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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 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.
Open Solicitations
AFCEE Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Open for FY10. The Air
Force Center for Engineering and the Environment (AFCEE) BAA
seeks out technologies and methodologies to reduce environmental
impacts from current and past Air Force operations and apply to
Air Force installations worldwide. The key focus of this effort
is to further develop and validate innovative, energy efficient,
and cost-effective technologies for the site characterization,
remediation, and accelerated closure of environmental sites in
Restoration, Compliance, Pollution Prevention, Military
Munitions Response Program (MMRP) areas for complying with all
applicable regulatory requirements, policies and guidance. The
goal is to identify more technically advanced, efficient,
effective, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective
solutions than are currently available. Such technologies and
methodologies should aid the U.S. Air Force in reaching the
remedy-in-place (RIP) goal or optimizing current remediation,
monitoring, or other systems already in place, or reducing the
quantity of toxic and hazardous chemicals and materials. Phase I
submittals must be submitted online no later than 4:00 PM CST,
December 8, 2009. View the BAA synopsis at
https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USAF/AFMC/HQAFCEE/AFCEEBAA-08-001/listing
.html .
SERDP Core and SEED Solicitations. The DoD Strategic
Environmental Research and Demonstration Program (SERDP)
released its annual Core and SEED solicitations for FY 2011 on
October 29, 2009. Funds are available through a competitive
process to both federal and private organizations to perform
environmental research and development. Core Solicitation
projects vary in cost and duration, consistent with the scope of
the work proposed. Federal organizations respond to the Federal
Call for Proposals and private sector organizations to the Broad
Agency Announcement (BAA). For the Core solicitation,
pre-proposals from the non-federal sector are due January 7,
2010 and federal proposals are due March 11, 2010. The SEED
Solicitation is designed to provide a limited amount of funding,
not to exceed $150,000 in total cost and approximately one year
in duration, for researchers to test proof of concept for work
that will investigate new environmental approaches that entail
high technical risk and/or have minimal supporting data. Federal
organizations respond to the Federal Call for Proposals and
private sector organizations to the BAA. All SEED proposals are
due March 11, 2010. View the call for proposals and Statements
of Need at http://www.serdp.org/funding/ .
Upcoming Live Internet Seminars
The Regional Emergency Operations Center (REOC) - December 2,
2009, 1:00PM-3:00PM EST (18:00-20:00 GMT). The 2-hour REOC
Webinar will introduce participants to the function and
operation of the Regional Emergency Operations Center (REOC).
The REOC webinar is aimed as Response Support Corps (RSC)
members in the regional offices and at EPA Headquarters. The
webinar will begin with background information on EPA's National
Approach to Response, National Incident Management System,
Response Support Corps, and REOC. The webinar will then focus on
how REOCs are set up and how they function, including the (1)
characteristic features of the REOC, (2) management structure
and positions to be filled in the REOC, (3) types of information
and products developed in the REOC, and (4) types of REOC
activations that RSCs can expect. The REOC webinar is a
prerequisite for the 4-hour Knowing and Working Within the REOC
course to be given at the OSC Readiness Training Program in
February 2010. For more information and to register, see
http://clu-in.org/live .
Superfund Research Program Strategic Planning - Your Input for
Future Directions - December 7, 2009, 2:00PM-4:00PM EDT
(19:00-21:00 GMT). The Superfund Research Program (SRP) funds
basic and applied research addressing health effects, risk
assessment, detection and remediation of hazardous substances.
After over 20 years of progress, the SRP is undergoing a
strategic planning process to develop a framework for
prioritization of activities over the next 5-10 years and to
enhance the impact of the Program. The purpose of this
information session is to receive input from SRP's stakeholders
about the future direction of the Program. The session will
feature a moderated discussion period framed by a series of
questions addressing the scope of SRP science, training,
translation, and outreach. We encourage participation by
officials from sister Superfund agencies US EPA and ATSDR, as
well as representatives of local, state, tribal governments,
non-profit organizations, universities, and practicing
environmental professionals. For more information and to
register, see http://clu-in.org/live .
ITRC In Situ Bioremediation of Chlorinated Ethene - DNAPL Source
Zones - December 8, 2009, 2:00PM-4:15PM EST (19:00-21:15 GMT).
Treatment of dissolved-phase chlorinated ethenes in groundwater
using in situ bioremediation (ISB) is an established technology;
however, its use for DNAPL source zones is an emerging
application. This training course supports the ITRC Technical
and Regulatory Guidance document In Situ Bioremediation of
Chlorinated Ethene: DNAPL Source Zones (BioDNAPL-3, 2008). This
document provides the regulatory community, stakeholders, and
practitioners with the general steps practitioners and
regulators can use to objectively assess, design, monitor, and
optimize ISB treatment of DNAPL source zones. For more
information and to register, see http://www.itrcweb.org or
http://clu-in.org/live .
