NEH is recognized by NOAA, USEPA-NE, US Army Corps of Engineers, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), NJDEP, NYSDEC, risk assessors, engineers, and environmental lawyers for our analytical problem-solving and working pro-actively with the project team. Below are summaries of projects that highlight NEH capabilities.
Gowanus Canal and Newtown Creek Superfund Sites New York, NY
Senior Scientist – Chemistry & Quality Assurance
2013 – Present. Development of project-specific Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPP) including Field Sampling procedures, and providing technical support to the project team under subcontract to Louis Berger and Assoc., PC in support of environmental investigations at these two Superfund sites for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP). NEH is providing technical support to the field team in collection of environmental samples for a variety of data objectives, including evaluation of sediment toxicity to benthic invertebrates. We are assisting laboratories in real-time QA to support generation of high-quality data for project decisions and performing third-party data validation in compliance with EPA and QAPP requirements for PCB Congeners, alkylated Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons (alkyl-PAHs), Endocrine Disruptors, Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products, Dioxins/Furans, Volatile and Semivolatile Organic Compounds (VOCs & SVOCs), Petroleum Hydrocarbons (diesel and gasoline range organics), Trace Metals, Organic Carbon (total, dissolved, & particulate), and Radionuclides in sediments and water.
Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
Assistant Technical Workgroup Leader for Chemistry & Sampling – NOAA
2010 – 2016. Responsible for coordinating sample collection and analysis activities for NOAA-NRDA under subcontract to Industrial Economics, Inc., interfacing with other Technical Work Groups in review of Work plans for QA/QC issues, developing QA/QC acceptance criteria, and assisting Workgroups and Trustees in performing data validation for a variety of media and parameters.
Site Remediation Program Analytical Methods Technical Guidance Group, NJDEP
Science Advisor
2010 – Present. Assisting in development of State environmental guidance for QA/QC requirements for Analytical Methods to produce Data of Known Quality, QAPP guidance, and Data Usability assessment guidance. Performed training on use of new guidance to NJDEP and License Site Remediation Professionals (LSRPs).
New Bedford Harbor PCBs, MA
Senior Scientist & QA Coordinator
2009 – 2014. Developed Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs) and Data Quality Objectives (DQOs) under subcontract to Woods Hole Group in support of US Army Corps of Engineers coastal monitoring sampling and analysis activities. Performed data validation and usability assessment for PCB Aroclors and Congeners in marine sediments, water, and air in support of USEPA Superfund and MassDEP MCP compliance.
Vapor Intrusion, Tufts Street, Somerville, MA
Senior Scientist
2008 – 2013. Developed site-specific DQOs for analysis of indoor air samples for project-specific list of VOCs under subcontract to GEI Consultants, Inc. Performed third-party data validation and usability assessment of VOC EPA TO-15 data in support of human health risk assessment and site closures under the Massachusetts Contingency Plan (MCP).
AF&F MCP Site, Colrain, MA
Senior Scientist
2005 – 2015. Developed site-specific data quality objectives (DQOs) for the Sampling and Analysis Plan for trace Metals, SVOCs (alkylated PAHs), and Dioxin/Furans under subcontract to Sanborn, Head, & Associates, Inc. (SHA). Providing QA oversight and third-party data validation and usability assessment as sub-contractor to the Licensed Site Professional (LSP) firm to ultimately evaluate potential risks to human health and the environment and in support of MassDEP MCP compliance.
W.R. Grace Acton Superfund Site, Acton, MA
Project Quality Assurance Officer
1999 – 2011. Acted as the Quality Assurance Officer (QAO) for Potentially Responsible Parties (PRP) group under subcontract to TetraTech GEO (GeoTrans, Inc.). Developed site-specific QAPP, DQOs, and technical addenda, provided QA oversight of field and laboratory activities, provided technical assistance in support of remedial investigation and feasibility studies for contaminants of concern including VOCs and Metals, performed third-party data validation and usability assessment for a full suite of chemical parameters, and assisted in final report preparation for Superfund compliance.
Peterson Puritan Superfund Site OU2, Cumberland, RI
Project Quality Assurance Officer
2004 – 2009. Acted as QAO at this Superfund site (CERCLA – USEPA Region 1) for the PRP group under subcontract to Arcadis-US, Inc. Developed DQOs for human health and ecological risk assessment, technical review of Work Plans, generated site-specific QAPP, performed third-party data validation of air, soil, groundwater, surface water, sediment, and fish tissue for PCBs, Dioxins/Furans, VOCs, SVOCs, Pesticides, Metals, and Cyanide.
