SUMMARY OF THE REMEDIATION TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOPMENT FORUM
SEDIMENTS REMEDIATION ACTION TEAM
ASSESSMENT SUBGROUP MEETING

March 3, 2000
11:30-12:30 p.m.

On March 3, 2000, the following members of the Remediation Technologies Development Forum's (RTDF's) Sediments Remediation Action Team, Assessment Subgroup, met in a conference call:

Ralph Stahl, DuPont Corporate Remediation (Subgroup Co-chair)
Robert Hoke, DuPont Haskell Laboratory
Kenneth Finkelstein, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Kelly Madalinski, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Also present was Christine Hartnett of Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG).

SUBGROUP WHITE PAPERS

During the Subgroup's January 2000 meeting, Ralph Stahl said, Subgroup members agreed to write white papers about sediments assessment issues. He said that authors were assigned to the papers, and that each author agreed to submit a first draft to ERG by April 25, 2000. Stahl said that he has received status reports from some of the authors. For example, he said, David Hohreiter has made significant progress on the "In Situ Test Methods" paper. Two authors were participating in the conference call; Stahl asked them for updates on their progress. Robert Hoke said that he is writing a white paper on conceptual model development, and that the paper should be completed by April 25. Kenneth Finkelstein said that he is writing two white papers: Measures of Success--Mass Removal, Ecological Improvement and Ecological Assessment Tools. Finkelstein said that he has made significant progress on one paper, but still has much to do on the other.

POTENTIAL FIELD DEMONSTRATION PROJECT

Stahl reminded participants that a potential demonstration site had been identified during the Sediments Remediation Action Team's January 2000 meeting. This site, called the Seaplane Lagoon, he said, is well characterized and almost completely closed off from the ocean. Stahl said that Sabine Apitz met with the Navy (the site's owners) on February 22 to ask whether the RTDF could perform a demonstration project at the site. Stahl said he received an e-mail from Dick Jensen that summarized the meeting's outcome. According to Jensen, Stahl said, the Navy is interested in the idea, and has asked Apitz to prepare a brief proposal that explains what the RTDF wants to do and who would be involved. Stahl said that this proposal must be submitted to the Navy before mid-May 2000. He agreed to contact Apitz to determine whether the Assessment Subgroup can help with the proposal.

Finkelstein asked for information on the types of demonstration projects that are being considered. Stahl said that no firm plans have been established yet, but he reminded participants that a couple of different options had been discussed at the Sediments Remediation Action Team's January 2000 meeting. He said that a limited excavation could be performed and/or a series of caps could be established. Then, he said, the Assessment Subgroup could be involved with evaluating (1) the recovery of benthic communities or (2) the effectiveness of different cap types. Stahl did say, however, that it is unclear whether the Navy will allow the RTDF to conduct a stand-alone demonstration project. The Navy has implied, he said, that it will not contribute any funding unless the RTDF links to existing projects.

NEXT SUBGROUP MEETING

Stahl said that the next Subgroup meeting will be held in Cincinnati, Ohio, on May 9, 2000. He asked conference call participants whether they would be interested in meeting the night before for dinner. All agreed that this was a good idea. Christine Hartnett said that ERG will start making arrangements for the meeting. She said that ERG will perform a hotel search to identify a suitable place for meeting attendees to stay. Also, she said, ERG will contact Dennis Timberlake to determine whether the meeting can be held at EPA's offices or whether it must be held at a hotel. She agreed to communicate regularly with Stahl to keep him informed of all logistical arrangements.

NEXT SUBGROUP CONFERENCE CALL

The next Subgroup conference call has been scheduled for April 7, 2000, between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. In early April, Hartnett said, ERG will send an e-mail to Subgroup members to remind them of the call's date.

SUBGROUP CO-CHAIR

Stahl asked Kelly Madalinski whether he has identified another co-chair for the Subgroup. Madalinski said that he had not, but that he plans to contact some representatives from EPA's Office of Water in an effort to find one.

ACTION ITEMS

• Stahl agreed to remind Subgroup members who are writing white papers that first drafts are due to ERG by April 25, 2000.

• Stahl agreed to contact Apitz to determine whether the Assessment Subgroup can help with a proposal that is being written for the Seaplane Lagoon site.

• ERG agreed to make arrangements for the next Subgroup meeting, which is scheduled to take place on May 9, 2000, in Cincinnati, Ohio. ERG will perform a hotel search to identify a suitable place for meeting attendees to stay. Also, ERG will contact Timberlake to determine whether the meeting can be held at EPA's offices or whether it must be held at a hotel. ERG will communicate regularly with Stahl to keep him informed of all logistical arrangements.

• ERG agreed to send an e-mail to Subgroup members to remind them that the next Assessment Subgroup conference call has been scheduled for April 7, 2000.

• Madalinski agreed to contact representatives from EPA's Office of Water to find another co-chair for the Assessment Subgroup.