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NARPM Training Conference - Day 1
Tuesday, June 2
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| 8:00 am to 10:00 am |  |
Welcome and Opening Remarks Plenary
Abstract is not available. |
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| 10:00 am to 10:15 am |  |
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| 10:15 am to 12:00 pm | |
Ground Water Forum Business Meeting
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Beneficial Use of Mining and Mineral Processing Waste is a 1 hour, 45 minute panel session that explores questions about the beneficial use of mining and mineral processing waste. These materials are the result of the extraction, beneficiation, and processing of ores and minerals, and are excluded from regulation as hazardous waste. With 1.3 billion tons generated annually, these high-volume, low-toxicity materials can release hazardous constituents that pose a threat to human health and the environment, as is evidenced by the number of CERCLA sites associated with these materials. EPA is working with states and mining and mineral processing industries to evaluate and encourage the productive and beneficial use of these materials in lieu of commercially available materials. Potential markets for these materials include road construction, concrete production, and levee development. The projected environmental, societal, and economical benefits associated with use of these materials could be considerable. An appropriate level of assurance in the environmental performance and system design, however, is crucial for the proposed use of these materials to be successful. Therefore, a range of challenges need to be explored before these materials can be used, including testing, liability, and use restrictions. The panel discussion will explore key questions such as:
Because of the multitude of issues associated with beneficial use of these materials, this is a session intended to be a multi-year panel discussion; this topic was introduced during NARPM 2008. A national workgroup has since been convened to develop a strategy for this effort, similar to the lead strategy. This panel discussion will serve as a vehicle to identify additional staff who are interested in this topic and may want to become members of the national workgroup. |
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Federal Facilities, a 1 hour, 45 minute panel session, will provide an update on current initiatives and national issues that affect federal facility sites. The session will be divided into three parts:
The target audience for this panel session is RPMs working on federal facilities. |
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RPMs and the Future of Superfund Information Technology is a 1 hour, 45 minute panel session that will present a series of overview presentations on key topics that involve the ongoing Superfund information management process and how it relates to these issues nationwide. The panelists will provide the following:
The goal is to streamline the Superfund data entry and information gathering process by minimizing time in the system, by making the system more accessible and understandable to RPMs, and by ensuring the data and information entered are accurate and not duplicated. This panel is intended to be a work in progress and will continue its mission to make management of Superfund information a more viable tool for RPMs to monitor regional Superfund site data and documents in conjunction with EPA Headquarters reporting requirements. The target audience for this panel session includes RPMs and their managers. |
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Post-Construction Completion Considerations for Fund-lead Sites: This information session addresses key statutory and policy issues RPMs commonly encounter in managing Fund-lead remedies. The session focuses on:
The instructional methodology for this course includes lecture, a case study, and interactive discussion among participants. The target audience for this information session is EPA RPMs who manage Fund-lead projects |
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SERDP/ESTCP Information Session, a 1 hour, 45 minute information session, focuses on how EPA RPMs can obtain funding or information on innovative technologies from both the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) or the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP). By attending this session, participants achieve the following objectives:
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Superfund Green Remediation Strategy: A workgroup made up of Headquarters and regional staff was formed in September 2008 to outline the Superfund program’s plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other negative impacts on the environment that might occur during remediation of a hazardous waste site. During this information session, workgroup chairs will outline 12 key action item areas to promote green remediation and reduce the environmental “footprint” during cleanup of private and federal sites, while protecting human health and the environment. This 1 hour, 45 minute information session is an opportunity to learn about the strategy, get answers questions you might have, including implementation challenges, and raise points you believe need to be addressed. The target audience for this information session is all RPMs. |
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| 10:15 am to 5:30 pm | |
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| 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm | |
Abstract is not available. |
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| 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm | |
Institutional Controls: Current Issues is a 1 hour, 30 minute panel discussion led by NARPM members who serve on the national Institutional Controls (IC) Workgroup, along with IC experts from around the country. The purpose of the panel is to present information on new developments on the topic of ICs. ICs are non-engineered components of a remedy. Examples of ICs include easements, 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. An IC is required to ensure that restricted uses do not occur if a site is not cleaned up to unrestricted use levels. The national IC Workgroup meets monthly to track IC-related issues, share information, and identify solutions to the often vexing IC issues faced by Superfund site managers. The panel will answer the following questions related to ICs:
Participants are also invited to come to the panel session, present IC issues, and receive expert advice and valuable feedback. The target audience for this panel session is all RPMs. |
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Working Together: Getting the Best Results Through Partnerships (Everybody Wins!): Partnerships, synergy … as corny as it sounds, we really can accomplish more if we work together. Many valuable resources are available outside of EPA, but we need to learn to look beyond our usual set of tools and take advantage of the knowledge and expertise that can be found in communities and universities. This 1 hour, 30 minute panel session will be an interactive forum, providing two case studies of successful partnerships, and discussions of how to locate the right experts. The session will consist of three sections:
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The Environmental Response Team Capabilities for RPMs: This 1 hour, 30 minute information session informs RPMs about the personnel, tools, and technologies the Environmental Response Team (ERT) uses at remedial Superfund sites to support investigation and cleanup. A goal of the session is to encourage RPMs to use ERT to assist them during the various investigation and cleanup phases at sites. By attending this session, the participants learn about the following ERT technical capabilities:
The session also provides information on how to contact ERT to receive technical support for sites, and how ERT actually works with EPA RPMs to assess sites. The instructional method includes both lecture and presentation of current case studies where ERT personnel are working directly with RPMs on various site investigations. The target audience is all EPA RPMs. |
