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Ask Nick Mjolsness, Central Region Manager at Land Science, what he enjoys most about his work and you’ll likely get a response that may leave you a bit envious. By combining travel to many states in the Midwestern US with a skill set that involves treating a wide range of contaminants, Nick is able to combine a hands-on approach to vapor intrusion mitigation while discovering the beauty and diversity of the central US. It’s this combination of travel and making a positive impact on our environment that makes him appreciate his profession. “It’s extremely rewarding to see an environmental project, such as vapor intrusion mitigation, come to fruition from inception to application,” shares Nick. “And I really enjoy traveling. You get a real appreciation for the size of the U.S. when you are visiting multiple states each month.”

Love for Travel and the Environment Leads Mjolsness to Land Science

Whether it’s discovering a new city or simply moving from point A to point B, Nick is always on the go, moving forward, and it’s one reason he chose to pursue a career in vapor intrusion mitigation. Continues Nick, “vapor intrusion mitigation is a dynamic field that is constantly evolving, and Land Science has developed a reputation for leading the way with regards to both science-based solutions and support services.” Nick started with Land Science just over two years ago as the South Central District Manager, and worked out of the company’s Dallas office. In October of this year he relocated back to the Chicago area, where he graduated from DePaul University. “I’m excited about returning to a part of the country where I grew up. It is a treat to be back in Chicago, however I’ll admit I sometimes miss the warmer weather of Dallas!”

Collaborating with Environmental Professionals is Especially Rewarding

When asked what’s especially rewarding about his work, Nick points to the gratification that stems from being involved in so many various stages of a project, usually from start to finish. He also enjoys the collaboration of working with various teams at both Land Science and REGENESIS. Nick continues, “I like being involved throughout an entire project. For instance, we did a project recently that was about 18 months in duration, from the time that I became involved. I was able to see the project evolve from the planning and spec phases, to bid phase, and finally to the installation phase. Along the way, I was able to take photographs of the site that we will potentially use in a case study next year. This entire process can be a very gratifying experience because you are able to see your projects materialize from the earliest stage and then be present when Geo-Seal is being applied as the solution.” Another aspect of his work he appreciates is when a project he’s worked on is selected for a case study. “Creating and sharing a case study allows the project to live on as a potential reference for other clients. Sharing what has been successful on a project can assist other clients with similar project challenges.”

Land Science Stands Apart with a Focus on Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Solutions

In the years since joining Land Science, Nick has noticed a shift in the market. One of these is the increased trend toward specialization. Nick continues, “Something unique that Land Science offers is an exclusive focus on vapor intrusion. This specialization helps us see trends in every aspect of VIM.” Nick points out that another trend includes a much more conservative approach to handling vapor intrusion. “Lenders, insurance agencies, developers, engineers, you name it- they all want to be sure they are doing as much as they can to effectively mitigate the VI threat. This is a major reason why they come to Land Science. Land Science has developed a reputation for being at the forefront of vapor intrusion mitigation and completing projects to the highest standards.”

With so much change occurring within the industry, and specifically in vapor intrusion mitigation, Nick realizes the importance of staying current on the latest trends, regulations, and products. This involves attending and speaking at technical conferences around the country. He recently gave a presentation on vapor intrusion mitigation at the West Virginia Brownfields Conference in Charleston, S.C. in September.

Mjolsness Enjoys Travel, Hiking and Museums

In his free time Nick enjoys traveling, hiking, and touring museums. Thus far he’s traveled to Dubai and Oman, as well as Sweden and Norway, where his ancestors originated. For museums, the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago tops his list.

When asked what it means to work for Land Science, Nick quickly points to the caliber of talented co-workers and the opportunity to work with so many different teams. He concludes, “Working at REGENESIS and Land Science is a chance to work with some of the top people in our field. I also enjoy the highly collaborative approach that comes with working with customer service, sales, marketing, research and development, and the other departments.”

REGENESIS is pleased to have Nick Mjolsness, Great Lakes District Manager at Land Science, and values his experience and ability to manage so many different aspects of vapor intrusion mitigation.

Vapor Intrusion regulatory guidelines are rapidly changing. In order to offer our clients with the latest industry knowledge, we are pleased to present a webinar with vapor intrusion expert Dr. Blayne Hartman. During this webinar presentation, Dr. Hartman will discuss the latest in national regulatory changes along with practical assessment strategies for navigating the vapor intrusion pathway.

