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NARPM Conference Agenda
 | New course |
 | Advanced |
 | Category A: Investigation |
 | Category B: Design, Remediation, and Post-Construction |
 | Category C: Technology and Contaminant-Specific Topics |
 | Category D: Resources and Tools |
 | Course can be applied to contract training requirements of the Clinger-Cohen Act (Maloney Bill) |
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Please click on the name of the session to download and view presentation materials.
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Day 1
Monday, May 21
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| 8:00 am to 10:00 am |
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Opening Plenary Session
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Monday, May 21, 8:00 am to 10:00 am |
Abstract is not available.
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| 10:00 am to 10:15 am |
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Break
| Date and Time: |
Monday, May 21, 10:00 am to 10:15 am |
Abstract is not available.
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| 10:15 am to 12:00 pm |
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Engineering TSP Forum Business Meeting
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Federal Facility Panel Session
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Monday, May 21, 10:15 am to 12:00 pm |
The Federal Facilities panel session will offer an update on current initiatives and “hot” topics
that affect federal facility sites. Managers from the Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse
Office (FFRRO) will provide insights into current activities and issues in the program, including
updates on emerging contaminants, the Record of Decision (ROD) improvement project, the
Federal Facility Docket, and the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) program. Time will also
be set aside for discussion among participants about issues and concerns they are experiencing.
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Take Charge! - Improving Your Document Management Skills Panel Session
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Monday, May 21, 10:15 am to 12:00 pm |
What are the biggest challenges RPMs and attorneys face with files and records management
(electronic and hard copy), data collection, and database management? This panel session will
examine data and file management issues that confront RPMs and attorneys on a regular basis.
The panel members will also solicit input from participants on how to better manage site records.
The primary goal of the session is to develop a simple guide and systematic approach, including
useful hints and techniques, to assist EPA staff in improving records management. Participants
will be given an easy-to-use handout that provides tips on how to resolve some of the main issues
with e-mail and electronic document retention by establishing a level of consistency in the overall
files and records management system. The panel will also examine EPA’s Enterprise Content
Management System (ECMS) and its effect on e-mail management.
The full extent of electronic discovery can be overwhelming, ranging from e-mail, hard drives,
and databases to hard copy reports. Common complaints involve the following:
- Inconsistent direction and guidance among the regional offices.
- Software updates that affect archived files.
- Dates that can change.
- The lack of effective procedures for ensuring smooth site transitions, for example, when RPMs or attorneys change.
- The lack of consistency in removing drafts (letters and documents) from electronic files.
- The need for more management input and guidance on this issue.
In response, the panel will address:
- EPA’s information "overload."
- Problems with EPA’s current records management systems.
- EPA’s records management guidance.
- An overview of documents that RPMs typically create.
- Procedures for retention (for such items as draft documents, electronic records, and e-mails) (What to save? How long to keep? What to recycle?).
- Electronic data management (Who is responsible? What are the various regional approaches? What are the pros and cons?).
- EPA’s databases (What are they? Where are they? Which are most critical?).
- Administrative Records (ensuring accuracy and timeliness).
As a follow up to this session, members of the panel will consider developing a national
workgroup to examine this issue of securing a consistent approach to files and records
management.
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TCE Toxicity/Vapor Intrusion Pathway Panel Session
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Monday, May 21, 10:15 am to 12:00 pm |
The TCE Toxicity/Vapor Intrusion panel session will update RPMs on the status of the draft TCE
toxicity value, present the National Research Council's major review findings on TCE, and
provide a forum for the exchange of information about how the various regional offices are
handling vapor intrusion and lessons learned. Panel members, made up of RPMs, toxicologists,
and experienced vapor intrusion specialists, will discuss how they have been using the TCE
inhalation toxicity value and how it applies to evaluation of the vapor intrusion pathway. The
panelists will also share site examples of the challenging issues that influence evaluation of the
vapor intrusion pathway, what they have done, and the lessons learned.
It is expected that TCE will be the primary contaminant that prompts further evaluation of the
potential health risks from the vapor intrusion pathway, for two reasons. First, TCE is the most
common volatile organic compound (VOC) at Superfund ground water sites; and second, there is
debate about which TCE values to use when evaluating the vapor intrusion pathway. RPMs
whose sites may have been affected by TCE and are evaluating the vapor intrusion pathway
should attend, and are invited to share challenges at their sites with the panelists and other
participants.
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Remedial System Evaluation in 2007 Information Session
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Monday, May 21, 10:15 am to 12:00 pm |
The Remedial System Evaluation (RSE) process, also referred to as pump and treat optimization, provides a format for evaluating the operation of long-term remedial actions that involve ground water at Superfund sites. On "Fund lead" sites, EPA provides funding for operation of the treatment facilities for a 10-year period until the site is transferred to the states for continued operation. Many sites require an annual budget of well over $500,000 to operate, maintain, and monitor. The RSE process involves a review of operation, maintenance, and monitoring actions and their costs, as well as conducting a re-evaluation of the characterization of the plume and potential contributing sources. The information gained in this evaluation provides significant benefits towards the cleanup of ground water. The RSE process helps identify areas where (1) costsaving measures can be implemented, (2) increased efficiency of operations and maintenance can be recommended, and (3) new technologies might be applied to help reduce the need for long-term operation of the plants. The RSE process helps ensure remedial goals are achieved based on the increased understanding of current site conditions. The Remedial System Evaluation in 2007 information session will cover the following topics:
- Where the RSE is most applicable during the long-term response action.
- The steps involved in an RSE.
- Planning by the RPM for an RSE.
- Understanding and using the recommendations from an RSE.
- Quantifying the savings of an RSE.
- Case studies of RSEs at EPA sites.
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We Want You! Why the Response Support Corps Needs RPMs Information Session
| Date and Time: |
Monday, May 21, 10:15 am to 12:00 pm |
The We Want You! Why the Response Support Corps (RSC) Needs RPMs information
session will address the crucial roles filled by RPMs, both historically and with a view for
the future. This information session will discuss why RPMs are key components and
especially well suited for membership with the RSC. Current RPMs who have been
involved in past responses – or who will hold key leadership positions in future responses
– will discuss their experiences. In addition, the Office of Emergency Management
(OEM) will provide the latest information regarding the RSC, including contact
information for regional RSC coordinators. The following topics will be discussed:
- Emergency response – it’s an agency responsibility
- Homeland security performance measures and the link to the RSC
- RPMs who are also RSCs – and glad they are!
- How RPMs can be involved in future incidents of national significance
- Potential involvement in training and exercises
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| 12:00 pm to 1:15 pm |
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EPA Business Lunch
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Monday, May 21, 12:00 pm to 1:15 pm |
Abstract is not available.
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| 1:15 pm to 2:45 pm |
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Monitored Natural Attenuation Panel Session
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Monday, May 21, 1:15 pm to 2:45 pm |
The Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA) panel session will provide an update on the selection
and implementation of MNA as a response action for sites under CERCLA remedial authority.
Historically, MNA has been selected at more than 200 sites on the National Priorities List (NPL)
as either the sole response or in combination with other response actions to address ground water
contamination. However, limited information has been collected on the performance of MNA
actions. The Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation (OSRTI) and the
Office of Research and Development (ORD) are coordinating efforts to close this data gap.
Today, the Superfund program is being challenged to show progress and results. Parties within
EPA and outside the agency are looking for data to show that remedies are performing as
designed. This session will:
- Provide RPMs with a national summary of MNA policy.
- Roll out ORD's new documents, "MNA for Inorganics."
- Present examples of the use of MNA and success stories.
- Provide RPMs with an opportunity to shape future MNA
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Radiation or Uranium Mill Tailings Paper Session
| Date and Time: |
Monday, May 21, 1:15 pm to 2:45 pm |
Evapotranspiration or Extraterrestrials - Which One Will Win Out at Monticello?
Presenter: Paul Mushovic, EPA Region 8
This paper will focus on the successes of the cover, lingering problems, and the lessons learned at
a site in Monticello, Utah. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and EPA collaborated on the
design, construction, and monitoring of an alternative cover for a uranium mill tailings disposal
cell at Monticello. The disposal cell was designed to satisfy the minimum technology guidance
specified in Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, and the radon
attenuation and the 200- to 1,000-year longevity requirements in the Uranium Mill Tailings
Radiation Control Act (UMTRCA) of 1978. Environmental conditions — including relatively
low precipitation, high evapotranspiration potential, and thick unsaturated soils — favor longterm
hydrologic isolation at semi-arid sites such as Monticello. The cover was designed to mimic
the natural soil-water balance at the site. As a result, the cover relies on the water storage
capacity of a thick, fine-textured layer of soil that overlies a sand-and-gravel capillary barrier to
store precipitation while plants are dormant. It also relies on evapotranspiration (ET) to remove
stored water during the growing season. The cover was constructed in 1999 and 2000, and there
are now 6 years of data and study on the performance of the cover and the establishment of
vegetation. Recently, an invasion of voles has further jeopardized the performance of the cover
by significantly stressing shrub species necessary for removing water from the soil storage layer.
Historic Mine Water Discharges Hinder EPA's Cleanup Effort at Former Uranium Mill,
Church Rock, New Mexico
Presenter: Mark Purcell, EPA Region 6
This paper will discuss EPA's cleanup effort at a former uranium mill located in Church Rock,
New Mexico that was hindered by historic mine water discharges. Historical mine water
discharges to a local arroyo significantly resaturated and contaminated three shallow waterbearing
zones beneath the United Nuclear Corporation (UNC) Superfund site, a former uranium
mill and tailings disposal site near Church Rock, New Mexico. The site is also adjacent to the
Navajo Indian Reservation. When milling operations began, leachate from acidic tailings seeped
from three unlined tailings disposal cells and mixed with the mine water discharges, resulting in
increased concentrations of radionuclides, metals, and sulfate. The contaminated ground water
migrated under Tribal Trust and Indian Allotment lands and threatens to affect the Reservation.
In a 1989 record of decision (ROD), EPA selected an extraction and evaporation remedy to clean
up the contaminated ground water. EPA also selected a post-mining, pre-milling water quality as
the background conditions for the site.
