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Course Details
Course Name: Ecological Risk Assessment
Course Code: EZ0401WA25
Date of Most Recent Offering: June 17 & 18 and June 24 & 25, 2025
Course Overview
This online program provides attendees with a comprehensive overview of regulatory expectations of ecological risk assessments from both federal and state perspectives. Participants will learn to help clients understand how the ecological risk assessment process aids in developing realistic approaches to remediating sites. LSRPs will gain more perspective on the role that ecological risk assessment plays in establishing site clean-up goals.
On June 17 & 18, 2025 (from 9 am – 12:30 pm each day), learn about the methodologies and innovative approaches being employed to conduct ecological risk evaluations and assessments of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems under CERCLA, RCRA, and various state mandates.
On June 24 & 25, 2025 (from 9 am – 12:30 pm each day), NJDEP representatives will take you through the updated NJ guidance document for the completion of ecological risk assessments under the Licensed Site Remediation Professionals (LSRP) Program.
Featured Topics
- Applicability of Ecological Risk Assessments
- Federal, State (NJ, NY, and PA), and Regional Approaches
- Regulatory Drivers
- Development of Clean-up Goals
- Hazard Assessment: How and Why
- The US EPA’s 8-Step Process
Who Should Attend?
Environmental professionals seeking a greater understanding of the ecological risk assessment process can benefit from attending this course. Past participants have included:
- Consultants
- Ecological Risk Assessors
- Engineers
- Environmental Specialists
- Geologists
- Hydrogeologists
- Licensed Site Remediation Professionals (LSRP)
- Project Managers
Meet Your Instructors
Faculty Coordinator
Charles R. Harman, P.W.S.

A Principal Ecologist and Regulatory Services Branch Manager at WPS, Charles Harman has 30 years of experience in the environmental consulting field. He specializes in natural resource related assessment and management activities, including ecological risk assessments, sediment evaluations, biological assessments, natural resource damage assessments, wetlands management, and ecological restorations. He is responsible for the completion of ecological risk assessment projects and wetlands evaluations at hazardous waste sites and industrial facilities around the country, and he has conducted ecological risk assessments using a variety of USEPA headquarters, regional, program, and state methodologies. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Ecology from Texas A&M University and a Master’s degree in Biology from Southwest Texas State University.
Additional Instructors
Keith Leonard, NJDEP

Keith Leonard is a Research Scientist in the Bureau of Ecological Evaluation and Risk Assessment (BEERA). He provides technical guidance and review of ecological evaluations. Keith holds a B.S. in Marine and Environmental Biology and Policy from Monmouth University (2013) and an M.S. in Natural Resources from Delaware State University (2017). He has been with the Department since 2019.
Iman Olguin-Lira, NJDEP

Iman Olguin-Lira is a Research Scientist in the NJDEP Site Remediation and Waste Management Program’s Bureau of Environmental Evaluation and Risk Assessment (BEERA). She provides technical guidance and review for ecological risk assessment. Iman holds a B.S. in Biology from Florida Atlantic University (2007) and a M.S. in Marine Biology and Coastal Zone Management from Nova Southeastern University (2012). She has worked in the environmental field for 10 years.
Joel Pecchioli, NJDEP
Bio coming soon!
Student Reviews
Most useful aspect of the course: “Hearing directly from NJDEP experts; insights on how they view situations.”
– Past Participant
“The Eco guidance document can be difficult to follow. This training session helped.”
– Past Participant
“Nice balance of NJDEP and regulated community perspective on such a complicated subject.”
– Past Participant
Continuing Education Credits
The most recent offering of Ecological Risk Assessment was approved for 1.2 Rutgers CEUs (12 contact hours) as well as the following credits from professional organizations. We will reapply for similar credits the next time the course runs, but we cannot guarantee credit approval for future offerings.
Connecticut
CT Licensed Environmental Professionals (LEPs): 9.5 CECs – Course Number CTLEP-392
New Jersey
NJ Certified Public Works Managers (CPWM): 12 Government Contact Hours (Course #DLGS-RUCPE25-15)
NJ Health Officers and Registered Environmental Health Specialists (HO/REHS): Rutgers University, NJAES, Office of Continuing Professional Education has been approved by the New Jersey Department of Health as a provider of NJ Public Health Continuing Education Contact Hours (CEs). Participants who complete this education program will be awarded 13.0 NJ Public Health Continuing Education Contact Hours (CEs).
NJ Licensed Site Remediation Professionals (LSRP): 5 Regulatory and 5 Technical CECs (Course No. 2012-029)
NJ Professional Engineers: 10 Continuing Professional Competency (CPC) Credits
Attention U.S. Veterans

This course is approved by the New Jersey State Approving Agency for Veterans Training for educational benefits through the GI Bill®. Learn more.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Program Questions? We’re Here to Help!
If you have any questions about Ecological Risk Assessment, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Program Coordinator: Pamela Springard-Mayer
848-932-7463
pspring@rutgers.edu

Administrative Assistant: Claudine Oleskin
848-932-7204
coleskin@njaes.rutgers.edu
For registration assistance, please contact our Registration Department at 848-932-9271, option 2 or email registration@njaes.rutgers.edu.