|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|||||
|
|
|
The NBP is a joint effort by the National Association of Clean
Water Agencies (NACWA, formerly Association of Metropolitan
Sewerage Agencies, AMSA), US Environmental Protection Agency, and
the Water Environment Federation. The NBP office is located in
Alexandria, VA. The NBP was formed in 1997 to assist local
agencies to enhance environmental performance and public
perception of their biosolids management programs. A primary
initiative of the NBP has been the development and implementation
of the NBP’s National Environmental Management System (EMS)
Program. This initiative has been very successful to date. There
are now have almost 90 agencies across the US participating in the
program — ranging in capacity from 170,000 gallons per day to
large, multi-facility agencies, such as Chicago and Los Angeles —
and several others are in the process of signing up for the next
round. Several of the participating agencies are building on their
biosolids EMS
training and success to expand it plant-wide or to other parts of
their organizations. Ø Increased Recognition by Your Community and Customers as an Environmental Steward Ø Capture Institutional Knowledge to Address Aging Workforce Issues Ø Optimizing Internal Plant Performance Ø Improve Communications and Relationships with Public and Regulatory Officials Ø Improve Employee Morale through Clarity of Utility Mission, Goals, and Objectives Ø Implement More Environmentally Sound Biosolids Management Practices
Congress has provided continued funding for several years to
support this program and to help local agencies to adopt the EMS
approach. As a result of this program and funding, the NBP offers
you:
Under the New England regional initiative, All of the training
workshops will be held locally, and you will be progressing in the
development of your EMS in concert with a group of New England-based
agencies and private companies. Through this program, you would
receive approximately $15,000 of technical assistance and training
toward the development of an EMS for your operations.
The first workshop will be held during the first
half of the first day of the annual
New England Residuals and Biosolids
Conference, November 14th, in Wells, Maine. This workshop and lunch
are offered free of charge (normal
registration fees apply for the rest of the conference). You are
invited and encouraged to attend this workshop to learn more about
developing an environmental management system under the
NBP program with no commitment. We are confident that once you learn
more about the benefits of an EMS for your organization, you will take
advantage of this opportunity to join the New England regional
initiative. I am very pleased to let you know that New England Organics is the first agency/private company to commit to the development on an EMS under the New England regional initiative. The following agencies and private companies have committed to attending the first workshop of the New England Regional Initiative, and potentially committing the development of an environmental management system: aine:
New Hampshire:
Massachusetts:
I am also pleased to report that Bangor Wastewater Treatment Facility is making great strides toward achieving certification of it's EMS, and has already realized many benefits. Bangor is expected to be the first agency in New England that reaches certification. I would urge you to review the Bangor EMS Profile and contact Brad Moore if you have doubts about the potential benefits of an EMS program for your organization.
I especially urge you to review the biosolids success stories of agencies that have implemented their environmental managements systems. Although you may be operating a much small facility than some of these participants, you will realize many of the same benefits, and be able to take advantage of their experiences in developing your EMS. Additional information is available at the NBP website: www.biosolids.org.
In closing, please let me know if I can provide you with any additional information to assist you in assessing the benefits of developing and EMS for your organization. Remember you can attend the first workshop to learn more without any commitment, and all of the NBP workshops are always free. Of course, we encourage you to attend the entire NEWEA / NEBRA conference in Wells, which is also being co-sponsored by MWWCA this year. I would appreciate if you could let me know if you are planning to attend the first workshop, or even better if you are ready to commit to the New England Regional Initiative.
Regards,
Jeff Pinnette
Residuals Management Committee Chair MWWCA
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
 |
|
|
