Environmental Information Management Services Puts Environmental Liability Information at Your Fingertips

BusinessWeek: Environmental Solutions, Progressive Ideas and Leading Technologies 

15 November 2004 — Environmental compliance ranks high on the list of corporate responsibilities, and most large companies have a department or division to manage such work. Companies generally find the task of assessing and quantifying their environmental liabilities extremely challenging—even those with significant technical and financial resources at their disposal.

Arecent BTI Consulting report titled E-strategies for Environmental Management estimates that for every dollar companies spend for environmental management, they spend another $1.75 for managing related information. Sooner or later, businesses must attack and eliminate this inefficiency in managing their environmental operations, particularly now that the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires them to report these costs on their balance sheet. The resulting increased scrutiny of these obligations, and the possibility of lawsuits arising from incorrect or misleading information, also makes it imperative that officers and directors provide investors and regulators with as accurate an accounting as possible of their corporations’ environmental liabilities.

The investigation, cleanup, and long-term monitoring of contaminated waste sites, as well as air emissions monitoring and regulatory compliance monitoring, produce enormous amounts of data on the nature and extent of chemical presence at a site. One key to an effective environmental program is the deployment of an Environmental Information Management System (EIMS) that can provide managers and engineers with ready access to the information they need for their planning, decision-making, and reporting.

 

To read the full report go to www.environmental-resource.com.

Locus first EIM user conference and training day is a success!

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., 28 October 2004 — Locus Technologies (Locus), the leader in environmental information management, today announced that it successfully held its first Environmental Information Management™ (EIM™) user conference and training at ChevronTexaco’s Corporate Headquarters in San Ramon, California, on October 14 and 15, 2004. EIM is the flagship application in Locus’s award-winning, LocusFocus web-based portal, which is used to manage environmental data at thousands of sites worldwide.

The event was attended by more than 25 firms, including government groups, corporations, environmental consulting firms, analytical laboratories and professional data validators. Participants came from around the country to learn advanced EIM skills, meet EIM users and programmers, and attend presentations showing how EIM is used in a variety of applications.

The sold-out event gave the attendees an opportunity to expand their skills and work with EIM’s powerful scalable-vector graphics (SVG) module to create soil borings, cross sections, and a range of custom maps, all from within EIM. Locus also introduced new web-based reporting tool features, previewed report automation tool, and demonstrated an expanded version of eWell, Locus’s PDA application for streamlining field data collection.

“We have been overwhelmed by the response to our first user conference. Attendance, interest level, the range of participants, and quality of presentations exceeded all our expectations. What was especially gratifying was to see the ‘wheels turning’ when new approaches were discussed and new features were highlighted. We are confident that users left the conference with new and efficient ways to use EIM for meeting site and enterprise environmental data management needs,” said Dr. Neno Duplancic, President and CEO of Locus Technologies.

Locus announces exciting new SVG functionality for geological data

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., 6 October 2004  — Locus Technologies (Locus), the leader in environmental information management, today announced that it has expanded its award winning, web-based Environmental Information Management™ (EIM™) system to include the ability to generate on-the-fly boring logs and soil profiles using the Scaleable Vector Graphics (SVG) format. SVG supports dynamic, high-quality graphics that can be generated from real-time data and displayed in a web browser.

Previously, geological data needed to be entered into various expensive software applications to display the information, but did not have the ability to correlate geological and analytical information. These data types had to be downloaded, merged, and analyzed as precious time was lost and consulting hours piled up. The new SVG application, an integrated module in Locus’s EIM, is completely web-based to instantly deliver, sort, and assemble information into highly nuanced reports, boring logs, cross sections, charts, and maps, including raster image overlays, and pictures. Beyond the usual display of boring log data, the log can also display soil and groundwater analytical data and provides interactive drill-down capability for in-depth analysis. Best of all, report-quality geotechnical logs can be printed out with the click of a mouse, further streamlining a previously inefficient process. Much of the system’s power and ease of use is in the speed and flexibility with which it delivers information. Unlike other image formats, SVG image resolution is scalable and does not degrade with enlargement.

