With an incredibly rainy winter in Seattle, and more wet weather to come, managing stormwater is coming to the forefront of everyone’s mind. Whether you are a new company applying for a permit and managing stormwater for the first time, or finding new outfalls, staying on top of the permitting process and responding to changes this […]
The advent of the new year is a good time for an organization to review its existing objectives to see if they are still relevant to the organization’s goals. If your organization is certified (or is seeking to be certified) in ISO 9001 or 14001, it’s worth looking at your quality and/or environmental objectives to […]
Check out our latest White Paper, “Connecting the Dots for Compliance at Ports, by Freer analyst Nick Lowe-Hale and featured in BC Shipping News! https://www.freerconsulting.com/business-services
Join Freer Consulting, Hal Calbom, and Sustainable Media Partners for our Town Halls on Best Practices and Integrated Compliance Systems on October 26 and 27. The October 26 Town Hall will be held at the Port of Morrow Riverfront Center in Boardman, OR. The October 27 Town Hall will be held at the Courtyard Richland […]
If your business uses Microsoft Excel to manage and process data, you could be incurring risks such as inaccurate financial statements, client overcharges, and nonconformance to standards. These risks often go undetected and can ultimately harm your business. To find out how Freer Consulting can help you improve your risk management, download our White Paper, […]
The Washington State Department of Ecology has issued a revised Phase I Municipal Stormwater Permit that will go into effect on August 19, 2016. Developed as part of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), the Phase I permit regulates stormwater discharges from municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) in incorporated cities with populations of […]
Increasingly, businesses are implementing a quality management system (QMS) that meets the requirements of the ISO 9001 standard, since potential customers often require certification in ISO 9001. If your business has a QMS, it’s worth considering a shift in focus from maintaining a QMS to developing a business management system (BMS). Doing so doesn’t require […]
Construction activities can have a significant impact on stormwater discharges. Stormwater flows through construction zones pick up sediment, oil and grease, heavy metals and other pollutants, which are ultimately deposited into receiving waters. In order to limit pollutants in stormwater, construction that disturbs one or more acres of land requires permit coverage, either under the […]
If your business stores oil on site, you may be subject to the EPA’s Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Rule. The intent of this rule, established in 1973, is to prevent oil spills from reaching navigable waters and nearby shorelines, as well as to mitigate any direct spills in water and shoreline areas. A […]
Internal audits, while necessary, are often dreaded by companies that conduct or receive them for a few reasons: • The auditor’s responsibilities are time consuming—they schedule, conduct, and provide a detailed report of each audit to management. • The auditees often feel interrogated by the auditor. • It can be difficult to find a qualified […]