Carbon credits can be a reliable and lucrative source of revenue for organic waste management facilities in addition to more traditional revenue sources. Voluntary carbon credits provide compost and anaerobic digestion facilities with an additional source of income, complementing tipping fees and sales of final products. Carbon credits are issued, bought, and sold in carbon markets in a broader effort to lower greenhouse gas emissions. The Climate Action Reserve (CAR) establishes carbon credit standards, guidelines, and values (Climate Reserve Tonnes or CRTs).
Participation in voluntary carbon markets, mines, landfills, compost facilities, and anaerobic digestion facilities can generate additional revenue while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Is your project eligible for carbon credits?
There are two main types of carbon markets: regulatory and voluntary. Regulatory carbon markets require mandatory participation. Voluntary carbon markets provide carbon offset credits for qualifying products that effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions from a baseline level. Each voluntary market defines its baseline and qualifications for offset projects. Offset credits can then be sold. Within voluntary carbon markets, eligible organic waste management and landfill projects can participate in generating carbon credits.
Project developers can enter into purchase/sale agreements and single-year or multi-year partnerships with buyers to secure evaluated carbon prices. The project developer does not need to guarantee credit quantities, as the brokerage assumes responsibility for managing the credits over a specific period and guarantees a price per credit. The brokerage markets any amount exceeding the agreed-upon price per credit to potential buyers. This option provides more long-term pricing stability.
Climate Action Reserve (CAR)
CAR is a nonprofit organization that promotes the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through market-based policies and solutions. CAR serves as an approved Offset Project Registry (OPR) for the State of California’s Cap-and-Trade Program and is integral in supporting the issuance and administration of compliance offsets.
CAR also establishes standards for voluntary offset projects in the North American voluntary carbon market. It operates as a publicly accessible registry for carbon credits generated under its standards. CAR has eight voluntary offset protocols for waste handling and methane destruction projects in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. They assist, advise, and register clients with voluntary offset projects.
SCS has partnered with clients to pursue voluntary offset projects in Organic Waste Composting and Organic Waste Digestion protocols. Contact SCS Engineers at or Greg McCarron on LinkedIn to learn how your project may qualify.
Geologic Media for Carbon Sequestration and Deep Well Injection Projects – Always Building UIC Knowledge
SCS Engineers provides turnkey underground injection control (UIC) services for the deep injection and permanent geologic storage of liquid waste (Class I UIC) and carbon dioxide (Class VI UIC). The ability to interpret and correlate deep well logs is fundamental to developing the geologic site characterization and subsurface modeling components of our deep well injection and carbon sequestration projects. We ultimately use the data gathered from these logs to construct geologic maps, cross sections, and static geologic models during the pre-permitting and permitting phase of these UIC projects. This allows us to explore optimal injection strategies for safe and efficient projects.
Recently, a group of scientists from the SCS Carbon Sequestration and Deep Well Injection Team gathered at our office in Wichita, Kansas, to attend a three-day course on deep well log interpretation and correlation. Dr. Ali Jaffri, the CEO of Applied Stratigraphix, a Denver, CO-based consulting and training firm, led the course. They offer a variety of training workshops and field courses focused on subsurface geologic interpretation, primarily for oil and gas industry geologists.
The course covered topics including:
The course devoted considerable time towards getting hands-on experience working together on interpreting and correlating well logs, including logs from our current UIC project areas, and discussing how we can apply the concepts we learned in other regions. We highly recommend this unique training for geologists in carbon sequestration.
We never stop learning, innovating, and sharing.
SCS is incorporating the content from this course and other published resources into developing updated and refined standard operating procedures for producing geologic deliverables for our deep well injection and carbon sequestration clients. As our subsurface geology team continues to expand as we meet the needs of this rapidly growing market, we are committed to operating as a high-performance team to provide quality geologic deliverables to our clients on every project.
Kacey Garber arranged the training event, contact her on LinkedIn for more information.
Learn more about Carbon Sequestration and UIC here.
