MELISSA “MITZI” VERGENZ, P.E.

Environmental Project Manager / Environmental Engineer

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE:

** *****

EDUCATION:

Postgraduate Studies, Civil Engineering, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida, 2001

Bachelor of Chemical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, 1980

CERTIFICATIONS / TRAINING / AFFILIATIONS:

Professional Engineer, FL #59532, Chemical Discipline

ISO 14001 Lead Auditor Training, QAI, Nashville, TN, 2011

AST Inspector Training, Steel Tank Institute, Jacksonville, FL, 2011

Operation of Wastewater Treatment Plants, OWP Sacramento, 2012

Class C Wastewater License Trainee, 2012

Princeton Groundwater Pollution and Hydrology Course, Orlando, FL, 2007

Roadway Worker Training (Railroad), Jacksonville, FL, 2009

Heat Power Engineering at UNF, Jacksonville, FL, 2005

HAZWOPER 40-hour + Annual Refresher Courses, Jacksonville, FL, 2004

HAZWOPER 8-hour Supervisor Training, Jacksonville, FL 2015

Comprehensive Industrial Pretreatment Course - EPA, Indianapolis, IN, 2001

AHMP-Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals, First Coast chapter treasurer, 2016-present

NEFAEP-NE Florida Association of Environmental Professionals, Member; Chapter President 2009; Programs Coordinator 2007-2008, 2006

First Coast Manufacturer's Association (FCMA), Member; Environmental Health & Safety (EHS)

Committee, 2005

ACS-American Chemical Society, Member; Local Section Chair 2005; Chair-Elect 2004, 2003

Mitzi Vergenz has broad experience in the environmental regulatory, compliance, and remediation industry. She has managed projects for private companies as well as environmental compliance at military bases. As a consultant, Vergenz has been involved in projects associated with wastewater discharge and permitting, industrial pretreatment, remedial system design and installation, spill control plans, and environmental site assessments. As a regulator, she has overseen remedial projects for the Florida Petroleum Preapproval Program and monitored customer compliance with Industrial Pretreatment regulations for a municipal utility. Additionally, Vergenz was the laboratory manager for a used oil and industrial wastewater processing facility.

WORK HISTORY:

2017–present: Fluor Federal Solutions, NAS Jacksonville. As Environmental Program Manager, Vergenz provided technical expertise and management for the environmental programs, processes and strategies at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Naval Station Mayport, and Marine Corps Blount Island Command, including coordination and communication with Base Environmental representatives, and supervision of three environmental specialists.

2012-2017: LG2 Environmental Solutions, Inc. Senior Project Manager. Vergenz primary responsibility is environmental compliance work such as hazardous waste management, spill response plans (SPCC, FRP, and ICP), NPDES water sampling and reporting, Tier II hazardous material reporting, and air emissions reporting. She has performed many environmental site assessments, such as Phase I assessments, and Phase II soil and groundwater sampling, sometimes leading to remedial action, such as source removal. She routinely provides environmental training on a number of topics, including HAZWOPER refreshers and spill response.

2009–2012: IAP-Hill, NAS Jacksonville. As Environmental Program Manager, Vergenz provided technical expertise and management for the environmental programs, processes and strategies at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Naval Station Mayport, and Marine Corps Blount Island Command, including coordination and communication with Base Environmental representatives, and supervision of three environmental specialists.

2008–2009: Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure, Inc. As a consultant, Vergenz performed compliance management tasks such as SPCC plan updates, amendments, facility response plans, and other petroleum management tasks. She coordinated the stormwater plans and NPDES permitting, and reviewed remedial action plans for contaminated site cleanups. She was also involved in construction project management for a transportation client.

2006-2008: City of Jacksonville, Environmental Quality Division (EQD). As a regulator, Vergenz performed technical review of Florida Petroleum Preapproval Program deliverables (remedial action plans (RAPs), O&M reports, pilot test reports, site assessments). She evaluated cost proposals from contractors for petroleum remediation systems and prepared work orders while supervising a team of five site managers.

2005-2006: Aerostar Environmental Services. As a consultant, Vergenz was the project manager for domestic and industrial wastewater permitting applications, including design and installation of pretreatment systems. She prepared Toxic Organics Management (TOMP) plans and Spill Prevention, Countermeasures, and Control (SPCC) plans, plus Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments.

2002-2003: Water Recovery, Inc. As a process engineer, Vergenz performed oversight of industrial wastewater treatment facility, including oil/water separators, dissolved air floatation (DAF) unit, and batch chemical precipitation. She documented standard operating procedures, compiled a plant operations manual, and created a database of compliance monitoring results while managing the compliance laboratory.

