www.citadelenvironmental.com

Citadel Wins EXXONMOBIL GOLD SAFETY Award!

2012-01-18T12:38:00.000-08:00

Citadel is proud to announce the receipt of the GOLD SAFETY AWARD, given by our client ExxonMobil for more than 10,000 man hours worked without injury in 2011. We'd like to recognize our team:

Jeff Klein (Team Leader)
Barry Smith
Russel Ragsdale
Oscar Jimenez
Shawn Robbins
Alex Bernal
Deanna Iacono
Gabby Sandoval

Citadel hopes to approach the 50,000 man hours mark in 2012, and wish our team the best for this year!

Thank-You, from the Citadel Family

2011-12-29T10:26:00.001-08:00

For the past twenty minutes, I’ve sat at my keyboard looking for inspiration… Looking for that feeling, idea, thought, or topic that would inspire me to write something meaningful for our final 2011 newsletter. I was really having a hard time connecting to what I was writing. Would it start with the economy, the state of the industry, politics, or something esoteric and then flow into something really powerful or would I tell an anecdotal story woven with a great moral.
I just couldn’t find it until I looked at the obvious – what did I really want to say and do? Ta dah! The whole time, I was just trying to find a way to say a sincere, “Thank You” and recognize those important to us. Not a half-hearted “thanks” or a barely audible “thank you” said in passing, but a genuine, looking-someone-in-the-eyes, annunciating clearly “Thank You.” Regardless of our insecurities with the economy, the rancor of politics, or changes within the industry, the commonality is our appreciation for our clients, employee-owners, vendors, community, and the environment in which we thrive.
You all make it possible. Every day and with every project, you give us opportunities to challenge ourselves, our technical skills, our values, and our sense of commitment. You provide us opportunities to be successful and purposeful. For all of those things we are truly thankful. Have a wonderful holiday season and new year and “Thank You,”

Loren and the entire Citadel family.

EPA Fines California Portland Company (CPC)

2011-12-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

California Portland Company (CPC) is the largest producer of sand, gravel and quarry rock in the Pacific Northwest. CPC owns and operates three Portland cement plants in the United States and is headquartered in Glendora, Calif.
The facility covered by the settlement is located in Kern County, Calif. The Facility includes a dry process Portland cement manufacturing facility with an annual capacity of 1.44 million tons of cement clinker, along with a nearby quarry to mine raw products such as limestone and clay for use in cement production.
Emissions from the Mojave plant are approximately 3,200 tons of nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and 1,200 tons of sulfur dioxides (SO₂) per year.
The consent decree requires CPC to install and continuously operate BACT-level emissions controls to reduce emissions of NO_x and SO₂.

NO Emission Limitations and Controls_x

The settlement requires the installation and continuous operation of a selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR) unit to control NO_x emissions. While the plant is required to conduct testing in order to set a final NO_x limit after the CD is entered, CPC is required to meet a final 30-day rolling average emissions rate of no greater than 2.5 lb of NO_x per ton of clinker produced.

(SO) Emission Limitations and Controls₂

The settlement will require the installation and continuous operation of a lime injection system (LIS). While the plant is required to conduct testing in order to set a final (SO₂) limit after the Decree is entered, CPC is required to meet a 30-day rolling average emission rate of no greater than 1.7 lb (SO₂) per ton of clinker produced.

NO emissions are expected to be reduced by more than 1,200 tons per year_x
(SO₂) emissions are expected to be reduced by more than 360 tons per year

NO_x and (SO₂) have adverse effects on human health and the environment as discussed below:

Nitrogen Oxides-- NO can cause or contribute to a variety of health problems and adverse environmental impacts, such as ground-level ozone, acid rain, global warming, water quality deterioration, and visual impairment. Affected populations include children, people with lung diseases such as asthma, and exposure to these conditions can cause damage to lung tissue for people who work or exercise outside._x
Sulfur Dioxide -- High concentrations of (SO₂) can affect breathing and may aggravate existing respiratory and cardiovascular disease. Sensitive populations include asthmatics, individuals with bronchitis or emphysema, children, and the elderly. (SO₂) is also a primary contributor to acid deposition, or acid rain.

CPC will pay a total penalty of $1.4 million to the United States for violations resolved in the Decree.

Toy Donation To NorthEast Mental Health Center - Citadel In Service

2011-12-14T06:59:00.000-08:00

As part of Citadel's commitment to give back to our community, employees each donated one Toy at our Annual Holiday party on December 18th, which were then gifted to the children at Northeast Mental Health Center in South Pasadena, Californa! They were so very excited to receive the gifts, which will be given to the families in their center on Christmas day.

