Message #112: June 2006 Welcome to TechDirect! Since the May 1 message, TechDirect gained 190 new subscribers for a total of 25,179. If you feel the service is valuable, please share TechDirect with your colleagues. Anyone interested in subscribing may do so on CLU-IN at . All previous issues of TechDirect are archived there. The TechDirect messages of the past can be searched by keyword or can be viewed as individual issues. The purpose of TechDirect is to identify new technical, policy and guidance resources related to the assessment and remediation of contaminated soil, sediments and ground water. Mention of non-EPA documents or presentations does not constitute a U.S. EPA endorsement of their contents, only an acknowledgment that they exist and may be relevant to the TechDirect audience. Special Notice Underground Storage Tanks Program Draft Guidelines for Comment. The U.S. EPA Office of Underground Storage Tanks (OUST) has recently published for comment three draft guidelines to implement Title XV, Subtitle B of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which focuses on preventing underground storage tank releases. EPA, in conjunction with states and other stakeholders, developed these grant guidelines for state underground storage tank programs. EPA will accept comments on these three draft guidelines beginning May 25, 2006 for 30 days, ending June 24, 2006. See http ://www.epa .aov/oust/fed laws/e pact 05. htm#Drafts to view the drafts and obtain details about how and where to submit comments. Grant Guidelines To States For Implementing The Delivery Prohibition Provision Of The Energy Policy Act Of 2005 (EPA 510-D-06-003, May 2006) Grant Guidelines to States For Implementing The Secondary Containment Provision Of The Energy Policy Act Of 2005 (EPA 510-D-06-001, May 2006) Grant Guidelines to States For Implementing The Financial TechDirect: June 1, 2006 1 of 6 clu-in.ora/newsletters ------- Responsibility Certification Provision Of The Energy Policy Act Of 2005 (EPA 510-D-06-002, May 2006) Internet Seminars ITRC Characterization, Design, Construction and Monitoring of Bioreactor Landfills - June 13. Bioreactors are landfills where controlled addition of non-hazardous liquid wastes, sludges, or water accelerates the decomposition of waste and landfill gas generation. This training, based on the ITRC's Characterization, Design, Construction, and Monitoring of Bioreactor Landfills (ALT-3, 2006), teaches the principles used to make critical decisions during permitting, operating, and monitoring a bioreactor landfill. This training also provides a general understanding of the biological degradation of solid wastes under aerobic and anaerobic waste conditions and the degradation products associated with each process. For more information and to register, see http://clu-in.org/studio . ITRC Permeable Reactive Barriers: Lessons Learned and New Directions - June 15. This training presents updated information regarding new developments, innovative approaches, and lessons learned in the application of PRBs to treat a variety of groundwater contaminants. The information will be presented by reviewing the approaches and results at several sites where PRBs have been deployed. The training is based on the ITRC guidance document titled Permeable Reactive Barriers: Lessons Learned / New Directions (PRB-4, 2005). For more information and to register, see http://clu-in.org/studio . New Documents Making Data Meaningful: A Guide to Writing Stories About Numbers. This guide was prepared within the framework of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Work Session on Statistical Dissemination and Communication. It is intended as a practical tool to help managers, TechDirect: June 1, 2006 2 of 6 clu-in.ora/newsletters ------- statisticians and media relations officers use text, tables, graphics and other information to bring statistics to life using effective writing techniques. It contains suggestions, guidelines and examples - but not golden rules. This publication recognizes that there are many practical and cultural differences among statistical offices, and that approaches vary from country to country (2005, 25 pages). View or download at http://www.clu-in.ora/download/char/makina data meaningful fun booklet).pdf Attenuation of Nitrate in the Sub-surface Environment (SR SC030155/SR2). This Science Report was published by the UK Environment Agency. It provides a literature review of nitrate attenuation mechanisms as they occur in the sub-surface environment. It discusses the chemical conditions under which attenuation occurs and the hydrogeological environments within which this has been observed. The processes controlling nitrate attenuation in the soil zone are well understood. However, for the environment beneath this zone, relatively little is known about the prevailing geochemical conditions that determine whether denitrification will take place (November 2005, 108 pages). View or download at http://publications.environment-aaencv.aov.uk/pdf/SCHQ0605BJCS-e-e.pdf Triad Resource Center. Four new articles have been added to the Reading Room section of the Triad Resource Center web site: Triad Saves $109K on Three Petroleum Sites; Triad Speeds Cleanup of Lead-Contaminated Firing Range Soil; Performance Based Criteria: A Panel Discussion; and, Managing Decision Uncertainty. To view or download these articles, see the Triad Resource Center Reading Room at http://www.triadcentral.ora/ref/room/ . Draft Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters (EPA 841-B-05-005). This draft guide to watershed management was produced by the EPA Office of Water. Its purpose is to help various organizations develop and implement watershed plans. This handbook contains in-depth guidance on quantifying existing pollutant loads, developing TechDirect: June 1, 2006 3 of 6 clu-in.ora/newsletters ------- estimates of the load reductions required to meet water quality standards, developing effective management measures, and tracking progress once the plan is implemented. EPA is accepting comments and suggestions on the document through June 30, 2006. To access the handbook, get instructions for submitting comments, and viewing the related archived internet seminar, see http://www.epa,aov/owow/nps/watershed handbook/ . EPA TechMatch. The U.S. EPA has partnered with the West Virginia High Tech Foundation Consortium to create a new website call EPA Tech match to identify licensing opportunities for EPA patents. Its goal is to encourage entrepreneurs to license EPA technologies and develop new products to strengthen environmental protection. The site contains a searchable database of EPA patents across all media. You may also browse diverse technologies available for licensing and/or cooperative research partnerships. Third-party independent analyses of the commercial potential of the technologies also are available. For more information, see http://www.epatech match .com . Environmental Knowledge and Assessment Tool (EKAT) - The development of EKAT was funded by the U.S. Marine Corps. The goal of EKAT is to help remediation and hazardous waste professionals save time and effort working on projects related to remediation, brownfields, site characterization, hazardous waste, and clean up issues. EKAT contains a wealth of centralized regulatory information. There are online tools to screen chemicals for federal and state regulatory information, including CERCLA, RCRA, CAA, and CWA. Get NIOSH REL and OSHA PEL information for chemicals in air. EKAT also includes Hazardous Waste Guides, Physical and Chemical Properties Guides and Toxicology Guides to help with risk assessments. EKAT summarizes, TechDirect: June 1, 2006 4 of 6 clu-in.ora/newsletters ------- categorizes and links to highly useful resources on: major federal regulations such as CERCLA and RCRA, as well as on environmentally pertinent topics such as Coatings, Explosives Safety, the Federal Facilities Compliance Act (FFCA), Military Munitions Rule (MMR), and Solvents Alternatives. Quick access to online resources such as TOXNET, EPI Suite, and the Periodic Table increases efficiency in finding information. Register on the EKAT demo site to test out the system. For more information and to register please visit http://www,ekat-tool,com/demo/intro/index,html. Dry Cleaner Virtual Tour. This slide presentation was developed by the State Coalition for the Remediation of Drycleaners. Spent drycleaning solvents have been found in soils and ground water in approximately three-quarters of existing or former dry cleaning facilities. Because these contaminants are difficult to remove, they present a substantial environmental challenge. You can take a virtial tour of the dry cleaning process which includes the cleaning and recycling of used cleaning solvents. Go to http://www.drvcleancoalition.ora/tour/ . Conferences and Symposia U.S. EPA 2006 Community Involvement Conference and Training, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 27-30. The conference will offer participants original, engaging, and interactive presentations focusing on ways that government can interact with communities to brew something truly impressive: environmental results through community involvement. It is intended for EPA community involvement, outreach, and program staff, as well as EPA partners who plan and implement environmental community involvement, partnership, stewardship, outreach, and education programs. The conference will include several plenary sessions and dozens of concurrent sessions, as well as field trips, exhibits, a poster session, evening activities, and many networking opportunities. In addition, TechDirect: June 1, 2006 5 of 6 clu-in.ora/newsletters ------- several four- or eight-hour post-conference training workshops will be offered. For more information, please visit http://epa.gov/ciconference . 2006 Midwestern States Risk Assessment Symposium, Indianapolis, August 21-24. The primary topic is chlorinated solvents. The topic is divided into sessions on Trichloroethylene and Dry Cleaners. Each session will feature nationally prominent speakers. For more information and to register, see http://web.e-enterprise.purdue.edu/wps/portal/Environment/msras . NOTE: For TechDirect, we prefer to concentrate mainly on new documents and the Internet live events. However, we do support an area on CLU-IN where announcement of conferences and courses can be regularly posted. Currently there are 80 conferences and courses featured. We invite sponsors to input information on their events at http://clu -i n .org/cou rses . Likewise, readers may visit this area for news of upcoming events that might be of interest. It allows users to search events by location, topic, time period, etc. If you have any questions regarding TechDirect, contact Jeff Heimerman at (703) 603-7191 orM-^ ieff@epa.aov. Remember, you may subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription address at httny/niu-innrnfenhrimt at any time night or day. TechDirect: June 1, 2006 6 of 6 clu-in.ora/newsletters ------- |