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JUNE, 2015

 

It Passed! SB125: Mold Legislation for NH

Congratulations to the American Lung Association of NH and the NH Mold Task Force, who for the past seven years, have met, brainstormed, drafted bill language, chased down legislators, jumped over hurdles and through hoops, and paved the way for the passage of SB125, a consumer and health protection Bill for the residents of NH.  

 

SB125 requires that persons providing residential mold assessment services for mold contamination in residential dwellings be certified by certain professional organizations, and requires the board of home inspectors to inform the public that mold assessment professionals are required to be certified.

 

Its been a long haul indeed. Here is a Timeline summary of events:

 

2008-   A group of like-minded professionals, from both the private & public sector, meet to discuss the need for mold legislation in NH. They work for several months, brainstorming and writing and meeting with legislators.

2009-  The group submits House Bill 482 to the NH House. The bill loses by just one vote.

2010-  The NH Mold Task Force is formed, the group is growing and determined. They switch their focus from Legislation to drafting a Standard of Care for mold.

2012-  The Standard of Care for Mold in NH is published by the NHMTF and the American Lung Association in NH. The document is very well received, and made available to the public. The NHMTF group is asked to speak at several industry conferences to discuss the Standard of Care and the legislation process.

2013-  The group meets with NH Senators, recruits sponsors and drafts a bill for Senate vote.

2014- SB334 for the Certification and Licensing for Assessments and Remediation is submitted. NH Senate takes reference to Assessment out of the bill, runs with Remediation only.  SB334 gets voted down in the Senate.

2015-  In March, 2015, SB125 is brought to the NH Senate. This bill includes language for both assessments and remediation, but a mistake was made when it was submitted, and the “remediation only” language of the previous bill is used.  SB125 passes through the Senate, and goes to the House, members of the NHMTF testify, and it passes 11-3.  A Representative from the House asks that the bill be sent to Executive Session. The NH House votes again in favor of the Bill 10 to 4. The Bill goes to the House floor with a favorable “OUGHT TO PASS” but ends up tabled. Then in early June, 2015 SB125 is sent to the House floor for a vote, it passes 230-126. However, it is amended on the House floor. The Bill Amendment excludes remediators and licensing by the state. Fundamentally it states: no person shall conduct a residential mold inspection without a Third Party Certification. A Third Party Certification is required in the State of New Hampshire for:

 

1.  Conducting an inspection, investigation, or survey of a dwelling or other structure to provide information to the owner regarding presence, identification, or evaluation of mold;
2.  Development of a mold remediation specification or protocol; or
3.  Collection of a mold sample for analysis.

 

The Senate concurred on June 9, 2015. The Bill has finally passed, and is now on its way to the Governor’s office for signature (NH Governor Maggie Hassan has stated she will support the bill). Once signed, this bill will go into effect on January 1, 2016. Whew!

 


                                                                                                            

pic courtesy brewershirts.com

 

Our clients know that ARA offers many services related to environmental testing, but I bet not many realize that we also do beer testing! (No, not taste testing!)  ARA provides bacteria and sediment testing for a handful of local breweries who want to be sure their customers are getting the cleanest and best tasting product they can offer.

 

Brewers know that in order to attract customers and sustain their business, they must offer a consistent, delicious product. Their Quality Assurance Plans have them doing several hourly, daily, weekly and monthly tests and checks, not only on each new batch of beer, but on the containers, the processing equipment and machinery, the inventory, wastewater and more. Depending on the size of the business, many breweries have their own on-staff chemists and lab equipment, but we are often called upon to provide bacteria, sediment, container and/or wastewater testing for breweries who are sticklers about quality and want to be absolutely sure of they are putting the best possible product on the shelves. If you are a beer drinker, I’m sure you appreciate that level of commitment! 

 

In related news, check this out: a startup company in Oregon has created technology which produces electricity from the wastewater in beer production, while also cleaning the wastewater. This reduces disposal costs and waste volume, while providing a renewable energy source. Brilliant!

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

"Where is Jane?!"

Many customers have been asking lately, "Where is Jane?" Don't worry, she's still part of the ARA family! For those who have not heard, ARA's Business Administrator, Jane Stratton, has been promoted to Project Manager! Jane has been the face and voice to greet our customers for the past several years, and our customers love her as much as we do! Someone as smart and hard working as Jane was bound to move onward and upward, and we are excited for Jane as she takes on this new role at ARA. She'll still be providing the same high level of service to our customers as well as taking on some new responsibilities as Project Manager. Congrats Jane!


The new friendly voice you will be hearing when you call the office is ARA's newest addition, Cathy DeWees. Cathy's welcoming, helpful, positive attitude will certainly put customers at ease during the transition, and she will not skip a beat as she steps into her role here at ARA. Welcome Cathy!

 


 

ARA Awarded Contract with MA DEP

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has selected  Absolute Resource Associates for a recent Bureau of Waste Site Cleanup Laboratory Support Services (LSS) contract.  Under this contract, the Site Assessment Remediation Support Services (SARSS) Contractors must choose a laboratory that has a LSS contract to perform lab services.  So, for all of you SARSS contractors, be sure to contact ARA for lab services!

 

The contract will involve projects for environmental management, hazardous waste cleanup and disposal, pollution tracking and monitoring for Bureau of Waste Site Cleanup. The initial three year term of the contract is 5/2015 to 4/2018.  The contract has options to renew, for a maximum contract term of seven (7) years.

 


 

Sylvester Recognized for Volunteer Work by the American Lung Association

Congratulations to ARA's CEO Guy Sylvester, who was recognized by the American Lung Association a few weeks ago for his outstanding dedication to improving lung health in New Hampshire.  "(Guy) has been on the (ALA) New Hampshire Leadership Board since 2009 and now serves as its Chair. He has also been actively involved as a supporter and volunteer at every Cycle the Seacoast event the Lung Association has held. But what makes Guy Sylvester a truly exceptional volunteer is the diligent work he has performed over the past five years to address the lung health threat from toxic mold." Congrats, Guy!


 

The Resource Rambler Newsletter is brought to you by your friends at Absolute Resource Associates. ©2015

 

 

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