The PA Small Business Development Centers’ Environmental Management Assistance Program, a statewide environmental assistance program for businesses, has hired a new consultant to serve business owners in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Lee Ann Briggs joins EMAP as an environmental consultant providing one-on-one consulting to help businesses understand their environmental regulatory requirements.

Briggs will work out of the University of Pittsburgh SBDC, a division of the Institute for Entrepreneurial Excellence, and is available to assist a wide range of companies with environmental issues such as auto body shops, dry cleaners, manufacturers and printers.

“We are thrilled to have a full time environmental consultant in Southwestern Pennsylvania again to be on the ground meeting with small businesses in our region,” said Ray Vargo, director of the University of Pittsburgh SBDC. “In addition to our core business consulting we will now have in-house environmental regulatory expertise to benefit Pittsburgh area companies,” he added.

“EMAP is the only statewide program that offers no-fee, confidential assistance to help businesses with their environmental concerns, and we will now be able to serve more firms who request these in-demand services,” said Nancy Crickman, director of environmental, energy, and technology services with the Pennsylvania SBDC.

“We would like to thank Allegheny County and the University of Pittsburgh for their support in making this expansion possible,” noted Crickman.

Lee Ann Briggs has over 28 years of environmental regulatory compliance experience in both consulting and industrial capacities.

In addition to her experience working as an environmental consultant for EMAP at the Duquesne University SBDC for eleven years, Briggs was previously the manager of environmental and regulatory affairs for a paint and coatings manufacturer, providing full environmental, product safety and employee safety compliance for nine years.

Prior to this she was an environmental scientist/project manager with two different environmental/engineering consulting firms. Briggs is a Registered Environmental Manager through the National Registry of Environmental Professionals.

EMAP provides Pennsylvania small businesses with the answers and assistance they need to effectively manage their environmental concerns and reduce regulatory risks. EMAP provides one-on-one environmental compliance assistance to small business owners in all industry sectors - retail, commercial and industrial.

EMAP’s no-cost environmental compliance services include:

-- One-on-one consultation to help business owners understand regulatory requirements;

-- Conducting on-site assessments;

-- Emissions calculations;

-- Assisting with the preparation and submittal of requests for determinations, permit applications and plans;

-- Explaining permit requirements and setting up customized record keeping and reporting systems; and

-- Finding alternative materials and processes to help small businesses reduce their regulatory burden.

Small businesses with environmental needs and concerns in any part of Pennsylvania can call the toll-free EMAP hotline at 1-877-ASK-EMAP or visit the Environmental Management Assistance Program website for more information and to request service.

1/11/2016