John Gersbach Email & Phone Number

Responsible for quality and content of Facility, Infrastructure and Engineering Systems Program database. Received Team Eagle Award.

Solid Waste Permit Program: Served as principal regional permit writer for all solid waste management facilities (landfills, incinerators, waste to energy, recycling and transfer facilities, etc) in Northern Virginia (20 jurisdictions, covering ~5,200 square miles). Utilized expertise and experience in project and program management, chemical and environmental engineering, chemistry, environmental law and regulations to analyze and prepare agency responses to complex permit application submissions and controversial facility design issues. Reviewed facility design and construction reports, and field operations, in order to verify compliance. Accomplishments: significantly reduced pre-existing permit amendment backlog, streamlined regional permit amendment review process, and re-established effective business relationships with the regulated community.

Client: Terrorism Research Center: First Responder Terrorism Emergency Preparedness Project (Contract): served as subject matter expert on chemical and biological terrorism counter measures for the US Department of Homeland Security Responder Knowledge Base, an online, open source database designed for the purpose of assisting first responder in preparing for and responding to Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) events (RKB; http://www1.rkb.mipt.org/). Accomplishments: increased RKB publication content by ~90%, and provided recommendations to simplify the organization of the RKB database.Client: Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association / University of Virginia Health System: Regional Bioterrorism Pharmacy Plan Project (Contract): served as principal regional bioterrorism pharmacy plan consultant for the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association (VHHA), Northwest Region (26 jurisdictions, covering ~8,526 square miles). Conducted open source intelligence research on biological agents that may be used as Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). Accomplishments: proposed field and hospital-based medicine distribution systems using Cornell University's computer model developed for use in responding to bioterrorism and pandemic disease events, a regional bioterrorism pharmacy plan, an extensive user manual and implementation resources for use in all hospital regions statewide, including VHHAs Northwest Region; co-presented regional bioterrorism pharmacy plan with the University of Virginia at the Virginia Department of Health 2005 Annual Meeting (April 2005); and participated in a joint Department of Defense emergency response drill (Determined Promise 2004).

Stonewall Plant Environmental, Health and Safety Compliance Management Programs: served as principal program manager for plant waste management, pollution prevention, multi-media environmental training, external multi-media environmental audits and waste management facility master list additions, environmental contract laboratory services for waste analyses, plant landfill replacement, and contractor OSHA hazardous waste operations and emergency response (HAZWOPER) environmental, health and safety (EH&S) programs; principal environmental project engineer for CANCIDAS(R) (caspofungin acetate) process design, development and startup campaign (includes pharmaceutical bioscience, biotechnology, and bioengineering, with an emphasis on the use of genetically engineered organisms to produce pharmaceutical products); team leader for EH&S compliance on corporate and plant capital projects (includes EH&S consideration and management of of pharmacology, microbiology and toxicology of process materials and by-products and development of process laboratory bio-safety policies and procedures); team leader for corporate and plant ISO 14000 based environmental management systems development and implementation, EH&S regulatory review and policy development; and local and state environmental education programs. Accomplishments: achieved employee excellence award (2003); contributed significantly to the Merck Stonewall Plant's Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards (1997 and 1998); achieved substantial permit and regulatory program compliance and ~$4.0MM in pollution prevention/process improvement savings; and provided environmental compliance management support to Merck's Pacific Rim facilities (China, Japan).

Stonewall Plant Environmental, Health and Safety Compliance Management Programs: served as project engineer for a 100 acre site environmental investigation and hazardous waste facility closure projects (includes work plan, quality assurance project plan, and OSHA HAZWOPER EH&S plan development and implementation). Accomplishments: contributed significantly to the Merck Stonewall Plant's Governor's Environmental Excellence Award (1991) and four out of seven of Merck & Co., Inc.'s America's Most Admired Company awards (1990 - 1993); achieved substantial permit and regulatory program compliance; ~$2.0MM in RCRA facility closure and soil management program savings; and facilitated Merck-Virginia Department of Environmental Quality joint venture in the development of Virginia's first multi-media, risk-based, hazardous waste facility closure model.

AVR Plant Environmental, Health and Safety Compliance Programs: Served as program manager for plant environmental (air, water and waste), health (OSHA) and safety (OSHA), and facility management (food service, housekeeping, insurance, security) programs, and site environmental investigation and hazardous waste remediation projects. Accomplishments: Achieved >$1MM in remediation savings.

Wastewater Treatment Research and Permit Program: Served as principal laboratory researcher on chemical and biological wastewater treatability studies for municipal and industrial clients.

State Wastewater Permit Program on Aquatic Toxicity Reduction (1983 – 1987) and State Flood Management Program (1981 – 1982)