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United States Environmental Protection Agency

TechDirect, October 1, 2008
TIP's News Corner Courses & Conferences All Recent Additions All New Publications
Welcome to TechDirect! Since the September 1 message, TechDirect gained 160 new subscribers for a total of 31,794. If you feel the service is valuable, please share TechDirect with your colleagues. Anyone interested in subscribing may do so on CLU-IN at http://clu-in.org . 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.

TechDirect's purpose 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.

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> Upcoming Live Internet Seminars
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A Systematic Approach for Evaluation of Capture Zones at Pump and Treat Systems - October 8. This seminar presents a systematic approach for the evaluation of capture zones at pump and treat systems, and provides an overview of a recently published USEPA document on the topic (EPA 600/R-08/003, January 2008). The target audience is project managers who review those analyses and/or make decisions based on these types of analyses. This course will highlight: the importance of capture zone analysis during ground water remediation, particularly for sites requiring containment; key concepts of capture, such as "target capture zones" and "converging lines of evidence;" and typical errors made in capture zone analysis. Examples will be used to demonstrate key aspects of capture zone analysis. For more information and to register, see http://clu-in.org/studio .

ITRC Perchlorate Remediation Technologies - October 9. This training introduces state regulators, environmental consultants, site owners, and community stakeholders to Remediation Technologies for Perchlorate Contamination in Water and Soil (PERC-2, 2008), created by ITRC's Perchlorate Team to assist reviewers in assessing the adequacy of perchlorate remediation projects. This course gives the student a background in the available remediation technologies to treat perchlorate contamination, discusses emerging technologies, and presents case studies of applications. For more information and to register, see http://www.itrcweb.org or http://clu-in.org/studio .

Phytoremediation - October 14. The Superfund Basic Research Program (SBRP), in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation (OSRTI) presents "Phytoremediation." This series of online seminars will focus on the science of incorporating phytoremediation into hazardous waste site remediation plans. Dr. David Tsao, BP Corporation North America, Inc., will provide an overview of phytotechnologies, a broad set of technologies that utilize plant-derived processes to remediate or contain contaminants in soil, sediments, surface, or groundwater. Dr. Tsao will also touch on the limitations that need to be considered when evaluating the use of phytotechnologies for site-specific applications. Dr. Jerald Schnoor, SBRP-University of Iowa, will focus on plant degradation of airborne PCB congeners, a potential in situ treatment PCBs in soils and groundwater. Dr. Schnoor will describe the green liver model, which explains the fate of organic contaminants inside plant tissues, and will focus on the three phases of PCB metabolism. He will also introduce poplar experiments designed to confirm which genes are responsible for PCB metabolism as well as studies that identify endophytic bacteria and rhizosphere microorganisms that increase the rate of PCB degradation. For more information and to register, see http://clu-in.org/studio .

ITRC Protocol for Use of Five Passive Samplers - October 16. This training supports the understanding and use of the ITRC Protocol for Use of Five Passive Samplers to Sample for a Variety of Contaminants in Groundwater (DSP-5, 2007). The five technologies included in this document include diffusion samplers, equilibrated grab samplers; and an accumulation sampler. The training starts with information common to all five samples then focuses on each sampler as instructors describe the sampler and explain how it works; discuss deployment and retrieval of the sampler; highlight advantages and limitations; and present results of data comparison studies. For more information and to register, see http://www.itrcweb.org or http://clu-in.org/studio .

The Brownfields Assessment, RLF and Cleanup Grant Proposal
Guidelines: A National Q&A Session - October 16.
The proposal deadline for the Environmental Protection Agency's Brownfields Assessment, RLF and Cleanup Grants is quickly approaching. This National outreach session will review the evaluation criteria and selection process for the grants, but will dedicate most of the time to Questions and Answers from applicants. EPA encourages participants to think of questions they have ahead of time and come prepared to contribute to the discussion. For more information and to register, see http://clu-in.org/studio .

ITRC Real-Time Measurement of Radionuclides in Soil - October 28. This training introduces state regulators, environmental consultants, site owners, and community stakeholders to ITRC's Technology Overview document: Real-Time Measurement of Radionuclides in Soil: Technology and Case Studies (RAD-4, 2006), created by ITRC's Radionuclides Team. This training provides information on the basics of real-time measurement systems, how the technologies and data are used, acceptance issues, and case studies. For more information and to register, see http://www.itrcweb.org or http://clu-in.org/studio .

Green Remediation: Opening the Door to Field Use Session A (Introduction and Carbon Calculus: A RCRA Case Study) - November 24. In July, EPA held its annual National Association of Remedial Project Managers meeting in Portland, OR and one of our most attended sessions was on Green Remediation (GR). Because of its success, members of EPA's Technical Support Project, led by the Engineering Forum, have taken this full-day session and are bringing back a number of the same talks as online seminars this fall and winter. There will be three sessions, each 1.5 hours long. EPA's definition of GR includes the practice of considering the environmental effects of a remediation strategy (i.e., the remedy selected and the implementation approach) early in the process, and incorporating options to maximize the net environmental benefit of the cleanup action. Some practices are quite "mature," such as construction site best management practices including stormwater runoff management and construction and demolition (C&D) debris recycling. Others are still emerging, including the use of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar to power remedial systems. Over the three sessions, the online training will introduce you to the key technical, policy, and application aspects of GR. For more information and to register, see http://clu-in.org/studio .

