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NRMRL MONTHLY REPORT FOR AUGUST 2004
Stephen G. Schmelling, Division Director
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
ReSolve Superfund Site, Region 1: On July 16, Scott Huling
(GWERD) and Bruce Pivetz (Dynamac) provided RPM Joseph
Lemay with comments on a proposal to collect soil samples at the
ReSolve Superfund Site in Dartmouth, MA. The proposed coring is
to investigate the cause of reduced infiltration in one of the trenches
at a phytoremediation field pilot study. It was suggested that the
permeability of the core material be measured as a function of
depth. It was also suggested that dry bulk densities be determined
with depth as an inexpensive means of qualitatively and
quantitatively assessing permeability reductions. Effluent flow rates
should be closely monitored from just prior to coring until a short
period after to determine if short-circuiting occurs due to coring
activities.
(S. Huling(GWERD)580-436-8610)
Savage Well Superfund Site, Region 1: In a continuing technical
assistance effort at the Savage Well Superfund Site in Milford, NH,
David Burden (GWERD), and Kelly Hurt, Daniel Pope, and Wayne
Kellogg (Dynamac) provided RPM Dick Goehlert with review
comments on documents and data associated with the site. In the
response of August 11, a number of issues were discussed in detail
including changes in water levels with respect to pumping rates,
pre-test data collection, estimation of aquifer parameters,
appropriate use of models, and the reported conclusions.
(D. Burden(GWERD)580-436-8606)
Chemical Control Corporation Site, Region 2: In a continuing
technical assistance effort at the Chemical Control Corporation Site
in Elizabeth, NJ, Ann Keeley (GWERD) provided ORD Technical
Liaison Jon Josephs with review comments concerning an HRC
Treatment Progress Report for ground water. Specifically, the
August 16 response addressed whether an originally proposed
second treatment would be necessary based on the results of
previous sampling at the site. It was suggested that if the results of
two upcoming sampling events continue to demonstrate that the
contaminants of concern remain non-detect, and that geochemical
parameters continue to stabilize, the second treatment would not
appear to be necessary.
(A. Keeley(GWERD)580-436-8890)
Chemical Leaman Tank Lines Superfund Site, Region 2: On
August 19, Scott Huling and Dominic DiGiulio (GWERD), and
Bruce Pivetz (Dynamac) provided RPM Farnaz Saghafi with a
review of a pilot test plan for in-situ remediation at the Chemical
Leaman Tank Lines Superfund Site in Bridgeport, NJ. The plan
proposed the use of in-situ Fenton oxidation and a hydrogen release
compound. A review was also provided of previous comments on
the test plan by a consulting firm. Although many of the earlier
EPA comments had been incorporated into the plan, some were not
fully addressed and new issues had become apparent. In addition to
a poorly defined system design and operation, the monitoring
program was not described in sufficient detail. Also discussed were
the basis of the pilot design, sampling and analysis, implementation
of the chemical oxidation injection, and process monitoring
parameters.
(S. Huling(GWERD)580-436-8610)
Maryland Sand, Gravel and Stone Superfund Site, Region 3:On August 10, John Wilson (GWERD) provided RPM Debra Rossi
with review comments on a ground-water monitoring program for
the Maryland Sand, Gravel and Stone Superfund Site in Elkton,
MD. A number of screening-level projections of the behavior of the
plume were made using BIOSCREEN. In addition, comments were
offered with respect to the interpretation of geochemical data, and
the location of an additional monitoring transect was recommended.
(J. Wilson(GWERD)580-436-8534)
North Penn Area 5 Superfund Site, Region 3: On August 13,
John Wilson (GWERD) provided RPM Roy Schrock with
comments on a number of specific questions concerning a
bioaugmentation microcosm study report for ground-water
remediation at the North Penn Area 5 Superfund Site in Colmar,
PA. The questions spanned a myriad of topics including the
practice of spiking microcosms, use of sterile samples, addition of
nitrogen and phosphorous, sampling and analysis procedures,
autoclaving, and an opinion of the discussion and conclusions.