Contaminated Debris under RCRA

2011-10-14T10:53:00.000-07:00

As with contaminated soil, debris is very different in physical form from the process wastes that EPA evaluated when establishing LDR treatment standards. The definition of debris in §268.2(g) is:

"Debris means solid material exceeding a 60 mm particle size that is intended for disposal and that is: a manufactured object; or plant or animal matter; or natural geologic material. However, the following materials are not debris: any material for which a specific treatment standard is provided in Subpart D, Part 268, namely lead-acid batteries, cadmium batteries, and radioactive lead solids; process residuals such as smelter slag and residues from the treatment of waste, wastewater, sludges, or air emission residues; and intact containers of hazardous waste that are not ruptured and that retain at least 75% of their original volume. A mixture of debris that has not been treated to the standards provided by §268.45 and other material is subject to regulation as debris if the mixture is comprised primarily of debris, by volume, based on visual inspection."
Several aspects of the debris definition warrant discussion:

Debris is material that is bigger in one dimension than 2.5 inches (60 mm).
Debris is material that is intended for disposal. When manufacturing operations are shut down, a very common material that is encountered is metallic equipment and components that might be contaminated with hazardous constituents. If this material is recycled instead of disposed, it is not "debris" subject to the LDR debris standards. In other words, recycling rather than disposing material may eliminate the need to comply with the debris standards.
Examples of manufactured objects that are "debris" are gloves and other personal protective equipment, solder paste wipes, pipes, pumps, valves, etc. that will be disposed (perhaps due to radioactive contamination that makes them nonrecyclable). [RO 14660 ]
An example of plant material that would be "debris" is a tree stump.
An example of geologic material that would be "debris" is a rock.
The language about intact containers addresses drums that might be dug up as part of a remediation project. If the drums contain hazardous waste and are intact, the contents of the drums must be treated to meet §268.40 standards for whatever waste codes are associated with the contained wastes. In other words, intact drums of hazardous waste are not eligible for the more lenient alternative treatment standards for debris. On the other hand, if a ruptured drum is excavated, it may be managed under the debris standards.
The language about material being primarily debris based on visual inspection implies that it is not necessary to run a sieve analysis to determine if a waste is mostly debris, as opposed to something else (e.g., soil). A visual assessment is all that is required.

Credit: Full Article

Citadel Expands Environmental Geology Group and Opens San Diego Office

2011-10-04T10:22:00.000-07:00

We are excited to announce Citadel's acquisition of the San Diego-based staff of Barajas and Associates, a strategic acquisition that will expand Citadel's well-established Environmental Geology capabilities, as well as provide a local office in the San Diego, California market.
What this means to our Clients:

Our newest employees have extensive environmental assessment, design, and remediation experience as part of an on-going $20 million IDIQ Environmental Services contract with the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest Division (Navy) in San Diego for the past eight years, plus a wealth of private industry experience. While our clients have been able to rely on our staff to complete complex projects, the public sector skill set and educational qualifications that our new staff members bring to Citadel take our abilities to an even higher level. There are few projects in complexity and size that Citadel can't handle from transactional projects to Superfund site clean-ups.

Eli Vedagiri, M.S., P.E.

Eli has been the program manager for the Navy contract since 2004. During this time, Eli managed an extensive amount of work, which included: environmental, legal and real estate issues of property transfer and development; fuel tank closures; complex contaminant characterization; remediation and Operations and Maintenance (O&M) projects; landfill maintenance, construction, monitoring, and drainage improvements; RCRA and CERCLA related activities, geotechnical surveys, and many more projects. Prior to this, he worked directly for the Navy beginning in 1994, and in that time built an excellent rapport with Navy Remedial Project Managers (RPMs), Lead RPMs, Base Realignment and Cleanup (BRAC) Environmental Coordinators (BEC), Base Closure Managers, and Remedial Technical Managers. He has managed projects at almost every Navy and Marine Corps Installation in California, Nevada, and Arizona and has developed long-term relationships with base environmental, public works, and facilities personnel as well. Eli began his career in Environmental Engineering in 1991 working with numerous other public agencies such as Walnut Valley Water District, City of San Diego, Port of San Diego, US Army Corps of Engineers; private sector clients included vehicle rental and real estate companies. Eli holds a Master's of Science in Environmental Engineering from Oklahoma State University, as well as a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from India.

Parveen Kumar, M.S., P.E.

Parveen joined the IDIQ Environmental Services contract team in 2005, upon completion of his Masters of Science in Environmental Engineering at Oklahoma State University. During this time, Parveen directly managed over $7 million in environmental engineering projects including simple fuel tank closures projects, to complex contaminant characterization, and providing cost effective solutions for environmental remediation. He also has experience in performing evaluation of groundwater hydrology and modeling of groundwater flow in describing fate and transport of environmental contaminants using 2D & 3-D finite-element models. He is well versed in performing statistical and spatial evaluation of environmental data using GIS, spatial analysis tools, and risk assessment tools. He has completed the requsite training for Quality SWPPP Developer/Quality SWPPP Practitioner (QSD/QSP) and the registration pending with Regional Water Quality Control Board. Parveen also holds a Bachelor degree in Civil Engineering from India.