Nicole Vogelpohl and Eva Luu attended the “Meet the Regulators” event hosted by A&WMA’s Golden West Chapter at the law firm Holland & Knight in San Francisco. It was an informative event where panelists Dr. Meredith Bauer, Hy Hinojosa, and Lisa Fasano, in for Viet Tran, from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), spoke about upcoming priorities, new organizational changes, current organizational issues, and project accomplishments. The three have recently been appointed new deputy executive officer positions at BAAQMD. They are open to taking things in a new direction regarding the permit process, communications with the public, and implementing new and upcoming methodologies for emerging analytical measurement technologies.
Environmental Justice and Air Quality
The panel discussed how, as we’ve learned and made continuous progress in air quality and local emissions reductions over the years, ozone (O3) is now less of a concern (for the Bay Area) compared to PM2.5, which now takes higher precedence as a pollutant of concern. Dr. Bauer and Lisa Fasano mentioned that in the grand scheme of things, we live in a region of great air quality; however, they acknowledge that while the greater San Francisco Bay Area has good air quality as a whole, there are always pockets of localized air pollution that need addressing. Areas specifically pointed out were marginalized communities, such as Bayview/Hunter’s Point and West Oakland. Coincidentally, SCS is currently involved in a project related to the SF Fire Department’s Training Facility moving from Treasure Island to Hunter’s Point. The goal is to ensure the air quality during their training burns will not have long-term downwind effects on the community.
Thorough Discussion Amongst the Panelists and Attendees — Permitting Backlog Issue
The current permitting system needs to be faster, and the backlog of processed permit applications poses challenges for new clients. Attendees expressed frustration and shared testimonies about their clients moving to different states due to the extensive permitting backlog and timely process, which has ultimately halted the emersion of some new regulatory technology and projects in the state. The regulators understand the current system needs reworking and prioritizing to ease and reduce the turnover time of the permit process.
Enlightening and Enjoyable
Hearing the regulators speak passionately about their roles, goals, and investment in the organization was truly pleasing. Thanks to Pat Sullivan for knowing and having worked with everyone we talked to; everyone said hi and spoke highly of you! At “Meet the Regulators,” we connected with stakeholders from local consulting firms, attendees from the petroleum, tech, and waste management industries, and regulators – or, as Dr. Bauer renamed the group, the communicators, to help bridge the gap between the governing board and the general public.
Additional Resources
The Community Change Grants Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), administered through the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights (OEJECR), has several unique characteristics to advance environmental and climate justice, many of which are responsive to feedback and input the agency has heard from communities. The NOFO will be open for a year, closing on November 21, 2024, and the EPA will review applications on a rolling basis. This allows applicants to utilize technical assistance and possibly resubmit a new application if not initially selected. EPA encourages applicants to apply as early as possible.
OEJECR will also host multiple informational webinars while the NOFO is open, with the first being held on December 7, 2023. These webinars will address questions, and some may facilitate the formation of partnerships and information sharing. More information on upcoming webinars can be found on EPA’s Inflation Reduction Act Community Change Grants Program webpage.
Community Change Grants will deliver 100 percent of the benefits of this program to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. This program also dedicates $200 million of Inflation Reduction Act funding to provide technical assistance to applicants and grant recipients, which will enhance the ability of disadvantaged communities to access resources for environmental and climate justice activities. The activities to be performed under the grants are expected to fall under the following categories:
Environmental engineers, consultants, and scientists at SCS devise and implement solutions for pollution, energy consumption and emissions reductions, land remediation, water/wastewater treatment, and waste management. For assistance with Community Change Grants, contact or visit SCS’s Brownfields and Voluntary Remediation site.
SCS Engineers announces that the firm’s Board of Directors elected Doug Doerr as President and Chief Executive Officer. James J. Walsh, the current President and CEO, will turn over his responsibilities to Doerr on January 1, 2024.
Doerr, a Senior Vice President, has over three decades of professional engineering experience spanning the firm’s solid waste and environmental services practices. He brings strategic direction and operations experience as SCS’s geographically largest Business Unit Director. Doerr also serves on SCS’s Board of Directors and was one of the founding principals of Aquaterra Environmental Solutions, Inc., which merged with SCS in 2013.
