Environmental Certifications & Courses

The following are the current certificates offered. Additional fields always open up, so please check back frequently. Perhaps your next career move will start here at the National Registry of Environmental Professionals!

Please note that if you fail the exam you will need to pay $100.00 for each exam you re-take and must be made payable to the National Registry of Environmental Professionals.

All REM Candidates Must Read and Print Out a Copy of the
“Candidate Information Handbook”

Certified Environmental and Safety Compliance Officer (CESCO)
Until January 1, 2013, the National Registry of Environmental Professionals (NREP) is “grandfathering” individuals as a Certified Environmental and Safety Compliance Officer. This offer expires January 1, 2013, after which all others will be required to sit for a comprehensive computerized examination.

This program is being instituted to fill the urgent need by government and the public for skilled and knowledgeable individuals to work protecting individuals and facilities in construction, government, utilities, business and industry.

The purpose of the Certified Environmental and Safety Compliance Officer is to identify persons claiming to understand the basic and most significant laws and regulations pertaining to air, water, wastewater pollution and solid and hazardous wastes, and safety. NREP is not responsible in any way for specific knowledge and/or actions of anyone so credentialed. Professionals so credentialed must practice and comply with the NREP Code of Ethics. http://www.nrep.org/ethics.php.

To be grandfathered and credentialed as an Environmental and Safety Compliance Officer, applicants must complete this NREP’s official application form and submit a payment of $200. There is no examination.

The CESCO certification is open to any individual who has an interest in improving his/her recognized environmental or safety work status in the public or private sectors. A CESCO helps to identify technicians as claiming to have basic training in matters of the environment and safety and the dedication to further improving his/her knowledge in such matters.

You will want to become ESCO certified if you are in any one of the following groups:

Education: Minimum of OSHA 40 hr training or an Associates degree from an accredited community college.

Work Experience: 2 years of full time employment performing environmental and/or safety responsibilities for a consultant, industry or military.

To maintain the CESCO certification, an individual must pay annual renewal fee of $90.00 by the expiration date shown on their NREP ID card.

This authoritative certification program was developed and is continually updated by a highly experienced advisory board of leaders from government, military and industry with over 100 years of combined experience in dealing with environmental assessments. Maintaining this certifications and proof of improving your environmental and safety knowledge is mandatory.

REM Certification -- Registered Environmental Manager is the highest professional/ management level of NREP registration. Printout and refer to the Candidate Information Handbook for the latest and most complete information. Successfully passing a 150 question, closed-book exam with a scaled score of 700 is mandatory. An REM candidate should possess the skills and knowledge to coordinate and manage major environmental health and safety (EH&S) projects and programs. This includes environmental auditing, hazardous materials management and transportation, and real estate environmental assessment. The federal government's U.S. Postal Service, National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service; Resolution Trust Corporation, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Dept. of Energy, Amtrak, State of Alabama and other state agencies, as well as many local governments recognize the Registered Environmental Manager (REM) certification.

Education: Bachelor's degree in an environmentally-related discipline. Recognized majors include the physical, biological and health sciences; engineering and environmental majors. 3 years of acceptable work experience may be substituted for each year of an academic degree program.

Work Experience: Five (5) years work directly related to environmental engineering, health, science or management.

Exam Requirement: 2 hrs - 45 minutes timed, multiple-choice, closed-book exam. Candidates must pass the REM examination with a scaled score of 700 or better. The REM exam may be proctored at the end of an NREP-approved workshop or through ISO Quality Testing at one of their 350 test centers. To locate a test center near you, go to http://www.isoqualitytesting.com and click on Take a Test, then click on Testing Center Locations.

Refer to the Candidate Information Handbook for examination information, including: examination development, examination design, examination content and sample questions, REM examination preparation, and much more information.

AEP -- Associate Environmental Professional is the entry level program of professional environmental certification. It is aimed at those persons beginning their careers as well as those who may not possess a college degree. An exam is mandatory.

