Locus’ Environmental Software Provides US Virgin Island Refinery with Key Savings

Hovensa Moves to Cloud Computing with Locus’ EIM Software

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., 12 January 2009 — Locus Technologies, the industry leader in web-based environmental compliance and information management software, today announced that the Hovensa Refinery in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands has selected Locus Technologies Environmental Information Management (EIM) system to streamline managing environmental sampling and remedial operations data at the refinery.

Hovensa is a joint venture between subsidiaries of Hess Corporation and Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA). This refinery is one of the ten largest in the world and one of the most modern in the United States with a crude oil processing capacity of 500,000 barrels per day (BPD). Hovensa operates its facilities on 2,000 acres on the south shore of St. Croix and receives and processes crude oil from around the world.

After reviewing available options to manage their environmental data, Hovensa opted for EIM to meet their demanding requirements, which include a single data repository accessible by all their vendors, regardless of location. EIM’s cloud computing platform was the ideal system to provide the access desired and the robust data management features to address both sampling and operations data.

“Locus is excited that Hovensa selected EIM and is using the system to its fullest,” said Locus President Neno Duplancic. “It’s very gratifying when a customer fully embraces the system and its potential to not only manage their data but to drive cost savings through data collection and report automation. Using EIM’s flexible interface, Hovensa can streamline sample planning and data validation using mainland contractors and labs and produce automated reports of operations status all from the same system.”

Environmental Risk Services (ERS) Selects Locus’ Environmental Software

Another Large Port and Former Navy Site Selects Locus Technologies Software

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., August 21, 2008  — Locus Technologies (Locus), the industry leader in web-based environmental data and information management software, announced today that Locus EIM was selected by Environmental Risk Services (ERS) to manage environmental data for a former Navy site and large Port in California.

The Port facility is one of California’s largest, and consists of over 1,400 acres, 5 million square feet of warehouses, 1 million square feet of transit sheds, 1 mile of dock, 40 miles of rail track (including a switching yard), and 500 acres of open land.

Locus’ EIM environmental data management system is the most widely used on-demand environmental data system in the world. EIM is the system of choice for many of the world’s largest companies, but it is also a very cost effective choice for large and complex single site applications where access, security, quality assurance, flexibility and data validation are important. EIM offers customers a very robust environmental database coupled with outstanding visualization and integration tools to let customers view and share data with all project team members as well as integrate with other common specialty environmental software. EIM’s Software as a Service delivery model is also ideal for single site applications as the customer eliminates hardware/software purchases and maintenance and buys just what they need for as long as they need it.

“Locus EIM is the perfect software solution for ERS as it will let them focus on what they do best, solving complex environmental problems, and not focus on installing and configuring hardware, servers, and software,” said Locus President and CEO Neno Duplancic. “EIM gives ERS the ability to collaborate easily with all project stakeholders at this large and important site. ERS will take advantage of EIM’s features including laboratory analytical data management, graphical visualization, Google mapping and a full featured geologic module to manage geologic and geotechnical data. We are very pleased that shortly after the Port of Los Angeles, we added another large Port to Locus’ list of transportation clients,” said Duplancic.

“ERS is very pleased with our selection of Locus EIM. We provide professional services at complex environmental sites and had over 10 years of data and hundreds of thousands of records that were becoming increasingly difficult to manage using desktop systems. With EIM, we can now quickly access our data, and more importantly share the data with our clients,” said Steven Michelson, PG. “One key factor in the selection of Locus EIM was the on-demand nature of the system, which allowed us to quickly get up and running. Being web based, we can access the data from the field and the office, and also invite our clients to review their own data 24/7, which is a huge plus for ERS and the Port,” said Michelson.

In addition to Locus EIM, Locus provides advanced enterprise environment information management software systems to the environmental industry. Locus’ ePortal product gives small and large enterprises a world class option for management of all environmental data from compliance tracking to business continuity tools in a simple easy to use dashboard based system.
ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS SERVICES
ENVIRONMENTAL RISK SERVICES, CORPORATION and its sister company QUANTITATIVE RISK & INSURANCE SERVICES, CORPORATION offer the marketplace a unique combination of environmental engineering and scientific expertise and specialized insurance brokerage services. We reduce risk by adding certainty. Our consultancy seamlessly manages and resolves our clients’ environmental liabilities by simultaneously and comprehensively addressing both technical uncertainties and financial risks. As a result, our clients receive complete and cost effective solutions to their various environmental risks and exposures. By aligning the interests and goals of our clients with coordinated technical and insurance services, our clients avoid the competing profit interests created by unrelated brokerages and environmental companies.

