An article by Chris W. Richter, Technical Director, SECUR-IT® Program  titled "Putting a Lid on Environmental Cleanup Costs:  A 2010 Perspective" was published in the April 23, 2010 edition of Mid Atlantic Real Estate Journal.

The pivotal issue in a real estate transaction or on-going remediation program is often estimating the total environmental cleanup cost.  Even during these challenging economic times, and the status of the insurance and financial industries, several options exist to better predict, quantify, and cap, remedial costs.

An article by Robert P. Blauvelt, Senior Vice President titled "New Jersey’s LSRP Program:  An Environmental Consultant’s Perspective" was published in the March 2010 edition of The American Bar Association's Environmental Transactions and Brownfields Committee Newsletter.

Mr. Blauvelt responds to a December 2009 article that summarized a number of critical business and legal concerns associated with implementation of New Jersey’s recently enacted Licensed Site Remediation Professional (LSRP) program. 

An article by Margaret Halasnik, Director – Compliance Services  titled "The Benefits of Voluntary Disclosure" was published in the December 2009 edition of Brownfield Renewal.

The EPA is currently testing a number of tailored incentives that apply to New Owners of regulated companies who identify, voluntarily disclose, and promptly correct environmental violations.  The incentives include reduction or elimination of fines and potential criminal prosecution and recognition of new owners who perform internal audits and disclose under the Audit Policy.

An article by Robert P. Blauvelt, Senior Vice President  titled "Keeping Site Cleanups 'Green'" was published in the February 2010 edition of Commerce Magazine.

When designing and implementing a remedial program to address soil and ground water contamination at a Brownfields site, it is becoming increasingly important to evaluate more broadly the impacts planned cleanup procedures may have to local residents as well as the surrounding environment.

David Fullmer, Environmental Scientist, and Robert P. Blauvelt,Senior Vice President have published an article titled "AAI Compliant Regulatory Database Searches:  Some Are More Equal Than Others" iin the Volume 14, Article 13, 2009 edition of the Proceedings of the Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments, Water and Energy.

The paper is an assessment of All Appropriate Inquiry (AAI) Compliant Regulatory Database Searches used by the environmental industry.  The paper was presented at the Fall 2009 Proceedings of the Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments, Water and Energy at the University of Massachusetts.

An article by Liz Davis, Director, Site Assessment and Remedial Investigation Services titled "Proposed PERC Ban Tabled Until 2026" was published in the December 2009 edition of Commerce Magazine.

Landlord’s who may have been hoping for a boost from the NJDEP in their efforts to convince their dry cleaning tenants to switch from perchloroethylene (PERC) to alternative less toxic cleaning technologies, recently received a set back.

An article by Robert P. Blauvelt, PG, CHMM, Senior Vice President, titled "Greening Existing Buildings Is Easier (And Cheaper) Than You Think" appeared in the November 2009 edition of Commerce Magazine.

Commercial, industrial, institutional, and residential buildings are the most significant users of energy in the United States.  While there is an intense focus on the use of carbon or eco-friendly techniques in new construction, there is less emphasis on green conversion or retro-fitting of existing commercial or office space.  This is due to often ill-founded preconceptions that such conversions are expensive, logistically difficult, and not very cost effective. Fortunately, many property owners and managers recognize that the marketplace is starting to demand green space in existing buildings. Green upgrades make business and real estate sense both from a short term view of return on investment to a longer term enhancement of the building’s value within the marketplace.

By Robert P. Blauvelt, Senior Vice President
November 2009 edition of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce's monthly newspaper "The Business Edge".

One of the most far-reaching regulatory reforms ever enacted in the Garden State will go into effect on November 3, 2009.  This is when the Licensed Site Remediation Professional (LSRP) program under the Site Remediation Reform Act will allow, for the first time, highly qualified and well-vetted environmental scientists and engineers (who are not employed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to assume direct responsibility for the oversight and closure of most types of environmental cleanups. 

An article by Robert M. Edgar, Director, Site Assessment - Remedial Investigatory Services titled "With Brownfield Properties, The Road to Success Is Always Under Construction" appeared in the November 2009 edition of Commerce Magazine.

EWMA was retained as ERA South’s environmental consultant to investigate, remediate, and obtain regulatory closure for 58 areas of environmental concern that had been identified by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP).  Over a 24-month period, EWMA was successful in obtaining regulatory closure for the majority of the areas.  Remedial activities were completed in a cost-effective and timely manner using methodologies consistent with the intended future use of the property.

An article by Paul V. Schatz, C.P.G., Assistant Vice President, titled "Requirements for Worker Notification by Labeling Rooms Containing Asbestos" appeared in the June 2009 edition of Modern Contractor Solutions magazine.

There is a common misconception that asbestos materials only need to be properly handled when they are located in schools or public buildings and then only if the material is damaged.  However, there are additional regulations which are overlooked by schools and commercial buildings alike.  These regulations require labeling rooms and areas with the potential of containing asbestos.  If the building was built earlier than 1980 some form of asbestos is probably present in the building material.  Labeling regulations have been adopted to require worker notification.