Education: 1 year in a bachelor's degree program, such as environmental engineering, health/science, environmental management or hazardous materials management. 3 years of acceptable work experience may be substituted for each year of an academic degree program.

Exam requirement: 1 1/2-hour timed, multiple choice, open book exam. The AEP exam tests for a person's general understanding of: environmental regulations - 30%; program implementation relating to pollution prevention, emergency preparedness and response, site inspections, permit requirements, hazardous materials/waste management; chemistry, toxicology and geology - 30%; site and risk assessment - 10%; technology of monitoring, abatement and remediation - 10% and ethics, legal obligations and personal liability - 5%.

AUDITING & ASSESSMENT CERTIFICATION AND PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION TRACK

CEA -- Certified Environmental Auditor is a specialty certification program to credential professionals conducting environmental compliance and risk audits of operating facilities, related equipment and on-going procedures. The CEA is recognized by the U.S. Air Force.

Education: Bachelor's degree in an environmentally-related discipline. 3 years of acceptable work experience may be substituted for each year of an academic degree program.

Work Experience: 4 years directly involved with environmental audits of operating facilities and processes.

Exam Requirements: 90 minute timed, multiple choice open book computerized exam. The CEA exam establishes a person's understanding of: environmental laws and regulations - 45%; program management relating to pollution prevention, waste minimization, health and safety, compliance - 33%; chemistry, toxicology and geology - 10%; technology - 10%; ethics, legal obligations, personal liability and public relations - 2%.

REPA -- Registered Environmental Property Assessor is a specialty certification for persons engaged in the inspection and evaluation of environmental risk in real property. The federal government's Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) recognizes the REPA credentials in bid proposals as do many banks and the U.S. Air Force.

Education and Work Experience: Based on the USEPA definition of an “Environmental Professional”

A state of tribal issued certification or license and three years of relevant full-time work experience; or
A Baccalaureate degree or higher in science or engineering and five years of relevant full-time work experience

- OR -

Ten years of relevant full-time work experience.

Exam Requirement: 4-hour timed, multiple choice, open book exam. The REPA exam establishes a person's knowledge of: regulations - 10%; program management as related to pollution prevention, hazard communication, permits - 9%; chemistry, toxicology, geology/ hydrogeology - 10%; Phase III and risk assessment - 2%; technology as related to analytical laboratory services and field procedures - 2%; finding and using informational resources - 20%; physical site reconnaissance - 30%; ASTM standards and policies - 15%; ethics, legal obligations and personal liability - 2%. Candidates passing the exam are credentialed as an REPA based on a combination of their education and work experience.

CESM -- Certified Environmental Systems Manager is designed to credential professionals responsible for implementation of environmental management systems (EMS) programs for operating facilities in accordance with ISO 14001-type guidelines and principles.

Education: Bachelor's degree plus a minimum 16-hour mandatory training program conducted by an NREP-approved course provider.

Work Experience: 3 years relative to the elements of environmental policy, planning, implementation, measurement and monitoring, and control of operating facilities and processes.

Exam Requirement: 2-hour timed, 100 multiple choice questions, open book exam. The CESM exam tests an individual’s knowledge and understanding of relative to the development and implementation of environmental systems management: EMS Environmental Policy – Policy guidelines, pollution prevention and EHS compliance commitment, communication. EMS Planning – Guidelines for identification of environmental aspects/impacts, EHS/EMS compliance, objectives and targets, organizational chart development, guidelines for amendments for new developments. EMS Implementation and Operation – management representatives, responsibility and structure, communication, documentation, emergency preparedness and response. EMS Checking and Corrective Action – monitoring and measurement procedures, track performance, EHS/EMS compliance, procedures for nonconformance and corrective and preventive action, record retention, EMS/EHS audits. EMS Management Review – management involvement, EMS compliance review, EMS audit results, commitment to continual improvement consistent with environmental policy, commitment to continual improvement. EMS Internal Auditing Planning and Preparation - audit skills and techniques; ISO-14010, ISO 14011 & ISO-14012 overview, EMS audit reporting, ISO-14001 auditing checklist overview, EMS audit closing meeting. EMS Implementation Action Plan – EHS and Business Management System, environmental policy development, ISO 9001/14001 gap analysis, environmental aspect/impact analysis, targets and objectives.

