July's QSP/QSD class went well with 28 people attending, a good group of people with a lot of field experience and great interaction. The next class (QSP Only) is scheduled for August 12th and 13th and as of today, is more than half filled. As a result, I have had to schedule a 2nd class (QSP/QSD) this month for August 25th, 26th and 27th. I will also be teaching a CISEC class August 30th and 31st in Gardena. Despite all the bickering of our representatives, business continues to be looking up, and appears to be moving along in fits and starts. Currently we have around 8 SWPPPs on the books for the month, and the month is just starting, as well as a new series of QSP inspection contracts. Several new QSP's will start working for CAL-Storm next month. As to the various clients out there, well it's a mixed bag of private, public, state and local, as well as a smattering of federal. If there is one comment to make, it is that we have now reached a state where the consultants are consulting the consultants, with all the inherent issues of self justification that this process requires, specifically SWPPP reviewers with various levels of competency making comments in order to justify their positions with the agencies. Personally I like the challenge, and view it as peer review that allows me to see other perspectives, even when they appear to be inconsistent, and at times pedantic. If there is one thing that professional life has shown me, that is that we all operate with our own personal bias, and that although it is at times challenging to understand an others perspective, there is always a new opportunity to learn and improve the final deliverable.
On another note, I am still coming across GC's that do not have a clue, can you spell BMP? It amazes me to see organizations that have either because of ignorance, or arrogance, chosen to be oblivious to the changes around us. Knowledge and understanding of the regulations, documentation, BMPs, implementation and inspection requirements are the keys to controlling the cost of compliance. It's not a difficult concept, if you understand how the pieces fit together, you can develop the processes to minimize the impact to your bottom line.
To get people to understand the motivation, and neccessity behind these standards I use the analogy of air pollution in Southern California. Imagine what the air quality would look like had we not taken steps to reformulate the gasoline, combined with new emission controls 40 years ago. Given the amount of growth in this area the air quality of Mexico City would look like paradise compared to LA. But as a direct result we seldom have smog alerts warning people to not venture out or schools closed because of air quality issues. The other example I use is OSHA and safety in general. Many of us long for the good old days, when we weren't constantly scrutinized by these agencies, forgetting as an example, the time when old Charlie the factory worker, lost his arm in the machine and had the gaul to survive, he got sent home with no pension, no disability or other recourse, except a half days pay and a hearty "have a good life", next...(and so it went on with no improvements to safe working conditions.
According to the EPA, 40% of the waters of the US are unswimmable, unfishable, or undrinkable. You may have heard about how the Soviets managed it with centralized planning and how they in there "socialist" ways destroyed the pristine wilderness that was Siberia...we in our free market democracy should be able to do better, I do expect more...(Gulf Oil Spill, Yellowstone Pipeline, Exon Valdez)
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