Land Protection Branch Programs and Units

MANAGEMENT

Chuck Mueller, Branch Chief
Sarah Visser, Assistant Branch Chief

SUPPORT UNITS

  • Administrative 
    • April Skinner, Office Manager - Tradeport
    • Kathleen Robinson, Office Manager - Towers
  • Financial Management (GUST/HWTF) 
    • ​Susie Kocsis, Unit Manager
  • Risk Assessment
    • Amy Potter, Program Manager

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM — William Cook, Program Manager

4244 International Parkway
Suite 104
Atlanta, GA 30354
Phone: 404.362.2692
Fax: 404.362.2693

Environmental Monitoring Unit — John Sayer, Unit Manager

  • Review groundwater, surface water and methane monitoring compliance and remediation plans
  • Conduct compliance inspections for methane and groundwater monitoring at publicly and privately owned solid waste handling facilities

Recovered Materials Unit — Lena Chambless, Unit Manager

  • Issue permits, conduct compliance inspections, and enforce state regulations for scrap tire sorters and processors

  • Issue permits for material recovery, baling, and composting facilities

  • Coordinate the abatement of scrap tire piles through the use of state contracts

  • Administer Solid Waste Trust Fund

Solid Waste Permitting Unit — Keith Stevens, Unit Manager

  • Review applications and plans for solid waste handling facilities, including landfills, incinerators, transfer stations, and land application facilities
  • Issue permits for solid waste handling facilities
  • Conduct compliance inspections for solid waste handling facilities
  • Coordinate Landfill Operator Certification Program

Surface Mining Unit — Jamie Lancaster, Unit Manager

  • Review applications and approve surface mining land use plans
  • Issue surface mining permits
  • Conduct compliance evaluations of surface mining operations
  • Review and approve bonding requirements for surface mining operations
  • Ensure reclamation of completed mining operations

Tire Management Unit — Tim Gilliland, Unit Manager

  • Conduct compliance inspections and enforce state regulations for scrap tire generators and carriers
  • Respond to citizen complaints regarding scrap tire piles and take enforcement action to ensure tires are removed

UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK (UST) MANAGEMENT PROGRAM — Jay Kemberling, Program Manager

4244 International Parkway
Suite 104
Atlanta, GA 30354
Phone: 404.362.2687  
Fax: 404.362.2654

Corrective Action Unit I — Upendra Giri, Unit Manager

  • Review and approve UST closure reports and corrective action plans for sites that are eligible for GUST Trust Fund reimbursement
  • Administer GUST Trust Fund

Corrective Action Unit II — Ashley Besaw, Unit Manager

  • Review and approve UST closure reports and corrective action plans for sites that are not eligible for GUST Fund reimbursement
  • Provide and manage corrective action contractors for cleanup of eligible facilities
  • Petroleum brownfields
  • Administer GUST Trust Fund

Enforcement Unit — Chad Hall, Unit Manager

Regulatory Compliance Unit I — Shaheer Muhanna, Unit Manager

  • Conduct compliance inspections and enforcement of regulations for installation, operation, closure, and cleanup of petroleum and hazardous substance UST systems 
  • Enforce spill, overfill, and corrosion protection requirements for all new and existing UST systems
  • Conduct compliance inspections and enforcement of regulations for installation and operation of Stage I enhanced vapor recovery systems and Stage II Vapor Recovery Program in the 13-county Atlanta ozone non-attainment area

Regulatory Compliance Unit II — Michael Hester, Unit Manager

  • Conduct compliance inspections and enforcement of regulations for installation, operation, closure, and cleanup of petroleum and hazardous substance UST systems
  • Enforce spill, overfill, and corrosion protection requirements for all new and existing UST systems
  • Manage annual registration of operational UST systems

HAZARDOUS WASTE CORRECTIVE ACTION PROGRAM — Jim McNamara, Acting Program Manager 

2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. SE
Suite 1054, East Tower
Atlanta, GA 30334
Phone: 404.657.8600
Fax: 404.651.9425

