Background:
This example highlights multi-state support for and participation in the ITRC sponsored Natural Attenuation Training Course. This training course has been a unique activity which blends the goal of matching ITRC Guidance Documents to sites (i.e. Product Use) and integrating the technology transfer information gained from the ITRC into the daily practices of state programs (i.e. Institutional Use). The example also addresses the positive changes in attitudes and behavior, which are a byproduct of the training, and the subsequent impact on site remediations when Monitored Natural Attenuation has been considered by states along with other possible remedies.

Two of the Industrial members of the Remediation Technologies Development Forum (RTDF), DuPont and Beak, joined with the ITRC to provide extensive training to states, stakeholders, and the consulting and engineering community on Monitored Natural Attenuation of Chlorinated Solvents. The course has been designed to give participants a technical knowledge on how to identify if natural attenuation is occurring and how effective it is at remediating site contamination. International experts in the field of biotreatment present the latest developments in natural degradation processes. The physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms for degrading chlorinated solvents in groundwater are discussed, as well as tools for the documentation and evaluation of natural attenuation projects based on case studies. The training combines presentation and discussion with "hands on" problem-solving work sessions.

How the Natural Attenuation Training Course was Implemented:
The first training course was offered in Austin, Texas, in March of 1997. Training support was provided by Texas State, the Industrial partners of the RTDF, EPA, the ITRC, and Coleman Research Corporation (CRC). In June 1997 the second course was offered in Sacramento, California, with training support provided by California State, RTDF, ITRC and CRC. The third course was offered in Austin, Texas in September 1997 supported by the Core Training Team (RTDF, ITRC, and CRC) and the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission, Innovative Technology Program, and the University of Texas at Austin. The final 1997 offering was in Richland, Washington in November. In addition to the Core Training Team, support was provided by the Washington Department of Ecology, Hammer Training and Educational Center, Southern States Energy Board, and the Northwest Environmental Business Council.

In 1998 the first course offering was at Berkley, California in January. The Core Training Team was supported by the University of California at Berkley, and by the California EPA . The second offering was held at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania in March with the Core Training Team augmented with support from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, the University of Pennsylvania Licensed Site Professional Program, and SSEB. The third offering was in May at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, with Core Training Team support augmented by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, University of Massachusetts, Massachusetts and Connecticut Licensed Site Professionals Boards, and the Association for Environmental Health and Soils. The July 1998 offering was in Salt Lake City, Utah , with Core Training Team support augmented by the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Hill Air Force Base, SSEB, and the Northwest Environmental Business Council. The September course was held in Kansas City, MO with Core Training Team support augmented by Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas State, and the Rocky Mountain Region Hazardous Substance Research Council. The November offering was in Nashville, Tennessee, and the January 1999 offering was in New Orleans , Louisiana. One additional offering is tentatively scheduled in Chicago, Illinois in March 1999, subject to the availability of funding.

Between March 1997 and January 1999 the 11 course offerings have trained a total of 1,586 people of which 881 were regulators. The following table summarizes the attendance data for each course offering.

Benefits of Natural Attenuation Training:
In 1997, EPA reported that remediation costs for all known contaminated sites are estimated to total $187 billion. Sixty percent of these sites are reported to be contaminated by chlorinated solvents such as perchloroethylene (PERC) and trichloroethylene (TCE). Seventy percent of these sites include ground water contamination. This equates to approximately $78.5 billion in 1996 dollars nationally. Previous EPA studies have shown that traditional pump and treat technology alone is often insufficient to meet cleanup standards.

National experts from both the EPA and the private sector estimate that natural attenuation can appropriately be used to fully remediate 20% of the sites currently contaminated by chlorinated solvents. Recent published reports by DuPont indicate that appropriate use of natural attenuation as a remediation method could reduce the remediation costs on these sites by 50%. This may translate into a savings of as much as $39 billion in total remediaton costs of known existing sites.

Results of Course Evaluation from Survey of Attendees:
The ITRC is about to publish a report on the results of a survey conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the training course. The report should also help the ITRC in designing future training courses and course evaluations. The information provided below is excerpted from the draft of this ITRC report entitled Natural Attenuation of Chlorinated Solvents in Groundwater - Course evaluation Summary.

"The summary results are based on data from five of the past courses. Data was collected from two surveys; one tailored to regulators, and another tailored to consultants/engineers, site-owners, stakeholders, and government officials. This summary includes responses from participants who attended courses held in Austin, TX; Sacramento, CA; Valley Forge, PA; Amherst, MA; and Berkeley, CA. As a follow-up to the course, we have tried to measure (1) the attendee satisfaction with the quality of the information and format in which it was presented, and (2) the impacts of the course on the actual use of natural attenuation. Our initial survey suggests an overwhelming customer satisfaction with the course and an increase in confidence to properly evaluate and propose the use of Natural Attenuation when appropriate.

