It remains without question that when natural disasters strike, they can have a catastrophic impact on our environs, especially on already vulnerable contaminated sites. Not only that, the immediate dangers that occur during natural disasters and dealing with the aftermath of these events can strain even the most adept program. This session will highlight natural disasters and how they impact our environmental responses. A discussion about handling these disasters on a State/Regional/Federal scale will give insight on the issue.

This session will bring EPA Brownfield Program staff and State program representatives together to discuss the recent BUILD Act and how it will change various aspects of the Brownfield Program including grants and liability.

The SWRAU measure is an EPA priority that reflects the Agency’s commitment to getting sites back to reuse. As a result, OSRTI is working on a number of efforts to help sites achieve SWRAU. Data analysis indicates that institutional control (IC) implementation is one of the most significant barriers to achieving SWRAU. EPA will share with States what the analysis has found so far, share recent steps EPA has taken, and solicit ideas on how to continue to improve State-EPA coordination to ensure effective IC implementation.

PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals that include PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and many others. This training will cover what PFAS are, where they are found in the environment, how States and EPA are investigating and cleaning up PFAS, and what the future of regulatory actions may look like.

This session will focus on research and findings from the Removals Focus Group on State-federal cooperation in the execution of time critical removal actions (TCRAs). In an effort to conduct gap analyses of State-federal cooperation of TCRAs, the Removals Focus Group examined trends and documented the various types and extents of State and federal participation. Emerging trends and best practices for Statefederal cooperation of TCRAs will be discussed.

Update on the utilization of interim Record of Decisions (RODs) and removal actions to address immediate threats. This session will also discuss State Superfund Contracts (SSCs) and provide input from States and EPA on the enactment of the 2015 model clauses. EPA will share information about new agency contracts processed.

The Great Lakes Legacy Act (GLLA) exemplifies a unique approach for accelerating sediment cleanup and restoring habitat in the largest system of fresh surface water in the world. Funded under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, GLLA provides federal funding to promote cost-sharing partnerships for sediment remediation, including partnerships with State agencies and industry. This session will provide training on partnering with stakeholders, bridging gaps and thinking outside the box in order to leverage funding, integrate habitat improvements and revitalize Tribal, recreational and economic interests. The session will close with a group discussion on how to emulate these lessons at other CERCLA and Brownfields sites.

This session will provide an update on the status of the EPA Superfund Task Force recommendations completed during its first year as well as what its focus of year 2 work will be. EPA will discuss recommendation 6 which talks about providing clarification to principles of Superfund groundwater restoration. This session will provide training on what groundwater flexibilities are available under CERCLA now and how they are being applied at sites. There will also be an open discussion on how beneficial use determinations for aquifers are made by EPA and at the State level.

Helping States understand potential concerns during settlement negotiations and consider the implications of PRP bankruptcy during the CERCLA remedial process.

As funding, policies and communities change, so must our programs. This session will highlight how States are changing the way they do business to better meet the needs of the communities that they serve. Speakers will highlight the use of new technologies, policy changes that have increased the capacity of their programs and other innovative ways of tacking old and new problems.

This session will feature a case study of the property cleanup program to address lead within the very large Bunker Hill Mining and Metallurgical Complex Superfund site. The site spans several cities, unincorporated towns, urban areas, rural areas and recreation areas where over 7,000 commercial, public and residential properties have been remediated over the past two decades. Both Federal and State perspectives will be presented.

The ASTSWMO CPC Focus Group has been conducting an inventory and evaluation of fund and Potentially Responsible Party financed Long-term Remedial Action (LTRA) sites that have gone through optimization, ROD amendments or Explanation of Significant Differences over the past 15 years to identify efficient and effective adaptive O&M management practices. EPA Region 7 and Nebraska will co-present a case study on the Cleburn NPL site and Wisconsin will present a case study on the Penta Wood NPL site. This session will cover some of the preliminary results of the group’s work and showcase how to better respond to changing conditions while ensuring protectiveness of human health and the environment.

Evaluating Subsurface Intrusion of hazardous constituents into overlying structures is an important component of a comprehensive risk assessment. The Subsurface Intrusion Component of the HRS took effect in May 2017. This session will provide training on where and how Subsurface Intrusion is being evaluated and incorporated into site assessments and removal actions.

Across the country it is increasingly common to see soccer fields on former landfills, railroad transformed into hiking and riding trails and vacant downtown lots become pocket parks. This session will highlight the opportunities and issues that surround the redevelopment of Brownfields into recreational spaces. Speakers will talk about successful projects and how they addressed the issues of the site with public health and safety in mind. Property owners will also be invited to the table to talk about their concerns as they pass on properties for public reuse.