Alisa Seneor

Alisa Seneor joined the Barajas team in 2004 as the Office Manager / Project Assistant. She is responsible for assisting with the preparation of proposals, reports, and handling the day to day office needs, as well as day to day project management from an operations standpoint. Alisa will continue this role for our San Diego operations, and also utilize abilities to assist the Citadel Sales and Marketing team throughout the Western United States. She has completed the requirements for a Bachelors Degree in Psychology at San Diego State University.

EPA Classifieds Trichloroethylene as a Human Carcinogen

2011-10-03T10:52:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or Agency) just released its Toxicological Review of Trichloroethylene (EPA/635/R-09/011F, September 28, 2011) (Toxicological Review). This publication represents the first time that EPA has classified trichloroethylene (TCE) (CASRN 79-01-6) as a human carcinogen regardless of the route of exposure. TCE had previously been classified as a "possible human carcinogen."

According to the Agency, the purpose of the Toxicological Review is to provide scientific support and rationale for the hazard and dose-response assessments given in its Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) pertaining to chronic exposure to TCE. TCE is a volatile chemical widely used by industry as a chlorinated solvent; and unfortunately, it is also widely found at contaminated sites, including hundreds of Superfund facilities across the country.

The Toxicological Review concludes that based on the available human epidemiologic data and experimental and mechanistic studies, "TCE poses a potential human health hazard for noncancer toxicity to the central nervous system, kidney, liver, immune system, male reproductive system, and the developing fetus. The evidence is more limited for TCE toxicity to the respiratory tract and female reproductive system."

The chief impact of this new hazard classification will likely be on the developing vapor intrusion standards and on groundwater remediation projects.

Credit: Full Article

Navigating Through The Fog - Loren Witkin

2011-10-02T10:50:00.000-07:00

A friend asked me the other day about my opinion on tax reforms and which direction I thought that Feds should take. I responded that the issue of importance to me wasn't if taxes would remain the same, be raised, or even lowered (a guy can hope, right); what was at issue was the need for predictability. As the president of an employee-owned business, and as an environmental, health, safety and sustainability consultant that clients rely for my advice, it is difficult to create a plan or provide sound advice when the target continues to move.

It doesn't matter if it is health care, taxes, interest rates, or environmental regulations/incentives, all of which are in flux right now. Business leaders need to be able to assess the situation, formulate a game plan, and implement their plans without hesitation and with as much clarity as is possible. Drastic reforms in health care, a rise in interest rates, and increased regulations, while maybe not preferable, are all manageable when we all know what we are facing and what we have to take into account.

Unfortunately, there is a tremendous amount of "fog" in all of the above right now and clarity does not seem to be on the horizon due to a real or perceived lack of political leadership, partisan fighting, and issues (sovereign debt, Iran, etc.) beyond our control. Navigating a course through the fog is difficult, but we have no choice to chart some course.

My advice to clients when it comes to managing their environmental, health and safety risks, and implementing their sustainability programs (and business in general) during these uncertain times, is to develop as reasonable of a plan as you can, and follow that course with conviction. While others are waiting on the sidelines or in safe harbors, take advantage of the fog, stand out, and lead. Continue implementing your sustainability programs as others are retracting theirs, garner attention for these projects while no one else is, purchase and remediate brownfields when real estate and clean-up costs are at rock-bottom, and enhance your corporate governance image with the public and your employees, and minimize liabilities by re-affirming your commitment to your environmental, health and safety programs. It's just as easy to be recognized right now for doing the right thing as it is the wrong thing as everyone is standing still waiting for the fog to clear.

Judge Cancels Order Prohibiting Use of SCAQMD Emission Credits

2011-10-01T10:51:00.000-07:00

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has revoked her 2008 order prohibiting the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) from granting emission offsets to essential public facilities including police, fire, wastewater treatment and landfills, as well as exempt sources such as business with low emissions.

"This action will ensure that in the future essential public facilities can expand to accommodate population growth and businesses can grow to support the region's economy," said Barry Wallerstein, AQMD's executive officer. "It will also help ensure our continuing progress toward clean air for all Southland residents."

Judge Ann I. Jones this month granted a motion by AQMD to revoke her previous order prohibiting AQMD from providing its emission offsets to essential public services and exempt sources such as low-emitting businesses. In her order Jones rejected arguments by environmental groups that claimed AQMD did not adequately address issues raised in her original decision.
Credit: Full Article

Citadel Welcomes New Business Development Manager - Terry McConico

2011-09-14T10:49:00.000-07:00

We are excited to announce another addition to the Citadel family, Mr. Terry McConnico, who joins us as the Manager of Business Development. The addition of Terry to the Citadel team promotes several of Citadel's company goals, including our goal to grow to $10 Million in Revenue within the next 3-5 years, our Goal of increased profitability, as well as our Goals of increased customers and billable hours.

