National Stakeholders' Forum On Natural Attenuation -- Update

[Jeff Green <cpeo@igc.apc.org>]

Just as a reminder for those of you who are interested in attending this
forum, the Travel Scholarship application deadline is Monday, August
10.  Also, for anyone planning to stay at the Westin at your own
expense, you must make your reservations by August 16 to receive the $92
room rate.

We've had a strong response to the conference and expect to reach our
cutoff in registration.  We encourage you to send in your registration
materials as soon as possible if you wish to attend.  Registration
materials are attached; and can be emailed, faxed, or mailed to CPEO at
the address provided below.

Thanks,
Jeff Green

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National Stakeholders' Forum on Monitored Natural Attenuation

To:        Individuals, representing diverse constituencies, who
           are interested in learning about, and discussing, the
           policies and processes regarding natural attenuation.

From:      Center for Public Environmental Oversight

Date:      August 31 and September 1, 1998 (Two full days)

Location:  Westin Hotel, Milbrae, CA (Near the San Francisco
           International Airport)

Fee::      There is NO fee for participation, however,
           REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.  Please fill out and return
           the enclosed forms.

Travel:    To ensure broad participation, a limited number of
           travel scholarships will be made available to
           community advisory board members and tribal
           representatives.  Please see the attached Community
           Travel Scholarship Application for details.

This forum is designed to help community stakeholders become
familiar with the science of natural attenuation and actively
influence regulatory oversight policies on monitored natural
attenuation.

Some topics that will be discussed are:
  * Introduction to groundwater and policy
  * Site characterization and monitoring
  * Regulatory issues
  * Stakeholder comments and concerns
  * Agency policies on natural attenuation

More and more, responsible parties are proposing to address
groundwater and soil contamination by relying upon monitored
natural attenuation. Depending upon the conditions, regulatory
agencies have accepted this approach for the remediation of
petroleum products, volatile organic compounds (such as TCE),
and even inorganics such as heavy metals and short-lived
radionuclides.

To provide a systematic regulatory framework, U.S. EPA is
developing a policy on Monitored Natural Attenuation. Thus far,
however, there have been few opportunities for public
stakeholders-the people who live at or near contamination sites
to express their views.

To bring the public into the process, CPEO is hosting a two-day
national stakeholders' forum on monitored natural attenuation at
hazardous waste sites. This forum will present state-of-the-art
research on the technologies of natural attenuation, clarify
national policy issues on the use of natural attenuation as a
remedy, and offer stakeholders from all constituencies the
opportunity to comment upon the growing reliance upon natural
remedies.

This forum will address natural attenuation in the following
context:  When is natural attenuation appropriate as part of the
remedy?  How, over time, will we know if natural attenuation is
working?  What will be done in the event that natural
attenuation does not work as planned?

At the end of the forum, CPEO will compile a summary report of
citizen concerns and comments for regulatory agencies,
responsible parties, and stakeholder groups.  The report will
help to ensure that the use of natural attenuation in cleanup
programs will meet the needs of affected communities.

Please see the following pages for information on registration,
travel, lodging, and travel scholarships. 

----------------------------------------------------------------
PROGRAM SCHEDULE*

Sunday, August 30-Advisory Board Members' Symposium
2 PM       How Can Local Community Members Influence National
           Policy?  CPEO is sponsoring this special session, for 
           public stakeholder participants, as a discussion 
           devoted to national  issues affecting local 
           communities . . . and, if everyone is good, we'll try 
           to organize a dinner in the city after the symposium!
5 PM       Adjourn

Monday, August 31-Day 1
8 AM       Registration
9 AM       Morning Session, Welcome & Introduction, Panel I,
           Q&A, General Discussion
12 PM      Lunch
1:15 PM    Afternoon Session, Panel II, Q&A, General Discussion,
           Breakout Groups, Report Back
5:30 PM    Reception

Tuesday, September-Day 28:30 AM    Morning Session, Brief Re-Cap of Day
1, Panel III,
           Q&A, General Discussion
12 PM      Lunch
1:15       Afternoon Session, Panel IV, Q&A, General Discussion
           Breakout Groups, Final Report Back
5 PM       Adjourn

Panel Discussions*
Natural Attenuation of Contaminants-fuels, VOCs, inorganics,
           stakeholder perspective Introduction to Groundwater 
Contamination-groundwater overview, groundwater regulatory
           policy history, the importance of cleaning up
           groundwater 
Regulator and Community Response-federal-, state-, and local-
           government, and stakeholder experience
Groundwater Cleanup Technologies-conventional methods,
           bioremediation, monitoring technologies, technologies
           & stakeholders

Speakers
Forum speakers include: Tad McCall (Deputy Asst. Sec. for the Air
Force, Envir. Safety and Occup. Health), Todd Weidemeier (Assoc. Tech.
Dir., Parsons Engineering Science), Lenny Siegel (Dir., CPEO), and
many others.

