Vote Today!

ACHMM encourages you to take just three minutes today to help shape the leadership and direction of your organization for the coming year and beyond. Your chance to vote for the 2009 ACHMM Board of Directors closes at midnight Tuesday, Sept. 30.

Learn more about the 2009 Candidates and cast your vote at 2009 ACHMM Ballot. Use your ACHMM ID number and last name to log in. Be sure to input them in the appropriate fields to gain access.

If you are having trouble logging in or need a paper ballot please contact the ACHMM National Office at (301) 634-7430 and a staff member will promptly assist you.

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New Name Proposed

During its recently completed National Conference in Minneapolis ACHMM unveiled a proposed new name for the organization.

The name—Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals—a tagline and the logo will be implemented only after being approved by the membership during a 30-day proxy voting period that begins Nov. 15. The new name and tagline are presented here in the proposed logo:

ACHMM President Michael J. Mandracchia, CHMM, sent an e-mail to all members informing them of the proposal. In the message Mandracchia outlined the rationale for it, detailed the informational resources members can access to learn more about the initiative and encouraged them to support adoption of the new name.

Mandracchia also reassured members that the new name will not negatively impact the CHMM credential and in fact will enhance it by expanding member professional development offerings, creating a larger network of hazardous materials professionals and increasing the organization's influence in government and the industry.

In explaining the reasoning for the new organization name Mandracchia said: "The motivation for this new name, quite frankly, is nothing more than the long-term survival of your organization."

This e-mail was sent to you last week. If you did not receive it you can access it and other information about this initiative at the ACHMM Branding Initiative Resource Section of the ACHMM Web site. There you also will find a brochure, a PowerPoint presentation, Frequently Asked Questions and an e-mail address to submit your questions.

The new name will be the topic of an informational Webinar session Oct. 6 at 3 p.m. (Eastern Time). This session will be free for ACHMM members and can be accessed through the Web site. Please plan to join this Webinar.

The decision to adopt this proposed new name is up to you. That's because membership approval of changes to the organization's bylaws are required before the new name can be implemented.

Beginning Nov. 15, the 30-day membership proxy voting period will be conducted. At the start of this period you will receive from ACHMM an e-mail asking you to assign your proxy vote to a member of the ACHMM Board of Directors by no later than midnight Dec. 14, the end of the voting period.

Supporting the adoption of the Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals name will help ensure that there is an organization for you and for all hazardous materials professionals in the future.

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National Conference a Huge Success

More than 700 hazardous materials management professionals from the U.S. and other countries participated in the information-packed 2008 ACHMM National Conference in Minneapolis earlier this month. It was the national conference's third-highest attendance ever.

The ACHMM showcase event, held at the Hyatt Regency at Nicollet Mall from Sept. 7 through 10, was the premier educational, training and networking event for global hazardous materials management and environmental, health, safety and security (EHS&S) professionals. This year's program featured more than 50 technical sessions, five pre-event educational workshops, five prominent industry speakers, a 70-exhibitor exposition hall and numerous networking opportunities.

Among the 2008 National Conference's many highlights was former EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman's opening session speech. She praised ACHMM members for their active roles in ensuring national safety and security and protecting the environment.

"I have grown to have enormous respect for hazardous materials managers," said Whitman, who served as President Bush's EPA head from January 2001 to June 2003. "You are the unsung heroes of environmental management. We as a country look to hazardous materials managers to respond to disasters and to keep us safe.

"You focus on prevention to ensure hazardous materials are used safely and you have done a tremendous job and also have become champions of environmental protection," she continued.

In addition, attendees heard industry-focused remarks from U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) head Edwin G. Foulke Jr.; Dr. John Howard, the former director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Nancy L. Girard, Esq., executive director of the Multi-State Working Group for Environmental Performance (MSWG), and Dr. Todd Conklin, an expert trainer and nationally recognized speaker who is the deputy group leader of nuclear material information management with an emphasis in organizational development and human reliability at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.

A simulated emergency-response scenario (ERS) training session ended the four-day meeting. During the ERS participants learned how to manage a building collapse with the presence of a hazardous material. A morning tabletop exercise provided an overview and other critical information about the simulated exercise while the afternoon live-action demonstration staged at the Minneapolis Fire Department Training Center showed participants the proper techniques to remove hazardous chemicals from a collapsed building using heavy construction and demolition equipment.

