Susan Chapnick Appointed Treasurer of LSP Association

Susan D. Chapnick, a 25-year Arlington resident, has been appointed Treasurer of the LSP Association (LSPA).  The LSPA is an organization representing nearly 1,000 Licensed Site Professionals and other environmental professionals involved with hazardous waste site cleanup in Massachusetts.

Chapnick, President and Principal Scientist of New Environmental Horizons (NEH), Inc., Arlington, MA, started the environmental chemistry consulting firm with her business partner, Nancy Rothman, PhD, of Skillman, NJ in 1996.  NEH is a women-owned business specializing in the planning and assessment of environmental data to support clean-up of hazardous waste sites in the northeastern US and beyond.  Chapnick is recognized as a technical expert in analytical chemistry, quality assurance, and data evaluation, currently working with NOAA on the natural resource damage assessment of the Deep Water Horizon Gulf Oil Spill.  She has 30 years of experience, receiving a B.A. in Biological Sciences from Barnard College, Columbia University, NY and M.S. in Marine Sciences from the University of South Carolina, SC.

Chapnick serves on the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Advisory Board for the Bureau of Waste Site Cleanup where she promotes scientific integrity in environmental policy and decision-making.  She was awarded the LSPA Contribution to the Practice Award in 2009-2010 for inspirational leadership. Chapnick supports elementary-grade science programs at Arlington’s Hardy Elementary School, by volunteering in the second grade classroom of teacher (and her daughter) Emily Brambilla.  

Founded in 1993, the LSP Association (LSPA) is the non-profit, professional society for Licensed Site Professionals (LSPs, who are licensed by the Commonwealth), and other hazardous waste site cleanup professionals (attorneys, laboratory personnel, contractors, etc.) involved in the management of hazardous waste sites in Massachusetts. Through education and information, the LSPA works to support its nearly 1,000 members to achieve and maintain high standards of practice in overseeing the assessment and remediation of hazardous waste disposal sites.

Massachusetts was the first state in the nation to privatize the process for investigating and cleaning up hazardous waste sites, and in so doing greatly increased the number of properties, called Brownfields, made available for reuse and redevelopment.  On average, only 22 sites a year reached regulatory closure between 1983 and 1993; since 1993, when the privatized system was implemented, LSPs have achieved that status for over 25,000 sites.

Other LSPA Board members appointed as officers are:

• President – Suzanne Courtemanche, LSP, Director of Oil and Hazardous Materials Services, Vanasse, Hangen, Brustlin, Inc. of Providence, RI
• Clerk – Kevin Beaulieu, LSP, President, Wave 2 Environmental, Inc. of Fall River, MA
• President-Elect – Cole Worthy, LSP, Vice President and Senior Project Manager, Haley & Aldrich, Inc. of Boston, MA