“SVG provides a highly suitable tool for real-time display of subsurface data with incredible speed,” says Dr. Neno Duplancic, President and CEO of Locus. “Locus has successfully used SVG for the basis of EIM’s mapping module, and we are excited to bring SVG to the display of complex geotechnical data through boring logs and soil profiles. Furthermore, all of this exciting functionality comes without the need to store large image files on the server end,thus minimizing storage and Internet traffic requirements. By exploiting this exciting new web-based technology, Locus intends to stay at the forefront of web-based display of environmental information by putting inexpensive GIS capabilities on every desktop,” adds Dr. Duplancic.

Locus announces addition of web reporting tools to LocusFocus

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., and Dulles, Virginia, 20 September 2004 — Locus Technologies (Locus), a leader in environmental information management, announced today that it has added Cizer Software’s reporting tools to LocusFocus, its award-winning suite of web-based information management systems for the environmental industry.

“Cizer’s Report Builder and Quick Query products will enable users of LocusFocus and EIM to design their own reports and/or run existing reports over the web without having to install or download any software onto their local computers. Both products include an extensive set of formatting and querying options, giving users the utmost in flexibility with respect to the content and organization of their reports. The combination of these tools, together with LocusFocus’s other download and data visualization options, will provide environmental professionals with all the querying and reporting power they need to perform their work in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Furthermore, Locus’s corporate customers stand to gain tremendous savings when necessary report formats are not created independently by separate offices but, instead, are developed just once, after which they are stored and made available over the web, where all who have the appropriate authorization can access and run them,” said Dr. Neno Duplancic, President and CEO of Locus.

“We are very pleased that Locus selected our technology to assist their customers with environmental reporting. Locus has recognized the crucial need of business users to get secure reports in a timely way and is providing their clients with the ability to generate those reports in their browser. LocusFocus users will now be able to create both ad hoc and production reports with headers and footers, banded grouping, pagination, conditional formatting, charting, SQL optimization, and parameters without having to waiting in line at the IT department’s door to get their reports made,” said Caitlyn Harts, President and CEO of Cizer.

With the addition of Cizer reporting tools, Locus continues to provide its customers with a cost-competitive, centralized analytical information management system that is superior to any client-server system available in the marketplace today.

“As our client base continues to expand to private and government sectors, Locus is committed to meeting all federal and state electronic data deliverables for the environmental industry, and automating the complex world of environmental reporting,” added Dr. Duplancic.

 

ABOUT CIZER SOFTWARE
Cizer Software has provided data reporting services and solutions for more than 20 years and has published Cizer Server Report products since 1996. As a Microsoft Reporting Services Joint Development Partner and ISV, Cizer is known for its reporting expertise and provides SQL Server-based solutions to commercial and public sector customers and to the US Federal Government via a GSA schedule. Both commercial and public sector clients rely on Cizer to publish thousands of reports each day and will now be able to create those reports and queries in their browser with the latest .NET XML technology. Information on the Cizer .NET Reporting Suite of products can be found by visiting Cizer’s website at www.cizer.com or contacting sales@cizer.com.

Locus Team Awarded U.S. Navy Approval for Perchlorate and Petroleum Cleanups

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., 1 September 2004 — Locus Technologies, a leader in environmental remedial solutions, remedial automation, and environmental information technology, and its teaming partner, Tierra Technologies, today announced that the US Navy has accepted the Closed-Loop Bioreactor Technology under the Naval Facilities Engineering Service Center (NFESC) Environmental Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) program for use on perchlorate clean-ups.

The Closed-Loop Bioreactor Technology was previously accepted by the NAVY NFESC program for use on petroleum sites. The Locus and Tierra team has gone through extensive bench testing and evaluation of field data to demonstrate the effectiveness of the ClosedLoop Bioreactor Technology for degradation of Perchlorate source areas and soils.

The Closed-Loop Bioreactor Technology is unique in that it affords clients a rapid and effective remedial alternative to address perchlorate source and soil contamination without the risk of flushing perchlorate to groundwater. The Closed-Loop Bioreactor Technology is also highly proven in petroleum clean-up applications, with recovery of phase-separated product within 30 to 90 days and the attainment of aquifer quality standards typically within 9 to 12 months.

“We are pleased to expand our support to the Navy and other DOD entities with the availability of this innovative and rapid cleanup technology for perchlorate and petroleum problems,” said Mark Bittner Director of Locus Technologies’ Sacramento and Arizona Regions.

Locus Technologies is involved with several high-profile perchlorate investigation and treatment projects and has established a reputation as an industry leader in emerging contaminates, such as perchlorate and NDMA. Locus often teams with quality firms, such as Tierra Technologies, to provide innovative solutions and unbiased approach to technology selection to its clients.

