Environmental Symposium Co-Chairs:

Environmental Symposium Peer Reviewers:

Presentations
9:00am-9:25am		ENV01	Alternative Performance-Based Strategies
9:30am-9:55am		ENV02	Waste Contractor Assessment Strategy
10:00am-10:25am		*ENV03	Landfill Gas Migration Assessment and Remediation Activities
10:30am-10:55am		ENV04	Assessment of Hydrocarbon-Impacted Soils Using Biological Assays
11:00am-11:25am		*ENV05	Using the Risk Reduction Rules
1:00pm-1:25pm		ENV06	Minimum Impact Manufacturing - Water Use Reduction
1:30pm-1:55pm		ENV07	Reliability: Foundation for Success
2:00pm-2:25pm			Coffee Break - Visit the Open Technical Exchange Poster Session
2:30pm-2:55pm		ENV08	Parameter Identification in a Layered Aquifer System
3:00pm-3:25pm		ENV09	ISO 14000 - The Future of Environmental Management
3:30pm-3:55pm		ENV10	Treatability Test of a Stacked-Tray Air Stripper for VOCs in Water

Session Codes
*xxxnn		Both an oral presentation and a poster
xxxPnn		Poster Only

ENV01
Alternative Performance-Based Strategies
Adele D. Cardenas, PE, XL Coordinator, US Environmental Protection Agency
Friday, 9:00am–9:25am

EPA has developed a coordinated series of demonstration projects designed to provide the opportunity to implement alternative management strategies for facilities, industrial sectors, communities, and federal agencies. These projects provide environmental managers the flexibility to employ technological innovation to achieve environmental goals beyond what the law requires, while requiring accountability for performance. The Project XL proposals encourage collaborative decision making with increased citizen involvement. One of the agency's alternative performance based strategies is Project XL.

ENV02
Waste Contractor Assessment Strategy
Debbie Furness, Hazardous Materials Engineer, Caterpillar Inc.
Friday, 9:30am-9:55am

Industry has been increasingly concerned with the contractors who provide for the disposal of hazardous, non-hazardous, and special wastes. An organization assumes all of the liability, present and future, associated with any waste it generates, regardless of the manner in which a contractor disposes of that waste. It is of critical importance to ensure that an organization's contractors are operating in an ethical manner and complying with applicable local, state, and federal requirements.

Many of the sites listed on the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) have not been "traditional" RCRA permitted waste handling operations. Businesses that provide for the recycling of scrap metal, glass, plastic, wood, paper, and other materials have been appearing on the NPL in increasing numbers. Recyclers are not held to the stringent reporting, permitting, and inspection requirements that are placed on RCRA permitted facilities, and can create significant liability for a waste generator. This paper will provide a guide for scheduling and performing waste contractor assessments. I will be discussing tools that may be used in assessing any type of waste contractor, including: 1) Financial Review, 2) Regulatory Compliance and Inspection History - Internet Tools, 3) Audit Checklist Information.

*ENV03
Landfill Gas Migration Assessment and Remediation Activities
Danielle Forget Shield, Environmental Engineer, Waste Management of Texas, Inc.
Richard Dormier, PE, Solid Waste Project Manager, RUST Environment and Infrastructure
Friday, 10:00am-10:25am

A pre-Subtitle D municipal solid waste landfill located in Houston, Texas began experiencing methane gas detection in its permanent gas monitoring probes shortly after construction of final cover on the sideslopes of the facility. The sidewall liner for the affected area of the landfill consists of insitu soils with a soil-bentonite slurry wall cutoff to underlying clays. Shortly after the initial methane detection, a gas collection and flaring system was designed and installed. This system has sporadically controlled the gas migration from the facility. The site has performed a site assessment to determine the cause of the continued methane gas detection. The assessment included a review of site geology and hydrogeology, historic filling patterns at the facility, and effective radius of influence of the gas collection wells. Several remedial actions have been taken by the facility including removal of leachate from gas wells, placement of additional collection wells, looping of the gas collection header, and installation of a larger blower and flare.