1998-2002: JEA, Regulatory & Compliance. For the municipal utility company, Vergenz generated Industrial User Discharge Permits for approximately forty local industries in compliance with federal industrial pretreatment regulations, performed pretreatment compliance inspections and reviewed client compliance data. She also provided laboratory analytical support for a wastewater treatment facility during her tenure at the company.

PROJECT EXPERIENCE:

Danfoss Turbocore Compressors, Inc, Environmental Audit, Tallahassee, FL: For several years, Ms. Vergenz has conducted an annual regulatory applicability determination for local, state, and federal regulations for the Danfoss production facility. This project included inspection of the facility and auditing of the processes for compliance with Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and RCRA regulations. The analysis report outlined the applicability of any current regulations to the site for incorporation into the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS). (2014-2015, Project value: $3,000; 2016 value $4100).

Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC), SPCC Plan, Glynco, GA and Cheltenham, MD: Vergenz was the project manager and engineer of record for the update of the SPCC plan at two facilities operated by FLETC. She performed inspection of all petroleum and hazardous material storage tanks for compliance with the Oil Pollution Prevention regulation 40 CFR 112, including proper secondary containment, overfill protection, and inspection history. The accuracy of existing information such as tank location, capacity, and contents was confirmed or modified, as well as emergency response team contact information, including spill contractors. All information gathered during this project was documented into an updated SPCC Plan. In addition, Ms. Vergenz provided training for tank inspection to the FLETC environmental personnel. (2015 Project value: $18,000).

Corbett Road Source Removal, Remediation, Jacksonville, FL: Vergenz worked with subcontractors to excavate 40 cubic yards of contaminated soil along the northern exterior wall of the manufacturing building. The scope of work included collecting soil samples to characterize the soils for disposal purposes, screening soils for hydrocarbon vapors, excavating and disposing of hydrocarbon-impacted soils, and preparing a Source Removal Report documenting these activities. (2015 Project value: $16,800)

Osceola Generating Station, Environmental Compliance, Osceola County, FL: Vergenz currently performs environmental compliance management tasks for an electric generating facility such as NPDES industrial wastewater monitoring, hazardous waste management, pollution prevention, and Title V air permit reporting. This information is routinely entered into an environmental management system (EMS) and subject to regular audits. She is the engineer of record for the Osceola spill plan (SPCC) and rewrote the facility response plan (FRP), which received exemplary ratings from plant auditors. She also handles annual Tier II hazardous material reporting, Annual Operating Report (AOR-air emissions inventory), and annual Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reporting for the facility. (Project value: $50,000/annual)

Keystone Terminals, Inc., Air permitting & SPCC Plan, Jacksonville, FL: Vergenz prepared the air permit renewal for a bulk materials transfer facility, which involved some negotiations with the regulatory agency in response to a consent order received by the facility. In addition, Vergenz prepared the air construction permit application for a new bulk gasoline terminal at the facility plus the applicable SPCC plan. (2016 project value: $20,000).

Ring Power, Phoenix Products Inc, Stormwater Permit, Jacksonville, FL: Vergenz prepared the application for renewal of the facility’s stormwater permit, including the complete revision of the stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) and addition of new properties in compliance with Sector AA Fabricated Metal Products requirements. Analytical data from the previous permit was analyzed, and a table of scheduled inspections and inspection forms was added to make the SWPPP more user-friendly. (2015 Project value: $3,000).

Caterpillar Reman, Components, and Work Tools (RCWT), Air permitting, Jacksonville, FL: Vergenz worked with the client to calculate the facility air emissions from a blast booth and two paint booths for the Florida Annual Operating Report (AOR-air emissions inventory). Additionally, she collected the data for the renewal of the facility’s air operating permit, including emissions testing, and was able to negotiate a 30% reduction in the application fees based on a similar emissions unit regulation not previously applied. (2015 Project value: $4,000)

Osceola Generating Station, Air permitting, Annual Operating Reports (AOR): Vergenz worked with the client to calculate the air emissions from three combustion turbines for the Florida Annual Operating Report (AOR-emissions inventory), as required by the facility’s Title V air permit. Data from each unit’s continuous emissions monitoring system (CEMS) was analyzed to determine the quantity of air pollutants such as SOx, NOx, and particulate matter that were emitted from each unit during the reporting period. Further material and energy balance calculations determined the amounts of each pollutant associated with each type of fuel, such as natural gas or diesel fuel.

