Project Manager Power Plant

Karen M. Khonsari

**** ******** ****

Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Cell: 225-***-****

*************@*****.***

Over 28 years of experience in chemical and environmental engineering spanning all facets of the

regulatory world: regulator (Environmental Protection Agency, Washington DC; Department of

Energy, Pittsburgh, Pa), regulated (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois; Formosa

Plastics, Ferro, Westlake Vinyls, Baton Rouge, LA) and consultant (CK and Associates, Enviro

One, Karen Khonsari, LLC., Baton Rouge, LA). I most recently served as the Health, Safety and

Environmental Manager at Westlake Vinyls Company, LP. My understanding of traditional

engineering principles is coupled with experience in the area of management, OSHA compliance

and environmental permitting in support of federal and state regulatory requirements.

Key Expertise Includes:

• OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM)

• Mechanical Integrity

• Industrial Hygiene and Safety

• Air Permitting and Compliance

• NPDES Permitting and Compliance

• Operation Maintenance of Industrial Facilities

Education

B.S. Chemical Engineering

The Ohio State University, 1986

Engineer In Training, EIT, 1986

Experience

Episcopal High School

Extended Care Director and Substitute Teacher

(August, 2013 to Present)

Responsible for supervision of a staff of seven and over 70 children daily. Re-vamped program to

include new activities and protocols. Additionally, when required, provide instruction to lower

school students through substitute teaching.

Westlake Vinyls Company, LP

Consultant (February, 2013 to August, 2013)

K aren M. Khonsari

Available to the company to assist with environmental and safety issues as required.

Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) Manager

(November, 2005 to February, 2013)

Responsible for all regulatory compliance at facility including programs with the Occupational

Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). While

in the position of HSE Manager, inspections of the facility by the EPA and Louisiana Department

of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) resulted in no findings and no notices of violation or fines.

Served as the lead of Westlake for the eight-month OSHA National Emphasis Program (NEP)

audit conducted in 2012 at the facility.

After joining Westlake in 2006, the recordable incident rate decreased every year with only one

lost time injury during the seven year period. The facility received the Vinyl Institute Safety

Awards for 2010 and 2011 for safety performance those years in the PVC unit. The facility also

received the Presidential Award in 2009 for the best performing site within the entire Westlake

group of companies with regard to Safety and Environmental performance.

Responsible for oversight of a $4 million budget for the Safety and Environmental programs.

Oversee a staff of six Westlake employees and three onsite contract employees, which increased

from two Westlake employees in 2005. Coordinated compliance programs with multiple

contractors (LDAR, IH) as well as all stack testing under NOx RACT, NSPS, PVC MACT and

Greenhouse Gas programs. Developed site Mechanical Integrity program.

Started at Westlake as a contract employee of Enviro One through an onsite placement.

Enviro One (July, 2004 to November, 2005)

Project Manager

Provide air compliance and mechanical integrity consulting services to various clients. Developed

Mechanical Integrity program for three Louis Dreyfus plants in Louisiana in accordance with API

Standards. Meet with LDEQ and Louis Dreyfus to ensure compliance with Mechanical Integrity

regulations.

Ferro Corporation (February, 2003 to July, 2004)

Environmental, Health and Safety Manager

Responsible for the oversight of a $5 million budget, seven employees and three contract

employees. Overall responsibility for environmental permitting and reporting, industrial hygiene

program, safety program, OSHA compliance, operation and maintenance of plant boilers and

wastewater treatment system, site wide energy management plan; training related to safety and

environmental, medical records and employee physicals.

Started at Ferro as a contract employee through an onsite placement. Assisted in completing

action items identified by a corporate audit. Revised multiple safety/PSM procedures including

Lockout/Tagout, Management of Change, Hot Work, Contractor Safety, and Safe Work Permits to

name a few.

CK Associates Environmental Consulting (June, 2000 to February, 2003)

Project Director

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K aren M. Khonsari

Responsible for overall direction of air quality projects including marketing, budget and manpower.

Responsible for the preparation of state air permit applications, federal

Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permit applications, federal Title V operating permit

applications as well as the preparation of annual emission reports including the annual Emissions

Inventory Systems (EIS) and the Toxic Emission Data Inventory.

Placement with ExxonMobil Refinery, Chalmette, LA as an employee of CK Associates

Responsible for managing personnel and budget of $300,000 for compliance certification for Title

V permit application. Activities included:

Develop and implement audit of refinery operations to ensure compliance with 18 state

and Federal air regulations.

Develop extensive database of air regulation applicability and compliance.

Identify potential regulatory gaps and development of gap closure plans.

Roll-out of regulatory compliance certification process to plant management, legal, and

operations.

Placement with Chevron, New Orleans, LA as an employee of CK Associates

Responsible for management of $80,000 contract to ensure compliance with Title V and state air

permits for offshore oil and gas platforms as well as onshore natural gas processing plants. As

part of this compliance effort duties included:

Develop compliance manuals and electronic emission calculation spreadsheets for

operations to utilize on offshore oil platforms.

Develop and implement offshore training of operators on all aspects of the air permits

applicable to their platforms and gas processing facilities.

Develop and implement compliance audits of offshore oil and gas platforms and

compressor stations to ensure that all equipment is properly permitted.

