Contaminated Site Clean-Up Information (CLU-IN): Internet Seminar Audio Archives: Recent Episodes
Contaminated Site Clean-Up Information (CLU-IN)
Since 1998, The Contaminated Site Clean-Up Information (CLU-IN) website has presented Internet Seminars covering a wide variety of technical topics related to hazardous waste characterization, monitoring, and remediation. For each seminar topic, we have selected the highest-quality offering for placement in our archives. Beginning in May 2005, we began offering these archives via podcast, and this feed contains all seminars archived in the last 6 months. For a complete list of seminars archived since 2000 and videos of selected seminars archived since 2012, please visit http://clu-in.org/live/archive/. Our Rehabilitation Act Notice for reasonable accommodation is available at http://clu-in.org/training/accommodation.cfm. CLU-IN was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) but is intended as a forum for all waste remediation stakeholders. For more information and to view upcoming live offerings, please visit http://clu-in.org/live/. For a complete list of RSS feeds available on CLU-IN, please visit http://clu-in.org/rss/about/.
The ITRC Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR-1) Training is intended for state regulators and stakeholders who may not be familiar with the opportunities and challenges associated with MAR. It provides a basic understanding of MAR concepts, along with case studies, that showcase examples of successful MAR applications. For those who are familiar with MAR, the training gives an overview of the components of the MAR process along with the important considerations associated with each component necessary for the design and implementation of a MAR project. It is important to understand that MAR is an area of active research and expanding practical applications, and that this management process is continuing to evolve with time.The combination of climate change and growing demand for fresh water has resulted in an increase in the vulnerability and scarcity of freshwater supplies around the world. The need for fresh water to grow crops and provide for the welfare of the general population, economic growth, and ecosystems is becoming more acute. In the past 50 years, the amount of water withdrawn for human use has tripled. MAR is becoming an increasingly important method for improving and supplementing subsurface freshwater storage and ecosystems with an additional benefit of reducing flood risk, managing stormwater, mitigating subsidence, and controlling saltwater intrusion. Training ObjectivesUnderstand MAR and its applications.Recognize MAR as a process rather than a single technology. Acknowledge that MAR can be widely applied.Understand MAR's role in the future for addressing water supply resilience and climate impacts.Training GoalsProvide a model of the MAR process illustrating the primary components and their interaction.Provide an overview of the applications of MAR and the role in addressing climate change impacts through sustainability and resilience in water resources management.Provide information on each component of MAR and the critical considerations for each component in the design of a MAR project.Reference case studies illustrating the various applications of MAR.After the MAR Training, the audience will have the tools necessary to understand MAR and how it can be used as a water resource management tool that encompasses a wide variety of water sources, recharge methods, and storage management practices. The audience will develop an understanding of MAR and its importance in achieving sustainability, resilience, and the far-reaching benefits of MAR related to water supply and quality, mitigation of saltwater intrusion, flood control, and ecological habitats. This training will provide information about the components of a MAR project to help regulators, practitioners, and stakeholders in the development and review of a MAR project.Recommended Reading: Participants are strongly encouraged to review the ITRC Managed Aquifer Recharge document prior to participating in the training class. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/MAR_053024/
This training class builds on the earlier information for fate and transport and site characterization presented in the PFAS 101 CLU-IN training. It provides more in-depth information for fate and transport, site characterization, source identification and some introductory information on environmental forensics. These topics will be presented along with options and a framework for data visualization. This training will focus largely on PFAS fate and transport in groundwater. The goal is to provide detailed information about the inputs practitioners can use to develop a robust conceptual site model to help understand fate and transport at PFAS sites, and how to gather evidence of multiple sources. Resources and further details for the topics included in this training are in the ITRC Guidance Document (PFAS-1) in Sections 2.6, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11 and 15 along with referenced tables.Learning Objectives:Understand fate and transport processes that are unique to PFAS due to their physical and chemical properties.How to characterize sites with these processes and properties in mind.Describe options for and advantages of various data visualization techniques.Introduce basic forensic techniques for source evaluation. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/PFAS-BTB-FT_052324/
To help meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund program's mandate to protect human health and the environment from current and potential threats posed by uncontrolled hazardous substance (both radiological and non-radiological), pollutant, or contaminant releases, the Superfund program has developed a human health evaluation process as part of its remedial response program. The process of gathering and assessing human health risk information is adapted from well-established chemical risk assessment principles and procedures. Within the Superfund remediation framework, radioactive contamination is dealt with in a consistent manner as with chemical contamination, except to account for the technical differences between radionuclides and chemicals. This consistency is important since at every radioactively contaminated site being addressed under Superfund's primary program for long-term cleanup, the National Priorities List (NPL), chemical contamination is also present. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/remedial-radrisk_052224/
In 2023, the ITRC Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC) Framework was published to help environmental regulatory agencies and other stakeholders identify, evaluate, and manage CEC's while acknowledging uncertainties in their environmental fate and transport, receptor exposure, and/or toxicity. Such an approach can be conducive to improved allocation of regulatory response resources and provide a foundation for communicating potential risk to stakeholders. The ITRC framework is comprised of a white paper and four associated fact sheets. In the white paper, CEC are defined as: "substances and microorganisms including physical, chemical, biological, or radiological materials known or anticipated in the environment, that may pose newly identified risks to human health or the environment." The framework is meant to help environmental regulatory agencies and other stakeholders by providing examples of CEC monitoring programs and guiding the user through the process of identifying CEC key characteristics, how to communicate real and perceived risk from CEC to the public, and how laboratory analytical methods can be used in the identification process.The ITRC CEC training presents this entirely new framework for identification, prioritization, and communication of CEC. This course includes the following topics:An overview of the framework, how and why it was developed, the factors that influence the creation of CEC management units at the state level, and a listing of existing CEC monitoring programs.A discussion of key variables that may be used as criteria to identify and prioritize CEC for response actions. This portion of the course includes a case study that illustrates how the identification and prioritization process works with an "unknown" chemical CEC.Practices and methods for stakeholder messaging and how to share incomplete information on CEC that could impact human health and the environment. This portion of the short course builds upon the ITRC Risk Communication Toolkit by providing additional detail addresses communications plans, message maps, and audience identification.A paradigm for how laboratory methods can be used to identify CEC ranging from: "Is compound X in the sample and at what concentration?" (i.e., known knowns) to"Which compounds from the list are in this sample?" (i.e., known unknowns) to"What is in the sample?" (i.e., unknown unknowns). CEC are typically compounds or substances whose occurrence or effect is unknown but may or may not be understood through similar compounds or substances. This module includes a discussion of the use of targeted and untargeted analysis to identify a CEC.Participants will learn the elements of the CEC framework and gain an understanding of the framework application from case studies. Participants are encouraged to review the ITRC CEC Framework prior to the class. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/CEC_052124/
In 2020, ITRC recognized that In situ remediation technologies using amendment injections have advanced to mainstream acceptance and offer a competitive advantage over many forms of ex situ treatment of soil and groundwater. Developing a detailed site-specific strategy is absolutely critical to the success of such in situ remedies. These strategies include conducting a thorough site characterization that will allow development of a detailed Conceptual Site Model (CSM) to guide critical analysis of subsurface features and improving remediation effectiveness. In the interest of developing expedited solutions, many past in situ remediation projects have been executed based on an incomplete understanding of the hydrogeology, geology, and contaminant distribution and mass. Some of these sites have undergone multiple rounds of in situ injections but have not advanced to closure. Better strategies and minimum design standards are required to decrease uncertainty and improve remedy effectiveness. In an effort to overcome these challenges and improve the effectiveness of in situ remediation using injected amendments, ITRC developed the guidance: Optimizing Injection Strategies and In Situ Remediation Performance (OIS-ISRP-1). The guidance and this associated training course identify challenges that may impede or limit remedy effectiveness and discuss the potential optimization strategies, and specific actions that can be pursued, to improve the performance of in situ remediation by:Refining and evaluating remedial design site characterization data;Selecting the correct amendment;Choosing delivery methods for site-specific conditions;Creating design specifications;Conducting performance evaluations, andOptimizing underperforming in situ remedies.The target audience for this guidance and training course is: environmental consultants, responsible parties, federal and state regulators, as well as community and tribal stakeholders. This training will support users in efficiently and confidently applying the guidance at their remediation sites. An optimization case study is shared to illustrate the use of the associated guidance document. Prior to attending the training class, participants are encouraged to view the associated ITRC guidance, Optimizing Injection Strategies and In Situ Remediation Performance (OIS-ISRP-1) as well as to be familiar with the characterization process described in Integrated DNAPL Site Strategy (ITRC 2011c). To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/OIS-ISRP_051624/
Determining ARARs at Federal Facility Sites is a two-hour webinar course that will highlight how to determine Applicable or Relevant and Appropriate Requirements (ARARs) in decision-documents based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidance, identify commonly used ARARs, and when to involve partners. By taking this course, participants will achieve the following objectives:Understand the general procedures for ARAR identification, analysis, and documentation;Learn about ARARs under Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Section 121(d) and associated EPA guidance;Identify the three types of ARARs and how they are determined; and,Explore CERCLA ARAR waiver criteria and the six waivers identified under CERCLA 121(d).The instructional methodology for this course includes lecture and quizzes. The target audience for this course is federal, state, and tribal representatives who work on Federal Facility cleanups. Ideally, students should have a basic understanding of ARARs and the CERCLA process. This course is part of the Federal Facilities Academy training program. Please consider registering for other Federal Facility Academy courses and obtain a certificate upon completion of the entire Federal Facility Academy series (12 courses total). To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/FFAcademy11_051424/
This training class builds on the earlier information for introductory PFAS topics presented in the PFAS 101 CLU-IN training. The ITRC PFAS Beyond the Basics class provides more information related to potential sources of PFAS in biosolids, implications of PFAS associated with land-applied biosolids, vadose zone fate and transport processes that likely govern biosolids releases, treatment/disposal options for PFAS-impacted biosolids, and regulatory considerations.Resources and further details for the topics included in this training are in the published PFAS-1 guidance document in Sections 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12, and 17.3, and the Regulatory Programs Table.Learning Objectives:Biosolids and PFAS Fate and Transport in the Vadose ZoneSource Zone CharacteristicsVadose Zone Controls on MobilityField Scale Fate, Transport and UptakeCharacterization and TreatmentAdditional Biosolids Considerations and Summary To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/PFAS-BTB-Biosolids_050924/
The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) is sponsoring a Progress in Research webinar series, hosted by CLU-IN, to showcase federally funded researchers developing curricula and educational programs focused on emergent technologies in the sphere of occupational health and safety. The three-part series will highlight researchers' projects, accomplishments, and demonstrate research products — included in this group of researchers are SRP's seven R25 grant recipients as well as participation from the NIEHS Worker Training Program (WTP) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH).To learn about and register for the other sessions in this webinar series, please see the SRP website.University of Minnesota | The Interdisciplinary Training, Education and Research Activities for Assessing and Controlling Contaminants from Emerging Technologies (InTERACCT) Program:Rachael Jones, Ph.D., will describe the aims and progress made by the Interdisciplinary Training, education and Research Activities for Assessing and Controlling Contaminants from Emerging Technologies (InTERACCT) Program. The InTERACCT program is focused on developing course content for graduate students and continuing education in industrial hygiene through online asynchronous course modules that will be utilized in academic programs and in continuing education. In addition, the project offers several graduate research experiences, including a week-long summer intensive program for undergraduate STEM majors.Johns Hopkins University | Program on Occupational Health and Safety Education on Emerging Technologies - Mid Atlantic Partnership (POccET MAP):Gurumurthy Ramachandran, Ph.D., will present on the Program on Occupational health and safety education on Emerging Technologies — Mid Atlantic Partnership (POccETMAP) — a collaboration across Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland, George Mason University, and Old Dominion University to develop and widely distribute a web-based curriculum to prepare students in industrial hygiene, STEM disciplines, and occupational health and safety professionals with the skills necessary to address health and safety issues that arise in emerging technology areas. Other aims that Dr. Ramachandran will cover include creating lab and field-based experiences for graduate students, and the development of a Masters in Sustainability and Product Stewardship.University of Michigan | Michigan-Ohio Occupational Research Education (MOORE) Program:Representing the Michigan-Ohio Occupational Research Education (MOORE) Program are Stuart Batterman, Ph.D., and Kermit Davis, Ph.D., to discuss the overarching goal of leveraging activities at the University of Michigan, University of Cincinnati, and Michigan State University to develop and deliver training and research experiences for graduate students and professionals to advance skills in the field of occupational health and safety. They will expand on their efforts to examine advanced exposure assessment approaches applied to aerosols, indoor air quality and ventilation, and ergonomics, particularly in health care settings, including care in residential settings often performed by low wage and disadvantaged populations. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/SRPPIR24_050324/
In 2023, ITRC published the Sediment Cap Chemical Isolation Guidance to supplement the 2014 Contaminated Sediments Remediation Guidance with the goal of improving consistency in sediment cap performance outcomes. Sediment capping is a commonly selected remediation approach and numerous designs have been completed. Previous cap designs have been evaluated in multiple ways, and these varying approaches have led to some differences in selection of chemical design criteria, construction tolerance specifications, and monitoring/maintenance objectives for sites with similar characteristics and contaminants, leading to different expectations for long-term performance and reliability.The ITRC Sediment Cap Chemical Isolation Guidance provides a framework for the design, construction, and long-term monitoring of the chemical isolation function of sediment caps. The framework consists of an iterative design process informed by site-specific data that balances achievement of chemical design criteria, physical design constraints, constructability and permitting requirements. In addition, the guidance summarizes key construction considerations and presents a recommended approach for monitoring and evaluating long-term chemical isolation performance. The recommended framework presented in the Sediment Cap Chemical Isolation Guidance is illustrated below.The Sediment Cap Chemical Isolation Training will cover several key elements of the recommended framework, including:A capping overview that summarizes objectives of capping, role of the chemical isolation layer, and generic cap types and compositions.A discussion of performance objectives and design concepts that includes the selection of chemical isolation performance targets criteria and development of design criteria while considering the site setting and conceptual site model elements.An overview of chemical isolation layer modeling tools and discussion of their applicability to support chemical isolation design, important model input parameters, and the impact of uncertainty and sensitivity of modeling results.A summary of chemical isolation construction considerations, including an overview of available construction methods and tolerances and quality assurance and quality control measures.A discussion of cap performance monitoring and maintenance objectives and approaches that include developing monitoring objectives to assess chemical isolation performance and methods for guiding long-term maintenance decisions.We encourage participants to review the ITRC Sediment Cap Chemical Isolation Guidance (SD-1) before and after the training to become familiar with the topics and recommendations discussed during the training. This training is intended for all environmental professionals working in the field of sediment capping projects, including regulators and other government agency staff, consultants, project stakeholders, and industry. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/sd-1_043024/
The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) is sponsoring a Progress in Research webinar series, hosted by CLU-IN, to showcase federally funded researchers developing curricula and educational programs focused on emergent technologies in the sphere of occupational health and safety. The three-part series will highlight researchers' projects, accomplishments, and demonstrate research products — included in this group of researchers are SRP's seven R25 grant recipients as well as participation from the NIEHS Worker Training Program (WTP) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH).To learn about and register for the other sessions in this webinar series, please see the SRP website.City University of New York (CUNY) | New York Training Center for Emerging Technologies in Industrial Hygiene:Brian Pavilonis, Ph.D., and Homero Harari, Sc.D., will plan to discuss the work their grant has facilitated in support of training and research opportunities for industrial hygiene students in New York City. They will also showcase a sensor technology employed in nail salons to monitor indoor hazardous airborne contaminants and the risks posed to nail technicians.University of California, Los Angeles | Occupational and Environmental Exposures and Work Practices for Nanomaterials and Electronic Products:Candace Tsai, Ph.D., will discuss how her grant provides professional training through academic curricula, research experiences, and continuing education courses in industrial hygiene and environmental health sciences to graduate students and industrial hygienists in the Southern California region. This presentation will also include several research results accomplished by graduate student trainees in the topics of electronic waste recycling and assessment, 3D printing evaluation, virtual reality applications to firefighters' workplace and potential biological effects associated with green solvent use as emerging alternatives. Additionally, current progress of UCLA's training program and emerging technology course will be summarized.Purdue University | Distance Education and Training on Emerging Contaminants and Technologies (DETECT):Ellen Wells, Ph.D., will introduce and provide the current status of her NIH R25 Distance Education and Training on Emerging Contaminants and Technologies (DETECT) project, which is a collaboration between faculty at Purdue University, the University of Toledo, and the University of South Florida. Goals of the project are to provide educational resources in the areas of Emerging Contaminants, Emerging Technologies, and Safety Management Systems.NIEHS Superfund Research Program:Michelle Heacock, Ph.D., and Danielle Carlin, Ph.D., of the NIEHS Superfund Research Program, will provide an overview of the Occupational Health and Safety Training Education Programs on Emerging Technologies (R25) program. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/SRPPIR23_042624/
The ITRC Environmental Data Management Best Practices Team (EDMBP Team) prepared a series of guidance documents and case studies on best practices for all phases of EDM to address the need for guidance on managing large stores of environmental data. Environmental data management (EDM) is a broad field that encompasses all aspects of environmental research and regulation, from habitat studies and wildlife management plans to health advisories and remediation of hazardous waste sites.The EDMBP Team developed three Roundtable training sessions to support the Guidance Document and case studies. You are welcome to register for any of the three, but they do not build upon each other.Data Management: Real Life Application of Data Management Planning and Field Data Collection Best PracticesData Exchange: Best Practices for Exchanging Environmental DataData Quality: Best Practices for Achieving and Maintaining Quality within Environmental Data ManagementNow more than ever, there is a need to store, manage and interpret environmental data for effective decision making. Advances in technology have led to an expectation for near immediate results. Stakeholders want answers now to the pressing questions that well-managed data can help answer. The demand to be better, faster, and smarter will only continue to increase as expectations grow. However, many organizations find themselves struggling so much with basic data infrastructure that they have difficulty meeting basic reporting requirements. Even more concerning is how unprepared regulatory agencies can be when called upon to deal with data-intensive environmental incidents. Given all this, the importance of enacting best practices for environmental data management cannot be overstated.In this training, trainers will discuss concepts from the ITRC Environmental Data Management Best Practices documents focused on data management planning and field data collection. This discussion is intended for people of all skill or experience levels within the environmental industry or regulatory community. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/EDM-1_042524/
This training class builds on the earlier information for introductory PFAS topics presented in the PFAS 101 CLU-IN training. It provides more in-depth information for human health effects, ecological toxicity and ecological risk assessment, PFAS regulations, and AFFF alternatives and replacement. Resources and further details for the topics included in this training are in the published PFAS-1 guidance document in Sections 7, 8 and 17.2 along with referenced tables.Learning Objectives: Discuss new information on the health effects of categories of PFAS not previously addressed. We'll also talk about the recent use of data from epidemiology studies to develop toxicity factors and guidelines; describe how the U.S. EPA has recently used a mixtures approach to derive a proposed MCL for 4 PFAS. We'll discuss why certain agencies are regulating PFAS as a class, and give examples, and will also give brief updates on our understanding of the adverse effects of PFAS after inhalation or dermal exposure.Discuss PFAS exposure pathways relevant to ecological receptors; general toxicological information available for invertebrates, vertebrates, and plants; the data gaps and uncertainties associated with ecotoxicological studies; and current approaches in ecological risk assessment of PFAS.Discuss development and findings of some of the External Data Tables including the Water and Soil Values Table, the Air Criteria Table, and the Regulatory Programs Summary Table. Discuss the current status of some of the Federal Regulations including drinking water regulations and how this may impact some states. Discuss the current status of AFFF alternatives and replacement. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/PFAS-BTB-HH_042324/
This ITRC training course will build upon PFAS sampling and analysis information presented in the PFAS 101 CLU-IN training. The ITRC PFAS Beyond the Basics class provides in-depth information on preparing for and implementing sampling events. Some detailed information and case studies are presented for sampling surface water and PFAS-containing foam that can form and aggregate at the surface water-air interface. The training includes information about PFAS analysis and discusses alternative qualitative analytical techniques. The occurrence of PFAS in air information from the literature for outdoor air, indoor air, settled dust and precipitation is discussed.Resources and further details for the topics included in this training are in the ITRC Guidance Document (PFAS-1) in Sections 6, 11, 15, 16 and 17.1 along with referenced tables.Learning Objectives:Key elements that make sampling for PFAS different from other sampling events.Best practices for preparing and conducting a PFAS sampling event.Matrix-specific PFAS sampling guidance.Surface water/foam sampling challenges and case study.Options for compound-specific PFAS analysis and key differences of available methods.Understanding PFAS analytical challenges (suspended solids, branched/linear isomers, bile salt interference).Qualitative analytical techniques and when they can be useful.Occurrence of PFAS in air. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/PFAS-BTB-1_041824/
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund program has developed regulations and guidance for remediating radioactively contaminated CERCLA sites. The focus of this presentation is an overview of EPA's recommended guidance documents on ARARs and risk assessment, models for conducting risk and dose assessments, and community involvement tools for engaging in meaningful involvement with the public that are intended to be used during the process to determine cleanup levels for radioactively contaminated Superfund sites. The presentation is intended to help the audience obtain knowledge of EPA's recommended guidance to facilitate cleanups that are consistent with how chemical contaminants are addressed, except where technical differences posed by radiation are addressed. The guidance and tools that are discussed in the presentation are freely available on the internet. This webinar provides an updated version of Module 3 that was presented in the ITRC webinar "Radiation Site Cleanup: CERCLA Requirements and Guidance" on June 5, 2007. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/remedial-radscleanup_041724/
The ITRC Environmental Data Management Best Practices Team (EDMBP Team) prepared a series of guidance documents and case studies on best practices for all phases of EDM to address the need for guidance on managing large stores of environmental data. Environmental data management (EDM) is a broad field that encompasses all aspects of environmental research and regulation, from habitat studies and wildlife management plans to health advisories and remediation of hazardous waste sites.The EDMBP Team developed three Roundtable training sessions to support the Guidance Document and case studies. You are welcome to register for any of the three, but they do not build upon each other.Data Management: Real Life Application of Data Management Planning and Field Data Collection Best PracticesData Exchange: Best Practices for Exchanging Environmental DataData Quality: Best Practices for Achieving and Maintaining Quality within Environmental Data ManagementWhat good are data if you can't access it? At its root, data exchange is about making data accessible. It is the process of sharing data between systems. When it's done best, it is efficient, repeatable, and maintains the integrity of the data. At its worst, data are omitted, are mismatched, or there is no documentation on its origin. We think of data exchange in terms of incoming data and outgoing data. With incoming data, best practices span from inventorying sources to loading the data into a system. With outgoing data, best practices focus on documentation and automating exports into known schemas. During this Roundtable training, we will tackle some of the challenging issues in data exchange. If you're new to data exchange, it may open your eyes. If you've been exchanging data for years, we hope to provide some new tricks or considerations for you. Some of the topics we'll cover include:What's the best way to handle using several analytical laboratories, each with a different electronic data deliverable (EDD)? When systems use different valid values and schema, how can you design an efficient, repeatable exchange? How do we know that the costly effort to extract, transform, and load the data from old PDFs into our system will provide value? If someone asks for "all the data" but doesn't have a plan for import to an existing system, how do you provide it in an understandable way in a raw format?We want to answer your questions too. Are you wondering about how to handle analytes duplicated with multiple analytical methods? Or when you should automate or when to manually exchange? No question is too minor. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/EDM-2_041624/
