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Established in 1988 and formally founded in 1995, Sidera Environmental, Inc. originated with two individuals – a former wastewater and stormwater inspector – who transitioned into the private sector. With roots in environmental expertise dating back to the early 1980s, Sidera offers an insider’s perspective to those navigating compliance programs. Our clientele includes both family-owned businesses and Fortune 500 companies. Despite our compact team, our collective experience surpasses 50 years. Our mission revolves around simplifying industrial compliance, accomplished through personalized monitoring and training programs tailored to your facility, personnel, and budget. By comprehending your company’s operations, Sidera professionals seamlessly integrate environmental knowledge, optimizing your facility’s overall functionality.
Ray Stewart received his Bachelors in Chemistry from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and his Masters in Mechanical Engineering from San Diego State University. His expertise led him to positions as an Industrial Waste Control Officer in Goleta Sanitary District, Environmental Engineer in Applied Magnetics Corporation and an Environmental Engineer in Chevron USA. Due to his longevity in the field, Ray has helped countless industrial facilities with compliance requirements.
Kat Katura, founder of Sidera Environmental, Inc., graduated with a Masters in Business Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. An avid sailor and captain, her love for the world was evident in her travels. She had an affinity for water chemistry and its involvement in environmental and public health, making Sidera a perfect fit for her passion. Sidera is named after her sailboat, The Sidera, that she lived on in Half Moon Bay while she was consulting for hazardous material compliance throughout the bay area in the late 80s. In the early 90s, stormwater regulations were becoming statewide and she began accepting projects related to the Industrial General Permit.
President of Client Relations, QISP License #00488
Arturo began his career at the University of California, Santa Barbara testing local waterways for commercial and residential run-off pollutants. Before graduating Cum Laude in Public Health Policy from UC Irvine, he used his Chemistry background to work under the university’s Environmental and Hazardous Waste Manager for three years. Meanwhile, he became involved with manufacturing as an EH&S Intern at Zodiac Aerospace, assisting with hazardous waste management, stormwater, and hazardous material permitting. At Irvine, he was eventually promoted to Hazardous Waste Technician, responsible for processing and handling hazardous waste, inspecting research laboratories for regulatory compliance, and managing chemical inventory reporting. Today with Sidera, his holistic approach to permitting has made clients aware of potential consequences and benefits of their facility’s operations. Has worked through lawsuits, with local, state and EPA inspectors, and he ensures all parties are accommodated to prevent further repercussion.
Lead Environmental
Consultant Specialist
After graduating from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in Chemistry and obtaining his Masters in Mechanical Engineering at San Diego State, Ray began his career in wastewater pretreatment inspection as an Industrial Waste Control Officer for the Goleta Sanitary District. He moved to industrial wastewater treatment with Applied Magnetics Corp. – managing the design, construction, and operation of the treatment systems and ultra pure water systems for their facilities worldwide. Later, with Chevron’s Point Arguello Project, Ray received oil and gas from three offshore platforms and ensured compliance with discharge limitations to two direct marine outfalls. Today with Sidera, Ray enjoys assisting industrial facilities to comply with the NPDES Industrial General Permit and wastewater regulations. With forty years of industry knowledge, Ray develops clients’ understanding of the industrial processes & operations that may affect pollution limitation and compliance issues.
Environmental Scientist & Consultant Specialist, QISP License #00364
Jared has been keenly aware of environmental issues since measuring water quality during an elementary field trip in his hometown of South Lake Tahoe. After high school, a four-year college was not an option due to his family’s financial situation. Instead, he spent ten years working construction before returning to study Environmental Engineering Science at UC Berkeley. Prior to Sidera, his experience ranges from monitoring southern California watersheds for pollutants with local NGOs to managing a clean water project in Peru for Engineers Without Borders. Today with Sidera, he has been assisting various industrial facilities in complying with the NPDES Industrial General Permit. As a licensed QISP, his duties include site assessments, drafting SWPPPs & Site Maps, developing Monitoring Plans, employee training, Level 1 & 2 ERAs, and all other aspects of permit compliance.