The extraction system was shut off several years ago because pumping rates declined as a result
of insufficient natural recharge. Furthermore, saturation of these units by mine water discharges
dissolved gypsum and other evaporitic minerals, hindering EPA's effort to achieve site cleanup
levels for sulfate and total dissolved solids (TDS). EPA is evaluating the merits of a technical
impracticability (TI) waiver for state ground water standards for TDS and sulfate, along with
institutional controls (ICs) to prevent exposure to contaminated ground water on tribal lands.
Treatment Cell Supplement to a Permeable Reactive Barrier: Performance Monitoring at a
Former Uranium Milling Site near Monticello, Utah
Presenters: Rich Muza, EPA Region 9, and Paul Mushovic, EPA Region 8
A permeable reactive barrier (PRB) that contains 300 tons of zero valent iron (ZVI) filings was
installed in June 1999 at a former uranium milling site near Monticello, Utah. The PRB includes
three zones, consisting of (from upgradient) 2 feet of a mixture of gravel and ZVI, 4 feet of ZVI,
and 2 feet of gravel. Ground water samples and water-level data have been collected at regular
intervals from more than 50 wells in the PRB. Satisfactory performance of the PRB requires that
(1) contaminant concentrations are lowered to regulated levels, (2) a high proportion of the
ambient ground water flow is treated, and (3) there are no adverse affects to land use.
Contaminant concentrations have remained low in most wells in the ZVI zone to satisfy the first
criterion. Attainment of the second and third criteria is less certain, considering a continuously
rising ground water mound behind the PRB. This occurrence is likely coupled to an order-ofmagnitude
loss of permeability in the PRB, as measured by serial gas-injection slug tests. The
decline in permeability is presumably a result of the mineral precipitation observed in the ZVI
zone. As a result, the proportion of treated ground water may have decreased significantly from
an initial mass-balance estimate of 4 to 5 gallons per minute (gpm), and the rising water table
now threatens crop production. Flux estimates based on Darcian principles are limited by high
spatial and temporal variability. A supplemental treatment cell was installed in June 2005 to
alleviate the ground water mounding and provide additional treatment capacity. This cell is
currently (as of October 2006) treating about 4.5 gpm and, since construction, has treated in
excess of 2.5 million gallons of ground water. Performance data (flows, pressures, and pH)
collected and transmitted daily to operations personnel indicate that the cell is operating normally.
In August 2006, an infiltration gallery was constructed downgradient of the PRB to reintroduce
treated ground water into the alluvial aquifer with the hope of improving water quality
downgradient of the original PRB. Effluent concentrations of uranium remain less than the
ground water standard. The costs of construction and operation of the treatment cell are
favorable, and long-term maintenance costs for the treatment cell are relatively minor.
Furthermore, the amount of data required to confirm the performance of the treatment cell is
much less than was required to confirm the performance of the existing PRB at a similar level of
confidence.
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Sediment Paper Session
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Monday, May 21, 1:15 pm to 2:45 pm |
Consideration of Confined Aquatic Disposal Cells and Underwater Capping for a Cleanup in New Bedford Harbor, Massachusetts
Presenter: David Dickerson, EPA Region 1
This paper will discuss confined aquatic disposal (CAD) cells and considerations in underwater
capping used in a cleanup in New Bedford Harbor. The 1998 record of decision (ROD) for New
Bedford Harbor calls for the removal of approximately 900,000 cubic yards (cy) of sediment
highly contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the upper and lower harbor. Fullscale
hydraulic dredging, dewatering, and off-site disposal began in 2004 and, together with
earlier accelerated cleanups, approximately 125,000 cy of contaminated sediment has been
remediated to date. At the current funding rate of $15 million per year, it is estimated that it will
take many decades to complete the harbor cleanup with this approach, with huge impacts on the
overall cleanup cost. As a result, the project team has initiated a planning-level analysis of
potential alternative approaches that would involve CAD cells and underwater capping in
combination with dredging. This presentation will discuss the alternatives developed to date and
summarize the main “pros and cons” of each. The presentation will also focus on CAD cells and
their potential as an increasingly important tool in the toolbox for remediating contaminated
sediments. For example, the presentation will explain the potential for use of the clean sand and
gravel created during the excavation of CAD cells as a source of underwater capping material.
Lessons Learned from Southern California Coastal Fish Survey – Palos Verde Shelf Superfund Site
Presenter: Sharon Lin, EPA Region 9
This paper will discuss the lessons learned from EPA’s fish monitoring effort for the Palos
Verdes Shelf Superfund site and the importance of using Standard Reference Material (SRM) of
the same matrix in fish tissue analysis. EPA and the natural resources trustees jointly conducted
the fish monitoring effort in Southern California coastal waters from 2002 through 2004. About
900 fish tissue samples were analyzed for dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT),
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dieldrin, chlordane, and mercury. The process involved a
rigorous study design and an extensive and careful laboratory selection process. After finding
that the results for the fish tissue SRM (a critical quality assurance and quality control [QA/QC]
indicator) were consistently biased low in the analysis or organic constituents, the issue of
underreporting the contaminant levels was carefully considered. Researchers worked with the
laboratory to identify the underlying problems and correct them. The presentation will share the
details of the steps that have been taken to ensure the laboratory delivers reliable analytical
results. The experience sheds some light on the importance of having a SRM of the same matrix
when fish tissue is analyzed. The research indicates that most analysis during projects does not
use an SRM based on fish tissue on a per-batch basis as a key QA/QC measure.
The results indicate that DDT and PCB contaminant levels are about 5 to 10 times higher in
whole fish than in fish fillets for white croakers (soft bottom species) and kelp bass (hard bottom
species). The presentation will share details of the whole body and fish fillet comparison study.
The message is that modifying fish cooking and preparation can reduce health exposures caused
by PCBs and DDT.
Announcing…Formation of an EPA National Sediment Forum!
Presenters: Marie Lacey, EPA Region 9
The purpose of this new forum is to give RPMs and others working on sediment sites an
opportunity to share lessons learned, ask questions of each other, discuss sediment issues and
news, hear about recent national policy, and provide a network for information exchange. Some
of the potential topics for the forum include:
- Contaminant migration through caps
- Treatment technologies
- PCBs as a cleanup goal in fish
- Sediment resources for RPMs
- Updates on ORD sediment research
- Development of long-term monitoring programs
- Selecting an appropriate fate & transport model
- Determining an appropriate time frame to reach risk reduction or achieve cleanup goals
- Residual risk
- Institutional controls for sediment remedies
Do you think this forum is a good idea? Do you agree with the proposed objectives of the group?
Are you interested in participating? What other topics would you like the forum to cover? This
forum is in the early stages and we want your ideas!
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An Overview of Performance Measurement and Reporting for the Superfund Remedial Program Information Session
| Date and Time: |
Monday, May 21, 1:15 pm to 2:45 pm |
The Overview of Performance Measurement and Reporting for the Superfund Remedial
Program information session will demystify the processes associated with performance
measurement. A comprehensive summary of Superfund's suite of performance measures
and the data systems used to record performance targets, baselines, and accomplishments
will be provided. Participants will come away with a better understanding of the
Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), EPA's fiscal year 2006 through 2011
Strategic Plan, and EPA's annual Performance and Accountability Report (PARS). The
information session will provide an overview of how EPA's senior management monitors
programmatic performance through reports such as the Quarterly Management Report
(QMR), the Organizational Assessment, Regional Reviews, and the conduct of periodic
briefings for the Deputy Administrator (the "Marcus Reports"). With a focus on RPMs,
the session will conclude with an in-depth discussion of several key performance
measures and the RPM's role in ensuring consistency in their implementation across the
regional offices.
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Remedial Action Contracting Information Session
| Date and Time: |
Monday, May 21, 1:15 pm to 2:45 pm |
The Remedial Action Contracting information session will discuss the various aspects of
developing a contracting strategy for implementing remedial action. The following
topics will be covered:
- Relevance of site characteristics.
- Appropriate type of design.
- Appropriate contract type.
- Characteristics of contract types.
- Procurement methods.
- Contract management considerations.
- Cost risk management.
After the information session, two RPMs will discuss their experiences with both fixed
price and cost reimbursement contracts at Superfund sites. Open discussion will follow
these presentations.
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| 1:15 pm to 6:30 pm |
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Ground Water TSP Forum Business Meeting
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| 2:45 pm to 3:00 pm |
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Break
| Date and Time: |
Monday, May 21, 2:45 pm to 3:00 pm |
Abstract is not available.
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| 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm |
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Cleanup - Clean Air Initiative Panel Session
| Date and Time: |
Monday, May 21, 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm |
The goal of the Cleanup – Clean Air (CCA) Initiative is to encourage, facilitate, and support the
use of cleaner heavy-duty diesel equipment and renewable energy technologies at Superfund
cleanup and redevelopment sites. CCA was launched in early 2006 in the Region 9 Superfund
Division and is a joint effort with the Air Division. Currently, efforts encompass Regions 5, 8, 9,
and 10. The goal is to involve all regions involved and assign at least one person to work on
CCA by the end of 2007.
The presentation will provide an overview of CCA, including near- and long-term goals such as
development of (1) contract and grant language that encourages use of cleaner diesel equipment
and renewable energy technologies, (2) pilot projects at various Superfund sites, and (3) the
Smart Energy Resources Guide (SERG). SERG will be a one-stop-shop for EPA and state
project managers and contractors to help evaluate the feasibility of using sources of renewable
energy to help augment energy demands at cleanup sites, as well as reducing diesel emissions
from the equipment used at these sites. The SERG will cover all relevant technical and economic
aspects of (1) three main renewable energy sources, namely photovoltaic, wind, and biogas, and
(2) diesel construction equipment retrofits (diesel particulate filters [DPF] and diesel oxidation
catalysts [DOC]), and alternative and cleaner fuels (biodiesel, biodiesel blends, and ultra low
sulfur diesel, or ULSD).
Success stories, as well as current pilot projects, and a brief overview of the upcoming SERG will
be presented.
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Case Studies Paper Session
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Monday, May 21, 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm |
In Situ Oxidation of 1,4-Dioxane with Ozone and Hydrogen Peroxide
Presenter: Eric Yunker, EPA Region 9
A pilot-scale field evaluation was carried out to assess the effectiveness of an innovative in situ oxidation
process (using ozone with and without hydrogen peroxide) for remediation of 1,4-dioxane and chlorinated
volatile organic compounds. These contaminants were detected in ground water at the Cooper Drum
Company Superfund site in South Gate, Los Angeles County, California.
