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TechDirect,
hosted by the U.S. EPA's Technology Innovation Program, is an
information service that highlights new publications and events of
interest to site remediation and site assessment professionals. At the
beginning of every month, the service, via e-mail, will distribute a
message describing the availability of publications and events. For
publications, the message will explain how to obtain a hard copy or how
to download an electronic version.
Technology News and Trends is a newsletter for environmental professionals that features a combination of articles on innovative, in-situ technologies for the characterization and treatment of soil, sediment, and ground water. Technology News and Trends replaces Tech Trends and Ground Water Currents, which were published from 1992 through 2002. Technology News and Trends is published quarterly.
Technology Innovation News Survey contains market/commercialization information; reports on demonstrations, feasibility studies and research; and other news relevant to the hazardous waste community interested in technology development. This report is updated each month.
Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) is published weekly. This update contains summaries of procurement and contract award notices issued the previous week that pertain to hazardous waste, solid waste, underground storage tank remediation, and other environmental topics. However, it does not necessarily contain EVERY notice on these topics.
Subscribe to these helpful publications at www.clu-in.org
Technology News and Trends is a newsletter for environmental professionals that features a combination of articles on innovative, in-situ technologies for the characterization and treatment of soil, sediment, and ground water. Technology News and Trends replaces Tech Trends and Ground Water Currents, which were published from 1992 through 2002. Technology News and Trends is published quarterly.
Technology Innovation News Survey contains market/commercialization information; reports on demonstrations, feasibility studies and research; and other news relevant to the hazardous waste community interested in technology development. This report is updated each month.
Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) is published weekly. This update contains summaries of procurement and contract award notices issued the previous week that pertain to hazardous waste, solid waste, underground storage tank remediation, and other environmental topics. However, it does not necessarily contain EVERY notice on these topics.
Subscribe to these helpful publications at www.clu-in.org
Incorporating Sustainable Environmental Practices into Remediation of Contaminated Sites
Green remediation reduces the demand placed on the environment during cleanup actions, otherwise known as the “footprint” of remediation, and avoids the potential for collateral environmental damage. The potential footprint encompasses impacts long known to affect environmental media:
EPA’s regulatory programs and initiatives actively support site remediation and revitalization that result in beneficial reuse such as commercial operations, industrial facilities, housing, greenspace, and renewable energy development. The Agency has begun examining opportunities to integrate sustainable practices into the decision-making processes and implementation strategies that carry forward to reuse strategies. In doing so, EPA recognizes that incorporation of sustainability principles can help increase the environmental, economic, and social benefits of cleanup.
The PRIMER: Green Remediation
This primer outlines the principles of green remediation and describes opportunities to reduce the footprint of cleanup activities throughout the life of a project.
Best management practices (BMPs) outlined in this document help decision-makers, communities, and other stakeholders (such as project managers, field staff, and engineering contractors) identify new strategies in terms of sustainability.
These strategies complement rather than replace the process used to select primary remedies that best meet site-specific cleanup goals. The primer identifies the range of alternatives available to improve sustainability of cleanup activities and to help decision-makers balance the alternatives within existing regulatory frameworks.
To date, EPA's sustainability initiatives have addressed a broader scope or focused on individual elements of green remediation such as clean energy (April 2008, 54 pages).
View or download this primer by th EPA at http://clu-in.org/techpubs.htm .
Green remediation is the practice of considering all environmental effects of remedy implementation and incorporating options to maximize the net environmental benefit of cleanup actions.
Green remediation reduces the demand placed on the environment during cleanup actions, otherwise known as the “footprint” of remediation, and avoids the potential for collateral environmental damage. The potential footprint encompasses impacts long known to affect environmental media:
- Air pollution caused by toxic or priority pollutants such as particulate matter and lead,
- Water cycle imbalance within local and regional hydrologic regimes,
- Soil erosion and nutrient depletion as well as subsurface geochemical changes,
- Ecological diversity and population reductions, and
- Emission of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and other greenhouse gases contributing to climate change.
EPA’s regulatory programs and initiatives actively support site remediation and revitalization that result in beneficial reuse such as commercial operations, industrial facilities, housing, greenspace, and renewable energy development. The Agency has begun examining opportunities to integrate sustainable practices into the decision-making processes and implementation strategies that carry forward to reuse strategies. In doing so, EPA recognizes that incorporation of sustainability principles can help increase the environmental, economic, and social benefits of cleanup.
