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TechDirect
February 1, 2026
Welcome to TechDirect! Since the January 1 message, TechDirect gained 40 new subscribers for a total of 36,986. If you feel the service is valuable, please share TechDirect with your colleagues. Anyone interested in subscribing may do so on CLU-IN at https://clu-in.org/techdirect. All previous issues of TechDirect are archived there. The TechDirect messages of the past can be searched by keyword or can be viewed as individual issues.

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TechDirect's purpose is to identify new technical, policy and guidance resources related to the assessment and remediation of contaminated soil, sediments and groundwater.

Mention of non-EPA documents or presentations 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.
Announcements
ESTCP FY 2027 Solicitation.
ESTCP is seeking proposals for demonstrations of innovative technologies for funding beginning in FY 2027. All pre-proposals must respond to a Topic Area associated with the solicitationESTCP bridges the “valley of death” by demonstrating and validating novel technologies at military installations. Our rigorous and well-documented demonstrations at DoD facilities and sites in operational settings provide the information needed by all DoD partners for technology transition and adoption. All pre-proposals are due March 12, 2026 by 2:00 p.m. ET. . Pre-proposal instructions and details about the specific Topic Areas are available at https://serdp-estcp.mil/workwithus.
Upcoming Live Internet Seminars
ITRC Microplastics Training - Thursday, February 12, 2026, 1:00PM-3:00PM EST (18:00-20:00 UTC). In response to one of the biggest emerging environmental concerns, ITRC formed the Microplastics Team in 2021 to develop the Microplastics Guidance Document. Plastics have become pervasive in modern life and are now used in a wide range of commercial and industrial applications. Microplastics may result from the degradation and fragmentation of larger plastics, or they may be intentionally produced for specific applications and products. The online ITRC Guidance Document is geared toward an audience with reasonable level of scientific understanding, but not microplastic-specific knowledge. The guidance provides a user with information on microplastics and the state of the applied science without having to go to the scientific literature. The target audience for the guidance and this training course includes state regulators and environmental consultants, as well as community and tribal stakeholders. For more information and to register, see https://www.itrcweb.org or https://www.clu-in.org/live.

ITRC Sediment Cap Chemical Isolation Training - Tuesday, February 17, 2026, 1:00PM-3:00PM EST (18:00-20:00 UTC). In 2023, ITRC published the Sediment Cap Chemical Isolation Guidance to supplement the 2014 Contaminated Sediments Remediation Guidance with the goal of improving consistency in sediment cap performance outcomes. Sediment capping is a commonly selected remediation approach and numerous designs have been completed. Previous cap designs have been evaluated in multiple ways, and these varying approaches have led to some differences in selection of chemical design criteria, construction tolerance specifications, and monitoring/maintenance objectives for sites with similar characteristics and contaminants, leading to different expectations for long-term performance and reliability. The Sediment Cap Chemical Isolation Training will cover several key elements of the recommended framework. For more information and to register, see https://www.itrcweb.org or https://www.clu-in.org/live.

Into the MStC: ASTM's E3488-25 Standard Guide for Moving Sites to Closure (MStC) for Petroleum Underground Storage Tank (UST) Release - Wednesday, February 18, 2026, 2:00PM-3:00PM EST (19:00-20:00 UTC). The webinar will introduce the audience to U.S. EPA's Reassessing Exposure Threats from Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Releases policy statement and ASTM's E3488 Standard Guide for Moving Sites to Closure for Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Releases (MStC). We will highlight some of the new science and best practices that form the basis for MStC, changes in practice that MStC recommends, and options for implementation. For more information and to register, see https://www.clu-in.org/live.

ITRC Vapor Intrusion Mitigation (VIM-1) - A Two Part Series Training - Tuesday, February 24 and Tuesday, March 17, 1:00PM-3:00PM EST (18:00-20:00 UTC). When certain contaminants or hazardous substances are released into the soil or groundwater, they may volatilize into soil gas. Vapor intrusion (VI) occurs when these vapors migrate up into overlying buildings and contaminate indoor air. The ITRC VI Toolkit combines the previous ITRC VI-related guidance documents (VI 2007, PVI 2014, VIM-1 2020), along with updates, into one comprehensive resource toolkit (including fact sheets, technology information sheets and checklists) published in January 2026. The Vapor Intrusion Mitigation training is a series of eight (8) modules, presented over two sessions. For more information and to register, see https://www.itrcweb.org or https://www.clu-in.org/live..

Federal Facilities Online Academy: Military Munitions Policy Overview, Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 1:00PM-3:00PM EST (18:00-20:00 UTC). Military Munitions Policy Webinar is a two-hour webinar course that provides an overview of the Department of Defense (DoD) Military Munitions Response Program (MMRP), munitions policies, and how the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) is applied to munitions sites. By taking this course, participants will achieve the following objectives: Learn about DoD MMRP; Understand the CERCLA process as applied to a munitions site; Understand munitions policies; and, Explore EPA Munitions Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). The instructional methodology for this course includes lecture, case studies, and quizzes. The target audience for this course are federal, state, and tribal representatives who work on Federal Facility cleanups. Ideally, students should have a basic understanding of munitions and the CERCLA process. This course is part of the Federal Facilities Academy training program. Please consider registering for other Federal Facility Academy courses and obtain a certificate upon completion of the entire Federal Facility Academy series (12 courses total). For more information and to register, see https://www.clu-in.org/live.

