Identification of the Bureau of Land Management Environmental Professionals and Application Requirements

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240–0036
http://www.blm.gov

September 14, 2018

In Reply Refer To:
1703, 2101, 2200 (280) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 09/19/2018
Information Bulletin No. 2018-078

To:          All Field Office Officials
               Attn:  Hazard Materials Management Program Leads
                         Lands and Realty Program Leads

From:      Assistant Director, Resources and Planning

Subject:  Identification of the Bureau of Land Management Environmental Professionals and Application Requirements

This Information Bulletin (IB) provides managers with a list of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Environmental Professionals (EP) qualified to conduct Environmental Site Assessments (ESA) for property acquisitions.  This IB is effective immediately.

Only an EP may certify an ESA according to 40 CFR Part 312.  The definition of an EP is “someone who possesses sufficient specific education, training, and experience necessary to exercise professional judgment to develop opinions and conclusions regarding conditions indicative of releases or threatened releases of hazardous substance on, at, or to a property, sufficient to meet the objectives and performance factors of the rule.”  All new land acquisitions, as required by 602 Department Manual 2, must have a certified ESA.

The List of BLM Environmental Professionals (Attachment 1) is a comprehensive list of EPs that meet the requirements of 40 CFR Part 312, and are authorized to conduct ESAs for BLM land purchases, exchanges, sales, leases, grants, or any other type of land acquisition in which the BLM gains a real property interest.  Managers are encouraged to support training to ensure that EPs meet the continuing education requirements of 40 CFR Part 312.

If a manager does not have an EP on staff, they must contact an EP listed in Attachment 1 to conduct an ESA, or request assistance from their Hazardous Materials Management (HMM) state office program lead.  The BLM offers a certification process for EP candidates to be certified by the federal government as documented in 40 CFR Part 312.10 (b)(2)(ii).  The Environmental Professional Process (Attachment 2) provides the details of the EP process.  To apply for EP status please see the Environmental Professional Application (Attachment 3).  The BLM Washington Office coordinates with an EP Panel, the National Training Center, and the HMM state office program leads to:

• Distribute an updated EP list via an IB.
• Solicit applications from candidates seeking to become an EP.

This IB has been coordinated with the Washington Office Division of Environmental Quality and Protection (WO-280) and the Division of Lands, Realty and Cadastral Survey (WO-350).

The state office HMM program leads should forward applications to the EP Review Committee for consideration to Ken Henke (WY HMM program lead), John Barber (OR/WA HMM program ead), and John Callan (NV Abandoned Mine Lands program lead).

Please direct any questions regarding this IB to McKinley Ben Miller, Acting Division Chief, Division of Environmental Quality and Protection (WO-280) at mbmiller@blm.gov or 202-912-7126.

Signed by:                                                                   Authenticated by:
Steve Tryon                                                                 Robert M. Williams
Acting, Assistant Director                                          Division of Business Resources,WO-850
Resources and Planning

3 Attachments
            1 - List of BLM Environmental Professionals (2 pp)
            2 - Environmental Professional Process (1 p)
            3 - Environmental Professional Application (7 pp)