[CPEO-MEF] Environmental professionals learn about cutting-edge solution

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

For Immediate Release

Contact: Mary Yelken, (402) 325-9615, myelken@westgov.org

Environmental professionals learn about cutting-edge solutions

Innovative technologies are making environmental cleanup faster, safer, 
and more economical in many states across the country. Part of the 
credit goes to the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC), 
whose courses train the environmental community (state and federal 
agencies, environmental consultants and engineers, and other with a 
stake in environmental cleanup) in new and improved technical solutions.

Class attendance recently passed the 13,000 mark in ITRC's classroom and 
online training courses, which are unique forums for the exchange of 
technical and regulatory information. For information on ITRC's training 
classes, follow the "Classroom Training" and "Internet Training" links 
on the ITRC Web site at http://www.itrcweb.org. There, you can read 
about current course offerings, register for a course online, and 
download a 2002 course offering booklet.

Historically, ITRCs' most popular classroom courses, offered
periodically in regionally diverse cities, are on natural attenuation 
and permeable reactive barriers, but current offerings on accelerated in 
situ bioremediation of chlorinated solvents, phytotechnologies, and 
unexploded ordnance are gaining fast.

Classroom courses have the advantage of face-to-face contact, but ITRC's 
innovative Internet-based courses also enable real-time interaction 
between instructors and participants all over the world, without the 
expense and time investment in travel. Through a partnership with EPA's 
Technology Innovation Office, ITRC technical teams deliver sessions on 
11 topics of wide interest, including diffusion bag samplers, in situ 
chemical oxidation, and permeable reactive barriers. More than 9500 
members of the environmental
community have logged on to benefit.

Feedback on both types of courses has been overwhelmingly positive:

*       "very useful to get an overview of emerging issues and new
technologies/methods"

*       "provides something for everyone, at all levels"

*       "very useful . . . in assessing the technology's application at 
a site"

*       "a first step in defining the problem and articulating a path
forward . . . definitely should see significant cost and time savings"

Check the ITRC Web site for current schedules and further developments.

ITRC is a state-led group that works to overcome regulatory barriers to 
the deployment of innovative environmental technologies. ITRC 
participants come from the ranks of state regulatory agencies, federal 
agencies concerned with environmental cleanup, environmental consulting 
firms, and technology vendors. These diverse ITRC participants work 
together in technical teams to develop documents and training to help 
regulators develop a consistent and
streamlined approach for regulating innovative technologies. ITRC
products also help environmental consultants improve the way innovative 
technologies are deployed.

The ITRC Board of Directors is cochaired by Brian C. Griffin, Oklahoma's 
Secretary of Environment (bcgriffin@owrb.state.ok.us), and G. Ken 
Taylor, director of the Hydrogeology Division of South Carolina's Bureau 
of Land and Waste Management  (taylorgk@dhec.state.sc.us).


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