Terry joins us from Tower General Construction where, as their Business Development Manager, he was responsible for generating tens of millions of dollars in new projects since 2008. During this time he also successfully opened an office for them in San Diego, which provided him an expansive network of contacts in that market. Terry is also closely connected with Facilities Management, Construction, and Contracting Personnel at some of the largest Public Agencies and Fortune 100/500 companies in California.

Terry's responsibilities with Citadel will be primarily focused on increasing business to our newest Citadel offices in San Diego and San Jose. He will also be strategically focused on identifying growth opportunities through cross-selling as well as establishing new relationships for the company.

Please join us in welcoming Terry!

Terry McConnico

tmcconnico@citadelenvironmental.com

Nicolas Serieys, Senior Project Manager, Received CPP Certification

2011-08-23T10:47:00.000-07:00

Citadel Environmental Services, Inc. is pleased to announce that Nicolas Serieys is one of only five applicants to pass the 2011 South Coast Air Quality Management District Certified Permitting Professional (CPP) Exam.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) established the Certified Permitting Professional (CPP) Program to assist business owners in the expedition of submittal/approval of permit applications. CPP's have proven competency in areas as defined by the SCAQMD, and The California Health and Safety Code, Section 42300.2, which specifically address the requirements to certify private environmental professionals to prepare permit applications.

What does this mean to our clients?

As a Certified Permitting Professional, Mr. Serieys now has access to the AQMD database for New Source Review (NSR) and Automated Equipment Inventory Systems (AEIS), where information can be obtained about the facility in question, such as: status of permit applications, list of equipment located at a facility, and actual and maximum mass emission rates associated with the existing equipment at the facility (NSR Balance). Expedited permit processing will also be given to Nic as a CPP, saving our clients time, and money in potential fees.

Mr. Serieys can be of assistance of with any of the following programs or types of permitting processes:

PROGRAMS
RECLAIM
Title V
Conventional (Non-RELCAIM/Non-Title V)
Acid Rain
Registration/Certification and Streamline Standard Permits

PERMITTING
Permits to Construct - required for new or relocated equipment as well as alteration (both phsyical modification and change of operating conditions) of existing equipment. These applications always recieve a high priority for processing;
Permits to Operate - required for equipment that is installed, and/or is operated with or without a prior P/C (a prior P/C or in cases where no prior P/C was issued, the application act as a temporary P/O until a final P/O is processed);
Change of Conditions;
Alteration/Modification;
Change of Operator;
Plans - required under some of AQMD rules and regulations (i.e. RECLAIM Rule 2009, Excavations Rule 1150, etc.) for compliance demonstrations and are subject to AQMD approval;
Emission Reduction Credits (ERCs) - for issuance of ERCs generated due to equipment shut downs or over controls;
Title V - required for initial issuance or subsequent revisions of Title V facility permits.

To learn more about the CPP program, visit the AQMD website here: http://www.aqmd.gov/cpp/

For more information, contact Nic and/or anyone at the Citadel Corporate Office at:

Nic Serieys, MS, CPP

818-246-2707 (Corporate Office)

nserieys@citadelenvironmental.com

Citadel Goes Everywhere - Loren Witkin

2011-08-03T10:42:00.000-07:00

I frequently tell clients, we'll go anywhere and do anything to assist our valued clients meet their environmental, health, safety, and sustainability needs. This past month was no different. In addition to our usual routine of crisscrossing the West providing services, we received calls for support from Guam to the Yellowstone River, to Chicago, and Montana. And we don't just stay on the ground. As you can see from the below pictures of Citadel Energy Program's representative, Russell Ragsdale, repelling off of a stack, we'll even go to great heights to do our work. I wonder if the International Space Station has any EHS&S needs?

75 in a 65, by Loren Witkin

2011-08-01T10:31:00.000-07:00

Lastmonth I received my first speeding ticket in nearly 30 years of driving. My 11 year-old son and I were on our annual pilgrimage to opening day of troutseason in Aspendell, California, when I was stopped for apparently going65 MPH in a 75 MPH zone outside of Independence (AKA - middle of nowhere) on US395. For those of you that know US 395, there is not a whole lot of anythingout there other than miles of scrub brush and desert. While I knowthat I was certainly in the wrong, I was surprised to have been ticketed giventhat I've done the same drive dozens of times without a police escort, and thatthe normal flow of traffic is usually 80-90 MPH. When I asked the officer aboutthe change in policing practices, namely, are they being more aggressive giventhe state's fiscal crisis, he smiled and replied, "we're certainly notgetting any more money from Sacramento."