Military Munitions Policy Webinar is a two-hour webinar course that provides an overview of the Department of Defense (DoD) Military Munitions Response Program (MMRP), munitions policies, and how the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) is applied to munitions sites. By taking this course, participants will achieve the following objectives:Learn about DoD MMRP;Understand the CERCLA process as applied to a munitions site;Understand munitions policies; and,Explore EPA Munitions Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).The instructional methodology for this course includes lecture, case studies, and quizzes. The target audience for this course are federal, state, and tribal representatives who work on Federal Facility cleanups. Ideally, students should have a basic understanding of munitions and the CERCLA process. This course is part of the Federal Facilities Academy training program. Please consider registering for other Federal Facility Academy courses and obtain a certificate upon completion of the entire Federal Facility Academy series (12 courses total). To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/FFAcademy3_041524/
The Technical Review Workgroup (TRW) Bioavailability Committee recently published the "Guidance for Sample Collection for In Vitro Bioaccessibility Assay for Arsenic and Lead in Soil and Applications of Relative Bioavailability Data in Human Health Risk Assessment." This is an update to the 2015 Guidance for Sample Collection for In Vitro Bioaccessibility Assay for Lead (Pb) in Soil. The update is intended to help EPA risk assessors, remedial project managers, and on-scene coordinators develop and use bioavailability data at their sites. It incorporates sample planning and data analysis recommendations from EPA's Guidance on Systematic Planning Using the Data Quality Objectives Process that are pertinent to sampling for In Vitro Bioaccessibility (IVBA) and Relative Bioavailability (RBA). It also clarifies the application of IVBA and RBA data to human health risk assessment, the development of risk-based goals at CERCLA remedial and removal sites and includes arsenic (As) which was recently added to the In Vitro Bioaccessibility Assay.The TRW has developed a series of trainings based on the updated guidance. This session will focus on a discussion of soil sample collection and processing best practices and methods to directly measure relative bioavailability (RBA) or estimate RBA by measuring in vitro bioaccessibility via EPA Method 1340 at soil arsenic and lead contaminated sites. This training will target a general audience of regional staff working in risk assessment, remediation, emergency response, technical support, and quality assurance. The training will be an approximately one hour long and will include time for general discussion. Members of the Bioavailability Committee and a Regional representative will be present to answer questions in real time. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/IVBA-4_040124/
ITRC's Vapor Intrusion Mitigation training is a series of eight (8) modules, presented over two sessions. The Vapor Intrusion Mitigation training series provides an overview of vapor intrusion mitigation and presenting information from the ITRC fact sheets, technology information sheets, and checklists (VIM-1, 2021):Session 1:Introduction & Overview of Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Training TeamConceptual Site Models for Vapor Intrusion MitigationPublic Outreach During Vapor Intrusion MitigationRapid Response & Ventilation for Vapor Intrusion MitigationRemediation & Institutional ControlsSession 2:Active Mitigation ApproachesPassive Mitigation ApproachesSystem Verification, OM&M, and Exit StrategiesWhen certain contaminants or hazardous substances are released into the soil or groundwater, they may volatilize into soil gas. Vapor intrusion (VI) occurs when these vapors migrate up into overlying buildings and contaminate indoor air. ITRC has previously released guidance documents focused on VI, including the "Vapor Intrusion Pathway: A Practical Guidance" (VI-1, 2007) and "Petroleum Vapor Intrusion: Fundamentals of Screening, Investigation, and Management" (PVI, 2014). However, ITRC has received multiple requests for additional details and training on mitigation strategies for addressing this exposure pathway. The ITRC Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Team (VIMT) created ten fact sheets, 16 technology information sheets, and 4 checklists with the goal of assisting regulators during review of vapor intrusion mitigation systems, and helping contractors understand the essential elements of planning, design, implementation, and operation, maintenance and monitoring (OM&M) of mitigation systems. After the Vapor Intrusion Mitigation series, you should understand:How to locate and utilize the VIM-1 fact sheets, technology information sheets, and checklistsThe importance of a VI mitigation conceptual site modelHow public outreach for VI mitigation differs from other environmental mattersWhen to implement rapid response for vapor intrusion and applicable methodologies The differences between remediation, mitigation, and institutional controlsAvailable technologies for active and passive mitigation, and design considerations for various approachesHow/when/why different mitigation technologies are appropriateHow to verify mitigation system success, address underperformance, and develop a plan for discontinuing a mitigation systemWe encourage you to use the ITRC Vapor Intrusion Mitigation work products (VIM-1) and these training modules to learn about vapor intrusion mitigation and how you can apply these best practices to improve decision-making at your sites. For regulators and other government agency staff, this understanding of vapor intrusion mitigation can be incorporated into your own programs. While the training makes every effort to keep the information accessible to a wide audience, it is assumed that the participants will have some basic technical understanding of chemistry, environmental sciences, and risk assessment. As with other emerging contaminants, our understanding of vapor intrusion mitigation continues to advance. This training provides the participants with information on areas where the science is evolving and where uncertainty persists. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/VIM-1_032824/
Community Involvement at Federal Facilities is a two-hour webinar course that focuses on community involvement requirements, resources, and techniques available for Federal Facilities being cleaned up at National Priorities List (NPL) sites under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). By taking the course, participants will achieve the following objectives:Learn about community involvement requirements under CERCLA;Understand the roles of the lead federal agency and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in public involvement at Federal Facilities;Discover resources and tools available for community involvement activities;Explore community involvement techniques and approaches that can be used at Superfund sites; and,Identify community involvement opportunities throughout the Superfund process at Federal Facilities.The instructional methodology for this course includes lecture, case studies, and group discussions. The target audience for this course is federal, state, and tribal representatives who work on Federal Facility cleanups. Ideally, students should have a basic understanding of the CERCLA process. This course is part of the Federal Facilities Academy training program. Please consider registering for other Federal Facility Academy courses and obtain a certificate upon completion of the entire Federal Facility Academy series (12 courses total). To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/FFAcademy8_032124/
The ITRC Environmental Data Management Best Practices Team (EDMBP Team) prepared a series of guidance documents and case studies on best practices for all phases of EDM to address the need for guidance on managing large stores of environmental data. Environmental data management (EDM) is a broad field that encompasses all aspects of environmental research and regulation, from habitat studies and wildlife management plans to health advisories and remediation of hazardous waste sites.The EDMBP Team developed three Roundtable training sessions to support the Guidance Document and case studies. You are welcome to register for any of the three, but they do not build upon each other.Data Management: Real Life Application of Data Management Planning and Field Data Collection Best PracticesData Exchange: Best Practices for Exchanging Environmental DataData Quality: Best Practices for Achieving and Maintaining Quality within Environmental Data ManagementNobody wants to make the wrong decision, especially when it comes to the health of individuals and the planet we all inhabit. In order to make sound environmental decisions, you need confidence in the data being used to make those decisions. Collecting usable data is everyone's goal. Good planning, setting clear data quality objectives, and having procedures for measuring and documenting if those quality objectives were met, are the basic components in any data quality program. This Roundtable training is meant to lead project managers, data collectors, data managers, and data reviewers in a discussion about various aspects of environmental data quality. Are you struggling with determining the quality of your data sets and understanding if they should be used to make decisions? Do you have a hard time advocating for budget related to data quality tasks or determining how much review is necessary? Our collection of panelists will touch on these topics and more, as well as answer attendee questions related to environmental data quality. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/EDM-3_031924/
The Technical Review Workgroup (TRW) Bioavailability Committee recently published the "Guidance for Sample Collection for In Vitro Bioaccessibility Assay for Arsenic and Lead in Soil and Applications of Relative Bioavailability Data in Human Health Risk Assessment." This is an update to the 2015 Guidance for Sample Collection for In Vitro Bioaccessibility Assay for Lead (Pb) in Soil. The update is intended to help EPA risk assessors, remedial project managers, and on-scene coordinators develop and use bioavailability data at their sites. It incorporates sample planning and data analysis recommendations from EPA's Guidance on Systematic Planning Using the Data Quality Objectives Process that are pertinent to sampling for In Vitro Bioaccessibility (IVBA) and Relative Bioavailability (RBA). It also clarifies the application of IVBA and RBA data to human health risk assessment, the development of risk-based goals at CERCLA remedial and removal sites and includes arsenic (As) which was recently added to the In Vitro Bioaccessibility Assay.The TRW has developed a series of trainings based on the updated guidance. This session will focus on a discussion of soil sample planning and data evaluation to assess confidence in site assessment and remediation decisions at soil arsenic & lead contaminated sites. EPAs new bioavailability sampling guidance tool will also be presented. This training will target a general audience of regional staff working in risk assessment, remediation, emergency response, technical support, and quality assurance. The training will be an approximately one and half hours long and will include time for general discussion. Members of the Bioavailability Committee and a Regional representative will be present to answer questions in real time. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/IVBA-3_031824/
ITRC's Vapor Intrusion Mitigation training is a series of eight (8) modules, presented over two sessions. The Vapor Intrusion Mitigation training series provides an overview of vapor intrusion mitigation and presenting information from the ITRC fact sheets, technology information sheets, and checklists (VIM-1, 2021):Session 1:Introduction & Overview of Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Training TeamConceptual Site Models for Vapor Intrusion MitigationPublic Outreach During Vapor Intrusion MitigationRapid Response & Ventilation for Vapor Intrusion MitigationRemediation & Institutional ControlsSession 2:Active Mitigation ApproachesPassive Mitigation ApproachesSystem Verification, OM&M, and Exit StrategiesWhen certain contaminants or hazardous substances are released into the soil or groundwater, they may volatilize into soil gas. Vapor intrusion (VI) occurs when these vapors migrate up into overlying buildings and contaminate indoor air. ITRC has previously released guidance documents focused on VI, including the "Vapor Intrusion Pathway: A Practical Guidance" (VI-1, 2007) and "Petroleum Vapor Intrusion: Fundamentals of Screening, Investigation, and Management" (PVI, 2014). However, ITRC has received multiple requests for additional details and training on mitigation strategies for addressing this exposure pathway. The ITRC Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Team (VIMT) created ten fact sheets, 16 technology information sheets, and 4 checklists with the goal of assisting regulators during review of vapor intrusion mitigation systems, and helping contractors understand the essential elements of planning, design, implementation, and operation, maintenance and monitoring (OM&M) of mitigation systems. After the Vapor Intrusion Mitigation series, you should understand:How to locate and utilize the VIM-1 fact sheets, technology information sheets, and checklistsThe importance of a VI mitigation conceptual site modelHow public outreach for VI mitigation differs from other environmental mattersWhen to implement rapid response for vapor intrusion and applicable methodologies The differences between remediation, mitigation, and institutional controlsAvailable technologies for active and passive mitigation, and design considerations for various approachesHow/when/why different mitigation technologies are appropriateHow to verify mitigation system success, address underperformance, and develop a plan for discontinuing a mitigation systemWe encourage you to use the ITRC Vapor Intrusion Mitigation work products (VIM-1) and these training modules to learn about vapor intrusion mitigation and how you can apply these best practices to improve decision-making at your sites. For regulators and other government agency staff, this understanding of vapor intrusion mitigation can be incorporated into your own programs. While the training makes every effort to keep the information accessible to a wide audience, it is assumed that the participants will have some basic technical understanding of chemistry, environmental sciences, and risk assessment. As with other emerging contaminants, our understanding of vapor intrusion mitigation continues to advance. This training provides the participants with information on areas where the science is evolving and where uncertainty persists. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/VIM-1_031424/
The Technical Review Workgroup (TRW) Bioavailability Committee recently published the "Guidance for Sample Collection for In Vitro Bioaccessibility Assay for Arsenic and Lead in Soil and Applications of Relative Bioavailability Data in Human Health Risk Assessment." This is an update to the 2015 Guidance for Sample Collection for In Vitro Bioaccessibility Assay for Lead (Pb) in Soil. The update is intended to help EPA risk assessors, remedial project managers, and on-scene coordinators develop and use bioavailability data at their sites. It incorporates sample planning and data analysis recommendations from EPA's Guidance on Systematic Planning Using the Data Quality Objectives Process that are pertinent to sampling for In Vitro Bioaccessibility (IVBA) and Relative Bioavailability (RBA). It also clarifies the application of IVBA and RBA data to human health risk assessment, the development of risk-based goals at CERCLA remedial and removal sites and includes arsenic (As) which was recently added to the In Vitro Bioaccessibility Assay.The TRW has developed a series of trainings based on the updated guidance. This session will focus on a discussion of systemic planning, data quality objectives and approaches to apply relative bioavailability data to adjust risk based action levels or exposure point concentrations at soil arsenic and lead contaminated sites. This training will target a general audience of regional staff working in risk assessment, remediation, emergency response, technical support, and quality assurance. The training will be an approximately one hour long and will include time for general discussion. Members of the Bioavailability Committee and a Regional representative will be present to answer questions in real time. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/IVBA-2_030124/
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large and complex class of anthropogenic compounds whose prevalence in the environment are an emerging, worldwide priority in environmental and human health. The ITRC PFAS Team, formed in 2017, has prepared readily accessible materials to present PFAS information to stakeholders, regulators, and policy makers. The PFAS team represents a diverse cross-section of expertise and experience working on PFAS.This training will include emerging science on PFAS, including topics such as Properties of PFAS, Fate and Transport, Sampling and Analysis, and Treatment Technologies. The technical presentations will be focused on those who are relatively new to PFAS. The training will last approximately 90 minutes and include time for questions. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/PFAS-Introductory_022924/
This webinar will include live deliveries of two presentations from the recent FRTR Fall meeting, with updated information:"Best Practices for PFAS Sampling and Evaluation""Clean Water Act Methods: Overview of EPA's CWA PFAS Method Activities".The science and technology of site characterization for per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has advanced in the five years since FRTR last addressed the topic in 2018. Federal agency budgets for PFAS remediation have grown substantially during this time. As a result, site characterization efforts such as Remedial Investigations, as well as early response actions, are underway at many Federal facilities. Funding for field-scale projects to further advance PFAS characterization technology and methodologies also has increased substantially.This webinar will allow PFAS member agencies to share results of recent and on-going PFAS projects that are improving our understanding of PFAS characterization technologies. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/FRTRFall23-BP-CWA_022824/
In response to one of the biggest emerging environmental concerns, ITRC formed the Microplastics Team in 2021 to develop the Microplastics Guidance Document. Plastics have become pervasive in modern life and are now used in a wide range of commercial and industrial applications. Microplastics may result from the degradation and fragmentation of larger plastics, or they may be intentionally produced for specific applications and products. Regardless of their origin, microplastics are now ubiquitous in our environment. Because of their small size and pervasiveness in the environment, microplastics, along with any other contaminants which are adhered to the microplastics, may be inadvertently consumed by humans and other organisms.The online ITRC Guidance Document (available in February 2023) is geared toward an audience with reasonable level of scientific understanding, but not microplastic-specific knowledge. The guidance provides a user with information on microplastics and the state of the applied science without having to go to the scientific literature.The target audience for the guidance and this training course includes state regulators and environmental consultants, as well as community and tribal stakeholders. The guidance and this associated training course uses a conceptual site model to navigate microplastics in the environment and explore the following general areas:An introduction to microplastics, their sources, and worldwide distributionThe pathways through which microplastics can enter and travel in the environment and their distribution in various media (water, soil, sediment, air, and biota) A current look at the most common techniques and best practices for sampling and analyzing microplasticsPotential human health and ecological risks associated with microplastics in the environmentAn overview of existing regulations related to microplastics and macroplastics at the state, federal, and international levelsExamples of prevention and mitigation strategies and best management practices to reduce microplastics from entering the environment and the emerging technologies to abate, treat, and remediate microplastics once they exist in the environment Identification of data gaps and the need for further researchSeveral case studies illustrating a range of current microplastics-related topicsPrior to attending the training class, participants are encouraged to view the associated ITRC Microplastics Guidance document. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/Microplastics_022724/
This webinar will provide an overview of the environmental considerations in redeveloping Brownfield sites for housing, explore the role public-private-partnerships can play in facilitating housing and Brownfield development, and review some of the major funding resources available to support the development of workforce and affordable housing. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/BFHousingDev_022624/
Why do some states have more of their solar generation on contaminated sites, while other states are at much lower levels? This webinar will explain one of the biggest factors -- the successes of state renewable programs specifically designed for prioritizing landfills, mine sites, and other potentially contaminated lands.States such as New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Illinois have large-scale programs in place that are leading to the successful development of many megawatts of new renewable projects on RE-Powering sites per year. The state programs include financial incentives, procurement preferences, streamlined permitting, liability relief, and hands-on project development assistance designed and implemented by states over a decade or more.Drawing on its national best practice research and profiles of more than five dozen programs across more than a dozen states, EPA's RE-Powering America's Land Initiative is hosting the webinar to help you learn about common types of successful state programs, their impacts, and implementation tips. This topic is timely because many states, as well as local communities, are considering how to expand contaminated site reuse as part of their greenhouse gas reduction plans and how to preserve agricultural lands and other greenfield sites. To share on-the-ground knowledge, a panel of renewable developers focused on contaminated sites will describe how they have participated in state programs and how those programs have reduced the risks, improved the speed, and lowered the costs of their renewable energy projects on contaminated sites. The webinar will also describe new, free resources - including individual program profiles - where participants can learn much more on the topic.ICYMI - In a previous webinar, RE-Powering America's Land Initiative featured a panel with agency staff from three leading states who discuss how they have created and managed successful programs. Watch the recorded webinar here: January 2022, Unlocking Brightfields Potential: State Programs to Encourage Renewable Energy Siting on Contaminated Lands - RE-Powering America's Land Initiative. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/state-programs_022124/
Determining Land Use and Onsite/Offsite Determinations is a two-hour webinar course that provides an overview of land use determinations under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Reasonably anticipated future land use at CERCLA sites is important in determining the appropriate extent of remediation. Onsite and offsite determinations impact the need for permits and offsite transfer of CERCLA wastes. By taking this course, participants will achieve the following objectives: Identify factors that influence land use determinations under CERCLA;Explore Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidance and policy related to land use determinations;Learn about onsite permit requirements and exemptions at Federal Facilities; and,Understand off-site determinations and the Off-Site Rule and how these differ from on-site determinations. The instructional methodology for this course includes lecture and group discussion. The target audience for this course is federal, state, and tribal representatives who work on Federal Facility cleanups. Ideally, students should have a basic understanding of land use and the CERCLA process. This course is part of the Federal Facilities Academy training program. Please consider registering for other Federal Facility Academy courses and obtain a certificate upon completion of the entire Federal Facility Academy series (12 courses total). To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/FFAcademy4_022024/
The Technical Review Workgroup (TRW) Bioavailability Committee recently published the "Guidance for Sample Collection for In Vitro Bioaccessibility Assay for Arsenic and Lead in Soil and Applications of Relative Bioavailability Data in Human Health Risk Assessment." This is an update to the 2015 Guidance for Sample Collection for In Vitro Bioaccessibility Assay for Lead (Pb) in Soil. The update is intended to help EPA risk assessors, remedial project managers, and on-scene coordinators develop and use bioavailability data at their sites. It incorporates sample planning and data analysis recommendations from EPA's Guidance on Systematic Planning Using the Data Quality Objectives Process that are pertinent to sampling for In Vitro Bioaccessibility (IVBA) and Relative Bioavailability (RBA). It also clarifies the application of IVBA and RBA data to human health risk assessment, the development of risk-based goals at CERCLA remedial and removal sites and includes arsenic (As) which was recently added to the In Vitro Bioaccessibility Assay.The TRW has developed a series of trainings based on the updated guidance. This first session will cover what bioavailability is and why we should measure it for Pb and As at Superfund removal and remedial sites, as well as for other cleanup programs. This training will target a general audience of regional staff working in risk assessment, remediation, emergency response, technical support, and quality assurance. The training will be an hour long and will include plenty of time for general discussion. Members of the Bioavailability Committee and a Regional representative will be present to answer questions in real time. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/IVBA_021224/
Future use remains a key consideration for EPA's cleanup programs. EPA's Superfund program works with property owners, developers, stakeholders and communities to negotiate agreements, address barriers and make sure property uses will fit well with site remedies. In turn, the cleanup and reuse of Superfund sites revitalizes local economies, supporting jobs, new businesses, tax revenue and spending, and provides new amenities for communities affected by site contamination. EPA also works to ensure that existing businesses on properties being cleaned up under Superfund can continue operating in a way that protects human health and the environment, enabling these businesses to remain open and serve as a source of jobs and income for local communities.This webinar showcases the economic benefits of Superfund Redevelopment for communities across the country. Participants will hear about creative strategies used in redevelopment projects in New England and the Mid-Atlantic. They will also learn about collaborative approaches that help position sites for reuse and advance local economic development opportunities To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/superfund-redevelopment_020724/
The ITRC Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR-1) Training is intended for state regulators and stakeholders who may not be familiar with the opportunities and challenges associated with MAR. It provides a basic understanding of MAR concepts, along with case studies, that showcase examples of successful MAR applications. For those who are familiar with MAR, the training gives an overview of the components of the MAR process along with the important considerations associated with each component necessary for the design and implementation of a MAR project. It is important to understand that MAR is an area of active research and expanding practical applications, and that this management process is continuing to evolve with time.The combination of climate change and growing demand for fresh water has resulted in an increase in the vulnerability and scarcity of freshwater supplies around the world. The need for fresh water to grow crops and provide for the welfare of the general population, economic growth, and ecosystems is becoming more acute. In the past 50 years, the amount of water withdrawn for human use has tripled. MAR is becoming an increasingly important method for improving and supplementing subsurface freshwater storage and ecosystems with an additional benefit of reducing flood risk, managing stormwater, mitigating subsidence, and controlling saltwater intrusion. Training ObjectivesUnderstand MAR and its applications.Recognize MAR as a process rather than a single technology. Acknowledge that MAR can be widely applied.Understand MAR's role in the future for addressing water supply resilience and climate impacts.Training GoalsProvide a model of the MAR process illustrating the primary components and their interaction.Provide an overview of the applications of MAR and the role in addressing climate change impacts through sustainability and resilience in water resources management.Provide information on each component of MAR and the critical considerations for each component in the design of a MAR project.Reference case studies illustrating the various applications of MAR.After the MAR Training, the audience will have the tools necessary to understand MAR and how it can be used as a water resource management tool that encompasses a wide variety of water sources, recharge methods, and storage management practices. The audience will develop an understanding of MAR and its importance in achieving sustainability, resilience, and the far-reaching benefits of MAR related to water supply and quality, mitigation of saltwater intrusion, flood control, and ecological habitats. This training will provide information about the components of a MAR project to help regulators, practitioners, and stakeholders in the development and review of a MAR project.Recommended Reading: Participants are strongly encouraged to review the ITRC Managed Aquifer Recharge document prior to participating in the training class. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/MAR_020624/
