September 2014
In this Issue:
The NPS Training and Resource Center's Fall 2014 Training Schedule contains a robust slate of courses to provide training to various groups.
For the State's Code Enforcement Officers, the Center is offering a program on Evaluation of the Proper Installation of Erosion and Sediment Control BMPs. This half-day program will be offered in September in Fairfield and will qualify for continuing education credits in the land use area.
For contractors who are looking to obtain DEP certification in erosion control practices, seven programs in Basic and Advanced Erosion and Sediment Control Practices will be offered throughout the state. Most municipalities are now requiring contractors working in the shoreland zone to be certified if they are involved with soil disturbance activity so this has become pretty much a pre-requisite if you are doing excavation work in the state.
For those business owners, snowplow contractors and property managers who are interested in increasing performance and saving money when applying winter salt, the Center is again offering 3 half-day programs on Salt Management. These will be held in the Portland, Lewiston and Brewer areas.
For landscapers interested in augmenting their knowledge of the LakeSmart landscaping and management program, the Center has partnered with the Maine Lake Society and the Maine Landscape and Nuseryman Association to present a day-long program on LakeSmart Principles. This will be offered in November in the Portland area and qualifies attendees to become certified as LakeSmart Landscapers.
Finally, at the request of the construction community, the Center has partnered with the Associated General Contractors of Maine and the Maine Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors to hold three sessions on Permitting Requirements. The half- day course entitled "Permitting 101" is designed to provide information on what activities require permits under various environmental laws such as the Natural Resources Protection Act, (NRPA) the Stormwater Law, the Site Location of Development Law and others.
The following is the course schedule along with registration information, please register early as courses can fill up fast:
Training for CEOs: Evaluating the Proper Installation of Erosion Control Practices
Fairfield, MDOT Performance &Training Center, September 16, 2014, Session #N1470
To register, contact JETCC at: 253-8020
Basic and Advanced Erosion Control Practices
Strong, Town Office, October 8, 2014
To register, contact Rosetta Thompson at: 778-4279
Princeton, Town Office, October 15, 2014
To register, contact Jim Slowe at: 788-3877
Poland, Poland Spring Resort, October 22, 2014
To register, contact Jane Heikkinen at: 753-9400 ext. 3
York, Public Library, November 5, 2014
To register, contact Leslie Hinz at: 363-1002
Scarborough, Public Works Facility, November 19, 2014
To register, contact, Scarborough Public Works at: 730-4400
Dover-Foxcroft, PVAEC Center, November 21, 2014
To register, contact PVAEC at: 564-6525 or 1-800-551-6525
Orono, Town Office November 25, 2014
To register, contact William Murphy at: 866-5051
Salt Management Training
To register for any of the courses below, please contact JETCC at: 253-8020
Brewer, Jeff’s Catering, November 4, 2014, Session #N1551
Lewiston, Ramada Inn, November 6, 2014, Session #N1552
Portland, Portland Water District, November 14, 2014, Session #N1553
LakeSmart Training For Landscape and Nurserymen
Portland, November 13, 2014, Keely’s
To register contact MELNA at: 623-6430
Continuing Education Program For Certified Contractors: Permitting 101
Augusta, AGC Maine, December 3, 2014
To register, contact Sandy Metrano at: 622-4741 or 232-5518
Gorham, Shaw Bros. Construction, December 10, 2014
To register, contact Martha Catevenis at: 485-4749
Bangor, Cross Insurance Center, December 17, 2014
To register, contact Sandy Metrano at: 622-4741 or 232-5518
Controlling Turbidity From Construction Sites
Course on CD-Rom,Session #N1457
or online course, To obtain, the CD-Rom, please contact JETCC at: 253-8020
 The Nonpoint Source Training and Resource Center’s 2014 Winter/Spring Training season trained over 660 individuals. Training was held for contractors, engineers, consultants, and municipal officials.
Training in erosion control was again provided to contractors, engineers, consultants and others throughout the state. A total of 18 courses in erosion control best management practices were held, with 422 people attending these programs.
Engineers, consultants and municipal officials involved with inspecting Stormwater and Erosion Control Best Management Practices were provided with instruction through 4 half-day programs held in Brewer and Portland These programs were very successful with a total of 80 participants attending.
For contractors who install septic systems 3 programs in system installation were held in three locations throughout the state. A total of 91 participants attended the programs which will likely result in an increase in the number of certified septic system installers.
Finally, the Center partnered with staff from the Departments of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and Health and Human Services to provide training to the state's Code Enforcement Officers and other municipal officials. Five classes were held throughout the state. The classes covered topics from forestry standards and overboard discharge licenses to low impact development standards. A total of 75 individuals attended these programs.
The DEP would again like to thank the Nonpoint Source Training Center Advisory Committee members, instructors, sponsors, J.E.T.C.C. and other organizations who made the Winter/Spring 2014 training season so successful!
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If you haven't heard, the Center is now offering a course for re-certification credits in erosion and sediment control practices on-line. The course is available on the DEP website and is called Controlling Turbidity from Construction Sites.
This is an easy and convenient way to obtain re-certification credits without having to attend a course in-person. We encourage you to utilize this on-line resource to keep your certification up-to-date. The Center plans to offer additional on-line courses in the near future so check the DEP training webpage for more information.
 The number of certified individuals continues to increase. We now have 2632 participants in the program, certifying over 200 in the last 8 months. Municipalities are now enforcing the requirement that certification is necessary for those contractors disturbing soil in the shoreland zone, and that has no doubt increased the number of people participating in the certification process.
If you are aware of contractors who are still not certified, please let them know that opportunities to attend a training class may be diminishing. We simply do not have the same demand for training courses as we have had in the past, and scheduled classes are now routinely cancelled due to lack of registrants. We would like everyone who wants to get certified to have the opportunity to do so as close to their headquarters as possible, but with decreased demand for classes, this may not be possible at this point. So it is no longer an option to wait to attend a class until one is scheduled in your area. Interested individuals should be directed to attend any available classes being offered, since the number of courses will continue to be limited.
If you know individuals who have taken the training in erosion control practices and are in need of an evaluation of one of their construction sites, urge them to contact the local soil & water conservation district office and set up an appointment to get this completed. The quicker they have this evaluation conducted, the sooner they can work in the shoreland zone and enjoy the other benefits associated with certification. For more information on the certification process, please contact Bill Laflamme at 215-9237
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The Department will begin sending information of importance associated with the Contractor Certification program, via e-mail or text beginning next month. The information on law changes, new practices and training courses, will be sent to those individuals who sign up and are participants of, or interested in, the Contractor Certifcation program in erosion and sediment control practices.
If you are certified, we urge you not miss out on information vital to your business and sign up as soon as possible. The sign up process is easy, simply go to manage your account and check off "Certifed Erosion Control Contractors in the "Subsciption Topics" section, to be added to the list. You will begin to receive information updates starting October 1st. This is internded to lower costs and provide information in a timely and convenient manner.
For those of you who work with ceritfied individuals, we would appreciate it if you could pass the word along to them regarding this new means of providing information.
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