The ozone/hydrogen peroxide generation and delivery systems were installed in mid-July 2005 and the
system operated continuously until early May 2006, a period of 10.5 months. Ozone alone was injected
into the subsurface in the initial operation phase. Injection of hydrogen peroxide was initiated after 5
months to evaluate the effectiveness of combined ozone/hydrogen peroxide injection in remediating the
recalcitrant compounds present in the site ground water. Some conclusions of the field pilot test are as
follows:
- Ozone injection alone can significantly reduce the concentrations of the site chemicals of concern (COC), including trichloroethylene (TCE), cis-1,2-dichloroethylene, 1,1-dichloroethane, and 1,4-dioxane.
- The effect of hydrogen peroxide on destruction of COCs is not clear. However, ex situ testing of the site ground water does indicate that it is likely that injection of stoichiometric (0.7–to–1 mole: mole) or less of hydrogen peroxide to ozone is required to achieve optimal results and to increase oxidation kinetics.
- The presence of high levels of secondary constituents in the ground water (such as iron, bicarbonates, and organic matter) may have enhanced the effectiveness of oxidation by ozone.
Response to Contaminated Buildings in Proposed Redevelopment Areas
Presenter: Pauletta France-Isetts, EPA Region 7
This paper discusses non-typical responses to contamination, the importance of EPA involvement
and presence during response actions, and the benefits of cleanup to the community. The PCB
Treatment, Inc. (PTI), sites were located in highly visible areas of Kansas City, Missouri, and
Kansas City, Kansas. The PTI sites operated, pursuant to a Toxic Substances Control Act
(TSCA) permit, during the mid-1980s to treat, store, and dispose of polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCB). Two multi-story buildings and surrounding soils were contaminated with PCBs at
concentrations above health risk-based levels. The Kansas City, Missouri building was located in
the Freighthouse District, an area undergoing intense redevelopment. Residential lofts were
located east and west of the PTI building. The Kansas City, Kansas building was located between
two buildings in the West Bottoms District. The PTI building shared a wall with the building to
the south, and fewer than 6 inches separated the PTI building and the structure to the north.
Former PTI customers were deemed potentially responsible. More than 1,500 information
request letters were issued, and an allocation formula was developed. More than 99 percent of all
responsible parties settled; de minimis parties “cashed-out” with EPA or the Steering Committee.
Action memoranda identified controlled dismantlement of the buildings and soil excavation as the
response action. The cost for both buildings was estimated at $34 million. Additional studies to
quantify TSCA and non-TSCA wastes and segregation of the building debris for disposal were
performed. The response actions were completed on or ahead of schedule, under budget, and
with no loss of time accidents. Both properties are now under contract for purchase, and will be
redeveloped in the near future.
Get SMARTe: Electronic Tools for Revitalization Planning
Presenter: Gary Riley, EPA Region 9
Sustainable Management Approaches and Revitalization Tools electronic (SMARTe) is an online resource to help overcome obstacles to site revitalization. EPA developed this tool after evaluating model sites across the country and around the world as part of the U.S.-German Bilateral Working Group.
SMARTe (http://www.smarte.org) consists of:
- Best Practices and Education: Information, Resources, Case Studies, Links; Checklists; Identification of Key Questions
- Analysis Tools: Technical and Non-Technical
- Search Engine: Find Specific Information
This information can benefit a number of groups including community members, local governments, developers, and revitalization process managers. The presentation will emphasize the portions of SMARTe that may be useful to RPMs and the stakeholders we come into contact with while facilitating land reuse. The presentation will also provide an overview of the "beta test" sites where SMARTe is being applied to a real-world EPA removal action, and will show the new features coming in the fall 2007 release of SMARTe.
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Mining Paper Session
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Monday, May 21, 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm |
Monitoring Hydrodynamic and Geochemical Processes in a Valley-Fill ARD Waste-Rock Repository
Presenter: Ken Wangerud, EPA Region 8
Acid mine site remediation is a significant problem, both in the U.S and globally. Due to
the volume of acid producing rock the only practical solution is minimizing acid
production by reducing or eliminating water flow through the rock. Typically, this is
achieved through emplacement of a cap over the waste rock. The Ruby Gulch repository
at the Gilt Edge Mine NPL site is such a capped waste rock repository. Eliminating
discharge from valley-fill capped waste-rock repositories is difficult and multiple factors
can cause continuing oxidation and ARD discharge. Consequently, early in the cap-cover
design EPA and the Bureau of Reclamation design-build team recognized the need for a
long-term monitoring system which would provide actionable information on the
repository performance and behavior. Specifically, the following objectives were defined
for a monitoring system: 1) provide information on the integrity and performance of the
newly constructed surface cover and diversion system; 2) continuously assess the waste's
hydrological and geochemical behavior, such that rational decisions can be made for the
operation of this cover and liner system; 3) provide easy and timely information access
on system performance to a variety of stakeholders; and 4) generate information and
insights which can be used to enhance future cover and monitoring discussions between
EPA, the Bureau of Reclamation and DOE Idaho National Laboratory. A long-term
monitoring system was designed and integrated into the multi-layered geomembranerock-
soil cap-cover over the 65-acre, 450-feet high, sulfide waste-rock dump to provide
information to meet these objectives. The system consists of tensiometers, lysimeters and
thermocouples in four wells, a 523-electrode resistivity system installed below the cap
and in the wells, a weather station, and a precision outflow-meter at the toe-discharge of
the repository. Continuous data from this system as well as auxiliary manually collected
samples is parsed into a web accessible central server. Automated and on demand data
processing allows for 2-D, 3-D, and 4-D resistivity tomography and user controllable data
mining. The philosophy underlying this system is that it should provide both for
effective automated and autonomous data collection and for a cost effective way for
multiple stakeholders to use this data.
Paper was written by Ken Wangerud (Remedial Project Manager in the Superfund Remedial Program at the Environmental Protection
Agency, Region 8, Denver, CO 80202); Roelof Versteeg (Senior Advisory Scientist at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho
Falls, ID 83415); Gail Heath (Principal Scientist at the INL, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83415); Rich Markiewicz (scientist at the Bureau of
Reclamation, Denver, CO); and Alex Richardson (scientist at the INL, Idaho Falls, Idaho, 83415).
Origin of Ground Water Contamination at the Molycorp Mine Site
Presenter: Mark Purcell, EPA Region 6
This paper will focus on the origin of ground water contamination at the Molycorp molybdenum
mine, located along the Red River Valley near Questa in Taos County, New Mexico. Molycorp
is conducting a CERCLA investigation at its mine under a consent order with EPA.
Approximately 328 million tons of acid-generating waste rock was placed in piles at the site from
historical open-pit mining. Many of the tributary drainages within the valley, including some at
the mine site, contain areas of hydrothermally altered rock that resulted in steep, highly erosive,
sparsely vegetated scars (hydrothermal scars). Alluvial ground water at and upgradient of the
mine site contains elevated concentrations of metals and acidic pH values. Molycorp believes the
source of the ground water contamination is primarily the naturally occurring hydrothermal scars.
Molycorp funded the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct a baseline study at a nearby
analog drainage to assess pre-mining water quality. The USGS findings confirm that scars impair
ground water quality. The EPA-directed CERCLA investigation also demonstrated that acid rock
drainage within the waste rock piles contaminated ground water. The naturally occurring
background levels of metals in ground water exceed state ground water standards and will affect
the cleanup levels EPA ultimately selects for the site.
Use of a Conservation Easement to Address Mine Waste Impacts
Presenter: Anne Dailey, EPA Region 10
This paper will discuss the use of a conservation easement used to address mine waste impacts,
specifically in the Couer d' Alene Basin. Migrating waterfowl winging their way across Idaho's
Panhandle will have a safe new place to rest and feed, thanks to a newly forged Conservation
Easement Agreement in the Coeur d'Alene Basin. The agreement was developed by EPA, the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Ducks Unlimited, Inc., and a willing private property
owner. This easement agreement uses an innovative approach and is an integral part of the
comprehensive mine waste cleanup under way in the basin. In an unusual partnership, federal,
state, tribal, and private parties have come together with a non-profit wetland conservation
organization to launch a cost-effective project to reduce waterfowl mortality in the Lower Coeur
d'Alene Basin.
More than a century of mining and ore processing upstream in the historic Silver Valley have
contaminated the Coeur d'Alene River and its floodplain with sediment that contains high
concentrations of lead and other metals. Concentrations of lead in more than 18,000 acres of
wetland are above levels toxic to waterfowl. As a result, waterfowl frequently ingest leadcontaminated
sediment and suffer serious toxic effects or die. The problem has become so
pervasive that an annual "die-off" of waterfowl has occurred in the area for decades. This project
is an important first step in addressing contaminated wildlife feeding areas within the Coeur
d'Alene Basin. In its recent final report on the Bunker Hill Superfund Site, the National Research
Council encouraged EPA's efforts to secure agricultural lands, stating that converting them to
high-quality feeding grounds and reestablishing wetland in these areas is a laudable effort (NRC
2005).
The agreement was established within the framework of the EPA's 2002 Bunker Hill Record of
Decision, which charts the course for mine waste cleanup in the Coeur d'Alene Basin over the
next 30 years. EPA, FWS, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will conduct a Superfund
cleanup action on the easement area over the coming months, converting the existing agricultural
land to clean wetland waterfowl feeding habitat. FWS will implement a wetland restoration
project at this site in the coming years. By returning the area to a more natural state, the
partnership predicts it will become an attractive feeding alternative and provide safer habitat for
both resident and migratory waterfowl.
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Sampling and Analysis Paper Session
| Date and Time: |
Monday, May 21, 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm |
Anatomy and Physiology of a DoD Training and Testing Range
Presenter: Jane Dolan, EPA Region 1
Initial intrusive investigations of a range on the Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR)
resulted in trace detections of explosive compounds, even though greater potential impacts were
suggested by the signs present. Range features included firing points, impact areas and backstop
berms, open burn/open detonation areas, a melt-pour facility, and disposal areas. Additional
records review and exploratory work expanded on the delineation effort. Symptoms of range
contamination were manifested in ground water monitoring wells after the accumulated
information could be examined and common sense judgments applied to the existing evidence.
This paper will present the lines of evidence that were developed based on a records review,
witness interviews, soil sampling, geophysical surveys, ground water monitoring well installation
and sampling, and modeling. All these lines of information were holistically analyzed to
delineate the nature and extent of contaminatio n on and emanating from a range on the MMR.
