Message #57: November 2001
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Mention of non-EPA documents or presentations does not constitute
a U.S. EPA endorsement of their contents, only an acknowledgment
that they exist and may be relevant to the TechDirect audience.
Special Announcements
Reminder!! EPA Fall 2002 Fellowships. The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) is offering three fall 2002 fellowship
programs to encourage students to pursue careers in
environmentally related fields. These programs include STAR
Graduate Fellowships, Minority Academic Institutions Graduate
Fellowships, and Minority Academic Institutions Undergraduate
Fellowships. The deadline for pre-applications for all three
fellowships is November 19, 2001. More information is available at
http://es.epa.qov/nceraa/rfa/#2002 Environmental Research Grant .
Live Internet Seminars
Modernizing Site Cleanup: Managing Decision Uncertainties
Using the Triad Approach - November 6. This two-hour session is
being broadcast live from the Fall ITRC conference in Long Beach,
California.. This seminar, sponsored by the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers and U.S. EPA, Technology Innovation Office. It is
designed to introduce state and federal project managers and
technical staff, environmental consultants, site owners, and
community stakeholders to the importance of using systematic
planning to implement dynamic data collection strategies using
innovative field measurement technologies. For more information
and to register, see or http://clu-in.org/studio .
EPA Small Business Innovation Research Overview and
Proposal Writing - November 14. This seminar will describe the
EPA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program which
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provides financial support to help small technology based firms
develop new environmental technologies and ready them for
commercialization. The presentation will cover the basics of the
SBIR program, upcoming solicitations and schedules, and helpful
information on writing a competitive proposal and winning an SBIR
award. For more information and to register, see or http://clu-in.org/studio .
Handbook of Groundwater Protection and Cleanup Policies for
RCRA Corrective Action, November 15. This seminar will provide
an overview of the recently finalized Handbook that contains EPA's
latest interpretations of policies on topics such as, cleanup goals,
groundwater use, point of compliance, source control, and
completing groundwater remedies. The Handbook ties 15 different
topics together with an overall Groundwater Protection and Cleanup
Strategy that emphasizes a phased, results-based approach to
cleaning up contaminated groundwater. Although the Handbook
focuses on RCRA Corrective Action, EPA believes the plain
language of the policy descriptions, and the Internet links to over 50
more detailed resources will be helpful to anyone involved with
groundwater protection and cleanup. For more information and to
register, see or http://clu-in.ora/studio .
Field Analytical Methods for Detecting Explosives Compounds -
November 28. The presentation discusses the physical and
chemical properties of secondary explosives that make analytical
determination of these compounds challenging. It reviews
fixed-laboratory-based methods for this suite of compounds, and the
quantitative requirements for various compounds within this group.
Sampling considerations are discussed, with particular emphasis on
the problem of obtaining representative soil samples in areas of
extreme spatial heterogeneity in analyte distribution. Finally there will
be a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the most
commonly employed on-site methods for these compounds. To
register - see http://clu-in.org/studio .
New Documents
Managing Uncertainty in Environmental Decisions
(Environmental Science and Technology). This article was
developed in collaboration with staff at the US EPA, the US Army
Corps of Engineers, and other professionals. It argues that using
field analytical technologies in the context of a dynamic work plan
with careful management of sampling, analytical, and decision
uncertainties can significantly bring down the costs of contaminated
site investigations and cleanups, while improving confidence in
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project decisions. Rather than considering "data quality" to be solely
a function of the analytical method used (as is very common in the
environmental field), the article suggests that "data quality" be
evaluated according to whether all features of the data, especially
the representativeness of the sampling procedures, are sufficient to
support the intended decisions. Through the months of October and
November, the article is viewable on the ES&T website (in the
Magazine section) at http://pubs,acs,ora/iournals/esthaa/index maaazine.html
Applying the Concept of Effective Data to Environmental
Analyses for Contaminated Sites (EPA 542-R-01-013). This paper
was produced by the U.S. EPA Technology Innovation Office. It
provides detailed discussion to supplement the article, Managing
Uncertainty in Environmental Decisions: Applying the Concept of
Effective Data at Contaminated Sites Could Reduce Costs and
Improve Cleanups, that appeared in the October 1, 2001, issue of
Environmental Science & Technology. This paper addresses issues
that revolve around the generation and use of contaminant data as
produced by analytical chemistry methods (October 2001, 17 pages).
View or download at http://clu-in.org/techpubs.htm .
Clarifying DQO Terminology Usage to Support Modernization of
Site Cleanup Practice (EPA 542-R-01-014). This paper was
produced by the U.S. EPA Technology Innovation Office. It is
intended to provide, as briefly yet unambiguously as possible, a
basic conceptual understanding of DQO-related terms in a way that
facilitates systematic project planning in the context of site cleanups.
A list of descriptions for DQO-related terms and concepts appears
first in this paper, followed by a more intensive discussion of the
working interrelationships between these concepts (October 2001,
11 pages). View or download at http://clu-in.ora/techpubs.htm .
