The two and-a-half day Symposium was designed as a forum for interaction among State and Territorial (State) Superfund and Brownfields Managers, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters and Regional staff, and other invited guests. The primary objective of this Symposium was to emphasize discussion and information-sharing opportunities among speakers and attendees regarding approaches and strategies used by State Superfund and Brownfields programs in sites across the country.
Symposium Agenda
Read Agenda
The Symposium was a mix of plenary and concurrent sessions. Plenary sessions addressed issues relevant to both Superfund and Brownfields programs. Concurrent sessions allowed for a focus on Superfund, Removals and Brownfields program-specific topics.
Presentations
Members of each of the ASTSWMO CERCLA and Brownfields Focus Groups will give a brief overview of membership, accomplishments and future projects.
For over 100 years, the US Pipe site was one of Chattanooga’s largest foundries. Vacant for approximately 20 years and 52 acres in size, it is located adjacent to I-24 and was a highly visible gateway of decay to the city. The site is now being transformed under the state’s Voluntary Cleanup Program into one of the city’s crown jewels. This plenary session will include discussion of the challenging and creative technical, administrative, and legal solutions that have streamlined processes, saving time, land, and financial resources.
Presentation 1
Presentation 2
Speakers:
- David Buxbaum, US EPA Region 4
- Jennifer Currie, AK DEC
Presentation
What happened at that site after the initial Brownfields investment? Showcasing the success of brownfield redevelopment projects is an important and sometimes overlooked step in the brownfield redevelopment process. This session features panelists who have implemented a variety of methods to assess the economic and social impact of successful brownfield redevelopment projects. Participants will learn the 3W’s (What? Why? When?) for metric creation and implementation; how to develop metrics based on site characteristics and/or end use; techniques for customizing their own data sets as they manage the remediation and redevelopment of their projects, and discuss lessons learned and challenges faced in trying to measure the outcomes from Brownfield investments.
Presentation
Presentation
This session brings together a set of concise, high value mini presentations showcasing how small tools, programs, and strategies can drive meaningful brownfield transformation. The sessions will highlight practical funding opportunities, simple planning tools, innovative concepts, and lessons learned that demonstrate how modest interventions can unlock larger revitalization outcomes throughout the country. Participants will gain a clear understanding of how to leverage flexible resources, apply replicable approaches, and use small ideas to create outsized benefits for their communities.
Presentation
This plenary session will examine the opportunities, practical limitations, and environmental concerns associated with AI technology. This session will feature speakers from the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation and Indiana University Bloomington. AI is not here to think for us. Attendees will learn the right way to ask for help, some of the biggest misunderstandings, and will hear examples of how AI is being used in everyday government work. Attendees will also gain insight into the environmental costs of AI technology, which includes a significant increase in demand for resources, and a discussion of environmental considerations for future policy and technology.
Presentation 1
Presentation 2
Presentation 3
It is increasingly clear that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous in the environment, including in areas with no identifiable local sources. Thus, an understanding of the typical ranges of PFAS background concentrations across environmental media is critical to the identification of source areas, development of robust PFAS-specific conceptual site models, and the selection of appropriate environmental actions. Speaker Bill Ottaway of NYSDEC will highlight the results from New York State's state-wide PFAS background study and analysis of other state-wide data sets. Speaker Dr. Dylan Eberle of Geosyntec consultants will then explore the relationship between background PFAS concentrations and current regulatory standards and screening levels. Dr. Eberle will examine how PFAS background levels often exceed current risk-based screening levels and how this paradigm may be factored into site investigation and remedial decision making.
Presentation 1
Presentation 2
Lithium ion battery incidents present complex hazards—thermal runaway, toxic/corrosive off gassing, re ignition risk, and unusual waste disposal considerations. This session shares EPA emergency response challenges, lessons learned, and the most up to date resources for: real time air monitoring and protective actions; cooling and re entry decisions; and post incident waste management—characterization, packaging, transport, and disposal coordination to accelerate safe recovery.
This session will consist of a panel composed of EPA and State partners. EPA presenters will provide an overview of the 2025 Residential Lead Directive, introduce key concepts to layering of institutional controls (IC), and emphasize the importance of utilizing an IC Implementation and Assurance Plan to manage the many layers of protection. State presenters will provide Superfund Site case studies that highlight the ways ICs and non-engineered tools create layers of protection.
Presentation
Presentation
Presentation
In this presentation we will be conducting a case study of the Critical Mineral Recovery fire, which was a large-scale lithium battery recycling facility which caught fire for 11 days and had an emergency response timeframe of nearly 12 months. We will discuss the hazards which are present when lithium batteries go into thermal runaway, and the challenges to extinguish a lithium battery fire. We will discuss the impact on the environment and what plans were designed to prevent further environmental impacts. We will summarize how the Incident Command Structure (ICS) was used, and how the incident was transitioned into a long-term management site. By the end of this presentation, listeners should have a better understanding of a large-scale lithium battery fire response, and the variety of factors that should be considered when responding to a lithium battery fire. Transition from Emergency Response to State Oversight during the Menominee, MI warehouse fire. This session focuses on an EPA-lead Unified Command during the emergency response phase of the Menominee, MI warehouse fire incident, and subsequent transitions to a Multi-Agency Coordination Group and ultimately to a State of Michigan-lead project.
Presentation
Redeveloping brownfield properties into affordable housing presents an opportunity to address housing shortages while returning underutilized land to productive use. This session features three complimentary presentations highlighting innovative redevelopment projects and the strategies and challenges behind their success, including public-private partnerships, environmental planning, and collaborative problem solving. Attendees will gain insight into project timelines, funding, key regulatory requirements, and the perspectives of both developers and environmental regulators throughout the redevelopment process. Participants will leave with a better understanding of how collaboration, creative financing, and practical environmental solutions can help transform contamination and underused properties into safe, affordable housing.
Presentation 1
Presentation 2
Cooperative agreements continue to be a key tool to fund important State work in the Superfund program. EPA will give an overview of the different types of Superfund cooperative agreements, the range of eligible activities and the requirements which come with this funding. The State of Wisconsin will provide an overview of the cooperative agreements between US EPA and Wisconsin DNR and the diversity of work completed in Wisconsin as a result of the cooperative agreements. One of the agreements funds a special long term stewardship (LTS) project. The tasks underway are evaluating appropriate institutional controls are in place and that they are adequate to ensure long-term protectiveness. A review of the project scope, including findings, concerns and solutions will be shared.
Presentation 1
Presentation 2
Come hear from NJIT (Region 2&4 TAB provider) and KSU TAB (Regions 5, 6, 7, and 8 TAB Provider) on successful ways to make big Brownfields impacts in Small communities and along rural Mainstreets. Frontier and small Mainstreet communities often have no excess capacity and are struggling to keep the lights on and the water and sewar flowing in the right direction. Approaching these under-resourced communities regarding the benefits of Brownfields is often seen locally as adding yet something else to a plate that’s way too full. NJIT and KSU TAB will provide tips and examples of how they’ve approached skeptical communities and how they’ve initiated/maintained these relationships that have resulted in hugely successful Brownfields projects. They will also spend time discussing the importance and successful strategies for involving youth in the planning for future community resources.
Presentation 1
