Message #102: August 2005

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The purpose of TechDirect is to identify new technical, policy and guidance resources related to the assessment and remediation of contaminated soil, sediments and ground water.

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.

Special Announcements

Webcast: 25 Years of Contaminated Land Management - Achievements and Work Still to Be Done. Live from ConSoil in Bordeaux, France, October 4, 2005. The webcast is sponsored by the European Soil and Groundwater Remediation Information System (EUGRIS), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Network for Industrially Contaminated Land in Europe (NICOLE), and ConSoil 2005. This webcast includes two panels with four speakers each. Panel 1 is titled Shifts in Contaminated Site Management in the EU and US and offers insight to changes in the US and Europe to contaminated site management over the past 25 years, and insight into future directions. Panel 2 is titled, From Site Screening to Redevelopment, Progress in Every Step. Panelist will discuss technical advances and policy shifts that allowed them in the field of contaminated site management go hand in hand and feed off each other. Presentations in this panel review major breakthroughs and their value going forward. Registration is required for each panel at http://www.cluin.org/studio/consoil/.

Upcoming Internet Seminars

ITRC Site Investigation and Remediation for Munitions Response Projects - August 2. The Department of Defense (DOD) is currently working on an inventory of former ranges with potential for munitions contamination. There are an estimated 2,000 munitions-contaminated sites located in all 50 states and territories that may affect more than 10 million acres. State and tribal regulatory officials and community stakeholders are routinely required to evaluate DOD cleanup strategies with little, if any, environmentally oriented munitions response experience or guidance. State regulators are increasingly being charged with oversight responsibility for munitions response cleanup projects on other than operational ranges, such as formerly used defense sites (FUDS) and base realignment and closure (BRAC) sites. In addition, DOD project managers and industry will benefit from a greater understanding of state regulator expectations. For more information and to register, see http://www.itrcweb.org or http://clu-in.org/studio .

ITRC Geophysical Prove-Outs for Munitions Response Projects - August 4. Geophysical systems are used to detect surface and subsurface anomalies, (i.e. unexploded ordnance (UXO) and/or discarded military munitions) during geophysical surveys of munitions response sites. These systems are tested, evaluated and demonstrated by a site-specific geophysical prove-out (GPO). Information collected during the implementation of the prove-out is analyzed and used to select or confirm the selection of a geophysical system that can meet the performance requirements established for the geophysical survey. http://www.itrcweb.org or http://clu-in.org/studio .

NIEHS DNAPLs - Source Zone Behavior and Mass Flux Measurement - August 10. This seminar is the first in a series sponsored by the National Institue for Environmental Health Studies (NIEHS) Superfund Basic Research Program. The presence of source zones containing dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) is usually the single most important factor limiting the characterization and cleanup of organic-contaminated sites. To address the source-reduction issue and mass flux measurements, as well as to accurately assess the human-health risks associated with chlorinated solvents and other DNAPLs in the subsurface, it is essential to gain a better understanding of the distribution and mass-transfer behavior of DNAPLs in subsurface systems. To reserve a spot on the seminar, register at http://clu-in.org/studio. Additional SBRP seminars in September and October will address DNAPLs monitoring, biological remediation, and chemical/physical remediation methods.

ITRC Radiation Risk Assessment: Updates and Tools – August 11. The Radionuclides Team of ITRC has developed a document, Determining Cleanup Goals at Radioactively Contaminated Sites: Case Studies (RAD-2, 2002), that examines the factors influencing the variations in cleanup level development at various radioactively contaminated sites. This document underscores the need for radiation risk assessment training to enhance consistency in risk assessment application. The document also acknowledges the differences between the 'dose approach' used at some sites and EPA's 'risk-based approach'. Since most radioactively contaminated DOE and DOD sites are developing cleanup goals under CERCLA authority, there is a need for a training course that clarifies the variations between these approaches and elaborates on the methodology used to develop risk-based remediation goals. To meet this need, this training course has been collaboratively developed by the ITRC Radionuclides Team and EPA's Superfund Office. The focus of this training is EPA's new radiation risk assessment tools, which can facilitate better decision making for accelerated cleanups. http://www.itrcweb.org or http://clu-in.org/studio .

New Documents and Online Resources

Site Characterization Library Version 3.0 (DVD--EPA 542-C-05-001; CD–EPA 542-C-05-002). This electronic library provides a centralized, field-portable source of site characterization information. The library includes 400 documents, 80 web links, 54 software programs, and 11 audio-visual files. It includes existing publically-available software, published guidance, journal articles; reports, internet web sites, video clips, and other information relating to site characterization; obtaining representative samples from heterogeneous media; developing conceptual site models; managing uncertainty in environmental decision making; illustrating sampling, analytical, data management, and data presentation methodologies; and illustrating innovative site characterization technologies (June 2005). Copies can be ordered from NSCEP at (800) 490-9198 or (513) 489-8190 or fax to (513) 489-8695. Please note that it is available in TWO (2) different formats. Please specify either the DVD or the CD format.