Ecological Risk Assessment, Haverhill Landfill, MA
Project Quality Assurance Officer
2009 – 2010. Acted as Project QAO for City of Haverhill under subcontract to Camp, Dresser, Mckee (CDM). Developed site-specific QAPP and Field Sampling Plan (FSP), provided technical assistance in support of sampling and analysis, and performed third-party data validation and usability assessment for inorganic and organic contaminants in support of ecological risk assessment in groundwater, surface water and sediment.
Vapor Intrusion, IBM Site, Endicott, NY
Senior Scientist
2003 – 2009. Developed site-specific DQOs for sampling and analysis of ambient air, indoor air, and soil gas VOCs in support of IBM’s evaluation and remediation of VOCs in indoor air under subcontract to SHA. Performed third-party data validation for hundreds of TO-15 full-scan and Selective Ion Monitoring (SIM) analysis of VOCs in air samples collected in SUMMA canisters using NYSDEC Data Usability Summary Report (DUSR) protocols to support human health risk assessment, modeling, and regulatory compliance.
Blackburn & Union Privileges Superfund Site, Walpole, MA
Project Quality Assurance Officer
2000 – 2008. Acted as Project QAO for PRPs under subcontract to SHA. Developed site-specific QAPP (USEPA Region 1), provided QA oversight for field sampling and laboratory analysis, performed third-party data validation and usability assessment for of asbestos, VOCs, SVOCs, PCBs, Extractable Petroleum Hydrocarbons (EPH), Volatile Petroleum Hydrocarbons (VPH), Metals, and Cyanide in support of human health and ecological risk assessment in groundwater, soil, surface water and sediment.
Boston Harbor Outfall Monitoring, Boston, MA
Project Chemist
2006 – 2007. Provided comprehensive quality assurance planning for the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) under subcontract to Normandeau Associates. Provided QAPP development, implementation, and oversight in support of collection and analysis of fish and shellfish from Boston Harbor and reference stations as part of the evaluation team of scientists working with MWRA. Evaluated data usability compared to program-specific DQOs and assessed comparability of new data generated vs. historical data for PCB congeners, Pesticides, SVOCs, and Metals.
Mohawk Tannery Superfund Site, Nashua, NH
Project Quality Assurance Officer
2002 – 2005. Acted as Project QAO for PRPs under subcontract to SHA. Developed DQOs in association with project team of regulatory staff (USEPA & NHDES), engineers, and risk assessors; generated QAPP for collection and analysis of groundwater and soil samples for PCBs, VOCs, SVOCs, and Metals; provided field sampling and laboratory QA oversight to generate compliant environmental data; performed data validation compliant with EPA Region 1 requirements. Provided technical expertise on regulatory conference calls.
Pownal Tannery Superfund Site, Pownal, VT
Project Chemist
2004. Provided quality assurance and data validation compliant with EPA Region I requirements under subcontract to engineering firm in support of PRP’s Phase II Remedial Action investigations at this Superfund Site. Contaminants of concern in groundwater and soil included PCBs, VOCs, SVOCs (plus low-level PAHs), Pesticides, Metals, Cyanide, and Dioxins & Furans.
Mill River Investigation for Human Health & Ecological Risk Assessment, Fairfield, CT
Project Quality Assurance Officer
1999 – 2004. Acted as chemistry QAO for risk assessment firm in support of investigations for CTDEP. Developed site QAPP, provided quality assurance oversight for sampling and analysis, performed data validation & usability assessment for total and dissolved metals in surface water, total metals in sediment and tissue (biota), and acid volatile sulfides with simultaneously extracted metals (AVS-SEM) in sediments.
State of New York, Office of the Attorney General – Hudson River, NY
Senior Scientist – Litigation Support
2001 – 2004. Provided expert technical services in review of historical Hudson River fish tissue data for PCBs generated on samples collected by NY State from 1969 through 1987. Dr. Rothman provided senior scientist role and evaluated hundreds of PCB results and technical memoranda to produce Privileged and Confidential Attorney Work Products concerning technical opinions on historical data certainty (bias) and usability.