All of us at NEWMOA hope you are healthy and safe. |
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Meet Susanne Miller Our Newest Board Member |
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Susanne Miller was recently promoted to be Director for the Bureau of Remediation and Waste Management at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (ME DEP), and we are excited to have her join our Board.
NEWMOA: Tell us about yourself and your background.
Susanne: I am a graduate of the University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science as well as a Juris Doctor and Master of Studies in Environmental Law from Vermont Law School.
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I have worked in all three sectors: private, public, and non-profit prior to my time at the Maine DEP, which has proven to be helpful as I tackle some big issues in this new role! While in law school I interned at the Department of Justice Environmental Enforcement Division in Washington, DC where I provided support on various enforcement cases relating to oil and chemical spills. After graduation, I worked at the Park Facilities Management Division of the National Park Service in Washington, DC for park facilities nationwide to assist with environmental compliance as well as with the Department of Interior’s (DOI) Central Hazmat Fund (used to fund cleanup of DOI remediation sites). After a few years, I moved back to New England and worked for two years for the Vermont Public Interest Research Group where I was an advocate on issues relating to chemicals and environmental health. I then spent ten years in the private sector working for a small consulting firm (which was later purchased by a large consulting firm). While in consulting, I designed, implemented, and supervised environmental compliance auditing programs and provided compliance assistance and training to private and public sector clients for air, water, waste, oil, sustainability, and safety programs.
For over eight years, I have been with the Maine DEP, spending most of the time as the Director for the Eastern Maine Regional Office, which covers eastern and parts of northern, western, and central Maine. As the Regional Director, my primary purpose was to provide assistance on behalf of the Commissioner on issues facing the Agency for that region. This involved work related to routine licensing issues or conflicts, start up and closure of major industrial facilities (e.g., mill closures and redevelopment efforts), serving on multiple boards, leading state participation in Natural Resource Damage cases, and sometimes serving as a hearing officer for public adjudicatory hearings. In June of 2021, I was asked to serve as the Director for the Bureau of Remediation and Waste Management. Our previous Director, Dave Burns retired at the end of May.
NEWMOA: What do you do at ME DEP?
Susanne: The Bureau of Remediation and Waste Management is the largest Bureau at Maine DEP with about 150 staff. This Bureau has five Divisions:
- The Division of Materials Management includes programs for hazardous waste, solid waste, residuals management, medical waste, recycling, packaging, and other sustainability programs.
- The Division of Response Services includes the statewide HAZMAT and oil spill response team.
- The Division of Petroleum Management includes programs for licensing marine oil terminals, managing Underground Storage Tanks and coordinating with the State Fire Marshall’s office for Above-ground Storage Tanks, overseeing and leading oil spill enforcement cases, and leading state trustees in natural resource damage claims.
- The Division of Remediation includes programs for CERCLA and Brownfields and the state’s versions, which are the Uncontrolled Sites Program and Voluntary Response Action Program (VRAP), as well as lead and asbestos management, and RCRA closure and remediation programs.
- The Division of Technical Services includes an “in-house” suite of technical experts (i.e., geologists, engineers, hydrogeologists, chemists, etc.) that supports all the other Divisions within the Bureau (and sometimes the agency as a whole) for any work being done in the field. This Division also manages active landfills.
In addition to all of these programs, the Bureau of Remediation and Waste Management is also overseeing the rollout of the state’s new investigation into PFAS in soil and groundwater from the land application of sludge and septage. In 2021, the state legislature required sampling statewide to be completed by 2025 as well as sampling of landfill leachate and the collection of sludge handling fees (and setting up a Land and Contaminant Monitoring Fund).
My role is to make sure that the Commissioner is apprised of activities within the Bureau, ensure that all required legislative initiatives are implemented, provide staff with the resources and direction they need to administer programs, be available to manage public relations on significant state issues, and promote positive morale among staff so that they know their work is valued, important, and appreciated. I’m very fortunate to have a great group of managers working for me and exceptional staff.
NEWMOA: What are your priorities for NEWMOA? What do you hope it will accomplish?
Susanne: To some degree all the states are struggling with similar challenges – limited staffing and resources, while being tasked with additional work. NEWMOA provides us with opportunities for our agencies to get together in an organized way to discuss practical solutions, share experiences, and brainstorm. NEWMOA also provides for a way for multiple states to speak with one voice on issues that are causing significant concern. We also are able to engage in learning opportunities about emerging challenges of our times; often bringing cutting edge information to the forefront. We hope that NEWMOA is able to continue the programming, support, and direction to its member states in the future as Maine has definitely benefitted.
NEWMOA: What's one thing you would like people to know about you?