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation (OSRTI) has primary responsibility for implementing the remedial long-term (non-emergency) portion of a key U.S. law regulating cleanup: the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, CERCLA, nicknamed "Superfund." The Superfund program generally addresses radioactive contamination in a consistent manner as it addresses chemical contamination, except where there are technical differences between radionuclides and other chemicals. For example, cleanup levels for radioactive contamination at sites are generally expressed in terms of risk levels (e.g., 10-4), rather than millirem or millisieverts, as a unit of measure. Although EPA and other US agencies have issued millirem-based regulations under other statutory authorities, under CERCLA EPA promulgated a risk range of 10-4 to 10-6 as a standard of protectiveness for all carcinogens including radionuclides. CERCLA guidance recommends the use of slope factors when estimating cancer risk from radioactive contaminants, rather than converting from millirem. Current slope factors are based on risk coefficients in Federal Guidance Report 13. The Superfund remedial program uses 10-6 as a point of departure and establishes Preliminary Remediation Goals (PRGs) at 1 x 10-6. PRGs not based on other environmental standards known as Applicable or Relevant and Appropriate Requirements (ARARs) are risk-based concentrations, derived from standardized equations combining exposure information assumptions with EPA toxicity data. The policy rationale and technical underpinnings for this risk management approach is often misunderstood by radiation professionals. This presentation will help clarify some of these misunderstandings by focusing on misstatements about the Superfund approach that the author has encountered from radiation professionals. Often, they are citing the wrong EPA documents or portions of documents incorrectly, or not reading sections of the correct Superfund guidance. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/RadRA_013124/
In 2023, the ITRC Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CEC) Framework was published to help environmental regulatory agencies and other stakeholders identify, evaluate, and manage CEC's while acknowledging uncertainties in their environmental fate and transport, receptor exposure, and/or toxicity. Such an approach can be conducive to improved allocation of regulatory response resources and provide a foundation for communicating potential risk to stakeholders. The ITRC framework is comprised of a white paper and four associated fact sheets. In the white paper, CEC are defined as: "substances and microorganisms including physical, chemical, biological, or radiological materials known or anticipated in the environment, that may pose newly identified risks to human health or the environment." The framework is meant to help environmental regulatory agencies and other stakeholders by providing examples of CEC monitoring programs and guiding the user through the process of identifying CEC key characteristics, how to communicate real and perceived risk from CEC to the public, and how laboratory analytical methods can be used in the identification process.The ITRC CEC training presents this entirely new framework for identification, prioritization, and communication of CEC. This course includes the following topics:An overview of the framework, how and why it was developed, the factors that influence the creation of CEC management units at the state level, and a listing of existing CEC monitoring programs.A discussion of key variables that may be used as criteria to identify and prioritize CEC for response actions. This portion of the course includes a case study that illustrates how the identification and prioritization process works with an "unknown" chemical CEC.Practices and methods for stakeholder messaging and how to share incomplete information on CEC that could impact human health and the environment. This portion of the short course builds upon the ITRC Risk Communication Toolkit by providing additional detail addresses communications plans, message maps, and audience identification.A paradigm for how laboratory methods can be used to identify CEC ranging from: "Is compound X in the sample and at what concentration?" (i.e., known knowns) to"Which compounds from the list are in this sample?" (i.e., known unknowns) to"What is in the sample?" (i.e., unknown unknowns). CEC are typically compounds or substances whose occurrence or effect is unknown but may or may not be understood through similar compounds or substances. This module includes a discussion of the use of targeted and untargeted analysis to identify a CEC.Participants will learn the elements of the CEC framework and gain an understanding of the framework application from case studies. Participants are encouraged to review the ITRC CEC Framework prior to the class. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/CEC_012524/
In 2023, ITRC published the Sediment Cap Chemical Isolation Guidance to supplement the 2014 Contaminated Sediments Remediation Guidance with the goal of improving consistency in sediment cap performance outcomes. Sediment capping is a commonly selected remediation approach and numerous designs have been completed. Previous cap designs have been evaluated in multiple ways, and these varying approaches have led to some differences in selection of chemical design criteria, construction tolerance specifications, and monitoring/maintenance objectives for sites with similar characteristics and contaminants, leading to different expectations for long-term performance and reliability.The ITRC Sediment Cap Chemical Isolation Guidance provides a framework for the design, construction, and long-term monitoring of the chemical isolation function of sediment caps. The framework consists of an iterative design process informed by site-specific data that balances achievement of chemical design criteria, physical design constraints, constructability and permitting requirements. In addition, the guidance summarizes key construction considerations and presents a recommended approach for monitoring and evaluating long-term chemical isolation performance. The recommended framework presented in the Sediment Cap Chemical Isolation Guidance is illustrated below.The Sediment Cap Chemical Isolation Training will cover several key elements of the recommended framework, including:A capping overview that summarizes objectives of capping, role of the chemical isolation layer, and generic cap types and compositions.A discussion of performance objectives and design concepts that includes the selection of chemical isolation performance targets criteria and development of design criteria while considering the site setting and conceptual site model elements.An overview of chemical isolation layer modeling tools and discussion of their applicability to support chemical isolation design, important model input parameters, and the impact of uncertainty and sensitivity of modeling results.A summary of chemical isolation construction considerations, including an overview of available construction methods and tolerances and quality assurance and quality control measures.A discussion of cap performance monitoring and maintenance objectives and approaches that include developing monitoring objectives to assess chemical isolation performance and methods for guiding long-term maintenance decisions.We encourage participants to review the ITRC Sediment Cap Chemical Isolation Guidance (SD-1) before and after the training to become familiar with the topics and recommendations discussed during the training. This training is intended for all environmental professionals working in the field of sediment capping projects, including regulators and other government agency staff, consultants, project stakeholders, and industry. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/sd-1_011824/
In 2020, ITRC recognized that In situ remediation technologies using amendment injections have advanced to mainstream acceptance and offer a competitive advantage over many forms of ex situ treatment of soil and groundwater. Developing a detailed site-specific strategy is absolutely critical to the success of such in situ remedies. These strategies include conducting a thorough site characterization that will allow development of a detailed Conceptual Site Model (CSM) to guide critical analysis of subsurface features and improving remediation effectiveness. In the interest of developing expedited solutions, many past in situ remediation projects have been executed based on an incomplete understanding of the hydrogeology, geology, and contaminant distribution and mass. Some of these sites have undergone multiple rounds of in situ injections but have not advanced to closure. Better strategies and minimum design standards are required to decrease uncertainty and improve remedy effectiveness. In an effort to overcome these challenges and improve the effectiveness of in situ remediation using injected amendments, ITRC developed the guidance: Optimizing Injection Strategies and In Situ Remediation Performance (OIS-ISRP-1). The guidance and this associated training course identify challenges that may impede or limit remedy effectiveness and discuss the potential optimization strategies, and specific actions that can be pursued, to improve the performance of in situ remediation by:Refining and evaluating remedial design site characterization data;Selecting the correct amendment;Choosing delivery methods for site-specific conditions;Creating design specifications;Conducting performance evaluations, andOptimizing underperforming in situ remedies.The target audience for this guidance and training course is: environmental consultants, responsible parties, federal and state regulators, as well as community and tribal stakeholders. This training will support users in efficiently and confidently applying the guidance at their remediation sites. An optimization case study is shared to illustrate the use of the associated guidance document. Prior to attending the training class, participants are encouraged to view the associated ITRC guidance, Optimizing Injection Strategies and In Situ Remediation Performance (OIS-ISRP-1) as well as to be familiar with the characterization process described in Integrated DNAPL Site Strategy (ITRC 2011c). To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/OIS-ISRP_120523/
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation (OSRTI) is delivering a webinar summarizing lessons learned in conducting climate vulnerability assessments (CVAs) at sites on the National Priorities List (NPL). The webinar will cover:The underlying authorities to consider climate change at NPL sitesKey questions addressed through the climate vulnerability assessment processTools and data sources used to develop climate projectionsRecurring climate vulnerabilities that could affect remedy protectivenessThe associated adaptation measures needed to increase remedy resilience to climate impactsWhile the CVA process described in this webinar has been applied mostly to sites within the Superfund Program, it is considered "program neutral" and may be used as a guide for developing a CVA process and conducting CVAs at contaminated sites in other cleanup programs. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/cva_111423/
In 2020, ITRC's 1,4-Dioxane team created multiple tools and documents that provide information to assist all interested stakeholders in understanding this contaminant and for making informed, educated decisions. Since the 1950s, 1,4-Dioxane has seen widespread use as a solvent stabilizer. The use of solvents through the 1980s suggests its presence at thousands of solvent sites in the US; however, it is not always a standard compound in typical analytical suites for hazardous waste sites, so it previously was overlooked. The U.S. EPA has classified 1,4-Dioxane as "likely to be carcinogenic to humans." Some states have devised health standards or regulatory guidelines for drinking water and groundwater standards; these are often sub-part per billion values. These low standards present challenges for analysis, characterization, and remediation of 1,4-Dioxane. The 1,4-Dioxane: Science, Characterization & Analysis, and Remediation training is a series of six (6) modules. The six individual modules will be presented together live, and then archived on the ITRC 1,4-Dioxane training webpage for on demand listening. The modular 1,4-Dioxane training series provides an overview of 1,4-Dioxane and presenting six sections from the ITRC guidance document (1,4d-1, 2021):History of Use and Potential Sources (Sect 1)Regulatory Framework (Sect 2)Fate and Transport (Sect 3)Sampling and Analysis (Sect 4)Toxicity and Risk Assessment (Sect 5)Remediation and Treatment Technologies (Sect 6)After the six-part 1,4-Dioxane: Science, Characterization & Analysis, and Remediation series, you should understand:The history of 1,4-Dioxane manufacturing and usage and the potential sources of releases of 1,4-Dioxane to the environment.Primary state and U.S. federal regulatory programs of relevance to 1,4-DioxaneKey physical/chemical properties, and fate and transport processes that are relevant for 1,4-DioxaneBenefits and limitations of the available analytical methodsRisk drivers for human health and how ecological risk comparesHow/when/why different treatment technologies are appropriateWe encourage you to use the ITRC 1,4-Dioxane products (14d-1) and these training modules to learn about 1,4-Dioxane and how you can apply these best practices to improve decision-making at your sites.For regulators and other government agency staff, this understanding of 1,4-Dioxane can be incorporated into your own programs. This training summarizes the current understanding of 1,4-Dioxane. While the training makes every effort to keep the information accessible to a wide audience, it is assumed that the participants will have some basic technical understanding of chemistry, environmental sciences, and risk assessment. As with other emerging contaminants, our understanding of 1,4-Dioxane continues to advance. This training provides the participants with information on areas where the science is evolving and where uncertainty persists. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/14D-1_110923/
The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) is sponsoring a Risk e-Learning webinar series, hosted by CLU-IN, focused on research efforts to develop tools for sampling, monitoring, detecting, and characterizing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination.The three-part series will feature SRP-funded researchers and collaborators whose research focuses, in part, on understanding the distribution and fate of PFAS in the environment.The final session in this series will include federal and SRP researchers featuring useful resources that can aid in site characterization, such as PFAS reference materials, libraries, and passive samplers.To learn about and register for the other sessions in this webinar series, please see the SRP website.Jessica Reiner, Ph.D., of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will present on work being done focused on creating reference materials for quality assurance and quality control of measurements pertaining to organic pollutants in environmental and human matrices. NIST reference materials are produced to be homogeneous, stable, and with SI-traceable quantitate values for individual organic compounds. The class of organic contaminants per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) present measurement challenges to the analytical community that potentially affect the accuracy and precision of quantitative measurements. This presentation will discuss the existing reference materials, along with the past and current efforts at NIST to produce new reference materials for PFAS.Jacqueline Bangma, Ph.D., of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) will speak on the rapid assessment bioaccumulation screening (RABS) for emerging PFAS in mice exposed to industrially impacted surface water. The number of emerging and novel PFAS being identified in environmental samples has increased greatly in the past few decades as manufacturers move away from PFOS and PFOA production. However, all of these emerging PFAS have little to no toxicological information or standards available for purchase with which to complete toxicological studies. Therefore, the first question is how to identify and prioritize emerging PFAS for synthesis and future toxicological characterization. In this seminar, Jackie will provide a look into her research and how it begins to address these questions using non-target analysis techniques, FluoroMatch software, environmental surface water, and animal models.Jitka Becanova, Ph.D., of the University of Rhode Island will present on her work with passive sampling devices, providing innovative approaches to PFAS Site Characterization. Significant attention and concern have focused on the health and ecological implications of the widespread environmental distribution of compounds categorized as PFAS. Filling knowledge gaps for patterns of PFAS in various environmental compartments, their bioavailability, and bioaccumulation potential, will improve predictability and contribute to minimizing risks of legacy and novel PFAS. Laboratory and field studies to address these gaps can be advanced through the development of rapid and effective methods to assess PFAS concentrations in PFAS hotspots and predict PFAS concentration in the biological tissues. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/PFAS-Characterization-3_110823/
In response to one of the biggest emerging environmental concerns, ITRC formed the Microplastics Team in 2021 to develop the Microplastics Guidance Document. Plastics have become pervasive in modern life and are now used in a wide range of commercial and industrial applications. Microplastics may result from the degradation and fragmentation of larger plastics, or they may be intentionally produced for specific applications and products. Regardless of their origin, microplastics are now ubiquitous in our environment. Because of their small size and pervasiveness in the environment, microplastics, along with any other contaminants which are adhered to the microplastics, may be inadvertently consumed by humans and other organisms.The online ITRC Guidance Document (available in February 2023) is geared toward an audience with reasonable level of scientific understanding, but not microplastic-specific knowledge. The guidance provides a user with information on microplastics and the state of the applied science without having to go to the scientific literature.The target audience for the guidance and this training course includes state regulators and environmental consultants, as well as community and tribal stakeholders. The guidance and this associated training course uses a conceptual site model to navigate microplastics in the environment and explore the following general areas:An introduction to microplastics, their sources, and worldwide distributionThe pathways through which microplastics can enter and travel in the environment and their distribution in various media (water, soil, sediment, air, and biota) A current look at the most common techniques and best practices for sampling and analyzing microplasticsPotential human health and ecological risks associated with microplastics in the environmentAn overview of existing regulations related to microplastics and macroplastics at the state, federal, and international levelsExamples of prevention and mitigation strategies and best management practices to reduce microplastics from entering the environment and the emerging technologies to abate, treat, and remediate microplastics once they exist in the environment Identification of data gaps and the need for further researchSeveral case studies illustrating a range of current microplastics-related topicsPrior to attending the training class, participants are encouraged to view the associated ITRC Microplastics Guidance document. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/Microplastics_110723/
The brownfield amendments to CERCLA and the recent Brownfields Utilization, Investment and Local Development (BUILD) Act provide liability protections for certain landowners and potential property owners who did not cause or contribute to contamination at the property. This webinar offers an introduction or refresher on All Appropriate Inquiry (AAI), the process of evaluating a property's environmental conditions and assessing potential liability for any contamination. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/aai_103023/
As part of a Virtual Student Federal Service internship project, this presentation provides an overview of the history, current use, and recommended improvements of the dilution attenuation factor (DAF) used when calculating soil screening levels (SSL), along with recommendations to address the assumption of an infinite contaminant source when calculating SSLs. This project focuses on the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (U.S. EPA) 1996 Soil Screening Guidance (SSG), which provides guidance for calculating SSLs as implemented in the Regional Screening Level (RSL) and Preliminary Remediation Goal (PRG) calculators. The U.S. EPA's SSG currently utilizes a single default nationwide DAF during the calculation of SSLs when a risk of soil-to-groundwater contaminant migration is present, which may not reflect the significant hydrologic differences across the U.S. Additionally, the SSG's calculation assumes an infinite source of contaminant is present, which may not be an accurate reflection of the conditions at sites. This project examines the history and initial development of the DAF, reviews potential issues with the current use of the DAF, and provides recommendations for improvement to the DAF calculations, including hydrologic region-specific DAFs, and a calculator to correct the infinite source assumption inherent in SSL calculations. The presentation concludes with the limitations of this analysis and recommendations for future work to improve the DAF and SSG. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/Soil-to-Groundwater-Pathway_072023/
The M2S2 webinars have proven to be valuable forums to share information across our munitions response industry, on a wide range of topics and presented by a variety of subject matter experts representing multiple perspectives. In April 2023, the Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Engineering and Environmental Problems (SAGEEP), in conjunction with the National Association of Contractors and the 2nd Munitions Response Meeting, held 3 days of technical talks focused on lessons learned, case studies, and emerging technologies in support of MMRP. The talks that best fit a wider audience of project managers and stakeholders were selected to be presented during this M2S2 webinar. Talks will focus on Advanced Geophysical Classification (AGC), underwater research and development, alternative positioning systems, recent lessons learned, and novel applications of technology. The webinar will include the following presentations: "SERDP/ESTCP Munitions Response Program Overview"- David Bradley, SERDP/ESTCP "Update on the Novel Application of AGC at Redstone Arsenal MSFC-003"- Amy Walker, USACE "Complex Seed Scenarios- Does AGC Work as Assumed in Multisource Scenarios"- Jenn Weller, Jacobs "Estimating Site-Specific Effective Classification Depths Using UX-Analyze"- Craig Murray, Parsons "What We Have Learned From Using SLAM in Challenging Environments"- Jake Vera, Weston Solutions "You Missed a QC Seed, Now What?"- Harry Wagner, Weston Solutions "Are Cued AGC Surveys Necessary?"- Kevin Kingdon, Black Tusk Geophysics "Warwick Furnace- Lost and Found Using UAS"- Greg Schultz, White River Technologies To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/m2s2fy23-2_062823/
In 2020, ITRC's 1,4-Dioxane team created multiple tools and documents that provide information to assist all interested stakeholders in understanding this contaminant and for making informed, educated decisions. Since the 1950s, 1,4-Dioxane has seen widespread use as a solvent stabilizer. The use of solvents through the 1980s suggests its presence at thousands of solvent sites in the US; however, it is not always a standard compound in typical analytical suites for hazardous waste sites, so it previously was overlooked. The U.S. EPA has classified 1,4-Dioxane as "likely to be carcinogenic to humans." Some states have devised health standards or regulatory guidelines for drinking water and groundwater standards; these are often sub-part per billion values. These low standards present challenges for analysis, characterization, and remediation of 1,4-Dioxane.
The 1,4-Dioxane: Science, Characterization & Analysis, and Remediation training is a series of six (6) modules. The six individual modules will be presented together live, and then archived on the ITRC 1,4-Dioxane training webpage for on demand listening.
The modular 1,4-Dioxane training series provides an overview of 1,4-Dioxane and presenting six sections from the ITRC guidance document (1,4d-1, 2021):History of Use and Potential Sources (Sect 1)Regulatory Framework (Sect 2)Fate and Transport (Sect 3)Sampling and Analysis (Sect 4)Toxicity and Risk Assessment (Sect 5)Remediation and Treatment Technologies (Sect 6)After the six-part 1,4-Dioxane: Science, Characterization & Analysis, and Remediation series, you should understand:The history of 1,4-Dioxane manufacturing and usage and the potential sources of releases of 1,4-Dioxane to the environment.Primary state and U.S. federal regulatory programs of relevance to 1,4-DioxaneKey physical/chemical properties, and fate and transport processes that are relevant for 1,4-DioxaneBenefits and limitations of the available analytical methodsRisk drivers for human health and how ecological risk comparesHow/when/why different treatment technologies are appropriate We encourage you to use the ITRC 1,4-Dioxane products (14d-1) and these training modules to learn about 1,4-Dioxane and how you can apply these best practices to improve decision-making at your sites. For regulators and other government agency staff, this understanding of 1,4-Dioxane can be incorporated into your own programs. This training summarizes the current understanding of 1,4-Dioxane. While the training makes every effort to keep the information accessible to a wide audience, it is assumed that the participants will have some basic technical understanding of chemistry, environmental sciences, and risk assessment. As with other emerging contaminants, our understanding of 1,4-Dioxane continues to advance. This training provides the participants with information on areas where the science is evolving and where uncertainty persists. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/14D-1_060823/
ITRC's Vapor Intrusion Mitigation training is a series of eight (8) modules, presented over two sessions.
The Vapor Intrusion Mitigation training series provides an overview of vapor intrusion mitigation and presenting information from the ITRC fact sheets, technology information sheets, and checklists (VIM-1, 2021): Session 1:Introduction & Overview of Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Training TeamConceptual Site Models for Vapor Intrusion MitigationPublic Outreach During Vapor Intrusion MitigationRapid Response & Ventilation for Vapor Intrusion MitigationRemediation & Institutional Controls Session 2:Active Mitigation ApproachesPassive Mitigation ApproachesSystem Verification, OM&M, and Exit Strategies
When certain contaminants or hazardous substances are released into the soil or groundwater, they may volatilize into soil gas. Vapor intrusion (VI) occurs when these vapors migrate up into overlying buildings and contaminate indoor air. ITRC has previously released guidance documents focused on VI, including the "Vapor Intrusion Pathway: A Practical Guidance" (VI-1, 2007) and "Petroleum Vapor Intrusion: Fundamentals of Screening, Investigation, and Management" (PVI, 2014). However, ITRC has received multiple requests for additional details and training on mitigation strategies for addressing this exposure pathway.
The ITRC Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Team (VIMT) created ten fact sheets, 16 technology information sheets, and 4 checklists with the goal of assisting regulators during review of vapor intrusion mitigation systems, and helping contractors understand the essential elements of planning, design, implementation, and operation, maintenance and monitoring (OM&M) of mitigation systems.
After the Vapor Intrusion Mitigation series, you should understand:How to locate and utilize the VIM-1 fact sheets, technology information sheets, and checklistsThe importance of a VI mitigation conceptual site modelHow public outreach for VI mitigation differs from other environmental mattersWhen to implement rapid response for vapor intrusion and applicable methodologies The differences between remediation, mitigation, and institutional controlsAvailable technologies for active and passive mitigation, and design considerations for various approachesHow/when/why different mitigation technologies are appropriateHow to verify mitigation system success, address underperformance, and develop a plan for discontinuing a mitigation system We encourage you to use the ITRC Vapor Intrusion Mitigation work products (VIM-1) and these training modules to learn about vapor intrusion mitigation and how you can apply these best practices to improve decision-making at your sites. For regulators and other government agency staff, this understanding of vapor intrusion mitigation can be incorporated into your own programs.
While the training makes every effort to keep the information accessible to a wide audience, it is assumed that the participants will have some basic technical understanding of chemistry, environmental sciences, and risk assessment. As with other emerging contaminants, our understanding of vapor intrusion mitigation continues to advance. This training provides the participants with information on areas where the science is evolving and where uncertainty persists. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/VIM-1_060623/
ITRC's Vapor Intrusion Mitigation training is a series of eight (8) modules, presented over two sessions.
The Vapor Intrusion Mitigation training series provides an overview of vapor intrusion mitigation and presenting information from the ITRC fact sheets, technology information sheets, and checklists (VIM-1, 2021): Session 1:Introduction & Overview of Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Training TeamConceptual Site Models for Vapor Intrusion MitigationPublic Outreach During Vapor Intrusion MitigationRapid Response & Ventilation for Vapor Intrusion MitigationRemediation & Institutional Controls Session 2:Active Mitigation ApproachesPassive Mitigation ApproachesSystem Verification, OM&M, and Exit Strategies
When certain contaminants or hazardous substances are released into the soil or groundwater, they may volatilize into soil gas. Vapor intrusion (VI) occurs when these vapors migrate up into overlying buildings and contaminate indoor air. ITRC has previously released guidance documents focused on VI, including the "Vapor Intrusion Pathway: A Practical Guidance" (VI-1, 2007) and "Petroleum Vapor Intrusion: Fundamentals of Screening, Investigation, and Management" (PVI, 2014). However, ITRC has received multiple requests for additional details and training on mitigation strategies for addressing this exposure pathway.
The ITRC Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Team (VIMT) created ten fact sheets, 16 technology information sheets, and 4 checklists with the goal of assisting regulators during review of vapor intrusion mitigation systems, and helping contractors understand the essential elements of planning, design, implementation, and operation, maintenance and monitoring (OM&M) of mitigation systems.
After the Vapor Intrusion Mitigation series, you should understand:How to locate and utilize the VIM-1 fact sheets, technology information sheets, and checklistsThe importance of a VI mitigation conceptual site modelHow public outreach for VI mitigation differs from other environmental mattersWhen to implement rapid response for vapor intrusion and applicable methodologies The differences between remediation, mitigation, and institutional controlsAvailable technologies for active and passive mitigation, and design considerations for various approachesHow/when/why different mitigation technologies are appropriateHow to verify mitigation system success, address underperformance, and develop a plan for discontinuing a mitigation system We encourage you to use the ITRC Vapor Intrusion Mitigation work products (VIM-1) and these training modules to learn about vapor intrusion mitigation and how you can apply these best practices to improve decision-making at your sites. For regulators and other government agency staff, this understanding of vapor intrusion mitigation can be incorporated into your own programs.