A Professional Engineer in six states, Doerr earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and his Master of Business Administration at the University of Kansas. He serves clients in North America by providing technical expertise, primarily in the solid waste management and utility sectors.
As an engineer and consultant, Doerr prides himself on providing environmental solutions to address clients’ technical and regulatory challenges by understanding the business, economic, and social drivers that frame each challenge. Over his career, he has successfully implemented hundreds of environmental solutions that involve studies, permitting, compliance, and design across multiple market sectors for public and private clients.
“Our deep bench of engineers, scientists, consulting professionals, and environmental technicians are employee-owners who drive SCS as one company, keeping us sustainable for over 50 years. From our client’s perspective, our stability and holistic expertise bring a wealth of resources to achieve their goals,” says Doerr.
Walsh will continue to serve as Chair of the Board of Directors and assist Doerr as he transitions into the CEO role. Walsh also plans to spend more time on technical and client work as an expert witness, an authority on elevated temperature landfills, and an expert in the solid waste industry.
Under Walsh’s 22-year tenure, SCS Engineers and its specialty practices, SCS Field Services, SCS Energy, and SCS Tracer have grown tremendously. Walsh, senior executives, and the Board of Directors feel 2024 is an opportune time for the transition.
“We have a stellar reputation, we’re financially healthy, our Employee Stock Ownership Plan is strong, and we have the next generation of leadership ready to lead the company into the future,” states Walsh.
SCS Engineers’ environmental solutions and technology directly result from our experience and dedication to industries responsible for safeguarding the environment as they deliver essential services and products. SCS Engineers has captured or beneficially used more greenhouse gases than any other environmental engineering firm in the U.S. Please visit our website for a greeting from our CEO elect, or watch our video to see what we can do for your business and community.
This year’s annual Illinois Manufacturers Association Environment and Energy Conference attracted many attendees and presenters from industry, consultants, and regulatory officials. Notable takeaways included a passionate appeal from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) to be patient and proactive on permitting issues as the agency expands its workforce to support Illinois manufacturers’ economic growth and expansion plans. IEPA notes that they seek a partnership with industry rather than an antagonistic relationship and strongly support the state’s development while acknowledging they are bound to federal regulations. The more timely, accurate, and clear permit applications can be prepared, the faster the approval process.
Clean Air Act Changes
Major focuses of the IEPA remain on tracking current and proposed National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), which currently designate East St. Louis and Chicago areas as non-attainment zones for ozone and portions of Madison County as non-attainment zones for sulfur dioxide. Proposed reductions in the allowable limits for particulate matter (PM) 2.5 micrometers (µg/m³) under the Clean Air Act, which could go into effect at any time, will result in the designation of additional non-attainment areas in Illinois and, accordingly, far greater difficulty in air permitting for new or expanding facilities. The current annual average primary standard for PM 2.5 is 12 µg/m³, whereas the proposed standard will likely fall to between 9-10 µg/m³.
Permitting and Enforcement of NPDES
Presenters also noted that in Illinois, the IEPA issues National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits rather than the USEPA. However, USEPA can still issue enforcement violations. Furthermore, many wastewater treatment plants have pre-treatment effluent requirements for industrial users to address potential pollution problems as part of their NPDES permits. These requirements will become increasingly strict when/if PFAS are declared a hazardous substance under CERCLA.
Extended Producer Responsibility
Another noteworthy topic was the burgeoning practice of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Much like RCRA, which requires cradle-to-grave tracking of hazardous materials, EPR deals with tracking non-hazardous materials, such as packaging, from creation through disposal with the goal of reducing landfill wastes via industry-subsidized source reduction and recycling programs. While Illinois is not currently one of the six states (California, Colorado, Maine, Oregon, New Jersey, and Washington) with mandated EPR or equivalent laws, multiple bills proposed in Illinois and elsewhere would require these types of programs for many market segments. Manufacturers are considering what steps they would need to take if a similar bill passes in Illinois. Particularly noteworthy is that these laws apply to states where products are distributed, not merely produced.