The target audience is federal, state, and local government employees, citizens, and contractor
personnel interested in the investigatory approach, results, and lessons learned from a remedial
investigation of a federal facility site.
Multi-Incremental Sampling: An Innovative Approach for Site Characterization at the
Portland Harbor Superfund Site
Presenter: Kristine Koch, EPA Region 10
This paper will discuss the methodology and findings of the multi-incremental sampling in
contract with the previous sampling methodologies and findings at a property located within the
Portland Harbor Superfund site. Since the early 1900s, there has been a very lengthy history of
diverse industrial operations at the site. The State of Oregon oversaw the environmental studies
conducted at the site prior to 2006 and issued a Record of Decision (ROD) for soil contamination
at the site in February 2005. Based on historical soil sampling conducted at the site, the
following soil constituents of concern (COCs) have been identified: metals including antimony,
arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc; polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons
(PAHs); polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); diesel and heavy oil range petroleum hydrocarbons;
pentachlorophenol (PCP); tributyltin (TBT); and dioxins/furans. As part of a Bona Fide
Prospective Purchaser (BFPP) agreement for this property, EPA Region 10 has applied the
concept of multi-incremental sampling for the property. The multi-incremental sampling concept
is partially based on EPA's guidance document, Guidance for Obtaining Representative
Laboratory Analytical Subsamples from Particulate Laboratory Samples (USEPA 2003). Multiincremental
sampling is an innovative approach to evaluate whether soils at a site can be
considered "clean" for COCs.
This approach, which is being disseminated to EPA technical staff throughout the U.S., involves
collecting multi-incremental samples composed of 30 or more sub-samples within each
designated sampling area, which results in a high sampling density. The multi-incremental
sampling approach is considered more representative of areas with no known source of hazardous
constituents. This approach has been developed using statistical analysis to assess the
representativeness of sampling; its effectiveness has been confirmed by empirical testing. The
number of samples required for characterization of a surface using the multi-incremental
sampling approach is based on statistical analysis and is independent of the area of the surface.
Therefore, the number of samples collected from any one area may not appreciably differ from
the number of samples collected from an area half the size of the first area. However, more
samples may be necessary to delineate the contamination in that area for a removal action.
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Superfund and Federal Facilities Cross Program Revitalization Measures Information Session
| Date and Time: |
Monday, May 21, 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm |
The Superfund and Federal Facilities Cross-Program Revitalization Measures
information session will summarize the new reporting requirements for identifying EPA's
Superfund and Federal Facilities Universe, Acres Protective for People under Current
Conditions (acres PFP) and Acres Ready for Anticipated Use (acres RAU). Discussion
during the session will familiarize regional program managers with the new Guidance for
Documenting and Reporting Performance in Achieving Land Revitalization developed by
EPA’s Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation (OSRTI) and EPA’s
Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Office (FFRRO), data collection requirements,
and the CERCLIS module. The procedures for identifying eligible acreage, evaluating
when entire sites or portions of sites satisfy the measures, and clarifying how these new
performance measures relate to existing metrics will be outlined. In addition, the new
CERCLIS screens for the measure will be demonstrated.
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Day 2
Tuesday, May 22
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| 8:00 am to 8:30 am |
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Day 2 Plenary
| Date and Time: |
Tuesday, May 22, 8:00 am to 8:30 am |
Abstract is not available.
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| 8:30 am to 8:45 am |
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Network
| Date and Time: |
Tuesday, May 22, 8:30 am to 8:45 am |
Abstract is not available.
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| 8:30 am to 12:00 pm |
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Federal Facilities TSP Forum Business Meeting
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| 8:30 am to 5:00 pm |
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Superfund Analytical Operations Training Conference
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National Remedial Managers' Meeting
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| 8:45 am to 12:00 pm |
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Engineering Design Considerations for Vapor Intrusion (VI) Mitigation
| Date and Time: |
Tuesday, May 22, 8:45 am to 12:00 pm |
| Instructors: |
Raphael Cody, U.S. EPA Region 1 |
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Ronald Curran, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection |
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Ronald Mosley, EPA HQ |
The Engineering Design Considerations for Vapor Intrusion (VI) Mitigation course will
provide technical information on the design and operation of active mitigation systems
and passive VI barriers. VI typically arises as a result of the migration of contaminated
ground water plumes under commercial and residential buildings, although VI may also
arise from contaminated soils (for example, from underground storage tanks) or landfills.
New or existing commercial and residential buildings that are affected by VI may require
engineered systems or barriers or a combination of both to mitigate the risks to human
health associated with VI.
This course is sponsored by the TSP Engineering Forum and EPA’s Office of Superfund
Remediation and Technology Innovation.
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Interpreting Non-Detect Data Correctly: Statistical Analysis Methods for Data with Non-Detects
| Date and Time: |
Tuesday, May 22, 8:45 am to 12:00 pm |
| Instructors: |
Dennis Helsel, U.S. Geological Survey |
Measurements of trace chemicals in ground water and other media frequently result in values reported only as less than the laboratory reporting limit ("less-thans," "nondetects," or "qualified values"). Statisticians call these measurements "censored data." Common recommendations in environmental guidance documents for incorporating nondetects are (1) substituting one-half the reporting limit and continue as usual, (2) using Cohen's (1959) tables of approximate maximum likelihood estimation (MLE), or (3) using a version of the delta-lognormal method (Aitchison 1955).
These methods are outdated, however, and often result in significant errors. Standard methods for interpreting censored data exist in medical and industrial applications but have rarely been applied to environmental data. Methods are available for computing summary statistics, hypothesis tests, and regression equations. Their results are unequivocal, powerful, and accurate. This course provides an overview of these methods from the author's textbook Nondetects and Data Analysis: Statistics for Censored Environmental Data, published in 2005 by John Wiley.
The most important requirement for participants enrolled in the Interpreting Nondetect Data Correctly course is an interest in and need for interpreting nondetect data correctly. If you have been frustrated by a statistics course, this session will provide an English translator for the few statistical equations reviewed.
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Jump-Starting Ecological Revitalization
| Date and Time: |
Tuesday, May 22, 8:45 am to 12:00 pm |
| Instructors: |
Sally Brown, University of Washington |
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Harry Compton, U.S. EPA |
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Ken Finkelstein, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
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Scott Fredericks, U.S. EPA |
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Melissa Friedland, EPA HQ |
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Steven Handel, Rutgers University |
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Elaine T. Stanley, U.S. EPA Region 1 |
The Jump-Starting Ecological Restoration course will provide information to RPMs that
can be incorporated early into planning actions to enhance the ecological structure and
services of the site. There are compelling reasons to consider the ecological value of
sites, including the contribution to EPA's initiatives for revitalization and beneficial
reuse. Reasonable and realistic activities can be incorporated that will not "cramp" the
budget. Rather than thinking about how the site will look after the "heavy lifting" is
done, start early to promote ecosystem restoration and ecological processes that are of
real value — economically and socially — to the community. The RPM can leave a
natural legacy; the local community will be grateful; and the legacy can advance EPA's
mission to protect the environment. RPMs will learn the importance of native plants and
habitats, how to manage invasive species, and will discuss the executive orders that
promote this approach. Concerns about wetlands and leaving waste on site also will be
addressed.
This course is sponsored by EPA's Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology
Innovation (OSRTI).
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Real Estate for Environmental Regulators: Taking on the Tough Sites
| Date and Time: |
Tuesday, May 22, 8:45 am to 12:00 pm |
| Instructors: |
Pankaj Arora, U.S. EPA Region 9 |
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Barbra Greenfield, Vita Nuova, LLC |
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Barry Hersh, Vita Nuova, LLC |
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Michael Taylor, Vita Nuova, LLC |
The Real Estate for Environmental Regulators: Taking on the Tough Sites course is an
interactive workshop that will combine lecture from leading real estate experts with an
interactive problem-solving session to brainstorm solutions to challenges in site
redevelopment. The focus of the course is to use real estate and planning tools to solve
problems at tough sites.
The lecture portion of the course will cover mid-level planning, market analysis, risk
management, public and private partnerships, and concepts in property transfer applied to
Superfund sites. Examples from across the nation will be discussed. Key concepts
include working with the private sector to negotiate agreements, understanding the
private sector process, and integrating cleanup and redevelopment.
Participants are invited to bring their case to the interactive problem-solving portion of the course, where experts in real estate, planning, and Superfund law will work with them
to identify strategies to promote redevelopment.
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Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) Scoping: Taking A.I.M. (Anticipate, Identify, and Manage)
| Date and Time: |
Tuesday, May 22, 8:45 am to 12:00 pm |
| Instructors: |
Robin Anderson, EPA HQ |
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Sheri Bianchin, U.S. EPA Region 5 |
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Therese Gioia, Tetra Tech EM Inc. |
The RI/FS Scoping: Taking A.I.M. (Anticipate, Identify, and Manage) course is a
refresher for experienced RPMs but will also be useful for newer RPMs. It will help
experienced RPMs refine and sharpen existing skills and newer RPMs to develop
important management skills. The course examines how to scope a remedial
investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS) in light of several important emerging issues
related to site characterization and remedy selection. The general scoping process and
identify planning tools and opportunities for addressing difficult issues that have arisen at
many Superfund sites will be reviewed. The emerging issues to be discussed include
planning the RI/FS to achieve the following:
- Developing the conceptual site model.
- Substantiating the lines of evidence for monitored natural attenuation of ground water.
- Applicable or relevant and appropriate requirement (ARAR) issues, including supporting technical impracticability (TI) waivers.
- Identifying and addressing emerging contaminants.
- Evaluating the potential for vapor intrusion.
- Assessing environmental justice (EJ) indicators.
- Incorporating reuse and redevelopment concerns.
- Planning for and adequately addressing institutional controls.
Several case studies will be presented to illustrate how emerging issues arise and how
they are addressed. After completing this course, participants will be better able to
anticipate, identify, and manage issues.
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| 12:00 pm to 1:15 pm |
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Lunch on your own
| Date and Time: |
Tuesday, May 22, 12:00 pm to 1:15 pm |
Abstract is not available.