Perchlorate: Concern About Environmental Exposures, Thyroid
Homeostasis, and Developmental Impacts - December 16, 2009,
2:00PM-3:30PM EST (19:00-20:30 GMT). Perchlorate contaminates
important sources of drinking water in California and
nationally. It inhibits the uptake of iodide into the thyroid
gland, an essential part of the process of making thyroid
hormone. Small changes is maternal thyroid hormone are
associated with significant decreases in IQ. As well, small
decreases in adult T4 levels are also associated with increased
cardiovascular risk. Perchlorate has been shown to block iodine
uptake into the thyroid gland and cause a reduction in thyroid
hormone production. In the past, evidence showed that this
effect occurred only at very high doses of perchlorate. Recently
however, several epidemiologic studies have provided evidence
that lower levels of perchlorate commonly found in food and
water sources in the U.S. might also impact thyroid hormone
production. These studies suggest that these impacts primarily
occur in certain susceptible populations. Earlier studies may
have missed these effects because these groups were not
specifically evaluated. Potential susceptible groups include
pregnant women and their children, people with moderately low
iodine intake, and those who consume foods with other iodine
uptake blockers like thiocyanate. Given the large number of
people in the US who are exposed to perchlorate and the
important health effects associated with even minor reductions
in thyroid hormone levels, the new evidence linking low levels
of perchlorate to reductions in thyroid hormone could have
profound public health implications. For more information and to
register, see http://clu-in.org/live .
New Documents and Web Resources
DoD Vapor Intrusion Handbook. This handbook was developed by the
Tri-Service Environmental Risk Assessment Work Group (TSERAWG)
to serve as a resource for remedial project managers (RPMs) who
may need to investigate the vapor intrusion pathway at
Department of Defense (DoD) sites. The Tri-Services of the DoD
include the Departments of the Air Force, Army, and Navy, with
the Department of the Navy (DON) including both the Navy and the
Marine Corps. This handbook was developed to support RPMs
working on both active and closed Air Force, Army, Navy, and
Marine Corps bases, as well as Formerly Used Defense Sites
(FUDS). The handbook is intended to provide a general framework
for conducting vapor intrusion investigations under the Defense
Environmental Restoration Program (DERP). Both residential and
occupational exposure scenarios are discussed since both groups
can be affected by vapor intrusion (January 2009, 171 pages).
View or download at
https://www.denix.osd.mil/portal/page/portal/content/environment/
cleanup/WN/DoD%20VI%20Handbook%20Final%20Jan%2009.pdf .
Review of Best Practices, Knowledge and Data Gaps, and Research
Opportunities for the U.S. Department of Navy Vapor Intrusion
Focus Areas. In response to the need for future research and
development on reducing high costs and uncertainties of VI
assessment strategies, the objective of this report is to
identify existing best practices, knowledge and data gaps, and
future research into new strategies and techniques. This study
was supported by the Navy Environmental Sustainability
Development to Integration Program (NESDI) Program, as part of
the study on Improved Strategies for Assessment of Vapor
Intrusion, under direction by the Space and Naval Warfare
(SPAWAR) Systems Center Pacific (May 2009, 86 pages). View or
download at
http://www.spawar.navy.mil/sti/publications/pubs/tr/1982/t
nd.pdf .
National Contingency Plan Product Schedule. Subpart J of the
National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan
(NCP) directs EPA to prepare a schedule of dispersants, other
chemicals, and oil spill mitigating devices and substances that
may be used to remove or control oil discharges. Subpart J is a
section of the NCP which stipulates the criteria for listing and
managing the use of dispersants and other chemical and
biological agents used to mitigate oil spills. Subpart J is
found in 40 Code of Regulations Part 300.910 (October 2009, 19
pages). View or download at
http://epa.gov/emergencies/content/ncp/product_schedule.ht
.
EUGRIS Corner. New Documents on EUGRIS, the platform for
European contaminated soil and water information. More than 20
resources, events projects and news items were added to EUGRIS 1
- 24 November, 2009. 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:
Proceedings of the Green Remediation Conference, Copenhagen,
Denmark November 2009. Sustainable approaches for decision
making and soil remediation are more relevant than ever. The
objective of the Green Remediation Conference is to improve the
awareness of green remediation solutions among environmentalists
and decision makers. The main topics were: policy drivers,
decision support tools, and sustainable remediation
technologies. View or download at:
http://www.polytec.dk/greenremediation/default.asp?page=Pr
gs .