While the training makes every effort to keep the information accessible to a wide audience, it is assumed that the participants will have some basic technical understanding of chemistry, environmental sciences, and risk assessment. As with other emerging contaminants, our understanding of vapor intrusion mitigation continues to advance. This training provides the participants with information on areas where the science is evolving and where uncertainty persists. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/VIM-1_060123/
OLEM is hosting its first in a series of Region-based Geophysics talks. This session will introduce the geophysics state of play, new EPA resources, and a brief overview of some of the more commonly used geophysical tools that help us understand Superfund geology, groundwater, and contaminant pathways. Then we will get to hear two case studies from Region 4: electrical resistivity imaging in Macon, GA and combined seismic and resistivity in Roxboro, NC. This training is intended to equip OLEM and Regional staff and management with the necessary information, resources, and tools to select and manage a successful geophysics deployment at their site. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/Superfund-Geophysics-Region-4_052423/
This Progress in Research webinar series will showcase research from 11 new and renewed Multiproject Center grantees, funded by SRP in 2022. These awards were made as part of the P42 grant solicitation RFA-ES-20-014. In the four-part series, awardees will highlight their research projects, accomplishments, and next steps.The Duke University SRP Center studies the neurodevelopmental health impacts of early-life exposures to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Center researchers seek to understand the impacts of multiple contaminant exposures in humans, elucidate neurotoxic mechanisms that occur from these co-exposures, and develop novel remediation and treatment strategies to protect health. The center will provide key data and information needed to improve public health guidance and environmental clean-up goals to effectively mitigate the negative health consequences of co-exposure to hazardous chemicals.The University of Louisville SRP Center conducts state-of-the-art research on the toxicity of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to determine how they affect the prevalence and severity of cardiometabolic diseases — obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease — in exposed populations. Center scientists develop new methods and devices for quantifying VOC concentrations, offering precise yet low-cost measurements at hazardous waste sites. The team hopes that their findings will lead to rigorous evaluation and better understanding of the effects of these hazardous chemicals.The Wayne State University SRP Center proposes an integrated, transdisciplinary framework, rooted in advanced environmental engineering techniques and biomedical research, to address human exposure routes and health risks from VOCs in urban areas. Center scientists study the relationship between VOC exposure and human health risks — for preterm birth and associated adverse health outcomes in particular — combined with new methods and technologies to assess, communicate, and reduce those health risks. The center hopes to improve public health interventions and have a positive impact on the well-being of affected communities.To learn about and register for the other sessions in this webinar series, please see the SRP website. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/SRPPIR22_051923/
The Superfund Research Program (SRP) is holding a webinar to provide information about the new "Superfund Hazardous Substance Research and Training Program (P42)" funding opportunity, RFA-ES-23-001. The new RFA was released on April 17, 2023, and the application deadline is October 2, 2023. On the webinar, NIEHS staff will provide information and answer questions about the P42 request for application (RFA) to address the broad, complex health and environmental issues that arise from the multimedia nature of hazardous waste sites. SRP Center grants support problem-based, solution-oriented research Centers that consist of multiple, integrated projects representing both the biomedical and environmental science disciplines. The Center cores are tasked with administrative, community engagement, research translation, research support, and training functions.The webinar will also focus on changes from previous solicitations. For more information about the RFA, see the SRP Funding Opportunities for Multiproject Center Grants page.Please note that the slides available for download were revised after the live session on May 15, 2023. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/SRPFunding_051523/
This Progress in Research webinar series will showcase research from 11 new and renewed Multiproject Center grantees, funded by SRP in 2022. These awards were made as part of the P42 grant solicitation RFA-ES-20-014. In the four-part series, awardees will highlight their research projects, accomplishments, and next steps. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology SRP Center studies N-nitrosamines, a family of carcinogenic chemicals found in water at hazardous waste sites. To address the needs of affected communities, center scientists work to create new technologies todetect contaminants in the environment, reveal their health impacts, guide effective cleanup, and destroy hazardous chemicals in drinking water. They also aim to identify opportunities for interventions that prevent disease.The University of California, Berkeley SRP Center works with key stakeholders to better assess the risks of exposure to contaminants, such as arsenic, chromium, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and halogenated contaminants. Their goalis to protect vulnerable communities, understand and account for interactions between mixtures of chemicals, and perform on-site remediation without depleting valuable resources. By using biomedical and engineering approaches, center scientists aim to generate research findings that will help solve these problems in association with community partners and government stakeholders. The University of Rhode Island SRP Center aims to provide actionable insights, tools, and solutions to tackle PFAS contamination. Researchers at the center seek to understand the transport and transformation of these substances in the environment and develop detection tools to support groundwater remediation. They also work to advance the understanding of PFAS toxicity in the human body to prevent health effects, particularly in children. The center engages new and established partners across multiple sites to execute effective outreach and collaboration.To learn about and register for the other sessions in this webinar series, please see the SRP website. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/SRPPIR21_051223/
Extreme weather events and wildfires are increasing and impacting hazardous waste sites. The primary goal of cleanups, which is protecting human health and the environment, is undermined. Confronted with these risks, environmental professionals should assess, and design remedies that are sustainable and resilient. Sustainable resilient remediation (SRR) is an optimized solution to cleaning up and reusing a hazardous waste site that limits negative environmental impacts, maximizes social and economic benefits, and creates resilience against increasing threats.The objective of the ITRC Sustainable Resilient Remediation (SRR-1) is to provide resources and tools for regulators, stakeholders, consultants, and responsible parties to help integrate sustainable and resilient practices into remediation projects. This guidance updates the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council's (ITRC) Technical and Regulatory Guidance: Green and Sustainable Remediation: A Practical Framework (ITRC 2011a) and includes a strong resilience component to address the increasing threat of extreme weather events and wildfires. Recommendations for careful and continuous consideration of the social and economic costs and benefits of a cleanup project are included.Training ObjectivesEducate participants about available SRR resources and toolsImpart evolution from Green and Sustainable Remediation (GSR) to SRRProvide guidance on practical application and implementation of SRRProvide participants with information necessary to navigate the SRR guidance and toolsTraining GoalsProvide information and resources for the social and economic dimensions of sustainability, including state-of-the-art social and economic evaluation toolsProvide a framework illustrating how and why sustainability and resilience should be integrated throughout the remedial project life cycleOffer checklists of key sustainable best management practices to address resilience based on specific vulnerabilities at a site, as well as resources for additional informationPresent interactive maps with links to available state and federal resources to quickly find examples and best practices from your state or other states and federal agenciesReference case studies illustrating the application of SRR considerations After the SRR Training, a user will have the tools necessary to understand what SRR is and how it can be used to achieve a sustainable and resilient remediation outcome. This can be accomplished by remediation practitioners applying the principles and practices to a contaminated site and by providing SRR resources to help regulators and stakeholders in the development and review of project documents or submittals.The intended users of this guidance and training course are those individuals responsible for managing contaminated sites. Users of this training and the associated documents will develop an understanding of SRR and its importance in achieving sustainability and resilience for site remediation. Principals, best practices, resources, and trainer insights will help users conduct SRR tailored to the needs of the sites under their care. Recommended Reading: Participants are strongly encouraged to review the ITRC Sustainable Resilient Remediation, (SRR-1) document prior to participating in the training class. Also, because SRR-1 is an expansion and update of the concepts developed in Green and Sustainable Remediation: A Practical Framework, GSR-2, review of this document is recommended but is not a prerequisite. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/SRR_051123/
This Progress in Research webinar series will showcase research from 11 new and renewed Multiproject Center grantees, funded by SRP in 2022. These awards were made as part of the P42 grant solicitation RFA-ES-20-014. In the four-part series, awardees will highlight their research projects, accomplishments, and next steps. The University of New Mexico SRP Center collaborates with Indigenous partners from Navajo Nation and Laguna Pueblo to reduce the health risks associated with exposure to metal mixtures from abandoned uranium mines. Center scientists use community informed, solution-oriented team science to prevent exposures and protect health through development of partnered environmental and clinical interventions.The Columbia University Northern Plains SRP Center studies hazardous metals in drinking water, which are common contaminants near Superfund sites and abandoned uranium mines that play a role in the high burden of heart disease and diabetes affecting Tribal communities in the U.S. Northern Plains. The center will continue to generate knowledge to understand the underlying mechanisms and possible solutions to exposures to hazardous metal mixtures using systems science, local community knowledge, and novel remediation technology.To learn about and register for the other sessions in this webinar series, please see the SRP website. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/SRPPIR20_050523/
The ITRC Environmental Data Management Best Practices Team (EDMBP Team) prepared a series of guidance documents and case studies on best practices for all phases of EDM to address the need for guidance on managing large stores of environmental data. Environmental data management (EDM) is a broad field that encompasses all aspects of environmental research and regulation, from habitat studies and wildlife management plans to health advisories and remediation of hazardous waste sites.The EDMBP Team developed three Roundtable training sessions to support the Guidance Document and case studies. You are welcome to register for any of the three, but they do not build upon each other.Data Management: Real Life Application of Data Management Planning and Field Data Collection Best PracticesData Exchange: Best Practices for Exchanging Environmental DataData Quality: Best Practices for Achieving and Maintaining Quality within Environmental Data ManagementNobody wants to make the wrong decision, especially when it comes to the health of individuals and the planet we all inhabit. In order to make sound environmental decisions, you need confidence in the data being used to make those decisions. Collecting usable data is everyone's goal. Good planning, setting clear data quality objectives, and having procedures for measuring and documenting if those quality objectives were met, are the basic components in any data quality program. This Roundtable training is meant to lead project managers, data collectors, data managers, and data reviewers in a discussion about various aspects of environmental data quality. Are you struggling with determining the quality of your data sets and understanding if they should be used to make decisions? Do you have a hard time advocating for budget related to data quality tasks or determining how much review is necessary? Our collection of panelists will touch on these topics and more, as well as answer attendee questions related to environmental data quality. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/EDM-3_050223/
This Progress in Research webinar series will showcase research from 11 new and renewed Multiproject Center grantees, funded by SRP in 2022. These awards were made as part of the P42 grant solicitation RFA-ES-20-014. In the four-part series, awardees will highlight their research projects, accomplishments, and next steps. The Texas A&M University SRP Center works to understand how climate-relateddisasters, coupled with the vulnerability of communities disproportionately exposed to environmental contamination, increase the health risks associated with contamination events. Center scientists develop, apply, and translate a comprehensive set of tools and models to help first responders, impacted communities, and government agencies characterize and mitigate the human health consequences of exposure to hazardous mixtures.The Michigan State University SRP Center investigates pollutants in the halogenated aromatic hydrocarbon family — including dioxins, biphenyls, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons — which are commonly found at Superfund sites and pose ahuman health risk. The center's central theme is to define specific aspects of environmental, microbial, and mammalian biological responses to these environmentalcontaminants, with the goal of understanding their environmental fate and developing state-of-the-art remediation technologies to reduce their toxicity. The Yale University SRP Center is driven by community-based concerns about emerging contaminants that affect water resources and drinking water supplies at multiple sites across the U.S. Center researchers engage in problem-based, solution-oriented research related to 1,4-dioxane, an emerging water contaminant that is widespread and persistent in the environment, poorly regulated, has consistently shown carcinogenic effects, and is not mitigated using standard approaches. The center addresses critical gaps in the understanding of cancer mechanisms, chemical mixture interactions, and detection and treatment technologies through innovative techniques that inform risk assessment and help affected communities remove these contaminants from their water supplies.To learn about and register for the other sessions in this webinar series, please see the SRP website. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/SRPPIR19_042823/
HRS Quickscore is a standalone application that assists users in scoring sites applying the Hazard Ranking System (HRS). In this course users will be introduced to Quickscore 3.2.2. The course will feature a live demonstration of Quickscore that will show users how to enter site level documentation, source data, and pathway information for each of the four HRS pathways: ground water, surface water, soil exposure and subsurface intrusion, and air. Attendees will learn how to enter information and score a hypothetical site in Quickscore 3.2.2.If you have specific questions or suggestions related to Quickscore, please email the Quickscore Helpline (Quickscore@gdit.com) ahead of the training session and the instructors will address these during the training, as time allows. Attendees are encouraged to download and install Quickscore 3.2.2 (https://www.epa.gov/superfund/superfund-hazard-ranking-system-hrs-quickscore#download) prior to the webinar.This presentation is solely informational and does not represent the views of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This presentation does not constitute EPA policy, guidance, or rulemaking and cannot be relied upon to create any rights enforceable by any party in litigation with the United States. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/QuickScore_041823/
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large and complex class of anthropogenic compounds whose prevalence in the environment are an emerging, worldwide priority in environmental and human health. The ITRC PFAS Team, formed in 2017, has prepared readily accessible materials to present PFAS information to stakeholders, regulators, and policy makers. The PFAS team represents a diverse cross-section of expertise and experience working on PFAS.This training will include emerging science on PFAS, including topics such as Properties of PFAS, Fate and Transport, Sampling and Analysis, and Treatment Technologies. The technical presentations will be focused on those who are relatively new to PFAS. The training will last approximately 90 minutes and include time for questions. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/PFAS-Introductory_041323/
The ITRC Environmental Data Management Best Practices Team (EDMBP Team) prepared a series of guidance documents and case studies on best practices for all phases of EDM to address the need for guidance on managing large stores of environmental data. Environmental data management (EDM) is a broad field that encompasses all aspects of environmental research and regulation, from habitat studies and wildlife management plans to health advisories and remediation of hazardous waste sites.The EDMBP Team developed three Roundtable training sessions to support the Guidance Document and case studies. You are welcome to register for any of the three, but they do not build upon each other.Data Management: Real Life Application of Data Management Planning and Field Data Collection Best PracticesData Exchange: Best Practices for Exchanging Environmental DataData Quality: Best Practices for Achieving and Maintaining Quality within Environmental Data ManagementWhat good are data if you can't access it? At its root, data exchange is about making data accessible. It is the process of sharing data between systems. When it's done best, it is efficient, repeatable, and maintains the integrity of the data. At its worst, data are omitted, are mismatched, or there is no documentation on its origin. We think of data exchange in terms of incoming data and outgoing data. With incoming data, best practices span from inventorying sources to loading the data into a system. With outgoing data, best practices focus on documentation and automating exports into known schemas. During this Roundtable training, we will tackle some of the challenging issues in data exchange. If you're new to data exchange, it may open your eyes. If you've been exchanging data for years, we hope to provide some new tricks or considerations for you. Some of the topics we'll cover include:What's the best way to handle using several analytical laboratories, each with a different electronic data deliverable (EDD)? When systems use different valid values and schema, how can you design an efficient, repeatable exchange? How do we know that the costly effort to extract, transform, and load the data from old PDFs into our system will provide value? If someone asks for "all the data" but doesn't have a plan for import to an existing system, how do you provide it in an understandable way in a raw format?We want to answer your questions too. Are you wondering about how to handle analytes duplicated with multiple analytical methods? Or when you should automate or when to manually exchange? No question is too minor. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/EDM-2_040623/
The Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC) together with the Australasian Land and Groundwater Association (ALGA) is holding an expert panel on the latest news on microplastics policies, regulations, and research from both the US, Australia, and other countries. The Panel will include two US speakers and two Australian speakers. The Panel will compare and contrast different country responses and have a discussion on next steps for microplastics. Time will be allotted for audience questions and answers. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/Microplastics-P-R_032223/
The Harmful Cyanobacteria Blooms (HCBs) training reviews key information found in the two ITRC HCB Guidance Documents, the 2021 Strategies for Preventing and Managing Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms (HCB-1) and the 2022 companion document focused on benthic HCBs (HCB-2). ITRC's HCB-2 focuses on the ecology, toxin production, management, and mitigation of benthic HCBs and is a companion document to the HCB-1 document released by ITRC in March 2021.Cyanobacteria are microscopic, photosynthetic organisms that can be found naturally in all aquatic systems. Under certain conditions, cyanobacteria can multiply and become very abundant, discoloring the water throughout a water body, or accumulating at the surface. These occurrences are known as "harmful cyanobacterial blooms (HCBs)." HCBs can occur in many parts of a water body. Planktonic HCBs occur when cyanobacteria dominate the open water of water bodies. ITRC's HCB-1 guidance includes information about planktonic HCBs. In addition to being suspended in the open water, some cyanobacterial species grow attached to surfaces in a water body. These attached cyanobacteria can grow at the bottom of a water body (benthic zone) but may also be found nearer to the surface growing on submerged vegetation or woody debris. In any of these habitats the benthic cyanobacterial mats can produce and release cyanotoxins into the environment. When cyanobacteria proliferate as attached mats in benthic habitats instead of planktonic blooms, they present unique challenges to evaluating and communicating the public health and environmental risks caused by this less familiar appearance of cyanobacteria.HCB-1 TrainingThe Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom (HCB-1) training provides an overview of cyanobacteria (particularly planktonic blooms) and their management, covering five sections from the ITRC HCB-1 guidance document:Introduction to the Cyanobacteria (Section 3)Monitoring (Section 4)Communication and Response Planning (Section 5)Management and Control (Section 6)Nutrient Management (Section 7)HCB-2 TrainingThe Benthic Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom (HCB-2) training provides an overview of benthic cyanobacteria and their management, covering five sections from the ITRC HCB-2 guidance document:Introduction to the Benthic Cyanobacteria (Section 1)Cyanotoxins (Section 2)Monitoring for Benthic Cyanobacteria (Section 3)Introduction to Treatment Strategies (Section 4)Communication and Response Planning for Benthic Cyanobacteria (Section 5)After both training's, you should understand:The basic ecology and physiology of planktonic and benthic cyanobacteria, and the harmful effects they have on health, the environment, and local economiesAn overview of cyanotoxin classes and available cyanotoxin thresholds for human health (recreational and drinking water) and domestic animalsCommon approaches to monitoring for cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins, and how to build a monitoring programThe importance of good communication and coordinated response during HCBs, and the elements of a good response planAvailable options for in-lake management and control of HCBs, including an introduction to possible treatment options for benthic cyanobacteriaNutrient management options to reduce the likelihood of HCBs in your water bodyWe encourage you to use the ITRC HCB Resources (HCB-1 and HCB-2) and the recorded trainings to learn about planktonic and benthic cyanobacteria, monitoring approaches, management of active blooms, and prevention of blooms in the future. For regulators and other government agency staff, these materials present the current state of the science on cyanobacteria and approaches to manage and reduce the occurrence of blooms. We share examples and resources from across the country that can help you develop approaches of your own. While the training makes every effort to keep the information accessible to a wide audience, it is assumed that the participants will have some basic technical understanding of biology, lake management, chemistry, and environmental sciences. As with other emerging concerns, our understanding of HCBs continues to advance. These trainings help you build HCB response plans now and point you to resources that will keep you up to date in the future. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/HCB-2_030923/
In response to one of the biggest emerging environmental concerns, ITRC formed the Microplastics Team in 2021 to develop the Microplastics Guidance Document. Plastics have become pervasive in modern life and are now used in a wide range of commercial and industrial applications. Microplastics may result from the degradation and fragmentation of larger plastics, or they may be intentionally produced for specific applications and products. Regardless of their origin, microplastics are now ubiquitous in our environment. Because of their small size and pervasiveness in the environment, microplastics, along with any other contaminants which are adhered to the microplastics, may be inadvertently consumed by humans and other organisms.The online ITRC Guidance Document (available in February 2023) is geared toward an audience with reasonable level of scientific understanding, but not microplastic-specific knowledge. The guidance provides a user with information on microplastics and the state of the applied science without having to go to the scientific literature.The target audience for the guidance and this training course includes state regulators and environmental consultants, as well as community and tribal stakeholders. The guidance and this associated training course uses a conceptual site model to navigate microplastics in the environment and explore the following general areas:An introduction to microplastics, their sources, and worldwide distributionThe pathways through which microplastics can enter and travel in the environment and their distribution in various media (water, soil, sediment, air, and biota) A current look at the most common techniques and best practices for sampling and analyzing microplasticsPotential human health and ecological risks associated with microplastics in the environmentAn overview of existing regulations related to microplastics and macroplastics at the state, federal, and international levelsExamples of prevention and mitigation strategies and best management practices to reduce microplastics from entering the environment and the emerging technologies to abate, treat, and remediate microplastics once they exist in the environment Identification of data gaps and the need for further researchSeveral case studies illustrating a range of current microplastics-related topicsPrior to attending the training class, participants are encouraged to view the associated ITRC Microplastics Guidance document. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/Microplastics_030723/
The Harmful Cyanobacteria Blooms (HCBs) training reviews key information found in the two ITRC HCB Guidance Documents, the 2021 Strategies for Preventing and Managing Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms (HCB-1) and the 2022 companion document focused on benthic HCBs (HCB-2). ITRC's HCB-2 focuses on the ecology, toxin production, management, and mitigation of benthic HCBs and is a companion document to the HCB-1 document released by ITRC in March 2021.Cyanobacteria are microscopic, photosynthetic organisms that can be found naturally in all aquatic systems. Under certain conditions, cyanobacteria can multiply and become very abundant, discoloring the water throughout a water body, or accumulating at the surface. These occurrences are known as "harmful cyanobacterial blooms (HCBs)." HCBs can occur in many parts of a water body. Planktonic HCBs occur when cyanobacteria dominate the open water of water bodies. ITRC's HCB-1 guidance includes information about planktonic HCBs. In addition to being suspended in the open water, some cyanobacterial species grow attached to surfaces in a water body. These attached cyanobacteria can grow at the bottom of a water body (benthic zone) but may also be found nearer to the surface growing on submerged vegetation or woody debris. In any of these habitats the benthic cyanobacterial mats can produce and release cyanotoxins into the environment. When cyanobacteria proliferate as attached mats in benthic habitats instead of planktonic blooms, they present unique challenges to evaluating and communicating the public health and environmental risks caused by this less familiar appearance of cyanobacteria.HCB-1 TrainingThe Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom (HCB-1) training provides an overview of cyanobacteria (particularly planktonic blooms) and their management, covering five sections from the ITRC HCB-1 guidance document:Introduction to the Cyanobacteria (Section 3)Monitoring (Section 4)Communication and Response Planning (Section 5)Management and Control (Section 6)Nutrient Management (Section 7)HCB-2 TrainingThe Benthic Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom (HCB-2) training provides an overview of benthic cyanobacteria and their management, covering five sections from the ITRC HCB-2 guidance document:Introduction to the Benthic Cyanobacteria (Section 1)Cyanotoxins (Section 2)Monitoring for Benthic Cyanobacteria (Section 3)Introduction to Treatment Strategies (Section 4)Communication and Response Planning for Benthic Cyanobacteria (Section 5)After both training's, you should understand:The basic ecology and physiology of planktonic and benthic cyanobacteria, and the harmful effects they have on health, the environment, and local economiesAn overview of cyanotoxin classes and available cyanotoxin thresholds for human health (recreational and drinking water) and domestic animalsCommon approaches to monitoring for cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins, and how to build a monitoring programThe importance of good communication and coordinated response during HCBs, and the elements of a good response planAvailable options for in-lake management and control of HCBs, including an introduction to possible treatment options for benthic cyanobacteriaNutrient management options to reduce the likelihood of HCBs in your water bodyWe encourage you to use the ITRC HCB Resources (HCB-1 and HCB-2) and the recorded trainings to learn about planktonic and benthic cyanobacteria, monitoring approaches, management of active blooms, and prevention of blooms in the future. For regulators and other government agency staff, these materials present the current state of the science on cyanobacteria and approaches to manage and reduce the occurrence of blooms. We share examples and resources from across the country that can help you develop approaches of your own. While the training makes every effort to keep the information accessible to a wide audience, it is assumed that the participants will have some basic technical understanding of biology, lake management, chemistry, and environmental sciences. As with other emerging concerns, our understanding of HCBs continues to advance. These trainings help you build HCB response plans now and point you to resources that will keep you up to date in the future. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/HCB-2_030223/
The ITRC Environmental Data Management Best Practices Team (EDMBP Team) prepared a series of guidance documents and case studies on best practices for all phases of EDM to address the need for guidance on managing large stores of environmental data. Environmental data management (EDM) is a broad field that encompasses all aspects of environmental research and regulation, from habitat studies and wildlife management plans to health advisories and remediation of hazardous waste sites.The EDMBP Team developed three Roundtable training sessions to support the Guidance Document and case studies. You are welcome to register for any of the three, but they do not build upon each other.Data Management: Real Life Application of Data Management Planning and Field Data Collection Best PracticesData Exchange: Best Practices for Exchanging Environmental DataData Quality: Best Practices for Achieving and Maintaining Quality within Environmental Data ManagementNow more than ever, there is a need to store, manage and interpret environmental data for effective decision making. Advances in technology have led to an expectation for near immediate results. Stakeholders want answers now to the pressing questions that well-managed data can help answer. The demand to be better, faster, and smarter will only continue to increase as expectations grow. However, many organizations find themselves struggling so much with basic data infrastructure that they have difficulty meeting basic reporting requirements. Even more concerning is how unprepared regulatory agencies can be when called upon to deal with data-intensive environmental incidents. Given all this, the importance of enacting best practices for environmental data management cannot be overstated.In this training, trainers will discuss concepts from the ITRC Environmental Data Management Best Practices documents focused on data management planning and field data collection. This discussion is intended for people of all skill or experience levels within the environmental industry or regulatory community. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/EDM-1_022323/