ENV04
Assessment of Hydrocarbon-Impacted Soils Using Biological Assays
Ann Saterbak, PhD, Associate Research Engineer, Shell Development Company, Westhollow Technology Center
Robin J. Toy, Environmental Advisor, Shell Chemicals Europe
Bruce C. McMain, Research Technician, Shell Development Company
M. Patty Williams, Technical Associate, Shell Development Company
Friday, 10:30am-10:55am

The management of sites which contain hydrocarbon-impacted soils is a wide-spread problem in the United States. Assessments and remediation plans which rely solely on chemical assays of the petroleum hydrocarbon in soil have been found, in some cases, to not accurately predict risks to human health and the environment. To understand the impact of hydrocarbons on the terrestrial ecosystem, biological assays including earthworm survival and reproduction and seed germination and root development for four different plant species were developed. Eight hydrocarbon-contaminated field soils were tested using the described biological assays and many chemical and physical assays. A range of species specific responses which differed among the soils was observed. The soils were then actively biotreated in the laboratory for one year, during which time chemical and biological assays were used to monitor changes. Increased earthworm survival and seed germination and declining hydrocarbon concentrations were observed for most soils during treatment. Correlations between the biological and chemical measurements are explored. Case studies which apply both chemical and biological assays to assess the impact of hydrocarbons on the soil environment in a cost-effective, tiered framework are discussed.

*ENV05
Using the Risk Reduction Rules
Laura J. Gimpelson, PE, Chief Engineer, LG Environmental Engineering
Friday, 11:00am–11:25am

The Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) published the Risk Reduction Rules (30 TAC 335, Subpart R) in 1993 to simplify the remediation of impacted land and groundwater when using RCRA and CERCLA regulations. Other divisions such as the PST and Volunteer Cleanup Program also established risk based rules for closure of impacted sites. These rules established remediation goals that were based on the use of risk assessment techniques and allowed for remediation of soils and groundwater to chemical concentrations above site-specific background levels that are protective of human health and the environment. The default concentrations listed in various TNRCC regulatory guidance documents (RGs) were calculated using the exposure equations developed for Superfund cleanups. Generally, the default values were consistent with an increase exposure rate equal to or less than 1 in a million increase in cancer cases and a 1 in 100,000 increase in non-cancerous illness in site employees, visitors, and adjacent neighbors.

I have used the Risk Reduction Rules (RRS) to establish cleanup levels for closure at industrial and commercial facilities throughout Texas. Often I have been the first to use specific rules and procedures to achieve closure. The three case studies I am presenting today reflect the history and future of risk based closure (RBCA) in Texas. They include one of the first sites closed under the RRS as well as use of the proposed multiprogram risk assessment guidelines. I will discuss some of the technical and political hurdles that must be jumped to receive TNRCC approval to close the site under the risk reduction rules.

ENV06
Minimum Impact Manufacturing - Water Use Reduction
Mari Chesser, Environmental Engineer, Weyerhaeuser Company, Corporate Research and Development
Friday, 1:00pm–1:25pm

Minimum impact manufacturing (MIM) can be defined as operating mills that produce quality products while continuing to reduce adverse effects on the environment. MIM is a cornerstone of Weyerhaeuser's corporate vision. MIM is a journey. The incremental steps are aligned with evolving longer-term need of our stakeholders: customers, employees, communities, suppliers and shareholders.

Steps on the MIM journey are evaluated against four basic criteria: 1) Economic viability, 2) Environmental benefit, 3) Customer requirements, including both functional product characteristics and environmental parameters, and 4) Alignment with public values.

Minimizing water use, or mill close-up, is an important part of MIM. Pulp and paper mills are complex, multi-process facilities with many process streams and recycle streams, all with widely varying flow and quality characteristics. These facilities have been large users of fresh water in comparison to other manufacturing industries. Historically, pulp mills were built beside rivers or streams which provided process water and a convenient means of waste disposal. As concerns for improved environmental protection have increased, reduction and elimination of discharges of effluent to receiving waters has received significant attention. By understanding and evaluating what has been done, what is being done, and what could be done in the industry, innovation in water closure can lead to an economic and competitive advantage. This presentation will discuss various water reduction opportunities being investigated and implemented by Weyerhaeuser.

