EA Group will be closed for the holidays on Monday December 26th and Monday January 2nd.  Have a safe and happy holiday season.

A New School Building, Not Students Put to the Test

Rittman will find out if their new middle/high school building achieved air quality standards sufficient to earn LEED Credit 3.2.  The LEED Indoor Environmental Quality Credit 3.2 requires building flush-out or the option of Pre-Occupancy Indoor Air Quality Testing.  EA Group is performing the IAQ testing for the building which is being dedicated July 22, 2011. For more information on the open house and dedication visit http://www.rittman.k12.oh.us/district.

Beachwood City School District

EA Group is performing abatement oversight in support of the renovations for Beachwood High School.  For construction progress and updates visit Beachwood’s site at http://www.beachwoodschools.org/schools/bhs/buiding-project.cfm

Are Your AAI Reports Compliant?

After reviewing 35 all appropriate inquiries (AAI) reports, none of which contained all the required documentation, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) has recommended that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) implement controls to ensure proper investigations are conducted at brownfield sites. The OIG has suggested that the EPA establish accountability for compliant AAI reports, to include those conducted under ARRA Brownfields grants; develop a plan to review AAI reports to determine the reports’ compliance with AAI documentation requirements; and establish criteria to determine whether noncompliant grantees should return federal grant money. For the full evaluation report, go to http://www.epa.gov/oig/reports/2011/20110214-11-P-0107.pdf.

EPA Urges Schools to Replace OIder Fluorescent Lamps Containing PCBs

New consumer brochure offers cleaning tips for broken CFLs and the EPA urges schools to replace older fluorescent lamps that contain polychlorinated biphenyls. Detailed cleanup and decontamination procedures for a leak, including management and disposal of wastes from PCB-containing ballasts, are outlined on EPA's PCB laws and regulations page. Keep in mind that due to the hazards associated with PCBs, an experienced contractor should be retained.  For more information visit: http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/hazard/tsd/pcbs/pubs/ballasts.htm.

EA Group to Increase Capacity

EA Group is expanding the laboratory space and lab capacity, with the addition of a new GCMS volatile organics analysis system. This new system will allow us to increase our throughput capacity and provide better assurance of meeting laboratory turnaround times. This will most directly impact soil and groundwater projects, such as assessment and remediation at UST and brownfield sites conducted by EA Group’s laboratory clients.

2010 Summary

EA Group has concluded what turned out to be a very busy year. EA Group completed major, district-wide demolition/renovation projects for six school districts in addition to numerous Parochial schools and is currently performing work in 10 districts. We have proudly established relationships with approximately 20 districts who call on EA Group for their environmental needs on an ongoing basis. Over the years, EA Group has worked with 64 Ohio school districts to complete Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments, pre-construction assessments, abatement design, abatement monitoring and other environmental consulting and laboratory services, many of which were Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) compliant.

New regulations related to the Lead RRP Rule were implemented by the EPA. As a result, EA Group has received a number of requests for our continuing education seminar focused on the new requirements. We had the opportunity to present on the subject at six architectural/engineering firms and at the Ohio Public Facilities Maintenance Association’s (OPFMA) Annual Conference and Trade Show. We also presented additional topics to a dozen A/E firms throughout the year. EA Group’s one hour educational seminars typically qualify for one learning unit from the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

Through Marous Brothers Construction, EA Group provided support to the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” project in Maple Heights.

Patrick Herbert, President of EA Group has now transitioned from President (2010) to Past President of the Building Environmental Council of Ohio (BECO), but will remain an active member with BECO. Steven W. Rucker will serve as President for 2011-2012 and continue the work of growing membership and recognition. For more information on BECO, visit becohio.org.

A new staff member, Chris Hatfield joined the Consulting Services Division to provide asbestos monitoring and other technical services. Mr. Hatfield studied Environmental Science at the University of Akron, and joined EA Group with experience and certifications in the area of asbestos abatement project monitoring.