Regulatory Permitting & Compliance

Do you need to expand your plant or obtain a new permit? Is your process changing? Are you considering outsourcing your environmental programs?

At GEL Engineering, we offer a range of regulatory permitting and compliance services. The project value we bring to our clients can achieve lower operating costs, reduced risk of liability, improved productivity and efficiency, better employee health and better protection of the environment.

Services

Air Quality

Discharge Wastewater Permitting

Any facility that discharges wastewater directly to surface water must obtain a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit from the EPA or state agency. Facilities that discharge wastewater to a publicly owned treatment works (POTW) must obtain a permit from the local POTW. GEL Engineering can assist a facility in coordinating the required wastewater sampling and analysis in addition to preparation of the necessary documentation to obtain a new or renew an existing permit.

Comprehensive Compliance Audits

GEL Engineering can evaluate a facility’s status with the applicable federal and state environmental regulations including the following environmental media:

• Air Pollution
• Water pollution
• Aboveground and underground storage tanks
• Solid and hazardous waste
• Ozone depletion substances
• Toxic substances

We can also evaluate how applicable the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards and the SARA 313 regulations developed by the Department of Homeland Security and the Emergency Planning Community Right-to-Know Act will be to a facility.  The evaluation includes a detailed site inspection and thorough review of environmental records.

Regulatory Reporting

Environmental permits often include site-specific requirements for the submittal of reports to state and federal agencies. Numerous environmental regulations require periodic reporting related to regulated raw material storage and emissions to the environment such as Tier 2 and Form R reports. GEL Engineering can assist facilities onsite with compiling the necessary information and preparation of the reports.

Reporting and Environmental Plans

Facilities may be required to develop stormwater pollution prevention plans (SWPPPs), spill prevention, control, and countermeasure (SPCC) plans, best management practices (BMP) plans, and risk management plans (RMPs). SWPPPs are associated with the exposure of industrial activities to stormwater. SPCC plans address the proper storage and containment of petroleum based products including procedures to follow in the event of an emergency. BMP plans are often required for operation of wastewater treatment facilities. RMPs address the handling and storage of regulated substances that could potentially harm the public and environment. GEL Engineering has the technical expertise to assist a facility in preparing any of these plans.

Pollution Management

• Hazardous Waste Monitoring and Permitting: Generators of hazardous waste are required to obtain a site-specific EPA identification number and follow detailed documentation requirements when sending their waste to a facility that treats, stores, or disposes of hazardous waste also known as Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities (TSDFs). A hazardous waste permit is required for any facility that accepts hazardous waste from off-site for the purpose of storage, treatment, or disposal. GEL Engineering can assist generators in preparing the necessary documentation to obtain an identification number and also assist in preparing the required documentation for disposal of their waste at a TSDF.
• Waste Characterization/Solid Waste Management: Solid waste must be characterized to determine proper disposal. GEL Engineering provides waste characterization services, including proper sampling and analysis of the solid waste. We also prepare the required documentation for submittal to a federal or state regulatory agency to obtain approval for disposal of the waste.
• Pollution Prevention/Waste Minimization: GEL Engineering can assist facilities in evaluating their production processes, including storage of raw materials to provide recommendations for the prevention/minimization of air, water and chemical/solid waste streams.
• Recycling/Beneficial Use Studies: In conjunction with pollution prevention/waste minimization evaluations, GEL Engineering can perform recycling/beneficial use studies to determine if generated waste can be reused in the process or used for more beneficial purposes.

GEL Engineering also consults extensively with marina and wetlands developers on waterfront design, development, and permitting / approval.

The GEL Engineering Difference

Deep knowledge of your business. Our approach to permitting and compliance is to be an integral member of your team. Not only do we know which regulatory processes are relevant to you, we also develop a hands-on understanding of your production processes.

In-depth regulatory knowledge. Our permitting engineers and scientists have expert working knowledge of the requirements of the as well as public law and statutes, agency regulations, directives and other federal, state and local regulations that may apply to your project. We keep current on this information so you don’t have to. What’s more, we can often expedite approvals because our sound data, technical proficiency and professional approach has earned us respect at local, state and federal levels.

Innovative solutions to complex problems. At GEL Engineering, we are at the forefront of technical advances and industry trends. Our clients call on us to solve unique program challenges for regulatory permitting and compliance monitoring, often problems others have given up against. They rely on us to find new, yet practical ways to improve their processes or facility efficiency—and we can do the same for you.

Contact us to learn more about our regulatory permitting and compliance services.