The Relationship between SW-846, Performance Based
Measurement Systems (PBMS), and Innovative Analytical
Technologies (EPA 542-R-01-015). This paper was produced by
the U.S. EPA Technology Innovation Office and the Office of Solid
Waste. It summarizes EPA's position regarding testing methods
used within waste programs, documentation of EPA's position, the
reasoning behind EPA's position, and the relationship between
analytical method regulatory flexibility and the use of on-site
measurements (also termed field analytical methods) to improve the
cost-effectiveness of contaminated site cleanups (October 2001, 8
pages). View or download ahm ://clu-in.org/techpubs.htm .
Using the Triad Approach to Improve the Cost-effectiveness of
Hazardous Waste Site Cleanups (EPA 542-R-01-016). This paper
was produced by the U.S. EPA Technology Innovation Office. It
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discusses the Triad approach to site decision making, i.e., use of
systematic planning, dynamic work plans, and real-time analysis as
the foundation upon which cost-effective, defensible site decisions
and actions are built. A central theme of the triad approach is a clear
focus on overall decision quality as the overarching goal of project
quality assurance, requiring careful identification and management of
potential causes for errors in decision-making (October 2001, 8
pages). View or download at http://clu-in.org/techpubs.htm .
Handbook of Groundwater Protection and Cleanup Policies for
RCRA Corrective Action (EPA 530-R-01-015). This Final
Handbook was published by the U.S. EPA Office of Solid Waste. It
contains the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) latest
interpretation of policies on such topics as cleanup goals, the role of
groundwater use, point of compliance, source control, and monitored
natural attenuation. This Handbook ties 15 different topics together
with an overall Groundwater Protection and Cleanup Strategy that
emphasizes a phased, results-based approach to cleaning up
contaminated groundwater (September 2001, 100 pages). View or
download at http://www,epa,aov/correctiveaction/resource/auidance/aw/awhandbk/gwhndbk,htm .
Waste Testing and Quality Assurance (WTQA) Symposia
Proceedings. EPA sponsors the annual WTQA Symposium (1) to
serve as a forum for all interested parties to work together to solve
RCRA and CERCLA environmental monitoring and waste
characterization problems in a cost-effective manner, (2) to give
state regulatory agencies and the public timely information about
EPA activities that might affect their programs, and (3) to permit the
members of the analytical services community an opportunity to
exchange information and experiences in using existing and
emerging testing methods and approaches. Proceedings are now
available on-line for years 1997 through 2001. To access them, see
http://www.epa.aov/epaoswer/hazwaste/test/proceedinas/proceedinas.htm
Innovative Technology Summary Report: Adaptive Sampling
and Analysis Program (Tech ID 2946). This report was produced
by the U.S. DOE Subsurface Contamination Focus Area and the
Characterization, Monitoring and Sensor Technology Cross-Cutting
Program. It covers several demonstrations and deployments of
ASAPs that were conducted between 1992 and 1999. ASAPs have
been used to delineate and quantify subsurface hazardous and
mixed waste, and Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM)
contamination, identify buried waste pits, and provide remediation
support for precise excavations (August 2001, 29 pages). View or
download at http://apps.em .doe .aov/ost/pubs/itsrs/itsr2946.pdf .
Methods for Determining Inputs to Environmental Petroleum
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Hydrocarbon Mobility and Recovery Models (API 4711). This
report was produced by the American Petroleum Institute. Important
fluid and soil property parameters are explained. Methods to
measure each parameter are presented in order of relevance for use
in environmental free-product mobility/recovery assessments. Fluid
property parameters covered include density, viscosity, surface
tension and interfacial tension. Laboratory-scale soil property
parameters include: capillary pressure vs. saturation, relative
permeability vs. saturation, water and non-aqueous phase liquid
(NAPL) saturation, Brooks-Corey and van Genuchten model
parameters. Field-scale bail-down and production tests are explained
and cited. Sample collection and handling procedures are
summarized. A listing and abstract of relevant ASTM methods is
provided in the appendix (July 2001, 72 pages). View or download at
http://api-ep.api.ora/filelibrarv/4711 .pdf .
Conferences and Symposia
Partners in Environmental Technology Technical Symposium &
Workshop, Washington, D.C., November 27-29. The Strategic
Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) and
the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program
(ESTCP) will hold their annual technical symposium & workshop.
Topic areas include the following: compliance technologies to reduce
the environmental impact of current activities; pollution prevention
technologies to reduce or eliminate environmental impacts in
defense manufacturing through substitution, recycling, and resource
conservation; cleanup technologies to mitigate the current and future
liability of past activities through remediation; and conservation
technologies to preserve natural resources while sustaining military
operations. For additional information including agenda, registration
and logistics, see http://www.serdp.ora OT http://www.estcp.ora OT Call (703) 736"4548.
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