Air & Waste Management Association
Greater St. Louis Section

       
November 2004 Newsletter

November 2004 Meeting

How St. Louis Gets its Drinking Water

(Practices, Technologies and Regulations)

Joint Meeting with Wash-U Student Chapter

 

Date:   Tuesday, November 16, 2004     
               
Speakers:       David A. Visintainer
Director of Public Utilities and Water Commissioner
City of S. Louis       
               
Program:        How St. Louis Gets its Drinking Water - Practices, Technologies and Regulations
               
Location:       The Cheshire Inn

7036 Clayton Avenue

St. Louis, MO 63117 

(314) 647-7300 
               
Directions:     Directions From the Airport
70 East to 170 South - 170 S to 40/64 East - 40/64 E to Bellevue exit - make a Left.
Follow to Clayton Rd - Go Right on Clayton then up 2 blocks and we are on the right side just before the Amoco gas station.
From Kansas City or 70 West
70 to 270 South - 270 S to 40/64 East - 40/64 E to Bellevue Exit Left on Bellevue (N) to Clayton Rd (1st stoplight). Go right on Clayton and up 2 blocks. Cheshire is on the Right just before Amoco gas station.
Hwy. 40/64 can be picked up off Hwy. 70 at Wentzville.
From 44 West Springfield, MO
44 East to Hampton Exit - Left on Hampton (N) stay in middle lane. Follow to 40/64 West to Clayton Rd/Skinker Blvd. exit. Go just across the exit on other side of the Amoco gas station. Cheshire Lodge is on the Left.
Alternate
44 to 270 North - 270 N to 40/64 East - 40/64 E to Bellevue exit. Left on Bellevue to Clayton Rd. Go up 2 blocks - We are on the Right - Just before Amoco gas station.
From 55 South
Take 55 North to 44 West - To Hampton exit - make a Right- Stay in middle lane - go to Hwy. 40/64 West - follow to Clayton rd/ Skinker Blvd. exit. We are just across the exit on the Left just after the Amoco gas station.
Alternate
55 N to 270 N - 270 to 40/64 East - 40/64 E to Bellevue exit. Go Left on Bellevue to Clayton Rd. - Right on Clayton and go up 2 blocks. We are located on the right just before the Amoco gas station.
From Chicago, Indiana, East Saint Louis or 55/70 East
55/70 to the Poplar Street Bridge - take the PSB to 40/64 West - Take 40/64 West to Clayton Rd/ Skinker Blvd. Go through light just on other side of Amoco gas station on the Left.
From 270 Illinois (Alton)
270 West to 170 South - 170 S to 40/64 East - 40/64 E to Bellevue Go Left on Bellevue to Clayton Rd - Make a Right and go up 2 blocks. We are just before the Amoco on the Right.      
               
Schedule:       11:30 - 12:00 Registration/Networking
12:00 -  1:30 Lunch/Business Meeting   
               
Menu:   Grilled Chicken Breast with Chardonnay Sauce

(please indicate in your RSVP any specific dietary requirements)       
               
Cost:   International Members - $15

Local Section Members - $18

Non-members - $20

Student - $10  
               
Reservations:   RSVP by Noon, Friday, November 12, 2004 to Jim Burris at (636) 916-4800 or e-mail: jaburris@brick.net with name, company, and number of people attending.      

Message from the Chair

Dear Fellow St. Louis Colleagues,

The Board of Directors (BOD) worked over the summer to plan this year's luncheon program which should be a good one.  If you were to sit in on one of our meetings, you would see a group of environmental professionals hard at work brainstorming topics for the lunch meetings.  The bulk of our BOD meetings are spent planning the program for the lunches.  I anticipate that you will be pleased with upcoming luncheon topics that the BOD has been working on.

I am very excited this year to announce that we now have an A&WMA Student Chapter at Washington University.  Through the efforts of Tom Blackwood (former Greater St. Louis Section A&WMA Chair), a group of environmental engineering students applied for A&WMA affiliation and they were approved this summer.  We will be presenting a Certificate of Membership to the Student Chapter at our November meeting.  Also, Dr. Pratim Biswas, Chapter Advisor, will make a brief presentation about his group at this meeting.  As a result of this new Student Chapter, the Greater St. Louis Section has added a position on the BOD for a representative.  Rafael McDonald, the President of the Washington University Student Chapter, will take that position.

The Greater St. Louis Section has a good solid core of local people dedicated to providing value to the St. Louis area. You see them at almost all of the meetings. They are always willing to take on another job to help the Section or International. However, we need to expand beyond our current boundaries and provide more diverse programs and meetings. How many times have you looked at the monthly meeting of the Section and said to yourself, "What good is that subject to me?" If you do this, let me know why you feel this way (john.gibbons@bunge.com).