Sustainability and Decarbonization in the Energy Sector
Finally, presenters from various energy companies and consulting firms spoke about the path forward for sustainability and decarbonization in the energy sector, noting that it must combine natural gas, nuclear power, and traditional renewables like wind and solar to meet customer needs. SCS’s very own Dr. Charles Hostetler spoke on carbon capture methods (such as geologic sequestration of carbon in Class VI wells) and other operational strategies of manufacturers, electric utilities, solid waste facility owners/operators, and other property owners/developers to address the evolving landscape of environmental regulations.
Industry/Manufacturing Essentials
Keep close tabs on new legislation and regulation changes to assure compliance and avoid costly fines or operational delays. Partnerships with environmental consultants who have strong, established relationships with federal, state, and local agencies and have their finger on the pulse of the environmental landscape are the best way to accomplish your goals as the regulatory scene changes.
About the Author: Rachel McShane, LEP, has over 15 years of experience in environmental due diligence projects (Phase I, II and III Environmental Site Assessments) as well as Brownfields redevelopment, risk-based corrective action, and remediation projects. She is familiar with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental assessments, vapor investigations and mitigation, radon, asbestos, lead-based paint surveys, and leachate monitoring/solid waste management. Reach Ms. McShane at or via LinkedIn.
By proactively complying with regulations and completing a progressive assessment process, remediation contractors can avoid project delays and minimize the risks of improper soil transfer. While soil remediation in situ is preferable, it is not always possible.
Assessing and managing regulated waste soil and “clean” or inert soil is an important element in construction and demolition. To succeed, it’s necessary to understand the regulatory and legal framework regarding proper soil transport and disposal in a development setting and to develop best practices to avoid the risk and liability of shipping contaminated soil to unauthorized destinations.
Naturally occurring metals such as arsenic can be elevated because of regional geologic sources that exceed regulatory screening levels and disposal standards. Are these hazardous wastes? That depends on the concentrations of the chemical constituents or metals in the soil. Properties with previous land use often show concentrations of these constituents in the soil below hazardous waste levels but high enough to designate certain soils as regulated nonhazardous waste. Contractors must dispose of or recycle this soil at a properly licensed facility or face heavy penalties.
If your project requires importing and exporting soil, follow Environmental Consultant Keith Etchells’ advice in this C&D Magazine article to keep compliant with regulatory agencies and costs low during soil disposal.
About the Author: Keith Etchells is a professional geologist and hydrogeologist with 22 years of experience assisting clients in managing environmental risks associated with ownership, transfer, or operation of commercial, industrial, and waste disposal properties. His particular technical expertise involves aspects of groundwater science and engineering relevant to contaminated sites and landfills designing analytical, geotechnical, and hydrogeological data collection programs to complete subsurface assessment and land remediation. Reach out to Keith on LinkedIn or at .
In response to a significant decrease in salmonid fish populations in urban streams, including several listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), several West Coast organizations conducted studies to evaluate the cause. In 2020, a culprit was identified – a breakdown compound commonly found in tires: 6PPD.
6PPD (N-(1,3-Dimethylbutyl)-N’-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine; C18H24N2 CAS 793-24-8) is an additive in the manufacturing of both natural rubber and common synthetic rubbers such as butyl rubber and styrene-butadiene rubber. It is a highly effective anti-oxidant. In layman’s terms, it helps tires resist degradation caused by exposure to oxygen, ozone, and fluctuating temperatures. According to the US Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA), all USTMA members use it (USTMA website, 15 Aug 2023).
Recent studies have shown that the reaction of 6PPD in rubber tires with the oxygen and ozone in the air generates transformation products, including storm (6PPD-q; 2-((4-Methylpentan-2-yl) amino)-5-(phenylamino) cyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione; C18H22N2O2; CAS 2754428-18-5).
As tires wear, tire wear particles (TWP) and fragments containing 6PPD-q can be carried by stormwater runoff from roadways and parking lots to aquatic environments, such as salmonid spawning streams.
For instance, recent studies indicate that 6PPD-q present in such waters may be acutely toxic to coho salmon, including juveniles. A study by Tian and others indicates that 6PPD-q toxicity to coho salmon ranks among the most toxic chemicals for which the US Environmental Protection Agency has established aquatic life criteria.