Develop equipment data sheets that are utilized in the field for documentation/updating

permit applications for existing point sources.

Formosa Plastics Corporation (March, 1999 to June 2000)

Environmental Health and Safety Manager

As EHS Manager, responsibilities included:

Ensure compliance with all federal, state and corporate regulations, policies, and

procedures.

Plan, design and implement facility environmental, industrial hygiene, and safety

programs.

Establish goals and results to be achieved for the plant's environmental, health and safety

staff of 14.

Apply engineering principles as well as project management theories and practices to

ensure effective solutions to operational requirements within the annual budget of $1.6

million.

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K aren M. Khonsari

Serve as the plant's technical expert on all applicable permits, environmental projects,

pollution control techniques, proposed regulations and innovations in environmental

engineering, safety/risk management, and industrial hygiene.

Establish and implement of facility compliance strategies.

Also served as the Air Engineer for three months prior to promotion to EHS Manager.

Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (February, 1997 to February, 1999)

Environmental Compliance Engineer

Responsible for ensuring compliance with Federal and State regulations for the Southern Illinois

University, Carbondale campus. Duties included:

Prepare and implement of all Environmental Protection Agency air and water permit

applications relating to the operation of the Southern Illinois University Power Plant and

the Carterville Coal Research Center.

Coordinate all stack testing at the Southern Illinois University Power Plant in coordination

with the United States Department of Justice.

Prepare Illinois Environmental Protection Agency permit applications relating to the

construction and operation of a new medical waste incinerator at the Southern Illinois

University, Carbondale campus.

Assist Southern Illinois University School of Medicine at Springfield with medical waste

incinerator permit and regulations.

Revise the Title V Air Permit applications for the Southern Illinois University. Carbondale

campus;

Develop and maintain a database for tracking emissions from the continuous emissions

monitoring system at the Southern Illinois University Power Plant.

Prepare all quarterly reports for the Environmental Protection Agency, the State Attorney

General, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

United States Department of Energy (June, 1990 to February, 1997)

In the position of Project Manager

Responsible for federal management of two Clean Coal Technology projects totaling

$194.8 million.

Serve on the Source Evaluation Board to evaluate proposals submitted in response to the

Clean Coal Technology Round V solicitation.

Serve as a Contracting Officer Technical Representative to provide Federal oversight of

SAIC and Bums & Roe contracts for outreach activities.

Serve as a Research Advisor for student interns.

In the position of Environmental Specialist

Responsible for environmental analysis of Clean Coal Technology projects and

preparation of environmental documents (Environmental Assessments, Memorandum-to-

File, Environmental Monitoring Plans).

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K aren M. Khonsari

Team Activities:

Co-leader of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) team for the

Liquid Phase Methanol Clean Coal Technology Project.

Member of Strategic Planning team for the Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center.

Member of Industrial Ecology team identifying funding opportunities for the Pittsburgh

Energy Technology Center.

Member of team convened to develop revised Performance Measurement System for the

Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center predicated on team activities.

United States Environmental Protection Agency (May, 1988 to June, 1990)

As a Project Officer:

Responsible for development of technology based effluent limitations and guidelines for offshore

and coastal oil and gas facilities. Duties included:

Coordinate with State and Regional EPA offices regarding treatment technologies, current

permits, and any technical issues that needed to be resolved.

Manage project workgroups comprised of representatives from other EPA offices and

divisions.

Develop engineering costs associated with treatment technologies.

Conduct engineering analyses of treatment technologies available for oil and gas facilities.

Prepare and present briefings to upper management

Prepare Federal Register proposal notice for Offshore Oil and Gas Industry.

Prepare and publish the Notice and Request for Comments published in the Federal

Register on November 8, 1989 for the Coastal Oil and Gas industry.

Supervise contractor performance.

Other Duties included:

Develop and implement a sampling program for dioxin in catalytic reforming regeneration

process wastewater at petroleum refineries.

Participate in the dioxin sampling episodes and supervision of other sampling team

members.

Prepare detailed sampling reports at the conclusion of the petroleum refining project.

Team Activities included:

Assist in the preparation of the Report to Congress entitled, “Implementation of Section

403(c) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act in conjunction with the Office of Marine

and Estuarine Protection”.

Assist in developing the strategy for Implementation of the Shore Protection Act of 1988 in

conjunction with the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response.

Assist in the preparation of the five-year budget for the Industrial Technology Division.

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K aren M. Khonsari

JOB-RELATED TRAINING COURSES

EMT (2013)

First Responder

Root Cause Analysis

Criminal Environmental Investigations

Changing Environmental Regulations

Behavior Based Safety

Crisis Media Management

Managerial Assessment Profile

Basic Legal Knowledge

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Certification for Stack Smoke

Southern Illinois University, Carbondale Disaster Preparedness Exercise

Spill Response Preparedness

Latin America, European, and Far East Environmental Laws and Regulations

Marketing for Scientists and Engineers

Writing Effective NEP A Documents

Applying the NEP A Process

Contract Administration for Technical Representatives

Mid-Atlantic Total Quality Management Seminar

Environmental Laws and Regulations

Effluent Guidelines Development Seminar

Rulemaking Development in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

References Available Upon Request

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