Environmental Scientist Chrystal Fretwell has officially joined the SSCI Houston team this December. Ms. Fretwell began her internship at SSCI in May of 2015 during her final year at the University of Houston-Clear Lake and continued to contribute as an Environmental Technician after the completion of her internship. During her time at SSCI, she has become proficient in Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs), Records Search with Risk Assessments (RSRAs) and natural resources and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance projects. Ms. Fretwell has served as a key team member in various locally and federally funded projects. She has assisted in the performance of Affected Read More »
“A strong team that is focused on quality work and innovative but proven methods can build partnerships that produce results on time and within budget. Separation Systems Consultants, Inc. (SSCI), professionals in environmental management and field remediation, is just that kind of team. And we’d like to be part of your team for success.” These words were written a few decades ago but are still just as true today. To read more: SSCI – Teamwork Builds Results (printable version)
The greyhound Takota is a former race dog who needed space to run! Takota is shown here running laps in a three-acre detention pond in Webster maintained by SSCI. Read more about Takota in SSCI’s blog: A doggone good deed, https://sscienvironmental.com/a-doggone-good-deed/ Separation Systems Consultants Inc. (SSCI) would like to remind you that the time is fast approaching to have your annual Detention/Retention Pond Inspection renewed to comply with your City’s Stormwater Enforcement Policy. SSCI has worked with many Detention and Retention Pond owners in the City of Webster, the City of Clear Lake, and other municipalities on understanding and following the Read More »
Advantages of Utilizing a Contract with The Cooperative Purchasing Network (TCPN): Do you ever use Buy Boards or Cooperative Purchasing Networks for your Products and Services? Do you know you have the option of using SSCI’s TCPN Contract? It is free of charges to you. No fees. No dues. Why you might choose the TCPN option? State & Federal Laws “Strongly Encourages” participation in Purchasing Networks & Buy Boards. TCPN is mandated to follow all State Procurement Laws & Regulations. Audited by State Controller’s Office twice/year. Saves time & money (“Soft Costs”) in the Procurement Process. Eliminated bidding process, associated Read More »
In September 2015, SSCI team members attended the League City Historical Society Living History Dinner at the Walding Station in League City, Texas. The League City Historical Society’s annual fundraiser offers the opportunity to spend an evening with a famous “figure in history”. This year the nationally known Larry Marple from Ohio provided an informative and entertaining portrayal of the Colonel Theodore Roosevelt. Mr. Marple played the role of Col. Roosevelt riding along with his Rough Riders as they headed to Cuba to fight for Cuban Independence. SSCI’s President, Helen I. Hodges, serves on the Board of Directors for the League City Historical Read More »
Throwback Thursday to SSCI’s barbecue where the SSCI Houston office celebrated Mr. Dan Tibbals’ recent achievement of passing the Professional Geoscientist exam and begun the planning of SSCI’s 30th birthday celebration. SSCI employees and their families were invited to enjoy the beautiful summer day at the Hodges’ Ranch in Santa Fe, Texas on July 12, 2015. “It was a great opportunity to meet each other’s spouses and children -those people we know so well from conversations with co-workers, but not in person,” said Ms. Jo Keim. Activities at the ranch included feeding and grooming horses, rounding up the cows, an Read More »
Like the rest of us, mold loves Houston. The warm, humid climate makes our city as natural a home for molds as it is for the energy industry. At normal levels, mold is harmless. There are lots of types of molds that grow outdoors as well as indoors like inside your home and office building. The problem comes when moisture problems inside those structures cause mold to grow beyond normal levels. “Normal levels” is a subjective term – even the government has yet to place regulations on what constitutes as natural levels or unhealthy levels. If mold levels grow beyond minimum levels, the indoor Read More »
It’s getting hot in here. On July 16, the American Meteorological Society released the 25th annual State of the Climate report . That report says 2014 was the Earth’s warmest year on record based on four independent global datasets. And Climate Central reports that 2015 is even hotter. According to the AMS report, new records were set by rising levels of land and ocean temperatures, rising sea levels and increasing accumulations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. As the El Niño–Southern Oscillation warmed up near the end of the year, so did several regional climates. That effect is expected to Read More »
After studying more than 950 sources, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined hydraulic fracturing activities have not led to widespread, systemic impacts on drinking water resources. The agency released a draft assessment of its findings June 4, 2015. Potential water vulnerabilities still exist, though, said Thomas A. Burke, the EPA’s science advisor and deputy assistant administrator of the EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “Drinking water may be vulnerable to impacts. We feel very confident in our findings…the study was not, nor was it intended to be, a catalog of all instances of contamination,” Burke said. What this means Read More »
Takota was a sad dog. A former race dog, the greyhound now lived in a small yard, and his owner, Les Tibbals, couldn’t find a fenced-in area big enough for him to really run. Then Helen Hodges, president and CEO of SSCI, offered use of the fence-lined land around a one-acre detention pond that the company maintains in Webster, Texas. In exchange, Les is cleaning up trash on the site and has offered to mow. Now the detention pond isn’t just protecting against flooding and downstream erosion. It’s become a new track for Takota to race around. After getting used Read More »