Shaping the Next Generation of Environmental Protection

Dr. Tony Szwilski’s expertise in preventing and solving water resource problems has built him an international reputation: his consulting work has taken him to China and Sumatra, to the Atacama desert in Peru and the lush jungles of the Amazon River basin. “Whenever we put a hole in the ground, whether it be for construction of a new building, road or deep mine, it disturbs the water flow to the surface and water bodies below,” he said. “It is always important for the builder to construct and leave the sire in such a way that it doesn’t adversely affect the quantity and quality of the community’s water resources.

As an environmental engineer, Szwilski currently focuses his research energies on a significant tool for the next generation of environmental protection: programs called environmental management systems (EMSs).

“There has been an increasing awareness on the part of most stakeholders in natural resource development that the old carrot/stick approach currently part of environmental regulation isn’t working,” said Szwilski, who worked more than two years for the Kentucky State Environmental Protection Cabinet in the Division of Water Resources. “Government and industry have to look at innovative ways to achieve better environmental protection; they have to work together to achieve solutions for optimum environmental performance.”

Szwilski calls EMSs a “very promising environmental policy and environmental information instrument,” noting that people who work in an industry or business 24 hours a day have a far better understanding of their firm’s operations and associated environmental impacts than an outside regulator could have, and have the unique knowledge needed to achieve solution.

With an EMS, a company identifies its activities that affect the environment, then writes a management plan to address those environmental impacts and monitor the results.

“To a large extent it is not so important whether an industry that is interested in an EMS has been a bad actor or a good actor,” he said. “Whatever place it starts from, that stakeholders work together to find solutions to continuously improve environmental performance. The idea is to get companies or organization to the point they become better stewards of the environment while being very productive and profitable.

Establishing credible EMSs that address the concerns of all parties takes commitment, work and skill. “The university plays a critical role in finding common ground,” Szwilski said. “Because we are independent, the university is in the best position to evaluate policy and render the most objective conclusion. We have the bird’s eye view and the wide range of appropriate disciplines and expertise to make a significant difference.

Marshall University has a distinguished track record in water research. Given its location, its breadth of faculty expertise and growing state and national needs, the university stands ready to become a nationally prominent center for freshwater research.