ITRC PFAS & Biosolids: Sources, Occurrence, Transport, and Treatment Training - Thursday, February 26, 2026, 1:00PM-3:00PM EST (18:00-20:00 UTC). This ITRC training will provide information on the current understanding of PFAS and biosolids, focusing on land application. It builds on the earlier topics covered in the PFAS 101 training. This training will provide information on potential sources of PFAS in biosolids, the implications of PFAS associated with land-applied biosolids, including leaching and associated risks, and a conceptual site model. It will also cover the nature and extent of PFAS, field and laboratory considerations when assessing land application sites, factors controlling PFAS mobility, PFAS treatment options for biosolids, and PFAS uptake by plants and animals in these settings, along with approaches to modeling that uptake. For more information and to register, see https://www.itrcweb.org or https://www.clu-in.org/live

ITRC PFAS Introductory Training, Thursday, March 5, 2026, 1:00PM-3:00PM EST (18:00-20:00 UTC). This training will include emerging science on PFAS, including topics such as Properties of PFAS, Fate and Transport, Sampling and Analysis, and Treatment Technologies. The technical presentations will be focused on those who are relatively new to PFAS. The training will last approximately 90 minutes and include time for questions. For more information and to register, see https://www.itrcweb.org or https://www.clu-in.org/live.
New Documents and Web Resources
Potential Data Centers at Superfund and Brownfields Properties. The Superfund Redevelopment Program, and the Brownfields Program, have assembled information, tools and resources to help interested parties assess the viability of Superfund and Brownfield properties as possible locations for data centers in response to the Executive Order on Accelerating Federal Permitting of Data Center Infrastructure. Superfund and Brownfield sites often already have infrastructure and industrial zoning that can make building data centers appealing. EPA’s new information clarifies important factors for interested parties to consider when planning AI data centers at Superfund and Brownfield sites, including compatibility with site conditions and cleanup, legal responsibilities, community input, and access to infrastructure. Along with existing guidance for redevelopment and land revitalization, this information can help speed up the process of returning contaminated sites to productive use and help stakeholders assess the viability of data centers as an option for reuse. The tools and resources are available on two new webpages, addressing Superfund and Brownfield sites:
Technology Innovation News Survey Corner. The Technology Innovation News Survey contains market/commercialization information; reports on demonstrations, feasibility studies and research; and other news relevant to the hazardous waste community interested in technology development. Recent issues, complete archives, and subscription information is available at https://clu-in.org/products/tins/. The following resources were included in recent issues:
  • Monitoring of In Situ Remediation Technologies with SIP
  • PFAS - Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Sorption-Based Technologies for Separation and Concentration of PFAS from Water.
Conferences and Symposia
Design and Construction Issues at Hazardous Waste Sites (DCHWS East), March 4-6, 2026, Philadelphia, PA. The US EPA and Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) co-sponsor the DCHWS East each Spring. The applications of engineering and science associated with cleaning up hazardous waste sites continue to evolve rapidly. The event's primary goal is to facilitate an interactive engagement between professionals from government and the private sector related to relevant and topical issues. For more information, please visit https://sites.google.com/samephiladelphiapost.org/dchws/east-symposium/spring-2026-dchws?authuser=0

Superfund Radiation Dose Assessment Training, March 8, 2026, Phoenix, AZ. As part of the Waste Management Symposium, the US EPA will hold a Superfund Radiation Dose Assessment class Sunday March 8, 2026, in Phoenix, Arizona. The course is an interactive, full-day advanced program that addresses specific technical and regulatory challenges faced by site managers (e.g., Regional Project Managers, On-scene Coordinators) and technical staff (e.g., risk assessors, health physicists) involved in managing sites within the US Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund remedial program. While the focus of Superfund assessments is usually risk, this special edition of this course will focus on the dose assessment calculators which are used by EPA for determining compliance with dose based Applicable or Relevant and Appropriate Requirements (ARARs). The instructors are Stuart Walker of US EPA, and Fred Dolislager of US DOE's Oak Ridge National Laboratory. For more information, please visit https://www.wmsym.org/conference-information/wm2026-conference/

U.S EPA and RAIS Screening Level Calculator Training for Chemical and Radionuclide Risk Analysis, March 23-26, 2026, Oak Ridge, TN. This training will primarily provide the participant with operational knowledge of key EPA and RAIS calculators. Additionally, the training and exercises will delve into the ability of the calculators to address site-specific exposures, unique toxicity assessments, and complex risk characterizations. Comprehensive instruction on the use of the websites will provide the knowledge to create all the tables necessary for exposure, toxicity, characterization, and uncertainty assessment sections of a risk assessment. In addition to classroom activities, tours are given of the Spallation Neutron Source facility, the High Flux Isotope Reactor, Frontier (ORNL's exascale supercomputer), and the Historic Graphite Reactor from the Manhattan Project. For more information, please visit https://rais.ornl.gov/spring2026.html

2026 ITRC Annual Meeting - April 20-22, 2026, Salt Lake City, UT. The meeting will feature an opening reception, dedicated working sessions for our Project Teams, and program-specific meetings. To learn more and register, please visit https://itrcweb.org/2025-annual-meeting/.

NOTE: For TechDirect, we prefer to concentrate mainly on new documents and the Internet live events. However, we do support an area on CLU-IN where announcement of conferences and courses can be regularly posted. We invite sponsors to input information on their events at https://clu-in.org/courses . Likewise, readers may visit this area for news of upcoming events that might be of interest. It allows users to search events by location, topic, time period, etc.

If you have any questions regarding TechDirect, contact Jean Balent at (202) 566-0832 or balent.jean@epa.gov.

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