Connecticut State Department of Public Health

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Department of Public Health Official Recognized for Work to Improve Laboratory Data for Use in Environmental Cleanups 
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE            Connecticut Department of Public Health

June 29, 2009                                           Contact: William Gerrish

                                                     (860) 509-7270              

 

 

Hartford – Connecticut Department of Public Health manager and Southbury resident, Jeffrey Curran, was recently honored by the Department of Environmental Protection as a recipient of their GreenCircle Award for his excellent work over the last five years on the statewide Laboratory Quality Assurance & Control Workgroup.  The Green Circle award recognizes businesses, organizations, and individuals who help make Connecticut "Greener and Cleaner."

 

The workgroup was recognized for making significant progress towards the improvement of the quality of data used to support decisions on cleanup projects statewide.  The workgroup produced standards to guide the testing of polluted soils and water.  It also developed a framework for the review of the results of such tests that will ensure the accuracy of data used in critical cleanup decisions. 

 

“Jeff was instrumental in the evaluation of soil preservation devices for preservation of volatile organics in soil samples, and the development and implementation of additional analytical methods for the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Reasonable Confidence Protocols,” stated Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. J. Robert Galvin. 

 

These improvements will promote DEP’s acceptance of analytical data and reduce the need for additional sampling and analysis.  In addition, these improvements will provide greater confidence in the decisions made during the cleanup of polluted sites.

 

The GreenCircle Program is an on-going award program and award categories are for both common and innovative activities in the environmental field.  For a list of GreenCircle award recipients and a description of the program, visit the DEP website at: www.ct.gov/dep.

 

Mr. Curran is a manager in the Department of Public Health’s Environmental Health Section.  His responsibilities include management of the Environmental Laboratory Certification Program, which certifies laboratories involved in testing environmental samples (air, water, soil, sediments, and wastes) for a variety of contaminates.  This certification is accomplished by a system of on-site inspections, proficiency tests (PT) samples, and document review. 

 

The Connecticut Department of Public Health is the state’s leader in public health policy and advocacy with a mission to protect and promote the health and safety of the people of our state.  To contact the department, please visit its website at www.ct.gov/dph or call (860) 509-7270.

 

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