The Brownfield Inventory Tool (BIT) is a Free, web-based, comprehensive brownfields program management tool. Cities, regional coalitions, and tribes can use BIT to create site inventories; submit reports such as the multiple property profile form (in excel); generate maps; and log administrative information about brownfields and other environmental programs. This CLU-IN session will provide a live demonstration of how to use BIT. Briefing slides with screenshots will also be available for those without internet access during the CLU-IN session.

BIT is available at http://tab-bit.org. Please click on "Register" to create your password for access to site inventory tools and all other features on the web page. For subsequent visits, use the Login link to enter your e-mail and password.

As of January 2006, there were more than 239,000 substances on the Chemical Abstracts Service list of regulated chemicals. The production of more than 4,800 of these chemicals exceeded 1,000 metric ton/year. This total does not include the massive quantities of "naturally occurring" contaminants that may enter the human environment due to resource extraction and production such as mining, groundwater pumping and agricultural practices. That said, how is it possible to identify those contaminants of most environmental concern, and then winnow that list further to those contaminants most likely to be the foci of attention in future mega-contamination sites? In short, how can we identify the contaminants most likely to create the next generation of Superfund sites? Motivated by this challenge, a workshop of 24 experts was convened in August 2009 with the express purpose of answering this question. The participants were specifically chosen to encompass the broad spectrum of disciplines with insight into the issue's many different facets, including toxicology; pharmacokinetics; pharmacology; risk assessment; contaminant fate and transport; chemical bioaccumulation, bioavailability and persistence; chemical parameter estimation and modeling; analytic chemistry; chemical production, use and disposal, and monitoring and assessment technology. It is the intent of this seminar to summarize the discussions, conclusions, and identification of challenges that have evolved (so far) out of the workshop.

In order to create a prioritized list of contaminants (and groups of contaminants) of greatest concern, the considerations that must be integrated are neither simple nor few in number. They must include the substance's environmental persistence, its toxicity or otherwise deleterious environmental impact, its type and number of health end-points, its frequency of occurrence and volume of production, and its likelihood to accumulate or be disposed in such a way as to create geographic hot spots with a high potential for human exposure. Equally importantly, an algorithm is needed that delineates the judgments and measurements necessary to maintain the relevance of the list as new information, tools, and techniques are developed and as yet unconsidered contaminant candidates are identified or come on the market. This is not to say that what have historically been the primary actors in Superfund are still not necessary targets for study in both present and future Superfund sites. However, they should be evaluated comparatively along with pollutants in the poorly defined and rapidly broadening list of emerging contaminants as we attempt to predict what the next generation of Superfund sites will look like and how to prioritize finite budgets to minimize the likelihood of their creation.

This webinar is sponsored by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (www.niehs.nih.gov/research/supported/srp/).

VMS is a novel vadose zone monitoring technology that is designed to provide in-situ, real time information on hydrological and chemical conditions of the percolating water in deep sections of the vadose zone. The data collected by the monitoring system provides early detection of subsurface pollution and allows optimization of remediation conditions. Up-to-date the system has been successfully implemented in several research projects on water flow and contaminant transport in various hydrological and geological setups including: (a) floodwater infiltration from stream channels and reservoirs, (b) land use impact on groundwater quality, (c) influence of intensive agriculture on groundwater quality, and (d) controlled remediation conditions of a contaminated vadose zone.

Assessment of human health risks posed by exposure to hazardous substances is a vital component to the process of remediation of contaminated sites. Risk-based screening values are developed and used in both planning and conducting site remediation. This training course is designed for site managers and others involved in making remedial decisions to help them better understand the risk assessment / risk management process.

This training course describes the development and application of risk-based screening values. The first module provides a review of key risk assessment concepts related to risk management. It also introduces the Electronic Risk Resource Fact Sheet developed by the ITRC Risk Assessment Resources team. The second module focuses on the process by which risk-based levels are derived in different states. This module introduces the document,Examination of Risk-Based Screening Values and Approaches of Selected States (RISK-1, 2005), developed by the ITRC Risk Assessment Resources team. The third module examines the application of risk assessment to remediation operations in two case studies providing examples of how risk assessment has actually been implemented, based upon research and case studies conducted by the ITRC Risk Assessment Resources team. This training course describes a number of the reasons behind variations in risk-based screening values and their use in risk management. Overall, the training course enhances the transparency and understanding of risk assessment and its use in remediation.

This training introduces state regulators, environmental consultants, site owners, and community stakeholders to Quality Considerations for Munitions Response Projects (UXO-5, 2008), created by the ITRC's Unexploded Ordnance Team. In this document, quality is defined as "conformance to requirements." To manage quality, the quality requirements of the project must first be understood. Requirements must be precisely stated and clearly understood by everyone involved. A plan is then put in place to meet those requirements.

The UXO Team emphasizes taking a whole-system approach to designing, planning and managing a munitions response (MR) project to optimize quality. Whole-system design means optimizing not just parts, but the entire system (in this case the MR). Practically speaking, the UXO Team views MR project as a system made of processes, sub-processes, and tasks. Therefore, a process approach to planning and managing MR projects is recommended.

An MR plan properly developed using the process approach will contain quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA) activities that need to be performed. Through the proper application of a process approach to plan and manage an MR project, the MR project should produce results of verifiable quality with sufficient QA and QC documentation for defensible decision making.

The document concludes with some real-world examples of how QA/QC planning and process control throughout an MR project can affect the results of the MR project, particularly how attention to quality during MR processes can influence follow-on processes and the project's final outcome.

This training course is intended for an intermediate audience and assumes a basic understanding of specialized processes associated with MR projects. Background information on some of the topics can be found in Munitions Response Historical Records Review (UXO-2, 2003) and Geophysical Prove-Outs for Munitions Response Projects (UXO-3, 2004), Survey of Munitions Response Technologies (UXO-4, 2006) and their associated Internet-based training courses

The ITRC Risk Assessment Resources team developed a document titled Use of Risk Assessment in Management of Contaminated Sites (RISK-2, 2008). This Internet-based training is taken from the RISK-2 document and highlights variation of risk-based site management and how to improve the use of risk assessment for making better risk management decisions. This training course looks at how various risk-based approaches and criteria are applied in various states and programs throughout the processes of screening, characterization, and management of contaminated sites.


The document and training course are intended for risk assessors and project managers involved with the characterization, remediation, and/or re-use of sites. Together they provide a valuable tool for federal and state regulatory agencies to demonstrate how site data collection, risk assessment, and risk management may be better integrated. This training course explains:

• Variation in risk assessment parameters/approaches in various states and their influence on risk management
  
• Insights into the use of risk assessment in risk management process through use of specific case study examples
  
• An improved process of using risk assessment in risk management