The U.S. EPA lowered recommended screening levels for lead and has developed tools and guidance for investigating and cleaning up lead-contaminated soil in residential areas. EPA OSRTI will provide an overview of the recent changes and guidance available. OBLR, US EPA Regional leadership and a state with significant lead challenges will share observations from their perspectives related to how the lowered screening level is being considered and incorporated in ongoing site work.

Brownfields messaging is more important now than ever. But how can your narrative have the most impact for continued brownfields success? In this session, you'll learn how to craft your narrative on social media, to elected officials, consultants, legislators, and more from experts in the field

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This session presents two scenarios that we don’t often see and offers both a State and Federal perspective. First, we have a removal action conducted by EPA Region 4 in Louisville, Kentucky that involved a hoarder residence that was full of chemicals and explosives, and then we have a removal action conducted by Georgia Environmental Protection Division that involved fugitive drums. Both cases will discuss the various complications and issues that may be encountered and things to consider.

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The CERCLA Post Construction Focus Group will provide an overview of their Five-Year Review (FYR) Checklist for State Project Managers and will be discussing emerging issues that are impacting FYRs and the transfer of O&M to the state.

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Building capacity for brownfields redevelopment at the local level is vital for successful brownfields projects, especially in small communities and rural areas. In this session, you'll learn from brownfields leaders across the nation how to build brownfields capacity working directly with local champions.

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This session will cover the use of Institutional Controls (ICs) and the Uniform Environmental Covenant Act (UECA) at Federal and NPL sites. The Federal and State perspective will be provided with examples that discuss common challenges and successful implementation.

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The first presentation will focus on KDEP’s strategy for addressing PFAS in an evolving federal regulatory landscape. It provides an overview of accomplishments and challenges for the Department’s water and waste programs, touching on synergies created through effective cross-programmatic collaboration. The second presentation is a case study showing how the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and the US EPA Region 9 are conducting a remedial investigation at an orphaned metal plating and aerospace parts testing facility. The presence of Chromium in groundwater beneath the site prompted the US EPA to include Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as a potential contaminant of concern. Soil and groundwater sampling for PFAS included a first round of rigorous oversight and quality assurance. The continuing remedial investigation activities demonstrate that cooperation and collaboration between the State and US EPA can achieve timely project goals and benefit both parties.

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U.S. EPA will provide an overview of the BIL funding progress, with overarching highlights from EPA. Five sites that received significant BIL funding will be showcased by state representatives. The sites include a variety of contaminant types, contaminated media and remedial action technologies.

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Lack of affordable housing is a critical issue facing states today. Hear from brownfields experts who are facilitating the development of crucial affordable housing across the county through redevelopment of underutilized properties. Learn Region 10 HUD’s perspective on how their environmental review requirements can be met at Brownfields properties. Hear how Michigan has expanded its Brownfields program to include staff specializing in affordable housing projects. Finally, hear from an affordable housing developer on the various intersections of HUD/Brownfields assistance and how it can be instrumental in the viability of these multi-million-dollar projects

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The states must often rely on EPA and federal resources to help them address a spectrum of contaminant and hazardous substance releases. They generally turn to their EPA Regional office requesting assistance in the form of a removal referral. EPA must assess the referral to determine how best to manage the situation in a safe and effective manner at the same time considering their own limited resources. Such decision making requires close partnership between EPA and the states at every level of the referral process. EPA R8 and Colorado have developed an effective and efficient process that is able to consider each entities capabilities and resources to provide the necessary response in a timely and cost-effective manner. This process will be explored in detail and can hopefully serve as a model for the referral process across all EPA regions.

This is a joint session with the Remedial Action Focus Group (RA) and the Investigation Remedy Selection Focus Group (IRS). In the first half of this section the RA Focus Group will provide an overview of the feedback from the 2023 Research Tool entitled “Communities with Potential Environmental Justice Concerns”. The purpose of the Research Tool was to evaluate if and how states and/or territories are addressing EJ concerns in their cleanup programs. The presentation will conclude with lessons learned and nuances during data collection. Please note that data presented is based on responses received in 2023 and may not accurately represent the official state/territory position. IRS Focus group will continue the session with a discussion on their Community Considerate Cleanup Quick Reference Guide. The Community Considerate Cleanup approach encourages the development of cleanup plans designed through the lens of the people who live, work, play, and learn in the community where the cleanup will take place, and the community where the waste might be taken for treatment and/or disposal. Lastly, the panel will facilitate a lively group exercise to illustrate the use of the tools developed by the two groups.

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for Enhancing Access to Public Records Using Emerging Technology

A meaningful public record is more than just a list of sites. This session will focus on leveraging technology and integrating data to give the public more information about sites addressed by a state response program. This session will also discuss common problems encountered in maintaining and modernizing the state’s public record.

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for Successful Implementation of Community-Wide State Assessment Grants

The EPA Community-Wide Assessment Grants for States and Tribes (CWAGST) have been an important tool for states and have allowed state response programs to assist their communities, especially rural communities at an increased level. The purpose of this session is to educate states on the Assessment grant, discuss the value, outline successes, and highlight best practices.

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This session provides an overview of Vapor Intrusion (VI) investigation approaches and risk-based assessments for Brownfields or National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) purposes. The session will explore the importance of the Conceptual Site Model in developing an investigation strategy and the use of a multiple-lines-of-evidence approach to evaluate potential VI risks. The session will also describe how risk management considerations (e.g., assessment of mitigation or remedial actions) may be used to address the findings of the VI risk evaluation.

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This session will focus on the waste management of lithium-ion battery responses that occurred at the Lahaina, Hawaii wildfires and in the state of Georgia. The session will discuss the different aspects of waste management from these lithium-ion battery fire responses to include treatment/discharging of damaged batteries, waste characterization, off-site transport, and disposal.

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The IRTC Risk Communications toolkit applies to current, immediate, and emerging environmental issues and concerns. Examples presented in this toolkit can apply to various environmental incidents. It is an interactive training that includes creating an outreach plan based on SMART goals, creating a mapped message opening statement, and selecting the appropriate communication methods to reach your intended audience. It also covers risk communication basics and challenges, the planning process, the role of risk perception, and what a community assessment looks like.

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