His discussion will include:

• The latest updates to national regulations on the vapor intrusion pathway
• Most recent pathway assessment issues
• Tips for choosing the proper investigatory approach

Thomas Szocinski, CEP, Director of Vapor Intrusion for Land Science, will also review vapor intrusion mitigation solutions offered, including Geo-Seal® Vapor Intrusion Barrier, Retro-Coat™ Vapor Intrusion Coating and Vapor Vent™ systems.

Click here to visit our registration page and sign up for this free webinar.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) finalized their Vapor Intrusion Guidance: Site Assessment, Mitigation, and Closure document on October 14, 2016.  As stated from the guidance, “This document provides guidance on investigating, assessing, understanding, and mitigating vapor intrusion at disposal sites regulated under Massachusetts General Law, chapter 21E and the Massachusetts Contingency Plan.”

The vapor intrusion guidance was in draft form since October 2014 and went through a lengthy public review process prior to it being finalized.  For the most part, there were no substantial changes from the public comment draft version of 2014 to the final guidance; however, there were numerous changes in terminology and clarifications on various items throughout each section.

Wondering how this might affect your site or your remediation plans? Land Science® can assist with providing some of the insight into the new guidance document. Contact Land Science, we have a team dedicated to vapor intrusion and mitigation solutions.

Have other vapor intrusion or mitigation questions? Land Science’s team is always available to assist. In addition, you can visit the Land Science’s Resource Page for industry resource links to each state agency, vapor intrusion guidance, as well as national and federal guidance documents.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) issued the “Land Recycling Program Technical Guidance Manual for Vapor Intrusion into Buildings from Groundwater and Soil under Act 2” this summer and the document will become final in November 2016.  This 103-page Technical Guidance Manual outlines significant changes and replaces the original Technical Guidance Manual dated January 24, 2004.

As this is the first substantial change to the guidance in over twelve years, it is important to understand changes and how they might affect your site or remediation plan. Some of the key changes to the guidance include VOC mitigation requirements, soil and groundwater screening levels and methods, and vapor intrusion modeling guidance.

A full version of PADEP’s guidance document can be found at the Land Science’s Resource Page, as well as other national and federal guidance documents and other state guidances.  Have additional questions? Contact Land Science, we have a team dedicated to vapor intrusion and mitigation solutions.

California has issued revised screening levels (SL) for vapor-phase tetrachloroethylene (PCE). On September 8, 2016, California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) adopted an updated inhalation {Cancer} unit risk (IUR) factor for tetrachloroethylene (PCE). Updating the IUR also created revised recommended residential and commercial/industrial ambient air and soil gas screening levels (SL) for PCE. The Department of Toxic Substances Control’s (DTSC’s) revised PCE SLs are slightly more conservative than previous and remain below the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) SL for PCE. The USEPA’s SL are higher due to the use of a less conservative IUR (2.6E-07) than DTSC’s (6.1E-06) to derive its current SL; however, the USEPA acknowledges that the general IUR should not be used in all cases for evaluations and that “A number of uncertainties underlie the cancer unit risk for PCE…” Learn more by downloading the US EPA’s Chemical Assessment Summary of PCE here.

Below is a table of the former and revised DTSC SL’s.

On October 17, 2016, California’s DTSC Human and Ecological Risk Office (HERO) issued a response to inquiries associated with the PCE revised IUR and SL. Refer to this memorandum for further details associated with the updated IUR and SL’s. These SLs should be used in conjunction with the June 2016 Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) Note 3. DTSC indicates that a subsequent update to the HHRA Note 3 will be issued December 2016/January 2017, which will include the changes to the PCE toxicity criteria.

The exposure and risk factors for PCE and other chlorinated constituents, within the vapor phase, continue to be at the forefront of many regulatory agency mandated updates and often generate several topics of discussion. The overall trend continues to be conservative when evaluating the risk of these constituents. Ultimately, directing many site evaluations towards pre-emptive mitigation approaches, such as vapor intrusion are highly recommended to comply with increasing regulatory guidelines. Have further questions? Contact Land Science as our team of scientists and engineers are dedicated to vapor intrusion and mitigation related issues and developing solutions for sites across the US.