Locus adds Port of Los Angeles, the largest port in the U.S., as a customer

Locus Technologies selected by the busiest port in the United States

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., May 5, 2008 — Locus Technologies (Locus), the industry leader in specialty environmental services and web-based environmental software, has been selected by the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners to perform environmental site assessment, soil and groundwater investigation and cleanup, environmental compliance assessment and environmental information management services for the Port of Los Angeles. The agreement with Locus is valued at $1,890,000 for a 3-year period.

Mr. Paul Parmentier, Locus’ Southern California regional manager, will be project manager for the Port of Los Angeles project. The contract further consolidates Locus’ presence in the rapidly expanding and fiercely competitive California transportation market. Locus is happy to be one of the Port’s principal environmental partners. The Port of Los Angeles, a premier US gateway for international trade and commerce, is located in San Pedro Bay, just 20 miles south of downtown Los Angeles. This booming seaport is not only considered the busiest port in the US with its record-setting cargo operations, but is also known for its groundbreaking environmental initiatives and progressive security measures. The Port encompasses 7500 acres, 43 miles of waterfront and features 27 cargo terminals, including dry and liquid bulk, container, breakbulk, and automobile and omni facilities.

The Port project will be supported by Locus’ cutting edge flagship environmental management software product, ePortal, a web-based platform that runs key environmental data management applications. Locus’ ePortal leverages Web 2.0 technologies such as Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), mashups and vertical searches. It also stores and organizes all of the customer’s environmental data and information. Locus is the only environmental services organization able to offer such powerful data management and organization capabilities to its clients.

“Locus is pleased to support the massive operations at the Port of Los Angeles with our unique blend of environmental consulting and management. This project is an example of the specialized consulting and advanced information management services Locus provides our clientele that result in faster and less expensive remedy selection, implementation, and ultimate site closure,” said Mr. Parmantier, Locus’ Southern California Regional Manager for Locus Technologies.

“We are very pleased to add another Port client on the list of transportation companies that Locus has served since its inception. Our expertise for environmental liability management, coupled with the state-of-the art technology for environmental management was the winning combination that resulted in the Port of Los Angeles choosing our company,” added Mr. Neno Duplancic, President and CEO of Locus.

New Locus Web Module Organizes Geological Information: Organize, Display and Report Geo-Data with eGeo

Organize, Display and Report Geo-Data with eGeo

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., March 24, 2008 — Locus Technologies (Locus), the industry leader in web-based environmental data and information management services, announced today the expansion of its award winning ePortal software with a new module, eGeo, which organizes geological and geotechnical data on the web.

eGeo is available to Locus’ existing Environmental Information Management (EIM) customers immediately and free of charge.

eGeo eliminates the need for third-party borehole log applications, fence diagrams, or CAD drawings and for yet another disconnected database application, login and software license. eGeo is fully integrated with Locus’ award winning EIM Web 2.0 analytical data management system and with the Locus ePortal, providing users with single sign-on access to a powerful set of geo-data management tools.

Geological site investigation processes generate tremendous amounts of data, including geological quality and geotechnical properties. Field investigation results such as borehole drilling, geophysical testing, Cone Penetrometer Testing (CPT) and Standard Penetration Testing (SPT) all must be collected and analyzed. This information needs to be validated, managed, reported and preserved. Ironically, while companies invest millions of dollars to collect their data, rarely is it well-organized or readily accessible.

Previously, geo-data, such as borehole logs, were entered into expensive stand-alone software applications, spreadsheets or CAD systems that had little or no data analysis capability. Users could not easily retrieve this content or correlate it with similar geological and analytical chemistry data. Data had to be downloaded, merged and analyzed as precious time was lost and consulting hours piled up.

Locus’ eGeo, an integrated module in Locus’ ePortal, is a web-based application that instantly delivers, sorts, and assembles geo-data into highly nuanced reports, boring logs, CPT logs, SPT Logs, cross sections, charts, and maps—including raster image overlays, and mashups with Google Maps and pictures. As a result, geological information can be quickly visualized and analyzed.

“eGeo and our other software tools meet a huge need in the field of geotechnical and geological data management,” said Locus President and CEO, Dr. Neno Duplancic. “By offering up graphical, mapping, and other applications in our portal, users are able to view, download, and print information from each application in a uniform manner,” continued Duplancic. “This exciting new functionality comes without the need to store large image files on the server end, minimizing storage and Internet traffic requirements.” said Duplancic.

“Our tools give corporate managers something new, a means to quickly view and click through any aspect of the environmental status of their sites from within a single application. Geologists, geotechnical and environmental engineers, and site owners can use eGeo to look at their data with the same ease that oil companies use multi-million software applications to visualize and map underground oil reserves,” said Duplancic.

“Information management technologies based on Web 2.0 technology can help businesses and governments characterize environmental problems faster and more easily so that valuable resources can be spent designing solutions instead of searching for information or synchronizing disconnected applications, spreadsheets or databases.” Duplancic said.

Santa Clara Valley Water District selects Locus Technologies for recycled water study

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., August 25, 2007 — The Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) selected Locus Technologies to perform a study of potential groundwater impacts from expanded use of recycled water for irrigation in the Santa Clara and Llagas Groundwater Sub-basins, California.

For this project, Locus will be using several investigative techniques to assess the potential impact to groundwater from use of recycled water. In addition to fate and transport evaluation of recycled water chemicals of concern, such as NDMA, HAA5, and trace metals, Locus will perform soil core bench tests and conduct a full-scale pilot test to monitor chemical concentrations as recycled water percolates through the vadose zone. From these tests, Locus will assess the soil aquifer treatment capacity, evaluate the potential of recharged recycled water to degrade the groundwater quality, and develop water quality standards for the recycled water to be used in the Llagas and Santa Clara Groundwater Sub-basins. To help the stakeholders in their practice, Locus will identify best management practices for irrigating with recycled water and identify necessary ongoing monitoring requirements to protect groundwater resources.

This award cements Locus’s reputation as a company on the forefront of the high-end environmental consulting business on complex groundwater problems.

“This is an important win for us at the time when companies and government are under pressure to achieve sustainability goals,” said Mr. Elie Haddad, Vice President of Locus’s Environmental Services Division. “On one hand, there is a push to reuse recycled water, and, on the other hand, this reuse should not degrade our precious groundwater resources. Our study will bring the balance between what seems to be competing goals. We are very pleased to be selected through a competitive bidding process by SCVWD for this important groundwater study. We look forward to continue partnering with industry and local governmental agencies to protect the precious Silicon Valley groundwater resources and provide long term stewardship for this most important resource.” added Haddad.

Project execution will come primarily from Locus’s office in Mountain View, California.

Achiever of the Week, Environmental Business Journal

EBJ BUSINESS ACHIEVER OF THE WEEK: LOCUS TECHNOLOGIES.

14 June 2007 — This week we salute Locus Technologies, winner of a 2006 Business Achievement Award in the IT Merit category for continuing the development of its EIM software, a package that allows companies to upload and view environmental information pertaining to their sites and facilities—exclusively over the web—using an on-demand model (i.e., “Software as a Service”). During 2006, Locus added portal infrastructure through Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), which allows users to integrate EIM’s web-based applications to any other application. In effect, the company says, this added capability makes EIM the “Yahoo” of the environmental world. Locus also expanded EIM to work with the popular Google maps. A user can now add overlays of environmental information to a Google map and display shadowed “info windows.” The result is a Google map mashup, a web application that seamlessly combines EIM content from more than one source into an integrated presentation. Using this mashup, EIM provides a data box listing the chemical concentration in groundwater, borehole information, and other relevant environmental information associated with location. Customers selecting the EIM package during 2006 included ExxonMobil, Shell Oil, Northrup Grumman and Texas Instruments.

For more information on the EBJ Business Achievement Awards please visit www.ebionline.org.

Whitman Strategy Group and Locus Partner to help business, government optimize environmental information management using the Web

Greening of America Through On-Demand Software

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., and WASHINGTON, D.C., April 20, 2007 — The Whitman Strategy Group, a consulting firm that specializes in energy and environmental issues, and Locus Technologies (Locus), the industry leader in Web-based environmental data and information management services, announced today that the two companies are partnering to help businesses and government better manage environmental data and information using the Web.

