MDEnvironment Volume VI, No. 7 Maryland Department of the Environment November 2002 EPA awards Just $8.9 million playing around MDENIVRONMENT PHOTO for water COURTESY OF ROBERTA DORSCH State agency workers programs and 200 volunteers built a scrap tire play- The U.S. Environmental Protection ground at Smallwood Agency has awarded $8.9 million to the State Park in Charles Maryland Department of the Environment County starting Oct. (MDE) Oct. 30 to improve drinking water 17 and completed the systems and protect drinking water sup- project less than three plies. The state will contribute $1.8 million days later. To learn in matching funds. more and view a gal- “Our country has one of the best sup- lery of images from its plies of safe, clean drinking water in the construction turn to world. This grant is an important step in Page 6. keeping the Maryland drinking water sup- ply healthy,” said Donald S. Welsh, re- gional administrator for EPA’s mid-Atlan- Regional haze may obscure fall’s beauty tic region. About $6.4 million of the funding will be By Bob Maddox disappointed when they find the view is ob- used to provide low interest loans that com- The autumn season has arrived and many scured by haze. Haze consists of small air- munities can use to improve drinking water Marylanders are making travel plans to look borne particles of air pollution such as sul- systems with projects that could include at colorful foliage and fall vistas. People will fates from sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrates, or- upgrading treatment plants, replacing stor- be eagerly driving to places hoping to see ganic carbon, elemental carbon and crust- age tanks, consolidating inadequate facili- beautiful scenery. In Maryland, Cunningham like material emitted from motor vehicles, ties, replacing distribution lines, improv- Falls State Park, located in the Catoctin Moun- power plants, industrial sources and natural ing pumping stations, and constructing tains, has panoramic views of the Monocacy sources. wells and transmission mains. Valley, and further west, the Allegany Moun- “Sulfur dioxide is the dominant haze pre- “This multi-million dollar federal grant tains offer views of the surrounding land- cursor pollutant in our region, accouting for plus state match is projected to provide scape. The eastern United States has sev- a large percentage of the total inventory of low interest rate loans to six Maryland com- eral national parks including the Great Smoky pollutants associated with the formation of munities for their drinking water system Mountains, Shenandoah and Acadia — all haze,” explains Brian Hug, an air quality plan- capital improvements,” said MDE Secre- of which promise spectacular views on a clear ner with Maryland Department of the Envi- tary Richard F. Pecora. day. ronment (MDE). “In a recent inventory, we The fact is, many people visit a park or found that more than two-thirds of SO2 emis- See GRANT, Page 12 what is thought to be a pristine area and are See LEAVES, Page 3 In this Quarry shares water with town--Page 3 edition... Read the seasonal ozone report--Page 4 Visit MDEs website at: MDE celebrates Clean Water Act--Page 5 http://www.mde.state.md.us Page 2-MDENVIRONMENT-November 2002 MDEnvironment Quantum November 2002 Photonics MDEnvironment is a monthly newspaper published by the considers the Maryland Department of the Environment. Information contained within this publication is environment not intended to fulfill any legal or By Laura Armstrong regulatory community information requirement. Quantum Photonics, Inc., a producer of high performance optoelectronics compo- Parris N. Glendening, Governor nents, was founded in 1998 and currently Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Lieutenant Governor has 56 employees at their facility in Jessup, Richard F. Pecora, Secretary Maryland. Top management at QPI draws Merrylin Zaw-Mon, Deputy Secretary a clear connection between careful envi- Denise Ferguson-Southard, ronmental management and business suc- Assistant Secretary cess. The company joined Businesses for John S. Verrico, the Bay in June and is currently participat- Acting Director of Communications ing in the MDE/Maryland Technology Ex- MDENVIRONMENT PHOTO BY LAURA ARMSTRONG Chris Olexia, environmental safety and health engineer, Robert Reichert, chief operat- Editorial Board Members tension Service ISO 14001 Environmental Andrew Gosden, Management System implementation pro- ing officer, and Jack Leek, facilities manager, at Quantum Photonics’ research, develop- Environmental Permits Service Center gram. Most of QPI’s customers are ISO- ment and production facility in Jessup. Bob Maddox, Public Participation 14001 registered and while these compa- Coordinator, Air & Radiation Management nies may not require it of their