CIAQM -- Certified Indoor Air Quality Manager This important specialty certification tests for an individual's basic knowledge of how to properly sample, analyze, and remediate indoor air quality problems, including molds, fungus, asbestos, radon, sick building syndrome and ventilation system related design matters.

Education and Work Experience: A combination of 5 years of education and indoor air quality work experience. This combination may be a Bachelor's degree and one year of work experience, three complete years of college study and two years of work experience, an Associates degree and three years of work experience, one year of college and four years of work experience, or no college education and five years of work experience. All work experience must directly relate to indoor air quality measurement, analysis and/or corrective action. All college/university education must relate to an environmental discipline such as chemistry, physics, math, zoology, biology, meteorology, or other subject approved by NREP.

Exam Requirements: To ensure that individuals are knowledgeable and qualified in matters dealing with indoor air quality, a two-hour, open book examination is administered to candidates. The exam tests an individual's basic knowledge of ventilation, toxicology, molds, fungus, ASHRAE standards, allergens, asbestos, OSHA limits, USEPA recommendations and environmental health. Since the exam is conducted allowing candidates to use references during testing, this permits NREP to conduct more in-depth questioning than might be expected of a closed book exam.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY CERTIFICATION AND PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION TRACK

CES -- Certified Environmental Scientist The CES exam establishes a person's understanding of the basic principles of environmental science, including: chemistry, physics, earth science, biology, meteorology, zoology and environmental health.

Education: Bachelor's degree in an environmentally related discipline. Three (3) years of acceptable work experience may be substituted for each year of an academic degree program.

Work Experience: Three (3) years directly related to an environmental science.

Exam Requirements: 1 1/2-hour timed, multiple choice, open book exam. Chemistry, toxicology and biology -- 35%, industrial hygiene -- 20%, risk assessment and prevention -- 15%, earth science -- 15%, regulations and definitions -- 8%, and professional practice and ethics -- 7%.

Education: Bachelor's degree in an environmentally-related discipline. This includes physical, biological and health sciences; engineering and environmental majors. 3 years of acceptable work experience may be substituted for each year of an academic degree program. Specific training in toxicology or at least a college level basic course dealing with toxicology is mandatory to the subjects that will be covered on the CIET exam.

Work Experience: Three (3) years work directly related to environmental health, science, toxicology or management.

The CIET exam establishes a person's understanding of environmental health, science and toxicology issues as related to industrial project coordination and management. Exam topics include knowledge of: acute exposure; LD50; Absorption; metals; chemical carcinogens; asbestos; biochemical pathways; MSDS; PEL; ethers; pesticides; chemical exposure; CAS numbers; TLV-TWA; DNA; RNA; Benzene; Lead, Radon; NOEL; LOAEL; Ames Tests; dioxin; Respirator cartridges; respiratory system; neuropathy; Draize eye test.

RHCMM -- Registered Hazardous and Chemical Materials Manager credential is a special management level of certification. An exam is mandatory. RHCMMs should possess the skills and knowledge to coordinate and manage major hazardous material/waste projects and programs, including Brownfields. This certification is somewhat similar to the CHMM credential offered by the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM), but seeks a greater depth of knowledge through the use of reference materials during the examination. It requires knowledge of the major federal environmental and regulations, industrial hygiene, transportation of toxic/hazardous materials and wastes, design and operation of environmental control devices and systems, ground/drinking and surface waters, radiation, OSHA standards, ISO 14001 environmental management systems, Phase I, II, III assessments, indoor air quality issues including molds, and chemistry.

