Characterization and remediation of contaminated groundwater in fractured rock has not been conducted or studied as broadly as groundwater at unconsolidated porous media sites. This unfamiliarity and lack of experience can make fractured rock sites perplexing. This situation is especially true in portions of the U.S. where bedrock aquifers are a primary source of drinking and process water, and demands on water are increasing. As a result, remedial activities often default to containment of contaminant plumes, point of use treatment and long-term monitoring rather than active reduction of risk. However, this attitude does not incorporate recent advances in the science and technology of fractured rock site characterization and remediation.

The basis for this training course is the ITRC guidance: Characterization and Remediation of Fractured Rock. The purpose of this guidance is to dispel the belief that fractured rock sites are too complex to characterize and remediate. The physical, chemical and contaminant transport concepts in fractured rock have similarities to unconsolidated porous media, yet there are important differences. These differences are the focus of this guidance.

By participating in this training class, you should learn to:

• Use ITRC's Fractured Rock Document to guide your decision making so you can:
  • Develop quality Conceptual Site Models (CSMs) for fractured rock sites
  
  
  • Set realistic remedial objectives
  
  
  • Select the best remedial options
  
  
  • Monitor remedial progress and assess results
• Value an interdisciplinary site team approach to bring collective expertise to improve decision making and to have confidence when going beyond containment and monitoring - - to actually remediating fractured rock sites.

Case studies of successful fractured rock remediation are presented to provide examples of how fractured rock sites can be evaluated and available tools applied to characterization and remediation.

Training participants are encouraged to view the associated ITRC guidance, Characterization and Remediation of Fractured Rock prior to attending the class.

• Identify what site conditions must be considered when developing an informative DNAPL conceptual site model (CSM)
  
• Define an objectives-based DNAPL characterization strategy
  
• Understand what tools and resources are available to improve the identification, collection, and evaluation of appropriate site characterization data
  
• Navigate the DNAPL characterization tools table and select appropriate technologies to fill site-specific data gaps

• Build upon your Understanding of LNAPL Behavior in the Subsurface (Part 1)
• Develop your LNAPL Conceptual Site Model and LNAPL Remedial Goals (Part 2)
• Select/Implement LNAPL Technologies (Part 3)

• Refining and evaluating remedial design site characterization data;
  
• Selecting the correct amendment;
  
• Choosing delivery methods for site-specific conditions;
  
• Creating design specifications;
  
• Conducting performance evaluations, and
  
• Optimizing underperforming in situ remedies.

Extreme weather events and wildfires are increasing and impacting hazardous waste sites. The primary goal of cleanups, which is protecting human health and the environment, is undermined. Confronted with these risks, environmental professionals should assess, and design remedies that are sustainable and resilient. Sustainable resilient remediation (SRR) is an optimized solution to cleaning up and reusing a hazardous waste site that limits negative environmental impacts, maximizes social and economic benefits, and creates resilience against increasing threats.

The objective of the ITRC Sustainable Resilient Remediation (SRR-1) is to provide resources and tools for regulators, stakeholders, consultants, and responsible parties to help integrate sustainable and resilient practices into remediation projects. This guidance updates the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council's (ITRC) Technical and Regulatory Guidance: Green and Sustainable Remediation: A Practical Framework (ITRC 2011a) and includes a strong resilience component to address the increasing threat of extreme weather events and wildfires. Recommendations for careful and continuous consideration of the social and economic costs and benefits of a cleanup project are included.

Training Objectives

• Educate participants about available SRR resources and tools
• Impart evolution from Green and Sustainable Remediation (GSR) to SRR
• Provide guidance on practical application and implementation of SRR
• Provide participants with information necessary to navigate the SRR guidance and tools

Training Goals

• Provide information and resources for the social and economic dimensions of sustainability, including state-of-the-art social and economic evaluation tools
• Provide a framework illustrating how and why sustainability and resilience should be integrated throughout the remedial project life cycle
• Offer checklists of key sustainable best management practices to address resilience based on specific vulnerabilities at a site, as well as resources for additional information
• Present interactive maps with links to available state and federal resources to quickly find examples and best practices from your state or other states and federal agencies
• Reference case studies illustrating the application of SRR considerations

After the SRR Training, a user will have the tools necessary to understand what SRR is and how it can be used to achieve a sustainable and resilient remediation outcome. This can be accomplished by remediation practitioners applying the principles and practices to a contaminated site and by providing SRR resources to help regulators and stakeholders in the development and review of project documents or submittals.

The intended users of this guidance and training course are those individuals responsible for managing contaminated sites. Users of this training and the associated documents will develop an understanding of SRR and its importance in achieving sustainability and resilience for site remediation. Principals, best practices, resources, and trainer insights will help users conduct SRR tailored to the needs of the sites under their care.

Recommended Reading: Participants are strongly encouraged to review the ITRC Sustainable Resilient Remediation, (SRR-1) document prior to participating in the training class. Also, because SRR-1 is an expansion and update of the concepts developed in Green and Sustainable Remediation: A Practical Framework, GSR-2, review of this document is recommended but is not a prerequisite.

• Regulators and Program Managers interested in knowing how site management decisions can influence the TPH risk evaluation process.
  
• Risk assessors new to TPH data or those who want additional knowledge and training in the current methods and common practices for collecting and using TPH data in assessments to more accurately determine human health and/or ecological risks at petroleum-contaminated sites.
  
• Stakeholders who are either engaged in redevelopment at former petroleum release sites or folks who are involved in community engagement and revitalization activities.

• Recognize the ITRC document as a go-to resource for evaluating TPH risk at petroleum-contaminated sites
  
• Recognize how TPH -impacted media interacts with the environment and changes over time
  
• Select appropriate analytic method(s) to match site objectives
  
• Apply the decision framework to determine when a site-specific target level may be more appropriate than a generic screening level for TPH

• Introduction to the Cyanobacteria (Section 3)
• Monitoring (Section 4)
• Communication and Response Planning (Section 5)
• Management and Control (Section 6)
• Nutrient Management (Section 7)

• The basic ecology and physiology of cyanobacteria, and the harmful effects they have on health, the environment, and local economies
• Common approaches to monitoring for cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins, and how to build a monitoring program
• The importance of good communication and coordinated response during cyanobacteria blooms, and the elements of a good response plan
• Available options for in-lake management and control of cyanobacteria blooms
• Nutrient management options to reduce the likelihood of cyanobacteria blooms in your water body