Environmental Geoscience Program

WHAT'S NEW

CRS REPORT ON CHANGES IN THE ARCTIC:  The Congressional Research Service (CRS) released a report on July 5, 2013, which provides an overview of Arctic-related issues for Congress. Prompted by concerns over diminishing sea ice, the report addresses the effects of increased human activity in the Arctic. Although the withdrawal of sea ice raises concerns about climate change, it also provides new opportunities for oil, gas, and mineral resources, trade routes, tourism, and other activities while raising issues of national security. The report states that the Arctic is now 1.8º F warmer than the climate average from 1961 to 1990, and seasonal temperatures from October to November are 9º F warmer. Furthermore, the report found that most warming in the last few decades is likely caused by human-related greenhouse gas emissions. Read the full report here.

NEW USGS REPORT SHOWS PUBLIC SUPPLY WELL VULNERABILITIES: The U.S. Geological Survey released the results of a study designed to identify factors that affect the vulnerability of public water supply wells to contamination. More than one-third of the U.S. population gets its drinking water from these wells, and the study was done in response to evidence indicating low concentrations of contaminants in groundwater in many parts of the nation. The report looks at water wells in ten regions across the U.S., four of which are highlighted in a video overview of the results. The study found that the source of a well's recharge water, the geochemical conditions encountered by groundwater traveling to a well, and the age of the groundwater accessed by a well are important indicators of a well's potential for contamination. The study also noted that water in some regions has preferential flow pathways – such as sinkholes in karst systems – which enable it to move quickly from the land surface to a well, decreasing the time available for contaminants to be degraded. The study was done as part of the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Program, which provides nationwide information on water quality conditions, how those conditions change over time, and how they are affected by natural processes and human activities. The full report can be accessed on the USGS website.

NATIONAL SCENIC TRAILS INCLUDED ON U.S. TOPO MAPS: The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that National Scenic Trails will be added to U.S. Topography Maps. The United States has 11 National Scenic Trails and the first to be featured on USGS maps is the Ice Age National Scenic Trail in Wisconsin. The revised maps will be added to the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection and are also available for download.

USGS AWARDS STATE GEOLOGISTS GRANT TO HELP PRESERVE DATA: This August, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) announced that it will award $606,073 to 25 state geologists and geological surveys across the country for the preservation of national geological and geophysical data. The Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program (NGGDPP), a national initiative at the USGS to create standards, procedures, and protocols for data collection, was established in 2005 as a part of the Energy Policy Act (Public Law 109-58, Sec. 351). The NGGDPP aims to provide a national catalogue of archived materials, provide technical and financial support to State geological surveys and relevant bureaus within the Department of the Interior, and to compile a comprehensive archive of all geological and geophysical data, including maps, well logs, and samples. The award also includes funding for more than 10,000 student hours to help train the next generation of geoscientists to preserve important records and specimens.

REPORT BY THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES IDENTIFIES POTENTIAL OF INDUCED SEISMICITY IN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES: This August the National Research Council (NRC) released a report, sponsored by the Department of Energy, that examines the relationship between induced seismicity and energy technologies. The report concludes that "hydraulic fracturing has a low risk for inducing earthquakes that can be felt by people, but underground injection of wastewater produced by hydraulic fracturing and other energy technologies has a higher risk of causing such earthquakes … In addition, carbon capture and storage may have the potential for inducing seismic events." The report also concludes that "technologies designed to maintain a balance between the amounts of fluid being injected and withdrawn, such as most geothermal and conventional oil and gas development, appear to produce fewer induces seismic events than technologies that do not maintain fluid balance." The full report can be found at www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13355.

MELTING ARCTIC REVEALS NEW RESOURCES AND POLITICAL STRUGGLES: New trade routes and untapped mineral deposits are just a couple things being revealed by the ever-thinning ice in an increasingly warm Arctic. This year alone nearly 400 ships passed through Russia's exposed Northern Sea Route, an Arctic waterway along the country's northern coast, and that number is expected to grow substantially in the coming years. Eight countries – Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States – currently have a stake in the Arctic. Those eight nations have created an Arctic Council to coordinate policies surrounding the new territory. However, political tensions are beginning to rise over concerns of passage rights through the newly opening icy waters, and the fact that the United States has yet to ratify the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea is complicating some negotiations.