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| 1:30 pm to 5:00 pm | |
Engineering Forum Business Meeting
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In Situ Bioremediation of Perchlorate in Groundwater is a half-day training course that presents an analysis and synthesis of the past decade of research, development, and demonstrations of the in situ bioremediation of perchlorate in groundwater. The target audience includes the decision makers, practicing engineers, and hydrogeologists who will select, design, and operate these remedial systems, as well as researchers seeking to improve the current state of the art. The course will include an overview of the current state of understanding of perchlorate remediation, including the basic principles of microbial and abiotic processes and the engineering and implementation issues underlying the technologies described. Various methods for implementing in situ bioremediation of perchlorate will then be described, with discussions of the advantages, performance, and relative costs of each of these technologies. Active, semi-passive, and passive in situ bioremediation approaches will be fully discussed and compared, with emphasis on field applications. Cost information for each technology will also be presented, using case studies and analyses of several template sites, and the key cost drivers will be identified. The costs will also be presented for pump-and-treat systems for each template site to illustrate the potential cost savings associated with the use of alternative approaches. Monitoring approaches will also be examined, including the use of stable isotopes to distinguish potential sources. Finally, emerging technologies such as monitored natural attenuation, phytoremediation, and vadose zone bioremediation will be briefly described. |
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Superfund Negotiations - Hardly 'super' and Rarely 'fun' (but doable) is a half-day training course for RPMs that provides participants with an opportunity to hone and improve their negotiation skills through a series of practical, Superfund-based exercises. Just as each of our sites is unique, so too are our negotiations. With the increased complexity of issues, policies, and stake-holders on our sites, we have all witnessed or experienced the frustration and “deal fatigue” associated with a seemingly endless negotiation. This course will focus on basic principles of negotiation, strategies for preparing for and conducting successful negotiations that will not span your government career, and thoughts on when you may want to consider utilizing alternative dispute resolution, a somewhat misunderstood concept. We will also discuss basic negotiation styles and how individual attitudes and emotional responses affect the negotiation process through a series of practical, reality-based exercises. |
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Remedial Managers Branch Chief Meeting
Abstract is not available. |
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| 3:00 pm to 3:15 pm | |
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| 3:15 pm to 5:00 pm | |
Five-Year Review Best Management Practices is a 1 hour, 45 minute panel discussion that focuses on five-year review documentation consistency and improving the five-year process in the regions. By attending the panel discussion, participants will learn:
Panel members will share Headquarters’ findings from document reviews and regional experiences and best practices for improving the five-year review process. The target audience for this panel discussion is all RPMs.
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Technical Services for Communities and the Superfund Job Training Initiative: Technical Assistance Services for Communities (TASC) is a new program to provide independent, non-advocacy educational and technical assistance to communities affected by hazardous waste sites regulated by CERCLA and RCRA. The purpose of TASC is to help communities better understand hazardous waste issues, so they can participate in the hazardous waste cleanup process more effectively. TASC also can be used to provide training through the Superfund Job Training Initiative (SuperJTI) and for technical assistance under a Technical Assistance Plan (TAP). TASC provides technical assistance through a national contract managed by the EPA Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation (OSRTI). The TASC contract is designed to be flexible to ensure that the unique technical assistance and training needs of communities can be met. All EPA Headquarters and regional office hazardous waste programs, with the exception of Brownfields, can access it. EPA instituted SuperJTI in 1996 to provide potential employers with a source of trained workers ready for on-site employment in technical, construction, and environmental activities at Superfund sites. SuperJTI’s mission is to provide job training opportunities in communities affected by Superfund sites and encourage their employment in site cleanup. The SuperJTI program combines extensive classroom instruction in hazardous environmental cleanup, health and safety, and job preparedness training, along with hands-on work experience. Partnerships are critical to the success of SuperJTI. The partnerships necessary to make the SuperJTI successful are EPA regional staff (Community Involvement Coordinators [CIC] and RPMs), and a community-based organization, and the Superfund cleanup contractor. RPMs play a major role in the success of SuperJTI by approaching the cleanup contractors and encouraging them to hire graduates of the SuperJTI program. Participants in this 1 hour, 45 minute information session acquire a greater understanding of TASC and SuperJTI and the benefits to the community, the cleanup contractor, and the agency. Topics include identifying communities that can benefit from job training, building a relationship with a local non-profit organization, and obtaining sustainable employment for community residents. The session also highlights a SuperJTI project that is currently in progress at the Savannah River Site. The goal of this session is to solicit RPM’s assistance in identifying two communities where residents are interested in obtaining job training and sustainable employment. |
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Virtual Connection: Tools and Strategies for EPA Employees, is a 1 hour, 45 minute information session, designed for beginner to intermediate users of online collaboration tools. EPA employees are increasingly challenged to work collaboratively with teams whose members may be physically located across the country. These teams have a continual need to exchange and share information quickly on a limited budget. With emerging technology, EPA is better equipped with instruments and methods to overcome the problems presented by greater distance, little time, and limited funds. These electronic tools are collectively referred to by many names: "teamware," "groupware," and "distance collaboration tools" are just a few. As the latter name suggests, they are designed to help groups work together virtually from multiple locations as if members were in the same physical space. Examples of such distance collaboration tools include packages to host internet meetings (also known as Web conferences or "webinars") and Web-based file storage used in conjunction with Web sites or online work areas focused specifically around a defined team or project. Often, EPA employees do not realize that these tools are available for use now at no cost, and in most cases, can be used to collaborate with groups both internal and external to EPA. The Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation (OSRTI) will describe several collaboration tools and services available to EPA employees including: Oracle Web Conferencing, Sametime, Sametime Connect, Lotus Notes 8, AIM, Oracle Messenger, Environmental Science Connector, Collaborative Workspaces and Quickr. Attendees will receive a basic introduction to these services to understand their general functions, as well as learn how to access these tools. |