I'm not generally a conspiracy theorist, but the increased enforcement is not just limited to the California Highway Patrol. Recently, Citadel has witnessed a dramatic uptick in the issuance of Notices of Violations (NOV) and the assessment of fines than that of the recent past. Where we were accustomed to seeing regulatory agencies issue Notices to Comply (NTC) (basically, a warning), we are now observing the issuance of NOVs in their stead. The penalties, particularly those for NPDES violations, have run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. As I recently mentioned to a client who was on the receiving end of a penalty assessment (merely for a reporting oversight), Citadel is currently engaged in more matters concerning regulatory agency fee negotiations or straight out litigation than in any of our past 18 years combined.

Again, while I'm not a conspiracy theorist, I don't think that this level of increased NTC issuance is coincidental. So in a time when businesses have less money to spend on anything let alone regulatory compliance, they are asked to be extra vigilant on compliance. Just as I should have been driving 65 MPH for safety, gas efficiency, and because it's the law, now is the time where we need to look at our operations, assess where we are non-compliant, resolve our risks, and strengthen our companies.

Ride For Special Kids - Citadel In Service

2011-07-19T10:34:00.000-07:00

One of Citadel's Energy Program Team Members, Barry Smith, will be hosting the below event on September 24th, 2011 to raise money for children with learning disabilities:

Ride for Special Kids

September 24

9:00am

A Fundraiser for the Switzer Learning Center of Torrance,

Helping children with learning diabilities

Registration

in the parking lot of Pacific Yamaha Motorsports

1358 Pacific Coast Highway

Harbor City, CA

For more info visit

www.rideforspecialkids.com

Federal Court Sentences Southland Businesman for Asbestos Violations

2011-07-14T10:44:00.000-07:00

On June 6th a federal court judge sentenced a Southland businessman to a four-year prison term for violating asbestos removal and disposal laws during the renovation of a large San Fernando Valley apartment complex.

U.S. District Court Judge Percy Anderson sentenced Charles Yi to 48 months in prison. Yi was convicted on March 29 by a federal district court jury in Los Angeles of five felony counts of asbestos violations. The sentence is one of the longest handed down by a Los Angeles federal court judge for asbestos violations.

"Exposure to asbestos poses a very serious health risk to workers and nearby residents alike," said Barry Wallerstein, Air Quality Management District's (AQMD) executive officer. "We hope these criminal sentences will deter contractors from violating asbestos air quality regulations."

The five counts against Yi include conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act, failing to provide proper notification to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and AQMD about a renovation involving asbestos-containing materials, failing to provide properly trained personnel, failing to properly remove asbestos and failing to properly dispose of asbestos waste.

Judge Anderson on June 6 also sentenced John Bostick, who cooperated in the investigation, to a sentence of 6 months home confinement and 150 hours of community service. Bostick had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the federal Clean Air Act.

In 2006, AQMD received complaints of possible improper removal of asbestos-containing materials during the renovation of a 204-unit apartment complex in Winnetka. Following inspection, AQMD inspectors found that asbestos was present in the ceilings of apartments in the complex and that untrained, non-certified workers were hired to scrape the asbestos-containing material from the ceilings. The improper asbestos removal caused asbestos fibers to spread throughout the apartment building and surrounding area, endangering public health. AQMD immediately shut down the renovation.

AQMD rules, which implement portions of the federal Clean Air Act, require that an asbestos survey be conducted by a certified asbestos abatement contractor before a renovation project can begin. If asbestos-containing materials are identified, the responsible party must submit to AQMD for approval a plan on how the material will be properly handled, removed and disposed of before renovation activities commence.

The case brought against Yi and Bostick was jointly conducted by the AQMD, U.S. EPA, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control and the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Citadel Awarded $2.2 Million UCLA Contract!

2010-11-05T13:42:00.000-07:00

November 1, 2010; LOS ANGELES, California -- Citadel Environmental Services, Inc., a provider of Environmental, Health, Safety, and Sustainability consulting services, today announced that it has been awarded a three year, not to exceed, $2.2MM contract with the University of California, Los Angeles, Capital Programs division.

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. It was founded in 1919 and is the second oldest of the ten campuses affiliated with the University of California system. UCLA offers over 300 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in a wide range of disciplines and enrolls about 26,000 undergraduate and about 11,000 graduate students from the United States and around the world every year. Capital Programs is responsible for the conceptualization, planning, design and construction of capital improvement projects for the UCLA campus. In addition to managing projects, Capital Programs staff develop financial strategies, undertake architectural design, conduct building department review of plans and specifications, carry out environmental reviews, prepare and negotiate construction contracts and agreements, coordinate staging plans, and serve as a repository for project records and as-built plans. Capital Programs exercises these responsibilities for a university building program which is among the largest in the nation.