1-4 Dioxane Treatment in Mountain View, Calif.

Pollution Engineering, Casebook

Mountain View, Calif. 1 July 2004 — As the consultant for a Fortune 500 semiconductor company at the San Francisco Bay Area Superfund site, Locus Technologies was facing a number of challenges. In 2003, the California Regional Water Quality Control Board requested that the effluent of all treatment facilities within the Superfund site be sampled for 1,4-dioxane. Data obtained during these tests indicated that 1,4-dioxane was present in the effluent at levels of 15 ppb, whereas the statutory discharge limit for 1,4-dioxane was 5 ppb. Additionally, local residents had raised concerns that airborne volatile organic compounds (VOCs) should not be discharged into the atmosphere. Based on these issues, Locus’s client desire to replace its existing air stripping/vapor carbon/aqueous carbon polishing treatmrnt technolgy with an innovative treatment technology that would:

  • Remove or destroy VOCs and 1,4-dioxane
  • Provide cost-efficient treatment
  • Be easily expandable in the future
  • Be able to meet projected EPA discharge requirements

The design flow rate for the treatment system was 50 gpm. Influent groundwater concentrations had a significant bearing on both the capital and the operation and maintenance (O&M) costs for the required treatment technology. The design influent concentrations are shown in Table 1.

During the early stages of the design process, Locus personnel brought a mobile advanced ozone/peroxide pilot treatment facility known as ozone peroxide, to the site. The engineers also ran a series of performance tests on the actual groundwater. Meanwhile, groundwater samples were sent to various UV/peroxide manufacturers and equipment suppliers so as to obtain process design requirements, capital price quotations and O&M cost for each of the various process treatment systems being considered.

Based on data from pilot studies, treatability studies and evaluations using carbon isotherms, each of the equipment suppliers was able to provide lump sum capital and guaranteed O&M costs for the influent groundwater specified (see Table 1). The scope of services specified for this treatment project were quite specific and required forfeiture of equipment costs should the treatment process not meet the discharge requirements and/or the O&M costs exceed those values provided. Plugging the design groundwater specified into its equations the manufacturers provided equipment capital cost pricing and annual O&M cost. Locus presented its findings in a Basis of Design Report that determined the construction cost and 15-year total present value for each system. Based on the strength of both pilot study results and guaranteed capital and O&M costs, the client chose to proceed with the ozone perioxide system.

Locus proceeded to order the specified equipment and begin construction. Following installation of the equipment, the manufacturers started and operated the treatment system for a period of one week. During that time, the company’s personnel carried out a detailed performance test to verify the destruction efficiency of the process and calculate the actual cost to operate the system. After completing the test phase, the manufacturer provided filed training for the Locus O&M staff.

Locus personnel discovered satisfactorily that the ozone peroxide system completely destroyed 1,4-dioxane without producing measurable air emissions. The fully automated system utilized multiple ozone injection points that increased treatment efficiency. Ozone was injected at high pressure to improve its solubility and thus reduce operational costs. The system could be easily expanded to accommodate changes in flow rates or contaminant concentration. costs to operate the system were very definable and reliable.

The ozone peroxide system has operated flawlessly since it was commissioned in December 2003 and maintained consistent effluent results. Furthermore, the O&M costs have remained below those values that were guaranteed in the original equipment proposal.

For more information about the remediation of 1,4-dioxane and the use of the treatment system at the San Francisco Bay Area Superfund Site, visit www.locustec.com.

Locus awarded multi-phase Superfund project with ADEQ

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., 10 May 2004  — Locus Technologies has been awarded a multi-phase project to support the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) at the West Central Phoenix, North Canal State Superfund site. The project, which is valued at nearly $300,000, will allow Locus to provide consulting support to the ADEQ for both a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) and Early Response Action (ERA) services.

Locus is pleased to build on its established and in-depth experience at Superfund sites in the west and its extensive resume with chlorinated hydrocarbon investigation and remediation programs.

“Locus staff in Phoenix have extensive prior experience with ADEQ WQARF projects. That experience, coupled with Locus’ outstanding reputation at EPA Region 9 sites, makes for a powerful combination in supporting the ADEQ with this valued public service project,” says Mark Bittner, Locus Regional Director and WCP Project Manager.