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| 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm |
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Senior Regional Management Acquisition Council
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| 1:15 pm to 4:30 pm |
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Contracts Training
| Date and Time: |
Tuesday, May 22, 1:15 pm to 4:30 pm |
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Wednesday, May 23, 1:15 pm to 4:30 pm |
| Instructors: |
Mark Heare, EPA HQ |
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Barbara McDonough, EPA HQ |
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Sallie McElrath, EPA HQ |
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Marie Noel, U.S. EPA Region 7 |
The Contracts Training course is separated into four sessions, which are described below:
- The Statements of Work (SOW): The Key to Getting What You Need session focuses on describing the required elements of a SOW, providing tips on language to ensure ease of the reader's understanding, identifying often-misused words and phrases, and delineating how a SOW differs from a performance work statement (PWS) used in performance-based contracting.
- The Independent Government Cost Estimates (IGCE): A Guide to the Who, What, When, Where, and Why of Everyone's Favorite Contract-related Activity session provides a look into the roles and responsibilities of personnel, a step-by-step walk through on why IGCEs are prepared, and various individual elements of costs to be considered in preparing IGCEs. Resources and examples of IGCEs will be provided and reviewed, and questions will be encouraged from class participants. The session will also address new guidance on estimating the cost of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project management support.
- The Invoice Review session focuses on the general areas of concern that pertain to invoice review, contract-related elements a contracting officer's representative (COR) must have to effectively review invoices, tools at the COR's disposal to facilitate review and approval (or suspension) of dollars claimed, and individual elements of costs common to various contract types.
- The Hot Topics session focuses on reviewing new requirements such as contractor background checks and SmartCards, remedial design value engineering, and COR continuous learning as well as tips about allocating "WQ" - a general site identifier to obligate amounts funded for a site-specific response. The qualifier is used when the precise amounts that would apply to the individual sites cannot be estimated at the time of obligation. Finally, Hot Topics will discuss accounts and other contract management priorities.
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Long-Term Ground Water Monitoring Optimization Methods
| Date and Time: |
Tuesday, May 22, 1:15 pm to 4:30 pm |
| Instructors: |
Dave Becker, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
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Mindy Vanderford, Groundwater Services, Inc. |
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Kathleen Yager, EPA HQ |
Recently, new tools have been developed to assist in evaluating and optimizing ground water monitoring networks to ensure that monitoring programs meet the objectives for a site. The LTMO Methods course will discuss the qualitative and quantitative methods for LTMO for ground water, discuss available methods for LTMO, and provide case studies. The course identifies information included in a new document prepared by EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, A Roadmap to Long-Term Monitoring Optimization (EPA 542-R-05-003, http://www.cluin.org/download/char/542-r-05-003.pdf). The course also expands on the qualitative aspects of LTMO that can help verify that a monitoring plan supports the objectives for a site. The qualitative review also includes an evaluation of sampling locations and frequencies, a review of analytical and sampling methods, data management and visualization practices, and other stakeholder concerns using technical expertise and professional judgment. Quantitative methods discussed in the training primarily employ statistics and geostatistics to identify deficiencies and redundancies in sampling locations and frequencies.
The course is geared toward RPMs responsible for managing sites with ground water contamination and a long-term monitoring program or for RPMs planning for new long-term groundwater monitoring programs. Some knowledge of basic statistics is helpful, but is not required for this seminar.
This course is sponsored by EPA's Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation.
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Nanotechnology: Solutions, Challenges, and Implications for Superfund
| Date and Time: |
Tuesday, May 22, 1:15 pm to 4:30 pm |
| Instructors: |
Glenn Bruck, U.S. EPA Region 9 |
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Howard Fairbrother, Johns Hopkins University |
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Michael Gill, EPA HQ |
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Heather Henry, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences |
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Agnes Kane, Brown University |
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Warren Layne, U.S. EPA Region 5 |
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Charles Maurice, U.S. EPA Region 5 |
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Jeff Morris, EPA HQ |
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Martha Otto, EPA HQ |
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Nancy Ruiz, U.S. Department of Defense |
Nanotechnology has the potential to affect the Superfund program in many ways, both
positive and negative. Nanoscale particles have been shown to be effective in degrading
chlorinated solvents in ground water. In addition, sensors using nanotechnology are
being developed that will assist with site characterization and monitoring. More than 200
products are currently available that use nanoparticles as coatings, paints, and fuel
additives to lighten and strengthen sports equipment, create semiconductors, and facilitate
solar energy production. These products will be used in biomedical sensing and
treatment products that could already be present in landfills or sites that will be
remediated and where the risk of use, disposal, and methods of detection in the
environment have not been studied. As the industry grows exponentially with many
exposure scenarios and possible health effects that are just beginning to be studied, do
future problems lie ahead?
The Nanotechnology: Solutions, Challenges, and Implications for Superfund course
presents speakers who will present material to cover an overview of nanotechnology, a
summary of recent National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Superfund Basic Research Program (SBRP) research, applications for site remediation,
and environmental health and safety implications. Panel discussions — one on
applications and the other on implications — will follow each set of presentations during
this training course. The members of this veteran team of speakers have planned and
attended recent EPA nanotechnology meetings, including the September 2006
Nanotechnology for Site Remediation workshop in Chicago, Ill., the November 2006
STAR Grant Nanotechnology Applications Workshop in Washington, DC, as well as the
ongoing NIEHS SBRP series of Web seminars on nanotechnology issues
(Nanotechnology Risk-e-Learning Series). The speakers bring diverse backgrounds,
perspectives, and experiences, from engineering to chemistry to ecotoxicology and from
technical support to research and project management. They will draw on their collective
experiences and will share some of the take-home points from these recent
nanotechnology workshops that will be helpful to RPMs in their work.
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Remedy Selection
| Date and Time: |
Tuesday, May 22, 1:15 pm to 4:30 pm |
| Instructors: |
Robin Anderson, EPA HQ |
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Sai Appaji, U.S. EPA Region 6 |
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Matthew Charsky, EPA HQ |
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Robert Stites, U.S. EPA Region 8 |
The Remedy Selection course examines the process for selecting a remedy and how
RPMs can prepare a complete and well-written Record of Decision (ROD) for the
selected remedy. The course will specifically address common and emerging issues in
writing a ROD, how to deal with them, and ensuring that the ROD includes the
information necessary. Participants will achieve the following objectives by attending
the course:
- Examine the statutory and National Contingency Plan (NCP) requirements for selecting and documenting a remedy.
- Learn to use EPA guidance to write well-documented RODs.
- Identify and correct "fatal flaws" often found in RODs.
The targeted audience for this course will be new RPMs or novice ROD writers. The
instructional methodologies for this course will include both lecture and case study
examples.
Prerequisite course and experience: participants should have completed the CERCLA
Education Courses (CEC) Fundamentals of Superfund or Remedial Process courses.
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Subsurface Characterization for Vapor Intrusion
| Date and Time: |
Tuesday, May 22, 1:15 pm to 4:30 pm |
| Instructors: |
Kathy Davies, U.S. EPA Region 3 |
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Helen Dawson, U.S. EPA Region 8 |
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Gary Newhart, U.S. EPA |
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Howard Orlean, U.S. EPA Region 10 |
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Richard Willey, U.S. EPA Region 1 |
The Subsurface Characterization for Vapor Intrusion training course focuses on subsurface
sampling and analysis strategies that can be used to evaluate whether vapors from a subsurface
contaminant source could intrude into inhabited buildings and pose an unacceptable risk to
human health. Specific topics to be addressed include:
- Potential vapor intrusion scenarios and site characterization strategies appropriate for the type of scenario under investigation.
- Ground water, soil gas, and sub-slab sampling methodologies suitable for evaluating the vapor intrusion pathway.
- Data analysis and interpretation methodologies.
Three scenarios commonly encountered by RPMs are considered in detail: ground water sources
in sedimentary settings, vadose-zone (above the water table) sources in sedimentary settings, and
vapor sources in fractured bedrock settings. Case studies of vapor intrusion assessment in these
settings form the bulk of the course. They are used to illustrate the characterization options for
the setting, the decision processes used to develop appropriate sampling strategies, and the
techniques and tools available for analyzing the results.
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Day 3
Wednesday, May 23
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| 8:00 am to 8:30 am |
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Day 3 Plenary
| Date and Time: |
Wednesday, May 23, 8:00 am to 8:30 am |
Abstract is not available.
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| 8:00 am to 6:00 pm |
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Senior Regional Management Acquisition Council
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| 8:30 am to 8:45 am |
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Network
| Date and Time: |
Wednesday, May 23, 8:30 am to 8:45 am |
Abstract is not available.
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| 8:30 am to 12:00 pm |
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National Remedial Managers' Meeting
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| 8:30 am to 4:30 pm |
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Superfund Analytical Operations Training Conference
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| 8:45 am to 12:00 pm |
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Military Munitions Response Program
| Date and Time: |
Wednesday, May 23, 8:45 am to 12:00 pm |
| Instructors: |
Christopher Evans, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
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Doug Maddox, EPA HQ |
EPA’s Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Office (FFRRO) interacts with the
Department of Defense (DoD) on a wide variety of issues related to investigation and
remediation of military munitions. These efforts include involvement with site-specific
issues, as well as national policy and guidance associated with the DoD Military
Munitions Response Program (MMRP). During the MMRP course, representatives of
FFRRO will provide updates on EPA perspectives for the MMRP, including discussions
about new guidance for MMRP preliminary assessments/site inspections (PA/SI), EPA
munitions response guidelines, and other initiatives currently underway. Representatives
of the U.S. Army Headquarters and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will present updates
on their MMRP programs as well. The session will conclude with an open discussion
with the Army representatives on current MMRP issues.
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Working with the News Media
| Date and Time: |
Wednesday, May 23, 8:45 am to 12:00 pm |
| Instructors: |
Pamela Avery, Bozell, LLC |
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Dominic Frederico, Bozell, LLC |
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Leo Kay, U.S. EPA Region 9 |
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Wendy Thomi, U.S. EPA Region 8 |
Media and spokesperson training is a must for any RPM called on to speak on behalf of a
project or site. Building good relationships with the news media — as well as knowing
what you want to say and exactly how to say it — is critical to conveying accurate
information about your site or other EPA issues to your diverse audiences. The Working
With the News Media workshop will help participants understand how to work with the
news media, newspapers, television, radio, magazine, and the Internet.