Next year's ACHMM National Conference will take place Aug. 30 to Sept. 2 at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina. More information about the 2009 ACHMM National Conference is available at www.achmm.org/sandiego2009. The Call for Papers will be announced soon.

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Arnofsky Presented Top Honor

ACHMM presented its top honor to Albert Arnofsky, CHMM and recognized the contributions of its top members, chapters and supporters at its annual awards ceremony held in conjunction with the National Conference earlier this month in Minneapolis.

In all, ACHMM presented more than 69 awards to individuals, chapters and supporting groups. The awards recognize outstanding contributions in education, training, research, development, operations and performance that advance ACHMM's mission and the EHS&S profession.

Among the top awards presented were:

• Pete Cook Founders — Albert Arnofsky, CHMM
• Hazardous Materials Manager of the Year — Diana Lundelius, CHMM
• Young CHMM of the Year — Chandra Jennings, CHMM
• Chapter of the Year — Gateway Society of Hazardous Materials Managers
• Chapter Web Site of the Year — Philadelphia Chapter
• Chapter Newsletter — Gateway Society of Hazardous Materials Managers
• Unsung Hero — Kendra G. Schroer, CHMM
• "Mary McMillan Memorial" Friend of the Academy — Bruce Donato
• Sponsor Appreciation — 3E Company

Chapters that were honored with the Honor Roll of Champions Award were the: Connecticut Chapter, Gateway Society of Hazardous Materials Managers, Eastern Washington Chapter, Georgia Chapter, New Jersey Chapter and Wisconsin CHMM Chapter.

Fifty-three individuals were honored with a Champions of Excellence Award. These individuals are: Douglas S. Andrews, Al Arnofsky, Matthew Basso, Mark Baumgardner, Ellen Bernard-Buie, Zvi Blank, Keith A. Cole, Stephen E. Crouch, Mary Ellen Doherty, Steven Douglas, Donald DuRivage, John Egan, Steve Galbierz, Karen Goryl, James Harless, K.C. Jayaramu, Joe Jenkins, Chandra Jennings, H. Lakshmi Kantha, Stuart Kerkhoff, Stephen Kucera, Linda Lawhorn, Daniel Levine, Ken Manchen, Liz Marsh, Tara V. McCullen, Gene Metti, John H. Mitchell, Catherine Morse, Regina Mowad, Leo Oberle, Adonia L. Phillips, Cheryl Polios, Phillip J. Polios, B.S. Jai Prakash, Andrea L. Prignano, Diane Pupa, Raja Ranade, Matthew J. Redmann, Ron Wilkins, Jeff Rothwell, Michael Schmoldt, Lorenz Spangler, Charles Stebbins, Ram S. Suga, Christie Sunderrajan, Michael Verdon, Rampur Viswanath, Barry R. Weissman, Robert West, David Wheeler and Robert Terry Winward.

To learn more about the ACHMM Awards Program visit the Awards Section of the ACHMM Web site.

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GSHMM, OSHA Forge Alliance
Leo M. Oberle, CHMM
GSHMM President

The Gateway Society of Hazardous Materials Managers (GSHMM) and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently entered into an alliance agreement to improve the safety and health of workers by assisting the efforts of businesses to implement effective safety and health management systems.

GSHMM and OSHA will work together to:

• Develop and deliver training and educational programs regarding comprehensive safety and health management systems along with a fundamental understanding of how to implement such a management system. These programs will be developed primarily to assist small businesses.
• Develop training and educational programs for GSHMM members and non¬members to assist employers, especially small business owners, in their efforts to comply with occupational health and safety standards.

GSHMM and OSHA also will work together to achieve these outreach and communication goals:

• Develop and disseminate information, including information on safety and health management systems, through print and electronic media and electronic assistance tools and links from OSHA's and GSHMM's Web sites.
• Speak, exhibit or appear at the annual GSHMM Spring Seminar, local meetings or other events to promote awareness of an effective safety and health management system.
• Promote and encourage GSHMM member participation in OSHA's cooperative programs, such as compliance assistance; consultation; its Voluntary Protection Program (VPP); and Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP).

GSHMM says this alliance strengthens its relationship, which has been growing over the past few years, with local OSHA offices.

For more information about the GSHMM-OSHA alliance contact GSHMM President Leo M. Oberle, CHMM at president@gshmm.org.

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