ITRC's Vapor Intrusion Mitigation training is a series of eight (8) modules, presented over two sessions. The Vapor Intrusion Mitigation training series provides an overview of vapor intrusion mitigation and presenting information from the ITRC fact sheets, technology information sheets, and checklists (VIM-1, 2021):Session 1:Introduction & Overview of Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Training TeamConceptual Site Models for Vapor Intrusion MitigationPublic Outreach During Vapor Intrusion MitigationRapid Response & Ventilation for Vapor Intrusion MitigationRemediation & Institutional ControlsSession 2:Active Mitigation ApproachesPassive Mitigation ApproachesSystem Verification, OM&M, and Exit StrategiesWhen certain contaminants or hazardous substances are released into the soil or groundwater, they may volatilize into soil gas. Vapor intrusion (VI) occurs when these vapors migrate up into overlying buildings and contaminate indoor air. ITRC has previously released guidance documents focused on VI, including the "Vapor Intrusion Pathway: A Practical Guidance" (VI-1, 2007) and "Petroleum Vapor Intrusion: Fundamentals of Screening, Investigation, and Management" (PVI, 2014). However, ITRC has received multiple requests for additional details and training on mitigation strategies for addressing this exposure pathway. The ITRC Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Team (VIMT) created ten fact sheets, 16 technology information sheets, and 4 checklists with the goal of assisting regulators during review of vapor intrusion mitigation systems, and helping contractors understand the essential elements of planning, design, implementation, and operation, maintenance and monitoring (OM&M) of mitigation systems. After the Vapor Intrusion Mitigation series, you should understand:How to locate and utilize the VIM-1 fact sheets, technology information sheets, and checklistsThe importance of a VI mitigation conceptual site modelHow public outreach for VI mitigation differs from other environmental mattersWhen to implement rapid response for vapor intrusion and applicable methodologies The differences between remediation, mitigation, and institutional controlsAvailable technologies for active and passive mitigation, and design considerations for various approachesHow/when/why different mitigation technologies are appropriateHow to verify mitigation system success, address underperformance, and develop a plan for discontinuing a mitigation systemWe encourage you to use the ITRC Vapor Intrusion Mitigation work products (VIM-1) and these training modules to learn about vapor intrusion mitigation and how you can apply these best practices to improve decision-making at your sites. For regulators and other government agency staff, this understanding of vapor intrusion mitigation can be incorporated into your own programs. While the training makes every effort to keep the information accessible to a wide audience, it is assumed that the participants will have some basic technical understanding of chemistry, environmental sciences, and risk assessment. As with other emerging contaminants, our understanding of vapor intrusion mitigation continues to advance. This training provides the participants with information on areas where the science is evolving and where uncertainty persists. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/VIM-1_022123/
The M2S2 webinars have proven to be valuable forums to share information across the munitions response industry, on a wide range of topics and presented by a variety of subject matter experts representing multiple perspectives. Join this open forum as lessons learned are presented from the Government, Regulator and Contractor's side. Learn the best practices and challenges from each perspective, starting with the Systematic Planning Process from pre-proposal, to awarding the contract, and ultimately getting to the finish line. Presentations on this session will include:"A Contractor Perspective on MMRP Contracting and Systematic Planning Process" - Ryan Steigerwalt (Weston Solutions)"A Government Perspective on MMRP Contracting and Systematic Planning Process" - Amanda Sticker and John Jackson (US Army Corps of Engineers)"A Regulator Perspective on MMRP Contracting and Systematic Planning Process" - Jeff Swanson (CDPHE) To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/m2s2fy23-1_021523/
In 2020, ITRC's 1,4-Dioxane team created multiple tools and documents that provide information to assist all interested stakeholders in understanding this contaminant and for making informed, educated decisions. Since the 1950s, 1,4-Dioxane has seen widespread use as a solvent stabilizer. The use of solvents through the 1980s suggests its presence at thousands of solvent sites in the US; however, it is not always a standard compound in typical analytical suites for hazardous waste sites, so it previously was overlooked. The U.S. EPA has classified 1,4-Dioxane as "likely to be carcinogenic to humans." Some states have devised health standards or regulatory guidelines for drinking water and groundwater standards; these are often sub-part per billion values. These low standards present challenges for analysis, characterization, and remediation of 1,4-Dioxane. The 1,4-Dioxane: Science, Characterization & Analysis, and Remediation training is a series of six (6) modules. The six individual modules will be presented together live, and then archived on the ITRC 1,4-Dioxane training webpage for on demand listening. The modular 1,4-Dioxane training series provides an overview of 1,4-Dioxane and presenting six sections from the ITRC guidance document (1,4d-1, 2021):History of Use and Potential Sources (Sect 1)Regulatory Framework (Sect 2)Fate and Transport (Sect 3)Sampling and Analysis (Sect 4)Toxicity and Risk Assessment (Sect 5)Remediation and Treatment Technologies (Sect 6)After the six-part 1,4-Dioxane: Science, Characterization & Analysis, and Remediation series, you should understand:The history of 1,4-Dioxane manufacturing and usage and the potential sources of releases of 1,4-Dioxane to the environment.Primary state and U.S. federal regulatory programs of relevance to 1,4-DioxaneKey physical/chemical properties, and fate and transport processes that are relevant for 1,4-DioxaneBenefits and limitations of the available analytical methodsRisk drivers for human health and how ecological risk comparesHow/when/why different treatment technologies are appropriateWe encourage you to use the ITRC 1,4-Dioxane products (14d-1) and these training modules to learn about 1,4-Dioxane and how you can apply these best practices to improve decision-making at your sites.For regulators and other government agency staff, this understanding of 1,4-Dioxane can be incorporated into your own programs. This training summarizes the current understanding of 1,4-Dioxane. While the training makes every effort to keep the information accessible to a wide audience, it is assumed that the participants will have some basic technical understanding of chemistry, environmental sciences, and risk assessment. As with other emerging contaminants, our understanding of 1,4-Dioxane continues to advance. This training provides the participants with information on areas where the science is evolving and where uncertainty persists. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/14D-1_013123/
ITRC recognized that while some state and federal agencies and other entities have guidance documents regarding soil background, there is not one comprehensive and widely accepted guidance document that summarizes the state of the science on this topic. The ITRC Soil Background & Risk Assessment Guidance (SBR-1) released December 2021 is intended to fill the gap by providing a comprehensive defensible framework for establishing and using soil background in risk assessments. It focuses on the process of establishing defensible background concentrations of naturally occurring or anthropogenic ambient chemicals that can be used when performing risk assessment at contaminated sites.This training will provide:an understanding of how to establish soil background and use it in risk assessment of contaminated cleanup sitestools necessary to identify when soil background is important to include in risk assessmentan overview of how to establish soil background and how to use it in risk assessmentTrainers will elaborate on topics such as soil background definitions, how to choose a soil background site, soil sampling and soil analytical methods. It will cover how to establish default and site-specific soil background, and also how to use them in risk assessment. Other topics covered will include statistical methods and tests including how to handle dataset distributions, nondetects, outliers and different statistical tests that may be useful when comparing soil background to site concentrations. Trainers will provide insight into what a geochemical evaluation and environmental forensics are and when they can be used to provide an additional line of evidence. The target audience for the ITRC Soil Background and Risk Assessment Guidance Document (SBR-1) includes risk assessors, risk managers, and site investigators, which may include federal, state, tribal, and various local agency employees; contractors to these agencies; as well as potentially liable parties and their consultants.For training purposes, the ITRC Soil Background and Risk Assessment team produced four videos which can be viewed on ITRC's YouTube Channel:Overview of the guidance document, introduction, and definitionsSampling and analytical methodsEstablishing and using soil background in risk assessmentGeochemical evaluations and environmental forensics To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/SBR_012423/
Integration of urban agriculture into modern city planning has acquired an increased popularity in communities across the United States. Agriculture on the urban scale has proved to be a promising method to increase access to healthy, nutritious, and low-cost produce. Urban soil systems differ from their rural counterparts in terms of their physical and chemical properties. Due to their urban nature, the soil media used in these gardening plots are highly influenced by past and present anthropogenic activities that can threaten both soil health and food safety via chemical contaminants. Consequently, plant uptake findings from rural agricultural soils do not directly apply for risk assessment of urban soil media.This webinar will provide an overview of the following topics: contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) found at urban gardening sites, state-specific CECs, plant uptake of CECs from urban soil, and plant uptake models. A portion will be dedicated to outlining research and primary data gaps which require remediation to facilitate a more accurate characterization of potential exposure to ensure enough data is provided to form a national screening level. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/Plant-Uptake-Pathways_121922/
Determining ARARs at Federal Facility Sites is a two-hour webinar course that will highlight how to determine Applicable or Relevant and Appropriate Requirements (ARARs) in decision-documents based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidance, identify commonly used ARARs, and when to involve partners. By taking this course, participants will achieve the following objectives:Understand the general procedures for ARAR identification, analysis, and documentation;Learn about ARARs under Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Section 121(d) and associated EPA guidance;Identify the three types of ARARs and how they are determined; and,Explore CERCLA ARAR waiver criteria and the six waivers identified under CERCLA 121(d).The instructional methodology for this course includes lecture and quizzes. The target audience for this course is federal, state, and tribal representatives who work on Federal Facility cleanups. Ideally, students should have a basic understanding of ARARs and the CERCLA process. This course is part of the Federal Facilities Academy training program. Please consider registering for other Federal Facility Academy courses and obtain a certificate upon completion of the entire Federal Facility Academy series (12 courses total). To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/FFAcademy11_120722/
In 2020, ITRC recognized that In situ remediation technologies using amendment injections have advanced to mainstream acceptance and offer a competitive advantage over many forms of ex situ treatment of soil and groundwater. Developing a detailed site-specific strategy is absolutely critical to the success of such in situ remedies. These strategies include conducting a thorough site characterization that will allow development of a detailed Conceptual Site Model (CSM) to guide critical analysis of subsurface features and improving remediation effectiveness. In the interest of developing expedited solutions, many past in situ remediation projects have been executed based on an incomplete understanding of the hydrogeology, geology, and contaminant distribution and mass. Some of these sites have undergone multiple rounds of in situ injections but have not advanced to closure. Better strategies and minimum design standards are required to decrease uncertainty and improve remedy effectiveness. In an effort to overcome these challenges and improve the effectiveness of in situ remediation using injected amendments, ITRC developed the guidance: Optimizing Injection Strategies and In Situ Remediation Performance (OIS-ISRP-1). The guidance and this associated training course identify challenges that may impede or limit remedy effectiveness and discuss the potential optimization strategies, and specific actions that can be pursued, to improve the performance of in situ remediation by:Refining and evaluating remedial design site characterization data;Selecting the correct amendment;Choosing delivery methods for site-specific conditions;Creating design specifications;Conducting performance evaluations, andOptimizing underperforming in situ remedies.The target audience for this guidance and training course is: environmental consultants, responsible parties, federal and state regulators, as well as community and tribal stakeholders. This training will support users in efficiently and confidently applying the guidance at their remediation sites. An optimization case study is shared to illustrate the use of the associated guidance document. Prior to attending the training class, participants are encouraged to view the associated ITRC guidance, Optimizing Injection Strategies and In Situ Remediation Performance (OIS-ISRP-1) as well as to be familiar with the characterization process described in Integrated DNAPL Site Strategy (ITRC 2011c). To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/OIS-ISRP_120622/
In this informative webinar, hosted by EPA's Superfund Redevelopment Program and Office of Site Remediation Enforcement, you will learn about the top ten redevelopment questions that prospective purchasers and local governments ask EPA and best practices to support the return of Superfund sites back to beneficial use. Join us as we discuss two popular EPA tools: the Top 10 Questions to Ask When Buying a Superfund site fact sheet and the Superfund Redevelopment Program's Prospective Purchaser Inquiry (PPI) Service. The webinar will also provide real-life lessons learned and tips for developers and local governments seeking to redevelop Superfund sites. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/superfund-redevelopment_113022/
The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) is hosting a Risk e-Learning webinar series focused on scientific research and tools that can be used to promote health and resilience to climate change. The series will feature SRP-funded researchers, collaborators, and other subject-matter experts who aim to better understand and address how climate change affects human exposures to hazardous substances and the public health consequences of a changing climate and identify ways to build health resilience.The third and final session will highlight how climate-related disasters, and exposure to harmful chemicals redistributed during these events, affect people's health and well-being. Presenters will describe how certain populations are disproportionately exposed to harmful contaminants. Speakers will also share innovative tools to track environmental exposures and improve public health.Hurricanes are most devastating natural disasters, which dramatically change the physical landscape and take a heavy toll on human life, demolish infrastructure and property, and exacerbate environmental stressors that persists for months after their landfall. Naresh Kumar, Ph.D., of the University of Miami, will examine the distribution of polychlorinated biphenyls (PBCs) and heavy metals in the aftermath of hurricane Maria, which struck Puerto Rico in 2017, and their associated health risks to communities in Guánica Municipality. His team has been monitoring PCBs in Guánica Bay since 2013. Their data suggest that PCB concentration in Bay increased four time after hurricane Maria, and communities PCB exposure through inhalation and ingestion could have likely increased after the hurricane through ingestion and inhalation, because some of the community members rely on the Bay for seafood and fish. Deborah Watkins, Ph.D., of the University of Michigan School of Public Health and the Northeastern University SRP Center, will discuss the effect of Hurricane Maria on the PROTECT birth cohort in Puerto Rico. She will characterize changes in exposure to environmental contaminants among pregnant participants, comparing biomarker concentrations in samples collected before Hurricane Maria to levels in the weeks and months following the storm. Potential sources of hurricane-related exposures, such as drinking water and exhaust from gas-powered generators, as well as methods for linking exposures to adverse birth outcomes, will be discussed.Kim Anderson, Ph.D., of the Oregon State University SRP Center will talk about three different studies related to Arctic, wildfire, and hurricane cases. The first one is a collaboration with the Yupik community, this study utilized passive sampling devices deployed at eight locations in Troutman Lake, Alaska. Air, water and sediment pore-water deployed samplers were analyzed for 63 alkyl and unsubstituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 43 brominated and organophosphate flame retardants and 52 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). For the second study, they investigated vapor-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in indoor and outdoor air before, during and after wildfires using a community-engaged research approach. Paired passive air samplers were deployed at fifteen locations across four states. Twelve unique PAHs were detected only in outdoor air during wildfires. Indoor PAH concentrations were higher in 77% of samples across all sampling events. Even during wildfires, 58% of sampled locations still had higher indoor PAH air concentrations. Cancer and non-cancer inhalation risk estimates from vapor-phase PAHs were higher indoor than outdoor, regardless of wildfire impact. Consideration of indoor air quality and vapor-phase PAHs could inform public health recommendations regarding wildfires. The third study is related to Hurricane Harvey, which was associated with flood-related damage to chemical plants, oil refineries, and flooding of hazardous waste sites, including 13 Superfund sites. As clean-up efforts began, concerns were raised regarding the human health impact of possible increased chemical exposure resulting from the hurricane and subsequent flooding. Personal sampling devices in the form of silicone wristbands were deployed to a longitudinal panel of individuals within 45 days of the hurricane and again one year later in the Houston metropolitan area. Personal chemical exposures were generally higher post-hurricane Harvey. These three artic, wildfire, and hurricane studies found that chemicals are moving in different ways and chemical exposures change with the disasters.This webinar is the third in a three-part series, please visit the pages for Session I and Session II to register and learn more. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/SRPCCH3_111822/
Extreme weather events and wildfires are increasing and impacting hazardous waste sites. The primary goal of cleanups, which is protecting human health and the environment, is undermined. Confronted with these risks, environmental professionals should assess, and design remedies that are sustainable and resilient. Sustainable resilient remediation (SRR) is an optimized solution to cleaning up and reusing a hazardous waste site that limits negative environmental impacts, maximizes social and economic benefits, and creates resilience against increasing threats.The objective of the ITRC Sustainable Resilient Remediation (SRR-1) is to provide resources and tools for regulators, stakeholders, consultants, and responsible parties to help integrate sustainable and resilient practices into remediation projects. This guidance updates the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council's (ITRC) Technical and Regulatory Guidance: Green and Sustainable Remediation: A Practical Framework (ITRC 2011a) and includes a strong resilience component to address the increasing threat of extreme weather events and wildfires. Recommendations for careful and continuous consideration of the social and economic costs and benefits of a cleanup project are included.Training ObjectivesEducate participants about available SRR resources and toolsImpart evolution from Green and Sustainable Remediation (GSR) to SRRProvide guidance on practical application and implementation of SRRProvide participants with information necessary to navigate the SRR guidance and toolsTraining GoalsProvide information and resources for the social and economic dimensions of sustainability, including state-of-the-art social and economic evaluation toolsProvide a framework illustrating how and why sustainability and resilience should be integrated throughout the remedial project life cycleOffer checklists of key sustainable best management practices to address resilience based on specific vulnerabilities at a site, as well as resources for additional informationPresent interactive maps with links to available state and federal resources to quickly find examples and best practices from your state or other states and federal agenciesReference case studies illustrating the application of SRR considerations After the SRR Training, a user will have the tools necessary to understand what SRR is and how it can be used to achieve a sustainable and resilient remediation outcome. This can be accomplished by remediation practitioners applying the principles and practices to a contaminated site and by providing SRR resources to help regulators and stakeholders in the development and review of project documents or submittals.The intended users of this guidance and training course are those individuals responsible for managing contaminated sites. Users of this training and the associated documents will develop an understanding of SRR and its importance in achieving sustainability and resilience for site remediation. Principals, best practices, resources, and trainer insights will help users conduct SRR tailored to the needs of the sites under their care. Recommended Reading: Participants are strongly encouraged to review the ITRC Sustainable Resilient Remediation, (SRR-1) document prior to participating in the training class. Also, because SRR-1 is an expansion and update of the concepts developed in Green and Sustainable Remediation: A Practical Framework, GSR-2, review of this document is recommended but is not a prerequisite. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/SRR_111722/
Coordinating with Tribes at Federal Facilities is a two-hour webinar course that will provide an overview of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) policy on consultation and coordination with Indian Tribes at federal facilities. This webinar will also provide tips on how to work more collaboratively during this process. By taking this course, participants will achieve the following objectives:Identify EPA processes and policies for interacting with the Tribes;Understand the roles of EPA and tribal governments in Federal Facility clean ups;Learn about the Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Office (FFRRO); and,Discover EPA resources and tools available to assist Federal Facilities in building partnerships with the Tribes;The instructional methodology for this course includes lecture, group discussions, and case studies. The target audience for this course is federal, state, and tribal representatives who work on Federal Facility cleanups. Ideally, students should have a basic understanding of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) process. This course is part of the Federal Facilities Academy training program. Please consider registering for other Federal Facility Academy courses and obtain a certificate upon completion of the entire Federal Facility Academy series (12 courses total). To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/FFAcademy10_110922/
The Harmful Cyanobacteria Blooms (HCBs) training reviews key information found in the two ITRC HCB Guidance Documents, the 2021 Strategies for Preventing and Managing Harmful Cyanobacterial Blooms (HCB-1) and the 2022 companion document focused on benthic HCBs (HCB-2). ITRC's HCB-2 focuses on the ecology, toxin production, management, and mitigation of benthic HCBs and is a companion document to the HCB-1 document released by ITRC in March 2021.Cyanobacteria are microscopic, photosynthetic organisms that can be found naturally in all aquatic systems. Under certain conditions, cyanobacteria can multiply and become very abundant, discoloring the water throughout a water body, or accumulating at the surface. These occurrences are known as "harmful cyanobacterial blooms (HCBs)." HCBs can occur in many parts of a water body. Planktonic HCBs occur when cyanobacteria dominate the open water of water bodies. ITRC's HCB-1 guidance includes information about planktonic HCBs. In addition to being suspended in the open water, some cyanobacterial species grow attached to surfaces in a water body. These attached cyanobacteria can grow at the bottom of a water body (benthic zone) but may also be found nearer to the surface growing on submerged vegetation or woody debris. In any of these habitats the benthic cyanobacterial mats can produce and release cyanotoxins into the environment. When cyanobacteria proliferate as attached mats in benthic habitats instead of planktonic blooms, they present unique challenges to evaluating and communicating the public health and environmental risks caused by this less familiar appearance of cyanobacteria.HCB-1 TrainingThe Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom (HCB-1) training provides an overview of cyanobacteria (particularly planktonic blooms) and their management, covering five sections from the ITRC HCB-1 guidance document:Introduction to the Cyanobacteria (Section 3)Monitoring (Section 4)Communication and Response Planning (Section 5)Management and Control (Section 6)Nutrient Management (Section 7)HCB-2 TrainingThe Benthic Harmful Cyanobacteria Bloom (HCB-2) training provides an overview of benthic cyanobacteria and their management, covering five sections from the ITRC HCB-2 guidance document:Introduction to the Benthic Cyanobacteria (Section 1)Cyanotoxins (Section 2)Monitoring for Benthic Cyanobacteria (Section 3)Introduction to Treatment Strategies (Section 4)Communication and Response Planning for Benthic Cyanobacteria (Section 5)After both training's, you should understand:The basic ecology and physiology of planktonic and benthic cyanobacteria, and the harmful effects they have on health, the environment, and local economiesAn overview of cyanotoxin classes and available cyanotoxin thresholds for human health (recreational and drinking water) and domestic animalsCommon approaches to monitoring for cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins, and how to build a monitoring programThe importance of good communication and coordinated response during HCBs, and the elements of a good response planAvailable options for in-lake management and control of HCBs, including an introduction to possible treatment options for benthic cyanobacteriaNutrient management options to reduce the likelihood of HCBs in your water bodyWe encourage you to use the ITRC HCB Resources (HCB-1 and HCB-2) and the recorded trainings to learn about planktonic and benthic cyanobacteria, monitoring approaches, management of active blooms, and prevention of blooms in the future. For regulators and other government agency staff, these materials present the current state of the science on cyanobacteria and approaches to manage and reduce the occurrence of blooms. We share examples and resources from across the country that can help you develop approaches of your own. While the training makes every effort to keep the information accessible to a wide audience, it is assumed that the participants will have some basic technical understanding of biology, lake management, chemistry, and environmental sciences. As with other emerging concerns, our understanding of HCBs continues to advance. These trainings help you build HCB response plans now and point you to resources that will keep you up to date in the future. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/HCB-2_110822/
The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) is hosting a Risk e-Learning webinar series focused on scientific research and tools that can be used to promote health and resilience to climate change. The series will feature SRP-funded researchers, collaborators, and other subject-matter experts who aim to better understand and address how climate change affects human exposures to hazardous substances and the public health consequences of a changing climate and identify ways to build health resilience.People are continually exposed to a complex mixture of environmental toxicants. The second session will describe how extreme weather events, such as hurricanes and wildfires, and other extreme events affect the distribution of these pollutants, their toxicity, and the potential increased risk of exposure to humans. Presenters will introduce new models to track the movement of multiple contaminants in the environment and will discuss the health effects of these complex exposures. We will also hear about the NIH Climate Change and Health Initiative and other ongoing efforts at NIH to reduce the health consequences associated with climate change.This webinar is the second in a three-part series, please visit the pages for Session I and Session III to register and learn more.Gwen Collman, Ph.D., of NIEHS, will introduce a new NIH-wide effort to build a program in Climate Change and Health. She will briefly describe the strategic framework for this work. Elsie Sunderland, Ph.D., of Harvard University and the University of Rhode Island SRP Center, will discuss effects of climate driven processes on the distribution and bioaccumulation of several toxicants in the marine environment. Using examples from large scale biogeochemical models for polychlorinated biphenyls, mercury, and perfluorooctane sulfonate, this presentation will discuss how ongoing climate change is affecting human exposures to toxicants through consumption of marine fish — one of the world's last wild foods.Elena Craft, Ph.D., of the Environmental Defense Fund, will share work related to understanding the effects of environmental disasters on the distribution of pollutants, specifically in response to hurricanes. In addition, she will discuss collaborations and sampling campaigns organized between SRP research centers, the private sector, and community partners to address human health concerns in the wake of major hurricanes. The prevalence of wildfires continues to grow concurrent with global climate change, with exposures resulting in increased disease risk. Characterizing these health risks remains difficult due to the wide landscape of exposures that can result from different burn conditions and fuel types. Julia Rager, Ph.D., of the University of North Carolina SRP Center, will review ongoing research aimed at identifying chemical drivers of wildfire toxicity and their associated underlying mechanisms. Research includes the integration of computational modeling to parse the major constituents of wildfire-associated toxicity. A novel 'transcriptomic similarity scoring' method will also be discussed to highlight the grouping of variable biomass burn conditions to yield insight into risk assessment strategies to ultimately protect public health. Lastly, new biological mechanisms surrounding wildfire-induced toxicity will be highlighted, focusing on the role of extracellular vesicles in cross-tissue communication and disease etiology. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/SRPCCH2_110422/
Volatile organic compound (VOC) contamination in the vadose zone presents a potential threat to underlaying groundwater and/or to nearby structures through vapor intrusion. Such contamination is often addressed using soil vapor extraction (SVE), in which a vacuum is applied to the unsaturated zone to remove VOCs from the soil gas through a physical, mass transfer and extraction process. Typical of such processes, SVE can exhibit a diminishing rate of contaminant extraction over time. Current SVE performance assessment guidance provides a structured approach for assessing remediation of volatile contaminant sources in the vadose zone to determine whether the remedy should be terminated, optimized, supplemented, or transitioned to another technology. Quantification of the impacts of the remaining vadose zone source on groundwater and soil gas concentrations is a key element of this performance assessment. This seminar will discuss the U.S. Department of Energy's SVE performance assessment guidance and the associated Soil Vapor Extraction Endstate Tool (SVEET) software, that has recently been updated as part of an Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) project. Application of the guidance and tool will be illustrated using information from the ESTCP demonstration and from an evaluation of a SVE system at the DOE Hanford Site. Collectively, SVE performance assessments provide a defensible technical basis for making decisions about vadose zone remediation to provide a path that protects human health and the environment while making effective use of limited resources. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/SVE-Remedy-Performance_102622/
In 2020, ITRC's 1,4-Dioxane team created multiple tools and documents that provide information to assist all interested stakeholders in understanding this contaminant and for making informed, educated decisions. Since the 1950s, 1,4-Dioxane has seen widespread use as a solvent stabilizer. The use of solvents through the 1980s suggests its presence at thousands of solvent sites in the US; however, it is not always a standard compound in typical analytical suites for hazardous waste sites, so it previously was overlooked. The U.S. EPA has classified 1,4-Dioxane as "likely to be carcinogenic to humans." Some states have devised health standards or regulatory guidelines for drinking water and groundwater standards; these are often sub-part per billion values. These low standards present challenges for analysis, characterization, and remediation of 1,4-Dioxane.