Remedial Sites Unit I — Jim McNamara, Unit Manager

Remedial Sites Unit II — John Fonk, Unit Manager

Remedial Sites Unit III — Jim Sliwinski, Unit Manager

  • Conduct compliance, permitting and enforcement at facilities that require corrective action for releases from closed RCRA hazardous waste units
  • Oversee actions taken by EPA Region IV at Georgia NPL sites
  • Oversee the investigation and remediation of releases regulated under the Georgia Hazardous Waste Management Act 

Lead-Based Paint and Asbestos Unit — Elisabeth Munsey, Unit Manager

4244 International Parkway
Suite 104
Atlanta, GA 30354
Phone: 470.524.2179 
Fax: 404.362.2607

  • Certify lead-based paint contractors
  • Accredit lead-based paint and asbestos training providers
  • Impose and enforce work standards for lead-based paint activities
  • Investigate lead-based paint and AHERA asbestos complaints
  • License contractors to remove friable asbestos
  • Enforce training requirements for asbestos supervisors and asbestos contractors

RESPONSE AND REMEDIATION PROGRAM — Jason Metzger, Program Manager 

2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. SE
Suite 1054, East Tower
Atlanta, GA 30334
Phone: 404.657.8600
Fax: 404.657.0807

Brownfield Unit — Shannon Ridley, Unit Manager
Phone: 404.657.8600
Fax:  404.651.9425

  • Oversee and manage cleanup, reuse and redevelopment of brownfield properties
  • Oversee investigation and cleanup of contaminated property conducted under the Georgia Brownfield Act
  • Issue limitation of liability certificates for brownfield properties where standards have been met
  • Review and certify brownfield cleanup costs eligible for property tax abatement
  • Maintain Georgia’s public records for brownfield properties

Response Development Unit I — David Brownlee, Unit Manager

Response Development Unit II — Kevin Collins, Unit Manager

  • Administer the state Superfund program and the Hazardous Waste Trust Fund
  • Maintain the Hazardous Site Inventory (HSI), including evaluation of sites for addition or delisting
  • Oversee investigation and remediation of HSI sites by private parties or state contractors
  • Take enforcement actions requiring private parties to perform site investigations and cleanups
  • Reimburse qualified state and local government costs associated with investigating and remediating solid waste handling facilities
  • Conduct preliminary assessments and site evaluations for the federal Superfund program

Voluntary Remediation Unit — Susan Kibler, Unit Manager

  • Oversee voluntary investigation and remediation of contaminated property conducted under the Georgia Voluntary Remediation Program Act (VRPA)
  • Maintain Georgia’s public records for voluntary remediation properties and environmental covenants
  • Participate in evaluation of sites for addition to HSI or delisting in accordance with VRPA

HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM — Holly Nelson, Program Manager 

2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. SE
Suite 1054, East Tower
Atlanta, GA 30334
Phone: 404.657.8600
Fax: 404.651.9425

Department of Defense Facilities Unit — Kim Hembree, Unit Manager

  • Conduct Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) permitting, compliance monitoring, and enforcement at facilities owned/operated by the Department of Defense
  • Oversee the investigation and remediation of releases regulated under the Georgia Hazardous Waste Management Act, the Georgia Hazardous Site Response Act and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act at both active and inactive military installations, including formerly used defense sites (FUDS)
  • Oversee the investigation and remediation of former ranges at military installations and FUDS, which are contaminated with unexploded military munitions and small arm munitions

Treatment and Storage Unit — Vacant, Unit Manager

  • Conduct Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) permitting, compliance monitoring, and enforcement at commercial hazardous waste treatment, storage, or disposal (TSD) facilities in Georgia
  • Oversee the investigation and remediation of National Priorities List sites
  • Oversee the investigation and remediation of hazardous constituent/hazardous substance releases regulated under the Georgia Hazardous Waste Management Act and the Georgia Hazardous Site Response Act

Generator Compliance Unit — Jeffery Bankhead, Unit Manager
Phone: 404.657.8831
Fax: 404.651.9425

  • Conduct Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) compliance monitoring and enforcement at hazardous waste generators, hazardous waste transporters, universal waste facilities, marketers of hazardous waste fuel, and used oil transporters and facilities.
  • Investigate citizen complaints and provide technical assistance regarding the management of hazardous wastes