You will learn how newsrooms operate; what makes "news;" what reporters and
producers look for in a news source; and how to communicate your messages effectively,
even during a crisis. The course will also feature a case study of a controversial
Superfund or RCRA site.
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| 8:45 am to 4:30 pm |
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Introduction to Contaminant Hydrogeology
| Date and Time: |
Wednesday, May 23, 8:45 am to 4:30 pm |
| Instructors: |
Judy Canova, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control |
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Kathy Davies, U.S. EPA Region 3 |
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Brad Roberts, Kansas Department of Health and Environment |
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Luanne Vanderpool, U.S. EPA Region 5 |
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Jonathan Williams, U.S. EPA Region 10 |
The Introduction to Contaminant Hydrogeology course introduces basic concepts of the
geologic and hydrogeologic properties of an aquifer, ground water flow, and evolution of
the contaminant plume. It includes modules on basic concepts in geology, ground water
fundamentals, interactions between ground water and surface water, monitoring, site
investigations, and contaminant behavior, with special emphasis on hydrogeology as it
applies to site characterization and contaminant plume transport. A detailed case study
will be presented to illustrate hydrogeologic applications in addition to a hands-on
demonstration of a ground water flow system. This course is intended for project
managers who have little or no familiarity with basic hydrogeologic concepts and
practices or for project managers who are interested in a refresher.
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Risk Communication
| Date and Time: |
Wednesday, May 23, 8:45 am to 4:30 pm |
| Instructors: |
Vincent Covello, Center for Risk Communication |
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Joi Ross, APEX Direct, Inc. |
The Risk Communication course is an intermediate-level course designed for RPMs. The course provides a framework and basic principles for effectively communicating risk with local residents and other stakeholders during remedial site activities. One of the most difficult tasks an RPM undertakes is to clearly communicate risks associated with activities at the site. An RPM's audience for risk communication varies from concerned citizens and elected officials to the news media and business entities, and the type of risk to be communicated varies across the wide spectrum of site remediation.
Through a combination of slide presentation, videotapes, and class exercises, participants learn the principles and rationale behind risk communication techniques and their importance. Participants also have the opportunity to examine the critical role of key messages and, through interactive examples, learn how to develop key messages for use in a variety of situations. The course also includes scenario exercises and role-plays during which RPMs spend time applying the principles of risk communication to specific situations. Scenarios were developed specifically for this course and are based on information from actual projects that involved situations RPMs encounter regularly.
By taking the course, participants will:
- Learn how to effectively prepare for interactions with the public and the media and avoid miscommunications and pitfalls.
- Explore the principles and rationale behind risk communication techniques and gain a better understanding of their importance.
- Examine the critical role of key messages and, through interactive examples, learn how to develop key messages for use in situations that involve communication with the public or media.
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Turning the Tide on DNAPL: Things You Should Know about DNAPL and Active Remediation
| Date and Time: |
Wednesday, May 23, 8:45 am to 4:30 pm |
| Instructors: |
Rosemarie Caraway, U.S. EPA Region 9 |
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Jim Cummings, EPA HQ |
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Eva Davis, EPA HQ |
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Scott Huling, EPA HQ |
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Kira Lynch, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
There has been significant progress in the characterization and remediation of Dense
Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL)-contaminated sites in the last 5 to 8 years. The
Turning the Tide on DNAPL: Things You Should Know Now about DNAPL and Active
Remediation course will discuss technology and policy developments and the challenges
that remain. Recent technological advances, principally in the area of in situ treatment,
have emerged to offer alternatives to traditional containment remedies for DNAPL sites.
During the course, the technology focus will be on in situ thermal remedies and in situ
chemical oxidation. A newer development is increasing interest in combining remedies
to enhance the cost effectiveness of remedial strategies and to address all components of
contamination at DNAPL sites – source zone hot spots, residual phase "warm" spots, and
dissolved-phase plumes. Advances in site characterization will also be discussed where
they are relevant to remedy selection. Policy issues to be covered include setting
remedial action objectives, appropriate roles for monitored natural attenuation (MNA),
cost implications, risk sharing, and addressing residual uncertainties on technology
performance. Case studies will be used to illustrate major points and convey lessons
learned. The course is best suited to RPMs who are familiar with DNAPL contaminants
and sites.
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| 12:00 pm to 1:15 pm |
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EPA Business Lunch
| Date and Time: |
Wednesday, May 23, 12:00 pm to 1:15 pm |
Abstract is not available.
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| 1:15 pm to 4:30 pm |
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Be Prepared: Know What to Say and How to Say It, An Advanced Media/Spokesperson Training Workshop
| Date and Time: |
Wednesday, May 23, 1:15 pm to 4:30 pm |
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Thursday, May 24, 8:45 am to 12:00 pm |
| Instructors: |
Pamela Avery, Bozell, LLC |
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Dominic Frederico, Bozell, LLC |
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Leo Kay, U.S. EPA Region 9 |
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Wendy Thomi, U.S. EPA Region 8 |
Be Prepared: Know What to Say and How to Say It is an advanced media and
spokesperson training workshop. What you say and how you say it are critical to getting
information out to the news media, community groups, and others. This intensive halfday
workshop is designed to give you the confidence you need to explain your work and
talk about tough issues. By taking this workshop, RPMs will learn:
- How to prepare for interviews or public speaking engagements;
- How to craft your organization's messages; and
- How to deliver your messages effectively — even during a crisis.
This highly interactive workshop features customized scenarios relevant to each
participant's programs or projects, and several one-on-one videotaped sessions with
professional interviewers. The course is limited to 10 participants from EPA or similar
government agency who have taken the Working with the News Media course or another
similar media and spokesperson training workshop.
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Contracts Training
| Date and Time: |
Tuesday, May 22, 1:15 pm to 4:30 pm |
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Wednesday, May 23, 1:15 pm to 4:30 pm |
| Instructors: |
Mark Heare, EPA HQ |
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Barbara McDonough, EPA HQ |
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Sallie McElrath, EPA HQ |
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Marie Noel, U.S. EPA Region 7 |
The Contracts Training course is separated into four sessions, which are described below:
- The Statements of Work (SOW): The Key to Getting What You Need session focuses on describing the required elements of a SOW, providing tips on language to ensure ease of the reader's understanding, identifying often-misused words and phrases, and delineating how a SOW differs from a performance work statement (PWS) used in performance-based contracting.
- The Independent Government Cost Estimates (IGCE): A Guide to the Who, What, When, Where, and Why of Everyone's Favorite Contract-related Activity session provides a look into the roles and responsibilities of personnel, a step-by-step walk through on why IGCEs are prepared, and various individual elements of costs to be considered in preparing IGCEs. Resources and examples of IGCEs will be provided and reviewed, and questions will be encouraged from class participants. The session will also address new guidance on estimating the cost of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project management support.
- The Invoice Review session focuses on the general areas of concern that pertain to invoice review, contract-related elements a contracting officer's representative (COR) must have to effectively review invoices, tools at the COR's disposal to facilitate review and approval (or suspension) of dollars claimed, and individual elements of costs common to various contract types.
- The Hot Topics session focuses on reviewing new requirements such as contractor background checks and SmartCards, remedial design value engineering, and COR continuous learning as well as tips about allocating "WQ" - a general site identifier to obligate amounts funded for a site-specific response. The qualifier is used when the precise amounts that would apply to the individual sites cannot be estimated at the time of obligation. Finally, Hot Topics will discuss accounts and other contract management priorities.
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Explosives and Perchlorate Sampling and Analysis Issues
| Date and Time: |
Wednesday, May 23, 1:15 pm to 4:30 pm |
| Instructors: |
Tom Jenkins, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
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Doug Maddox, EPA HQ |
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Shen-yi Yang, EPA HQ |
EPA SW-846 Method 8330, the primary method for environmental analysis of explosives
for more than a decade, has recently been updated to Method 8330B. This update
includes changes specifically designed to address issues related to sample collection,
preparation, and analysis of munitions residues on military training ranges and munitions
open burn/open detonation (OB/OD) units. Additionally, EPA SW-846 Methods 6850
and 6860 have recently been adopted for analysis of perchlorate in soil, water and solid
wastes. These methods confirm perchlorate detections and overcome the many
interference problems associated with IC/conductivity suppression analysis for
perchlorate (Method 9058). The Explosives and Perchlorate Sampling and Analysis
Issues course will also include a short presentation on these methods.
The instructors for the Explosives and Perchlorate Sampling and Analysis Issues course
have been instrumental in developing the changes to the sampling design, sample
preparation, and instrumental analysis for the Method 8330B Update.
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Day 4
Thursday, May 24
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| 8:00 am to 8:30 am |
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Day 4 Plenary
| Date and Time: |
Thursday, May 24, 8:00 am to 8:30 am |
Abstract is not available.
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| 8:00 am to 3:00 pm |
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Senior Regional Management Acquisition Council
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| 8:00 am to 4:00 pm |
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Superfund Analytical Operations Training Conference
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| 8:30 am to 8:45 am |
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Network
| Date and Time: |
Thursday, May 24, 8:30 am to 8:45 am |
Abstract is not available.
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| 8:45 am to 10:15 am |
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Asbestos: A Paradigm Shift Toward Risk Based Site Evaluations Panel Session
| Date and Time: |
Thursday, May 24, 8:45 am to 10:15 am |
Historically, asbestos has been addressed in the Superfund program using the definition of
asbestos-containing materials (ACM) described in the National Emission Standards for
Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) program (that is, greater than 1 percent by weight). An
OSWER Directive (Clarifying Cleanup Goals and Identification of New Assessment Tools for
Evaluating Asbestos at Superfund Cleanups, OSWER Directive 9345.4) released in August 2004
indicated that the 1 percent definition should not be used and that a risk-based, site-specific action
level should be developed instead when the need for removal or remedial actions is evaluated.
This directive pointed investigations toward a risk-based approach to site evaluation; however, it
did not present a detailed framework for investigating asbestos sites. This information session
will provide a decision tree and framework that can be used at removal and remedial sites,
detailed standard operating procedures (SOP), and technical information to allow flexibility in
using the decision tree and framework. Additionally, this session will describe sampling and
analytical techniques for asbestos in air, soil, water, and bulk materials. The focus of the
discussion will be on activity-based sampling (ABS) and collection of air samples to characterize
potential exposure. The main purpose of ABS is to disturb the media of interest — generally soil
— so that fibers that are contained within the media are released into the air, which can then be
measured by collecting and analyzing an air sample. ABS can be accomplished in the laboratory
or in the field , and the associated methods will be discussed further in this session. It is important
to use a sampling methodology that will provide a measure of airborne asbestos. Finally, risk
assessment methods and toxicity assessments will be discussed.