Susanne: We are big animal lovers in our household, and currently have four dogs – two purebred black labs, one purebred chocolate lab, and an akita/lab/boxer mix, who we rescued last December from the Waterville Humane Society Shelter. We also have one very brave cat who is a “cow” cat (he’s got cow patterned fur), who we rescued at the Bangor Humane Society Shelter. Every now and then you’ll see one or all of these critters in the background since we are doing a lot of virtual meetings these days, and inevitably one of them does something hilarious behind my back. This is especially true around 4 pm. If I’m in a meeting and my husband isn’t around to entertain them, they like to make their presence known since it is closing in on their 5 PM dinner hour!
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Thanks to NEWMOA’s Summer Intern |
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During the past summer, NEWMOA welcomed Rachel Moore as an intern. Rachel is now a Senior at Tufts University studying environmental engineering. Rachel is from Atkinson, New Hampshire, but currently lives in Medford, Massachusetts. She enjoys outdoor activities, reading, drawing, and playing softball for the Tufts varsity team. She provided crucial support for IC2’s online databases and assisted with research for several extended producer responsibility (EPR) projects. Thanks to Rachel for all of her great work.
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Upcoming Joint NEWMOA-NERC Webinar |
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Fate of Non-organic Packaging Materials from De-packaging Operations – How Much is Recycled & Into What?
Monday, November 8, 2021, 1:00 - 2:30 PM Eastern
De-packaging is growing as a way of making the significant amount of waste from unused packaged food available for anaerobic digestion and composting. During the webinar, attendees will hear from operators of de-packaging facilities. The webinar will cover:
- What are the non-organic materials generated by de-packagers?
- What happens to the non-organic materials – what and how much is recycled and how much ends up as waste?
- The impact of de-packaging on organic material and the potential for transfer of contaminants, including micro-plastic
Presenters:
- Ryan Harb & Matthew Lillie, Vanguard Renewables
- Rashi Akki & Dan Woodger, Ag-Grid Energy
- Eric Roy, University of Vermont
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Recent Joint NEWMOA-NERC Webinars
Achieving Net Zero GHGs in the Solid Waste Industry
Finding a successful route to addressing climate mitigation goals as part of solid waste management is critical. The three presenters provided examples and context for how leadership organizations have been acting and what those actions have achieved.
Jobs & the Economy Thanks to Recycling: Recycling Economic Information Studies
Recycling Economic Information Studies provide an exciting window into just how big of a deal recycling is for the economy and jobs. On this webinar, we learned about the continuing work that ISRI has been doing on this important topic, as well as the EPA's most recent national report, and the State of Connecticut's study published in 2021.
End Food Waste Handouts
NEWMOA is collaborating with the Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA) to educate residents in the County (Syracuse and surrounding communities) about problems with wasting food and the opportunities to reduce. The initiative targets low-income residents, recent immigrants, and communities that speak English as a second
language by engaging community groups that represent them.
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OCRRA and NEWMOA are developing outreach and education tools and strategies, including handouts, short online videos, and social media campaigns as well as participating in and holding community events to promote these resources and share their message.
Project materials in English:
These handouts have been translated into Spanish, Swahili, Nepali, Arabic, and Somali because of the significant number of residents in the County for whom these are their first languages. Check out the translated handouts: www.newmoa.org/solidwaste/projects/food/endfoodwaste.cfm.
This Project is funded by a grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) to OCRRA.
New Report
Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Interstate Flow in 2018
September 2021
NEWMOA’s latest report on the interstate flow of MSW for disposal presents the results of a data collection and analysis effort through a series of figures that summarize both state-specific and region-wide 2018 MSW disposal data and includes historical trends from 2000 through 2018.
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Pharmaceutical Waste Handouts
NEWMOA has been focused on improving the management of unwanted, undesired pharmaceuticals in the region to reduce the potential for contaminating the environment or getting into the wrong hands. In 2019, NEWMOA initiated a project to provide technical assistance and guidance to long-term care facilities (LTCFs); hospice and home health care providers; patients and families; and communities in rural areas of northern New Hampshire and Vermont. The project was heavily impacted by the pandemic, but the project did accomplish the overall objectives of increasing access to waste pharmaceutical disposal and to battery recycling opportunities. NEWMOA developed several handouts specific to the different organizations with whom NEWMOA worked. This project was supported by the Rural Utilities Services, United States Department of Agriculture.
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Saying Goodbye to Ken Zarker
It is with great sadness that we share the loss of one of IC2’s founding members and long-time National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR) supporter, Ken Zarker of Washington Ecology. Ken’s sudden passing has been deeply felt among the IC2 community, and his work over many decades in toxics use reduction and pollution prevention made large, positive impacts. Ken was a past Chair of the IC2 Board and the NPPR, and most recently was the Chair of the IC2 Governance Workgroup. NEWMOA staff, IC2 members, and the Northeast Sustainability and P2 Roundtable members will very much miss Ken’s kind smile, deep knowledge of the issues, dedication and hard work, and his leadership.