By the year 2020, the environmental industry is expected to generate more data than the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the Internal Revenue Service, and the financial and health industries combined. To make intelligent decisions about site cleanups, reductions in CO2, clean energy, and other factors affecting the quality and sustainability of life, businesses and government entities must have better tools to manage and interpret this information in real time. Robust information management systems are needed to store and analyze this data, yet, until recently, spending on such systems has been almost non-existent.

For example, the issue of global climate change is getting much more serious attention in our country. A major reason for the increased attention is that quantifiable data is available. One of the ongoing challenges is for companies to be able to adequately measure and track their greenhouse gas emissions. The ability to accurately collect and analyze information regarding the extent of an environmental problem and to estimate the costs associated with it are critical steps in environmental remediation and restoration.

With their combined environmental consulting services and information management expertise, The Whitman Strategy Group and Locus plan to help government agencies and businesses improve on the management and accessibility of this data through the use of Locus’s Web-based environmental information management systems.

“Advances in technology in recent years have made instant access to environmental data a reality. Coding this data by geography and making it available on the Web will help government and industry expose information they have been collecting for years and put it to beneficial use,” said Christine Todd Whitman, President of The Whitman Strategy Group and former EPA Administrator and Governor of New Jersey. “Locus can help businesses and government entities characterize their environmental problems faster and easier, so that valuable technical resources can be spent designing solutions, instead of searching for information.”

Environmental compliance currently ranks high on the list of corporate responsibilities. Companies that prove they are being environmentally responsible are increasingly attractive to investors, and they increase their global competitiveness. Yet, even the most sophisticated organizations acknowledge that assessing and quantifying environmental liabilities can be extremely challenging. “By improving consumer and business access to geocoded environmental data and overlaying it with other data sources, tremendous opportunities open up for greater understanding of and support for environmental issues,” said Dr. Neno Duplancic, president and CEO of Locus.

Many companies that have made a commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability use Locus’s Environmental Management Information (EIM™) software and services to make better use of their technical resources. Locus is currently working with the U.S. Department of Energy and such companies as Alstom, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Philips Electronics, and Raytheon to help them better manage their environmental data. Locus Technologies makes it easier for organizations to comply with local and international regulations and laws, while increasing productivity of their environmental staff and consultants, and significantly reducing IT costs. By keeping all information about sites in LocusFocus ePortal, a single, centralized, Web-based system, companies can aggregate information in real time, automate the flow of laboratory data, check the clean-up status of every site, monitor the financial performance of consultants and contractors, and obtain and comply with ISO 14001 requirements.

ABOUT WHITMAN STRATEGY GROUP
The Whitman Strategy Group (WSG) is a consulting firm that specializes in government relations and environmental and energy issues. The firm was founded by Christine Todd Whitman, former EPA Administrator and New Jersey governor. Governor Whitman is currently co-chair of the National Smart Growth Council and serves on the Board of Directors of the Council on Foreign Relations and The Millennium Challenge Corp.,as well as several corporate boards.

For more information about The Whitman Strategy Group, visit www.whitmanstrategygroup.com.

Locus delivers U.S. EPA Superfund data through ePortal and Google Maps Mashup

Users can instantly see information on U.S. EPA Superfund sites

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., April 2, 2007 — Locus Technologies (Locus), the industry leader in Web-based environmental data and information management services, announced today that it has expanded its hugely popular Web-based LocusFocus ePortal Google™ Maps Mashup to include U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data. With Locus’s portal toolset and Google’s Map API (application program interface), users can now look for data in a rich map interface and gain instant access to data once hidden away in governmental data silos.

Using Locus’s Mashup, users can search by map location, zip code, or state and instantly see information on the U.S. EPA Superfund sites in their area. With the same ease as finding addresses or driving directions, anyone can now access U.S. EPA Superfund data previously only available in much more complex interfaces or not available at all.

“Advances in technology have made instant access to EPA Superfund data a reality,” said Dr. Neno Duplancic, president and CEO of Locus. “With an XML data stream provided by the EPA, Locus was able to quickly create a user-friendly map view into complex Superfund data. As the EPA releases more information, the application database can easily grow to display all types of environmental information, from regulatory permits on a site to other EPA program data such as the latest Toxics Release Inventory chemical information.”