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DoD's Perspective on Development of Innovative Approaches for Treatment of Emerging Contaminants Panel Session
| Date and Time: |
Thursday, May 24, 8:45 am to 10:15 am |
This panel session will describe recent research and development efforts by the U.S. Department
of Defense (DoD) on the treatment of emerging contaminants. DoD’s Strategic Environmental
Research and Development Program (SERDP) and the Environmental Security Technology
Certification Program (ESTCP) have been funding research and development on several
emerging contaminants over the past several years, including 1,4-dioxane, Nnitrosodimethylamine
(NDMA), perchlorate, and 1,2,3-trichloropropane. Early work on
understanding microbial degradation of perchlorate has led to several field demonstrations to
validate in situ biotreatment technologies. Recent work on perchlorate is focusing on
development of innovative technologies for wellhead treatment in drinking water applications. In
2005, SERDP initiated research into understanding the degradation of 1,4-dioxane, NDMA, and
1,2,3-trichloropropane. Research to date is demonstrating the conditions most favorable to
degradation of these contaminants. Research and development under SERDP is expected to lead
to innovative technologies for treatment of ground water contaminated with these emerging
contaminants. During this presentation, a summary of the recent work on perchlorate will be
presented, followed by a discussion of preliminary results from the research on 1,4-dioxane,
NDMA, and 1,2,3-trichloropropane. The target audience is RPMs and consulting engineers.
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Institutional Controls Update Panel Session
| Date and Time: |
Thursday, May 24, 8:45 am to 10:15 am |
Institutional Controls (IC) are non-engineered components of a remedy. Examples of ICs include
deed restrictions, local city ordinances, restrictions on ground water use, base-use plans, and
fishing bans. The use of ICs is often a key component of Superfund remedies. If a site is not
cleaned up to unrestricted use levels, as specified in the site plan, an IC is required to ensure that
the restricted uses do not occur. The national IC Workgroup meets monthly to track IC-related
issues, share information, and identify solutions to the often vexing IC issues that face Superfund
site managers. The group holds an annual roundtable workshop in April with its partner agencies
and associations that also deal with IC implementation issues. Attendees at the annual workshop
raise the challenging issues of the day for discussion and attempted resolution. NARPM
members who serve on the IC Workgroup, along with national experts from around the country,
will bring these issues to the NARPM conference to share their experiences with Superfund
RPMs who may be facing similar issues. Participants are invited to come to the panel session,
present their IC issues, and receive some expert advice and valuable feedback.
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NARPM Vapor Intrusion Open Panel Session: Revitalization of EPA National Vapor Intrusion Workgroup
| Date and Time: |
Thursday, May 24, 8:45 am to 10:15 am |
Still got vapor intrusion (VI) questions? You are not alone. For those of you who are
not yet VI'd (vapor intrusioned) out, we have the session for you!
In this panel session you will be able to ask those complicated VI questions and
discuss those difficult VI issues you were told to save for later.
Do you need a forum to voice your VI concerns and would appreciate some support
from other regions, HQ and ORD? We need you too. During this session, the
revitalization and redevelopment of a National Vapor Intrusion Workgroup will be
discussed. The workgroup would provide a forum for RPMs and others to share
lessons learned, ask questions of each other, discuss VI issues and news, hear about
the latest guidance Regions are using, and provide a network for information
exchange. We will ask participants if revitalizing this workgroup is a good idea, who
would be interested in participating, and how often. A few questions for participants
to ponder include:
- Do we need to develop regional or national "best practices" in the interim while no revised OSWER VI guidance is in place?
- Do we have additional training needs or possible research ideas?
Please come to this panel session and bring your ideas, suggestions, and other VI
topics that RPMs and other VI enthusiasts would like to hear about and discuss.
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Ground Water Issues and 5-Year Reviews Information Session
| Date and Time: |
Thursday, May 24, 8:45 am to 10:15 am |
Five-year reviews are an integral part of post-ROD management of Superfund sites. RPMs and hydrogeologists at EPA-lead sites need to evaluate whether the constructed ground water remedy is proving to be adequately protective and effective. EPA needs to review 5-year reviews prepared by the lead agency for other CERCLA sites. RPMs must either concur with the lead agency's conclusions on protectiveness and effectiveness or independently evaluate and develop an EPA protectiveness statement. The Ground Water Issues and Five-Year Reviews information session will focus on commonly observed problems identified by hydrogeologists in conducting 5-year reviews and evaluating 5-year reviews prepared by other agencies to identify possible solutions. An illustrative case study and a moderated question and answer session will be included in the session.
This session was developed by the EPA Ground Water Forum.
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| 8:45 am to 12:00 pm |
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Be Prepared: Know What to Say and How to Say It, An Advanced Media/Spokesperson Training Workshop
| Date and Time: |
Wednesday, May 23, 1:15 pm to 4:30 pm |
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Thursday, May 24, 8:45 am to 12:00 pm |
| Instructors: |
Pamela Avery, Bozell, LLC |
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Dominic Frederico, Bozell, LLC |
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Leo Kay, U.S. EPA Region 9 |
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Wendy Thomi, U.S. EPA Region 8 |
Be Prepared: Know What to Say and How to Say It is an advanced media and
spokesperson training workshop. What you say and how you say it are critical to getting
information out to the news media, community groups, and others. This intensive halfday
workshop is designed to give you the confidence you need to explain your work and
talk about tough issues. By taking this workshop, RPMs will learn:
- How to prepare for interviews or public speaking engagements;
- How to craft your organization's messages; and
- How to deliver your messages effectively — even during a crisis.
This highly interactive workshop features customized scenarios relevant to each
participant's programs or projects, and several one-on-one videotaped sessions with
professional interviewers. The course is limited to 10 participants from EPA or similar
government agency who have taken the Working with the News Media course or another
similar media and spokesperson training workshop.
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| 10:15 am to 10:30 am |
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Break
| Date and Time: |
Thursday, May 24, 10:15 am to 10:30 am |
Abstract is not available.
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| 10:15 am to 4:30 pm |
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Ground Water TSP Forum Business Meeting
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| 10:30 am to 12:00 pm |
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Analytical Services Branch Panel Session - Services Available
| Date and Time: |
Thursday, May 24, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm |
The Analytical Services Branch panel session will focus on the analytical laboratory and support
services that are available to RPMs to characterize sites. RPMs can access a number of different
resources to obtain fixed-laboratory services, including EPA's regional laboratory services, the
national Contract Laboratory Program, state laboratory services, and laboratory services accessed
under sub-contracts from field sampling contractors. This panel session will provide a venue for
RPMs to be briefed on available services and an opportunity to discuss areas where needs are not
being met. The panel will discuss the following topics:
- Overview of the available fixed-laboratory services, electronic tools, and support services.
- The regional perspective and experiences in using different services.
- An overview of the benefits and issues that may arise using different approaches.
- A discussion of future needs and the tools and guidance needed to address them.
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DoD's Perspective on Recent Advances in the Management and Remediation of DNAPL Source Zone Panel Session
| Date and Time: |
Thursday, May 24, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm |
The objective of this panel discussion is to provide the Department of Defense's (DoD's) recent information on the management and remediation of DNAPL source zones. The DoD's Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) and the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) have been funding research and development on DNAPL source zones over the past several years. This discussion will cover the results from a recent SERDP workshop. The workshop was designed to identify the current state of DNAPL site management, and the most pressing research and development needs. Recent progress in this area has led to advancements in the field that DoD believes will enhance decision-making by utilizing current knowledge regarding best practices for management of chlorinated solvent releases.
The DoD is in the process of finalizing their guidance on selecting remedies for chlorinated solvent releases that includes access to frequently asked questions (FAQs). This panel will present the status of the draft DoD Decision Guide. The draft document is scheduled for peer review during 2007 and release in 2008. It is intended as a guide to help DoD's RPMs make decisions regarding the management of chlorinated solvent sites. This presentation is intended to brief EPA's RPMs on the draft document and solicit input prior to finalizing it for external peer review. Contributors to the draft document include researchers and practitioners from organizations such as Arizona State University (Paul Johnson, Ph.D.), Colorado State University (Tom Sale, Ph.D.), IST (Rob Hinchee, Ph.D.), and Groundwater Services, Inc. (Chuck Newell, Ph.D.). Materials provided will include the SDERP/ESCTP DNAPL workshop report (http://docs.serdp-estcp.org/viewfile.cfm?Doc=DNAPLWorkshopReport.pdf), FAQs (scheduled for publication in April 2007), and a draft copy of the Remedy Selection Guidance (scheduled for publication in June 2007). The target audience would be Remedial Project Managers (RPMs) and consulting engineers.
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Computer Lab - Open House Information Session
| Date and Time: |
Thursday, May 24, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm |
The Computer Lab – Open House information session will provide an opportunity for attendees to conduct hands-on demonstrations of EPA’s QuickPlace, Acquisition Career Management Information System (ACMIS), and complete an online survey on inorganics by EPA’s Contract Laboratory Program.
- QuickPlace allows users to create a team workspace to gain access to timely information and to seamlessly bring together geographically and organizationally dispersed team members. ERT members and Jean Balent, EPA OSRTI, will be available to help RPMs learn out to set up their own workspace.
- The Clinger Cohen Act directed all federal agencies to keep training records on their acquisition work force, including all EPA contracting officer’s technical representatives (COTR) (Work Assignment Managers and Task Order Project Officers on EPA contracts. In response, the Federal Acquisition Institute developed a web-accessible database system,ACMIS, and all COTRs must be registered in this system by July 1, 2007. Mark Heare, EPA Office of Acquisition Management, will be available to assist RPMs with ACMIS. This federal wide system is not particularly user friendly so stop in to register in ACMIS and get some tips from Mark.