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NARPM Training Conference - Day 2
Wednesday, June 3
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| 8:00 am to 8:30 am | |
Plenary Session
Abstract is not available. |
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| 8:30 am to 9:00 am | |
Network | ||||||||
| 9:00 am to 12:30 pm |
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Introduction to Classification Methods for Military Munitions Response Projects, a half-day training course, focuses on the sensors, methods, and status of classifying military munitions using geophysical methods. The course covers advanced processing of data collected with commercial instruments as well as the promising results from emerging optimized systems. By taking the course, participants will achieve the following objectives:
The instructional methodology for this course includes lecture and case studies. The target audience for this course is RPMs who deal with Military Munitions Response projects. |
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| 9:00 am to 3:30 pm | |
Remedial Managers Branch Chief Meeting
Abstract is not available. |
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| 9:00 am to 5:00 pm | |
Be Prepared: Advanced Spokesperson and Media Training is an 8-hour course for EPA RPMs. “What you say” and “how you say it” are the critical components in ensuring that accurate information about your Superfund site is presented to the news media, community groups, the concerned public, and other organizations. This course is designed to give participants the confidence they need to explain their work and speak about tough issues. Participants learn the following:
This highly interactive course also features the following:
Each participant receives a spokesperson and media training manual at the conclusion of the course. The course is limited to 12 participants who must commit to attend the workshop at the 2009 NARPM Training Conference. EPA RPMs receive priority during the registration process. Please note: Participants are required to forward information about their jobs, interests, and projects to the instructor at least 3 weeks before of the workshop presentation. An e-mail reminder will be sent to each participant before the date of the training to explain and obtain all pre-training information. |
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DNAPL Source Zone Treatment: What have we learned from sites that have implemented active dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) treatment remedies? This 8-hour training course focuses on technical and project management issues that RPMs will need to address when they oversee active remediation of DNAPL source areas. The course will cover policy and remedy implementation issues, including:
The instructional methodology for this course includes lecture, case studies, and an interactive panel discussion. The target audience for this course is experienced RPMs who are working on DNAPL sites in the remedial investigation and feasibility study (RI/FS) or remedial action (RA) implementation stage or who are considering active DNAPL source zone treatment for a post-construction completion (PCC) site. |
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Green Remediation: What's Next? This 8-hour training course on green remediation (GR) follows up on last year's successful session at NARPM in Portland. The session will concentrate on case studies and tools for use by RPMs. GR is the practice of considering the environmental effects of a remediation strategy (the remedy selected and the implementation approach) early in the process and incorporating options to maximize the net environmental benefit of the cleanup action. GR can also be considered after a remedy has been implemented — for example, as the result of a five-year review. And as you'll find out, many GR activities are really just best management practices with a twist toward sustainability. The following are among the topics to be included in the agenda:
The training also will provide updates on GR policy and guidance and an overview of the RPM contracting toolkit with GR provisions. A practical group exercise and panel discussion will help participants consider and effectively implement GR to increase the environmental benefit of Superfund cleanups. The target audience for this training course is all RPMs. |
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Leadership: Attitude, Function, and Style (Leadership Development for RPMs) is an 8-hour training course that helps participants discover how personal preferences and “habits of the mind” influence their leadership style. The course provides approaches to help participants effectively assess themselves as leaders and identify blind spots. The course also examines how behavior changes under stress. The course combines fast-paced interactive discussions, small group activities, practical application exercises, and self-assessment tools (Meyers-Brigg Type Indicator [MBTI]) to clarify participants' strengths and indicate areas for further professional development. The course also addresses the ways that personality (or psychological type) affects decision-making. A final exercise allows participants to consolidate their insights from the workshop by applying them to a case study based on an actual remedial site example. After taking this course, participants will be able to:
Participants are required to complete two questionnaires approximately 3 weeks before the course. The questionnaires will be objectively and confidentially scored. The target audience for this course is all RPMs. The course is limited to 35 participants. |
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Reducing Risk by Changing Behavior is an 8-hour introductory- to intermediate-level training course designed for RPMs and community involvement specialists that discusses how public outreach campaigns can effectively reduce risk. The course provides an in-depth look at commonly used public outreach strategies, and describes why many fail and why some may be detrimental to the program’s objectives by actually increasing the prevalence of unwanted behaviors. The workshop then looks at specific techniques that academic research and field application have found to be successful at changing behaviors and reducing risks. By the end of the workshop, participants will have a clear understanding of how a focused and strategically executed public outreach effort can be an effective institutional control tool the RPM can use to help address community risk issues. Through a combination of PowerPoint presentations, videos, and group exercises, participants will learn the principles of, rationale for, and tools to create effective public outreach campaigns that specifically target reducing risk. Participants will have the opportunity to hear about how successful campaigns were developed, participate in group exercises using case studies (the Case Method), and work with key communication tools in building a mock campaign. By taking the course, participants will:
This course will also demonstrate techniques to quantitatively measure the risk reduction through outreach efforts using a Superfund project example. |
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State of the Art in Sediment Assessment and Remediation is an 8-hour training course focusing on three specific contaminated sediment site technical issues that project managers should understand when planning and completing remedial investigations and feasibility studies. By taking the course, project managers will achieve the following objectives:
The instructional methodology for this course includes lecture, case studies, and facilitated group discussions. The target audience for this course is project managers that have or will have contaminated sediment sites. The following paragraphs provide additional information on the three sessions that will be presented in this full day training course. Session No. 1 – Smart from the Start: Anticipating Sampling Needs Throughout the Life of a Sediment Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS): At many Superfund sediment sites, the main focus of RI data collection is delineating the nature and extent of contamination and risk assessment, leaving the RPM to realize late in the RI/FS process that more data are needed to address other needs such as sediment transport modeling, evaluation of remedial options, and developing a good baseline data set. Then, either the FS or record of decision (ROD) is delayed while these data gaps are filled, or the ROD is completed without this information, leading to an extended pre-design sampling effort and potentially a ROD amendment. The purpose of this session is to discuss how the RPM can be “smart from the start” by anticipating more of the data that will be needed through the life of the project, and incorporating these into initial RI sampling. The training describes a structured planning process for developing a work plan for two hypothetical sites, and the sampling program that might result. Session No. 2 – Use of New Assessment Tools: Passive Samplers: EPA Office of Research and Development (ORD) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) scientists, academicians, and RPMs will describe what these samplers are, how they can be used to provide more timely and less expensive data, how the data have been used, and how these samplers could be applied in the future to understand contaminant movement and uptake. Session No. 3 – In-Situ Sediment Amendments and Reactive Capping Technologies: USACE engineers and academicians will describe the recent developments in the lab and field in this new exciting in-situ treatment technology. Field testing and their use at some sites suggest these new alternatives can be very effective in controlling sediment exposures. Both Superfund site and non-Superfund site case studies will be described. |
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| 10:30 am to 10:45 am | |
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| 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm | |
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| 1:30 pm to 5:00 pm |
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Introduction to the Visual Sample Plan (VSP) Software and the Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Module, a half-day training course, provides an overview of VSP, with special emphasis on the newly developed UXO modules sponsored by the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) and the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP). By taking the course, participants will achieve the following objectives:
The target audience for this training course is RPMs that work on or are interested in sites with unexploded ordinance. |
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| 3:00 pm to 3:15 pm | |
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NARPM Training Conference - Day 3
Thursday, June 4
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| 8:00 am to 8:30 am | |
Abstract is not available. |
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| 8:30 am to 9:00 am | |
Network | ||||||||
| 9:00 am to 10:30 am | |
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Lost in Transition: Managing Superfund Site Transitions and Preventing the Loss of Institutional Memory is a 1 hour, 30 minute panel session that is designed to highlight some of the major issues that confront RPMs not only when they receive a “new” Superfund site to manage but also when they transfer the management of a site to another RPM. Our goal is to provide RPMs with assistance on improving this site transition process, especially with respect to the following:
The panelists will conduct a round table discussion among the participants to solicit input on how site transitions are handled throughout the various regions. Through this discussion, the panelists will focus on developing concrete ways to improve the site transition process so that no institutional knowledge is lost, especially for complex Superfund sites. The old notion — that an RPM can simply hand over several cardboard boxes of files to a new RPM and be done with the transfer of the relevant data and records — is outdated and inefficient. However, we at EPA are all too familiar with that situation. Join our thought-provoking dialogue and help create a system, even if it’s a simple, informal guidance document, to ensure better and more efficient site transitions and to preserve complete site records. The target audience for this panel session is all RPMs. |
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OSC/RPM Interactions Synergy, a 1 hour, 30 minute panel session, explores the dynamics of interactions between On-Scene Coordinators (OSC) and RPMs in addressing complex situations at Superfund sites. Superfund sites require a mix of strategies from a variety of trained EPA staff, and a key interaction on sites that require both removal and remedial actions is between the OSC and RPM. Learn more about the Emergency Response Program, the tools used by OSCs, and how RPMs can maximize opportunities to get the job done right. This panel explores the interaction between OSCs and RPMs through brief presentations and discussions of site experiences by a panel of both OSCs and RPMs. Attendees are encouraged to bring questions and share their experiences for all to learn. The target audience for this panel session is all RPMs. |
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Integrating Water and Waste Programs to Restore Watersheds: EPA’s Office of Water and Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response have developed a manual, Integrating Water and Waste Programs to Restore Watersheds: A Guide for Federal and State Project Managers. This information session emphasizes a cross-programmatic approach for streamlining watershed assessments and cleanups. EPA Headquarters believes that watersheds that contain both Superfund sites and Clean Water Act Section 303(d) listed waters would benefit from collaborative efforts by state, federal, and local water programs. The goals of this information session are to:
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| 9:00 am to 12:30 pm |
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Applications of Advanced Geophysical Techniques for Superfund and RCRA Site Investigations
Applications of Advanced Geophysical Techniques for Superfund and RCRA Site Investigations: The advancement in technologies and analytical software during the last few years has led to development of new tools and applications in geophysical techniques for site investigations. Both surface and down-hole geophysics instrumentation can be applied to characterize the hydrogeology of sites faster and in greater detail to support the decision-making processes needed by RPMs and site hydrogeologists for unconsolidated as well as fractured bedrock environments. During this half-day training course, USGS experts in geophysics will provide information and case studies on recent applications of down-hole and surface geophysical logging and analysis. EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) geophysics specialist also will discuss how geophysics can be a cost-effective and integral part of EPA’s site investigations. The target audience for this training course is RPMs and technical support staff. |
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Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) Refresher Workshop is a half-day hands-on training course designed for RPMs as a refresher on the requirements of, tools and resources available for, and the art of preparing IGCEs. This critical part of the work ordering package will be the centerpiece of this course. The workshop will provide the following:
After the brief lecture, the class will rotate among several stations, each involving a different type of project. Participants will select from a variety of tasks and actually prepare a cost estimate. Stations will include the following:
After the exercise, the class will evaluate the cost estimates and discuss the process for comparing the IGCE with the contractor’s actual estimate. The course is limited to 25 participants. |
