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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
EPA & National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business
Innovation Research Opportunities in Environmental Technologies.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SBIR Phase I
Solicitation is now closed and the next SBIR solicitation will
open in March 2009. However, there are nearer term opportunities
for SBIR funding of environmental technologies in the National
Science Foundation (NSF) SBIR Phase I Solicitation closing on
December 4, 2008. Nearly all of EPA's technology needs have
significant synergy with this NSF Solicitation. More information
and a link to the NSF Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs are
available at http://www.clu-in.org/techpubs.htm .
NIST-Technology Innovation Program Announces Competitive R&D
Proposal Funding Opportunity. The Commerce Department's National
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced that it
is seeking proposals for high-risk research projects to develop
innovative technologies for inspecting, monitoring and
evaluating critical components of the nation's roadways,
bridges, and drinking and wastewater systems. The competition
for cost-shared research and development (R&D) support is the
first to be announced by NIST's newly established Technology
Innovation Program (TIP) in an effort to address critical
societal challenges. Proposals for the current TIP competition
must be received by NIST by 3 p.m. EDT, Thursday, September 4,
2008. Review, selection, and award processing is expected to be
completed by the end of November 2008. More information and a
proposal preparation kit are available at
http://www.nist.gov/tip/comp08_apply.h ... .
Upcoming Live Internet Seminars
X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) Seminar Series - August 4, 7, 11, 14,
18, 21, 25, 28. This 8-part internet seminar series covers
material that generally is not presented in XRF presentations or
training courses. This is an applications course: how can a
FP-XRF be used so that its data are highly dependable and
defensible. Sampling design and sample handling options for
FP-XRF will be covered, along with the benefits and limitations
of each. Analytical and QC concerns common to using XRF are also
discussed. This course will be of interest to staff developing
XRF sampling and analysis plans, reviewing the plans for quality
assurance, field operators, and users of XRF data for making
project decisions. Concepts and practice will be illustrated
using experiences from actual field projects. The capabilities
of newer FP-XRF instruments will be described. Participants may
register for any session of interest, but are highly encouraged
to attend all 8 sessions for the full benefit of the course. For
more information and to register, see http://clu-in.org/studio .
ITRC Decontamination and Decommissioning of
Radiologically-Contaminated Facilities - August 5. This training
introduces ITRC's Technical/Regulatory Guidance, Decontamination
and Decommissioning of Radiologically-Contaminated Facilities
(RAD-5, 2008), created by ITRC's Radionuclides Team. The
curriculum is composed of four modules: Introduction and
Regulatory Basis for Decontamination and Decommissioning (D&D),
Factors for Implementing D&D, Preliminary Remediation Goal (PRG)
Calculators, and Case Studies and Lessons Learned. For more
information and to register, see http://www.itrcweb.org or
http://clu-in.org/studio .
Recycling Regulations and All That - August 12. This session
will provide participants information on hazardous waste
recycling issues. Recycling determinations have always been open
for wide differences in interpretations. The discussion will be
geared to the federal regulations with the understanding that
authorized states can be and often are more restrictive or have
differing interpretations. Areas to be discussed include the
importance of making correct solid waste determinations from CFR
Part 261 Table 1, separate solid waste exclusions, separate
hazardous waste exclusions, scrap metal, and other more esoteric
recycling issues. There will be some time to discuss recycling
cases. For more information and to register, see
http://clu-in.org/studio .
Understanding the EPA Brownfields Proposal Guidelines - August
13 and September 15. The EPA Region 8 Grant Writing Workshop is
designed to assist local governments, tribes and nonprofit
organizations to better understand the proposal criteria and
selection process for EPA's Brownfields Assessment, Cleanup and
Revolving Loan Fund grants. EPA Region 8 is comprised of
communities in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota,
Utah, Wyoming, and 27 tribal nations. Major workshop agenda
topics will include: What are the different grant types EPA
provides for brownfields?; Who is eligible to apply?; What is
the grant application process?; What are threshold and ranking
criteria and how have they changed this year?; What makes a good
application?; and grant writing tips. For more information and
to register, see http://clu-in.org/studio .
ITRC Performance-based Environmental Management - August 26.
Performance-based environmental management (PBEM) is a
strategic, goal-oriented methodology that is implemented through
effective planning and decision logic to reach a desired end
state of site cleanup. The goal of PBEM is to be protective of
human health and the environment while efficiently implementing
appropriate streamlined cleanup processes. This ITRC training
presents an overview of what PBEM is, explains how and when to
implement it, and describes the issues that regulators are
concerned about throughout PBEM's implementation. Case studies
will be presented to illustrate successful PBEM projects. The
course is valuable not only because PBEM is being proposed and
implemented at many federal and private sites throughout the
country, but also because PBEM provides an opportunity to
enhance all site remediation. For more information and to
register, see http://www.itrcweb.org or http://clu-in.org/studio
.
Treatment of Heavy Metals and Elimination of Sulfur with a Novel
Sulfate Reducing Permeable Reactive Barrier Containing ZVI -
August 27. Acid mine drainage and acid rock drainage contain
sulfuric acid together with heavy metals. Biological treatment
often relies on sulfate reducing bacteria, which use organic
electron donating substrates to enable bacteria to reduce
sulfate to sulfide. Subsequently, sulfides precipitate heavy
metals. However, excess sulfides are released from the treatment
system, so the process is not very effective in removing sulfur.
Excess sulfides have oxygen demand, are corrosive and
malodorous. A process developed at the Univer
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