DEC Staff Achievement Awards

1. DEC StaffAchievement Awards February 6, 2009

2. Tracey Footer & Jenny Berschling After Sandy Lewis retired from the Lab, Jenny Berschling and Tracey Footer who, at the time were both working on the benzene grant, stepped in to do the analytic support for a range of methods and tests, they were also able to help out with proof reading, can cleaning, and validation of other analysts work. Both Jenny and Tracey did this while still performing the duties of their other jobs.

3. Jennifer Bryan The On-site program is both complex (overly so, but that is another story) and high volume – receiving around 3,000 applications each year. In her effort to help the program to an electronic application using eDEC, Jenny had to learn about the program rules, how the existing process worked, and what the expectations of both the staff and the designers were regarding a future electronic application process. This was no mean feat of learning and great facilitation and communication skills. Under Jenny’s guidance, all the pieces came together so that an electronic application and permit process is now reality. This benefits both the designers (less paper copying and snail mailing) as well as regional office staff (reduced scanning to do and quicker posting of electronic documents on our accessible document database).

4. Kari Dolan Since joining DEC just a couple years ago, Kari has developed and implemented innovative river corridor protection approaches in accomplishing DEC’s flood hazard avoidance work; • She accomplished the first municipal adoption of fluvial erosion hazard (FEH) zones in the state and the first permanent riparian lands conservation easement specifically devised to protect a river corridor. Both of these first deserve special acknowledgment as they represent a new paradigm in river management – a key component of a comprehensive state flood and fluvial erosion hazard avoidance strategy; • Kari’s projects are making a direct impact at the local level, but it is especially noteworthy that state and federal agencies across the country are taking notice of the Vermont Rivers Program and specifically Kari’s accomplishments. It has also been through Kari’s efforts this past year, that the State of New Hampshire has decided to adopt Vermont’s FEH Program to address erosion hazards in that state.

5. Ned Swanberg Ned has done an excellent job drafting the suite of Vermont Enhanced Flood Hazard Area Model Bylaws and coordinating the process with key stakeholders. The suite of model bylaws provides towns with a range  of options for flood hazard management and riparian corridor protection depending on their needs. Ned had to integrate complex FEMA national Flood Insurance Program minimum criteria into the bylaws, along with various enhancement options, while ensuring compatibility with state law. Providing municipalities with regulations that can be tailored to their needs allows town and communities to build better relationships with their rivers. Ned’s ability to bring all this together through multiple iterations and rounds and rounds of discussion both internal and external is a testament to his people skills, patience and persistence.  And he did all this over and above his regular job. Well done Ned.

6. Gerold Noyes As a site manager, he provides state oversight for the investigation and cleanup at more than 100 hazardous waste sites.  He is also a certified professional engineer and provides critical engineering review for the section.  Gerold performs his duties in an outstanding manner and when a complex issue arises, he is the person that the section turns to for assistance.  Claims against the PCF fund are diligently reviewed and over the past year it is estimated that his efforts have saved the PCF more than $50,000. In addition to his work, Gerold has been a pilot with Angel Flights Northeast since 2004.  Angel Flights provides free transportation to adults and children who need medical treatment and cannot afford to pay transportation costs. The pilots pay all expenses including plane, fuel, and any other fees and during this time Gerold, using his vacation time has transported 33 patients for treatment logging 100 flying hours and 12,000 miles.  Inspiring!

7. Tim Hunt Tim’s oversight of the day-to-day aspects of the water chestnut field season, the long work days it takes to provide that oversight, his management knowledge and extensive field experience controlling this species, as well as his commitment and dedication to this issue, directly reflect the annual successes of this program.  Recognition is especially deserving at this time however, for his innovative and successful approach to acquiring a strategic water chestnut off-loading site and accomplishing composting of 99% of mechanically harvested water chestnut plants in 2007 in a highly efficient manner.  The success and efficiency of the Department’s water chestnut program depends on continued use of this private property into the future; no other cost effective options exist within this region of the lake. A reflection in large part of Tim’s work, management of water chestnut has resulted in one of Lake Champlain’s most recognized success stories, measured by impressive improvements in a key environmental indicator – the roughly 76 miles of Lake Champlain where water chestnut is located is now under control.

8. Amy Picotte Amy conceived the idea of a Lakes Score Card as part of her on-going efforts to ensure the usefulness of the data collected under the monitoring program she manages, the Lay Monitoring Program (LMP).  In addition, she knows that the public involved in LMP and the management of lakes count on us to inform them of the status of conditions on their lake so that they can be active participants in management and protection of “their” lake.  The Score Card combines lake by lake information from a variety of Lakes and Ponds Section monitoring and assessment programs into one easy to understand color and symbol.  This innovative approach to providing lake data to the public, both for combining information from several programs and by presenting it in graphic form that will grab people’s attention and motivate them to take action.  Amy is a creative thinker and an energetic worker.  This project is an excellent example of her on-going effort to enable lake protection and recognize and use the work of her citizen monitors.

9. Water Supply Engineering & DWSRF TeamDave Webb, Greg Bostock, Bryan Redmond, Eric Law, and Ashley Lucht Following new stand-by disinfection requirements for school water systems the Vermont water supply rule; loan program and engineering staff worked in a highly coordinated manner to assist numerous schools plan, design, construct and finance needed water system improvements. Staff worked diligently with school officials, their consultants and Facilities Engineering Division personnel to advance these projects to construction. The team work, demonstrated how employees can work together to achieve desired outcomes. Within five years of the rule-change going into effect, we will see close to 100 percent compliance.

10. WWMD Staff Paul Olander, Dennis Bryer Suzanne Pickett and Liz Dickson In 2006 a law was passed (Act 154) requiring municipal wastewater treatment facilities to write Operations, Maintenance and Emergency Response Plans, following a directive from the ANR Secretary’s many of these plans were required to be completed by April 1, 2008.The WWMD staff being recognized today conducted education/outreach work and developed O, M and ER guidance and sample plans in as a service to Vermont municipalities in complying with the new requirements in what was a tight timeframe. The work helped to ensure: that municipalities were aware of the process and that municipalities and their consultants understood what was required in an O,M, and ER plan; This saved many hours of frustration and time dealing on the part of WWMD staff and municipalities and ensured that there was a high level of compliance with Act 154.

11. Water Supply Division Compliance & Certification Section/Team Ellen Parr Doering, Billy Kahn, Matt Guerino, Sue Rivard When it comes to promulgating new regulations, we at VT DEC are amateurs compared to our friends at EPA, and in particular the folks in the drinking water program at EPA which promulgated three voluminous regulations in 2006 alone. During 2007-2008, Ellen and her staff worked together to provide and develop extensive outreach and educational materials to notify water systems of the changing regulations and help systems comply. This included:  informing water systems of the new rules; providing guidance for water systems on developing monitoring plans; providing information to water systems on how to qualify for reduced monitoring or waivers to reduce sampling costs; helping them avoid receiving violations; and being involved in water system operator training through out the state. All of these actions resulted in providing knowledge and the tools for water systems to comply with the Disinfectant /Disinfectant By-Products Stage 2 and Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule rules.

12. Congratulations!