Education: Bachelor's degree in environmentally related discipline. This includes physical, biological and health sciences; engineering and environmental majors. 3 years of acceptable environmental work experience may be substituted for each year of an academic degree program.

Work Experience: Five (5) years work directly related to environmental engineering, health, science or management.

Exam Requirement: 4-hour timed multiple choice, open book exam. The RHCMM exam establishes an individual’s knowledge and understanding of regulatory compliance - 32%; program management related to pollution prevention, emergency preparedness and response, health & safety, training, documentation, risk management and legal considerations, site management, SPCC, hazardous materials/waste management plan, OPA 90, National Contingency Plan, USTs/ASTs, ASTM E1527 and #1528, ISO 14000 - 33%; chemistry, biology/ecology, toxicology, geology/hydrogeology -15%; technology as related to monitoring, abatement systems, remediation methods, information management systems - 15%; professional practice as related to ethics, legal obligations, personal liability and public relations - 5%.

RELT -- Registered Environmental Laboratory Technologist is a special registration/certification for persons engaged in the laboratory management and/or analysis of environmental samples. The RELT is officially recognized by the Rhode Island Department of Health.

Education: Associate of Arts degree in one of the following sciences, such as chemistry or biology, or four (4) consecutive years performing laboratory analysis.

Work Experience: Two (2) consecutive years of laboratory work conducting research and/or analysis of environmental contamination. Must be experienced in the use of wet chemistry as well as laboratory analytical devices.

Exam Requirements: 1 1/2-hour timed, multiple choice, open book exam. Approximate number of questions by category: laboratory practice as related to quality control, chain of custody, chemical exposure and storage, use of laboratory equipment -- , analysis as related to instrumentation use, ASTM and EPA, Langelier Index, Alpha Beta Error -- , chemistry -- 30, definitions of chemical and analytical terms -- , sampling as related to preservation and holding times, methodologies, procedures, equipment and transportation -- 35.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL REGISTRY LISTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROFESSIONALS

REP -- Registered Environmental Professional NREP provides a registry listing service for individuals in the environmental field who meet the minimum educational and training requirement for listing in the Registry. All persons successfully passing an NREP exam are automatically listed on the registry. In order to be listed on the registry, all other individuals must provide evidence that they meet the following criteria:

Registration Requirement: (1) Certification by an NREP Board approved environmental credential listed below, or (2) an advanced university degree. Individuals possessing a Graduate level Environmental Specialty Certificate, Master's degree or Doctorate from an accredited educational institution in a field of study directly related to environmental health, science, or technology or a law degree (J.D.) with specialization in environmental law are eligible to be listed as an REP without exam. MBAs are not recognized as fulfilling the requirement.

Do not apply for the REP unless you have a doctorate, master's degree or hold one of the following certifications. A professional engineering license is acceptable only if issued specifically for environmental engineering.

Certified Industrial Hygienist
Certified Environmental Trainer
Certified Health Physicist
Certified Safety Professional
Certified Environmental Professional
Certified Hazardous Materials Manager
Am. Academy of Env. Engineers Diplomate
State Certified Environmental Manager
State Licensed Environmental Assessor
State Licensed Site Professional Registered or
Certified Professional Geologist/Hydrogeologist
Oklahoma Registered Professional Environmental Specialist
Certified Utility Safety Administrator

Individuals who meet the criteria for being listed in the registry may refer to themselves as a Registered Environmental Professional (REP).

NREP provides the registry of environmental professionals as a service to organizations seeking environmental professionals. NREP does not make any representations concerning the specific competencies of the individuals listed, but does represent that the individuals listed on the registry meet the minimum criteria set forth above.

Environmental Technician (ET) NREP provides an Environmental Registry listing for individuals conducting environmental technician job functions. The ET is a certificate recognition program designed to support the supervisory activities of NREP certified professionals and to recognize the efforts and abilities of their technicians by allowing them to participate in NREP related programs and activities. This program is not certification, but is a first step in professional recognition.