The 1,4-Dioxane: Science, Characterization & Analysis, and Remediation training is a series of six (6) modules. The six individual modules will be presented together live, and then archived on the ITRC 1,4-Dioxane training webpage for on demand listening.
The modular 1,4-Dioxane training series provides an overview of 1,4-Dioxane and presenting six sections from the ITRC guidance document (1,4d-1, 2021):History of Use and Potential Sources (Sect 1)Regulatory Framework (Sect 2)Fate and Transport (Sect 3)Sampling and Analysis (Sect 4)Toxicity and Risk Assessment (Sect 5)Remediation and Treatment Technologies (Sect 6)After the six-part 1,4-Dioxane: Science, Characterization & Analysis, and Remediation series, you should understand:The history of 1,4-Dioxane manufacturing and usage and the potential sources of releases of 1,4-Dioxane to the environment.Primary state and U.S. federal regulatory programs of relevance to 1,4-DioxaneKey physical/chemical properties, and fate and transport processes that are relevant for 1,4-DioxaneBenefits and limitations of the available analytical methodsRisk drivers for human health and how ecological risk comparesHow/when/why different treatment technologies are appropriate We encourage you to use the ITRC 1,4-Dioxane products (14d-1) and these training modules to learn about 1,4-Dioxane and how you can apply these best practices to improve decision-making at your sites. For regulators and other government agency staff, this understanding of 1,4-Dioxane can be incorporated into your own programs. This training summarizes the current understanding of 1,4-Dioxane. While the training makes every effort to keep the information accessible to a wide audience, it is assumed that the participants will have some basic technical understanding of chemistry, environmental sciences, and risk assessment. As with other emerging contaminants, our understanding of 1,4-Dioxane continues to advance. This training provides the participants with information on areas where the science is evolving and where uncertainty persists. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/14D-1_101822/
Role of Superfund Performance Measures is a two-hour webinar course that will identify the role of performance measures, including environmental indicators, how to justify their status, and how to achieve an under-control status at Superfund sites. By taking this course, participants will achieve the following objectives:Discover the origin and role of Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) Measures;Explore the different types of internal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) planning targets reported through the Superfund Enterprise Management System (SEMs) database; and,Learn about Environmental Indicators for Human Exposure and Groundwater Migration and how they are determined.The instructional methodology for this course includes lecture, group discussion, and quizzes. The target audience for this course is federal, state, and tribal representatives who work on Federal Facility cleanups. Ideally, students should have a basic understanding of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) process. This course is part of the Federal Facilities Academy training program. Please consider registering for other Federal Facility Academy courses and obtain a certificate upon completion of the entire Federal Facility Academy series (12 courses total). To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/FFAcademy9_101222/
The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) is hosting a Risk e-Learning webinar series focused on scientific research and tools that can be used to promote health and resilience to climate change.
The series will feature SRP-funded researchers, collaborators, and other subject-matter experts who aim to better understand and address how climate change affects human exposures to hazardous substances and the public health consequences of a changing climate and identify ways to build health resilience.
Building resilience to climate change includes removing hazardous substances from the environment that could be redistributed through climate events, such as flooding and hurricanes. The first session will feature SRP-funded researchers who are developing new strategies to clean-up contaminated water, using plants to mitigate drought, and designing more climate resilient communities. Presenters will discuss approaches to make ecosystems and communities more resilient to changing climatic conditions, such as drought, flooding, and pollution.
SRP Director William Suk, Ph.D., M.P.H., will provide an overview of the series and briefly discuss the rationale and goals of SRP's climate change research activities.
Raina Maier, Ph.D., of the University of Arizona SRP Center, will talk about soil health and the arid microbiome in dryland ecosystems as the climate continues to change. This talk will present results from studies in the Atacama and Sonoran Deserts showing the impact of aridity on the soil microbiome. These results will be put into the context of the role of the microbiome in reclamation of mine wastes generated by hardrock mining in arid regions. Research findings point to the need for nuanced approaches to management and regulation of mine waste reclamation efforts in a warming climate.
Galen Newman, Ph.D., of Texas A&M University SRP Center, will discuss an engagement-based, adaptive and flexible green infrastructure toolkit developed by his team to address the needs of the City of Galena Park, Texas, which has experienced severe flood damage and hazardous substance transferal during flood events. The toolkit, which can be applied based on both on-ground spatial size and underground depth to existing infrastructure, can lessen both flooding and contamination issues to improve public health outcomes.
David Sedlak, Ph.D., of the University of California, Berkeley SRP Center, will provide an overview of new water filtration techniques to ensure that the quality of urban runoff improves during the filtration process. His team developed robust systems that employ inexpensive geomedia that removes contaminants without impeding water flow. They also developed approaches for amending the geomedia with woodchips and other forms of organic carbon to enhance the removal of trace organics, nitrate, and metals through microbial processes. Sedlak will also discuss other approaches that can be used to enhance contaminant removal during the infiltration process.
This webinar is the first in a three-part series, please visit the pages for Session II and Session III to register and learn more. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/SRPCCH1_100722/
Prepare for ITRC's Expert Panel by reviewing the archived two sessions (Session 1 for Module 1-3 or Session 2 for Module 4-6) that cover an overview of ISM and present five sections from the ITRC guidance document (ISM-2, 2020). You are welcome to watch a single module below:Module 0: ISM-2 Update IntroductionModule 1: ISM Overview (ISM-2 Update, Section 1) Module 2: Heterogeneity (ISM-2 Update, Section 2)Module 3: Statistics, Data Use Planning, and Data Quality Evaluation (ISM-2 Update, Section 3.2; 3.3; 6)Module 4: Field Sampling Collection (ISM-2 Update, Section 4)Module 5: Lab Preparation (ISM-2 Update, Section 5)Module 6: Risk Assessment (ISM-2 Update, Section 8) To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/ISM2_100422/
In 2017, ITRC recognized that at some sites, complex site-specific conditions make it difficult to fully remediate environmental contamination. Both technical and nontechnical challenges can impede remediation and may prevent a site from achieving federal — and state — mandated regulatory cleanup goals within a reasonable time frame. For example, technical challenges may include geologic, hydrogeologic, geochemical, and contaminant-related conditions as well as large-scale or surface conditions. In addition, nontechnical challenges may also play a role such as managing changes that occur over long time frames, overlapping regulatory and financial responsibilities between agencies, setting achievable site objectives, maintaining effective institutional controls, redevelopment and changes in land use, and funding considerations.This training course and associated ITRC guidance: Remediation Management of Complex Sites (RMCS-1, 2017), provide a recommended holistic process for management of challenging sites, termed "adaptive site management." This process is a comprehensive, flexible, and iterative process that is well-suited for sites where there is significant uncertainty in remedy performance predictions. Adaptive site management includes the establishment of interim objectives and long-term site objectives that consider both technical and nontechnical challenges. Periodic adjustment of the remedial approach may involve multiple technologies at any one time and changes in technologies over time. Comprehensive planning and scheduled evaluations of remedy performance help decision makers track remedy progress and improve the timeliness of remedy optimization, reevaluations, or transition to other technologies/contingency actions.By participating in this training course, we expect you will learn to apply the ITRC guidance document to:Identify and integrate technical and nontechnical challenges into a holistic approach to remediationUse the Remediation Potential Assessment to identify whether adaptive site management is warranted due to site complexity Understand and apply adaptive site management principles Develop a long-term performance-based action plan Apply well-demonstrated techniques for effective stakeholder engagement Access additional resources, tools, and case studies most relevant for complex sitesCommunicate the value of the guidance to regulators, practitioners, community members, and othersUltimately, using the guidance that can lead to better decision making and remediation management at complex sites. The guidance is intended to benefit a variety of site decision makers, including regulators, responsible parties and their consultants, and public and tribal stakeholders. Case studies are used to describe real-world applications of remediation and remediation management at complex sites. Training participants are encouraged to view the associated ITRC guidance Remediation Management of Complex Sites (RMCS-1, 2017) prior to attending the class. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/RMCS_092222/
Understanding and addressing climate change is critical to EPA's mission of protecting human health and the environment. This webinar will discuss how EPA is addressing the vulnerabilities of Superfund site cleanups and reuse to climate change and extreme weather events. Participants will learn about EPA tools and resources available to help communities adapt to climate change. This event will also feature the Student Conservation Association, an organization with local programs to protect and restore national parks, marine sanctuaries, cultural landmarks and community green spaces in all 50 states, to highlight opportunities to build ecological, social, and economic resilience. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/superfund-redevelopment_092122/
Community Involvement at Federal Facilities is a two-hour webinar course that focuses on community involvement requirements, resources, and techniques available for Federal Facilities being cleaned up at National Priorities List (NPL) sites under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). By taking the course, participants will achieve the following objectives:Learn about community involvement requirements under CERCLA;Understand the roles of the lead federal agency and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in public involvement at Federal Facilities;Discover resources and tools available for community involvement activities;Explore community involvement techniques and approaches that can be used at Superfund sites; and,Identify community involvement opportunities throughout the Superfund process at Federal Facilities.The instructional methodology for this course includes lecture, case studies, and group discussions. The target audience for this course is federal, state, and tribal representatives who work on Federal Facility cleanups. Ideally, students should have a basic understanding of the CERCLA process. This course is part of the Federal Facilities Academy training program. Please consider registering for other Federal Facility Academy courses and obtain a certificate upon completion of the entire Federal Facility Academy series (12 courses total). To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/FFAcademy8_091422/
This webinar will offer small businesses and academic researchers an opportunity to hear from some of the Federal agencies that fund water technologies, with a special focus on investments in nanotechnology-enabled solutions. Webinar speakers will describe the fundamental goals of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs at various agencies and share details of current and upcoming solicitations.
The SBIR and STTR programs fund a diverse portfolio of startups and small businesses across technology areas and markets to stimulate technological innovation, meet Federal research and development (R&D) needs, and increase commercialization to transition R&D into impact.
The webinar will be co-hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). Representatives from the EPA, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the National Science Foundation (NSF) will provide an overview of their current and upcoming SBIR/STTR funding opportunities for water nanotechnologies. The agencies' presentations will be followed by a Q&A session. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/SBIR-STTR_082522/
This webinar will describe the process and results from a research project concerning an issue that arises when assessing the risks, doses, or working levels of indoor radon from radioactive contamination at Superfund sites. Radon and its daughter products are the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. The radon indoor Inhalation fractional Equilibrium Factor (Feq) is a unitless disequilibrium ratio of measured radon gas progeny alpha emissions to total progeny alpha emissions at equilibrium in a specified volume. The Superfund program developed radon vapor intrusion screening level (RVISL) calculator to assist with risk assessment and decision-making at Superfund sites where indoor Rn-222, Rn-220, and Rn-219 is a contaminant. The focus of this project was to take a closer look at the impact of factors such as exhalation, solid-particle concentration, surface deposition, and air quality. In this review, studies regarding the influence of these factors were summarized to provide a more comprehensive approach in establishing risk assessment for public health. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/radon_082422/
Groundwater Policy and Federal Facilities Overview is a two-hour webinar course that provides an overview of U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) groundwater policies and guidance with emphasis on cleanups at federal facilities. By taking this course, participants will achieve the following objectives:Identify EPA groundwater policies;Understand groundwater classification and beneficial use in restoration objectives;Understand nature and extent considerations from groundwater contaminant plumes;Explore applicable or relevant and appropriate requirements (ARARs) commonly associated with groundwater remedies;Identify groundwater considerations for monitored natural attenuation (MNA), institutional controls, and technical impracticability waivers; and,Discover information on major groundwater policies from other federal agencies, such as Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Energy (DoE).The instructional methodology for this course includes lecture and quizzes. The target audience for this course is federal, state, and tribal representatives who work on Federal Facility cleanups. Ideally, students should have a basic understanding the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). This course is part of the Federal Facilities Academy training program. Please consider registering for other Federal Facility Academy courses and obtain a certificate upon completion of the entire Federal Facility Academy series (12 courses total). To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/FFAcademy7_081022/
RE-Powering America's Land Initiative invites federal and state colleagues to join us for a special webinar demonstration of the updated EPA RE-Powering Mapper. You will learn why your data is important to putting idle and underutilized land back to productive reuse. The mapper demonstration will show you how to identify contaminated lands that might be suitable for renewable energy development in your state. Many states collaborated with RE-Powering America's Land Initiative to provide state level data and assisted in updating the RE-Powering Mapper. RE-Powering would like to extend a thank you to these states and their representatives! EPA's RE-Powering Mapper is an interactive web application, allows users to identify contaminated lands, landfills and mine sites for renewable energy development. Using renewable energy criteria developed in collaboration with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), EPA has pre-screened over 190,000 sites for their renewable energy potential. As part of this effort, EPA collaborated with state agencies from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Site screening was performed in August 2021.
This webinar is open to the public. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/RE-Powering-Mapper_080822/
This webinar will look at various steps of the remedy selection process, from the baseline MEC risk assessment that is conducted at the end of the Remedial Investigation (RI) through to describing the Selected Remedy in in the Record of Decision (ROD). The topics presented will address creating risk scenarios for the Risk Management Methodology (RMM), and show how these can be used to support the development of Remedial Action Objectives (RAOs) during the Feasibility Study (FS). Additional topics will cover the development and evaluation of remedial alternatives in the FS that achieve the RAO, and outline some best practices for describing the Selected Remedy and cleanup goals in the ROD. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/m2s2fy22-3_072022/
Consideration of future use is an integral part of the EPA's cleanup programs. Superfund site restoration and reuse can revitalize local economies and communities with recreational opportunities. This webinar will showcase the benefits of recreational reuses at Superfund sites across the country. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/superfund-redevelopment_071922/
RCRA and CERCLA Integration at Federal Facilities is a two-hour webinar course that will provide an overview of how the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) can be integrated at Federal Facilities through use of Federal Facility Agreements, regulator coordination, and lead regulator approach. By taking this course, participants will achieve the following objectives:Learn about Federal Facility Agreements and how they identify RCRA and CERCLA roles and responsibilities;Explore relevant memos and policies addressing RCRA and CERCLA coordination; and,Become familiar with some RCRA policies that apply to CERCLA wastes.The instructional methodology for this course includes lecture, case studies, and quizzes. The target audience for this course is federal, state, and tribal representatives who work on Federal Facility cleanups. Ideally, students should have a basic understanding of RCRA and CERCLA. This course is part of the Federal Facilities Academy training program. Please consider registering for other Federal Facility Academy courses and obtain a certificate upon completion of the entire Federal Facility Academy series (12 courses total). To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/FFAcademy6_071322/
While some state and federal agencies and other entities have guidance documents regarding soil background, there is not one comprehensive and widely accepted guidance document that summarizes the state of the science on this topic. The Soil Background and Risk Assessment ITRC guidance document released December 2021 is intended to fill the gap by providing a comprehensive defensible framework for establishing and using soil background in risk assessments. It focuses on the process of establishing defensible background concentrations of naturally occurring or anthropogenic ambient chemicals that can be used when performing risk assessment at contaminated sites.
The target audience for the ITRC Soil Background and Risk Assessment Guidance Document (SBR-1) includes risk assessors, risk managers, and site investigators, which may include federal, state, tribal, and various local agency employees; contractors to these agencies; as well as potentially liable parties and their consultants.
For training purposes, the ITRC Soil Background and Risk Assessment team produced four videos:Overview of the guidance document, introduction, and definitionsSampling and analytical methodsEstablishing and using soil background in risk assessmentGeochemical evaluations and environmental forensics Once the four videos are released they will be able to be viewed on demand at ITRC's YouTube Channel (coming June 2022).
This training course will include the viewing of two of the videos that the team produced and a panel of experts to answer questions. The two videos that will be shown are:Overview of the guidance document, introduction, and definitions;Establishing and using soil background in risk assessment.Even though we are only viewing two of the videos during the training, our panel of experts will answer any questions related to the guidance document. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/SBR_062322/
The FRTR Spring 2022 Meeting will explore advances in applying artificial intelligence technologies to site cleanup. Artificial intelligence technologies are beginning to transform how people and machines work together. Robotics and unmanned systems provide opportunities to access dangerous or toxic environments, and improve worker safety. Advances in machine learning are making it possible to process and analyze large data sets in new ways to support remediation decisions. Specific objectives are Review recent technology advances supporting site characterization and remediation.Identify potential benefits, risks and limits of robotics and unmanned aerial systems to support site characterization and remediation.Discuss appropriate use of machine learning and artificial intelligence to support remediation decisions. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/FRTRSpring22_061322/
Resolving Issues Before Formal Dispute is a two-hour webinar course that identifies less formal options to address conflict before going to dispute under a federal facility agreement. This webinar provides project management tips and techniques to address disagreements early in the process . By taking this course, participants will achieve the following objectives:Identify factors that contribute to conflict when working with team members from different agencies;Learn how to prepare a team to handle conflict;Explore tips and techniques to improve communication and come to resolution; and,Understand when formal dispute should be considered.The instructional methodology for this course includes lecture, group discussions, case studies, and quizzes. The target audience for this course is federal, state, and tribal representatives who work on Federal Facility cleanups. This course is part of the Federal Facilities Academy training program. Please consider registering for other Federal Facility Academy courses and obtain a certificate upon completion of the entire Federal Facility Academy series (12 courses total). To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/FFAcademy5_060822/
The FRTR Spring 2022 Meeting will explore advances in applying artificial intelligence technologies to site cleanup. Artificial intelligence technologies are beginning to transform how people and machines work together. Robotics and unmanned systems provide opportunities to access dangerous or toxic environments, and improve worker safety. Advances in machine learning are making it possible to process and analyze large data sets in new ways to support remediation decisions. Specific objectives are Review recent technology advances supporting site characterization and remediation.Identify potential benefits, risks and limits of robotics and unmanned aerial systems to support site characterization and remediation.Discuss appropriate use of machine learning and artificial intelligence to support remediation decisions. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/FRTRSpring22_060622/
The Conceptual Site Model (CSM) serves as a planning instrument, a modeling and data interpretation aid, and a tool for the project delivery team (PDT) to communicate and describe the current state of knowledge and assumptions about potential munitions and explosives of concern (MEC) and MC risks at the site; actual, potentially complete, or incomplete exposure pathways; current and reasonable proposed use of property; and potential receptors. In three MMRP CSM project studies, we will explore how the CSM evolved as work progressed and data gaps were filled, and address lessons learned. The project studies will convey the importance of the systematic planning process, that ensured the CSM development and refinement through a collaborative effort between the PDT, regulators and major stakeholders. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/m2s2fy22-2_052522/
The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) is hosting a Progress in Research webinar series to showcase new breakthroughs to advance sustainable solutions for hazardous substances in the environment. The three-part series will feature SRP individual research projects funded in 2020, who are incorporating new advances in materials science to optimize bioremediation of contaminants in soil, sediment, or water. In each session, awardees will describe their research projects, accomplishments, and next steps.
The third and final session will focus on strategies to improve how plant and fungi remove hazardous substances from soil.
Texas A&M Agrilife Research scientists are designing an integrated system using nanotechnology to enhance the capacity of fungi to break down persistent organic pollutants, such as PFAS. They seek to understand how modifying their nanomaterials can improve chemical adsorption and favor fungal growth. Laboratory tests are using samples collected from the Randolph Air Force Base in Texas.
At the University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers are genetically engineering plants to take up arsenic from soil and store it in their tissues. They are modifying the expression of genes that control the binding of arsenic and adding nanosulfur to the plant to improve its growth arsenic storage capacity.
Yale University researchers are designing nanomaterials customized to bind and take up PFAS from contaminated soil and water into hemp plants. Their nanomaterials are based on silica nanoparticles with high porosity and surface area, and on carbon dots known for their small size and fluorescence, which will allow the team to visually track the PFAS movement into and throughout the plants. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/srppir18_051322/
Determining Land Use and Onsite/Offsite Determinations is a two-hour webinar course that provides an overview of land use determinations under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Reasonably anticipated future land use at CERCLA sites is important in determining the appropriate extent of remediation. Onsite and offsite determinations impact the need for permits and offsite transfer of CERCLA wastes. By taking this course, participants will achieve the following objectives:Identify factors that influence land use determinations under CERCLA;Explore Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidance and policy related to land use determinations;Learn about onsite permit requirements and exemptions at Federal Facilities; and,Understand off-site determinations and the Off-Site Rule and how these differ from on-site determinations.The instructional methodology for this course includes lecture and group discussion. The target audience for this course is federal, state, and tribal representatives who work on Federal Facility cleanups. Ideally, students should have a basic understanding of land use and the CERCLA process. This course is part of the Federal Facilities Academy training program. Please consider registering for other Federal Facility Academy courses and obtain a certificate upon completion of the entire Federal Facility Academy series (12 courses total). To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/FFAcademy4_051122/
The restoration and redevelopment of historic industrial sites to commercial and residential use can provide areawide benefits for communities and local governments. This webinar will highlight the ongoing redevelopment process at the US Finishing/Cone Mills Superfund site in Greenville, South Carolina. Speakers will share the framework for redeveloping the site and creative strategies for overcoming challenges associated with redevelopment. The webinar will discuss the careful coordination between multiple parties to plan the innovative mixed-use redevelopment. Speakers will share lessons learned and recommendations for successfully navigating the redevelopment process and eliciting community buy in. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/superfund-redevelopment_050422/
"Risk-based cleanup goals are often calculated assuming that chemicals present in soil are absorbed by humans as efficiently as the chemicals dosed during the toxicity tests used to determine regulatory toxicity values (such as the Reference Dose or Cancer Slope Factor). This assumption can result in inaccurate exposure estimates and associated risks for some contaminated sites because the amount of a chemical absorbed (the chemical's bioavailability) from contaminated soil can be a fraction of the total amount present. Properly accounting for soil-chemical interactions on the bioavailability of chemicals from soil can lead to more accurate estimates of exposures to soil contaminants and improve risk assessments by decreasing uncertainty. The basis for this training course is the ITRC guidance: Bioavailability of Contaminants in Soil: Considerations for Human Health Risk Assessment (BCS-1). This guidance describes the general concepts of the bioavailability of contaminants in soil, reviews the state of the science, and discusses how to incorporate bioavailability into the human health risk assessment process. This guidance addresses lead, arsenic, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) because evaluating bioavailability is better understood for these chemicals than for others, particularly for the incidental ingestion of soil. The target audience for this guidance and training course are: Project managers interested in decreasing uncertainty in the risk assessment which may lead to reduced remedial action costs. Risk assessors new to bioavailability or those who want additional confidence and training in the current methods and common practices for using bioavailability assessment to more accurately determine human health risk at a contaminated site. As a participant in this training you should learn to:Value the ITRC document as a ""go-to"" resource for soil bioavailability Apply the decision process to determine when a site-specific bioavailability assessment may be appropriate Use the ITRC Review Checklist to develop or review a risk assessment that includes soil bioavailability Consider factors that affect arsenic, lead and PAH bioavailability Select appropriate methods to evaluate soil bioavailability Use tools to develop site-specific soil bioavailability estimates and incorporate them into human health risk assessment Learners can envision themselves implementing the ITRC guidance through case study applications. Training participants are encouraged to view the associated ITRC guidance, Bioavailability of Contaminants in Soil: Considerations for Human Health Risk Assessment (BCS-1) prior to attending the class." To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/BCS_050322/
The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) is hosting a Progress in Research webinar series to showcase new breakthroughs to advance sustainable solutions for hazardous substances in the environment. The three-part series will feature SRP individual research projects funded in 2020, who are incorporating new advances in materials science to optimize bioremediation of contaminants in soil, sediment, or water. In each session, awardees will describe their research projects, accomplishments, and next steps.
