The DMA is critical in evaluating and understanding the utility of any real time measurement technology or novel approach at a site. In accordance with Triad's goal of managing decision uncertainty, a DMA provides an initial look at any technology or strategy performance in terms of its ability to meet project decision criteria and guide dynamic work strategies.

The DMA can take many forms such as a comparison of a field based analytical method to a more established laboratory method or an evaluation of whether a particular tool or approach will work at a specific site. The format of a DMA is dictated by site characteristics and the intended use of the data. The resulting efforts provide many project benefits including: strategies to deal with matrix heterogeneity, testing a preliminary CSM to refine sampling protocols, development of field based action levels, designing appropriate QA/QC requirements, using collaborative data sets, improving data management, determining contingencies, and evaluating sample throughput/project staffing or other logistics.

This presentation will include an overview of the DMA process and provide examples of how DMAs have been structured under Triad projects. Examples are expected to highlight the multitude of activities than can be considered for a DMA while demystifying the process and providing a platform to design a DMA for your next Triad project.

This CLU-IN session will provide an overview on how to apply for a Brownfields Job Training Grant in Fiscal Year 2009. The Request for Applications (RFA) is anticipated to be issued within the coming weeks and there will be a 60 day application window. During the presentation, Joe Bruss, the lead for the Brownfields Job Training Grant Program at EPA Headquarters/Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization will provide an overview of the following:

• A Short History of the Brownfields Program
• Background of the Brownfields Job Training Program
• the Competitive Brownfields Job Training Grants Program
• Getting Started - the Application Process
• Threshold Criteria
• Ranking Criteria
• Attachments
• Tips to Consider While Preparing a Proposal
• Next Steps
• Application/Proposal Resources
• Questions and Answers

Acid mine drainage and acid rock drainage contain sulfuric acid together with heavy metals. Biological treatment often relies on sulfate reducing bacteria which use organic electron donating substrates to enable bacteria to reduce sulfate to sulfide, subsequently sulfides precipitate heavy metals. However, excess sulfides are released from the treatment system, so the process is not very effective in removing sulfur. Excess sulfides have oxygen demand, are corrosive and malodorous. A process developed at the University of Arizona uses zero valent iron (ZVI) either alone or mixed with organic substrates. The main advantage of using ZVI is that ferrous iron (Fe²⁺) released from its corrosion will precipitate sulfides formed by sulfate reduction, thereby avoiding the discharge of excess sulfides from the barrier system. Additionally ZVI has other advantages. ZVI is a slow release electron that can supply electrons equivalents for sulfate reduction over prolonged periods of time. ZVI itself can directly reduce heavy metals such as copper to metallic forms and thus provides an additional mechanism of removing heavy metals. Lastly the corrosion of ZVI creates substantial alkalinity which is useful for neutralizing severly acid rock drainage.

Two laboratory-scale packed bed column experiments were conducted to study the impact of ZVI on the treatment of acid rock drainage by sulfate reduction, imitating a biologically active permeable reactive barrier (PRB). A control column was packed with a compost and limestone mixture. A complete treatment reactor was composed of a compost, limestone and ZVI mixture (ZVI 10% by volume). Both reactors were inoculated with a mixed culture containing sulfate reducing bacteria. The reactors were fed with a synthetic acid rock drainage (SARD) containing 250 mg/l of sulfate and copper (10 to 25 ppm). The SARD was fed at a hydraulic retention time of 24 h. Initially the pH of the synthetic acid rock drainage was set at 7; however. the pH of this influent was progressively decreased to 3 so as to imitate the severely acidic conditions of real acid rock drainage.

The complete treatment with ZVI provided: two-fold greater levels of sulfate reduction while discharging 3-fold less sulfide compared to the control reactor. Sulfide formed in the ZVI-containing reactor was thus effectively precipitated as FeS. The ZVI containing column had effluent pH values that were on the average 3 units higher compared to the effluent of the control reactor lacking ZVI, emphasizing the large impact of ZVI on generating additional alkalinity. During the operation of both columns, copper was effectively removed. The copper removal efficiency was 96.8% (±1.1) and 93.4% (±2.2) in the treatment and control columns, respectively.

The results taken as a whole clearly indicate that inclusion of a small percentage of ZVI in the PRB greatly increased the increased sulfate reduction, decreased release of sulfide, and produced more alkalinity compared to the control column. This was achieved while maintaining nearly complete removal of copper.

