Advancing Environmental Solutions How ITRC Reduces Barriers to the Use of Innovative Environmental Technologies

Transcription

1 Advancing Environmental Solutions How ITRC Reduces Barriers to the Use of Innovative Environmental Technologies Anna Willett ITRC Director 2011 Environment, Energy Security & Sustainability Symposium New Orleans, LA, May 9-12, 2011

2 What is ITRC? ITRC is a state-led coalition working to advance the use of innovative environmental technologies and approaches Better Environmental Protection Environmental Regulations

3 Why Innovative Technologies? Innovative environmental technologies/approaches: Typically more efficient and cost effective Can provide a solution for a problem where no solution previously existed Barriers to innovation: Lack of understanding or trust in the benefits Different sets of procedures and/or data requirements among states Institutional resistance to change Regulatory inflexibility or pre-specified approaches 3

4 ITRC s Role Reduce barriers To the use of innovative environmental technologies Improve cleanup By educating on innovative environmental technologies Provide a national consensus On approaches to implementing innovative environmental technologies

5 ITRC Reduces Barriers By: Increasing understanding and confidence in innovative technologies Increasing regulatory consistency from state-to-state Fostering integration of new technical developments within existing regulations Showing the cost and time savings that can be achieved with innovative environmental technologies Creating networks of technical experts as a resource when making decisions on innovative environmental technologies 5

6 What Does ITRC Achieve? Accomplishments Wide spread education on the use of innovative technologies Use of a common language when it comes to complex topics Replacement of adversarial relationships with collaboration National paradigm shifts with respect to using new technology Benefits Harmonized approaches to using innovative technology across the nation Faster clean up decisions Reduced permitting time Decreased compliance and clean up costs Leveraging of partnerships Increased efficiencies

7 ITRC s Unique Network Environmental Council of the States (ECOS) Federal Government State Government Public/Tribal Stakeholders Industry Academia

8 What ITRC Does ITRC uses a proven, costeffective approach to develop guidance documents and training Implement Solutions Conduct Training Develop Products Select Projects Form Teams Since 1995: 100 documents 50 training courses

9 ITRC Topics Technologies Approaches Contaminants New contaminated site assessment technologies New clean up processes and approaches Emerging contaminants (e.g. perchlorate) Munitions and Explosives of Concern (e.g. UXO) Vapor intrusion Green and sustainable remediation Contaminated sediments Remediation process optimization Risk assessment

10 2011 ITRC Teams 1. Biochemical Reactors for Mine Influenced Water - NEW 2. Contaminated Sediments Remediation - NEW 3. Groundwater Statistics and Monitoring Compliance - NEW 4. Environmental Molecular Diagnostics (EMD) CLOSING Incremental Sampling Methodology (ISM) CLOSING Biofuels CLOSING Green & Sustainable Remediation (GSR) CLOSING In Situ Stabilization and Solidification (ISS) CLOSING Integrated DNAPL Site Strategy (IDSS) CLOSING Permeable Reactive Barriers CLOSING Contaminated Sediments CLOSING Spring 2011

11 2012 Potential New Teams 1. DNAPL Characterization 2. Revitalization of Federal Clean up Lands 3. Enhanced Attenuation of Metals and Radionuclide 4. Geophysical System Verification 5. Risk Assessment State of the Practice 6. Chesapeake Bay Watershed 7. Petroleum Vapor Intrusion

12 Expanding Products and Services Watershed Management Models to address watershed management issues Tools to determine contaminant loadings Best management practices (BMP) applied in watershed implementation plans Low impact development (LID) techniques and applications Measure results from BMP and LID

13 2010 Products 4 documents, 3 training courses Project/Team UXO Wide Area Assessment Overview Document Tech Reg Document Internet Based Training Course Mass Flux Mining Waste Natural Attenuation of Metals and Radionuclides

14 Project/Team LNAPL Classroom Training Course Remediation Risk Management Contaminated Sediments Bioavailability Green & Sustainable Remediation Permeable Reactive Barriers 2011 Products 10 documents, 8 training courses Overview Document Tech Reg Document Internet Based Training Course (classroom)

15 2011 Products 10 documents, 8 training courses Project/Team Overview Document Tech Reg Document Internet Based Training Course Solidification/Stabilization Biofuels Integrated DNAPL Site Strategy Environmental Molecular Diagnostics

16 ITRC Training Totals

17 Breakdown of Overall Training Totals Type # State/Local Government 24,822 U.S. EPA 2,979 U.S. DOD 3,958 U.S. DOE 1,073 Other Federal Agency 879 Consultant/Engineering 30,796 Community Stakeholder 207 Site Owner 1,472 Technology Vendor 620 Academia 819 Other 2,991 TOTAL 70,616

18 Vapor Intrusion Classroom Training 4 offerings in 2011 TX, NJ, MI, CO Vapor Intrusion Pathway - A Practical Guideline Course Overview How to conduct site screening and investigations How to collect quality data and evaluate the results Apply multiple lines of evidence to ensure quality decision making Understand and implement mitigation options

19 19 ITRC Has Impact 100 documents published 70,000 training attendees members (200 state members) 13,000 documents distributed per year 9,000 unique web hits per month

20 How can you get value from ITRC? Download and use ITRC documents ( Take training (internet or classroom) Join an ITRC team and help write documents and develop training courses

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22 State Environmental Agency Changes in 2011 No change in commissioner Change in commissioner Possible Change

23 ITRC Vision Statement Added To be the market recognized go-to provider for innovative environmental solutions to protect human health and the environment

24 State Ownership: Building, Accepting and Using ITRC Products 24

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