----------------------------------------------------------------
TRAVEL & LODGING INFORMATION

Lodging Arrangements

A block of rooms for this event are being held at the Westin
Hotel.  We have negotiated a group discount rate of $92 per
night.  To ensure this rate, all lodging reservations at the
Westin must be made by August 16th.  After that date, we cannot
guarantee the group rate and rooms will be reserved only on a
space-available basis.  Please call the Westin Hotel at 650-692-
3500, weekdays 7 AM - 5 PM (PDT); at other times call 800-228-
3000 to reserve a room.  For the group discount rate, please
state that you are calling about the Center for Public
Environmental Oversight event. CPEO will arrange all lodging for
those receiving travel scholarships.

Travel Information

For those arriving by plane, the Westin Hotel is located 2 miles
south of the San Francisco International Airport.  The hotel has
a free shuttle to and from the airport every 30 minutes.  A
hotel courtesy phone is located at each baggage claim area.

Traveling north or south on Highway 101 take the Millbrae Avenue
East exit to the Old Bayshore Highway and then right to the
hotel (maps will be provided with confirmation).

Check-in for the forum will be outside the Westin Ballroom
beginning at 8:00 AM.  Please be there early to take advantage
of a continental breakfast

We hope this helps.  We look forward to seeing you.  If you have
any questions, please contact Jeff Green at 415-904-7751, or by
Email at cpeo@igc.org.
----------------------------------------------------------------
REGISTRATION FORM

In order for us to know how much food to order, have name tags
made up for everyone, and to compile a comprehensive list of
attendees, we need your RSVP. After registering, you will
receive a confirmation packet with a detailed agenda, and travel
and scholarship materials.  Due to funding we are limiting the
number of attendees to 400 people. If you are able to attend
please fill out the form below and return it via post, fax or
Email as soon as possible.  If you are applying for a Travel
Scholarship, you must register by August 10, 1998.

Attn. Jeff Green
Center for Public Environmental Oversight
425 Market St. 2nd Floor
San Francisco, CA  94105
     Phone: 415-904-7751
     Fax: 415-904-7765
     Email: cpeo@igc.org

Please put an (X) next to the days that you plan to attend:
     Sunday, Aug. 30-Advisory Board Members' Symposium
     Monday, Aug. 31-Conference Day 1
     Tuesday, Sept. 1-Conference Day 2

Name:

Title:

Affiliation (or Advisory Board):

Address:

City:                            State:         Zip:

Daytime Phone:                   Day Fax:

Home Phone:                      Home Fax:

Email:

Are you requesting a travel scholarship (circle)?

       No     Yes(see Scholarship Application)

Do you have any special needs (e.g. vegetarian meals, special
accommodations)? Please explain:

Please put an X next to appropriate categories:

     RAB/SSAB Member               Envir. Organization

     Tribal Representative         State/Fed. Regulator

     Federal Agency                State/Local Govt.

     Military                      Tech Developer

     Contractor                    Academia

     Other:

----------------------------------------------------------------
COMMUNITY TRAVEL SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

CPEO wishes to encourage community stakeholder representation
from each state.  To ensure broad participation, there is NO
registration fee for this conference. We are offering a LIMITED
number of travel scholarships on a first-come-first-served basis
to community participants, RAB/CAB/SSAB members,and members of a
sovereign Indian Nations.

Travel scholarships will be provided in the form of government
travel orders:

Travel:  CPEO and USAF will subsidize and book air travel, and
         provide tickets directly to scholarship recipients at
         no charge.  The Westin Hotel provides a free airport
         shuttle service that runs every 30 minutes.

Lodging: CPEO will make lodging arrangements based on arrival
         and departure dates.  Scholarship recipients must pay
         the up-front lodging costs at a group rate of
         $92/night, but will be fully reimbursed.

Meals:   Scholarship recipients must also cover up-front meal
         costs, but will be reimbursed at the government rate of
         $42/day.

Important:  Scholarships are limited to 3 days/2 nights for
western U.S. participants, and 4 days/3 nights for eastern U.S.
participants.  The scholarships do not provide for car rentals,
phone calls, or other incidental expenses.  Please contact Jeff
Green at 415-904-7751 or by Email cpeo@igc.org with any
questions on travel scholarships or registration.

Please complete and return this form with your registration by
12 PM (EST) on August 10. 1998.

Name:  

Social Security No. (required *):

Full Address:

Phone:                            Fax:

Email:

Affiliation (or Advisory Board):

The following information will be used to facilitate the booking
of flights.  Our travel agent will try to accommodate preferred
flight times and seating, but we cannot guarantee availability.
The agent will contact recipients directly to make final
reservations.

Home Airport:

Seating Preference:     Window      Aisle

Please put an X next to the flight date and preferred time for
both your departing and returning flights:

Departing Flight
   Date:              Preferred Time:
     Sun 8/30           before 10AM
     Mon 8/31           10AM - 2PM
                        2 PM - 6 PM
                        after 6 PM

Return Flight
   Date:              Preferred Time:
     Tue 9/1            before 10AM
     Wed 9/2            10AM - 2PM
                        2 PM - 6 PM
                        after 6 PM

* A Social Security number is required for reimbursement of any
individual traveling on government travel orders.  Without this
information, we will be unable to process your application.