19 replies to this topic

[Dleg]

I think it would be very useful if we could gather all the really useful threads in this forum together and post them as "stickies" to the top of the enviro thread, or at the very least as links in this thread.

It's been 3 years since I took the exam, so I am not necessarily the best person to nominate threads. But this one was originally the destination of most "exam advice", although it has fallen off to the second page this exam cycle:

Advice on the Enviro PE exam

I know there are others in here which discussed general advice, recommended references (since ENVRM doesn't cover al subjects), and reviews of various exam prep programs. So all you enviros that are still around, please help out and nominate some threads so we can better help future PEs.

[Dleg]

Just wanted to throw in the link to the site remediation reference that was recommended in one of the threads below:

Practical Design Calculations for Groundwater and Soil Remediation by Jeff Kuo

I have not personally had any experience with this book, but it was recommended by two other folks in this forum (sorry if I can't remember who - let me know and I will edit this post), and it fills a big gap in coverage by the ENVRM and other references. So it must be good, right?

[Dleg]

Hmmm.... it seems my favorite reference - Environmental Engineering, by Salvato, Nemerow, et. al, - has been updated to the 6th edition and is now a 3-volume set, about twice as expensive as before:

http://www.amazon.co...e...1986&sr=1-2

[Octave]

Hmmm.... it seems my favorite reference - Environmental Engineering, by Salvato, Nemerow, et. al, - has been updated to the 6th edition and is now a 3-volume set...

Is this this one you recommended?

Environmental Engineering: Prevention and Response to Water-, Food-, Soil-, and Air-borne Disease and Illness

It's also a 6th edition, and it may be one of the three volumes. But if so, which are the other two?

[Octave]

...which are the other two?

Never mind, I think the one I mentioned is volume 2, and the other two volumes are ISBNs 0470083034 and 0470083050.

[buddingpe]

Currently I am using "Practical Design Calculations for Groundwater and Soil Remediation" by Jeff Kuo and can say that its a very good book for Remediation problems. Its worth buying.

Just wanted to throw in the link to the site remediation reference that was recommended in one of the threads below:

Practical Design Calculations for Groundwater and Soil Remediation by Jeff Kuo

I have not personally had any experience with this book, but it was recommended by two other folks in this forum (sorry if I can't remember who - let me know and I will edit this post), and it fills a big gap in coverage by the ENVRM and other references. So it must be good, right?

[Dleg]

^Good to hear.

Yes, Octave, that book is just one of the three volumes. The previous edition covered everything in one book - about 1500 pages.

[jasonrlight]

Hmmm.... it seems my favorite reference - Environmental Engineering, by Salvato, Nemerow, et. al, - has been updated to the 6th edition and is now a 3-volume set, about twice as expensive as before:

http://www.amazon.co...e...1986&sr=1-2

See if you can find the 5th edition used for cheap. I like it better than the 3 volume and definitely found some obsure answers in the Salvato book.

[jasonrlight]

The references that I used most (and passed on the 1st attempt April 2010):

- McCoy RCRA reference (http://www.mccoysemi...m/reference.cfm)
- EERM
- Environmental Engineering 5th ed (Salvato)
- Engineering Unit Conversions (Lindeburg)
- Introduction to Environmental Engineering (Davis and Cornwell) *** Highly Recommended ***
- Hazardous Waste Management (LaGrega)
- Wastewater Engineering (Metcalf and Eddy)

I brough a few other industrial hygiene and water treatment books but didn't need them. I also used the North Carolina State Review DVD course in preparing. It was helpful to me because I have never taken formal courses in civil or environmental engineering (My B.S. and M.S. are in biomedical engineering). People with a diverse background may not find this course as useful...

If you are looking to save $$$$ see if you can get several of these references in soft cover. They won't hold up as well, but you only need them to last through one exam (hopefully..).

[Dleg]

^Thank you!

I would have jumped at the NC DVD course, if it had been available when I was studying. My BS was in Mech. Eng, with an emphasis in biomedical engineering, too.

[SecondWind]

Thanks for all the good info!

I just purchased a bunch of the texts mentioned in this thread for the Oct exam.

Still looking for a 5th edition Salvato.

I'm about 80% through the NC State Env review DVDs.
They have really helped me recall things I learned back in grad school (14 yrs ago).

The Air review section is the best so far.

[buddingpe]

The references that I used most (and passed on the 1st attempt April 2010):

- McCoy RCRA reference (http://www.mccoyseminars.com/reference.cfm)
- EERM
- Environmental Engineering 5th ed (Salvato)
- Engineering Unit Conversions (Lindeburg)
- Introduction to Environmental Engineering (Davis and Cornwell) *** Highly Recommended ***
- Hazardous Waste Management (LaGrega)
- Wastewater Engineering (Metcalf and Eddy)

I brough a few other industrial hygiene and water treatment books but didn't need them. I also used the North Carolina State Review DVD course in preparing. It was helpful to me because I have never taken formal courses in civil or environmental engineering (My B.S. and M.S. are in biomedical engineering). Peple with a diverse background may not find this course as useful...

If you are looking to save $$$$ see if you can get several of these references in soft cover. They won't hold up as well, but you only need them to last through one exam (hopefully..).

Hey Jason,

I am interested to buy few bks/notes. Are you interested in selling?>

[twindadtodd]

Thanks for all the good info!

I just purchased a bunch of the texts mentioned in this thread for the Oct exam.

Still looking for a 5th edition Salvato.

I'm about 80% through the NC State Env review DVDs.
They have really helped me recall things I learned back in grad school (14 yrs ago).

The Air review section is the best so far.

The NC State Env review DVDs were a lifesaver on my end...passed first try in April 2010. I thought the water resources examples and air review examples/problems were right on track with what I experienced in the test. Some advice...I went through the DVDs a second time the week before the test as a refresher...

good luck!

[SecondWind]

Thanks - I'll take a look at the four Water Treatment Ops and Processes DVDs again.

[Octave]

I also passed on my first attempt last April. I second the recommendations for the books by Kuo, LaGrega and Salvato (although I would try to find the 5th ed. of the latter). I also took with me the Metcalf & Eddy tome but I can't remember if I used it. Regardless, I think good references on water and wastewater treatment are a must, as well as your preferred process chemistry books.

As mentioned before, one needs to be good at converting units quickly, as there is simply not enough time to be looking at tables for every single question.

While taking the test, I remember wishing I had studied more hydrology.

As others have commented, the challenge of this exam is the breadth of knowledge required, so better to start studying early.

Edited by Octave, 24 June 2010 - 12:26 AM.

[Dleg]

Because the original thread is buried on page 4 somewhere, I thought I would update this thread with the link to the 2004 Ten State Standards (I had to find it for someone else at work).

http://www.dep.state..._wastewater.pdf

Anyone else who recently took the exam and found any of the threads in here useful, please feel free to add in a link to that thread and brief description. Or, a link to an important reference.

[VTEnviro]

This one is pretty useful as far as wastewater goes...

http://engineerboard...?showtopic=4180

[cement]

shouldn't you be studying dude?

[Dleg]

Guys,

With my new, God-like powers of moderation, I have "pinned" this thread at the top of the forum, where it can't get lost. Please, any of you who have taken the exam and found things that were of use in here, please take the time to provide a link to those useful threads or other sources of information by posting a response to this post.

[Dleg]

"Practice Problems - Which ones?"