Education: Completion of an OSHA 4-hour Hazwoper training program, or other NREP approved training.

Application: In addition to completing the official NREP application form, the applicant must provide letter of recommendation from an NREP certified professional.

CRCM --Certified Refrigerant Compliance Manager The CRCM designation is a professional credential that recognizes an individual’s competence for managing refrigerant compliance within an organization. A CRCM candidate should possess the skills and knowledge to coordinate and manage environmental and safety compliance related to refrigerant purchasing, handling and use, storage, and disposal. The four criteria used by NREP to determine if the qualification requirements have been satisfied are detailed in the following sections.

Required certification: Valid EPA Universal Technician certification from an EPA-approved training provider

Bachelor’s degree in environmental or engineering discipline (3 years of acceptable work experience may be substituted for each year of an academic degree program)
Completed an approved technical college program related to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning

Refer to the alternate work experience criteria outlined in the following section.

Work experience: A combination of 5 years of education and related work experience as a service technician is required. This combination may consist of any of the following:

A Bachelor’s degree and one year of work experience
Three complete years of college study and 4 years of work experience
An Associate degree and 7 years of work experience
One year of college and 10 years of work experience
No college education and 13 years of work experience.

All work experience must relate directly to servicing refrigerant-containing equipment as a Universal certified technician, actively managing refrigerant inventory, and/or auditing refrigerant-related operations. At least one year of the requisite experience must be in a management capacity. All college/university education must relate to an environmental or engineering discipline, such as environmental science, environmental or mechanical engineering, chemistry, physics, or other subject approved by NREP.

Related management experience may include but not be limited to the following typical CRCM job functions:

Be familiar with and understand the current regulations pertaining to the handling, control, and proper disposal of ozone-depleting substances and other refrigerants;
Assume the responsibility as the organization’s or facility’s regulatory representative to the Environmental Protection Agency and other applicable environmental authorities for refrigerant compliance;
Provide supervision and oversight for servicing refrigerant-containing appliances;
Establish and update organizational compliance programs and designate compliance managers, as needed;
Manage and/or coordinate the refrigerant inventory and oversee the recordkeeping system for all ozone-depleting substances and other refrigerants, as needed;
Assist in implementation of future refrigerant policy changes, as needed;
Conduct periodic audits of refrigerant records to review compliance;
Maintain audit records;
Coordinate ongoing training for employees involved in repair, recovery, or recycling of refrigerant including identification of regulatory or university policy changes; and
Ensure compliance with organizational procedures and regulations by service contractors

The CRCM exam establishes a baseline level of knowledge of environmental impacts, EPA regulations, management planning, best practices, and safety, as these topics relate to refrigerants. The approximate weight of exam topics is as follows:

Education Prerequisite: Bachelor's degree or equivalent (3 years of work experience for each year lacking in a degree program). Candidates must have knowledge and application of statistics, industrial hygiene/toxicology and occupational/environmental health.

Work Experience: 3 years of experience in dealing with ventilation, indoor air quality, engineering, occupational/environmental health and safety, or other environmental abatement/remediation is required. The CTMI certification is an advanced recognition for candidates who already possess assessment and inspection work experience and knowledge of molds.

The purpose of the Forensics Mold Master (FMM) credential program is to establish a person's understanding of the basic forensic principles of water intrusion sources and the relationship to resulting mold spore development; testing and data interpretation; and limited mitigation using engineered controls. This course is designed to take the exam candidate from indoor air quality and mold evaluation, sampling and abatement training, to the next level as a construction defect/expert witness in the field of causation and effect. It is a two day course with a 2-hour optional certification exam at the end of the second day focused on the supervising and management aspects of understanding and evaluating cause and effect of water intrusion and subsequent mold growth. The course is presented in four sections:

1. Identification of water intrusion sources and potential subsequent impact of mold development.
2. Evaluation of water intrusion and causation based on Forensic interpretation of mold data.
3. Testing protocol & procedure and interpretation of the data.
4. Engineered controls and introduction to limited mitigation and the interpretation of the findings.