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Engineering Forum Remedial Technology Update Information Session
| Date and Time: |
Thursday, May 24, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm |
Over the last year, the Engineering Forum and EPA's Office of Research and
Development (ORD) have issued a series of engineering issue papers on various remedial
technologies. The Engineering Forum Remedial Technology Update information session
will cover the latest technical developments in three of the engineering issue papers
published after the 2006 NARPM Annual Training Conference: In Situ and Ex Situ
Biodegradation Technologies for Remediation of Contaminated Sites, Management and
Treatment of Water from Hard Rock Mines, and In Situ Chemical Oxidation. Each halfhour
update will begin with a brief overview of the technology, include examples of how
the technology is being applied at sites and lessons learned from the field, and close with
a question and answer period.
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| 12:00 pm to 1:15 pm |
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Lunch on your own
| Date and Time: |
Thursday, May 24, 12:00 pm to 1:15 pm |
Abstract is not available.
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| 1:15 pm to 4:30 pm |
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Engineering TSP Forum Business Meeting
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Federal Facilities TSP Forum Business Meeting
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Basic Project Management Skills for RPMs
| Date and Time: |
Thursday, May 24, 1:15 pm to 4:30 pm |
| Instructors: |
Dion Novak, U.S. EPA Region 5 |
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Nathan Smith, Project Performance Corporation |
The Basic Project Management Skills for RPMs course will provide participants a
foundation in the principles of successful project management. This course focuses on
project management techniques that will increase the probability that RPMs and site
managers can proactively manage the full range of issues they may encounter during the
post-Record of Decision (ROD) planning, executing, and closing a remediation project.
The course teaches tools and techniques for project management that apply to the unique
circumstances of remediation. Through a series of facilitated group exercises,
participants will learn best practices to successfully manage a project from initiation to
final closeout, including:
- Project challenge management, which entails:
- Identifying potential issues
- Anticipating their impact
- Monitoring for issues during implementation
- Managing the responses to issues
- Work scope planning and management:
- Strategies for work scope planning
- Tools for Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) development
- Schedule management:
- Schedule estimation
- Schedule monitoring
The course also introduces certification programs in project management, such as Project
Management Professional, Certified Project Manager, and Registered Environmental
Manager that may be of interest to RPMs who wish to gain additional skills and
recognition.
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Construction Oversight: Building a New Foundation
| Date and Time: |
Thursday, May 24, 1:15 pm to 4:30 pm |
| Instructors: |
Fran Costanzi, U.S. EPA Region 8 |
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Damian Duda, U.S. EPA Region 2 |
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Anne Kelly, U.S. EPA Region 2 |
The Construction Oversight: Building a New Foundation course examines the RPM's
role during remedial action construction and reviews planning and oversight that RPMs
typically conduct when they oversee construction at both fund- and Potentially
Responsible Party (PRP)-lead projects. In addition, the course presents several "disaster"
case studies that illustrate problems that occurred during construction despite the RPM's
careful planning and oversight. Participants will have the opportunity to share examples
of their experiences in overseeing remedial action construction. A primary goal of the
course is to provide the impetus to establish a vehicle for better networking among RPMs
to discuss construction oversight and to share remedial action construction experiences.
The course will be valuable for all RPMs at all levels of experience.
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Facilitative Leadership - Productive Small Group Meetings
| Date and Time: |
Thursday, May 24, 1:15 pm to 4:30 pm |
| Instructors: |
Mary Wenska, Wenska Communication Works, LLC |
Today more than ever, it is crucial to be smart about how to set up meetings, a process
that includes identifying who needs to attend and what the issues are, as well as involving
all participants and using processes that facilitate broad-based agreements (consensus)
about a proposed action or next steps. The Facilitative Leadership: Productive Small
Group Meetings course is an interactive course that targets how to effectively manage
small group meetings (defined as more than two and fewer than 20 people) by
emphasizing the following key concepts:
- Making decisions using a consensus-building approach.
- Managing conflict in and around meetings to strengthen rather than endanger or derail successful group outcomes.
Working first with a partner and later in a small group, participants will experience the
difference among decisions that are (1) handed down with little or no input from the
group, (2) made by majority rule, or (3) developed and decided through a consensusbuilding
approach. In addition to the feedback they receive from their partners, other
participants and the instructor, students will be given a small handbook that summarizes
how to use the consensus-building approach and conflict management skills presented in
the numerous small-group meetings that likely fill their professional and personal lives.
The goal of this course is to provide information to enable participants to "meet together
to succeed together."
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Sediment Remediation
| Date and Time: |
Thursday, May 24, 1:15 pm to 4:30 pm |
| Instructors: |
Steve Ells, EPA HQ |
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James Hahnenberg, U.S. EPA Region 5 |
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Danny Reible, University of Texas |
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Paul Schroeder, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
The Sediment Remediation course focuses on some of the biggest issues that face RPMs
in evaluating contaminated sediment sites. By taking this course, RPMs will learn:
- The basis for the recommendations developed by the National Research Council (NRC) committee that evaluated the effectiveness of dredging at Superfund megasites, and EPA's possible response.
- The key findings and recommendations developed at the recent workshop on Resuspension, Release, Residuals, and Risk from Dredging Contaminated Sediments.
- The use of a simple model to predict the thickness of a sand cover needed to control contaminant flux into the overlying water.
- The data and rationale used at the Fox River Superfund site to amend the 2003 remedy to substitute engineered caps and thin sand covers for dredging areas of the site.
- The advantages and limitations of dredging, capping, and monitored natural attenuation (MNR) at typical sites.
Instructors for this course include sediment experts from academia, the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, EPA regional offices, and EPA Headquarters. The target audience is RPMs
who have or may have a contaminated sediment site. The presentations will be followed
by a panel-led group discussion of the key issues.
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Using Systematic Project Planning to Address and Manage Site Uncertainty and Project Risks
| Date and Time: |
Thursday, May 24, 1:15 pm to 4:30 pm |
| Instructors: |
Steve Dyment, EPA HQ |
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Joe Foran, Computer Sciences Corporation |
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Kira Lynch, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
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Marty McComb, U.S. EPA Region 8 |
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Daniel Powell, EPA HQ |
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John Smith, EPA HQ |
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Hilary Thornton, U.S. EPA Region 3 |
The Using Systematic Project Planning to Address and Manage Site Uncertainty and Project Risks course provides an overview of project planning and sampling design when the Triad approach is used. This practical, "nuts and bolts" course will discuss how the systematic planning process occurs at specific sites where the Triad approach has been applied as well as tools that can be used during these efforts.
The first part of the session will focus on identifying project risks and prioritizing them according to their impacts on project decisions and implementation. A speaker from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will share real-life examples on project risks. Using case studies from several Superfund sites, the second and largest part of the session will focus on the actual steps to take in the planning process. RPMs and USACE technical staff will walk through the process used at the various sites and highlight the results of their efforts. The final portion of the training will provide an overview of available resources, such as the tools used and technical support mechanisms available to RPMs and how to access them. Several EPA Region 5 sites will be highlighted.
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| 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm |
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Moderator Debrief (Moderators Only)
| Date and Time: |
Thursday, May 24, 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm |
Abstract is not available.
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Day 5
Friday, May 25
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| 8:00 am to 9:30 am |
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EPA NARPM Business Meeting
| Date and Time: |
Friday, May 25, 8:00 am to 9:30 am |
Abstract is not available.
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| 9:30 am to 10:00 am |
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Closing Plenary Session
| Date and Time: |
Friday, May 25, 9:30 am to 10:00 am |
Eliza Smith Steinmeier, Executive Director, Baltimore Harbor WATERKEEPER, will discuss the water-quality issues facing Baltimore Harbor and the Patapsco River as a result of past and present pollution sources. In addition, she will provide an overview of activities underway by the local community, both non-profit and local government, to cleanup the waterway. Baltimore Harbor WATERKEEPER is a member of the WATERKEEPER Alliance (www.waterkeeper.org).
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| 10:00 am to 10:30 am |
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Transition to field trip
| Date and Time: |
Friday, May 25, 10:00 am to 10:30 am |
Abstract is not available.
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| 10:30 am to 12:30 pm |
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Baltimore Public Works Museum Field Trip
| Date and Time: |
Friday, May 25, 10:30 am to 12:30 pm |
The Baltimore Public Works Museum, housed in a stately pumping station circa 1911, takes you behind the scenes to examine a city’s infrastructure upon which urban life depends. Participants will explore the fascinating technology behind tunnels, roads, bridges, clean water, wastewater, and recycling. Specifically, the tour will be geared towards engineers and scientists, concentrating on the operational side of the pumping station. A station manager will be available during the tour to answer any technical questions participants might have. A history of the Baltimore Public Works department will also be discussed. The tour is guided and lasts 45 minutes. Participants are welcome to stay and look around after the organized tour has ended.
You will need to walk to the museum which is less than a mile away from the Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore Hotel. Directions will be available onsite. The museum is located at Pier 7 of the Inner Harbor, 751 Eastern Avenue.
There is $2 fee per person and will need to paid at the Museum on arrival.
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University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute's (UMBI) SciTech Education Program Field Trip
| Date and Time: |
Friday, May 25, 10:30 am to 12:30 pm |
The University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute’s (UMBI) SciTech Education Program will provide a hands-on lab experience and guided tour about oil pollution and its impact. Specifically, participants will work with a bacterial produced biosurfactant and test its effectiveness removing oil from sand and artificial fur. The surfactant is isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Participants may also be able to perform a serial dilution of the biosurfactant to calculate its threshold of effectiveness, known as the critical micelle level. For further information, visit www.umbi.umd.edu/~scitech/index.html.
You will need to walk to the Institute which is less than a mile away from the Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore Hotel. Directions will be available onsite. The Institute is located at 701 East Pratt Street.
There is $10 fee per person and will need to paid at the Institute on arrival.
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Water Tour of Inner Harbor Field Trip
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Friday, May 25, 10:30 am to 12:30 pm |
A Water Tour of Inner Harbor will be conducted by Eliza Smith Steinmeier, Executive Director of Baltimore Harbor Waterkeeper. She will discuss water-quality issues facing Baltimore Harbor and Patapsco River as a result of past and present pollution sources and highlight actions that the local community (non-profit and government) is doing to clean-up the waterway.
You will need to walk to the Inner Harbor, approximately 4 blocks from the Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore Hotel to the board the boat for the tour. Directions will be available onsite.
There is a $15 fee per person to take the tour. You will need to pay in advance at the NARPM registration desk.
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Friday, September 3, 2010
If you have any questions or comments about this Web site, please contact Jen Grund, Tetra Tech, at (703) 390-0667 or by e-mail at jen.grund@ttemi.com.
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