"Since attending the course, over a third of the consultants and engineers have submitted proposals containing NA as part of the remedy, and almost all of these have either been approved or are currently under review. This group also feels more confident about evaluating NA at a site and defending its use. The consultants and engineers also now feel that their risk of using NA as a remediation tool is lower, and that NA can be a cost-effective technique.

"After attending the course, all but one of the government officials who completed a survey feel that NA may be used effectively to remediate chlorinated solvents. In addition, they feel that NA is not in conflict with environmental statute, regulation or policy, and that NA could effectively be approved as a remediation method in their agencies. The government officials also now feel that NA could save their state agencies time and money.

"The course was also successful in helping the regulators feel more qualified to evaluate proposals containing NA, and almost a third of them have actually reviewed proposals containing NA. Furthermore, all of the course attendees who completed surveys expressed a strong interest in attending future ITRC training courses. To conclude, the success of the NA training course is unanimous. The ITRC has had a significant impact in increasing the awareness and use of NA as a remediation technique. For example, the ITRC/RTDF Document: "NA of Chlorinated Solvents in Groundwater: Principles and Practices" has been used by many regulators who feel that it is useful throughout the entire review and approval process. These accomplishments together provide optimism and act as stepping stones for the success of future training courses."

States Reporting Monitored Natural Attenuation Use Linked to Training:
As part of the ITRC continuing effort under the State Engagement program to identify and document situations where ITRC products and Services have produced beneficial impacts, the following states have offered examples of how natural attenuation training has contributed to improved environmental protection during 1998 within their respective states. Only the highlights are included here. The complete description of each example is contained in the benefit example document for each state (published separately).

Colorado:
The Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDHE) reports that some form of natural attenuation is being employed or considered seriously at in excess of 17 facilities in Colorado. These include federal facilities, major private facilities, superfund sites, and voluntary cleanup sites. The contaminants involved are quite varied with the most common being chlorinated solvents, however, some involve heavy metals, radionuclides, explosive compounds, and petroleum compounds.

Florida:
In early 1998 Florida Department of Environmental Protection identified an opportunity to evaluate the performance of in situ co-solvent flushing technology by conducting a pilot study at a dry cleaner site in Jacksonville Florida. Participants in the "Co-Solvent Pilot Study" included the University of Florida, the Technology Innovation Office of USEPA, DOD, and FDEP. Specific elements of this pilot include: Use of SCAPS/LIF to expedite site characterization and study design; In-Situ Soil Washing/Flushing; Use of a new separation technology; and. Evaluation of Natural Attenuation of Chlorinated Solvents after source removal at a DNAPL site.

The short duration flushing resulted in a 90% or greater mass removal of the DNAPL from the "source" area at this site. FDEP, its contractor, and the University of Florida can now monitor the site to determine how this source area pilot study treatment effects the remaining residual contamination. It is believed that Natural Attenuation was enhanced by the removal of much of the DNAPL adhering to the soil and by the residual alcohol which co-solubalised with the PCE. Additional monitoring will be performed to assess what has occurred. For now, it appears DNAPL was dissolved, removed from the aquifer, separated into DNAPL by the MPP unit, and the groundwater contaminant plume was successfully controlled.

Kansas:
Based on training that he received at the course on Natural Attenuation of Chlorinated Solvents in Salt Lake City, a Kansas Department of health and Environment (KDHE) project manager, observed a classic biodegradation pattern within a chlorinated solvent plume at an active Army base in Kansas, recognized that anaerobic biodegradation in the presence of an abundant electron donor was occurring at the site, and described the evidence for natural attenuation to the base project manager. It is now expected that natural attenuation will be considered as a major remedy for groundwater contamination at the site. Taking the lead in identifying the natural attenuation process accelerated the identifying remedial alternatives for the site, saving the Department of Defense significant expense.

Massachusetts:
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. In addition to the direct benefit that the training provided to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection staff members, the course has stimulated significant internal discussion and debate on Monitored Natural Attenuation, which may eventually lead to development of a policy or policy statement.

Oregon:
During 1997 twenty members of the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) staff attended ITRC sponsored training sessions on Monitored Natural Attenuation. The increased understanding of Monitored Natural Attenuation provided by this training led directly to Oregon's first signing of a Record of Decision incorporating Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA). At present, MNA is commonly considered in evaluating remedial technologies for many organic contaminants, and in the summer of 1998, DEQ issued guidance specifying that MNA meets the "treatment preference" for hot spots

Who to contact for more information:
Paul Hadley
Department of Toxic Substances Control
P.O. Box 806
Sacramento, CA 95812-0806
Phone: 916-322-2822
e-mail: phadley@dtsc.ca.gov

Steve Hill
Coleman Research Corporation
2995 North Cole Road suite 260
Boise, ID 83704
Phone: 208-375-9029
Fax: 208-375-5506
e-mail: srhill@uswest.net

Dave Ellis
DuPont
Barley Mill Plaza, Building 27
Routes 141&48
Bloomington, DE 19805
Phone: 302-892-7445
Fax: 302-892-7641
e-mail: ellisde@csoc.dnet.dupont.com

Page last modified: