EBC Site Remediation Program:
Unique Challenges to Responding to Extreme Weather and
Large Scale HazMat Events
Friday, January 24, 2014
Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP
155 Seaport Boulevard
Boston, Massachusetts 02210
Responding to extreme weather and large scale hazmat events that require significant
remediation is becoming more common. These events can be intense hazmat releases
in densely populated urban environments or extreme weather affecting large geographic
regions from ice storms, floods, tornados, and hurricanes. Hurricane Sandy was the
ultimate test in preparedness and execution. Responding to these events presents
unique challenges that include asset allocation, waste management, third party access
and the logistics of being at the frontline. This EBC program brings together
government, private sector, and contractors who plan for, and execute responses to
extreme weather and large scale urban hazmat events. Are you prepared?
Draft AGENDA
7:30 a.m.
Registration and Networking Breakfast
8:00 a.m.
Welcome – Russell A. Schuck, Chair EBC Site Remediation &
Redevelopment Committee
Introduction – Stephen A. Sakakeeny, Program Chair Principal, SAK
Environmental LLC
8:10 a.m.
A Utility Company’s Preparedness and Response to Hurricane Sandy
 Daniel A. Watton, LSP, Manager Cost Risk & Site Remediation
Northeast Utilities
8:35 a.m.
The Role of State Preparedness
 Michael E. Russas, Response and Field Services Section Chief
Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency
9:00 a.m.
Federal Work and the Big Picture
 Jack Sullivan, Regional Environmental Officer, Region 1
Federal Emergency Management Agency
9:30 a.m.
Unique Challenges with Large HazMat Releases In Urban Areas
 Stephen Sakakeeny, LSP, CPG, CHMM, Principal
SAK Environmental LLC
10:00 a.m.
Networking Break
10:30 a.m.
Tales From The Front Line
 Ron Schales, Executive Vice President
TMC Environmental
11:00 a.m.
Panel Discussion
Moderator: David Peter, Principal, Site Redevelopment Technologies
Panelists:
o Daniel A. Watton, Northeast Utilities
o Michael E. Russas, MEMA
o Jack Sullivan, FEMA
o Stephen A. Sakakeeny, SAK Environmental
o Ron Schales, TMC Environmental
12:00 a.m.
Adjourn
Program Chair
Stephen A. Sakakeeny, LSP, CPG, CHMM, Principal
SAK Environmental LLC
231 Sutton St., Suite 2G, North Andover, MA 01845
(978) 688-7804 // ssakakeeny@sakenvironmental.com
Stephen Sakakeeny is a Principal at SAK Environmental, an environmental engineering
firm based in North Andover, MA, that serves industry, construction and government
across the Northeast. He has over 25 years experience in environmental management
that includes site assessment and remediation, emergency response, emissions
permitting, solid waste management, and compliance. Stephen has managed
environmental response actions from industrial operations, transportation accidents,
and chemical explosions. Mr. Sakakeeny received his Bachelor Degree from Tufts
University in chemistry and geology and a Master’s Degree in Hydrogeology from the
University of New Hampshire. He is a Massachusetts Licensed Site Professional,
Licensed Asbestos Designer, Certified Professional Geologist, and Certified Hazardous
Materials Manager. Stephen is an active member of National Association of
Environmental Managers, Massachusetts Chemical Technology Alliance, Society of
Military Engineers, Licensed Site Professional Association, and others.
SPEAKERS
David M. Peter, CEO
Site Restoration Technologies, LLC
18 Shoreline Drive, Foxboro, MA 02035
508-380-1267
dpeter@siteredevelop.com
Mr. Peter has over 25 years of experience in the environmental industry. Currently he is
President of Site Restoration Technologies (SRT), a company engaged in purchasing
environmentally distressed and underutilized properties for remediation and
redevelopment. Past remediation experiences along with a productive working
knowledge of environmental regulations provide ideal opportunities to succeed in some
of the more difficult brownfield real estate projects. After purchasing the first site in
December 2006, SRT is pursuing properties throughout the region and is well on the
way to efficiently redeveloping many contaminated sites and providing new alternatives
to environmental problems.
Previously he was CEO of United Retek Corp., responsible for many key brownfield
redevelopments, which were facilitated by using innovative procedures to recycle
hazardous soils and sediments. These new processing methods, with state and federal
regulatory approvals, provided for remediation of sites at greatly reduced cost. In many
cases the cost reduction allowed for the redevelopment to become feasible and
therefore create a productive property from a former abandoned, contaminated site.
