'An Exciting Opportunity to Lead'

A Message from MassDEP Acting Commissioner Arleen O'Donnell

Governor Romney's appointment of Bob Golledge as the new Secretary of the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs has given me an exciting opportunity to lead MassDEP.

This time of transition represents an opportunity to build on the success of the past by implementing important initiatives that will be the foundation for the successes of the future.

During the last three years, MassDEP has delivered real environmental results for the citizens of our Commonwealth. Some of these achievements are:

• Massachusetts has become the first state in the nation to establish a drinking water standard for the chemical perchlorate in order to protect sensitive populations;
• MassDEP has set tough standards requiring significant reductions of mercury emissions from power plants; and has also implemented a successful dental mercury amalgam recycling program with dentists across the state.
• MassDEP has increased enforcement against environmental violators - one such effort was a unique aerial enforcement initiative that detected illegal wetland destruction through the use of computer-mapping technology.
• MassDEP has reformed the Administrative Appeals process, which has closed more appeals cases more quickly, despite a slight increase in the number of appeals filed in recent years.
• MassDEP has revised water management guidelines with flexible, but strong water conservation measures.

I am committed to continuing this strong record of accomplishment in protecting public health and the environment, and I am confident that MassDEP will build on this legacy of success in the following areas:

• Massachusetts is the first state in the country to adopt a greenhouse gas (GHG) offset banking system for credits used to comply with strict emission limits in place on carbon dioxide (CO2) at the state's six oldest and dirtiest power plants (see related story).
• MassDEP will continue to work with local officials to install video cameras in areas that are plagued by the illegal dumping of debris and toxic materials. Tough enforcement action will result for anyone caught dumping.
• MassDEP is revising the storm water standards to enhance the recharge of groundwater resources, keeping water local within the basin in which it was withdrawn.
• MassDEP will be going out to public hearing on our Asbestos-in-Soil regulations, which are intended to facilitate the redevelopment of brownfield sites, streamline the process in doing so, and develop clearer, risk-based standards for the handling and disposal of asbestos in soil to better protect public health and the environment.
• MassDEP will be issuing draft regulations to adopt an Environmental Results Program approach for industrial and sanitary sewer connection permits.
• MassDEP will increase service to the public by opening a satellite office on Cape Cod in mid-October, and will be finalizing the design for a newly renovated laboratory, the Wall Experiment Station in Lawrence, turning that facility into a state-of-the-art lab (see related story).

MassDEP is also well positioned to take on future challenges. We are now in the process of implementing recently passed legislation that will further reduce pollution from products containing mercury, reduce toxics through the "new" Toxics Use Reduction Act (TURA), and continue important permit streamlining efforts via the Economic Stimulus Bill.

Building on the success of the perchlorate initiative, we will focus efforts on other emerging contaminants to determine whether MassDEP should take additional proactive measures in order to further protect human health and the environment.

MassDEP will also continue to emphasize environmental disaster preparedness for the agency, as well as energy supply and reliability issues, and the reduction of global warming pollutants from mobile and stationary sources.

I continue to be impressed by the dedication of the staff at MassDEP, who utilize their talents each day to improve the quality of life for all residents of the Commonwealth. Among those staffers is Jenmina Ojuka, an environmental analyst with our Air Assessment Branch in Lawrence, who this week was named a 2006 winner of the Manuel Carballo Award for Excellence in Public Service. Jenmina is a key member of the state scientific team that monitors the air we breathe every day for fine particle pollution. Congratulations!

Finally, I am also heartened by the unique partnerships that MassDEP enjoys with the Commonwealth's business community, environmental stakeholders, citizens groups, as well as federal, state and local officials. I am confident that, together, we can accomplish these goals and other important initiatives in the days and months ahead.

- Thanks, Arleen