"Over the past 17 years, UCLA has been more than just a client to us,” said Loren Witkin, Principal of Citadel. “Like many of our clients, they are part of the Citadel family, and we would work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to complete a task for them. UCLA is a wonderful institution with terrific staff and inspiring architecture."

Citadel Environmental Services, Inc. was founded in 1993, and today is an employee-owned (ESOP) firm that provides consulting services in the fields of industrial hygiene, geology, environmental sciences, safety and training, environmental compliance, and sustainability. Managing environmental and building science concerns often crosses over a number of disciplines, and Citadel takes a multi-disciplinary, integrated approach to meeting client needs with experienced professionals that encompass architectural, construction management, health and safety, geology, industrial hygiene, safety, training, sustainability, and legal disciplines. Citadel provides services to the world’s largest corporations, organizations, and industry leaders including energy producers, aerospace firms, real estate owners/developers, universities, entertainment firms, retailers, financial institutions, and architectural firms. To read more about Citadel, visit www.citadelenvironmental.com.

Citadel's NEW Climate Change Services

2010-06-28T13:11:00.000-07:00

Now Offering: Climate Change Services

At Citadel, we understand the need for our clients to comply with increasingly stringent environmental regulation. We also encourage companies to act with great sense of corporate responsibility regarding their environmental impact.

As a result of our environmental concern and increasing demand to become "green", Citadel is pleased to announce the addition of brand new Climate Change Services. These services not only are designed to help our clients become more environmentally responsible, but also decrease their costs by increasing energy efficiency. Our new services include:

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Management
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Strategies
Client Regulatory Updates
Carbon Footprint Analysis
AB32 Verification Services (certification pending)

In response to the recent environmental movement, it has become increasingly important for companies to act environmentally responsibly. We can give companies the competitive edge they need to keep up with the increasing demand for environmentally responsible products and services. Differentiate your company, Citadel can help you get there.

Citadel Honored at Inagural "Corporate Partners Program" Event for UCLA Institute of The Environment (IOE)

2010-03-31T09:07:00.000-07:00

Corporate Partners Program Inaugural Event

http://bit.ly/atto2f

Institute of the Environment Launches a New Sustainability Partnership with Business

"New working relationships like this, between business and the University, are essential to creating an economy that reduces carbon emissions and increases jobs," stated Mary Nichols, California Air Resources Board Chair.

Business leaders joined UCLA faculty, environmental researchers and graduate students in the Leaders in Sustainability Program at the first Institute of the Environment (IoE) Corporate Partners Program event, held March 18, 2010 at the UCLA Faculty Center.

Developed by the Institute’s Center for Corporate Environmental Performance, the Corporate Partners Program draws upon the philosophy that the development and communication of effective environmental practices is both good corporate citizenship and good business. The Program brings companies together with faculty, researchers, students and other firms to explore cutting-edge business opportunities in environment and sustainability. The Corporate Partners annual giving program supports the high quality research and education provided by the IoE.

A formal presentation honored the ten founding partners: ACI International, Boeing, Citadel Environmental Services, Chem-Jet International, Chevron, Fresh and Easy Neighborhood Market, Southern California Edison, Phylmar Group, Vertum Partners and Walt Disney Imagineering. Dr. Rick Greenwood from Southern California Edison stated “We benefit from academic research in environmental protection and sustainability, and the students it educates, which, in turn, strengthens us and our ability to serve our customers.”
Other businesses attending the event to learn about the IoE’s Corporate Partners Program include: Adi Liberman & Associates, AECOM, Barton Myers Associates, CODA Automotive, Honda, Edelman Public Relations, Industry Entertainment, Malcolm Pirnie, Ralphs, Sony Pictures Entertainment, VerdeXchange, Volcom and others. The IoE’s multidisciplinary faculty and Leaders in Sustainability students exchanged contacts and ideas with the attendees and founding partners.

Tony Pritzker, Chairman of the IoE Board of Advisors, praised the companies’ commitment to the pursuit of green business practices, and commended the Institute for changing the paradigm of university environmental institutions in developing this partnership and integrating business into its environmental education and research programs. Professor Magali Delmas, who established the Corporate Partners Program at the Institute of the Environment stated, “We look forward to working with businesses that share our commitment to innovative research in environment and sustainability. The IoE is excited about the opportunity to share with, learn from, and work with our current and future partners.”

The evening’s featured speaker, Mary Nichols, Chairman of the California Air Resources Board, was there to deliver an insightful talk on the future of California carbon reduction legislation, AB 32. She said, “To successfully reduce carbon emissions in California, we need technology innovation. But we also need a healthy business environment in California, so that green technology businesses and sustainable businesses that start in California stay in California. UCLA’s IoE Corporate Partners Program is a step in that direction. New working relationships like this, between business and the University, are essential to creating an economy that reduces carbon emissions and increases jobs.”

To learn more about the UCLA Institute of the Environment Corporate Partners Program please visit our web site or contact Karen Lefkowitz at (310) 794-4908 and karen@ioe.ucla.edu.

