Kathleen Ann Gannon
North Pole,Alaska
Summary
Experienced Program Manager serves as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) in hazardous waste matters for the garrison and associated training lands and recreation facility. Brings 21 years experience in sampling of unknown waste, making hazardous waste determinations of waste based on Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and analytical results, providing training in environmental issues, reviewing and interpreting laws, rules, regulations, and policies to ensure technical and administrative compliance within the framework of the facility Environment Systems (EMS). Coordinate with other environmental programs to ensure training exercises are conducted with environmental compliance.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
RCRA Hazardous Waste Program Manager
USAG Alaska- DPW Environmental
05.2017 - Current
- Contract Officer Representative (COR) on Hazardous Waste Service contract currently but previously oversaw 3 different contracts at the same time
- As COR use GFEBS and Wide Area Work Flow (WAWF) to review all invoices for accuracy before the resource management office can pay the clients, create purchase requests (PRs), modify PRs and purchase orders (POs)
- Manage Hazardous Waste program to insure EPA RCRA Compliance on the installation, training lands, and military recreation center; track environmental compliance of documents and containers before being transported off site to disposal facilities, ordered samples, and managed the container and spill response supply contract on a quarterly basis ensuring I was at or under budget.
- review, write, and update plans, designs, policies, and memos for compliance with current Environmental laws and regulation
- Monitor policy and procedures for storage and disposal of DOD hazardous Material having potential for environmental damage
- Provide technical expertise to Garrison personnel, tenants, and contractors on a wide range of difficult and complex environmental protection issues
- Serve as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) on matters of hazardous waste for the installation and training lands to identify, recommend, or initiate corrective actions for noncompliance with environmental standards
- Ensure the proper assessment of potential environmental damage, including instances where the substances are known but the potential threat to the environment has not been established
- Develop/implement Environmental Management Programs with goal of ensuring compliance with environmental EPA Standards, Executive Orders, and state standards
- updated the RCRA Installation Contingency Plan with Garrison Commander approval
- I implemented a Hazardous Material Management Committee and together wrote the Installation Hazardous Material Management Plan (HMMP)
- Generated and filed the Biennial report to EPA for the last 3 reports
- Responsible for anticipating type and amount of waste to be generated during training exercises and applying for Episodic Generation if required
- Manage the RCRA HW $500K annual disposal budget to include tracking disposal costs, surcharges, labor costs, and expedite fees then reconciling the tracking documents to the invoices, using General Fund Enterprise Business System (GFEBS)
- I save the government money through: waste reduction such as re-evaluating waste streams and education about proper waste management
- Coordinate with the other compliance programs such as water, air, and CERCLA programs to implement pollution prevention programs and ensure all tenants are being properly training in those programs.
- conduct environmental audits and develop corrective action plans
- expert knowledge of advanced concepts, theories, principles, practices and techniques of environmental planning
- the primary hazardous waste manifest signer for the installation, designated by the USAG-FWA Garrison Commander to ensure manifests are complete and correct before waste is shipped off the installation
- If TSDF find discrepancies of waste, I provide technical guidance and work with the facility to fix the discrepancies and approve corrections to the manifest
- Primary consultant for the Garrison, tenants and contractors concerning environmental management and regulatory compliance matters for RCRA hazardous Waste, TSCA, Asbestos, PBCs and lead based paint including reviewing all work orders
- review technical evaluations and provide input to correct environmental and pollution concerns
- Monitor installation activities in collaboration with the other compliance programs: hazardous waste, air, wastewater, solid waste, spills, petroleum oils and lubricants [POLs], polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs],underground storage tanks [UST], aboveground storage tanks [AST], asbestos, lead-based paint [LBP], PFOAs/PFOs) to mitigate harmful environmental effects
- furnished guidance to the sales and reutilization personnel in Battle Creek pertaining to the RTD/Sales of hazardous materials that our Installation and the other Installations that the local DLA has the contract for manages those Lead Acid Batteries as hazardous material under 40 CFR Part 266, subpart G.