Report of the NICOLE Workshop: Sustainable Remediation - A
Solution to an Unsustainable Past? 3-5 June 2009, Leuven,
Belgium. NICOLE's vision for this workshop is to help find a
greater understanding of what sustainable remediation is and can
achieve. The workshop explored what might be meant by
sustainable remediation ; linked this concept to frameworks for
contaminated land management, and considered how sustainability
can be included in contaminated land management decisions across
Europe. NICOLE's approach will be to provide a road map about
the process of using sustainability in contaminated land
decision making and checklists to provide technical support to
decision-makers, allowing them to examine suggestions of
possible sustainability criteria or factors (indicators) and
available tools and techniques in the literature or on the
market along with some assessment of their utility. NICOLE is
collaborating closely with SURF and SURF-UK and developing links
with the Common Forum to try and develop an international
consensus of what sustainable remediation is and how it should
be achieved View or download at:
http://www.nicole.org/documents/stream.aspx?o=2&fn=NICOLE_
.
Conferences and Symposia
Partners in Environmental Technology Technical Symposium &
Workshop, Washington, DC, December 1-3, 2009. Sponsored by the
Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program
(SERDP), DoD's environmental science and technology program, and
the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program
(ESTCP), this event will provide attendees: (1) plenary session
speakers offering key insights into environmental issues; (2)
concurrent technical sessions and short courses covering the
latest in environmental research results and technical
innovations as well as unique training opportunities; (3) poster
sessions featuring more than 400 technical posters; (4) exhibit
booths offering information about funding opportunities in
related research programs; (5) networking opportunities with
more than 1,000 environmental professionals from the government,
academic, and private sectors; and (6) a session providing a
summary of SERDP and ESTCP funding opportunities to conduct
research and demonstrations. For more information and to
register, see http://www.serdp-estcp.org/symposium2009/ .
Green Cleanup Symposium, Philadelphia, PA, February 10-11, 2010.
This symposium is a collaborative effort of the US Environmental
Protection Agency, Drexel University, University of
Pennsylvania, City of Philadelphia, US Army Corps of Engineers,
Wildlife Habitat Council, and the States of New Jersey, New
York, Pennsylvania and Delaware. Join high level decision makers
and the nation's leading thinkers on green cleanup and
revitalization of waste sites to discuss: The ABC's of
Sustainable Reuse; Cleaning up Properties While Using Green
Practices; Cutting-edge Analysis and Tools for Long-term
Cleanups; Initiatives Promoting Renewable Energy on Cleanup
Sites; and Ecological Revitalization at Contaminated Properties.
For more information and to register, see:
http://drexel.edu/cities/greencleanupsymposium.html
.
Vapor Intrusion Pathway: A Practical Guideline ITRC 2-day
Classroom Training, Norfolk, VA on March 22-23, 2010. The ITRC
2-day Vapor Intrusion Pathway class is planned for three
locations in 2010: Norfolk, Virginia (March 22-23); Boston,
Massachusetts (area) (July 12-13); Atlanta, Georgia (October
4-5). Led by internationally recognized experts, this 2-day ITRC
classroom training will enable you to learn the latest
strategies to conduct site screening and investigations;
determine what tools are appropriate to collect quality data and
evaluate the results; apply multiple lines of evidence to ensure
quality decision-making; build solutions for VI issues through
understanding of mitigation options; and network with
environmental professionals dealing with this interdisciplinary
and complex pathway. Interactive learning with hands-on
exhibits, classroom exercises, and frequent Q&A sessions will
reinforce these course objectives and contribute to a practical
understanding of this difficult pathway. For more information
and to register, see http://www.itrcweb.org/crt.asp .
Call for Abstracts!! ConSoil 2010 - Management of Soil,
Groundwater, and Sediment, Salzburg, Austria, September 22-24,
2010. The 11th edition will continue the successful programme of
the ConSoil conferences. The themes of ConSoil 2010 reflect the
latest topics in the management of soil, groundwater and
sediment. ConSoil is the leading platform to exchange news and
knowledge between: scientists, policy makers,
consultants/service providers, administrators, site owners/river
basin, managers, remediation companies/contractors, banking and
insurance companies. The conference language will be English.
Abstracts are due by December 21, 2009. For more information and
to submit an abstract, see http://www.consoil.de .
Call for Abstracts!! Remediation Technologies Symposium 2010
(RemTech 2010)
Fairmont Banff Springs Resort, Banff, Alberta - October 20-22,
2010. The Environmental Services Association of Alberta (ESAA)
invites you to submit papers and presentations focusing on
technologies for the remediation of contaminated soil. The
preliminary selection of papers and presentations will be based
on submitted abstracts and reviewed by a panel of peers.
Abstracts should be no more than 500 words and should include a
presenter biography (bio not part of the word count), and must
be received by May 20, 2009. For more information and to submit
an abstract see, http://www.esaa-events.com/remtech/call2010.htm
.
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 76 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.
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