Brand Label, Inc., Air permitting, Jacksonville, FL: Vergenz has worked with the client for years to calculate the facility air emissions from printing operations for the Florida Annual Operating Report (AOR-air emissions inventory). Additionally, she collected the data for the renewal of the facility’s air operating permit. (2015 Project value: $4,000)

Georgia Pacific, Hazardous Waste Shipping, Palatka, FL: Vergenz supervises the shipping of empty hazardous waste totes to a recycle facility. She inspects them prior to their loading on a trailer for determination of RCRA-empty status, and prepares placards and manifests to meet DOT shipping requirements. (2015 project value: $2,000).

Renessenz, Tier II Reporting, Jacksonville, FL, and Brunswick, GA: Vergenz served as Project Manager for filing of the annual Tier II report for two organic chemical synthesis facilities. Activities included documentation of over 250 hazardous materials in use at the facilities and calculations of the quantities stored, plus data entry into the e-Plan System. (Project value: $3,000)

Malone Air Charter, Spill Plan (SPCC) update: Vergenz was the project manager and engineer of record for the update of the SPCC plan at the hangar facility at Malone Air Charter. She performed inspection of all petroleum and hazardous material storage tanks for compliance with the Oil Pollution Prevention regulation 40 CFR 112, including proper secondary containment, overfill protection, and inspection history. The accuracy of existing information such as tank location, capacity, and contents was confirmed or modified, as well as emergency response team contact information, including spill contractors. All information gathered during this project was documented into an updated SPCC Plan. (2014 Project value: $1,600).

NEPA Environmental Assessment (EA) for Joint Permanent Air Facility, Customs and Border Protection, Fort Huachuca, Arizona: As Project Manager, Vergenz coordinated the NEPA process for an EA concerning a new joint permanent air facility for Customs and Border Protection, Office of Air and Marine, at Libby Army Airfield. The EA also included a Cultural Resource Survey and a Biological Resource Survey. (Project: $78,000)

Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA), Cane Island and Stock Island Power Plants, Trainer: Vergenz provided Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) refresher training as required annually under Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 29 CFR 1910.120 for all individuals working in or around hazardous operations at two FMPA facilities. Topics covered included toxicology, chemistry, hazard recognition, emergency response, personal protective equipment (PPE) selection, spill control, and safe work practices. Many photos from Vergenz’ experiences on spill response were included as illustrations of what could happen, and to improve the interest level of the presentation. (2015 Project value: $6,400)

Pinova, Inc., Hazardous Waste Reduction Plan and Tier II Reporting, Jacksonville, FL, and Brunswick, GA: Vergenz served as Project Manager for filing of the Georgia Hazardous Waste Reduction Plan and the Biennial Waste Reporting to EPA for two organic chemical synthesis facilities. Activities included description of the processes that generate hazardous waste streams, generation of process flow diagrams, setting of performance goals, analysis of the waste streams by process, and identification of potential hazardous waste reduction options. (2014 Project value: $10,000)(2016 Hazwaste Report only: $2000)

City of Jacksonville Beach, Risk Management Plan (RMP) Updates: Vergenz performed the five-year update of the Risk Management Plan for two water treatment plants utilizing chlorine gas for disinfection. Among the 13 Process Safety Management (PSM) items included in RMPs, this project involved process hazard analysis, operating procedures review, mechanical integrity review, offsite consequences analysis, and review of the emergency response training. The data collected was submitted and certified to the EPA via the RMP-reporting software as required. (2014 project value: $2000)

Clay County Board of Commissioners, FDOT Illicit Connections Identification, Clay County, FL: Vergenz inspected 28 locations of FDOT stormwater drainage ditches for signs of illicit connections (such as drainpipes, hoses, etc,) and non-stormwater discharges from the potential illicit connection locations. Locations were logged by GPS and photographed. Observations were recorded of the potential source of illicit connection/discharges. If no source was readily observable, the source was marked as unknown for further investigation by Clay County. A report listing the inspected locations, identified connections, GPS coordinates, and photographic evidence was submitted as a deliverable. (2013 Project Value: $3,800)

Phase I Environmental Site Assessment for the following clients and properties:

USDA NRCS Wetland Reserve Program Properties - 4D Citrus, B&E Ranch WRP, Buck Island WRP, Cody Sod WRP, Sy Heart & Sons WRP, SunRay Premier Citrus WRP, Central and South Florida

Marcus and Millichap - East New York Avenue, Deland FL; and, Racetrack Road, Jacksonville, FL