“We are thrilled to see innovative technologies from private industry enabling the delivery of environmental data from government-managed data resources to the Web,” said Pat Garvey, a Geospatial Download Service Manager with the EPA. “It is gratifying to see the private sector take the initiative to deliver EPA data in an engaging and easy-to-use Web interface that allows citizens, as well as companies, to make use of the vast amounts of data the EPA has collected.”

The LocusFocus ePortal Google™ Maps Mashup can be viewed at www.locustec.com. In addition, Locus will be presenting the Mashup and other innovative technologies at the EPA-sponsored “Long-Term Stewardship Roundtable and Training” in San Diego, Calif., April 4-5, 2007.

Customers who already use Locus’s Environmental Information Management system can Mashup their own site data and access it through their existing interface. By zooming in on a site through Locus’s Google Map interface, customers can click on soil boring and groundwater monitoring well locations to retrieve analytical, geotechnical, geological, or any other data available for these or other locations.

“This advancement will help the EPA reach out to constituents and share information it has been collecting for years,” said Rick Bergquist, chief software evangelist for Locus. “It’s a win-win for all parties: citizens can easily access data they never had before, and the EPA can easily deliver data to the public at no cost to the government. This service is now possible because of Locus’s innovative On-Demand environmental information products.”

Locus’s environmental data Mashup is part of the company’s commitment to providing innovative, cost-effective environmental data management solutions to the environmental community and giving companies that want to become “green” the state-of-the-art tools they need to manage, show and document their progress.

US Navy lists Locus’s innovative technology for heavy-end hydrocarbons in the Defense Environmental Network and Information Exchange (DENIX)

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., March 26, 2007  — Locus Technologies (Locus), the industry leader in specialty environmental services and web-based environmental information management, announced today that it has been selected by the US Navy’s Innovative Technology program to deploy the Continuous Circulation Surfactant Enhanced Recovery (CCSER) remediation technology to various government entities. CCSER is an evolution of the field-proven Closed-Loop Bioremediation process promoted by Locus and its affiliate partner, MCC Technologies. CCSER has been designed and formulated specifically to treat highly immobile and weathered heavy-end hydrocarbons/fuel oils/and highly viscous carrier oils that contain harmful toxic components (such as PCBs, PAHs), but are recalcitrant to traditional remediation designs. Locus’s selection by the US Navy is further endorsement of company’s cutting-edge approach to promote innovative remediation technologies to deal with complex environmental issues.

After stringent technical review, the Navy found Locus’s abstract eligible for the Navy’s Environmental Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) program. The Locus abstract will be entered as part of an on-line database, referred to as “DENIX,” the Defense Environmental Network and Information Exchange. DENIX is available to all DOD field activities seeking solutions for their environmental program needs.

“We are pleased to be able to support the US Navy and other Department of Defense (DOD) branches with this innovative technology solution for difficult-to-remediate, heavy-end hydrocarbons,” said Mark Bittner, Locus’s Regional Director. “The DOD will now have access to a superior technology for heavy-end hydrocarbon recovery and remediation,” added Mr. Bittner.

Locus to support SoCal Edison with environmental screening of oil field production risks

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, October 25, 2006 — Locus Technologies (Locus), the industry leader in specialty environmental services and web-based environmental information management has been selected to support Southern California Edison with property acquisition evaluations at various sites in Southern California.

As a part of the contract, Locus will provide investigation expertise and site characterization services for property development which includes screening for potential oil and gas field environmental and safety hazards, not uncommon to Southern California. This award adds an important client for Locus in rapidly expanding and fiercely competitive Southern California market.

“Locus is pleased to support Southern California Edison with our unique blend of environmental consulting and knowledge of investigation techniques for evaluating potential risks associated with former or operating petroleum production and exploration properties. This project is an example of the specialized consulting services Locus offers to our clientele,” said Mark Bittner, Regional Director for Locus Technologies.

“We are very pleased to add another energy client on the long list of energy companies that Locus has been serving since its inception. Our expertise for liability management associated with real estate transactions, coupled with the state-of-the art technology to manage environmental information over the web was, again, the winning combination that resulted in Southern California Edison choosing our company,” added Mr. Neno Duplancic, President and CEO of Locus.