Education Prerequisite: Bachelor's degree in an environmentally-related discipline. Three (3) years of acceptable work experience may be substituted for each year of an academic degree program.

Exam Requirement: 2-hour timed, 100 multiple-choice scaled question exam. The questions are designed to determine an individual's knowledge relative to the science coordination and management of causation and effect of mold.

The purpose of the Mold Awareness Specialist (MAS) exam is to establish an individual's degree of knowledge of basic environmental health of indoor environmental issues and programs. NREP recognizes that it is more important for environmental professionals to know where to find and work with information rather than simply committing facts to memory. For this reason, the MAS exam is "open book" tests. Applicants may use any three (3) bound books of their choosing during the exam.

Exam Content
The MAS exam is a 1-hour 30-minute timed test consisting of 100 multiple-choice scaled questions. The general topics and the approximate number of questions covered on the exam include:

Basic Knowledge of:
Air and Mold Sampling,
Air Changes,
Allergens,
Asbestos and Lead,
ASHRAE standards,
Environmental health,
Fungus,
Health Effects,
HVAC practices
Indoor Air Program Components
Molds, Fungus and Biological Growth
OSHA Regulations,
Properties of Gases and Particulates,
Toxicology, TLV, TWA
USEPA recommendations,
Ventilation, and
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs),

Recommended Reading
Individuals working in the field of environmental management will have many references which they use daily. Familiarity with these guides is important. Up to any three (3) spiral or hard bound references may be used during the exam. The following book may be considered useful by some candidates.

The purpose of the Sustainability Initiatives Manager (SIM) exam is to establish an individual's degree of knowledge pertinent to the coordination and management of coordination and management of sustainable environmental program and projects. NREP recognizes that it is more important for managers and coordinators to know where to find and work with information rather than simply committing facts to memory. For this reason, the SIM exam is an "open book" test. Applicants may use any three (3) bound books of their choosing. Use of NREP’s SIM Study Workbook is strongly recommended. The book is available for $85.00 from NREP’s office. No calculators or computers are allowed.

The SIM exam establishes a person's understanding of the basic principles of environmental science, including: chemistry, physics, earth science, biology, meteorology, zoology and environmental health.

Education: Bachelor's degree in an environmentally related discipline. Three (3) years of acceptable work experience may be substituted for each year of an academic degree program.

Work Experience: Three (3) years directly related to an environmental science or sustainable operations.

Exam Requirements: 2-hour timed, multiple choice, open book exam. Policies and procedures -- 35%, Carbon Neutral Programs -- 20%, Climate change -- 15%, GHG emissions Inventory -- 15%, regulations and definitions -- 8%, and professional practice and ethics -- 7%.

EXAM CONTENT
The SIM exam is a two-hour, timed test consisting of 100 multiple-choice scaled questions. The questions are designed to determine an individual's knowledge relative to the science coordination and management of environmental programs. The general topics covered on the exam include:

KNOWLEDGE OF:
Federal Laws and regulations and guidelines pertaining to sustainability, Carbon footprint, baseline analyses, project evaluation cast benefit analysis, GHG emission inventory, Climate change.

RECOMMENDED READING

NREP’s Study Guide, provided to candidates signed up for a SIM workshop, is strongly recommended.

Please note: If your certification has lapsed by 30 days or more, a late fee will be added to your certification charge.

Environmental Certifications Offered

All REM Candidates Must Read and Print Out a Copy of the “Candidate Information Handbook”

AUDITING & ASSESSMENT CERTIFICATION AND PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION TRACK

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY CERTIFICATION AND PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION TRACK

THE ENVIRONMENTAL REGISTRY LISTING OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROFESSIONALS

All REM Candidates Must Read and Print Out a Copy of the
“Candidate Information Handbook”