(J. Wilson(GWERD)580-436-8534)
Army Creek Landfill, Region 3: On August 26, John Wilson
(GWERD) provided a response to questions from RPM Debra Rossi
concerning a pilot program for the temporary suspension of a pump-
and-treat system at the Army Creek Landfill in Dobbinsville, DE.
Specifically, the questions focused on a "trigger" to immediately
restart the pump-and-treat system. The proposed one-year shut
down of the ground-water recovery wells is for determining the
impact on ground-water elevations and water quality in the aquifer
beneath and within the Army Creek and adjacent landfills. It was
suggested that the PRP's approach to evaluating natural attenuation
is valid and recommended that the proposed "trigger" be accepted.
(J. Wilson(GWERD)580-436-8534)
Waucaonda Sand & Gravel Landfill Superfund Site, Region 5:On August 24, David Burden (GWERD), and Daniel Pope and
Bruce Pivetz (Dynamac) provided Hazardous Substances Technical
Liaison Charles Maurice with a response to questions concerning
vinyl chloride contamination from septic tanks near the Wauconda
Sand & Gravel Landfill Superfund Site in Wauconda, IL. It was
suggested that organic chemicals can be used to unplug septic tank
systems and their anaerobic degradation could result in the
production of vinyl chloride. It was pointed out, however, that
landfills are an obvious source of a wide range of organic and
inorganic chemicals that contaminate ground water. As proposed
by the PRP, a soil-gas and ground-water study would be useful in
identifying the source.
(D. Burden(GWERD)580-436-8606)
Griggs and Walnut Ground Water Plume, Region 6: On August
11, John Wilson (GWERD) provided RPM Petra Sanchez with
comments concerning the identification of PCE release areas in the
vicinity of the Griggs and Walnut Ground Water Plume in Las
Cruces, NM. The question involves whether the plume was formed
by equilibration of recharge water with PCE vapors in the
unsaturated zone, or by dissolution of PCE from a NAPL below the
water table. Calculations were presented which suggested that,
based on data provided in a report, equilibration of recharge water
with PCE vapors in the unsaturated zone could explain the existing
distribution of PCE in the ground water and is the most plausible
source.
(J. Wilson(GWERD)580-436-8534)
Tar Creek Superfund Site, Region 6: On August 16, David
Burden and Timothy Canfield (GWERD) provided Clay Chesney
(EPA Region 6) with comments on the design, construction, and
evaluation of a passive treatment system for contaminated mine
water at the Tar Creek Superfund Site near Miami, OK. Overall,
the work plan prepared by the University of Oklahoma appears to be
feasible and technically sound. It was pointed out that the OU
research team has experience in designing effective passive
treatment systems at other locations in Oklahoma. The prime
concern is the accumulation of heavy metals in sediments and
associated invertebrates, and the chance that these metals will be
bioaccumulated up the food chain to higher trophic levels such as
fish, waterfowl, wading birds, and amphibians.
(D. Burden(GWERD)580-436-8606)(T. Canfield(GWERD)580-436-8535)
Montrose and Del Amo Superfund Sites, Region 9: In a
continuing assistance effort at the Montrose and Del Amo
Superfund Sites in Torrance, CA, Steven Acree (GWERD) and
Mingyu Wang and Noman Ahsanuzzaman (Shaw Env.) provided
RPM Jeff Dhont with review comments on an interim modeling
report. The July 30 response suggested that, in general, the
modeling exercise is helpful in understanding possible data gaps
and their effect on remedial design activities. In addition to the
ratios of horizontal to vertical hydraulic conductivities, the ground-
water model's sensitivity to the distribution of high conductivity
zones in terms of uncertainty was discussed.
(S. Acree(GWERD)580-436-8609)
SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS
Holub, Scott M. (GWERD) and Kate Lajtha (Oregon St. Univ.).
2004. "The Fate and Retention of Organic and Inorganic 15N-
Nitrogen in an Old-Growth Forest Soil in Western Oregon."