As General Manager of Aggregate Industries, Mr. Peter began and developed the Soil
Reclamation Division to recycle over two million tons of contaminated soil, most notably
from Boston's Central Artery Project, during his tenure of eleven years. The Division
grew to be a substantial profit center and integral part of the construction material
concern while also responsible for Safety, Environmental Compliance and Real Estate
Management for the company.
Mr. Peter holds a bachelor's degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a
master's degree from Brown University. He is a member of the American Society for
Testing and Materials, the American Chemical Society and is a Board Member of the
Environmental Business Council of New England.
Michael E. Russas, Response and Field Services Section Chief
Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency
400 Worcester Road, Framingham, MA 01702
508-820-2018 michael.russas@state.ma.us
Ron Schales, Executive Vice President
TMC Environmental
19 National Drive, Franklin, MA 02038
508-966-6000 rschales@tmcenvironmental.com
Mr. Schales serves as Executive Vice President for TMC Environmental (TMC). He is
responsible for development, implementation and oversight of company field operations
to include staff management and effectiveness. Mr. Schales’ responsibilities include
managing TMC’s Emergency Response Strike Team, response crews, resources and
contracts. His experience includes high hazardous chemical and petroleum releases, air
quality releases up to and including weapons of mass destruction.
Mr. Schales served ten years active duty with the U.S. Army and has over twenty-eight
years of experience in emergency/disaster response services. He serves as Senior
Response / Contract Manager for multiple state response contracts and US EPA
Region I and II Emergency Rapid Response Services (ERRS) as a Team
Subcontractor.
Performing as a Senior Response Manager on the following major disasters include the
Bouchard Oil Spill- Buzzards Bay, M/V Athos I Oil Spill- Delaware, PA and NJ., Rhode
Island Floods of 2010, Hurricane Irene-East Coast, Deepwater Horizon- Gulf Coast and
Hurricane Sandy-New York and New Jersey.
Jack Sullivan, Environmental Officer Region 1
US Federal Emergency Management Agency
99 High Street, Boston, MA 02110
877-336-2734 Jack.Sullivan@fema.dhs.gov
Since 1991 Jack has been deployed to most New England Presidential Disaster
Declarations and FEMA major national disaster declarations including Hurricane
Andrew, 1993 Midwest Floods, Northridge Earthquake, Red River Flooding in North
Dakota/Minnesota, 9/11, Superdome NO for Hurricane Katrina, Yukon River Ice Jams,
and Sandy in NJ. For the last 8 years he has served as the Regional Environmental
Officer, responsible for ensuring FEMA’s compliance to environmental and historic
preservation laws and Executive Orders. He has participated in Disaster Debris
Management Workshops held by EPA and has instructed the Environmental
Compliance component to FEMA’s 202 Debris Management course.
Daniel A. Watton, LSP, Manager Cost Risk & Site Remediation
Northeast Utilities
One NStar Way, NE250, Westwood, MA 02090-9230
781-441-3805 Daniel.watton@nu.com
Daniel Watton is the Manager of Northeast Utilities Environmental Affairs Department
Cost, Risk & Site Remediation Group (CRS Group), and has been with the company
since 1997. Dan started his career as a Commissioned Officer with the U.S. Coast
Guard in 1979, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Commander before retiring. While in
the Coast Guard, he served as Operations Officer on the National Strike Force and the
Gulf Strike Team, where he coordinated federal response actions to major oil &
hazardous material release incidents from tank-ships, barges, rail, highway, offshore
platforms and coastal facilities. Dan also coordinated federal response support during
hurricanes and tropical storms that impacted the Gulf Coast Region. He later served as
Chief of the Coast Guard's Marine Environmental Response Unit in Boston. At
Northeast Utilities, Dan oversees the assessment and remediation of company property
impacted by historic and sudden OHM events in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New
Hampshire. He also manages company risk associated with OHM and its associated
wastes, and tracks all company environmental compliance spending to ensure efficient
compliance at the lowest possible cost through development of Best Management
Practices (BMP). When the company activates its Emergency Response Plan (ERP)
during extreme weather and other events, Dan becomes point for NSTAR Electric &
Gas (Northeast Utilities Companies) spill response. utility staging areas, and remote
vehicle fueling compliance. He has also been designated by the company as
point during ERP when Northeast Utilities stages out of the Massachusetts Military
Reservation on Cape Cod. Dan holds a BS from Suffolk University and an MS from
Long Island University, and has been an active LSP since the mid 1990's.