The second session will showcase novel tools and improved techniques to clean up sites contaminated with chlorinated compounds.
Florida State University researchers are designing sorbents to clean up groundwater contaminated with 1,4-dioxane and chlorinated volatile organic contaminants (VOCs). Consisting of a set of repeating cyclic macromolecules with unique geometry and internal chemistry, the sorbents can form specific microbe-contaminant complexes with only selected molecules, such as 1,4-dioxane.
At Oregon State University, investigators are developing a strategy to use bacteria encapsulated with a slow-release compound in hydrogel beads to break down complex mixtures of contaminants, such as VOCs and 1,4-dioxane. Using materials science and laboratory studies, the team aims inform long-term bioremediation solutions to treat a broad range of contaminants.
Researchers at the University of Iowa are investigating how activated carbon can be used to enhance the performance of bacteria used to break down halogenated pollutants, such as chlorinated ethenes. By re-engineering carbon materials, they hope to influence the composition of the degrading microbial community and increase their ability to break down mixtures of halogenated contaminants.
A team at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County is developing carbon-based sorbent materials to enhance the ability of bacteria to break down mixtures of chlorinated organic contaminants, such as chloroethene and polychlorinated biphenyls, in groundwater and sediments. They hope to integrate their laboratory findings with advanced site models to assess field-scale remedial applications. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/srppir17_042922/
The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) is hosting a Progress in Research webinar series to showcase new breakthroughs to advance sustainable solutions for hazardous substances in the environment. The three-part series will feature SRP individual research projects funded in 2020, who are incorporating new advances in materials science to optimize bioremediation of contaminants in soil, sediment, or water. In each session, awardees will describe their research projects, accomplishments, and next steps.
The first session will highlight sustainable technologies to break down and remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from the environment.
Researchers at the University of California, Riverside are exploring how nanomaterials powered by solar electricity can accelerate the activity of bacteria used to clean up halogenated contaminants, such as PFAS and 1,4-dioxane in groundwater. The scientists are using advanced analytical tools to understand how solar electricity can allow bacteria to degrade halogenated contaminants faster, more deeply, and under more realistic conditions.
Princeton University investigators are developing ferrihydrite nanoparticles to stimulate the activity of bacteria to break down PFAS in contaminated drinking water. The team is using laboratory studies to enhance the transport of their nanoparticles in groundwater.
State University of New York at Buffalo investigators are developing a two-step approach to eliminate PFAS in the environment. First, graphene-metal nanoparticles are used to break down PFAS into biodegradable forms, and then enriched bacterial cultures are used to complete the degradation process. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/srppir16_041522/
Military Munitions Policy Webinar is a two-hour webinar course that provides an overview of the Department of Defense (DoD) Military Munitions Response Program (MMRP), munitions policies, and how the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) is applied to munitions sites. By taking this course, participants will achieve the following objectives:Learn about DoD MMRP;Understand the CERCLA process as applied to a munitions site;Understand munitions policies; and,Explore EPA Munitions Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).The instructional methodology for this course includes lecture, case studies, and quizzes. The target audience for this course are federal, state, and tribal representatives who work on Federal Facility cleanups. Ideally, students should have a basic understanding of munitions and the CERCLA process. This course is part of the Federal Facilities Academy training program. Please consider registering for other Federal Facility Academy courses and obtain a certificate upon completion of the entire Federal Facility Academy series (12 courses total). To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/FFAcademy3_041322/
This series will explore the development and use of a CSM throughout the remedial response process. Special emphasis will be placed on using the CSM as a mechanism for systematic project planning and acquisition from Remedial Investigation through Remedial Action. Presentations will address lessons learned, best practices, and data needs for characterization, risk assessment, alternatives development, cost estimating, and contracting. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/m2s2fy22-1_032322/
RODs [Records of Decision] and More at Federal Facilities is a two-hour webinar course that will provide an overview of how early and interim actions, adaptive management, RODs, Explanations of Significant Differences (ESDs), and ROD Amendments are used at Federal Facilities. By taking this course, participants will achieve the following objectives:Understand how removal actions, sampling and analysis plans, and decision documents are used at Federal Facilities;Learn about the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DoE) Joint Policy Memo;Identify how Interim Actions can be used as part of an overall cleanup strategy; and,Learn the process for changing remedies after a ROD is issued.The instructional methodology for this course includes lecture, group discussions, case studies, and quizzes. The target audience for this course is federal, state, and tribal representatives who work on Federal Facility cleanups. Ideally, students should have a basic understanding of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) process. This course is part of the Federal Facilities Academy training program. Please consider registering for other Federal Facility Academy courses and obtain a certificate upon completion of the entire Federal Facility Academy series (12 courses total). To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/FFAcademy2_030922/
In situ remediation technologies using amendment injections have advanced to mainstream acceptance and offer a competitive advantage over many forms of ex situ treatment of soil and groundwater. Developing a detailed site-specific strategy is absolutely critical to the success of such in situ remedies. These strategies include conducting a thorough site characterization that will allow development of a detailed Conceptual Site Model (CSM) to guide critical analysis of subsurface features and improving remediation effectiveness. In the interest of developing expedited solutions, many past in situ remediation projects have been executed based on an incomplete understanding of the hydrogeology, geology, and contaminant distribution and mass. Some of these sites have undergone multiple rounds of in situ injections but have not advanced to closure. Better strategies and minimum design standards are required to decrease uncertainty and improve remedy effectiveness.
In an effort to overcome these challenges and improve the effectiveness of in situ remediation using injected amendments, ITRC developed the guidance: Optimizing Injection Strategies and In Situ Remediation Performance (OIS-ISRP-1). The guidance and this associated training course identify challenges that may impede or limit remedy effectiveness and discuss the potential optimization strategies, and specific actions that can be pursued, to improve the performance of in situ remediation by: Refining and evaluating remedial design site characterization data; Selecting the correct amendment; Choosing delivery methods for site-specific conditions; Creating design specifications; Conducting performance evaluations, and Optimizing underperforming in situ remedies.
The target audience for this guidance and training course is: environmental consultants, responsible parties, federal and state regulators, as well as community and tribal stakeholders. This training will support users in efficiently and confidently applying the guidance at their remediation sites. An optimization case study is shared to illustrate the use of the associated guidance document.
Prior to attending the training class, participants are encouraged to view the associated ITRC guidance, Optimizing Injection Strategies and In Situ Remediation Performance (OIS-ISRP-1) as well as to be familiar with the characterization process described in Integrated DNAPL Site Strategy (ITRC 2011c). To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/OIS-ISRP_030322/
Connecting the Science to Managing LNAPL Sites - 3-Part Series
The newly updated LNAPLs (Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids) 3-part training course series is based on the ITRC guidance: LNAPL Site Management: LCSM Evolution, Decision Process, and Remedial Technologies (LNAPL-3, 2018) and focuses on connecting the science to managing LNAPL sites and helping you: Build upon your Understanding of LNAPL Behavior in the Subsurface (Part 1)Develop your LNAPL Conceptual Site Model and LNAPL Remedial Goals (Part 2)Select/Implement LNAPL Technologies (Part 3) After this training series, the expectation is that you will have the skills and understanding to use ITRC science-based resources to improve decision making at your LNAPL sites. For regulators and other government agency staff, this improved understanding can hopefully be incorporated into your own LNAPL programs.
It is recommended that participants have a general understanding of hydrogeology and some familiarity with petroleum contaminated sites. The courses will build on your existing LNAPL knowledge and outline the framework for making LNAPL remediation and management decisions. It is expected that participants will attend this 3-part training series in sequence.
LNAPL Training Part 1: Understanding LNAPL Behavior in the Subsurface Part 1 teaches how LNAPLs behave in the subsurface and examines what controls their behavior. Part 1: Explains what LNAPL data can tell you about the LNAPL and site conditionsCovers how that information is applied to the development of an LNAPL conceptual site model (LCSM) (Part 2) and LNAPL technology selection (Part 3) Relevant and practical examples are used to illustrate key concepts.
LNAPL Training Part 2: LNAPL Conceptual Site Models and the LNAPL Decision Process Part 2 teaches participants how to develop an LNAPL conceptual site model (LCSM) and the overall framework for making LNAPL remediation and management decisions. Part 2: Discusses key LNAPL and site dataExplains when and why those data may be importantCovers how to effectively organize the data into an LCSM Part 2 also discusses how to address LNAPL concerns by selecting appropriate goals and objectives, choosing applicable technologies, and assigning remedial performance metrics and endpoints.
LNAPL Training Part 3: Using LNAPL Science, the LCSM, and LNAPL Goals to Select an LNAPL Remedial Technology Part 3 of the training teaches the importance of informed remedial technology selection and appropriate technology application. Part 3: Discusses remedial technology groupsIntroduces specific and new remedial technologiesReviews the technology selection process, how technologies can be combined to accelerate cleanup, and how the LCSM informs selection A case study and examples demonstrate the use of these tools for remedial technology selection, implementation, and demonstration of successful remediation.
Training participants are encouraged to view the associated ITRC guidance, LNAPL Site Management: LCSM Evolution, Decision Process, and Remedial Technologies (LNAPL-3, 2018), prior to attending the class. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/LNAPL-3_030122/
Introduction to Groundwater High-Resolution Site Characterization (HRSC): This live two-part webinar series is an introduction to HRSC. The introductory sessions address the following technical content: Defining HRSC and how it is implementedExplaining the need for and benefits of HRSCReviewing the eight components of the CSM and how HRSC informs the CSMRefresher of basic hydrologic properties and how these properties vary within geologic systemsRefresher of the principles of contaminant fate and transport and how these characteristics affect the distribution of contaminants in the aquiferConceptual site models of fate and transport in unconsolidated and fractured rockIntroduction to the challenges of characterizing contaminant distribution in fractured rockAfter taking this webinar series, participants will be prepared to dig deeper into the uncertainties created by traditional sampling approaches and learn how HRSC can address these challenges in the in-person HRSC course. Each webinar will be 2.5 hours long. The recommended audience includes EPA, federal, state, tribal and private industry technical project managers, practitioners and other stakeholders involved in groundwater investigation and remediation.SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THOSE TAKING THE THREE DAY IN PERSON CEC GROUNDWATER HRSC COURSE: This live two-part webinar series is a prerequisite for those wanting to attend the three-day in-person CERCLA Education Center (CEC) Groundwater HRSC course. If you are not able to attend the live webinar series, it will be recorded and a link to the recording will be provided to those registered to attend the classroom training that will allow you to listen at your convenience prior to the classroom delivery. If you have any questions regarding the webinars, please feel free to contact Jodi McCarty, ICF at jodi.mccarty@icf.com. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/HRSC_021722/
For 40 years, passive treatment systems (PTS) have been the preferred option at many abandoned mining sites, in part due to presumptions of continuous water quality improvement performance and limited operation and maintenance commitments. However, documentation to support these presumptions is typically lacking. Long-term regular performance evaluation (12 years) was conducted for a large, multi-process unit PTS receiving artesian-flowing lead-zinc mine waters (≈1000 m3/day) at the Tar Creek Superfund site, Tri-State Mining District, USA. Since 2008, the Mayer Ranch PTS has consistently retained >95% of targeted metal mass. The webinar will share how PTS life can be extended if the system is properly designed, sized and preserved with regular, periodic and rehabilitative maintenance and monitoring. The webinar will also highlight how the project was managed by Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, and how project administration and building partnerships has been essential to the success of the PTS on the site. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/mining-watersheds_021622/
Connecting the Science to Managing LNAPL Sites - 3-Part Series
The newly updated LNAPLs (Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids) 3-part training course series is based on the ITRC guidance: LNAPL Site Management: LCSM Evolution, Decision Process, and Remedial Technologies (LNAPL-3, 2018) and focuses on connecting the science to managing LNAPL sites and helping you: Build upon your Understanding of LNAPL Behavior in the Subsurface (Part 1)Develop your LNAPL Conceptual Site Model and LNAPL Remedial Goals (Part 2)Select/Implement LNAPL Technologies (Part 3) After this training series, the expectation is that you will have the skills and understanding to use ITRC science-based resources to improve decision making at your LNAPL sites. For regulators and other government agency staff, this improved understanding can hopefully be incorporated into your own LNAPL programs.
It is recommended that participants have a general understanding of hydrogeology and some familiarity with petroleum contaminated sites. The courses will build on your existing LNAPL knowledge and outline the framework for making LNAPL remediation and management decisions. It is expected that participants will attend this 3-part training series in sequence.
LNAPL Training Part 1: Understanding LNAPL Behavior in the Subsurface Part 1 teaches how LNAPLs behave in the subsurface and examines what controls their behavior. Part 1: Explains what LNAPL data can tell you about the LNAPL and site conditionsCovers how that information is applied to the development of an LNAPL conceptual site model (LCSM) (Part 2) and LNAPL technology selection (Part 3) Relevant and practical examples are used to illustrate key concepts.
LNAPL Training Part 2: LNAPL Conceptual Site Models and the LNAPL Decision Process Part 2 teaches participants how to develop an LNAPL conceptual site model (LCSM) and the overall framework for making LNAPL remediation and management decisions. Part 2: Discusses key LNAPL and site dataExplains when and why those data may be importantCovers how to effectively organize the data into an LCSM Part 2 also discusses how to address LNAPL concerns by selecting appropriate goals and objectives, choosing applicable technologies, and assigning remedial performance metrics and endpoints.
LNAPL Training Part 3: Using LNAPL Science, the LCSM, and LNAPL Goals to Select an LNAPL Remedial Technology Part 3 of the training teaches the importance of informed remedial technology selection and appropriate technology application. Part 3: Discusses remedial technology groupsIntroduces specific and new remedial technologiesReviews the technology selection process, how technologies can be combined to accelerate cleanup, and how the LCSM informs selection A case study and examples demonstrate the use of these tools for remedial technology selection, implementation, and demonstration of successful remediation.
Training participants are encouraged to view the associated ITRC guidance, LNAPL Site Management: LCSM Evolution, Decision Process, and Remedial Technologies (LNAPL-3, 2018), prior to attending the class. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/LNAPL-3_021522/
Introduction to Groundwater High-Resolution Site Characterization (HRSC): This live two-part webinar series is an introduction to HRSC. The introductory sessions address the following technical content: Defining HRSC and how it is implementedExplaining the need for and benefits of HRSCReviewing the eight components of the CSM and how HRSC informs the CSMRefresher of basic hydrologic properties and how these properties vary within geologic systemsRefresher of the principles of contaminant fate and transport and how these characteristics affect the distribution of contaminants in the aquiferConceptual site models of fate and transport in unconsolidated and fractured rockIntroduction to the challenges of characterizing contaminant distribution in fractured rockAfter taking this webinar series, participants will be prepared to dig deeper into the uncertainties created by traditional sampling approaches and learn how HRSC can address these challenges in the in-person HRSC course. Each webinar will be 2.5 hours long. The recommended audience includes EPA, federal, state, tribal and private industry technical project managers, practitioners and other stakeholders involved in groundwater investigation and remediation.SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THOSE TAKING THE THREE DAY IN PERSON CEC GROUNDWATER HRSC COURSE: This live two-part webinar series is a prerequisite for those wanting to attend the three-day in-person CERCLA Education Center (CEC) Groundwater HRSC course. If you are not able to attend the live webinar series, it will be recorded and a link to the recording will be provided to those registered to attend the classroom training that will allow you to listen at your convenience prior to the classroom delivery. If you have any questions regarding the webinars, please feel free to contact Jodi McCarty, ICF at jodi.mccarty@icf.com. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/HRSC_021422/
Federal Facility Five-Year Review Webinar is a two-hour webinar course that provides an overview of Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) five-year reviews. By taking this course, participants will achieve the following objectives:Understand Five-Year Review purpose and regulatory contextLearn how to prepare and conduct a five-year reviewIdentify the information and data needed to support a protectiveness statementAddress emerging contaminants and options available to ensure that the federal agencies address these contaminantsIdentify the different scenarios when EPA makes an independent finding of the protectiveness of the remedyLearn about similarities and differences between federal and private site five-year reviewsThe instructional methodology for this course includes lecture, case studies, and quizzes. There will also be an opportunity for participants to ask questions. The target audience for this course are federal, state, and tribal representatives who work on Federal Facility cleanups. Ideally, students should have a basic understanding the CERCLA process. This course is part of the Federal Facilities Academy training program. Please consider registering for other Federal Facility Academy courses and obtain a certificate upon completion of the entire Federal Facility Academy series (12 courses total). To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/FFAcademy1_020922/
Connecting the Science to Managing LNAPL Sites - 3-Part Series
The newly updated LNAPLs (Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids) 3-part training course series is based on the ITRC guidance: LNAPL Site Management: LCSM Evolution, Decision Process, and Remedial Technologies (LNAPL-3, 2018) and focuses on connecting the science to managing LNAPL sites and helping you: Build upon your Understanding of LNAPL Behavior in the Subsurface (Part 1)Develop your LNAPL Conceptual Site Model and LNAPL Remedial Goals (Part 2)Select/Implement LNAPL Technologies (Part 3) After this training series, the expectation is that you will have the skills and understanding to use ITRC science-based resources to improve decision making at your LNAPL sites. For regulators and other government agency staff, this improved understanding can hopefully be incorporated into your own LNAPL programs.
It is recommended that participants have a general understanding of hydrogeology and some familiarity with petroleum contaminated sites. The courses will build on your existing LNAPL knowledge and outline the framework for making LNAPL remediation and management decisions. It is expected that participants will attend this 3-part training series in sequence.
LNAPL Training Part 1: Understanding LNAPL Behavior in the Subsurface Part 1 teaches how LNAPLs behave in the subsurface and examines what controls their behavior. Part 1: Explains what LNAPL data can tell you about the LNAPL and site conditionsCovers how that information is applied to the development of an LNAPL conceptual site model (LCSM) (Part 2) and LNAPL technology selection (Part 3) Relevant and practical examples are used to illustrate key concepts.
LNAPL Training Part 2: LNAPL Conceptual Site Models and the LNAPL Decision Process Part 2 teaches participants how to develop an LNAPL conceptual site model (LCSM) and the overall framework for making LNAPL remediation and management decisions. Part 2: Discusses key LNAPL and site dataExplains when and why those data may be importantCovers how to effectively organize the data into an LCSM Part 2 also discusses how to address LNAPL concerns by selecting appropriate goals and objectives, choosing applicable technologies, and assigning remedial performance metrics and endpoints.
LNAPL Training Part 3: Using LNAPL Science, the LCSM, and LNAPL Goals to Select an LNAPL Remedial Technology Part 3 of the training teaches the importance of informed remedial technology selection and appropriate technology application. Part 3: Discusses remedial technology groupsIntroduces specific and new remedial technologiesReviews the technology selection process, how technologies can be combined to accelerate cleanup, and how the LCSM informs selection A case study and examples demonstrate the use of these tools for remedial technology selection, implementation, and demonstration of successful remediation.
Training participants are encouraged to view the associated ITRC guidance, LNAPL Site Management: LCSM Evolution, Decision Process, and Remedial Technologies (LNAPL-3, 2018), prior to attending the class. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/LNAPL-3_020822/
The Vapor Intrusion Mitigation training is a series of eight (8) modules, presented over two sessions.
The Vapor Intrusion Mitigation training series provides an overview of vapor intrusion mitigation and presenting information from the ITRC fact sheets, technology information sheets, and checklists (VIM-1, 2021): Session 1:Introduction & Overview of Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Training TeamConceptual Site Models for Vapor Intrusion MitigationPublic Outreach During Vapor Intrusion MitigationRapid Response & Ventilation for Vapor Intrusion MitigationRemediation & Institutional Controls Session 2:Active Mitigation ApproachesPassive Mitigation ApproachesSystem Verification, OM&M, and Exit Strategies
When certain contaminants or hazardous substances are released into the soil or groundwater, they may volatilize into soil gas. Vapor intrusion (VI) occurs when these vapors migrate up into overlying buildings and contaminate indoor air. ITRC has previously released guidance documents focused on VI, including the "Vapor Intrusion Pathway: A Practical Guidance" (VI-1, 2007) and "Petroleum Vapor Intrusion: Fundamentals of Screening, Investigation, and Management" (PVI, 2014). However, ITRC has received multiple requests for additional details and training on mitigation strategies for addressing this exposure pathway.
The ITRC Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Team (VIMT) created ten fact sheets, 16 technology information sheets, and 4 checklists with the goal of assisting regulators during review of vapor intrusion mitigation systems, and helping contractors understand the essential elements of planning, design, implementation, and operation, maintenance and monitoring (OM&M) of mitigation systems.
After the Vapor Intrusion Mitigation series, you should understand:How to locate and utilize the VIM-1 fact sheets, technology information sheets, and checklistsThe importance of a VI mitigation conceptual site modelHow public outreach for VI mitigation differs from other environmental mattersWhen to implement rapid response for vapor intrusion and applicable methodologies The differences between remediation, mitigation, and institutional controlsAvailable technologies for active and passive mitigation, and design considerations for various approachesHow/when/why different mitigation technologies are appropriateHow to verify mitigation system success, address underperformance, and develop a plan for discontinuing a mitigation system We encourage you to use the ITRC Vapor Intrusion Mitigation work products (VIM-1) and these training modules to learn about vapor intrusion mitigation and how you can apply these best practices to improve decision-making at your sites. For regulators and other government agency staff, this understanding of vapor intrusion mitigation can be incorporated into your own programs.
While the training makes every effort to keep the information accessible to a wide audience, it is assumed that the participants will have some basic technical understanding of chemistry, environmental sciences, and risk assessment. As with other emerging contaminants, our understanding of vapor intrusion mitigation continues to advance. This training provides the participants with information on areas where the science is evolving and where uncertainty persists. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/VIM-1_012722/
EPA's new Superfund Redevelopment Mapper is an interactive tool that provides information related to reuse and redevelopment on and near Superfund sites. This webinar will review how the tool highlights key data stakeholders need to plan for future Superfund site use. Data layers in the tool include key environmental, population and infrastructure data for identifying and analyzing redevelopment opportunities and potential environmental justice concerns at or near Superfund sites. This webinar will include an interactive training on how to use the tool in a variety of scenarios. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/superfund-redevelopment_012622/
1,4-Dioxane has seen widespread use as a solvent stabilizer since the 1950s. The widespread use of solvents through the 1980s suggests its presence at thousands of solvent sites in the US; however, it is not always a standard compound in typical analytical suites for hazardous waste sites, so it previously was overlooked. The U.S. EPA has classified 1,4-dioxane as "likely to be carcinogenic to humans." Some states have devised health standards or regulatory guidelines for drinking water and groundwater standards; these are often sub-part per billion values. These low standards present challenges for analysis, characterization, and remediation of 1,4-dioxane. The ITRC team created multiple tools and documents that provide information to assist all interested stakeholders in understanding this contaminate and for making informed, educated decisions.
The 1,4-Dioxane: Science, Characterization & Analysis, and Remediation training is a series of six (6) modules. The six individual modules will be presented together live, and then archived on the ITRC 1,4-Dioxane training webpage for on demand listening.
