[CPEO-MEF] ITRC released a variety of products in 2002

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

For Immediate Release

Contact: Roseanne Black, (540) 557-6101, Roseanne_black@wpi.org

ITRC released a variety of products in 2002

The Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC) created a
variety of products in 2002 to help state regulators, federal agencies,
consulting firms, and stakeholders understand and more effectively
deploy innovative environmental technologies. These products included a
regulatory overview of technologies for treating dense, nonaqueous-phase
liquid source zones; case studies of radioactively contaminated
Department of Energy sites; technical and regulatory guidance for using
in situ bioremediation; and a CD of diffusion sampler resources.

In DNAPL Source Reduction: Facing the Challenge (DNAPLs-2), the Dense
Nonaqueous Phase Liquids (DNAPLs) Team of ITRC examines the current
regulatory climate for deploying technologies to efficiently treat DNAPL
source zones. The report outlines the pros and cons of partial source
removal and challenges assumptions about the infeasibility of removing
DNAPLs from certain geological settings where recent advances have made
significant source reduction more feasible and cost-effective. The
report acknowledges the technical difficulties and uncertainties
surrounding DNAPL source zone reduction and supports further research to
study the impacts of reduced source zone mass on groundwater quality and
risk to human health and the environment.

Determining Cleanup Goals at Radioactively Contaminated Sites: Case
Studies (RAD-2) was written to facilitate accelerated closure at our
nation’s nuclear weapons production sites by enhancing consistency and
streamlining decision making. Produced by ITRC’s Radionuclides Team, the
document discusses the requirements of federal regulations and agencies,
explains variations in risk assessment approaches, and examines the
development of cleanup levels at a dozen radioactively contaminated
Department of Energy sites. Each case study has information about the
site’s background, history and the nature of contamination, remedial
actions that have occurred, and contact information. Common elements in
the case studies are applicable regulations, risk assessment approaches
and calculations, and cleanup levels used or proposed.

Determining Cleanup Goals facilitates a common understanding among
states, stakeholders, sites, and agencies of how various cleanup levels
have been and could be derived, making the process more efficient,
defensible, and consistent. The Radionuclides Team believes that
consistency in developing cleanup goals will encourage selection and
deployment of appropriate environmental characterization and remediation
technologies.

A Systematic Approach to In Situ Bioremediation in Groundwater (ISB-8)
includes a decision tree that defines parameters and criteria for the
feasible and effective implementation of in situ bioremediation (ISB) in
general and also includes separate modules for using ISB to biologically
treat nitrate, carbon tetrachloride, and perchlorate contamination. The
In Situ Bioremediation Team of ITRC developed this technical and
regulatory guidance to demonstrate that this systematic approach can be
applied to any specific contaminant or site for enhancing decisions
about using ISB.

The decision trees, or flow diagrams, in the document help site decision
makers systematically examine site parameters and criteria for the
effective characterization, testing, design, and monitoring of ISB
technologies. While the contaminants and breakdown products at
contaminated groundwater sites may differ, there are some general site
characteristics for determining the efficacy of ISB. The document
presents the primary decision points for determining if natural
processes can be effective in achieving remediation goals in a
reasonable time frame or if engineered approaches should be implemented
to accelerate bioremediation. The decision trees in the document point
to sections of the document having more detailed information on specific
elements.

While ITRC products have traditionally been documents and training
courses, in 2002 the organization debuted its first CD as a means of
disseminating information on an innovative technology. The Diffusion
Samplers Team took this momentous step with the production and release
of the ITRC Diffusion Sampler Resource CD, which contains nearly 70
articles and presentations on various diffusion samplers, as well as an
ITRC training video and an Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence
field sampling video.

In 2003, 15 ITRC technical teams are producing guidance documents and
conducting training on the deployment of innovative environmental
technologies. ITRC technical teams have produced more than 40 guidance
documents, all of which are available online at the ITRC Web site at
www.itrcweb.org. Click on “Guidance Documents” and select from the
topical list to download a wide variety of ITRC guidance documents. To
obtain a copy of the diffusion sampler CD, e-mail your request to
itrc@wpi.org or call (540) 557-6071.

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 chaired by G. Ken Taylor
(taylorgk@dhec.state.sc.us), director of the Hydrogeology Division of
South Carolina’s Bureau of Land and Waste Management.


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