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The Consortium of North East States (CONES) was formed in July of
1992 to facilitate interagency cooperation among the eight (8) Northeast States
and US EPA. The Northeast States include Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New
Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Jersey, and New York.
The first two tasks undertaken by the Consortium were to develop
a reciprocal agreement for certification of asbestos workers and then to develop
an approval mechanism for training courses in the region. These tasks were finalized
and effective August 1, 1995.
Subsequently the group, excluding New Jersey, expanded the scope
of reciprocity to include accreditation and state certification of all MAP categories
including worker, supervisor, project designer, inspector, management planner, and
air monitor (where applicable). Asbestos program managers, both state and federal,
met numerous times over a three year period to develop the Memorandum of Agreement
(MOA).
The MOA is intended to be an agreement, made in good faith, which
will enhance interagency communication and ultimately facilitate interstate certification
of individuals applying for state certification. The MOA focuses on approval of
training courses, auditing procedures, and state certification.
For additional information on CONES,
please contact:
James Bryson
United States Environmental Protection Agency - Region 1
Tel: (617) 918-1524
Bryson.JamesM@epamail.epa.gov
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