Operation and Maintenance in Superfund focuses on a critical and sometimes contentious phase of the Superfund process that is necessary to maintain the protectiveness of the Superfund remedy over time. Operation and maintenance (O&M) in the Superfund program is more involved than understanding how to operate and maintain a ground water treatment plant or a landfill cap. The O&M phase must be included in the planning process and decisions on how to best oversee and optimize remedies need to be discussed by the regulatory agencies and responsible parties. Additionally, because of the federal/state cost share requirements that Congress mandated for Fund-lead sites, a thorough understanding the definitions and terminology in the law and regulations can translate into minimization of conflict over the large dollar amounts that can be involved in O&M.
The Operation and Maintenance in Superfund internet course will teach participants how to plan for and implement operation and maintenance (O&M) activities at Superfund sites. The course is divided into Part 1 and Part 2. Part 1 will be presented in a two-hour session on September 20 and Part 2 will be presented in a separate two-hour session on September 21. Part 1 examines (1) key regulatory and policy provisions and definitions for O&M, (2) O&M planning activities that should occur during the various phases of the Superfund process, and (3) ways to ensure a smooth transition from remedial action to O&M. Part 2 covers (1) methods to effectively and efficiently oversee O&M activities, (2) a systematic process for identifying and addressing operational problems with remedies, and (3) elements of remedial actions that may present opportunities for optimization. The course uses many site examples to examine various O&M issues.
The materials for this course consist of two PDF files that contain the manuals for Parts 1 and 2. The manual pages consist of the power point slides and associated notes. Participants are strongly encouraged to download and print the PDF files for Operation and Maintenance in Superfund - Part 1 and Operation and Maintenance in Superfund - Part 2 after registering for one or both parts of this course. The participants can then follow along in the manuals during the power point slide presentations. The manuals can also be used for future reference.
Operation and Maintenance in Superfund will be very useful for EPA project managers; State and Tribal project managers; responsible parties, and contractors who work with the Superfund program. Site team members are encouraged to attend the course together to develop a common understanding of O&M issues for their project. |