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RPM Case Studies: Region 4 is pleased to present the half-day "hot sites" panel on five mega-Superfund sites, each with their own hazards and challenges. The featured sites are Anniston PCB; Escambia Wood Treating Company; Copper Basin; Milan Army Ammunition Plant; and Jacksonville Ash and Brown's Dump Superfund Alternative Sites. RPMs for each of these sites will offer presentations on what makes these sites unique and case studies to illustrate their challenges. Anniston PCB Site
Escambia Wood Treating Company (ETC) Site
Copper Basin Mining District
Milan Army Ammunition Plant
Jacksonville Ash and Brown's Dump Superfund Alternative Sites
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| 9:00 am to 3:00 pm | |
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| 10:30 am to 10:45 am | |
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| 10:45 am to 12:30 pm |
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Containment Remedies: This 1 hour, 45 minute information session on Containment Remedies provides RPMs with a basic overview of recent research by academia on containment issues and will obtain feedback from the RPMs who are managing containment sites on the issues they are facing and where they would like technical support. The use of Vertical Engineered Barriers (VEB) to contain wastes has increased since the late 1990s in an effort to reduce the cost of cleanups under the Superfund and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) programs. Many environmental professionals consider containment a proven technology that is simple to implement, involves minimal operations and maintenance (O&M), is cost effective, and can be integrated into redevelopment plans. However, it also is widely known that all containment sites leak to some extent and that the lifespan of VEBs is limited. Containment failures have been documented at several sites as a result of inadequate aquitards and construction problems. During this information session, an overview of recent research on VEBs and containment issues is presented, including:
Presentations will last approximately one hour, leaving the remaining 45 minutes for open discussion with the RPMs on containment remedies to hear their concerns. A new work group was recently formed at EPA to study the technical aspects of containment remedies. One immediate objective of the group is to produce a series of fact sheets on containment issues that are directed toward federal and state RPMs to address technical aspects of containment remedies. Input from the RPMs to the workgroup is welcome. |
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Ecological Revitalization: Turning Contaminated Properties into Community Assets- This 1 hour, 45 minute information session provides RPMs and other site managers and stakeholders with the tools to better understand, coordinate, and carry out ecological land revitalization at contaminated properties as part of site cleanup.
The session involves three presenters, followed by audience questions and comments. The target audience for this course is site cleanup managers. |
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Response Support Corps — RPMs in Response is a 1 hour, 45 minute information session focusing on the status of EPA’s cadre of Response Support Corps (RSC), trends in membership and training, and the participation of RPMs in national-level exercises during the past year. A panel discussion includes the national RSC program manager, a regional RSC coordinator, and RPM RSC members who participated in TOPOFF 4 and Spills of National Significance (SONS) exercises. Additionally, a trained incident commander discusses the strengths RPMs bring to responses and to the RSC. Topics covered include:
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| 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm | |
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| 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm | |
Post-ROD World Café Panel Session
Post-ROD World Café, a 1 hour, 30 minute panel session, focuses on the community involvement challenges that occur after the major remedial decisions are made and many times after construction is complete. In this workshop, participants will have the opportunity to:
The instructional methodology for this session is participatory and fast-paced, involving brainstorming and discussion by participants. The target audience for this course is RPMs, Community Involvement Coordinators (CIC), and managers who interact with community members at Superfund sites. The workshop will be limited to 20 to 25 participants to be effective within this timeframe. |
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Human Health Risk Assessment Tools and Information for RPMs, focuses on risk assessment tools that RPMs can use to help with a variety of site needs, including establishing preliminary remediation goals, screening out chemicals of potential concern or areas at a site, developing site-specific cleanup levels, and establishing analytical reporting limits. By attending this 1 hour, 30 minute information session, participants will:
Tentative speakers include risk assessors experienced in working with RPMs from Region 4, Headquarters, and EPA National Center for Environmental Assessment (NCEA). The instructional methodology for this information session includes lecture and discussion. The target audience for this information session is RPMs of all experience levels. |
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Remedial Design/Remedial Action (RD/RA) Statement of Work (SOW) Basics: So you have completed your Record of Decision (ROD) and now you are done, right? Wrong! This 1 hour, 30 minute information session focuses on the specific steps necessary for developing a statement of work (SOW) to be included with the RD/RA Consent Decree. The session discusses how to develop the SOW using the information provided in the ROD using a model developed by EPA Region 5. Next, the session walks through how to prepare the draft SOW for the pre-referral litigation report (the “mini-lit report”) and answer typical questions that may come up while you prepare the mini-lit report. In addition, the session offers tips on drafting SOW performance standards to avoid future disputes and to ensure that settling defendants implement the remedy in the ROD. Finally, the session notes areas where the consent decree and SOW overlap and where consistency is particularly important. The instructional methodology for the course includes lecture and case studies. The target audience for this session is newer RPMs or RPMs who have not yet written an RD/RA SOW. |
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| 1:30 pm to 5:00 pm | |
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Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE) Refresher Workshop is a half-day hands-on training course designed for RPMs as a refresher on the requirements of, tools and resources available for, and the art of preparing IGCEs. This critical part of the work ordering package will be the centerpiece of this course. The workshop will provide the following:
After the brief lecture, the class will rotate among several stations, each involving a different type of project. Participants will select from a variety of tasks and actually prepare a cost estimate. Stations will include the following:
After the exercise, the class will evaluate the cost estimates and discuss the process for comparing the IGCE with the contractor’s actual estimate. The course is limited to 25 participants. |
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Practical Process for Conducting Five-Year Reviews at Ground Water Sites: The Ground Water Forum has identified the need to provide a technical companion document to the existing five-year review guidance. This companion document, currently in draft form, is designed to provide guidelines and strategies for addressing necessary technical issues in conducting five-year reviews at sites with contaminated ground water. The draft document also includes a suggested planning process to follow based on selected regional practices.
