Message #26: April, 1999

Since March 1, TechDirect gained 372 new subscribers for a total of 6174. Welcome to all the newcomers! We hope this service continues to be beneficial. Let us know your ideas for its improvement.

April marks the second anniversary of TechDirect. We began this effort with the belief that there is a lot of good technical work being accomplished in many places, but it wasn't getting to the professionals who could use it. We also believed that technical advances are happening at a fairly rapid pace and that professionals in the private, public and academic arena do not necessarily have time to search the many sources of information. Through TechDirect, we are trying to change that dynamic. By delivering the information to your computer doorstep, we hope that we are making your lives a little easier and that you are able to make more informed assessment and cleanup decisions. It is a continuing pleasure to serve you.

New CLU-IN Feature

State Hazardous Site Remediation Programs. We have added to CLU-IN direct links to web pages of State Hazardous Waste Clean-up programs - see http://clu-in.org/states/.

Preparing No Migration Demonstrations for Municipal Solid Waste Disposal Facilities -A Screening Tool (EPA 530-R-99-008). This document was published by the U.S. EPA Office of Solid Waste. The Land Disposal Program Flexibility Act (LDPFA) directed OSW to issue a guidance document to facilitate the use of no-migration demonstrations (NMD) by small municipal solid waste landfills (MSWLFs) (20 tons per day). The guidance is a screening tool to be used by owners and operators of MSWLFs to make a preliminary determination of the likelihood of preparing a successful demonstration of no migration of contamination to groundwater. This screening tool does not contain in-depth discussions of technical site-specific factor that must be considered prior to issuing a NMD [February 1999, 44 pages]. To view or download, see http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/landfill/mswfdemo/nm-demo.pdf. For hard copies, contact (800) 490-9198 or (513) 489-8190 or fax your request to (513) 891-6685.

Three Dimensional NAPL Fate and Transport Model (EPA 600-R-99-011). This report was published by the U.S. EPA National Risk Management Research Laboratory. Simulation models are needed to analyze and predict the fate and transport of Nonaqeous Phase Liquids (NAPL) in the subsurface and to assess the effectiveness of remediation efforts at NAPL contaminated sites. This report describes the development, testing and validation of a comprehensive flow and transport simulator (UTCHEM) that can model fate and transport of NAPLs as well as processes for their remediation [February 1999, 361 pages]. View or download at http://www.epa.gov/ada/download/reports/napl3d.pdf. No hard copies available at this time.

RBCA Fate and Transport Models: Compendium and Selection Guidance. This document was published by American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and funded by the EPA Office of Underground Storage Tanks. It provides a compendium of commonly used fate and transport models and pertinent information to aid in the selection of an appropriate model to be used in the Risk-Based Corrective Action (RBCA) process. This guidance is presented in a way that information can be used by audiences with varying levels of experience in fate and transport modeling. It addresses a multitude of chemical fate and transport pathways, including vapor migration, soil leaching , and groundwater transport pathways. The Guidance contains information on specific types of models, describes governing equations and model applicability, lists key input parameters for each model, describes model output formats and limitations, and presents procedures for sensitivity testing of input parameters and for validating individual model simulations and predictions [November 1998, 104 pages]. View or download at http://www.epa.gov/swerust1/rbdm/rbcafntm.pdf. For hard copies, contact ASTM at (610) 832-9685 or fax to (610) 832-9668.

LUSTfields Initiative This initiative is an effort by U.S. EPA's Office of Underground Storage Tanks (OUST) to focus attention on abandoned or idled industrial and commercial UST facilities. Some of these facilities are gasoline service stations and automobile lots (i.e., rental car lots) where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination. LUSTfields are located in urban, suburban, and rural areas throughout the country. OUST's LUSTfields initiative is committed to help EPA Regions and State governments collect and distribute information on current or completed efforts to revitalize such properties, mitigate potential health risks, and environmentally and economically restore vitality to areas where these sites exist. For more information, see http://www.epa.gov/swerust1/ustfield/index.htm.

SITE Technology Documents. The U.S. EPA Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) program web site has been updated to include downloadable reports and fact sheets on specific technologies that have gone through that program. They have mounted nine Applications Analysis Reports, six Demonstration Bulletins, nine Emerging Technology Bulletins, six Innovative Technology Evaluation Reports, five SITE Technology Capsules, three Treatability Bulletins and three Emerging Technology Summaries. To view or download any of these reports see http://www.epa.gov/ORD/SITE/reports/. Also the SITE program anticipates that their backlog of electronic reports will be mounted on their site periodically over the next few months.

In Situ Permeable Reactive Barriers: Application and Deployment, June 22-23, Boston, MA. EPA's National Risk Management Research Laboratory, and the Technology Innovation Office, in cooperation with the Remediation Technologies Development Forum and the Interstate Technology Regulatory Cooperation Work Group, are offering a 1 1/2-day training course on the use of permeable reactive barriers for remediating and managing contaminated groundwater. Training sessions will be held in the ten EPA regional cities throughout the country between June 1999 and September 2000. The first course offering will be held in Boston, MA, June 22-23. For course agenda and registration information, see http://www.trainex.org/prb.

Reminder!! International Environmental Technology Expo '99, Atlantic City, NJ, April 20-21, 1999. Sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), this event will focus on the growing use of environmental technologies to help government, business and industry solve environmental problems. The program is designed to bring together representatives from across the country and the world to address such topics as innovative environmental technologies, brownfields cleanup using innovative treatment technologies, technology verification/certification, electronic data exchange and partnering. Through panel discussions, presentations, exhibits and technology demonstrations we will provide an opportunity to share information, showcase technologies and identify new technology needs in the United States and internationally. For more information, visit: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/srp.

[Reminder - Limited Capacity] Subsurface Remediation: Improving Long-Term Monitoring and Remedial Systems Performance, St. Louis, MO, June 8-11, 1999. This conference is sponsored by member agencies of the Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable. The objectives are to highlight successes and issues related to improving the performance of subsurface remediation technologies, showcase practical approaches to cost-effective monitoring of remedial performance, and to identify research needs from current practice. For agenda and registration information, see http://www.clu-in.org/products/moreinfo/subsurf.htm.

Interagency Project to Clean Up Open Dumps on Tribal Lands: Request for Proposals. The National Tribal Solid Waste Interagency Workgroup (Workgroup) is soliciting proposals for its Tribal Open Dump Cleanup Project (Cleanup Project). Approximately $1.6 million is available to fund selected proposals with the possibility of additional funds depending on the scope of the individual project. The Cleanup Project is intended to demonstrate the Federal government's ability to provide comprehensive solid waste management funding and technical support to tribes by assisting three to six tribes with the closure or upgrade of "high priority" waste disposal sites [March 1999, 10 pages].

Environmental Research Grants Competition: Combustion Emissions. Combustion facilities for hazardous or other wastes include hazardous waste incinerators, furnaces and boilers, and municipal incinerators. The risks associated with emissions from combustion facilities are potentially high, because of the large number of these facilities, their potential to emit very toxic contaminants (such as dioxins, furans, mercury, lead, and cadmium), the potential dispersion of these contaminants over large areas, and exposures across multiple pathways. The purpose of this solicitation is to invite research on topics that will supplement current understanding of risks posed by the emission of contaminants from hazardous waste incinerators and combustion facilities. Closing date is May 12, 1999. For more information, see http://es.epa.gov/ncerqa/rfa/batch2.html.

Other Items

The U.S. EPA Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) program started a monthly email service called ETVoice that features news updates and publications from the ETV's 12 pilot programs. As you are aware, TechDirect often features the verification reports generated by the ETV's Site Characterization and Monitoring Technologies (SCMT) pilot. However, if you are interested in receiving information on the evaluation of technologies outside the site characterization and monitoring arena and information on ETV events, you may want to subscribe to ETVoice. You may do so at http://www.epa.gov/etv/membersh.htm.

Reminder! If you wish to subscribe, unsubscribe or change your email address for your TechDirect subscription, you may do so 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at http://clu-in.org/techdrct. Doing so will help us better maintain the list.

If you have any questions or comments on TechDirect, please contact Jeff Heimerman at (703) 603-7191 or heimerman.jeff@epa.gov.