suppliers, these meetings has been made mandatory • The building’s automation systems are Administration they encourage it. As Chief Operating by top management. monitored on a computer which can be ac- Elaine Dietz, Environmental Specialist, Officer Robert Reichert points out, “Par- • To reduce hazardous waste disposal, QPI Technical & Regulatory Services cessed from remote locations and is able to Administration ticipating in ISO 14001 is both the right thing has begun a new practice of triple rinsing send text messages to cell phones. This is Reider J. White, Public/Legislative Affairs to do and the smart thing to do.” empty plastic solvent containers so that they necessary to maintain conditions for their Officer, Air & Radiation Management Environmental issues have been impor- may be discarded as solid waste instead of product and to provide continuous monitor- Administration tant from the start and were factored into hazardous waste. This practice should re- ing of gas lines, but it also provides benefits Theresa Capobianco, Outreach pre-production decisions as the company duce the volume of hazardous waste by one throughout the facility in terms of maintain- Coordinator, Water Management prepared to convert warehouse space into half, amounting to a savings of approximately ing optimum efficiency of the facility’s two Administration a state-of-the-art clean room and office Joe Herb, Graphic Artist, Technical & chillers and 24 air handlers which all run on Regulatory Services Administration space. Environmental Safety and Health variable frequency drives (VFD’S). Facili- Darshana Patel, Natural Resource Planner, Engineer Chris Olexia used his former ex- ties Manager Jack Leek reports that they have Waste Management Administration perience with the U.S. Army in “green pro- implemented an energy savings program Barbara Rodgers, Division Chief, curement” to evaluate the chemistry pro- where they ramp down the 24 fab air handler Administrative & Employee Services posed for production. This led to the sub- systems during non-production hours by 50 Administration stitution of trichloroethlene for a more en- percent. Temperature and particulate stud- Pat Coll, Management Associate, vironmentally preferable solvent. All new Administrative & Employee Services ies were conducted prior to implementation Administration substances used in production continue which confirmed that there was no impact to Contributing Writers: to be reviewed to assess whether environ- the product which is stored in cases over- Bonnie Smnith, EPA Andrew Gosden, EPSC mentally preferable alternatives exist. Chris night. The facility also uses high efficiency David Mrgich, WAS Ed Larrimore, WMA recommends the Solvents Alternative Member Spotlight lighting throughout. Laura Armstrong, EPSC Guide, known as SAGE (www.clean.rti.org) As Chris Olexia says, “there is a conscious Michael Woodman, ARMA as a good resource for identifying these $450/month. QPI is currently researching effort made by the employees and manage- Darshana Patel WAS Bob Maddox, ARMA alternatives. options for recycling of these plastic con- Mike Gallagher, AESA Bruce Lawrence, OS ment to address environmental and safety For the Record Section Additional pollution prevention (P2) tainers. issues, and if we see something that’s better, Meetings and Hearings Calendar practices in place at QPI include the fol- • The facility recycles office paper, news- we’ll do it.” Joane Mueller, Production Coord. lowing: paper, cardboard, plastic, aluminum and glass, MDE acknowledges Quantum Photonics Contributors: • Employees receive training in a number and reclaims mercury from vapor lamps and and its employees for their dedication to con- Gail Castleman, WAS Ta-shon Yu, WMA of environmental and safety areas includ- tools. scientious environmental management and Bob Daniel, EPSC Jim Metz, WAS ing pollution prevention and their facility’s • Employees are trained to get the full life commitment to continuous improvement. Bob Maddox, ARMA Debbie Kasrai,WMA connection to the Chesapeake Bay. Employ- out of their personal protective equipment For more information on Businesses for the Shannon Heafey, ARMA Melody Thrower, WMA ees using new materials always receive spe- (PPE). Bay, a free voluntary pollution prevention Enforcement& Compliance Notes cific training on their safe use. Updated • Prevention measures include secondary recognition program for organizations lo- Bernard Penner, Office of the Secretary training records are kept for all employees. containment for gas lines, detection moni- cated in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, Contributors: • Monthly environmental, safety and tors at points of use and distribution, and a contact Laura Armstrong at MDE 410-537- Angelo Bianca, ARMA health meetings are held with