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ENGINEERING FORUM TELECONFERENCE MINUTES
May 7, 2008
TOPICS IN THIS MONTH'S MINUTES:
- Spring 2008 Co-Chair Elections
- Strategic Plan Status
- Engineering Forum Brochure Status
- Evergreen List Review
- 2008 NARPM Conference
- Attendees
SPRING 2008 CO-CHAIR ELECTIONS
Jon Bornholm’s (Region 4) term as co-chair of the Engineering Forum ends this spring. Forum members are asked to submit nominations for a new co-chair to Keith Arnold (EMS) by June 9. The names of nominees will be compiled for an election later in June. The winner will be announced at the NARPM 2008 conference.
STRATEGIC PLAN STATUS
Hilary Thornton (Region 3) has finished drafting a strategic plan for the Engineering Forum, which outlines the forum’s mission, goals, and accomplishments. The draft document, dated April 28th, was distributed to forum members for review as an attachment to the May conference call agenda sent on May 6. Forum members are asked to submit comments to Hilary (thornton.hilary@epa.gov) by June 4.
ENGINEERING FORUM BROCHURE STATUS
Julie Santiago (Region 4) has drafted an Engineering Forum brochure for distribution at NARPM and as an attachment to the strategic plan. Mike Gill (co-chair, Region 9) will e-mail the draft to the forum later today. Engineering Forum members are asked to review the brochure, particularly the list of forum members, to ensure it is up to date. Comments are due to Julie (santiago-ocasio.carmen@epa.gov) by June 4.
EVERGREEN LIST REVIEW
- Dave Reisman (Office of Research and Development [ORD]-Cincinnati) reported that two issue papers, Ex-Situ Treatment of Oxygenated Hydrocarbons & Perchlorates in Groundwater and Technology Alternatives for the Remediation of Soil and Sediment Contaminated with PCBs, are delayed. Headquarters has unexpectedly sent the PCB paper out for an additional round of review, so yet more comments must be addressed. The oxygenates paper has fallen lower on ORD’s priority list. Dave said that ORD will aim to complete the final documents in time for the NARPM conference. He also noted that such delays are probably why ORD will not be writing any more “Engineering Issue” papers.
- Ray Cody (Region 1) reported that Indoor Air Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Approaches also has been distributed for an additional review, and thus, completion has been delayed. Additional changes are causing additional republications, which cost money. Ray said that he still is aiming to complete the document in time for NARPM.
- Dave Reisman indicated that Steve Rock (ORD-Cincinnati) will have the draft Evapotranspiration Covers issue paper ready for review by the forum and OSRTI by early June.
- Leo Romanowski (Region 4) said that Eva Davis (ORD-Ada) is committed to writing the issue paper on In Situ Thermal Treatment; however, to this date, only a 3-page outline has been created. Leo recently talked with Jim Cummings (TIFSD), Kira Lynch (Region 10) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers about perhaps developing a separate document for RPMs that addresses contracting for thermal treatment technologies and evaluating their success. Forum members will ask Eva for an update at the NARPM conference and may drop the item from the evergreen list if nothing is accomplished in the next few months.
- Mike Gill announced that the forum’s issue paper, Guide of Online Remediation Technologies Databases and Resources, is published and available on CLU-IN (www.cluin.org, Click on “Publications and Studio” then “New Publications.”) and the TSP’s webpage (www.epa.gov/tio/tsp/issue.htm).
- Terry Burton (Region 6 STL) has indicated that he has made no progress on the ISCO “lessons-learned document” since receiving the 20 or so lessons-learned reports from the regions. Terry has also noted that he will have more time, plus the assistance of an intern, to work on the project later this summer.
- The Permeable Reactive Zones panel session has been scheduled for July 10 (9:00-10:30 am) at the NARPM conference. Speakers have been lined up.
- Jon Bornholm and Lindsey Lien reported that they have made no progress on the document, Standard Approach for Documenting O&M in Preparation for Transfer of Sites to the State. Jon mentioned that he found another document that may duplicate much of what the forum planned to put in their paper. Jon will review the document and recommend to the forum on the June 4th call whether or not to delete this item from the evergreen list to avoid duplication.
As a possible future item for the evergreen list, Dave Reisman proposed that the forum get involved in a Headquarters’ initiative on alternative energy development at contaminated sites. Mike Gill noted that the final Smart Energy Resource Guide is now available online at http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/pubs/600r08049/600r08049.htm.
2008 NARPM CONFERENCE
- Registration for NARPM is now open. Visit www.epanarpm.org/2008.
- TetraTech has asked the TSP forums for their business session agendas in order to post them on the NARPM’s agenda online. Jon Bornholm and Hilary Thornton volunteered to take the lead on preparing the agenda for the Engineering Forum’s business sessions scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. They plan to have a draft agenda ready for forum review by June 5.
- Mike Gill mentioned that Andrea Leeson offered to present the forum a half-hour discussion of SERDP’s (Strategic Environmental Research and Development) research during forum business sessions, which he has tentatively agreed to.
- Dave Reisman suggested inviting the head of Region 10’s satellite office in Portland to speak to the forum on the functions of EPA’s satellite offices. He also suggested a discussion with OSRTI (Linda Fiedler or Kelly Madalinski) on the problems that ORD and the Engineering Forum are encountering with publishing documents and how they might be addressed.
- Mike Gill said that the three forums plan to share a display table at NARPM for distribution of TSP-related documents.
- State participants need to contact John Quander (TIFSD) (quander.john@epa.gov or 703-603-7198) if they wish to receive travel funding for the conference.
ATTENDEES
Ray Cody, Region 1
Kevin Bilash, Region 3
Donna McCartney, Region 3
Hilary Thornton, Region 3
Jon Bornholm, Region 4
Leo Romanowski, Region 4
Raji Josiam, Region 6
Don Bahnke, Region 7
Mike Davis, Region 7
Mike Gill, Region 9 STL
Ray Saracino, Region 9
Dave Reisman, NRMRL, Cinc.
Suzanne Davis, CA DTSC
John Muegge, CA DTSC
Jim Harrington, NYSDEC
Lindsey Lien, USACE
Diane Dopkin, EMS, Inc.
In an effort to foster scientific and technical advances in characterization, monitoring and remediation of contaminated sites, the EPA Technical Support Project encourages full and frank discussion of all technical matters and related issues that come before it.Information presented in these minutes represents the views of the participants and has not received formal EPA peer review. Therefore, this information does not necessarily reflect the views of EPA or other participating organizations, and no official endorsement should be inferred. The information is not intended, nor can it be relied upon, to create any rights enforceable by any party in litigation with the United States or any other party. Use or mention of trade names does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation for use. Errors and omissions in the information will be corrected as they are found and time permits.