The mining company worked with the consulting firm WSP Environment and Energy to configure an E-records Information Management System (ERIMS) to specifically deal with complex, massive data sets. It allows data to be gathered, analyzed, centralized and reported electronically to meet the specific needs of customers that have a statutory or reputational need to ensure that they are acting to protect the environment.
CONSOL Energy worked with WSP for eight years to develop a system that has been optimized to meet the company’s requirements. The ERIMS currently supports the monitoring and loading of more than 9,000 sample points generating millions of analytical records, groundwater elevations, and stream flow results.
It is used around the clock all year round by more than 100 CONSOL Energy users producing more than 5 million Internet page requests per year. The user base for CONSOL Energy consists of company environmental managers, multiple consulting companies and third party laboratories. The system also acts as an electronic file and photo repository for the storage of more than 100,000 electronic files as supporting documents to the company-wide monitoring programs.
The system generates about 5,000 reports per year for submittal to regulatory agencies. The business processes and reporting alert systems within ERIMS result in an estimated cost savings for the company of more than $500,000/yr, according to WSP.
More importantly, the ERIMS ensures that CONSOL Energy is able to easily meet its environmental compliance obligations and to act swiftly on any environmental risks that occur. Its reputation as an environmentally responsible and prepared company has helped contribute to it being named as one of America’s most admired companies by Fortune magazine.