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IC2’s New Supporting Members
Healthy Babies Bright Futures
In early summer, the IC2 welcomed Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF) as a Supporting Member. HBBF is an alliance of nonprofit organizations, scientists, and donors that designs and implements outcomes-based programs to measurably reduce babies’ exposures to toxic chemicals in the first 1,000 days of development. They bring together the strongest and latest science, data analysis, critical thinking, performance measurement, campaign talent, communications skills, and commitment to collaboration, deploying those assets across all of their work. We are excited that they have joined the IC2.
Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center (PPRC)
IC2 recently welcomed the PPRC as the latest Supporting Member. PPRC is a nonprofit organization that is the Northwest’s leading source of high quality, unbiased pollution prevention (P2) information. PPRC works collaboratively with business, government, non-government organizations, and manufacturing and commercial sectors to promote environmental protection through pollution prevention. For many years, NEWMOA worked with PPRC through the Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2Rx) and is very excited to be collaborating with them again through the IC2.
New GreenScreens
The IC2 recently added GreenScreen chemical profiles to theIC2.org’s Chemical Hazard Assessment Database (CHAD) for the following chemicals:
- Propylene Carbonate
- Cyclopentanone
- 1,2-Transdichloroethylene
- Dimethyl Glutarate (DMG)
- 1-Butoxypropan-2-ol
- Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs)
- Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs)
- Carbon Nanofibers (CNFs)
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Sustainability & Pollution Prevention
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Green Cleaning & Disinfecting in Rhode Island
The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM), with funding from EPA and in partnership with the Rhode Island Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (RICOSH) and NEWMOA, recently completed a project to encourage the use of green cleaners and disinfectants throughout the janitorial and housekeeping community and schools in Rhode Island and Southeastern New England. The team held several training sessions, both virtually and in person, to a variety of audiences. A final work product from this project is an e-learning module on greener cleaning and disinfecting.
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NEWMOA Board of Directors |
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NEWMOA's Board of Directors virtually met in early June to discuss state and EPA waste, toxics, PFAS, and pollution prevention challenges and NEWMOA's FY 2021 finances, projects, and strategic priorities.
NEWMOA’s FY 2022 Officers:
- Mike Wimsatt, NH DES, Chair
- Greg Cooper, Mass DEP, Vice Chair
- Leo Hellested, RI DEM, Treasurer
Additional FY 2022 Board members:
- Robert Isner, CT DEEP
- Nicole Lugli, CT DEEP
- Graham Stevens, CT DEEP
- Susanne Miller, ME DEP
- Diane Baxter, Mass DEP
- Tiffany Skogstrom, Mass OTA
- Cynthia Nelson, NH DES
- Mike Hastry, NJ DEP
- MaryJo Aiello, NJ DEP
- John Vana, NYSDEC
- William Ottaway, NYSDEC
- Ron Gagnon, RI DEM
- Leo Hellested, RI DEM
- Matt Chapman, VT DEC
FY 2022 Program Chairs:
- Chris Nelson, CT DEEP - Solid Waste & Sustainable Materials Management
- Tom Killeen, NYSDEC - Hazardous Waste
- Trish Coppolino, VT DEC - Waste Site Cleanup
- Pam Hadad-Hurst, NYSDEC - Interstate Chemicals Clearinghouse (IC2)
- Cynthia Nelson, NH DES - Pollution Prevention & Sustainability
- TBD - Interstate Mercury Education & Reduction Clearinghouse (IMERC)
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news@NEWMOA is designed to help our members and colleagues keep informed about the Association's projects and activities. You are receiving this e-newsletter because you are a member of a NEWMOA working group, committee, or program; invitee to NEWMOA events; a colleague at EPA or a related organization; connected to the Association in some other way; or have expressed interest in our work. news@NEWMOA contributors include Krishana Abrahim-Petrie, Andy Bray, Terri Goldberg, Jennifer Griffith, Lois Makina, and Melissa Lavoie.
If you have questions about the delivery of this e-newsletter, contact Lois Makina, lmakina@newmoa.org.
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Follow us on NEWMOA’s Facebook page! We are now using Facebook to post notices about our events, new publications and information resources, projects, and members. We’d love to hear your ideas for how to make our Facebook page engaging and helpful. Check it out by searching for Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Association (NEWMOA). |
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Leading the Northeast to a sustainable, waste-free future
NEWMOA is a non-profit, non-partisan, interstate association whose membership is composed of the state environment agency programs that address pollution prevention, toxics use reduction, sustainability, materials management, hazardous waste, solid waste, emergency response, waste site cleanup, underground storage tanks, and related environmental challenges in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
NEWMOA provides a strategic forum for effectively solving environmental problems through collaborative regional initiatives that advance pollution prevention and sustainability, promote safer alternatives to toxic materials in products, identify and assess emerging contaminants, facilitate adaption to climate change, mitigate greenhouse gas sources, promote reuse and recycling of wastes and diversion of organics; support proper management of hazardous and solid wastes, and facilitate clean-up of contaminant releases to the environment.
NEWMOA is an equal opportunity employer and provider.
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