Northern RCRA Project Manager
Environmental Compliance Consultants Inc, ECC Inc
11.2012 - 04.2017
- supervised 14 employees over 3 military installations
- development, implementation, and oversight of environmental programs under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) at Fort Wainwright, Fort Greely, and on Eielson Air Force Base (AFB),in which two were Large Qualtity Generators (LQG), one was a Small Quantity Generator (SQG), and 2 training areas under control of one of the LQG that were Very Small Quantity Generators (VSQG)
- prepared the managers and alternates for not only understanding the rules and regulations associated with managing their accumulation points but also how to stay in compliance to successfully pass an EPA RCRA inspection
- I provided technical guidance to customers regarding environmental compliance, containment, and/or disposal of hazardous wastes/materials
- oversaw the management of all hazardous, universal, TSCA, and non-hazardous waste
- helped develop and implement a new Eielson Hazardous Waste contract to include but not limited to: determining what duties the new supervisor would have, sampling for hazardous waste characterization and ADEC soil sampling, ordering supplies for the operations, training a new supervisor, and providing QC of drums and documents
Chemist
ECC Inc
02.2009 - 04.2017
- responded to chemical/petroleum spills
- field chemist for the two summers during remediation projects subcontracted through Hart Crowser for the National Parks Service (Denali Parks Service)
- performed field sampling on all the drums’ and containers’ content to identify and consolidate all like contents for laboratory analysis
- traveled to abandoned gold mine by ATV, 4-wheel drive trucks, and/or hiking through tundra and brush
- filled out the chain of custody (COC), and manifests to send the samples to the laboratory
- evaluated sample results for chemical or physical hazards in order to write profiles for waste disposal
- retrieved the waste and drive it out of the park to send it to the disposal facility
- Several National Park Services jobs: Fly in to Coal Creek, AK to identify unknown liquids through field sampling, create manifests for shipment via barge and fly out same day; Fly in to Anaktuvak Pass to identify unknown liquids through field sampling, performed sampling of the liquids for verification for disposal by packaging samples, filling out COC, and shipping samples to qualified labs, create manifests for shipment via air cargo after drums were consolidated
- consulted with the Engineer and the Ranger overseeing this project to consult about the legal options for disposing of the contaminated lead-based fuel
EPA Instructor
ECC Inc
11.2007 - 04.2017
- taught the 40-hour, 24-hour, and/or 8-hour HAZWOPER refresher courses at Fort Greely, Fort Wainwright, Elmendorf Air Force Base, and Kodiak Coast Guard
- developed HAZWOPER Courses; 24-Hr., 40-Hr., or 8-Hr refresher courses
- implemented real life scenarios specific for the type of military installation into the Exercise portion of the courses, as well as have oversight on all the Exercises or Demonstrations and have had excellent feedback from the military members, DoD Civilians, and contractors that I have taught over the years
DEA Chemist
ECC Inc.
02.2004 - 04.2017
- had a secret clearance with the DEA
- Assisted police and DEA with clandestine methamphetamine labs
- characterized the hazards of chemicals found on site using field sampling techniques, properly packaged them for shipment, and filled out manifests to properly dispose of them through proper disposal facilities
- Traveled throughout Alaska responding to clandestine methamphetamine labs
Northern Regional Project Manager
ECC Inc
02.2009 - 11.2012
- exercised authority over all aspects of the environmental regulatory compliance, environmental program management and stewardship management
- developed short- and long-term budgets and resource plans to carry out programs and projects
- researched financial problems, contacted the financial office and helped resolve the issue
- oversaw the operations of the Hazardous Material/Hazardous Waste Accumulation Facilities at 3 military installations in which two were Large Quantity Generators (LQG), one was a Small Quantity Generator (SQG), and 2 training areas under control of one of the LQG that were Very Small Quantity Generators (VSQG)
- managed the personnel supervising the storage facilities to ensure the waste was moved off the installations within the time requirements
- managed our northern regional operations which included oversite of the local office and warehouse where we managed a variety of commercial accounts
- supervised 15 employees; oversaw 10 contracts year-round worth more than $2,000,000/year plus many other short-term contracts throughout the year
