Background:
As a charter member of the ITRC, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has been able to significantly benefit from inexpensive staff training opportunities which directly relate to the applicability of various innovative technologies and approaches for contaminated site remediation. The following recent examples illustrate this benefit.

Training Examples:

1. Monitored Natural Attenuation
Approximately 60 agency staff members and 150 other environmental professionals received training in Monitored Natural Attenuation at the ITRC training class held at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in May 1998. While there was not uniform agreement on the technical material presented (even fairly strong debate/disagreement on some issues), the course did serve as an excellent starting point for staff to begin learning about and debating the technical and controversial issues surrounding Monitored Natural Attenuation. The OSWER guidance document was identified during the course as providing a fairly good base of knowledge, and it has been widely distributed within DEP. In addition to the direct benefit that the training provided to DEP staff members, the course stimulated significant internal discussion and debate on Monitored Natural Attenuation, which may eventually lead to development of a policy or policy statement.

2. Information Resources
While attending the ITRC meeting in Washington, DC during 1998, the state point of contact for Massachusetts, Ken Marra, saw a summary presentation on the "Information Resources Workshops for Consulting Engineers and Project Managers" offered by the Technology Information Office (TIO) of the USEPA. As a result he arranged for TIO to provide the training in Boston for Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) personnel, and in December 42 staff members received the training.

Who to Contact for Additional Information:
Ken Marra
Department of Environmental Protection
1 Winter Street, 7th Floor
Boston, MA 02108
Phone: 617-292-5966
Fax: 617-292-5530
e-mail: kendall.mara@state.ma.us

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