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> New Documents and Web Resources
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Hazardous Waste Clean-Up Information (CLU-IN) On-line Remediation Databases Fact Sheet (EPA 542-F-06-006). The U.S. EPA Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation, Technology Innovation and Field Services Division sponsors eight on-line remediation project profile databases, including five technology-specific databases - Alternative Landfill Covers, In Situ Thermal Treatment, In Situ Chemical Oxidation, In Situ Flushing, and Phytotechnology; one contaminant-specific database for methyl tert-butyl ether (MtBE) treatment; one media-specific database about characterization and remediation at fractured bedrock sites; and one database on Remediation Technology Demonstrations projects that describes pilot-scale remediation projects for soil and ground water remediation. These databases provide timely information about selected pilot- and full-scale applications of innovative treatment and site characterization technologies and facilitate and encourage the hazardous waste remediation community to share their knowledge and experiences about innovative technologies. View or download the fact sheet at http://clu-in.org/techpubs.htm . View, search, and submit projects at http://clu-in.org/databases/ .

Demonstrations of Method Applicability under a Triad Approach for Site Assessment and Cleanup - Technology Bulletin (EPA 542-F-08-006). Demonstrations of Method Applicability (DMA) are a key component of using real-time measurement technologies and are presented in this bulletin through: answers to frequently asked questions on key aspects of DMAs, examples of DMAs performed at hazardous waste sites, and sources of additional information for communities and project teams that desire to implement DMAs and the Triad approach. View or download at http://clu-in.org/techpubs.htm .

Highlights of the Technical Support Project Meeting, Portland, OR, July 7-11, 2008. Members of EPA's three Technical Support Project (TSP) forums-the Engineering, Federal Facilities, and Ground Water Forums-helped to sponsor or present several training and panel sessions at this year's National Association of Remedial Project Managers (NARPM) conference in Portland, OR. Members of the forums hosted additional technical presentations and discussed current and future forum activities, such as preparing technical issue papers and addressing technical issues affecting the regional offices. This newsletter highlights these presentations and activities. View or download at http://clu-in.org/techpubs.htm .

Proven Technologies and Remedies Guidance - Remediation of Metals in Soil. The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has released a new guidance document that presents an option for expediting and encouraging cleanup of sites with elevated concentrations of metals in soil. The guidance is applicable on a case-by-case basis to operating and closing hazardous waste facilities and Brownfields sites. The approach streamlines the cleanup process by (1) limiting the number of evaluated technologies to two cleanup alternatives: excavation/disposal and containment/capping; (2) providing guidance for establishing background concentrations, screening levels, and cleanup goals; and (3) providing resources that facilitate remedy implementation, documentation, and administrative processes. View or download at http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/PublicationsForms/upload/Guidance_Remediation-Soils.pdf .

EUGRIS Corner. New Documents on EUGRIS, the platform for European contaminated soil and water information. More than 28 resources, events projects and news items were added to EUGRIS 1 - 24 September, 2008. These can be viewed at http://www.eugris.info/whatsnew.asp . Then select the appropriate month and year for the updates in which you are interested. The following reports were featured on EUGRIS:

Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment (CLEA) software (2008). This software, CLEA software version 1.03 beta, is a computer version of the CLEA model. It replaces CLEA UK, the previous version of the software. You can use the CLEA software to derive generic soil assessment criteria using generic assumptions about the characteristics of contaminants and people likely to be present on site; derive site-specific soil assessment criteria by entering your own data on the characteristics of contaminants and people likely to be present on site and/or using a non-generic approach; and assess whether a measured concentration in soil (and where available, measured site concentrations for contaminants within soil air, ambient and indoor air, and fruits and vegetables) would present a potential risk to human health for a particular set of circumstances. View or download at http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/landquality/113813/2021813/2022928/2022966/?version=1&lang=_e .

Pesticide Residues MRLs (2008). This database is made to consult the Maximum Residue Level (MRLs) set in the Annexes to Regulation (EC) No 396/2005. The system allows to search for the MRLs of one or several pesticides for a set of products or to display for a given product the full list of pesticides and their relative MRLs. View online at http://ec.europa.eu/sanco_pesticides/public/index.cfm .

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> Conferences and Symposia
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ITRC 2008 Fall Meeting, Phoenix, AZ, October 20-24, 2008. This week-long, conference-style meeting features plenary and breakout sessions, as well as ITRC Technical Team meetings. The meeting will highlight the connection between ITRC and emerging environmental issues, as well as how ITRC products will be used in the future. Attendance is open to ITRC members and nonmembers and networking opportunities will be provided at breaks, meals, and during the reception. Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities are available. For more information and to register, see http://www.itrcweb.org/2008FallMeeting.

National Forum on Vapor Intrusion: Science, Technology and Policy, Philadelphia, PA, January 12-13, 2009. This forum will be structured on dual tracks with common sessions. Technical presentations on sampling, assessment, risk, and engineering are being planned, and case studies illustrating a cross section of vapor intrusion issues from the perspective of community stakeholders, Brownfields, EPA, and states will be presented. There will be two breakout sessions: one on community issues and one on government programs. Although all speakers are by invitation only, poster presentations are welcome. For more information on poster presentations and to register, see http://www.epa.gov/osp/stlworkshops.htm .

Call for Abstracts!! 2009 Conference on Design and Construction
Issues at Hazardous Waste Sites, Philadelphia, PA, April 13-15, 2009.
The conference, hosted by the EPA and the US Army Corps of Engineers, will facilitate information exchange among professionals from the private and public sectors regarding design and construction issues at hazardous waste sites including effective methods, lessons learned, and application of technologies. Abstracts are due by November 14, 2008. Abstract guidelines are available at https://superfund.usace.army.mil/2009DCHWS .

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 198 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.

If you have any questions regarding TechDirect, contact Jeff Heimerman at (703) 603-7191 or heimerman.jeff@epa.gov. Remember, you may subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription address at http://clu-in.org/techdrct at any time night or day.

 

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