Ecosystems. 7(4):368-380. June 4
(S. Holub(GWERD)580-436-8547)
EPA/600/J-04/262 NRMRL-ADA-02240
http://www.springerlink.com/openurl.asp?genre=article&issn=1432-9840&volume=7&issue=4&spage=368
Gonsoulin, Mary E. (GWERD), Jason R. Masoner (USGS), and
Mike L. Cook and Thomas E. Short (GWERD). 2003. "Water
Quality Assessment of Lake Texoma Beaches, 1999-2001."
Proceedings of the Okla. Acad. Sci. 83:63-72.
(M. Gonsoulin(GWERD)580-436-8616)
EPA/600/J-04/225 NRMRL-ADA-03327
http://digital.library.okstate.edu/OAS/oas_pdf/v83/p63_72.pdf
MEETINGS AND PRESENTATIONS
GWERD staff Paul Mayer and Scott Holub attended and presented at the annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America in Portland, OR, August 1-7. Paul Mayer made a poster presentation of a journal article co-authored by Paul Mayer and Elise Striz (GWERD), E. Doheny and R. Shedlock (U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)), and P. Groffman (Institute of Ecosystem Studies) and entitled "Geomorphic Controls on Carbon and Nitrogen Processing in a Degraded Urban Stream." Scott Holub made an oral presentation of an abstract co-authored by R. G. Silva (Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE)) entitled "Carbon Quality and Quantity Affect the Retention and Microbial Processing of Applied Nitrogen."
On August 16-18, John T. Wilson (GWERD) made two presentations at the 2004 AFCEE Technology Transfer Workshop in San Antonio. The abstract presentation was entitled "MNA to Achieve Site Objectives: Back to Basics". The presentation entitled "Distribution of Dehaloccoides at DoD Chlorinated Solvent Sites - Do You Need to Bioaugment?" was authored by Donald Kampbell and John T. Wilson (GWERD), and Xiaoxia Lu (National Research Council (NRC) PostDoc).
Robert Ford (GWERD) made a presentation from the GWERD offices August 19 entitled "Monitored Natural Attenuation for Inorganic Contaminant Remediation in Groundwater" as part of the Waste Technical Seminar Series sponsored by the Office of Science Policy and the Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation (OSRTI). The presentation included a discussion of the technical basis for application of monitored natural attenuation (MNA) to inorganic contaminants in groundwater and an overview of a Framework document that is being developed by ORD's Ground Water and Ecosystems Restoration Division in cooperation with the Office of Air and Radiation and the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. The Framework document will provide a technical resource for evaluating the feasibility of applying MNA for remediation of radionuclide and non-radionuclide inorganic contaminants in groundwater. The presentation was attended via teleconference by representatives from the USEPA Regional offices and several State environmental program offices.
MISCELLANEOUS
Stephen Kovash (GWERD) assisted Cynthia Johnson, Extramural Management Specialist (NRMRL) with a Management Review of NRMRL's Water Supply and Water Resources Division (WSWRD) August 23-25.
Robert Ford (GWERD) received the 2004 NRMRL Award for Excellence in QA for his consistent support of QA and demonstrated excellence in implementing QA documentation and planning through his efforts in evaluating the preservation and holding times for arsenic speciation, resulting in a revision of the method and generating reliable data for his research project.
SPECIAL EMPHASIS PROGRAM NEWS
In recognition of Women's Equality Day on August 24, GWERD's Federal Women's Program hosted a presentation by Councilwoman Barbara Young, Ada City Council Ward 4. Councilwoman Young spoke to GWERD staff and invitees on her career progression from enrolling in college after marriage and two children, receiving two degrees and teaching at East Central University, running for and winning positions as mayor and councilwoman. After becoming involved in Ada's Main Street Program in 1987, she not only developed the Walk of Fame Project, but with her husband personally installed most of the park's 3,800 bricks. In addition to these tasks, Ms. Young serves on numerous civic organizations and state and local committees.