Neno Duplancic, President and CEO of Locus, adds “Locus is also providing ADEQ with database management services as an integral part of our RI/FS program. We are excited to provide ADEQ with hands-on exposure to our Environmental Information Management (EIM™) web-based data management software. EIM will allow ADEQ to easily track current and historic groundwater data trends, increasing department efficiency and saving costs.”

Locus to help Companies Comply with Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 for Environmental Liability Management

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., 13 April 2004 — Locus Technologies (Locus), a leading provider of web-based environmental information management systems, today announced that their new release of LocusFocus portal, scheduled for release in summer 2004, will help public companies comply with the corporate governance requirements in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act which congress passed in 2002 in the law in response to a series of corporate financial crises. LocusFocus already addresses many aspects of management of company’s environmental liability such as analytical data management, auditing, and document management. Additional functionality will include Environmental, Health, and Safety (EH&S) reporting and financial management of environmental liability, which companies are developing in response to governance requirements. As a part of Balance Sheet reporting, publicly traded companies must report their environmental liabilities and reserve.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act mandates more rigorous corporate governance practices for all aspects of a company’s business including recognition, measurement, display and disclosure of environmental liabilities. Given the increased emphasis on corporate accountability and the penalties and personal liability to CEOs and CFOs for non-compliance, companies are evaluating ways to increase the accuracy of assessing and quantifying environmental liabilities. Locus’s new updated portal is designed to meet this growing need and to provide a tool to help companies organize, manage, and document their environmental liabilities.

“In order to minimize the possibility of erroneous or misleading disclosure, companies increasingly rely on consultants to assist in evaluating internal controls and disclosure procedures, conduct due diligence, analyze and document environmental liabilities, and review existing environmental liability disclosures for compliance with applicable securities laws. Now the companies, their consultants, and legal staff have a tool to document and manage all aspects of environmental liability in a way that was not possible before. By keeping all information about contaminated sites in a single, centralized, secure, web-based system, companies can aggregate information in real time, check the cleanup status of every site, monitor financial performance of consultants and contractors, and most importantly have real time corporate environmental reserve and liability information at their fingertips”, said Neno Duplancic, President and CEO of Locus.

Companies that subscribe to use LocusFocus will make better use of resources and find it easier to comply with US and international environmental requirements, while at the same time lowering their operating costs associated with environmental information management.

By providing a systematic structure for planning, internal auditing and reviewing environmental information, LocusFocus enables companies to meet and exceed environmental requirements as well as enhance their credibility with customers, stakeholders and the public.

Water Disposal May be Avoided at GI Dump

Middletown Times Star

Read the Press Release Here

Locus presents paper on EPA SEDD format at PITTCON 2004

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., 31 March 2004 — Locus Technologies (Locus), a leader in environmental information management, presented a paper on the use of the EPA SEDD format with web-based environmental data systems at the 2004 Pittsburgh Conference (Pittcon) in Chicago, IL. Dr. Todd Pierce of Locus authored the paper entitled “A Web-based Solution for Analytical Data Interchange Using EPA XML-Based SEDD Format and Locus’s EIM System.” The paper was presented on March 7 during the “New Developments in Analytical Instrumentation and Software” session.

The Staged Electronic Data Deliverable (SEDD) is an inter-agency effort spearheaded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to create a generic format for electronic delivery of analytical data for environmental programs. A major advantage for analytical laboratories is that SEDD can be implemented in stages. This fact allows laboratories to meet EDD requirements for multiple programs without having to overhaul their EDD-producing systems as agency or program needs change. The SEDD is based on Extensible Markup Language (XML), which has quickly become the de facto standard for information exchange over the Internet. XML provides data integration and communication backbone for Locus’s EIM system.

Dr. Pierce’s paper showed how Locus’s award-winning, web-based Environmental Information Management™ (EIM™) system, a part of their LocusFocusSM environmental web portal, can import EDDs in the SEDD format. EIM accepts SEDD files in Stage 2a format, which contains the basic analytical results (including the sample ID, analyte, result, and qualifier) plus method quality control data. The EIM import module includes data verification and consistency checks outlined in the Document Type Definition (DTD) for Stage 2a, as well as forms for viewing the data in the imported SEDD file. EIM then lets users create reports, build graphs, query selected results, and download selected datasets into Microsoft Excel, ESRI’s ArcView, or other third-party packages.