Subsequent studies indicate that 6PPD-q exhibits large differences in species sensitivity, with reduced toxicity to steelhead trout, Chinook salmon, rainbow trout, and brook trout. No mortality was observed with sockeye salmon, chum salmon, Atlantic salmon, brown trout arctic char, and white sturgeon. Regardless, the impacts on coho salmon and other species may be significant.
Many questions remain unanswered before we better understand the environmental and toxicological impacts of 6PPD-q and develop potential solutions. Ongoing efforts include the following:
Whether 6PPD-q contamination will become a significant issue outside spawning regions of coho salmon and other ESA-listed fish species remains to be seen. Bioaccumulation in higher-order animals may also be an issue; more research is underway.
About the Authors:
Jeff Marshall, PE in five states, is a vice president and the practice leader for the Environmental Services Practice for SCS offices on the eastern seaboard. He also serves as the SCS National Partner for Innovative Technologies and Emerging Contaminants. He has a diversified background in project engineering and management, with emphasis on the environmental chemistry and human health aspects of hazardous materials/waste management, site investigations, waste treatment, risk-based remediation and redevelopment, and environmental compliance/permitting issues.
Dr. Shane Latimer, CSE, is an SCS vice president. He is an environmental planner, ecologist, and toxicologist with three decades of experience in environmental assessment, planning, permitting, and implementation. His specialty is developing projects that challenge the interface between the built and natural environment, such as solid waste facilities, oil and gas infrastructure, mines, sewage treatment facilities, and similar developments. Solutions for these projects often require careful assessments of alternatives, impacts, and opportunities to successfully navigate the applicable public regulatory processes (e.g., NEPA, local land use, etc.) and ensure environmental integrity.
Wind, sand, and dust storms will become more prevalent as the dry season approaches. One phenomenon that occurs during dust storms is saltation. Saltation is a method of particle transport driven by a fluid—in this case, wind.
Finer particulates (<0.1mm) are generally suspended in the moving fluid, are carried into the atmosphere, and can be brought back down to the surface via precipitation. These particulates can travel over hundreds of miles. Coarser particulates (0.5 – 1mm) exhibit “soil creep,” where they roll, slide, or are pushed along with the wind, rarely coming off the surface.
Mid-range particulates—those that fall in the 0.1 – 0.5mm range—are subject to saltation. With wind speeds that hit a critical value, these particulates are carried by the wind and exhibit a lifting and falling motion, similar to bouncing. Once the particle has gained enough acceleration, it can either (1) collide with particles on the ground and dislodge them into motion at wind velocities lower than those required to move them by wind alone. This process is called reptation. Or (2) through the process of attrition, break into smaller particles upon impact and continue the loop. Saltation occurs within 30cm of the surface and accounts for 50 – 90% of the total movement of soil by wind.
Regardless of the mechanism, these Aeolian processes create ripples and dunes in the landscape. Sand accumulates on the windward side and slides down the leeward face. Both ripples and dunes are comprised of an asymmetrical wave with longer, gradual upwind slopes and shorter, steeper downwind slopes.
Sand and dust storms generally occur in arid and semi-arid regions but are also prevalent in agricultural areas and coastal zones. Notable areas in California that are subject to these storms are the Salton Sea, Mono Lake, the Central Valley area, as well as coastal dunes. These environments exhibit either sparse or nonexistent vegetation cover, plenty of fine sediment such as clay, silt, or sand, and relatively strong winds. The winds mobilize the sand and dust, resulting in major impacts on the environment, economy, and human health.
We can assess the emissions of particulates due to saltation in a few ways.
Sand Flux Measurements
Saltating particles travel relatively small distances during wind events, so measurements of horizontal sand flux can indicate the amount of wind erosion occurring. One method for conducting sand flux measurements requires two instruments: a Cox Sand Catcher (CSC)— essentially a particle collection bin—and a Sensit—a real-time particle impact sensor. Placing the inlet of the Sand Catcher and the sensor of the Sensit at the same height, generally 15cm above the surface, assures accuracy. These two instruments are collocated at sites 100 – 1000m apart, and placing additional CSC units in the field without collocated Sensits provides better spatial resolution.