A Systematic Approach for Evaluation of Capture Zones at Pump and Treat Systems presents a systematic approach for the evaluation of capture zones at pump and treat systems, and provides an overview of a recently published USEPA document on the topic (EPA 600/R-08/003, January 2008). The target audience for the course is project managers who review those analyses and/or make decisions based on these types of analyses. This course will highlight:

• The importance of capture zone analysis during ground water remediation, particularly for sites requiring containment
• Key concepts of capture, such as "target capture zones" and "converging lines of evidence"
• Typical errors made in capture zone analysis

• Step 1: Review site data, site conceptual model, and remedy objectives
• Step 2: Define site-specific Target Capture Zone(s)
• Step 3: Interpret water levels
  • Potentiometric surface maps (horizontal) and water level difference maps (vertical)
  • Water level pairs (gradient control points)
Step 4: Perform calculations (as appropriate based on site complexity)
• Estimated flow rate calculation
• Capture zone width calculation
• Modeling (analytical and/or numerical) to simulate water levels, in conjunction with particle tracking and/or transport modeling
• Step 5: Evaluate concentration trends
• Step 6: Interpret actual capture based on steps 1-5, compare to Target Capture Zone(s), and assess uncertainties and data gaps

Vapor Intrusion is the migration of volatile chemicals from the subsurface into overlying buildings. Volatile chemicals may include volatile organic compounds, select semi-volatile organic compounds, and some inorganic analytes, such as elemental mercury and hydrogen sulfide. Degradation of the indoor air quality causes a great deal of fear and anxiety among building occupants, business, and other property owners. Vapor intrusion has become a significant environmental issue for regulators, industry leaders, and concerned residents. Vapor intrusion requires three components: the source, an inhabited building, and a pathway from the source to the inhabitants.

The ITRC Vapor Intrusion Team is composed of representatives from 19 states environmental agencies, 12 environmental companies, and four federal agencies (including EPA). This team developed the ITRC Technical and Regulatory Guidance document Vapor Intrusion Pathway: A Practical Guideline (VI-1, 2007), companion document Vapor Intrusion Pathway: Investigative Approaches for Typical Scenarios (VI-1A, 2007), this Internet-based training course, and a two-day classroom training course to be used by regulatory agencies and practitioners alike. For more information about the in-depth classroom training course, please visit the ITRC Classroom Training webpage. This Internet-based training course provides an overview of the vapor intrusion pathway; summarizes introductory information on the framework (evaluation process), investigative tools, and mitigation approaches; and utilizes typical scenarios to illustrate the process.

The decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of radiologically-contaminated facilities presents numerous challenges. Many tasks are involved, each of which requires adherence to a complex array of federal and state regulations and policies, attention to health and safety issues for workers and the public, monitoring and management of schedules and costs, and interaction with a potentially large number of stakeholders who have an interest in the present activities and future plans for sites undergoing D&D. Since large-scale D&D operations at nuclear facilities began in the 1970s, one of the most noticeable advances has been dramatic decreases in decommissioning cost. This change is the result of a combination of accumulated decommissioning operational experience reducing the high initial cost estimates (which were high due to uncertainties and poorly defined boundaries), evolution of regulatory guidance, and continuously-developing technologies.

A large body of knowledge has already been accumulated on D&D operations. At the present time, approximately 90 commercial power reactors, 250 research reactors, 100 mines, 5 reprocessing facilities, and 14 fuel fabrication plants have been retired from operation, with some having been fully dismantled. In addition, the largest environmental cleanup projects ever undertaken are in progress or have recently been completed at several large DOE facilities in the nuclear weapons complex. Technologies developed for the D&D portions of these cleanups are part of the lessons learned from these projects.

This training introduces regulators, cleanup contractors, site owners/operators, and technology providers to ITRC's Technical/Regulatory Guidance, Decontamination and Decommissioning of Radiologically-Contaminated Facilities (RAD-5, 2008), created by ITRC's Radionuclides Team. The curriculum is composed of four modules as follows:

Module 1: Introduction and Regulatory Basis for D&D

Module 2: Factors for Implementing D&D

Module 3: Preliminary Remediation Goal (PRG) Calculators

Module 4: Case Studies and Lessons Learned

Performance-based environmental management (PBEM) is a strategic, goal-oriented methodology that is implemented through effective planning and decision logic to reach a desired end state of site cleanup. The goal of PBEM is to be protective of human health and the environment while efficiently implementing appropriate streamlined cleanup processes. The major components of PBEM include: systematic planning; effective communications; agreement of a land use risk strategy; current conceptual site model; decision logic analysis; remediation process optimization (RPO); ARAR analysis; exit strategy development; and performance-based contracting including environmental insurance.

This ITRC training presents an overview of what PBEM is, explains how and when to implement it, and describes the issues that regulators are concerned about throughout PBEM's implementation. Case studies will be presented to illustrate successful PBEM projects. The course is valuable not only because PBEM is being proposed and implemented at many federal and private sites throughout the country, but also because PBEM provides an opportunity to enhance all site remediation.

This training is geared to those in the environmental remediation field including Federal, state and local government officials; owners or operators of sites, and consultants. The course will be most beneficial if the participant has taken one of ITRC's remediation process optimization courses. Online archives are available for What is Remediation Process Optimization and How Can It Help Me Identify Opportunities for Enhanced and More Efficient Site Remediation? and for Remediation Process Optimization - Advanced Training. These courses are recommended as pre-requisites, but are not required. The training materials are based on the ITRC RPO Team's Technical Regulatory Guidance Document: Improving Environmental Site Remediation Through Performance-Based Environmental Management (RPO-7, November 2007).