- planned work assignments taking into account the availability of manpower and equipment
- was responsible for budget compliance and guaranteeing deadlines were met
- delegated authority for purchases to an administrative assistant and tracked all expenses using spreadsheets
- established estimates for commercial jobs and provided detailed invoices to clients
- coordinated the logistics of vehicles and waste shipments with project managers at the main facility operated out of Anchorage, AK and our facility located in the Interior of Alaska (about 375 miles apart)
- planned the vehicle and waste exchange based on deadlines of both commercial and military jobs
- responsible for vehicles and equipment used in oil spill response (spilled in containment or from surface water) such as: Drum-It Mini Vac II, PACS 1000 Vacuum System and Cusco Industrial Vacuum Truck to vehicles and equipment to respond to contaminated soil such as: Bobcat with variety of attachments, flatbed trailer, F 650 stake bed truck with lift gate, F550 box truck, and freightliners
- responsible for the maintenance operations of the vehicles and equipment and delegated to employees depending on their abilities
- responsible for oversight of the warehouse maintenance; required me to either assess and fix the issue myself, delegate fixing the issue to one of my skilled employees, or contracting out the maintenance when needed
- responsible for training employees as well as other clients in environmental compliance and preventative actions such as how to properly handle hazardous and toxic waste at their site to prevent spills. I taught how to control a spill before cleaning it up
- also inspected commercial and military clients to keep them in compliance with federal rules and regulations as well as local policies
- prepared manifests and labels for shipping to disposal facilities
- created profiles for waste stream that were either new or have changed by doing waste determination on each of those waste streams
- I consulted with the clients and provided individual strategies on the most efficient way to help them manage their hazardous waste and their physically stored hazardous material to stay in environmental compliance
- provided good customer service by following up on questions or concerns in a timely manner and communicating any delays in service when uncontrollable events disrupt scheduled plans such as equipment failed or weather/road conditions preventing vehicles from making it to the destination
- Created bids for several Government contract jobs such as Eielson AFB Grease Trap contract, the Eielson AFB Oil Water Separator Contract, along with the janitorial contract at the Eielson AFB Central Heating Power Plant (CHPP)
- executed contracts including the financial responsibility of buying the correct equipment and PPE needed, arranging schedules and providing invoices to be paid for the work done
- was responsible for researching and determining the hazards involved for cleaning coal dust then creating the OSHA training program
- was in charge of all personnel duties including hiring and firing, financial responsibilities, reviewing timesheets, and ensuring all tasks are completed in a safe and timely manner
- was responsible for assisting the Doyon Utilities, located on Fort Wainwright and Fort Greely, with all federal, state, and military regulations associated with the hazardous materials and hazardous waste they generated at their CHPP, their Water Treatment Facility (WTF), and their utilities maintenance depot (Depot)
- assisted them with the management plans, safety plans, and providing training to all personnel to help them manage their containers of hazardous waste, hazardous materials, and spill clean-up to keep them in compliance of environmental and safety regulations
- assisted in creating Job Hazard Analysis for the different jobs that all my employees worked
- implemented safety programs according to command, state, and federal policies to ensure safety of the workforce was always maintained
- preformed wastewater sampling for FWA Department of Public Works Environmental Office as well as for Ruth Burnett Sport Fish Hatchery
- performed non-wastewater sampling for several clients to characterize the waste streams and create profiles to help manage their waste
Haz Mat Technician/ Team Chemist
Fairbanks North Star Borough
10.2001 - 06.2011
- Hazardous Material Response Team Chemist
- responded to emergency incidents within the state of Alaska
- trained weekly with the team to be prepared for the variety of emergencies we could encounter
- was on call for emergencies both night and day, seven days a week
- taught a basic chemistry course to the other team members
- would research the chemicals that were of concern and would consult with the safety officer about risk assessments for human health and the environment