Sample tubes within the Sand Catchers are collected monthly, or more frequently during windy periods, and then delivered to the gravimetric lab for weighing. Sensits use a piezo electrical crystal to continuously detect and measure saltation activity as particle count and kinetic energy. Saltation flux is a mass measurement of particles that pass horizontally through a vertical plane; this is measured in units of mass/area, as opposed to PM concentration, measured in units of mass/volume.
Once this is determined, PM can be estimated using dispersion modeling programs such as AERMOD or CALPUFF.
Particle Counters
The SANTRI (Standalone AeoliaN Transport Real-time Instrument) is a particle counter that operates on the principle of interruptions through a wavelength of light. It counts particles as they pass through an infrared beam, detecting up to seven (7) different grain-size ranges.
SANTRIs require a solar panel and a water-resistant electrical enclosure containing a 12V lead-acid battery to provide power. The enclosure mounts on a freely rotating pole with a wind vane attached, allowing it to align with the wind direction.
One problem with the SANTRI as an optical sensor is it can overestimate particle transport when particles moving largely outside the detection beam are partially registered and counted. Alternatively, finer particles may cause insufficient attenuation of the beam signal and, in turn, are underestimated.
Particulate Matter Monitoring
Ambient particulate matter monitors such as Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalances (TEOMs) and Beta Attenuation Monitors (BAMs) log hourly concentrations of PM10 or PM2.5.
TEOMs are gravimetric instruments that pull ambient air through a filter at a constant flow rate, simultaneously weigh the filter, and calculate the real-time mass concentration.
DustTraks Monitors are real-time, near reference instruments that can measure PM1, PM2.5, Respirable, PM10, and PM Total at the same time. It uses a light-scattering photometer. Due to their low power consumption, they can deploy easily in remote areas and help develop a correlation between Saltation and PM concentration in specific areas according to the soil type.
Studies show a strong positive correlation between saltation flux and downwind PM concentrations. Measuring saltation can allow us to estimate particulate matter lofted into the air we breathe; however, the inverse isn’t always true.
Depending on the local conditions, there are different means to reduce the occurrence or compounding effects of saltation. Soil properties, topography, and meteorology are driving factors. Common methods are:
Nature can create beautiful landscapes of seemingly endless rolling waves of sand, but it can also be a major source of economic and human loss. As the climate continues to experience extremes, water scarcity and drought will further exasperate this problem in the western United States, among other regions with similar climate patterns. Lakes have been and will continue to dry and recede, exposing playa, and consequently, a major source of minerals and hyper saline particles subject to saltation.
Measurements of these natural phenomena can help us understand and plan for coexisting with nature in areas prone to wind events and storms. Measurement studies involving installing systems to quantify, assess, and control particulate matter in various locations surrounding a source—while costly and time-consuming as measurements take place on a years-long basis—are highly informative and help us adapt or create environmental solutions.
About the Author: Ms. Eva Luu is a project manager for the SCS Engineers’ specialty Tracer Environmental practice. She has over five years of experience in ambient air monitoring, ranging from black carbon in the LA basin, and formaldehyde at the highest peak in Germany, to odor mitigation in different applications nationwide. Ms. Luu conducts routine operation and inspection of air monitoring stations as well as the calibration and operation of pollutant analyzers, meteorological sensors, chart recorders, data acquisition systems, computers, and their associated software and peripherals. She also compiles monthly air monitoring reports and submits validated, processed data for air monitoring stations to the California Air Resource Board and the Santa Barbara County APCD. Ms. Luu has conducted various odor assessment projects across the nation, ranging from alternative agriculture farms to landfills. You may reach Eva at or LinkedIn if you want more information.
If you are interested in a career where your work matters to human health and the environment as Eva’s does — we’d enjoy hearing from you!
In a nutshell, the Brownfields Reauthorization Act of 2023 reauthorizes the Brownfields Program through Fiscal Year 2029 and makes the program more accessible to small and disadvantaged communities. The legislation does so by reducing financial barriers to participation and by encouraging greater community participation in decision-making processes. The following are highlights:
Additional Resources to Jump Start Your Community Project:
