Economic incentives for TQEM: Are they in your future?

Traditional command-and-control regulations provide few opportunities for total quality environmental management because they usually do not take into account cost and efficiency factors. However, in the past several years both Congress and EPA have shown increasing interest in using incentive-type approaches to regulate the environment. These include taxes, marketable pollution privileges, deposits and refunds, information disclosure provisions, and subsidies. The author details examples of each and discusses how they can effectively complement a quality program.     

Social support and newcomer adjustment in organizations: Attachment theory at work?

Social support has been suggested as important for newcomer adjustment to an organization. The present paper reports a longitudinal study of 91 newcomers to three separate organizations. The effects of availability and helpfulness of 10 sources of social support on newcomers reports of psychological distress, satisfaction, intention to leave, and their supervisors assessment of their performance rating (N of supervisors = 41; n of ratings = 91) were examined. The availability of support activities such as offsite training sessions and business trips were found to be associated with decreased psychological symptoms. Helpfulness of various relationship supports were associated with positive adjustment. These results are discussed within the context of attachment theory and our knowledge of social support in work settings.     

EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT OF POPULATIONS USING ENVIRONMENTAL MODELING,DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS,AND GIS1

ABSTRACT: Simulation of ground-water flow and fate of contaminants in the subsurface environment constitutes a major phase of most environmental assessment and site remediation studies. These simulation studies yield information on spatial and temporal distributions of contaminants in the subsurface media. An important use of this information is to conduct exposure assessment studies. Spatial and temporal distributions of both chemical concentrations and exposed populations render this integrated exposure analysis task rather difficult. Geographic Information Systems (GIS), on the other hand, provide a platform in which layered, spatially distributed databases can be manipulated with ease, thereby simplifying exposure analysis tasks significantly. In this paper, we describe procedures that combine the simulation models and demographic databases under a GIS platform to automate the exposure assessment phase of a typical health assessment study. Procedures developed herein significantly simplify the post-processing phase of the analysis, and render the overall task more ‘user friendly.’ A site-specific application is included as a demonstration of the proposed process.     

ANALYSIS OF WIND- AND SHIP-INDUCED SEDIMENT RESUSPENSION IN DULUTH-SUPERIOR HARBOR1

ABSTRACT: Suspended solids and ammonium concentration profiles measured at five locations in Duluth-Superior Harbor during July-October 1985 were analyzed to quantify wind and ship effects on sediment resuspension and resulting harbor water quality. Wind components from the SE quadrant correlated strongly with depth-averaged suspended solids concentrations that were unaffected by ship passage or thermal stratification. Winds from that quadrant have the largest fetch in the harbor. The highest correlation (r²= 0.93) was with the 6-hour average of the ESE wind velocity component. Multiple linear regression analysis of data from post-ship passage concentration profiles yielded numerical estimates of settling velocities of 0.08 to 0.25 cm s^?1, typical of ship-resuspended sediments, and vertical eddy diffusivities of 4 to 13 cm² s¹. The results suggest that ambient vertical eddy diffusivities in the harbor are less than 4 cm² s^?1 in the absence of ship passages and with winds less than 5 m s^?1 (10 knots).     

A user evaluation of biodegradable cutlery

This paper summarizes a study evaluating the acceptance and perceived performance of disposable cutlery made from starch-based biodegradable resins relative to nondegradable polystyrene cutlery. Two hundred forty-three sailors onboard three U.S. Navy vessels ate their lunch using either biodegradable cutlery made with resins manufactured by one of two commercial companies or polystyrene cutlery. The cutlery was rated on several sensory and performance dimensions as well as for overall acceptability. Results indicated that sailors rated both the biodegradable and the polystyrene utensils as easy to hold. There were also no differences in the perceived ease of using each of the spoons. However, compared to the polystyrene utensils, both types of biodegradable utensils were viewed as less sturdy, as having a less attractive color, and as being less acceptable overall. The biodegradable forks and knives were also rated as more difficult to use for piercing and cutting food than the polystyrene ones. In addition, several significant differences emerged between the two types of biodegradable cutlery. The results are discussed in terms of the need for continued consumer testing of products developed from biodegradable polymeric materials.     

Performing a regulatory compliance audit: Guidance for environmental managers

An important tool for managing environmental responsibilities is compliance auditing. Auditing the facility allows the environmental manager to identify problems, address potential violations, and streamline environmental compliance expenditures. However, the audit and associated program must be developed within the context of immediate and long-term goals. Before initiating the physical audit, the environmental manager should identify the scope of the audit, select a team, establish the audit process, and decide on report documentation issues, such as confidentiality. If the audit program is developed correctly, todays environmental manager can streamline long-term compliance while managing the company's liability.     

Control of upland bank erosion through tidal marsh construction on restored shores: Application in the maryland portion of Chesapeake Bay

During the period of 1972 through 1993, Environmental Concern Inc. (EC) and its recent (1989) affiliate Environmental Construction Company (ECC) have completed 216 marsh construction projects to control upland bank erosion in tributaries of the Maryland portion of Chesapeake Bay. Of these projects, 26 have involved marsh construction on unaltered existing shores and 190 have utilized marsh construction on shores that have been restored to former increased elevations through shoreline filling and grading. This paper describes the latter restoration technique. Throughout the 21-year period of applying the technique for long-term upland bank erosion control, refinements to the design standards and criteria for site suitability have been made so as to optimize its successful application. As a result of this experience, a reliable bioengineering restoration technique has evolved to control upland bank erosion. This paper describes the details of this successful technique through a review of: (1) its objectives and benefits, (2) suitability of sites for its application, (3) the design of its shore restoration, (4) its construction, (5) its maintenance, and (6) comparison of its cost with those of structural techniques for bank erosion control. Although the technique has only been applied in the Maryland portions of Chesapeake Bay, its applicability should, with modifications, be broadly applicable to all water bodies.     

Drainage Investment and Wetlands Loss: an Analysis of the National Resources Inventory Data

The United States Soil Conservation Service (SCS) conducts a survey for the purpose of establishing an agricultural land use database. This survey is called the National Resources Inventory (NRI) database. The complex NRI land classification system, in conjunction with the quantitative information gathered by the survey, has numerous applications. The current paper uses the wetland area data gathered by the NRI in 1982 and 1987 to examine empirically the factors that generate wetland loss in the United States. The cross-section regression models listed here use the quantity of wetlands, the stock of drainage capital, the realty value of farmland and drainage costs to explain most of the cross-state variation in wetland loss rates. Wetlands preservation efforts by federal agencies assume that pecuniary economic factors play a decisive role in wetland drainage. The empirical models tested in the present paper validate this assumption.