NEW USGS WATER SCIENCE STRATEGY FACTSHEET: The U.S. Geological Survey released a fact sheet summarizing a new national Water Science Strategy. The new strategy takes a comprehensive look at the country's water needs for the next 5 to 10 years, and includes plans to build new infrastructure and capabilities to meet domestic water needs. The 5 goals outlined in the Water Science Strategy are to provide information to society, advance the understanding of water processes, predict changes in the quantity and quality of water resources, anticipate and respond to water-related emergencies, and to deliver timely data to decision makers and the public. The Water Science Strategy is one of seven science strategy reports—one prepared by each of the Mission Areas in the USGS—that outline future directions for science at the USGS. The full reports can be accessed at http://www.usgs.gov/start_with_science/.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY - NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES (NIEHS) SUPERFUND RESEARCH PROGRAM (SRP) INTERDISCIPLINARY R01 RFA ON BIOGEOCHEMICAL INTERACTIONS. On July 24th, SRP released RFA-ES-13-010 "Biogeochemical Interactions Affecting Bioavailability for in situ Remediation of Hazardous Substances." SRP is requesting applications for Individual Research Projects (R01) to support problem-solving research on the mechanisms of biogeochemical interactions affecting bioavailability in the context of in situ remediation of contaminated soil, sediment, surface water, or groundwater. This solicitation is open to investigators from Domestic Institutions of Higher Education. Letters of Intent are due October 2, 2013. Applications are due November 1, 2013. The SRP will be holding a CLU-IN seminar on September 5, 2013, 2:30-3:30 pm EDT (18:30-19:30 GMT) to provide information about the R01 Funding Opportunity Announcement. For more information and instructions see http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/supported/dert/cris/programs/srp/funding/funding2/ .

INTERNET SEMINAR - CASE STUDIES TO ASSESS POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF HYDRAULIC FRACTURING ON DRINKING WATER RESOURCES - SEPTEMBER 12, 2013, 11:00AM-12:00PM EDT (15:00-16:00 GMT). On July 30, 2013, EPA hosted a Hydraulic Fracturing Study Technical Workshop on Case Studies to Assess Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources. This one-hour webinar will provide a summary of the workshop and cover workshop themes. For more information and to register, see http://clu-in.org/live .

INTERNET SEMINAR - ITRC USE AND MEASUREMENT OF MASS FLUX AND MASS DISCHARGE - SEPTEMBER 26, 2013, 11:00AM-1:15PM EDT (15:00-17:15 GMT). The ITRC technology overview, Use and Measurement of Mass Flux and Mass Discharge (MASSFLUX-1, 2010), and associated Internet-based training provide a description of the underlying concepts, potential applications, description of methods for measuring and calculating, and case studies of the uses of mass flux and mass discharge. This Technology Overview, and associated Internet-based training are intended to foster the appropriate understanding and application of mass flux and mass discharge estimates, and provide examples of use and analysis. The document and training assumes the participant has a general understanding of hydrogeology, the movement of chemicals in porous media, remediation technologies, and the overall remedial process. For more information and to register, see http://www.itrcweb.org or http://clu-in.org/live .

OPTIMIZATION REVIEW: BUNKER HILL MINING AND METALLURGICAL COMPLEX SUPERFUND SITE, CENTRAL TREATMENT PLANT (CTP), KELLOGG, SHOSHONE COUNTY, IDAHO (EPA 542-R-13-004). The document describes the optimization evaluation that was performed on the Bunker Hill Mining and Metallurgical Complex Superfund Site Central Treatment Plant in 2012. The document includes a description of the efforts performed during the optimization review, a description of the remedy components at the sites, a description of the conceptual site model, and findings and recommendations for the site (July 2013, 51 pages). View or download at http://clu-in.org/techpubs.htm .