Institute of the Environment

Date Posted: 3/24/2010

Citadel Named as Corporate Partner for UCLA Institute of the Environment (IoE)

2010-01-12T09:04:00.000-08:00

The University of California Los Angeles Institute of the Environment (IoE) has named Citadel Environmental Services, Inc. as a Corporate Partner this year.

Through its local, national, and international programs, the IoE employs innovative, cross-disciplinary approaches to address critical environmental challenges- including those related to climate change, water quality, air pollution, biodiversity, and sustainability - with the goal of achieving stable human coexistence with the natural systems on which society depends.

With its Corporate Partners Program, UCLA's Institute of the Environment has established a new model for collaboration and communication on environment and sustainability issues - bringing companies together with faculty, researchers, and students and other firms in interactive relationships to explore the leading edge of business opportunities in environment and sustainability, corporate environmental performance, successful eco-marketing strategy and wider communication of companies' environmental commitments and initiatives.

Citadel Relocates Corporate Offices to Sustainable Facility; Seeking LEED CI Platinum Certification

2009-11-05T16:58:00.000-08:00

1725 Victory Boulevard

Glendale, California, 91201

Citadel is proud to announce the relocation of its corporate headquarters to 1725 Victory Boulevard, Glendale, California 91201. The 8000 square foot structure was originally built in 1973 for light manufacturing use, and was eventually occupied by Knucklehead's Inc., the retail licensing arm of the firm founded by The Three Stooges. The tenant space 1725, which occupies 4,446 square feet of the building, has been vacant for an extended period of time, and upon purchase was neglected and in despair. Citadel has invested $2.5 Million to transform the space into a first class sustainable office building, re-designing it into an inspirational landmark that both complements and improves the up-and-coming, mixed-use neighborhood.

The goal of the building renovations was to demonstrate to the business community that "going green" makes sound economic sense. The office space features many innovative sustainable design solutions that reduce operating costs, energy use, water consumption, and carbon footprint; which enhance marketability, increase employee productivity and well-being, and serve as an asset to the entire building and neighborhood-at-large. The sustainable vision was incorporated in every aspect and area of the re-design, including the tenant space at 1727 Victory.

Because of this vision, Citadel is currently seeking the highest possible certification level for LEED for Commercial Interiors (version 2.0), Platinum Level. If awarded, Citadel's building will be the first privately held LEED certified building in Glendale, the highest LEED-level certified building in Glendale, and only the 5th Platinum level Commercial Interiors Version 2.0 certified building in the State of California.

Major improvements and sustainable design features include:

A solar array forecasted to provide 45,000 khw of power per year (enough to power all of Citadel’s and their tenant’s space, and net meter an additional 16% back to Glendale Water and Power to supply the community
New energy efficient double-paned exterior windows and storefronts for both tenant spaces
Skylights over both tenant spaces for increased daylight
Low-emissivity cool roof
New energy-efficient lighting design to reduce lighting power density by more than 35% below the standard
Native, drought-resistant landscaping with drip irrigation system
New packaged air handling systems (SER 14) to reduce utility costs, increase building operational efficiencies by 37% and provide improved interior air quality and climate control
Use of low-VOC paints, adhesives, and carpet systems
Abatement and removal of existing asbestos
New water-efficient interior plumbing and bathroom fixtures including waterless urinals able to reduce the water use for the Citadel space by 62.69%
New designated preferred parking for carpools, low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles
Awnings to reduce urban heat island effect
Though Fundamental Commissioning is a prerequisite on a LEED project, Citadel decided to also go through Enhanced Commissioning because it can detect MEP systems that were designed to be highly efficient but were either not installed or are not working to full design potential
Recycled Content - 20%-30% of the materials used on this project are comprised of recycled content. Additionally, between 50‐95% of the waste created during the construction process was recycled
At least 10% of materials used on the project were extracted and manufactured locally within 500 miles of the site
Between 50‐95% of the wood used on the project was FSC certified
Above And Beyond LEED True Sustainability - Whole Building Improvement‐ Went above and beyond LEED by actually doing improvement on entire building including tenants, not just Citadel space
Achieved more points than able to use‐ SSc1 allows for 3 points. We achieved more than 4 points because the building was designed to be as efficient and sustainable as possible, regardless of how many of these points were being used for LEED purposes
Located within a 0.25 mile radius of two bus routes, and eight different stops, to encourage alternative transportation
Green Power‐ Though the highly efficient design of the building coupled with the installation of such a large solar array will create all of the power needed for the entire building, Citadel is still purchasing Renewable Energy Credits for 50% of the power needs for 2 years

Call us to schedule a viewing of our new facility today! 818-246-2707

Citadel's New Space!

