Environmental Program Support
Facilitating the Management of Effective Environmental Compliance Programs
Water quality programs – Our engineers, geologists, and policy experts support regulatory oversight of the groundwater cleanup process, including review of environmental assessments, remedial action plans, and remediation technology performance. In accordance with the Clean Water Act (CWA) and the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), we analyze data, develop quality assurance parameters, conduct outreach and training, and make recommendations to improve management of water quality program. Tellus scientists and engineers are also working at the forefront of understanding the human health and environmental impacts of per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and establishing strategies for investigation and cleanup of PFAS in our water resources.
Waste management programs – Our team provides program management and compliance consultation in accordance with the Resources Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA). This includes identifying areas of non-compliance and developing root cause analyses to inform program improvement strategies. We also focus on waste reduction and landfill diversion strategies to meet pollution prevention and net zero goals, and devote time and effort to train facility-level staff on regulatory requirements and best practices. Tellus builds online dashboards, automated reports, and user-friendly outreach materials to assist with compliance.
Air quality programs – We manage and support air quality programs by providing research and analysis of criteria pollutants, hazardous air pollutants, and emerging contaminants utilizing ambient air data and modeling, supplemented by machine learning/artificial intelligence tools and data visualization products to clearly inform sound program decisions and policies. Our scientists work at the critical nexus between air pollution and climate change. We produce emissions inventories, conduct GHG monitoring and analysis, and develop emission reduction strategies including clean power generation, fuel efficiency, and alternative fuel technologies. Our team also provides geospatial analysis of air pollution and focuses on working to bridge the air quality gap in environmental justice communities.
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Underground storage tank programs – Tellus has extensive expertise in management of underground storage tank (USTs) programs, holistically addressing leak prevention and cleanup components. We conduct analyses of administrative and technical barriers preventing progress of “stalled” UST cleanup cases, prepare reports on cleanup agency metrics, and implement action plans to move these cases forward through the cleanup and closure process. We conduct responsible party searches and ability to pay determinations, develop outreach materials, provide funding program guidance, draft regulatory directives and notices, and prepare enforcement packages as part of our administrative support offerings. We also conduct inspections of active fueling facilities to ensure compliance with leak prevention regulations. For inactive UST sites with redevelopment potential, Tellus utilizes our “Vision-to-Action” (V2A) community engagement model, a proven method for working with communities to reimagine underutilized and abandoned properties. This includes engaging municipal staff, residents, community-based organizations (CBOs), environmental justice (EJ) groups, regulators, local businesses, and property owners to establish goals and compare alternatives to optimize redevelopment outcomes.