Focus Environmental, Inc
4700 Papermill Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States

Since 1988, Focus Environmental, Inc., has been a leader in providing process engineering, training, consulting, permitting, and other regulatory compliance services. Focus has successfully completed over 1300 projects for over 400 clients in the United States, Puerto Rico, and over 15 foreign countries.

Our Mission

We are an experienced team of professionals "focused" on providing the best engineering solutions to environmental problems.

Our company is committed to satisfying our client's needs and protecting our environment through the application of sound technologies.

We do this to improve our quality of life, increase our company value, and obtain satisfaction from a job well done.

Company Profile

The Focus staff of degreed professionals is recognized nationally for work in the environmental field and our Senior Consultants have a collective average of over 25 years of engineering experience. Staff members have extensive hands-on experience with chemical and industrial plant operations. We serve on several industry and government committees responsible for technology assessment, regulatory review, standards development, and information exchange. This combination of technical expertise, regulatory insight, and practical hands-on operating experience allows us to identify and implement the best solutions for our clients' specific applications. Our overall experience means we can develop design, operating, and permitting plans that can be successfully implemented by our clients.

Trial Burns, Compliance Tests, and other Emissions Testing

Our objective is to assist our clients in planning and conducting performance test programs that not only meet regulatory requirements, but also result in permit operating conditions that allow maximum flexibility in system operation. To accomplish these objectives, we work closely with the client’s operations, regulatory, and management personnel to:

• Develop a comprehensive test plan that includes effective test operating protocols; sampling, analysis, and monitoring methods; and appropriate quality assurance and quality control procedures (QA/QC).
• Assist in permit negotiations and in preparing responses to questions from the regulatory agencies.
• Provide complete services to manage the successful implementation of the test program and prepare complete and accurate test reports covering sampling, analysis, QA/QC, and process operations.

Focus’ environmental regulatory compliance services range from preparing permit applications and performance test plans to developing strategies for meeting new standards and custom programs for assuring day-to-day compliance. Focus has assisted clients in achieving compliance with major federal environmental regulations as well as many state and local rules and statutes for solid and hazardous waste, air, and wastewater.

Compliance services are divided into the following basic activities that are integrated to meet the project requirements:

Trial Burns, Compliance Tests, and Other Emission Testing
Compliance Management
Air Permitting
MACT Compliance
Continuous Emission Monitoring System
Air Dispersion Modeling
Ambient Air Quality Monitoring
Consulting
Hazardous Waste Combustor Operator Certification Training
ASME QHO-1 Certification Program

Compliance Management

We have assisted several clients in developing regulatory compliance programs that integrate the requirements of various environmental regulations with facility standard operating procedures into a single comprehensive system. This approach minimizes duplication of effort in meeting each law's requirements and provides a framework for collecting, organizing, storing, and reporting all required data. To keep pace with changing regulatory requirements, we have developed a unique approach to regulatory compliance programs that is tailored to each client's specific requirements.

Air Permitting

Air Emissions - Focus can provide a full range of air permitting services, including air emission inventories, regulatory and compliance assessments, preparing permit applications, negotiating with regulatory agencies, participating in public hearings, and conducting performance compliance tests. Focus personnel have successfully prepared federal, state and local air permit applications addressing.

MACT Compliance

The National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP), also known as MACT standards, can be complicated and burdensome. Focus is specialized in MACT compliance and can help facilities anticipate and plan for compliance issues. To ensure compliance with applicable regulations, Focus can assess a facility’s existing program to identify gaps with MACT requirements and help the facility develop a MACT implementation program and compliance management system.

Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems

EPA has placed the burden on sources to continually prove compliance with emission standards and limitations. Through the use of continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS), affected sources can provide assurance to the agency that they are meeting their emissions limitations. In addition, sources subject to the Acid Rain Program and/or the NOx Budget Program must use CEMS to calculate their allowances. Because it is essential that CEMS are installed correctly and meet high levels of accuracy and precision, Focus works with clients to ensure compliance with performance and reporting requirements.

Focus has experience with CEMS performance specifications, associated certification tests and quality assurance/quality control plans.

Air Dispersion Modeling

Focus has understanding of the mathematical basis of air dispersion models, which helps us select the model that matches the level of sophistication required to provide reliable results without unnecessary expense. We also have experience in conducting research into the accuracy and precision of model predictions. This gives us insight into applying air dispersion models and interpreting model results.

When available, we use existing ambient air monitoring data to compare against model predictions to establish the quality of the air dispersion modeling analysis. If a special modeling need arises, we have the capability for software development. We are equipped to handle databases employing data management techniques designed for large quantities of input data and computer generated results. We routinely employ computer graphic techniques for displaying model results.

Ambient Air Quality Monitoring

We have extensive experience with sampling procedures of the EPA, OSHA, and National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). We have experience conducting ambient air monitoring near industrial plants, remediation sites under CERCLA and RCRA, and emergency response sites of accidental spills of hazardous chemicals. Focus also conducts urban-wide monitoring and background monitoring.

Consulting

Keeping up with regulatory change is a major business challenge. Regulations can impact company operations through unnecessary enforcement actions and unplanned capital costs. Focus helps clients with this complex and ever-changing regulatory environment by reporting on existing legislation and new regulatory developments and by providing community relations technical support and Expert Witness testimony.