2009-11-02T13:35:00.001-08:00

Citadel is excited to announce the recent acquisition of an 8,000 square foot office building in the City of Glendale. The site was previously the headquarters for Knuckleheads, Inc., the retail licensing and merchandising arm for the Three Stooges. Renovations are currently underway, with an estimated completion date of November, 2009. The goal of the building renovations is to achieve certification at the LEED-CI v2.0 at "GOLD" or "PLATINUM" level. Upon completion, Citadel's building will be the first privately held LEED certified building, and the highest level certified building, in Glendale, California, Los Angeles County's third-largest city.

Major planned improvements include increases to building energy, water, and overall operational efficiency. Stay tuned for more detailed information on this exciting project, as well as a tentative open house to be held in November, 2009.

August, 2009 - Citadel Named 18th Best Company To Work For in LA, by Los Angeles Business Journal

2009-11-02T13:34:00.001-08:00

Citadel was named the #18th Best Place to Work in LA, by the Los Angeles Business Journal. The award's intent is to identify the best places of employment in Los Angeles County, benefiting the region's economy, its workforce, and businesses.

Citadel was recognized in the medium-sized category for excelling in:

- Employee Satisfaction
- Employee Growth Opportunities
- Employee Benefits
- Employee Training

The first part of the award was an evaluation of each nominated company's workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics and the second part consisted of an employee survey to measure employee experience. "To truly be considered a great place to work, a company must do more than give its workers generous benefits and a good salary," said Richard Clough, LA Business Journal. "The Best Places to work often foster an environment of respect and recognition rooted in interpersonal relationships among employees at all levels."

Best Companies Group managed the survey process with assistance from ModernThink LLC, who analyzed the data to determine the rankings. Citadel was honored at the Best Places to Work in LA awards reception on August 5, 2009, hosted by the Los Angeles Business Journal at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles.

Citadel Awarded GSA Environmental Services Contract

2009-11-02T13:33:00.000-08:00

Citadel was recently awarded a contract for the United States General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule to offer selected environmental services.

The GSA Schedule establishes government contracts with commercial firms, which helps federal government offices order services directly from GSA Schedule firms, creating a link between customers and the services they require at predetermined pricing. Approval for the supplier requires an extensive and rigorous screening process to ensure that a company can provide both superior quality and competitive pricing.

"By earning GSA certification, we are now positioned to offer government agencies the ability to purchase and utilize our services without having to jump through hoops" said Loren Witkin, Principal of Citadel. "Completing the certification process is a win-win situation for us and government organizations who need our services. We benefit by appearing on various schedules saying that we are approved to supply government organizations and these agencies benefit from shorter lead-times, optimal convenience and lowest available pricing."

Suppliers who wish to do business with over 1,000 U.S. government agencies can use this schedule as a means to facilitate and streamline the procurement process.

Citadel E-Learning

2009-10-28T12:31:00.000-07:00

Does your firm have a training system in place that effectively covers all aspects of Environmental, Health, and Safety, and Human Resources compliance? Does the system in place effectively educate the employee, and document completion of training? If your firm does not have a system like this in place, then look no further.

"CITADEL E-LEARNING" is an internet-based Learning and Management System featuring interactive, self-paced course modules and an integrated tracking and reporting infrastructure powered by PureSafety. Citadel E-Learning offers a cache of powerful tools to assist with implementation of your training programs that includes:

Course Series options that help change behaviors, enhance workplace safety, culture initiatives, and prevent injuries; improve workforce performance; reduce your exposure to employment and labor law claims; and reduce exposure to regulatory citation and fines by providing a turn-key solution for implementation of compliance training programs.
More than 380 courses covering all aspects of Environmental, Health and Safety and Human Resources compliance, with the option for custom course modification and creation to best meet your needs.
Effective and efficiently designed courses; the average course length is just 30-45 minutes, most are available in both English and Spanish for application in bilingual work environments.
Continuous review and improvement; course content and images are updated routinely to maintain relevancy, regulatory compliance, and help meet your ever-changing training requirements.
Turn-key compliance solutions that meet and exceed regulatory requirements for training; every course includes engaging learning activities designed to reinforce Employee knowledge of the subject matter, test that accurately measure retention, and completion documentation and certification.
Citadel E-Learning, as a stand-alone solution, offers a level of flexibility that is unmatched in the world of traditional classroom and computer-based training. With simply computer and internet access, courses can be instantly added to a Library, assigned to an employee, and completion tracked and documented. As long as your employee has internet access, the training can be completed anywhere, anytime, and at their pace.
In addition, the integration of Citadel E-Leaning into traditional Safety and Compliance programs greatly enhance effectiveness and efficiency. Engaging and relevant course modules easily supplement any existing training programs by invigoration employee interest. The comprehensive Learning Management System (LMS).

If you're interested in learning more about this program for your firm, please contact Kelley West at (818) 246-2707 or via email.