The PRIMER: Green Remediation
This primer outlines the principles of green remediation and describes opportunities to reduce the footprint of cleanup activities throughout the life of a project.
Best management practices (BMPs) outlined in this document help decision-makers, communities, and other stakeholders (such as project managers, field staff, and engineering contractors) identify new strategies in terms of sustainability.
These strategies complement rather than replace the process used to select primary remedies that best meet site-specific cleanup goals. The primer identifies the range of alternatives available to improve sustainability of cleanup activities and to help decision-makers balance the alternatives within existing regulatory frameworks.
To date, EPA's sustainability initiatives have addressed a broader scope or focused on individual elements of green remediation such as clean energy (April 2008, 54 pages).
View or download this primer by th EPA at http://clu-in.org/techpubs.htm .
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded $4.2 million in Brownfields grants to 12 Northern California community redevelopment agencies in April, 2008.
The groups will use the grants to develop inventories and assess sites contaminated by hazardous substances, clean up contaminated sites, and support community outreach activities.
“The EPA is very pleased to provide funding for work in these deserving Northern California communities," said Debbie Schechter, manager of EPA’s Pacific Southwest region’s Brownfields program. "Work conducted under our Brownfields grants will provide the type of assistance necessary to transform these underutilized lands into community assets."
Communities and agencies in 43 states, two tribal nations and two territories will share over $74 million in Brownfields grants designed to help revitalize former industrial and commercial sites and allow for productive community use.
Brownfields are sites where expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant. The EPA’s Brownfields program authorizes up to $250 million in grant funds annually and encourages redevelopment of America's estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated waste sites.
Grants have been given to the following groups:
Since the beginning of the Brownfields program, the EPA has awarded 1,255 assessment grants totaling over $298.6 million, 230 revolving loan fund grants totaling over $217.7 million, and 426 cleanup grants totaling $78.7 million.
For more information, please visit: http://epa.gov/brownfields/
The groups will use the grants to develop inventories and assess sites contaminated by hazardous substances, clean up contaminated sites, and support community outreach activities.
“The EPA is very pleased to provide funding for work in these deserving Northern California communities," said Debbie Schechter, manager of EPA’s Pacific Southwest region’s Brownfields program. "Work conducted under our Brownfields grants will provide the type of assistance necessary to transform these underutilized lands into community assets."
Communities and agencies in 43 states, two tribal nations and two territories will share over $74 million in Brownfields grants designed to help revitalize former industrial and commercial sites and allow for productive community use.
Brownfields are sites where expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant. The EPA’s Brownfields program authorizes up to $250 million in grant funds annually and encourages redevelopment of America's estimated 450,000 abandoned and contaminated waste sites.
Grants have been given to the following groups:
- California Department of Toxic Substances Control and the communities of Sutter Creek and Jackson - $200,000 to create an inventory of sites contaminated by hazardous substances, input site information into geographic information system, and conduct environmental site assessments;
- Yolo County - $400,000 to create an inventory of sites contaminated by hazardous substances and petroleum, conduct environmental site assessments, and support community outreach activities;
- City of West Sacramento - $200,000 to cleanup a site contaminated with hazardous substances;
- City of Tulare - $200,000 to remove hazardous substances from a local site, assist in cleanup planning and oversight, and support community involvement activities;
- City of Sutter Creek - $200,000 to conduct an environmental site assessment for hazardous substances, and support community involvement activities;
- Satellite Housing, Inc. of Manteca - $200,000 to remove hazardous pesticides, and support community involvement activities;
- Petaluma Community Development Commission - $1 million for hazardous substances and petroleum cleanup, and to support community involvement activities;
- Humboldt County - $400,000 to develop an inventory of sites contaminated by hazardous substances and petroleum, conduct environmental site assessments, and support community involvement activities;
- Fresno Redevelopment Agency - $200,000 to address hazardous substances contamination, and support community involvement activities;
- City of Eureka - $600,000 for hazardous substances cleanup and support community outreach activities;
- City of Emeryville - $400,000 to conduct environmental site assessments for sites contaminated by hazardous substances and petroleum; and
- Sacramento Capitol Area Development Authority - $200,000 to remove hazardous substances from a more than century-old residential site.
Since the beginning of the Brownfields program, the EPA has awarded 1,255 assessment grants totaling over $298.6 million, 230 revolving loan fund grants totaling over $217.7 million, and 426 cleanup grants totaling $78.7 million.
For more information, please visit: http://epa.gov/brownfields/