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION NEWS SURVEY CORNER. The Technology Innovation News Survey contains market/commercialization information; reports on demonstrations, feasibility studies and research; and other news relevant to the hazardous waste community interested in technology development. Recent issues, complete archives, and subscription information is available at http://clu-in.org/products/tins/ . The following resources were included in recent issues:

• EPA and Commerce Link U.S. Analysis and Companies in Environmental Solutions Toolkit
• Innovative Science and Technical Support for Cost-Efficient Cleanups: Five Year Summary Report for 2007-2012
• New Cost-Effective Method for Long-Term Groundwater Monitoring Programs
• ESTCP Vapor Intrusion Final Debrief
• Quantifying the Presence and Activity of Aerobic, Vinyl Chloride-Degrading Microorganisms in Dilute Groundwater Plumes by Using Real-Time PCR
• 3-D Modeling of Aerobic Biodegradation of Petroleum Vapors: Effect of Building Area Size on Oxygen Concentration Below the Slab
• Validation of Chlorine and Oxygen Isotope Ratio Analysis to Differentiate Perchlorate Sources and to Document Perchlorate Biodegradation
• Biodegradation of PCDDs/PCDFs and PCBs
• Remedy Evaluation Framework for Inorganic, Non-Volatile Contaminants in the Vadose Zone
• 2013 Addendum to the ATSDR Toxicological Profile for Trichloroethylene
• Engineering Issue: Technology Alternatives for the Remediation of PCB Contaminated Soils and Sediments
• Ground Water Issue: An Approach for Developing Site-Specific Lateral and Vertical Inclusion Zones within Which Structures Should Be Evaluated for Petroleum Vapor Intrusion Due to Releases of Motor Fuel from Underground Storage Tanks
• PAH/PCB Fingerprinting Tool
• Verification of Methods for Assessing the Sustainability of Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA): ESTCP Cost and Performance Report
• Polymer-Enhanced Subsurface Delivery and Distribution of Permanganate: Project ER-200912 Final Debrief
• Parallel In Situ Screening of Remediation Strategies for Improved Decision Making, Remedial Design, and Cost Savings: Project ER-200914 Final Debrief
• Improved Understanding of Sources of Variability in Groundwater Sampling for Long-Term Monitoring Programs

GROUNDWATER HIGH-RESOLUTION SITE CHARACTERIZATION (HRSC), CHICAGO, IL, SEPTEMBER 24-25, SAN FRANCISCO, CA, DECEMBER 12-13. This is a two-day training course that focuses on groundwater characterization and discusses (1) the impacts of subsurface heterogeneity on the investigation and cleanup of groundwater and related media, (2) the need for scale-appropriate measurements and adequate data density, and (3) the tools and strategies that are available to overcome the impacts of subsurface heterogeneity. After taking this course, participants will be armed with information that will allow them to improve their subsurface investigation approaches and develop more realistic and comprehensive conceptual site models (CSM). CSMs developed based on HRSC strategies and tools will decrease site uncertainty, improve the remedy selection process for groundwater remedies, and better enable the evaluation, design, and implementation of targeted in situ and ex situ groundwater remedies. The recommended audience for this course includes EPA, federal, state, tribal, and private industry technical project managers, practitioners and other stakeholders involved in groundwater investigation and remediation. For more information and to register, see http://www.trainex.org/hrsc .

U.S. EPA'S REGION 9 STATE-OF-THE-SCIENCE WORKSHOP ON MERCURY REMEDIATION IN AQUATIC ENVIRONMENTS, SAN FRANCISCO, CA, SEPTEMBER 26, 2013. As part of implementing EPA Region 9's strategic plan, ORD and the Region are planning a state of the science workshop to investigate the latest in remediation techniques for mercury contaminated sites in aquatic environments. The workshop will be held on Thursday, September 26th at the EPA office in San Francisco. Participation is also possible via webinar. The objective is to understand the key mechanisms linking source loads, methylation, and bioaccumulation of mercury to guide future remediation decisions. The workshop will examine the effect of current remediation practices, such as removing/capping lake sediments, isolating retort or tailings from waters, and on levels of mercury in fish tissue. We want to know whether removing these mercury sources have a real effect on fish tissue levels and to understand the key mechanisms that actually cause fish tissue levels to drop. And we want to better understand what will directly affect the methylation process at specific sites so that concrete actions can be taken to reduce fish tissue levels. The workshop is open to anyone working on or interested in this topic - regulators, industry, academics and consultants are all invited. There is no cost for the workshop. There are hookup limits to the webinar option, so if you are aware of other interested colleagues, please consider sharing a single registration. For more information and to register, see http://www.trainex.org/hg .