It would be even better if you were willing to suggest topics for the lunch meetings. With your involvement, we will develop the best programs for the Section. When we do that, our membership will expand, which would give us even a broader range of program ideas. It takes a lot of work to change or improve beyond the status quo. If you want to get the most from this organization, give something back to it by sharing your ideas and talents, today.

There are several committees that you can get involved in that are lead by a Director on the BOD.  These committees include:

·       Monthly Meetings Program Development (Les Harmon)
·       Newsletter (Jennifer Markwardt)
·       Student Chapter Development (Joe Darmody/Rafael McDonald)
·       Website (Jim Burris/Mike Hutcheson)
·       Membership (Kathy Strubberg)
·       Education (Joe Darmody)
·       Specialty Conferences, Workshops, & Seminars (Bill Roth-Evans)

-John Gibbons, Chair

Education Committee

PEER Program (Partnering Environmental & Educational Resources)

Last year, the Education Committee of the Greater St. Louis Section of A&WMA developed a new program to create a resource for knowledge and experience of environmental science for students, teachers, and school district personnel throughout the St. Louis community focusing on grades 3-12.

The PEER Program participated in four career fairs and two science fairs during the academic year.  Similar events are planned for this year as well as presentations at area schools relating to regional environmental issues.  Further development of additional elements for this program including student mentoring, additional classroom participation, as well as other interactive ideas and media presentations are planned.  Already this year, Joe Darmody gave a presentation on air quality issues in St. Louis to an Environmental Science class at Fort Zumwalt West High School.  The presentation focused on local concerns regarding ozone and fine particulate matter.  More activities such as this are planned for this school year.

These elements are important not only in providing educational resources to teachers and school districts, but they also serve as a means to promote both awareness and interest in environmental science among young students.

Special thanks to the following individuals for their participation:  Kim Roberts, Mike Nohara-LeClair, Meredith Springs, Rich Mannz, Jim Foley and Joe Darmody.

As with any participation-based program, the more people involved, the further these elements can be promoted.  Involvement can be as limited or expansive as each individual chooses.  Any A&WMA members interested in helping to develop this program or in participating in one or more of the PEER Program elements please contact Joe Darmody, Education Committee Chair at joe.darmody@npnenv.com or 636-343-1300.

Greater St. Louis Science Fair

Once again, A&WMA's participation in the 2004 Greater St. Louis Science Fair was a big success!  This event is held annually in May.  Four awards were given away to each of the elementary and secondary level participants.  Winners received cash prizes and certificates of achievement.  A&WMA judges evaluated environmental science and engineering projects based on both the scientific content and presentation of the projects.  The 2004 Greater St. Louis Science Fair winners were as follows:

Elementary Grade Level 
Place   Name    School  Grade  
1st     Jacob Stock & Marcus Gray       Buder Elementary        4      
2nd     Connor Cook     Bridgeway Elementary    3      
3rd     Chris Webb      Barrington Elementary   5      
4th     Perry Shade     Keysor Elementary       2      

Secondary Grade Level  
Place   Name    School  Grade  
1st     Graham Lauff    Rockwood Valley Middle  6      
2nd     Kathryn Dawson  Parkway West H.S.       10     
3rd     Maddy Smith     Villa Duchesne  6      
4th     Mathieu Smith   Sperreng Middle 8      

Special thanks to Kim Roberts, Mike Nohara-LeClair, Meredith Springs and Joe Darmody for volunteering their time to judge this year's projects.  Next year's Science Fair will be held on April 4 and April 8, 2005, so mark your calendars.  Judging starts at about 5:30 p.m. and takes about 2 hours.  On-site judge training is provided, therefore no formal experience is required (anyone can do this)!  Not only is this event fun, you get a glimpse inside the minds of our youth.  Additionally, this recognition provides valuable encouragement to budding scientists and engineers.  Interested judges should contact Joe Darmody at 636-343-1300 or joe.darmody@npnenv.com. 

Milton Feldstein Scholarship Award

Rafael McDonald of Washington University in St Louis was announced as the 2004-2005 recipient of the Milton Feldstein Scholarship Award.  This award is granted each year to a full-time graduate student pursuing a course of study and research leading to a career in air quality, waste management or environmental management/policy/law.  Mr. McDonald was chosen by the awards panel from a pool of numerous applicants from around the country.  His master's research focused on the quantitative characterization of PM2.5, and how the shape of these aerosols affect lung deposition.  He is currently pursuing his Doctoral degree under Dr. Pratim Biswas at Washington University in St Louis, where he is studying how the physical characteristics of thin TiO2 films affect water splitting efficiency for hydrogen production.  In addition, he is the founding president of the Washington University A&WMA Student Chapter.

 

A&WMA Press Release: Washington University, St. Louis, Student Wins Air & Waste Management Association Scholarship

PITTSBURGH, PA - Rafael McDonald, Washington University, St. Louis, has been awarded First Place in the Air & Waste Management Association's 2004-2005 Scholarship Program.  McDonald is pursuing his Doctoral degree in Environmental Engineering under the direction of Dr. Pratim Biswas.