The information provided in this half-day training course will be presented in three parts:
The target audience for this half-day training course is RPMs who conduct or review five-year reviews and their managers. |
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The Superfund Redevelopment Initiative - 10 Years and Counting! is a comprehensive, half-day training course that will explain the tools and resources that have been developed over the past 10 years, demonstrate how RPMs have incorporated redevelopment concepts into challenging Superfund sites to achieve positive outcomes, and reveal how redevelopment of Superfund sites can include the location of renewable energy sources. Participants will learn how to work effectively with communities, states, potentially responsible parties (PRP), and other stakeholders to promote reuse and redevelopment of Superfund sites. The course examines:
Participants will learn about various issues related to reuse and redevelopment through group discussions and case studies that will give RPMs real-world examples of how introducing reuse concepts into troubled sites helped, rather than hindered, the cleanup process and helped EPA become a partner with local governments and communities instead of an adversary. One of these case studies will include a presentation by a local city official to discuss the city’s perspective on EPA’s redevelopment program. The target audience for this course is all RPMs. |
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Vapor Intrusion: An Interactive Workshop: This year, the Vapor Intrusion panel expands to a half-day workshop. The workshop will address myriad issues and concerns that confront RPMs who must evaluate the potential for vapor intrusion at groundwater sites contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOC). The workshop will also provide an opportunity for the audience to ask questions and to present any issues or concerns regarding vapor intrusion. The slate of presenters will address and highlight the following phases of the process using case studies and identifying lessons learned:
The target audience for this workshop is all RPMs. |
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You, Too, Can Create Effective Presentations: This half-day advanced leadership-level, highly interactive workshop is geared toward EPA staff who deliver technical training for their peers, not only at training conferences, such as NARPM, but also throughout the regions. Participants will learn how to (1) target their presentation to other technical professionals, (2) develop and refine their message, and (3) engage the audience in ways that promote effective communication. Participants will learn the following:
Participants will achieve the following:
Teaching a technical course to your peers involves much more than just standing in front of the room and telling them everything you know. Effective trainers know that substance is important; but they also know that presentation style goes hand in hand — the way you get across technical knowledge and experience to a willing audience. This course will provide hands-on techniques to help you develop and deliver presentations that boost the ability of your workshop participants to retain and apply what they learn. This highly interactive workshop is limited to 15 participants. |
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| 3:00 pm to 3:15 pm | |
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| 3:15 pm to 5:00 pm | |
Developments in Remedial Design: Over the years, the philosophy and approach in remedial designs for hazardous waste cleanups have evolved as a result of lessons learned, budget pressures, and other developments. This 1 hour, 45 minute information session examines case studies to demonstrate project management considerations that should be addressed when planning a design strategy, and identifies design techniques that RPMs can use to improve project delivery. Topics include contracting strategies, confirmatory sampling approaches, risk management, and the use of performance specifications. This information session is intended for RPMs. |
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Quality Assurance Tools for RPMs is a 1 hour, 45 minute information session divided into two discussions:
Part One: Site-Specific and Special Request PESs: The Shaw Environmental, Inc., Quality Assurance Technical Support (QATS) Laboratory prepares and maintains the Superfund PES inventory for distribution to laboratories to support the EPA's Analytical Services Branch (ASB) Contract Laboratory Program (CLP) and regional projects. PESs are analyzed along with environmental samples and are used to monitor and document the performance of laboratories and analytical methods and to assist in validation of environmental sample analysis results. The QATS standard PES inventory consists of single-blind QC samples for organic and inorganic constituents where the analytes and concentrations are typically in accordance with the CLP methods. These samples are recognizable as PESs; however, the analytes and concentrations are unknown to the laboratories. Over the past 7 years through the QATS Contract, ASB has provided hundreds of special-request and site-specific PESs to the regions to support monitoring and cleanup efforts at numerous sites. Regional requestors order special-request and site-specific PESs for reasons that include:
QATS-developed site-specific and special-request PESs have for the past several years been routinely used by EPA Region 9 to support activities at Superfund sites, including Phoenix Goodyear Airport North, McCormick & Baxter, Montrose, Frontier Fertilizer, and Palos Verde Shelf. Special-request and site-specific PESs prepared by the QATS Laboratory have included full-volume and double-blind samples for volatile compounds, semivolatile compounds, pesticides, Aroclors, dioxins/furans, PCB congeners, 1,4-dioxane, metals, mercury, cyanide, and perchlorate. The QATS Laboratory also has provided volatiles in Summa canisters, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) fish tissue reference materials for PCBs, pesticides, and methyl mercury, and dioxins/furans in air emissions using XAD-2 resin cartridges. This presentation discusses the specifics of select projects, including how the PESs were developed, how the results were evaluated, the benefits, and the process for ordering special-request and site-specific PESs for your projects. Part Two: Tools Available to Ensure EPA's Quality Goals are Being Met: A Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) is required for every project conducted by or funded by EPA where data is collected or used. This presentation highlights some of the important tools needed by an RPM to ensure that required QA documents such as QAPPs, Work Plans and Sampling Analysis Plans (SAP) used by EPA meet the Agency's quality goals. A presentation of the P.I.E. (Plan, Implement, Evaluate) tool will also be featured. P.I.E features and describes good practices in QAPP and project preparation. Finally, to further assist the RPM in meeting EPA quality assurance requirements, this talk will briefly overview a QA Tool Kit that includes such topics as the Elements of a Good QAPP, Project Planning Checklist, and a Fact Sheet on Quality Control Tools. |