- worked on compliance clean-up site, an abandoned/burned down recycle center owned by the borough by default. I responded with the team in appropriate PPE in order to remove toxic and hazardous materials such as broken lead acid batteries leaching into the soil
- staged all the drums of liquids together, about 75 drums, in order to sample and characterize the contents on site in order to consolidate, over pack, or otherwise prepare drums for proper disposal
Facility Manager
ECC A Joint Venture
02.2004 - 02.2009
- performed quality control on all documents and drums before submitting the documentation to DLA, electronically so all waste was shipped out of the facility before ninety days so we stayed in compliance with EPA
- supervised 5 full time employees and 3-part time employees
- provided the 8 employees with technical guidance who were material/waste handling personnel that were performing the actual receiving/warehousing functions of the materials and waste
- was responsible for the $5,000,000 contract to ensure all units creating hazardous waste or using hazardous materials on Fort Wainwright, Alaska were in compliance with Federal, State, Army, and Garrison regulation
- would perform quarterly inspections with all accumulation areas including Satellite Accumulation Areas and 90-day Central Accumulation Area as well as provide technical guidance to customers regarding environmental compliance, containment, and/or disposal of hazardous waste/materials
- implemented and administered an Environmental Management System (EMS) for the 90-day Central Accumulation Area that we operated to consolidate the hazardous material and hazardous waste while preparing them for a removal order to ship them to TSDFs in the Contiguous United States
- responsible for vehicles and equipment worth over $150,000
Education
Master of Science - Environmental Chemistry
University of Alaska Fairbanks
08.2002
Bachelor of Science - Biochemistry
University of Alaska Fairbanks
05.1999
Associates of Arts -
University of Alaska Fairbanks
12.1998
Skills
- Project Management: Time Management, Logistics, Strategic Planner, Delegating
- Regulatory Compliance
- Contract management
- Budget Management
- Multi-tasking
- Streamlining processes
- Public Speaking
- Collaboration
- Oral and written Communication, Active Listener
- Adaptable
- Motivated
- Problem Solver
Degrees
- BS
- MS
Certification
- GFEBs training, 02/2022
- RCRA Corrective Action Process, 08/2021
- Pharmaceutical Waste Management Course, 12/2020
- CES intermediate from Army Management Staff College- Resident Learning, 02/2019
- Lead Based Paint Inspector, 09/2018
- Lead Based Paint Risk Assessor, 09/2018
- EPCRA Standardization Reporting, 05/2018
- HW Manifesting/ DOT Re-certification, 08/2017
- Civilian Foundation CES intermediate Online Learning, 05/2017
- Transportation of Hazardous Material/Hazardous Waste for DOD, 10/2015
- AHERA Building Inspector for Asbestos, 12/2010-2016
- 40-Hour Confined Space Rescue, 08/2006
- Asbestos (General Industry), 03/2005
- Professional Development Program, 09/2004-11/2004
- Microsoft Word computer course, 05/1997
Environmental Awards
Certificate of Appreciation, 04/2019, Assisting with the Housing Crisis involving Lead Based Paint Surveys
Timeline
RCRA Hazardous Waste Program Manager
USAG Alaska- DPW Environmental
05.2017 - Current
Northern RCRA Project Manager
Environmental Compliance Consultants Inc, ECC Inc
11.2012 - 04.2017
Chemist
ECC Inc
02.2009 - 04.2017
Northern Regional Project Manager
ECC Inc
02.2009 - 11.2012
EPA Instructor
ECC Inc
11.2007 - 04.2017
DEA Chemist
ECC Inc.
02.2004 - 04.2017
Facility Manager
ECC A Joint Venture
02.2004 - 02.2009
Haz Mat Technician/ Team Chemist
Fairbanks North Star Borough
10.2001 - 06.2011
Master of Science - Environmental Chemistry
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Bachelor of Science - Biochemistry
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Associates of Arts -
University of Alaska Fairbanks
- GFEBs training, 02/2022
- RCRA Corrective Action Process, 08/2021
- Pharmaceutical Waste Management Course, 12/2020
- CES intermediate from Army Management Staff College- Resident Learning, 02/2019
- Lead Based Paint Inspector, 09/2018
- Lead Based Paint Risk Assessor, 09/2018
- EPCRA Standardization Reporting, 05/2018
- HW Manifesting/ DOT Re-certification, 08/2017
- Civilian Foundation CES intermediate Online Learning, 05/2017
- Transportation of Hazardous Material/Hazardous Waste for DOD, 10/2015
- AHERA Building Inspector for Asbestos, 12/2010-2016
- 40-Hour Confined Space Rescue, 08/2006
- Asbestos (General Industry), 03/2005
- Professional Development Program, 09/2004-11/2004
- Microsoft Word computer course, 05/1997
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