The Air & Waste Management Association (A&WMA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan professional organization that provides training, information, and networking opportunities to more than 9,000 environmental professionals in 65 countries. The Association's goals are to strengthen the environmental profession, expand scientific and technological responses to environmental concerns, and assist professionals in critical environmental decision making to benefit society. 

For more than a decade, the Association has awarded $277,250 in scholarships to 77 of the most promising environmental students.  Full-time graduate students who are pursuing courses of study and research leading to careers in air quality, waste management, and/or environmental management/policy/law are encouraged to apply for the award. 

For more information about the A&WMA Scholarship Program, call 1-800-270-3444, or visit the A&WMA Web site at www.awma.org.

 

2004 Annual Conference Student Paper/Poster Award

Rafael McDonald of Washington University in St Louis took home first place in the 2004 Annual Conference Student Paper/Poster Contest in Indianapolis this past June.  His entry, titled "Morphological Studies of Ambient and Traffic Aerosols," described the use of quantitative methods to describe the morphologies of PM2.5.  The morphology (shape) was analyzed for spatial and temporal variations, and also compared to the morphologies of diesel exhaust particles.  Mr. McDonald is currently pursuing his Doctoral Degree in Environmental Engineering under the direction of Dr. Pratim Biswas.

 

Introductory A&WMA Membership Offer through Section and Chapter Meetings or Local Membership Drives

Hurry! Offer expires December 31, 2004

For a limited time, we are continuing the introductory membership of $100 to be used in promoting new membership in conjunction with Section and Chapter events. The introductory or trial membership can be used in conjunction with a $100 difference between member and non-member fees for a local meeting; or it can be run as a membership campaign not associated with a local meeting.

· The promotion applies only to individual memberships and must be conducted through a local section or chapter. This offer cannot be used via the web site.

· Eligibility: People who have never been A&WMA members or have not been members during the 12 months prior to signing up for this offer.

· Introductory price of $100 is for first year individual membership with the choice of either EM or the Journal. Renewal will be at $150.

· If the new member wants both magazines, the additional magazine will be $49/year.

· When run in conjunction with a local meeting, the special rate can be offered on any meetings between September 1, 2003 and September 30, 2004.

· When run as a separate membership campaign, the cutoff will be December 31, 2004.

· The new member applications must be collected, along with the $100 payment, by a local officer and submitted to Headquarters on a regular basis.

· For information regarding officers in your area, please contact Member Services at 800-270-3444 or Karen Houlihan at 800-270-3444 ext. 31243 or khoulihan@awma.org.

We have worked hard over the last 3 years to improve member benefits and service. This is an opportunity for lapsed members (lapsed over 12 months) to try the organization again, or to recruit local Associates to become members. Please address any questions to Karen Houlihan at 800-270-3444x3143 or khoulihan@awma.org.

 

2004 Member Appreciation Golf Tournament

 

It was a beautiful day in June for the Greater St. Louis Section's Second Annual Golf Tournament at Crystal Springs Quarry.   After a hearty box lunch and several cold beverages, 28 golfers took to the links.  Many of the foursomes packed additional cold beverages to insure that even if their drives weren't straight to the fairway, or their putts stopped short of the cup, they would not suffer the added indignity of potential dehydration.  

 

Everyone who came out had a great time.  The weather could not have been better.  Our attendance was a little down from last year due to the SAME tournament which was held the day before.  (I don't know why businesses get so upset when people want to play golf two or three days each week.  Think of the morale boost for the troops.)  We will plan around that one next year.  A big thank you to Blane Wood for working with Crystal Springs to provide us with a perfect day for the Section's outing and to all of the firms that provided gifts for the participants and the winning foursome.  We hope to see you next year.

Site Selection for the 2009 A&WMA Annual Conference & Exhibition

The Board of Directors has submitted a letter of intent to International requesting that St. Louis be considered for the 2009 Annual Conference & Exhibition.  The Greater St. Louis Section last hosted the ACE in 1999.  Much time and effort from all the membership will be required if the bid is approved.  Thanks in advance for volunteering to help.

 

TO OUR SPEAKERS

A&WMA would like to express our gratitude for all of the great speakers that we have had in the last few months.

 

In May 2004 we held a panel discussion on Ozone and Particulate Non-attainment Issues for the St. Louis Metropolitan Area at Spazio's Westport. Bill Roth-Evans, Manager of Consulting Services at Trinity Consultants, Steve Poplawski, Attorney at Bryan Cave L.L.P. and David Shanks, SHEA Support Specialist at The Boeing Company, served as the panelists. They provided very helpful information on this dynamic topic.

The September 2004 meeting provided an Illinois Regulatory Update. Katherine D. Hodge, Attorney at Hodge, Dwyer and Zeman in Springfield, Illinois gave a very interesting update of the issues affecting Illinois businesses at Windows On Washington in downtown St. Louis.