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NARPM Training Conference - Day 4
Friday, June 5
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| 6:30 am to 7:30 pm | |
Tour of the Savannah River Site Field Trip
The Savannah River Site (SRS) tour, sponsored by the Federal Facilities Forum, will introduce attendees to: site cleanup actions, green remediation, nuclear waste vitrification, and a nuclear weapons reactor. Due to security requirements at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) facility, registered RPMs (after confirmation with Nina Reyes at Tetra Tech) will need to their home address and social security number (SSN) to Allison Lintvedt, Environmental Management Support, Inc. You can only provide this information by Fax to Allison at (301) 589-8487 or you can call her with your SSN at (301) 589-5318, extension 34. Allison will confirm receipt of information by e-mail with each attendee. Information needs to be provided to Allison no later than Wednesday, May 20, 2009. This field trip will leave the Intercontinental Buckhead Atlanta at 6:30 a.m. and will not return to the Intercontinental until 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 5, 2009. You will not be able to cancel your attendance after you register, so please make sure you can make the commitment to attend this field trip. Since the trip is limited to only 40 EPA RPMs, any last minute cancellations will make it impossible for another attendee to participate after May 20, 2009. EPA Headquarters will pay for your lodging the night of Friday, June 5 at the Intercontinental Buckhead Atlanta if you attend the field trip. The Savannah River Site is a key DOE industrial complex responsible for stewardship of the environment, the nuclear weapons stockpile, and nuclear materials. The facility processes and stores nuclear materials in support of national defense and the U.S. nuclear non-proliferation efforts. The site also develops and deploys technologies to improve the environment and treat nuclear and hazardous wastes left from the Cold War and is a National Priority List site under Superfund. The SRS complex covers 198,344 acres, or 310 square miles, encompassing parts of Aiken, Barnwell, and Allendale counties in South Carolina, bordering the Savannah River. The site is owned by the DOE and managed and operated by Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC. SRNS is responsible for the site’s nuclear facility operations, Savannah River National Laboratory, and all the site’s administrative functions. Participants attending this field trip are required to wear a hard hat, safety glasses, work gloves, and sturdy, steel- and closed-toe work shoes while touring the facility. Hard hats, safety glasses, and work gloves will be provided. However, participants will need to bring their own steel- and closed-toe work shoes with them. In addition, no cell phones or cameras are allowed in the facility. Participants are also required to bring with them two forms of government-issued photo identification. Participants must have the original forms of identification; a photocopy will not suffice. Click here for a list of acceptable forms of identification. Please view the following resources for this field trip: |
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| 8:30 am to 11:30 am | |
Representatives of the Georgia Institute of Technology will give presentations on four exciting projects being conducted at the school. Presentations include the following: Characterizing DNAPL Source Zone Architecture and Associated Plume Response Widespread use of chlorinated ethenes in dry cleaning and degreasing operations has led to groundwater contamination at thousands of industrial facilities and governmental installations, which has important implications for human health. Research has shown that in situ remediation technologies are unlikely to remove 100 percent of the chlorinated ethene dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) mass from a contaminated subsurface environment, therefore it is important to understand the effects of partial DNAPL source zone mass removal on contaminant concentrations in down-gradient groundwater plumes. A series of 2-D aquifer cell experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of source zone architecture in a mixed DNAPL system (specifically 1:1 [molar ratio] of trichloroethene [TCE] and tetrachloroethene [PCE]) on down-gradient plume concentrations as a function of source depletion. Results from these studies indicated that TCE was preferentially depleted during aqueous phase dissolution from the mixed DNAPL source zone while PCE was preferentially depleted during source zone flooding with a 4% surfactant solution (Tween 80, a nonionic, food-grade surfactant). The experimental data obtained from these studies will be used to evaluate the inter-relationships between the initial source zone architecture, mass removal, reductions in mass flux and plume evolution in subsurface systems. Combined Remedies and Bioenhanced Dissolution for DNAPL Source Zone Bioremediation Despite documented successes of chlorinated solvent source zone mass reduction, none of the currently employed technologies (such as surfactant flushing, air sparging, co-solvent flushing, chemical oxidation, and thermal treatment) are expected to remove all dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) contamination, even under favorable conditions. This residual contamination may lead to continued and persistent contaminant elution that poses risks to human health and the environment. In an effort to improve in situ treatment of DNAPL source zones, our research evaluates the potential to combine physical-chemical and biological technologies in order to overcome the shortcomings associated with each standalone treatment. Several approaches have been investigated, including: enhanced solubilization flushing using a food-grade, biodegradable surfactant (Tween 80) followed by microbial reductive dechlorination (bioaugmentation) to achieve detoxification of residual DNAPL, and bioaugmentation down gradient from active thermal treatment of a low permeability contaminated chlorinated ethene source zone. The combination of such technologies has the potential to biologically enhancing dissolution 1.3 to 14 times (over abiotic dissolution alone), which ultimately can lead to decreased cleanup times and costs. Molecular Tools for Microbial Reductive Dechlorination Assessment Chloroethene contamination in groundwater poses a very real threat to drinking water. Many anaerobic bacteria reduce tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) to cis-dichloroethene, which is also toxic. Dehalococcoides (Dhc) are strict anaerobic bacteria that completely detoxify chloroethenes to environmentally benign ethene. Dhc possess reductive dehalogenase (RDase) genes implicated in dechlorination, and these genes also are useful targets for nucleic acid-based molecular tools to evaluate in situ bioremediation. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) approaches provide reliable measures of Dhc abundance in groundwater samples. Analysis of Dhc abundance at chloroethene-contaminated sites provides RPMs with relevant information to guide decision-making and monitor the progress of bioremediation. Radionuclide Immobilization Radionuclides, in particular hexavalent uranium, U(VI), are commonly found in soils, sediments, and groundwater at U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sites. U(VI) is soluble in water and spread in aquifers with the flow of groundwater. Several bacteria reduce U(VI) to U(IV), which occurs as the insoluble mineral uraninite, UO2. Hence, the activity of U(VI)-reducing bacteria results in uranium immobilization as uraninite and plume containment. This bioremediation strategy is being explored at the pilot-scale at the Integrated Field-Scale Subsurface Research Challenge (IFC) site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. |
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| 8:30 am to 1:00 pm | |
Clayton County Water Reclamation and Wetlands Center Field Trip
This field trip will consist of a visit to the Melvin L. Newman Wetlands Center in Clayton County, GA to hear a presentation on wetlands at the exhibit center. After the presentation, the wetlands center representatives will guide the participants on a walk through the wetlands trail. After visiting the wetlands center, participants will travel to the Clayton County Water Authority's constructed wetlands where a representative will give a presentation on the county's wastewater treatment and reclamation system. This portion of the field trip will require a 30-minute walk on relatively flat board trails. Casual clothes and walking shoes, sunscreen, and or umbrellas, depending on the weather, are recommended. This walk will be through a wet wooded area which can include insects, other animal life, as well as numerous plants including poison ivy. Precautions for those with allergies should be considered. For more information on the Melvin L. Newman Wetlands Center please visit http://www.ccwa1.com/facilities/wetlands.center.aspx. For more information on the Clayton County Water Authority Wastewater Treatment Plant please visit http://www.ccwa1.com/operations/water.reclamation.aspx. This field trip is limited to 30 participants. Participants will depart the hotel at 8:30 a.m. and return to the hotel by 1:00 p.m. |
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Cleanup of Industrial Facilities to Revitalize Urban Areas is Possible! A Field Trip to Two Different Redevelopment and Reuse Sites - Atlantic Station and the Former Ford Automobile Plant in Hapeville, Georgia
The Atlantic Station/Old Hapeville Ford Plant field trip will begin with a presentation at the hotel beginning at 8:30 a.m. After the presentation, participants will travel by bus to view the Atlantic Station site followes by a tour of the Former Ford Automobile Plant site. Please see below for additional information on both sites. 
From Denver to Dallas to downtown Los Angeles, multibillion-dollar large-scale mixed-used developments are taking shape. Atlantic Station in Midtown Atlanta is Exhibit A. Atlantic Station is not only extraordinarily large, but it is also being built on a formerly contaminated site that was home to a hundred-year-old steel mill, which ceased operation in 1998. Now, the location has become a city within a city on 138 acres with retail, residential, commercial and public space in Midtown Atlanta, the commercial district. The development seems to be exceeding the expectations of some people. The $2 billion investment will create a total of 13 million new square feet. Much of the commercial property within the District - where the second Class A office building is coming out of the ground - is built atop a parking structure that will eventually have 15,000 spaces. (The structure was part of the environmental remediation to cap the area where the steel mill operated and it is built on top of the contained area). The main problem with the site was that in addition to being associated in people's minds with a polluted steel mill, it was separated from downtown by two merging Interstate highways. When the steel mill was built, this was the outskirts of town. But the city grew up around it, creating an enticing redevelopment spot. It has now been connected to the rest of downtown by a highway overpass and pedestrian bridge. EPA certified the property as safe for construction on December 11, 2001, after years of environmental cleanup. It is said to be the nation's largest remediation of a Brownfield, defined by the EPA as contaminated property, usually where heavy industry once operated. It took another $250 million of infrastructure investment in roads, sewers and utility lines before construction of buildings could begin in 2002. Today, the site is almost complete. The second stop will be just south of Downtown Atlanta at the former Ford Automobile Plant site in Hapeville, Georgia. The site was the home of the Hapeville Ford Plant until its recent closure. Jacoby, the site developer will redevelop the 122-acre site adjacent to the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport into an "aerotropolis" -- an aviation-intensive business district that is expected to include office, retail, restaurant, hotel and airport parking. The vision is to reshape the Hapeville Ford Automobile Plant into a 6.5 million-square-foot mixed-use redevelopment with 1.6 million square feet of retail and 2.2 million square feet for a hotel and conference center. However, significant environmental issues have to be addressed first. The site began redevelopment in 2008. The contrast between the two sites should be interesting and enlightening. This field trip is limited to 45 participants. Participants will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a presentation at the hotel. After the presentation, participants will depart the hotel by bus at approximately 9:00 a.m. and return to the hotel by 1:00 p.m. |
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