The modular 1,4-Dioxane training series provides an overview of 1,4-dioxane and presenting six sections from the ITRC guidance document (1,4d-1, 2021):History of Use and Potential Sources (Sect 1)Regulatory Framework (Sect 2)Fate and Transport (Sect 3)Sampling and Analysis (Sect 4)Toxicity and Risk Assessment (Sect 5)Remediation and Treatment Technologies (Sect 6)After the six-part 1,4-Dioxane: Science, Characterization & Analysis, and Remediation series, you should understand:The history of 1,4-dioxane manufacturing and usage and the potential sources of releases of 1,4-dioxane to the environment.Primary state and U.S. federal regulatory programs of relevance to 1,4-dioxaneKey physical/chemical properties, and fate and transport processes that are relevant for 1,4-dioxaneBenefits and limitations of the available analytical methodsRisk drivers for human health and how ecological risk comparesHow/when/why different treatment technologies are appropriate We encourage you to use the ITRC 1,4-Dioxane products (14d-1) and these training modules to learn about 1,4-dioxane and how you can apply these best practices to improve decision-making at your sites. For regulators and other government agency staff, this understanding of 1,4-dioxane can be incorporated into your own programs. This training summarizes the current understanding of 1,4-dioxane. While the training makes every effort to keep the information accessible to a wide audience, it is assumed that the participants will have some basic technical understanding of chemistry, environmental sciences, and risk assessment. As with other emerging contaminants, our understanding of 1,4-dioxane continues to advance. This training provides the participants with information on areas where the science is evolving and where uncertainty persists. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/14D-1_012522/
Do you have a need to find suitable sites for renewable energy projects in your state? Are you interested in learning more about best practices for states that have used landfills, brownfields, mines, and other contaminated lands to site renewable energy? Almost without exception, states with the most renewable project development on contaminated lands, landfills, and mine sites have designed and implemented longstanding, state-specific programs targeted at such sites. These states continue to adapt programs to support environmental, land reuse, and economic policy goals in their jurisdictions. Many other states, as well as local communities and utilities, are considering similar programs to expand contaminated site reuse and steer renewable development away from greenfield sites and agricultural lands.
EPA's RE-Powering America's Land Initiative ("RE-Powering") is hosting a webinar to help you learn about state-based programs to increase renewable energy projects on landfills, brownfields, mines, and other contaminated lands. In the webinar, you will learn about common types of state programs, program impacts, steps to select and design successful programs, and program implementation tips.
The webinar will feature a panel with agency staff from three leading states who will discuss how they have created and managed successful programs and provide tips for success. It will also highlight free RE-Powering resources - a report on how to select and design state programs and a map of relevant programs - where participants can learn much more on the topic. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/renewableenergyland_012422/
The Vapor Intrusion Mitigation training is a series of eight (8) modules, presented over two sessions.
The Vapor Intrusion Mitigation training series provides an overview of vapor intrusion mitigation and presenting information from the ITRC fact sheets, technology information sheets, and checklists (VIM-1, 2021): Session 1:Introduction & Overview of Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Training TeamConceptual Site Models for Vapor Intrusion MitigationPublic Outreach During Vapor Intrusion MitigationRapid Response & Ventilation for Vapor Intrusion MitigationRemediation & Institutional Controls Session 2:Active Mitigation ApproachesPassive Mitigation ApproachesSystem Verification, OM&M, and Exit Strategies
When certain contaminants or hazardous substances are released into the soil or groundwater, they may volatilize into soil gas. Vapor intrusion (VI) occurs when these vapors migrate up into overlying buildings and contaminate indoor air. ITRC has previously released guidance documents focused on VI, including the "Vapor Intrusion Pathway: A Practical Guidance" (VI-1, 2007) and "Petroleum Vapor Intrusion: Fundamentals of Screening, Investigation, and Management" (PVI, 2014). However, ITRC has received multiple requests for additional details and training on mitigation strategies for addressing this exposure pathway.
The ITRC Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Team (VIMT) created ten fact sheets, 16 technology information sheets, and 4 checklists with the goal of assisting regulators during review of vapor intrusion mitigation systems, and helping contractors understand the essential elements of planning, design, implementation, and operation, maintenance and monitoring (OM&M) of mitigation systems.
After the Vapor Intrusion Mitigation series, you should understand:How to locate and utilize the VIM-1 fact sheets, technology information sheets, and checklistsThe importance of a VI mitigation conceptual site modelHow public outreach for VI mitigation differs from other environmental mattersWhen to implement rapid response for vapor intrusion and applicable methodologies The differences between remediation, mitigation, and institutional controlsAvailable technologies for active and passive mitigation, and design considerations for various approachesHow/when/why different mitigation technologies are appropriateHow to verify mitigation system success, address underperformance, and develop a plan for discontinuing a mitigation system We encourage you to use the ITRC Vapor Intrusion Mitigation work products (VIM-1) and these training modules to learn about vapor intrusion mitigation and how you can apply these best practices to improve decision-making at your sites. For regulators and other government agency staff, this understanding of vapor intrusion mitigation can be incorporated into your own programs.
While the training makes every effort to keep the information accessible to a wide audience, it is assumed that the participants will have some basic technical understanding of chemistry, environmental sciences, and risk assessment. As with other emerging contaminants, our understanding of vapor intrusion mitigation continues to advance. This training provides the participants with information on areas where the science is evolving and where uncertainty persists. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/VIM-1_011322/
At some sites, complex site-specific conditions make it difficult to fully remediate environmental contamination. Both technical and nontechnical challenges can impede remediation and may prevent a site from achieving federal- and state-mandated regulatory cleanup goals within a reasonable time frame. For example, technical challenges may include geologic, hydrogeologic, geochemical, and contaminant-related conditions as well as large-scale or surface conditions. In addition, nontechnical challenges may also play a role such as managing changes that occur over long time frames, overlapping regulatory and financial responsibilities between agencies, setting achievable site objectives, maintaining effective institutional controls, redevelopment and changes in land use, and funding considerations.This training course and associated ITRC guidance: Remediation Management of Complex Sites (RMCS-1, 2017), provide a recommended holistic process for management of challenging sites, termed "adaptive site management." This process is a comprehensive, flexible, and iterative process that is well-suited for sites where there is significant uncertainty in remedy performance predictions. Adaptive site management includes the establishment of interim objectives and long-term site objectives that consider both technical and nontechnical challenges. Periodic adjustment of the remedial approach may involve multiple technologies at any one time and changes in technologies over time. Comprehensive planning and scheduled evaluations of remedy performance help decision makers track remedy progress and improve the timeliness of remedy optimization, reevaluations, or transition to other technologies/contingency actions.By participating in this training course we expect you will learn to apply the ITRC guidance document to:Identify and integrate technical and nontechnical challenges into a holistic approach to remediationUse the Remediation Potential Assessment to identify whether adaptive site management is warranted due to site complexity Understand and apply adaptive site management principles Develop a long-term performance-based action plan Apply well-demonstrated techniques for effective stakeholder engagement Access additional resources, tools, and case studies most relevant for complex sitesCommunicate the value of the guidance to regulators, practitioners, community members, and othersUltimately, using the guidance that can lead to better decision making and remediation management at complex sites. The guidance is intended to benefit a variety of site decision makers, including regulators, responsible parties and their consultants, and public and tribal stakeholders. Case studies are used to describe real-world applications of remediation and remediation management at complex sites. Training participants are encouraged to view the associated ITRC guidance Remediation Management of Complex Sites (RMCS-1, 2017) prior to attending the class. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/itrc/RMCS_011122/
The purpose of this talk is to understand what Remedial Action Levels (RALs) are and how they are used at contaminated sediment sites. The presentation will also discuss how RALs differ from cleanup levels, and how both are used in the cleanup process. RALs represent concentrations that trigger active construction for sediment cleanup. This can consist of different combinations of dredging, capping, enhanced natural recovery, and monitored natural recovery to address contaminated material at Superfund Sediment Sites and reduce contaminant exposure to human health and the environment. Cleanup levels typically are concentrations that would not pose unacceptable risks to human health and the environment. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/RALCL_010622/
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Ehrenfeld AML Pilot Reclamation and Recreation & Watershed Improvement Project was awarded the 2020 OSM Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Award. The 2020 Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Awards honor the most exemplary AML reclamation projects in the nation each year. In this presentation, Patrick Webb of PA DEP's Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation Pennsylvania will present details of this project. Approximately 70 acres of coal refuse piles located along the "Johnstown Path of the Flood Trail," posed multiple environmental threats to the area. Frequent erosion clogged an unnamed tributary to the Little Conemaugh River, as a result, highly acidic water leached into and subsequently impaired local streams, burning areas of refuse piles and degrading air quality for the residents. To address these hazards, Pennsylvania's AML Program removed the refuse piles, eliminated the surface burning conditions and improved the Little Conemaugh watershed. The reclamation project has resulted in new opportunities for recreation and tourism with the addition of a community park and safer walking trails. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/mining-ehrenfeld_120121/
Everyone loves a success story, but the real story is in the details. This webinar will focus on successful brownfield redevelopments in economically distressed areas. Each story will explain site conditions prior to redevelopment; the tools and approaches used to identify opportunities and constraints and reposition the property; market activities and how buyers were identified; and the deal negotiation process. Developers and an environmental insurance broker will discuss how environmental risk and other liabilities were extinguished or controlled through the redevelopment process. Participants will gain a better understanding of possible solutions and approaches to the common challenges experienced at brownfields sites. All will be tied to how to attract developers and the tools needed to do it. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/BFREDEV3_111921/
Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, sets forth U.S. policy to build resilience against the impacts of climate change. Federal agencies recently released associated action plans that describe steps the agencies are taking with regard to their facilities and operations to bolster adaptation and increase resilience to the impacts of climate change. Anticipating and recovering from the impacts of climate change will require all levels of government to work together.The Fall 2021 meeting of the Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable will focus on remedy protectiveness and climate resilience in site cleanups. The meeting will be held as a two-part webinar on Monday, November 8, and Monday, November 15, 2021. As always, FRTR meetings are open to the public.FRTR's objectives for this meeting are to:Review the state of federal agency policies and directives on building climate resilience in context of site cleanups.Share information on federal agency approaches and tools to evaluate climate resilience and screen climate vulnerabilities of site cleanup projects.Review brief case studies demonstrating the steps being taken by federal agencies to assure remedy protectiveness in light of climate change impacts. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/FRTRFall21_111521/
Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, sets forth U.S. policy to build resilience against the impacts of climate change. Federal agencies recently released associated action plans that describe steps the agencies are taking with regard to their facilities and operations to bolster adaptation and increase resilience to the impacts of climate change. Anticipating and recovering from the impacts of climate change will require all levels of government to work together.The Fall 2021 meeting of the Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable will focus on remedy protectiveness and climate resilience in site cleanups. The meeting will be held as a two-part webinar on Monday, November 8, and Monday, November 15, 2021. As always, FRTR meetings are open to the public.FRTR's objectives for this meeting are to:Review the state of federal agency policies and directives on building climate resilience in context of site cleanups.Share information on federal agency approaches and tools to evaluate climate resilience and screen climate vulnerabilities of site cleanup projects.Review brief case studies demonstrating the steps being taken by federal agencies to assure remedy protectiveness in light of climate change impacts. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/FRTRFall21_110821/
Find out how to access FREE technical expertise in your next brownfield project! EPA's Brownfields and Land Revitalization Program funds several expert organizations so they can support your efforts to assess, cleanup and reuse brownfield sites in your community. Learn how these organizations can help you manage a brownfield redevelopment project, incorporate equitable development and environmental justice principles, and support brownfields job training and education.
This webinar will feature speakers from: Equitable Development in Brownfields Planning provider (Groundwork USA) for nationwide support Brownfields Redevelopment Training & Education provider (Hazardous Materials Training and Research Institute at Eastern Iowa Community College) for nationwide support Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities (TAB) Program providers (Kansas State University and the Center for Creative Land Recycling) for EPA Regions 5-10 and tribesThis includes communities in AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MI, MN, MO, MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, OH, OK, OR, SD, TX, UT, WA, WI, WY, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau, and tribes in these areas
Visit EPA's Brownfields Technical Assistance, Training and Research webpage for more details on these providers. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/BFTAAC_102521/
The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) is hosting a Risk e-Learning webinar series focused on strategies to communicate potential environmental health risks to reduce exposures and improve health. The four-part series will showcase effective risk communication strategies and how they have been tailored to the needs of diverse communities. Presentations will also highlight first-hand experiences designing risk communication messages and campaigns, evaluating impact, and adapting communication strategies for different populations. The webinar series builds on an SRP workshop held in June 2021.
The fourth and final session will feature work by SRP-funded researchers who are translating research into communication tools and tailoring them for specific community needs. These specialized tools work to successfully communicate health risks and increase environmental health literacy.
BJ Cummings, M.A., and Lisa Hayward Watts, Ph.D., of the University of Washington SRP Center, will discuss how community and agency partners were involved in developing multilingual videos as the preferred tool for communication of risk from fishing in the Lower Duwamish Waterway Superfund Site. Presenters will emphasize the empowerment process used to select and develop the project. We will also discuss challenges in resolving different risk perspectives and messaging needs and how we've adapted our approach in subsequent projects.
Julia Brody, Ph.D., of Silent Spring Institute, and Phil Brown, Ph.D., of the Northeastern University SRP Center, will describe the process of reporting back personal biomonitoring and environmental exposure results. Examples will range from their earliest paper-based methods to their Digital Exposure Environmental Report Back Interface (DERBI) in its computer and smartphone versions. They will also address elements of training clinicians to use report-back methods.
Kathleen Gray, Ph.D., Sarah Yelton, M.S., and Megan Rodgers, M.E.A., of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill SRP Center will share their process for collaborating with diverse partners to communicate about potential environmental health risks. Featured projects address fish consumption advisories, toxic metals contamination of well water, and PFAS in water and air. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/SRPREIH4_102221/
The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) is hosting a Risk e-Learning webinar series focused on strategies to communicate potential environmental health risks to reduce exposures and improve health. The four-part series will showcase effective risk communication strategies and how they have been tailored to the needs of diverse communities. Presentations will also highlight first-hand experiences designing risk communication messages and campaigns, evaluating impact, and adapting communication strategies for different populations. The webinar series builds on an SRP workshop held in June 2021.
In the third session, presenters will discuss how they have engaged and communicated with underserved and vulnerable communities and developed strategies to tailor messages to these communities so they can participate and use the information equitably. The session will also include a presentation on the NIH Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostic-Underserved Populations (RADx-UP) Program, which funds community engagement programs with a focus on communities most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sharon Croisant, Ph.D., University of Texas Medical Branch and the Baylor College of Medicine SRP Center, will describe the access and equity issues environmental justice communities face, such as risk of exposure due to residence or occupation, and status as migrants and immigrants. Disasters frequently disproportionately impact these populations, exacerbating existing inequities and injustices and contributing to stress, which often serves as a barrier to risk communication. We will discuss barriers to risk communication under emergent conditions and strategies for improving communication to reduce exposures.
Louie Rivers, Ph.D., of North Carolina State University, will discuss his work engage with communities in Southeast Raleigh through the Walnut Creek Wetland Community Project. This presentation will highlight the process of engaging residents through focused groups and meetings to assess stream conditions in neighborhoods, support interests in green infrastructure, and increase environmental awareness.
Al Richmond, M.S.W., Executive Director of Community-Campus Partnerships for Health (CCPH), will describe phase one of a COVID19 at-home testing project coordinated by the RADx UP Coordinating Data Collection Center. The Say Yes! COVID Test Project centers local community engagement strategies to reach underserved populations and promote confidence in addressing barriers to testing and vaccination. Lessons Learned from the public health intervention, including the novel approaches to social media will be highlighted To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/SRPREIH3_102021/
In preparing to attract investment at brownfield sites, addressing risks upfront is key. Redevelopment of brownfields in economically distressed areas can present additional risks or constraints that are unique to the environmental and financial concerns of a project. These risks, whether they be environmental, physical or financial, can seem daunting. By taking a calculated approach, however, they can be managed and addressed as part of the redevelopment process. This webinar will discuss alternative ways to address risks and liabilities related to a brownfield property. In addition, in order to dispel the financial risks of a project, the webinar will also discuss the development of a brownfield investment package that provides property details in a way that attracts potential investment. Examples of risk management approaches and brownfield investment packages will be provided, as well as a discussion of useful tools to support the risk management process and attracting investment for sites in economically distressed areas. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/BFREDEV2_101521/
On August 31, 2021 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued an updated version of its Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA, commonly known as Superfund) model remedial design/remedial action (RD/RA) consent decree (CD) and accompanying statement of work (SOW). These documents serve as the basis for negotiating cleanup work agreements with potentially responsible parties at Superfund sites.
On October 12 presenters will provide an overview of the updated model documents, an explanation of the key revisions including some enhanced community involvement provisions, and a demonstration of new tools that will allow drafting attorneys to easily modify the consent decree for particular situations (e.g., operable unit v. site wide CD). Superfund practitioners, community groups, and other interested stakeholders will gain important insight into the development of these new models and the impact on the negotiation process.
The effort to streamline the model RD/RA CD is the result of a review by a national workgroup comprised of EPA and DOJ attorneys who believed that streamlining the model RD/RA CD by improving clarity and reducing redundancy would result in a quicker negotiation process for CERCLA cleanup settlements and faster cleanup starts. In addition, consistent with Administrator Regan's prioritization of EPA's commitment to the protection of environmental justice communities disproportionately impacted by pollution, the workgroup developed enhanced community involvement provisions for the revised SOW to advance this commitment. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/RDRACDSOW_101221/
The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) is hosting a Risk e-Learning webinar series focused on strategies to communicate potential environmental health risks to reduce exposures and improve health. The four-part series will showcase effective risk communication strategies and how they have been tailored to the needs of diverse communities. Presentations will also highlight first-hand experiences designing risk communication messages and campaigns, evaluating impact, and adapting communication strategies for different populations. The webinar series builds on an SRP workshop held in June 2021.
In the second session, presenters will describe research on designing and framing communication messages so that they are sensitive to the cultural and social context of communities. These efforts aim to combat misinformation and mistrust when communicating health and environmental risks.
Wen-Ying Sylvia Chou, Ph.D., of the National Cancer Institute, will focus on the spread of misinformation online as a longstanding public health challenge. In this talk, Dr. Chou will outline current knowledge on health misinformation across various domains, contextualize misinformation in the online information ecosystem, and share some mitigation approaches that have been implemented.
Jim Dearing, Ph.D., of Michigan State University SRP Center, will outline how the framing of a message can elicit different reactions from those who see, hear, or read the message. For highly politicized issues, he suggests a multisolving innovation strategy. This presentation will describe this approach to message framing with reference to community-level practices, programs, and technologies that promise both human health and carbon mitigation outcomes.
Karletta Chief, Ph.D., of the University of Arizona SRP Center, will share the experiences of building community and university partnerships to quickly develop and implement a community-based risk assessment in the wake of environmental disasters. This talk will highlight the results from working with Diné community partners to design and implement a culturally appropriate study to prevent potentially harmful exposures and to communicate risks effectively. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/SRPREIH2_100821/
The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) is hosting a Risk e-Learning webinar series focused on strategies to communicate potential environmental health risks to reduce exposures and improve health. The four-part series will showcase effective risk communication strategies and how they have been tailored to the needs of diverse communities. Presentations will also highlight first-hand experiences designing risk communication messages and campaigns, evaluating impact, and adapting communication strategies for different populations. The webinar series builds on an SRP workshop held in June 2021.
The first session focuses on designing and tailoring messages to better communicate risks to vulnerable communities. Presenters will include how they have worked with communities and other stakeholders to develop targeted messages and create effective communication tools.
Maida Galvez, M.D., and Joseph Wilson, M.H.S., of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, will share foundational principles of messaging development routinely used by the Region 2 Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, New York State Children's Environmental Health Center, and the Mount Sinai NIEHS Community Engagement Core. They will discuss case examples that highlight partnered messaging development featuring the Prescription for Prevention Program and other examples of environmental public health messaging which were enhanced by inclusion of diverse perspectives.
Esther Erdei, Ph.D., of the University of New Mexico will explain how Tribal communities are in increased risk to be exposed to various toxicants through numerous pathways that are associated with their traditional land use patterns, ceremonies, and overall dependence on their outdoor, rural and built environment. The presentation will highlight successful methods of engaging the communities in risk communication, environmental health education, and the report-back process.
Rachel Morello-Frosch, Ph.D., of the University of California, Berkeley will discuss processes for engaging community collaborators in the development of online and other digital tools to inform individual and collective exposure reduction strategies and regulatory decision-making. The presentation will highlight community- and data-driven strategies such as the Water Equity Science Shop Statewide drinking water tool, spatial maps of sea level rise threats to hazardous facilities in communities in California, and application of a Digital Report-Back Interface to report back biomonitoring results to study participants. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/SRPREIH1_092421/
The GroundWater Spatiotemporal Data Analysis Tool (GWSDAT) is a user friendly, open source, decision support tool for the analysis and reporting of groundwater monitoring data. Uniquely, GWSDAT applies a spatiotemporal model smoother for a more coherent interpretation of the interaction in spatial and time-series components of groundwater solute concentrations. This provides a more data efficient method for evaluating and determining contaminant plume stability. New in the latest version (v3.1) is the ability to perform well redundancy analysis by allowing the user to drop a well or a combination of wells from the analysis and investigate the resultant impact, including comparison to full dataset. More information and access to this tool can be found at http://gwsdat.net/ To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/GWSDAT_092221/
One way to characterize and improve the benefits of environmental cleanups is to use concepts of "ecosystem services", those benefits that nature contributes to human health and well-being. Join us to learn about how we may consider ecosystem services in cleanup of contaminated site cleanups. This two-part webinar will first introduce ecosystem services concepts from a contaminate site cleanup perspective and discuss ongoing efforts at EPA to connect ecosystem services concepts, tools, and frameworks to different aspects of cleanups. The second part will introduce examples of mine cleanups that have elements relevant to ecosystem services with an overall goal to tee up innovative ideas for characterizing and improving the benefits of environmental cleanups. Overall, an understanding of ecosystem services concepts can be helpful to ecological risk assessors and cleanup project managers working on sites looking for enhancing environmental benefits in their projects. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/mining-es_092121/
The Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Denver Post and Philadelphia Post along with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are hosting a series of webinars based on talks given at recent Design and Construction Issues at Hazardous Waste Sites (DCHWS) Symposiums. The mission of the DCHWS symposiums is to facilitate an interactive engagement between professionals from government and the private sector related to relevant and topical issues affecting applications of engineering and science associated with cleaning up hazardous waste sites. The symposiums also serve as a platform to facilitate the exchange of information, encourage dialogue, share experiences, and build and enhance communication among design and construction professionals.
This session will discuss the investigation and remediation of impacted media which has been ongoing at a DoD facility in North Carolina for more than 25 years. Since 2010, the environmental restoration program at the facility has been proactively optimized through the implementation of innovative technologies, focused treatment, and well-defined exit strategies to minimize remediation timeframes, reduce life-cycle costs, and to move away from long-standing pump and treat remedies-in-place and passive long-term monitoring programs. Technologies have included in situ aerobic bioremediation, in situ chemical oxidation, enhanced reductive dechlorination, air sparging, biobarriers, recirculation, bioaugmentation, and subgrade biogeochemical reactors for the treatment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and chlorinated volatile organic compounds in a variety of hydrogeologic settings around the facility. This presentation will discuss the technologies and various application approaches, lessons learned, mass removal and resulting reduction in time to site closure, optimization, and overall cost savings for the restoration program. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/DCHWS19_091521/
Repositioning can make the difference between redevelopments that succeed and those that fail - and it's more than just marketing. Repositioning is a term used in the real estate world to describe actions that prepare a site for reuse or redevelopment. This is especially crucial with brownfields sites because environmental impacts can cause time delays and create unknown costs and liabilities. This webinar will discuss how to identify constraints on redevelopment by conducting a reuse assessment and the tools that can be used in the reuse planning process to remove or reduce those constraints. The discussion will not only address the typical environmental impediments found at brownfield sites, but also physical and legal issues that impact the ability to redevelop a property. The webinar will help participants to understand the different types of constraints, prioritize the ones that must be addressed prior to bringing a site to market, and recognizing those that a developer might be willing to take on upon purchase of the property. The webinar will include real-world examples that focus on tough sites in distressed communities. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/BFREDEV1_091021/
Community reuse of formerly contaminated land provides stakeholders with unique opportunities to create a positive impact on their neighborhood. This webinar will highlight the innovative community reuse of the Brown's Dump site, where the Clara White Mission operates a teaching farm, providing environmental education projects, job training, an on-site farmers market and fresh produce for Mission's programs to feed homeless and other disadvantaged community members. Stakeholders will learn how the site is part of a multi-site community empowerment and planning effort seeking to address environmental justice challenges through equitable redevelopment in Jacksonville, Florida. To view this archive online or download the slides associated with this seminar, please visit http://www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/superfund-redevelopment_081121/