Maureen was working at the Consolidated Edison Company of NY, one of the largest utility companies on the East Coast, when she saw a path to engage her passion for the environment and make a difference in the company she served. A resident of Orange County since 1987, she made the decision to pursue a degree in Environmental Studies out of Ramapo College, a small liberal arts college with a stellar reputation for environmental science. It was at Ramapo College that she crossed paths with one of the professors, Michael Edelstein, and was introduced to Orange Environment, Inc. A group of brilliant, passionate protectors of the environment, Orange Environment Inc. worked to protect the local and regional environment through issues such as sustainable urban planning, natural resource conservation, water pollution prevention, waste management and recycling, climate change, and community outreach via public workshops, conferences, and Earth Day celebrations. She was hooked and signed up.
At the same time, Maureen was making her way up in Con Edison, finally landing a spot in the Environment, Health & Safety department. It was here that she could take what she learned and put it into practice. Her most important work there was managing a team of subject matter experts and scientists overseeing the implementation of regulatory obligations and corporate policy on environmental issues covering dam management, wetland protection, wildlife management, major oil spill response and waterway protection (company-wide, NYC and Westchester Countermeasure and Control Program), oil and chemical bulk storage tank management, asbestos removal, disposal and safety, solid waste management and recycling, Hazardous Waste Management Plans for small and large facilities, Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP) for existing facilities and construction sites, SPDES Permits for oil treatment facilities and major power plants on the East River and Harlem River. As her final act in the position, she shepherded a major redesign and restructuring of the environmental and safety pre-planning design process to better protect the environment while facilitating smart strategies for large engineering projects across the company in NYC and Westchester.
Upon her retirement, Maureen returned to her local roots to become even more actively engaged in the activities of Orange Environment, Inc. With the board of OE, Maureen continues to passionately pursue the protection of the local and regional environment of Orange County and its surrounding border areas in the Hudson Valley.