Kern Company - Boney Road Property, northern Duval County, FL, 393 acres

AVA Engineering – VC Johnson Road Property, Duval County, FL, 58 acres

DB Civilworks - SR 16 Property, St. Augustine, FL

Nature Conservancy - Salt Marsh near Pine Island Conservation Area, Brevard County, FL

Backwater 2 Bluewater - US 1 North, St. Augustine, FL

Dave Coffman/Riverhill LLC - Art Museum Drive Property, Jacksonville, FL

Solid Rock Engineering – Herlong Road Property, Jacksonville, FL

Steinemann & Co – Sawgrass Warehouse Property, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

Tom King, Crown Auto – Ezell Lane Property, 7 acres, Yulee, FL

Jim Morgan, Sperry Van Ness /Investec Services - Wilderness Trail Properties, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

BHK Capital, Jim Hissam-New Berlin Road property, Duval county, FL

Environmental Program Manager, IAP-Hill, NAS Jacksonville, Florida: During her tenure, Vergenz provided management of the environmental programs, processes and strategies at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Naval Station Mayport, and Marine Corps Blount Island Command (BIC) for the Base Operating Systems (BOS) contractor. She worked closely with three environmental specialists and Base Environmental representatives to perform regular petroleum tank inspections and hazardous waste management, including the operation of the RCRA Part B facility at BIC. She managed an On Scene Operations Team (OSOT) responsible for emergency spill response and cleanup on land and on water, and maintained oversight of a substantial equipment inventory, including a boat and boom, for this purpose. She managed a chemical inventory approval system, and provided environmental training for all BOS contractor employees as required. She participated in the documentation of aspects and impacts for ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS).

Spill Plan (SPCC) updates, eastern US: Vergenz was the project manager and engineer of record for the update of SPCC plans at multiple rail facilities across the eastern US. She performed inspection of all petroleum and hazardous material storage tanks for compliance with the Oil Pollution Prevention regulation 40 CFR 112, including proper secondary containment, overfill protection, and inspection history. The accuracy of existing information such as tank location, capacity, and contents was confirmed or modified, as well as emergency response team contact information, including spill contractors. All information gathered during this project was documented into an updated SPCC Plan, and entered into the client’s database. (Project value: $70,000)

FDOT Maintenance Yard Remedial Action Plan (RAP), Lake City, FL: Vergenz was the engineer of record for a source removal remedial action plan for a solvent-contaminated site owned by the Florida Department of Transportation.

Stormwater Fee Adjustments, Jacksonville, FL: Vergenz identified fee credits worth thousands of dollars as reductions to the client’s city stormwater fees. She prepared and submitted the paperwork, and negotiated with the regulators concerning pervious and impervious surfaces or existing stormwater controls not accounted for by the city’s evaluation process. (Project value: $3,700)

Wastewater Permit Renewal, Orlando, FL: Vergenz compiled a domestic wastewater permit renewal for a privately-owned treatment facility, including preparation of operations and maintenance (O&M) performance reports, capacity analysis reports, and reuse reports. (Project value: $3500)

Technical Review of a Centralized Wastewater Treatment (CWT) Facility, Ocala, FL: Vergenz performed technical review of a centralized waste treatment (CWT) facility to determine the source of non-compliance with NPDES categorical discharge permit conditions. After evaluating the cause of the problem, she provided specific recommendations for modifications to bring the facility into compliance, including equipment specifications and cost estimates. (Project Value: $15,000)

Wastewater Treatment Facility Evaluation, Camp Blanding, Starke, FL: Vergenz performed a technical review of a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) facility to determine the source of non-compliance with NPDES permit conditions. After determining the source of the problem, she wrote an O&M Performance report with recommendations for modifications to bring the facility into compliance. (Project value: $10,000)

Integrated Contingency Plan (ICP) Update, Shaw Air Force Base, Sumter, SC: On this project, all petroleum and hazardous material storage tanks were inspected for compliance with the Oil Pollution Prevention regulation 40 CFR 112, including proper secondary containment, overfill protection, and inspection history. The accuracy of existing ICP information such as tank location, capacity, and contents was confirmed or modified. Compliance with drills, exercises, and training requirements was evaluated to determine if ICP modifications were needed. Emergency response team contact information (including spill contractors), response procedures, and response equipment were collected, and the hazard vulnerability of the Base to the worst-case discharge scenario was evaluated. All information gathered during this project was documented into an updated ICP. (Project value: $54,586)

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