|
|
EPA to Study Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources
EPA recently published its plans to conduct a comprehensive national study of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources. The study will evaluate the impacts associated with the entire hydraulic fracturing water life cycle. The results, which will be available in 2014, have the potential to significantly impact the perception and regulation of hydraulic fracturing.
Forensic Site Evaluation: Part 3 - Source Assessment
 As noted in this series, the chances of obtaining useful first-hand knowledge concerning the environmental history of a site dwindle with each passing year. In the last installment, we demonstrated how GIS techniques can help you look back into the past. In this segment, we'll discuss how to leverage field screening techniques and GIS to assess the strength, location, and potential age of VOC sources beneath buildings.
Use of Fluorescent Dyes for Flow Studies
Fluorescent dyes are a group of tracers that can be injected into the subsurface for a variety of groundwater hydrology applications, including flow path evaluations, contaminant transport, and model calibration. Fluorescent dyes are popular in the environmental industry because of their lack of toxicity, ease of implementation, and low cost. However, to perform a successful groundwater tracer study with fluorescent dye, several key considerations should be addressed on a site-specific and application-specific basis.
California Releases Final VI Guidance
 In October 2011, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (California DTSC) released the final version of their Vapor Intrusion Guidance. Many states have followed California's lead on vapor intrusion issues, and this could be a preview of EPA's final guidance, which is expected in 2012.
Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites
As part of the RE-Powering America's Land Initiative, the EPA and the US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are evaluating the feasibility of developing renewable energy production on Superfund, brownfields, hazardous waste, and former landfill or mining sites. EPA is investing approximately a million dollars for the  project that pairs EPA's expertise on contaminated sites with the renewable energy expertise of NREL. Wind, solar, biopower, or geothermal production on use-restricted property makes a lot of sense, and should be considered in evaluating long-term use of contaminated property. For more information, visit EPA's RE-Powering website.
EPA Proposes Sweeping Revisions to UST Regulations
EPA is proposing sweeping revisions to the 1988 40 CFR Part 280 underground storage tank (UST) regulations that will have far-reaching impact on all existing and new UST systems. While fuel distribution facilities ultimately will bear the greatest burden of these changes, the proposed revisions also will end the leak detection deferral for USTs used for fueling emergency power generators, field constructed tanks, airport hydrant systems, and wastewater treatment tanks not covered by Clean Water Act regulations.
|
|
|
Coming Soon...
View Cox-Colvin's Vapor Pin™ Video
View Vapor Pin™ Installation
|
|