Proceedings for the 2005 International Phytotechnologies Conference are now available! This conference was organized by the Environmental Protection Agency and answered the persistent questions of what contaminants can plants clean, how long will it take, and how much money can be saved over conventional technologies. Fourteen different sessions were held, with representation from 24 different countries. To view the proceedings, see http://clu-in.org/phytoconf/agenda.cfm . Also on this website are the proceedings from the 2000 and 2003 Phytoremediation Conferences along with the 2004 Alternative Landfills Cover Conference.

Groundwater Contamination: DOD Uses and Develops a Range of Remediation Technologies to Clean Up Military Sites (GAO-05-666). This report was published by the General Accounting Office. It reviews DOD's current use of groundwater remediation technologies and the extent to which the department is researching and developing new approaches. The Department of Defense has used, or at least tested, all of the generally accepted technologies currently available to remediate contaminated groundwater, including several alternatives to pump-and-treat (June 2005, 46 pages). View or download at http://clu-in.org/techpubs.htm .

A Guide to the Proper Selection and Use of Federally Approved Sediment and Water-Quality Samplers (USGS 2005-1087). This report was published by the U.S. Geological Survey. As interest in the health of rivers and streams increases, and new water-quality regulations are promulgated, interest in sediment and water-quality sampling equipment and technologies has increased. While much information on the subject exists, a comprehensive summary document of sediment sampling equipment and technology is lacking. This report seeks to provide such a summary. The purpose of this report is to provide (1) a general understanding of sediment sampling equipment and technology, (2) guidance for the selection of the appropriate equipment, and (3) an introduction to new Federal Interagency Sedimentation Project (FISP) approved sampling equipment (2005, 26 pages). View or download at http://water.usgs.gov/osw/pubs/OFR_2005_1087/OFR_2005-1087.pdf .

Technology News and Trends-current issue (EPA 542-N-05-004). Technology News and Trends is published by the EPA Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation. This issue covers several innovative projects including: (1) enhanced bioremediation of groundwater; (2) continued progress applying the Triad approach for NAPL; and (3) Supermulch amendment for revegetation at a mining site. View or download at http://clu-in.org/techpubs.htm . For hard copies, contact (800) 490-9198 or (513) 489-8190 or fax to (513) 489-8695.

SCRD News. The State Coalition for the Remediation of Drycleaners (SCRD) published its July newsletter. The newsletter highlights recent updates to several SCRD publications and events (July 2005, 4 pages). View or download at http://www.drycleancoalition.org/download/news0705.pdf .

National Environmental Publications Information System (NEPIS) website. This site offers access to over 11,000 EPA scientific and technical publications. Approximately 1,000,000 pages are available for viewing and are fully text searchable and printable. The site allows you to search by title or publication number; download documents in either PDF or TIFF format. It includes Advance Search features. Visit us at the new site: http://nepis.epa.gov/ .

Conferences and Symposia

MTBE & TBA - Comprehensive Site Assessment and Successful Groundwater Remediation, San Francisco, August 10-12. This comprehensive two-day ITRC course introduces students to a variety of MTBE and TBA contaminated groundwater topics including: chemical, physical and biological characteristics; characterization; site assessment; remediation technologies; and case studies. The MTBE team has assembled a top-notch group of instructors offering both theoretical and practical information about MTBE and TBA in groundwater. Students can expect to increase their understanding of groundwater related site characterization and remediation issues, especially as it relates to regulator acceptance and successful application of innovative technology. To register, see https://weborcl8.wpi.biz/itrc/mtbe200508/regform.htm .

Brownfields 2005: Reaching New Heights in Redevelopment, November 2-4, Denver. This event is sponsored by the U.S. EPA, the City of Denver and numerous cosponsors. This is the conference for everyone interested in brownfields [real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of contamination]. The program will include many different panel sessions, mobile workshops, Marketplace of Ideas roundtable discussions and individual poster presentations, the prestigious Phoenix Awards, and an extensive Exhibit Hall. A 1.5 day delivery of the Triad training course is scheduled immediately preceding the conference (October 31-Nov 1). For more information and to register, see http://www.brownfields2005.org .

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. Currently there are 143 conferences and courses featured. We invite sponsors to input information on their events at http://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