ENV07
Reliability: Foundation for Success
Wayne Long, PE, Reliability and Quality Leader, Salt Mining/Underground Storage/Pipeline, The Dow Chemical Company, The Dow Pipeline Company
Friday, 1:30pm–1:55pm

RAM is no longer an acronym just for random access memory. Now it also stands for Reliability, Availability, and Maintainability. Availability is based on reliability and maintainability. If equipment is not available, it cannot operate. These concepts are not new, but they comprise a growing and emerging field of technology. Reliability influences performance in many areas including safety, environmental, quality, productivity, economic profit, and risk assessment. By influencing these areas reliability influences overall business success. Optimization of reliability is critical - you cannot afford too much, but you cannot afford not to have enough.

This presentation will provide a basic understanding of reliability, availability, maintainability, and associated concepts, such as utilization and failure, and how these concepts interrelate. Factors which affect RAM will be considered. Both qualitative and quantitative representations of RAM concepts will be discussed.

ENV08
Parameter Identification in a Layered Aquifer System
Pamela G. Anderson, HVJ Associates, Inc.
Friday, 2:30pm–2:55pm

In groundwater modeling, standard analytical solutions assume that the aquifer parameters and the amount of flow into or out of the aquifer are known. These analytical solution techniques then solve for drawdown at some distance from the pumping well. Results from field testing of an aquifer consist of the pumping rate and the drawdown at some distance from the pumping well. Inverse analysis consists of using the field data to back compute the aquifer parameters.

Inverse analysis of aquifer parameters has been typically performed using trial-and-error methods. The complexity of these analyses increases with the number of layers in the system. In addition, flowmeter data has been shown to be an excellent source of layer information, but cannot be used to infer storage properties. This research assembled a package of computer programs to evaluate characteristic parameters for a multilayer aquifer system using data obtained from pumping and flowmeter tests and from observations in nearby wells. The LAPIS package consists of a groundwater modeling program and an optimizing program. Testing of the package showed good agreement with analytical solutions. Analysis of actual field data showed the use of flowmeter data could provide valuable additional information in the parameter analysis of a multilayer system. The parameters are modified in a logical, systematic approach, thereby automating and improving the analysis.

ENV09
ISO 14000 - The Future of Environmental Management
Megan V. Oemke, PE, Project Engineer, NTH Consultants, Ltd.
Friday, 3:00pm–3:25pm

With the finalization of the ISO 14000 standards in 1996, and the globalization of many businesses, the coming months are an advantageous time to institute environmental management systems at a range of facilities, including industrial manufacturing complexes and municipalities.

An environmental management system (EMS) can take many forms. An EMS based on the internationally recognized ISO 14000 series of standards is most likely the first choice for companies competing in the global marketplace. The ISO 14000 series are a voluntary set of standards that are intended to assist facilities in developing and implementing an EMS based on continuous improvement. The ISO 14001 standard describes specific requirements for a continuous improvement EMS.

The ISO 14000 series of standards have been described as being ISO 9000 standards for environmental issues. While there are some similarities, this is not entirely correct. Implementing an ISO 9000 system caused many companies to generate enormous amounts of paperwork and procedures specifically for the ISO 9000 system. However, it is likely that an environmentally compliant facility has a portion of the elements of an ISO 14001 system in place, thereby minimizing EMS development and implementation costs.

ENV10
Treatability Test of a Stacked-Tray Air Stripper for VOCs in Water
Tristan M. Pico, Environmental Engineer, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Friday, 3:30pm–3:55pm

With the finalization of the ISO 14000 standards in 1996, and the globalization of many businesses, the coming months are an advantageous time to institute environmental management systems at a range of facilities, including industrial manufacturing complexes and municipalities.

An environmental management system (EMS) can take many forms. An EMS based on the internationally recognized ISO 14000 series of standards is most likely the first choice for companies competing in the global marketplace. The ISO 14000 series are a voluntary set of standards that are intended to assist facilities in developing and implementing an EMS based on continuous improvement. The ISO 14001 standard describes specific requirements for a continuous improvement EMS.

The ISO 14000 series of standards have been described as being ISO 9000 standards for environmental issues. While there are some similarities, this is not entirely correct. Implementing an ISO 9000 system caused many companies to generate enormous amounts of paperwork and procedures specifically for the ISO 9000 system. However, it is likely that an environmentally compliant facility has a portion of the elements of an ISO 14001 system in place, thereby minimizing EMS development and implementation costs.

ENVP01 - Withdrawn