Message #36: February 2000

Since January 1, TechDirect gained 282 new subscribers for a total of 7985. Welcome to everyone just joining the TechDirect community. We try to keep these messages as brief as possible, but provide information relevant to your needs. We hope this service continues to be beneficial. Let us know your ideas for its improvement.

Mention of non-EPA documents does not constitute a U.S. EPA endorsement of their contents, only an acknowledgment that they exist and may be relevant to the TechDirect audience.

New Web Encyclopedia

Field Analytic Technologies Encyclopedia (FATE). The U.S. EPA Technology Innovation Office, in collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, developed and mounted a new online encyclopedia of field analytic technologies. This encyclopedia is intended to provide information about technologies that can be used in the field to characterize contaminated soil and ground water, monitor the progress of remedial efforts, and in some cases, and for confirmation sampling and analysis for site close out. The encyclopedia is being posted on the web initially with information on ten classes of technologies. We plan to expand to additional field analytical technology classes over time. View online and bookmark the encyclopedia at http://fate.clu-in.org .

New Documents

Improving the Cost-Effectiveness of Hazardous Waste Site Characterization and Monitoring. This article is adapted from presentations given by the U.S. EPA Technology Innovation Office. U.S. EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) is promoting more effective strategies for characterizing and monitoring hazardous waste sites. In particular, the wide-spread adoption of a new paradigm using an integrated triad of systematic planning, dynamic work plans, and on-site analysis for data collection and technical decision-making at hazardous waste sites is recommended [December 1999, 12 pages]. View at http://clu-in.org/techpubs.htm .

Remedial Systems Evaluation Checklists. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers developed a series of checklists for Remediation System Evaluations to help optimize treatment system performance and lower operation and maintenance costs. The checklists evaluate the system at three levels: the overall site approach and exit strategy; the subsurface performance; the operation and maintenance of specific components of the remediation system. The RSE checklists, a sample report, and an instruction guide are available at http://www.environmental.usace.army.mil/library/guide/guide.html .

Ground Water Currents (EPA 542-N-99-008). This quarterly newsletter provides descriptions and performance data for developments in innovative ground water treatment. This issue highlights various approaches to system optimization for the characterization or remediation of contaminated ground water [December 1999, 4 pages]. View or download http://clu-in.org/techpubs.htm . For hard copies, contact (800) 490-9198 or (513) 489-8190 or fax your request to (513) 489-8695.

Groundwater Circulating Well Technology Assessment (NRL/PU/6115-99-384). This report was published by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory for the DoD Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP). The objective of this report is to complete a survey of ground water circulating wells at a number of federal and private sites, documenting successes and failures of system performance. An additional objective is to document and develop guidelines for the use of the technology and make recommendations for additional data requirements to either support or argue against the use of this technology for particular contaminant and hydrogeologic applications [May 1999, 87 pages]. View or download at http://www.estcp.org/documents/techdocs/index.cfm .

Monitored Natural Attenuation of Explosives in Groundwater - Environmental Security Technology Certification Program Completion Report (EL-99-7). This report was published by the Waterways Experiment Station for the DoD Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP). The broad project objective was to demonstrate monitored natural attenuation of explosives at an Army site and to develop guidance for evaluating, selecting, and implementing monitored natural attenuation of explosives. The demonstration required refinements in existing technologies and adaptations of several developmental technologies [March 1999, 234 pages]. View or download at http://www.wes.army.mil/el/elpubs/pdf/trel99-7.pdf .

Perspectives on Private Investment in Innovative Remediation Technology Companies. This report was published by the Environmental Capital Network under a grant from the U.S. EPA. The purpose of this report is to develop a framework for policy makers to significantly accelerate the successful commercialization of innovative clean-up, treatment and site characterization technologies. The Environmental Capital Network has attempted to identify and understand the steps that can be taken to increase the quantity and speed of private equity investments in early stage companies developing and commercializing innovative remediation technologies [December 1999, 32 pages]. View or download at http://clu-in.org/techpubs.htm .

Human Factors Assessments of Environmental Technologies program is a cooperative agreement between the U.S. Department of Energy, Federal Energy Technology Center (FETC) and the Operating Engineers' National HAZMAT Program (OENHP). The Operating Engineers have built a state-of-the-art testing facility in Beckley, West Virginia on the campus of the Mine Safety and Health Academy to evaluate the human factors of new environmental remediation technologies. The staff of Industrial Hygienists and safety professionals assemble teams of experts to evaluate the potential risks posed by new technologies to workers who must operate and maintain the equipment. The program has evaluated over 40 technologies. For more information and access to their technical publications, see http://hazmat.wv.net/ .

EPA Solicitation. This month EPA will announce a national solicitation for technologies to treat methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) in drinking water and groundwater. EPA will conduct demonstrations of the selected technologies to evaluate their performance and cost. The group has made a preliminary site selection for the demonstrations. In one to two weeks, the technology vendor solicitation will be available on the MTBE demonstration project website at http://www.epa.gov/oust/mtbe/mtbedemo.htm and applicants will have six weeks to respond. EPA will make technology selections by April, and begin field demonstrations this summer.

Conferences and Symposia

On-Site InSights, the Innovative Technologies for Site Assessment and Monitoring Workshop, Reno, NV, February 16-17. This workshop is intended to bring state regulators, engineering contractors, site owners and also individuals involved in Brownfield's cleanups together for hands on training. Participants will receive valuable information on the operation, cost, logistics and data acceptance issues of "real world" innovative technologies that are usable today. Limited travel assistance available for state and city employees. Contact On-Site Insights, NHSRC/NJIT, 17 Glen Road, Wayland, MA 01778 or Dr. Andrea Kinney at (508) 358-3532, FAX (508) 358-5091 or email to andreakinney@worldnet.att.net.

Environmental Remediation in the 21st Century: Integrated Systems Technologies, Atlanta, GA, March 6-10. This conference is sponsored by the U. S. Air Force. As more and more remediation technologies are installed at hazardous waste sites across the country, the challenge of efficiently operating and monitoring system performance is critical. Systematic Planning must be incorporated in the remediation process to assure risk protection, cost effectiveness and prompt site closure. The objectives of this conference are to 1) highlight successes and report on remedial process optimization case studies, and issues related to improving the performance of remediation technologies, 2) showcase practical approaches to cost-effective monitoring of remedial performance, and 3) identify research gaps and needs from current practice. To register, contact (800) 821-4528 x5661 or x5207 or (210) 536-5661 & (210) 536-5244 or contact Marilyn.Maclean@hqafcee.brooks.af.mil .

Waste Testing and Quality Assurance - Call for Papers! The theme for WTQA 2000 is Environmental Sampling and Analysis in the 21^st Century. The conference brings together regulators, analysts, engineers and managers from the Federal and State regulatory agencies, the regulated community and from the laboratory and engineering support communities in an informal setting. The latest changes in regulatory policy, sampling techniques, and new methods will be presented and discussed. Topics include laboratory accreditation, compliance monitoring, facility compliance auditing, performance evaluation, method verification, laboratory and facility liability issues, the new proficiency testing program, in addition to the latest improvements in field and laboratory technologies and methods. Please submit an abstract by March 1, 2000 using the Internet abstract form at http://www.wpi.org/wtqa . If you can't submit using the Internet then mail or fax your abstract to Ms. Eileen O'Toole, WPI, 2000 Kraft Drive, Suite 2100, Blacksburg, VA 24060 (Phone: 540-557-6007; Fax: 540-557-6085; Email: eileen_otoole@wpi.org).