Strategic Analysis of New Jersey\u27s LSRP Program by Applying a Combined SWOT-AHP Technique

In 2009 the Site Remediation Reform Act (SRRA) was established which created the Licensed Site Remediation Professions (LSRP) program. LSRPs can provide remediation services without delayed approval from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). The result allows for prompt development of contaminated sites. Ten years after its passage, SRRA 2.0 will soon be introduced. To assist in its strategic development, a modified Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats - Analytical Hierarch Process (SWOT-AHP) will be applied to four stockholder groups to determine each groups\u27 preferences of the current LSRP program. The four groups include government/legal entities, business/trade organizations, non-government organizations, and the LSRPs

Assessing the Capabilities and Limitations of Privatizing State Environmental Remediation Programs

In 2012, environmental remediations in the state of New Jersey were modified to proceed under the supervision of a Licensed Site Remediation Professional (LSRP), rather than under the management of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). The LSRP program was set forth in the Site Remediation Reform Act (SRRA), which was established to accelerate the investigation and remediation of over 20,000 contaminated sites in the state. The program created major modifications to the management of site remediations by privatizing the process. Under the new program, a licensed individual from the private sector is designated as a LSRP, and can act as a remediation supervisor and provide oversight for remediation activities. These types of programs have already been employed by two nearby states into their environmental regulatory framework. The New Jersey LSRP program has been largely modeled after the Massachusetts Licensed Hazardous Waste Site Professional (LSP), a program that has been in practice since 1993. The privatization of public environmental services has many variations, ranging from outsourcing portions of the remediation activities with the state maintaining full control over the remediation process to a large-scale privatized system that significantly lessens government’s direct involvement in the remediation process. This dissertation study undertook a systematic analysis of state-run programs to examine the states’ methodologies in determining the demands for a privatized system, determined the type of the privatization of a large-scale privatized system, and understand program impacts. This study determined that the greatest impacts have been the increases in the closure rates of contaminated properties in large populated cities. The study used a modified Strength Weakness Opportunities Threat – Analytical Hierarchy Process (SWOT-AHP) to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the New Jersey LSRP Program. The most significant areas of successes and needed improvements are acknowledged to assist in future strategic planning. Finally, the study identified acceptable conformance of the New Jersey LSRPs by verifying their commitments towards the strict codes of conduct by using the elements of the International Organization for Standardization 14001 audit process. The initial goal of the study was to assess how New Jersey’s privatization of their state-run remediation programs can help protect public health, safety, and the environment from known contaminants. The long-term goals may provide insights to policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and businesses alike on how a large-scale privatization process can help accomplish their specified goals in determining if privatized programs may be implemented within their states, or modifying their existing programs

Assessing Vehicle Profiling Accuracy of Handheld LiDAR Compared to Terrestrial Laser Scanning for Crash Scene Reconstruction

Forensic crash investigation often requires developing detailed profiles showing the location and extent of vehicle damage to identify impact areas, impact direction, deformation, and estimated vehicle speeds at impact. Traditional damage profiling techniques require extended and comprehensive setups for mapping and measurement that are quite labor- and time-intensive. Due to the time involved, this damage profiling is usually done in a remote holding area after the crash scene is cleared. Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) scanning technology in consumer handheld electronic devices, such as smartphones and tablets, holds significant potential for conducting this damage profile mapping in just a few minutes, allowing the mapping to be conducted at the scene before the vehicle(s) are moved. However, there is limited research and even scarcer published literature on field procedures and/or accuracy for these emerging smartphones and tablets with LiDAR. This paper proposes a methodology and subsequent measurement accuracy comparisons for survey-grade terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and handheld alternatives. The maximum root mean square error (RMSE) obtained for profile distance between handheld (iPad) and survey-grade TLS LiDAR scans for a damaged vehicle was observed to be 3 cm, a level of accuracy that is likely sufficient and acceptable for most forensic studies

Kompozyty żywicy fenolowo-formaldehydowej napełnionej zmodyfikowanym flogopitem wzmacniane hybrydowymi siatkami z włókna szklanego i bazaltowego stosowane jako ściernice

The research on obtaining composites based on phenol-formaldehyde resin (PFR) with modified phlogopite quaternary ammonium salt (QAS) reinforced with hybrid glass and basalt fiber was carried out. The influence of the reinforcement structure (glass mesh weave) and the type of fiber on the performance properties of the obtained composites were assessed, especially in terms of their use a grinding wheels reinforced with modified hybrid glass and basalt fiber meshes. Based on the obtained research results, it was found that composites reinforced with a glass fiber layer mesh with a matrix of phenol-formaldehyde resin filled with modified phlogopite are characterized by higher mechanical strength, abrasion resistance and dynamic strength of the disk compared to unmodified composites.Przeprowadzono badania nad otrzymaniem kompozytów na osnowie żywicy fenolowo-formaldehydowej (PFR) z flogopitem zmodyfikowanym czwartorzędową solą amoniową (QAS) wzmacnianych hybrydowymi siatkami z włókna szklanego i bazaltowego. Oceniono wpływ struktury wzmocnienia (splotu siatki szklanej) oraz rodzaju włókna na właściwości użytkowe otrzymanych kompozytów, zwłaszcza w kontekście ich zastosowania w charakterze ściernic. Na podstawie uzyskanych wyników badań stwierdzono, że kompozyty wzmocnione siatką warstwową z włókna szklanego z osnową żywicy fenolowo-formaldehydowej napełnionej zmodyfikowanym flogopitem charakteryzują się większą wytrzymałością mechaniczną, odpornością na ścieranie oraz wytrzymałością dynamiczną tarczy niż kompozyty niemodyfikowane

Surgical versus Nonsurgical Multimodality Treatment in an Idiopathic Frozen Shoulder: A Retrospective Study of Clinical and Functional Outcomes

This retrospective study compared the clinical and functional outcomes of patients diagnosed with an idiopathic frozen shoulder with symptom onset of a maximum of six months, treated by arthroscopic capsular release followed by corticosteroid injection and physiotherapy to patients who received only corticosteroid injection followed by physiotherapy. The patients who underwent arthroscopic capsular release, intraoperative corticosteroid injection, and physiotherapy (Group I, n = 30) or received only corticosteroids injection and physiotherapy (Group II, n = 29) were examined in terms of shoulder range of motion (ROM), pain intensity, and function before a given treatment and three, six, and twelve months later. The groups were comparable pre-treatment in terms of ROM, pain, and functional outcome. Group I had statistically and clinically significantly better ROM and function at three and six months post-treatment than Group II. Despite being statistically significant, the between-group differences at twelve-month follow-up in ROM and function were too small to be considered clinically notable. The between-group comparison of pain revealed no significant differences at any post-treatment point of time. The early arthroscopic capsular release preceding corticosteroid injection and physiotherapy seemed more effective at three- and six-month follow-up; however, it brought a comparable result to corticosteroid injection and subsequent physiotherapy at twelve months follow-up