26th Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediment, Water and Energy - Conference Brochure

University of Massachusetts Fall Conference (1985-2000)The Official Newsletter For The Contaminated Soils, Sediments, and Water ConferenceVolume 1, Number 1, Summer 2000Conference Co-DirectorsPaul Kostecki, Ph.D.University of Massachusetts at AmherstEdward J. Calabrese, Ph.D.University of Massachusetts at AmherstHilary I. Inyang, Ph.D.University of Massachusetts at LowellJack Archer, Ph.D.University of Massachusetts at BostonBrian J. Rothschild, Ph.D.University of Massachusetts at DartmouthFor more information contact the Conference Coordinator:Denise LeonardEnvironmental Health SciencesN344 Morrill Science CenterUniversity of MassachusettsAmherst, MA 01003413-545-3164e-mail: dleonard@schoolph.umass.eduor visit our web site atwww.UMassSoils.comP eople can come to this conference andgain an understanding about contami-nation from a pesticides perspective, from aradionucleide perspective, or from a petro-leum perspective, and come away with thelatest technical information," says PaulKostecki, Research Associate Professorand co-founder of annual ContaminatedSoils, Sediments and Water Conference.Remember underground storage tanks? The year was 1984 and under-ground storage tanks were a bigissue nationally. "ThatÕs what drovethe first couple of conferences,"recalls Kostecki. "Ed Calabrese[Director of the Northeast RegionalEnvironmental and Public HealthCenter at the University ofMassachusetts] had just received agrant from what is now theMassachusetts Department ofEnvironmental Protection (DEP) tosurvey the literature and develop areport on the analysis, assessment,remediation and regulatory perspec-tive for petroleum-contaminated soil.We searched many databases andonly found a handful of articles thatwere directly related to petroleumcontamination. When we contactedworking professionals in the field wefound there was, in fact, a lot of infor-mation being collected, but it wasnÕt beingpublished. It was buried in the so-called"gray literature" of government publicationsand consulting company reports. We dis-cussed how we could identify the informa-tion. So decided to conduct a conferenceand publish the proceedings." And that was the end of it Ð or so theythought. "Several months later," saysKostecki, "we started receiving calls frompeople who had attended the conferencesaying, When is the next one?" It was toolate for 1986, but they set their sights onContaminated Soils ConferenceMarks Fifteen Years of Getting ConnectedContinued on page 2Top: Exhibiting at the 1987 Conference brings the UMass School of PublicHealth and Health Sciences to the attention of the scientific community.Center: Frank Perduto, New York State Department of EnvironmentalConservation, confers with exhibitors at a recent conference.Bottom: From the archives (1987): [left to right] Ronald Brand, first directorfor the EPAÕs Office of Underground Storage Tanks (OUST); ConferenceCo-Director Paul Kostecki, and Dr. Steven Gehlbach, Dean of the UMassSchool of Public Health and Health Sciences.TheAnnualInternational Conference onContaminated Soils,Sedimentsand Water"1987, and attracted 300 participantsand exhibitors. "We realized then thatwe had enough support to continue it,so weÕve organized a conferenceevery year since then." By October of 1999, over 850cleanup experts from academia, gov-ernment and private industry wereconverging annually on Amherst tokeep up with the latest developmentsin soil, water and sediment contamina-tion issues. And it generates results."Presentations are so specific," saysEd Calabrese, Professor ofToxicology, "that a site two miles fromyour house--or halfway around theworld--is probably taking advantage ofa solution that was first presented atour conference" Peer reviewed,published proceedings provideimmediate access to research "We made a very conscious effortearly on to establish the integrity of thescientific papers presented," says EdCalabrese, "so we created a peerreview of conference proceedings.And we have steadfastly maintainedour commitment to publishing only thepapers that satisfy peer review. It setsthe bar higher--but it ensures that thematerial that comes out of the confer-ence can be relied upon." And getspublished. "A conference without the writtenword is only valuable to those whoattend," says Calabrese. "If you do notpublish the proceedings, your confer-ence is just a memory--and thatÕs notgood enough." That means, for starters, that allthose professionals attending the con-ference get copies. Beyond immediatedistribution to attendees, Selectedconference papers are published inprofessional journals and indexed inleading databases for immediateworldwide access. Gulf War contamination spursinternational interest By 1994 the conference startedseeing increased international interestand, coincidentally, this was the yearthat the Northeast Center initiated pro-jects in Kuwait, conducting ecologicalrisk assessment training with respectto the environmental damage resultingfrom the 1991 Gulf War. Because ofthat, there began to be a lot more rep-resentation from the internationalarena. Recent conferences havedrawn participants from Italy, Kuwait,Japan, Taiwan, South Africa, Greece,Germany, England, India, Canada andPoland. "The environment has no bound-aries," says Dr. Hilary I. Inyang,Director of the Center forEnvironmental Engineering Science &Technology at UMass-Lowell, and aConference co-director, "becauseboundaries are defined by politicaljurisdictions. Environmental pollutionis no respecter of boundaries."Furthermore, notes Dr. Inyang, clean-up technologies that have outlivedtheir utility in the United States are stilluseful overseas Ð another reason toencourage international participationat the Conference. "We need to be more aggressive ininternationalizing the meeting," saysCalabrese, "so we are taking strategicsteps to increase international repre-sentation. Advisory board drives program Both Kostecki and Calabreseagree that each succeeding confer-ence has been stronger and better,thanks to an active advisory boardcomprised of a balance between stateand federal regulatory agencies, envi-ronmental consulting companies,industry and academia. "EverythingweÕve done, weÕve done because ouradvisory board has been our guidingConference Connection Summer 2000 2Associate Director andResearch Associate Professor,Northeast RegionalEnvironmental Public HealthCenter, School of Public Healthand Health Sciences, Universityof Massachusetts at Amherst Fields of Expertise:human and ecological risk assessment and risk management researchProfessor Kostecki received hisPh.D. from the School of NaturalResources at the University ofMichigan in 1980. He has beeninvolved with human and ecologicalrisk assessment and risk manage-ment research for the last 15 years. Dr. Kostecki has co-authored and co-edited over fifty articles and twentybooks on environmental assessmentand clean-up. Dr. Kostecki has orga-nized, developed and directed overthirty conferences, workshops andseminars in the area of contaminatedsite clean-ups in the U.S., Canada,Puerto Rico and Kuwait. He alsoserves as the Associate Editor for theJournal of Soil Contamination, chair-man of the Scientific Advisory Boardfor Soils and Groundwater Clean-upmagazine, as well as an editorialboard member for the Journal ofHuman and Ecological RiskAssessment. In addition, Dr. Kosteckiserves as Executive Director for theAssociation for the EnvironmentalHealth of Soils (AEHS). He is amember of the U.S. NavyÕs NationalHydrocarbon Test Site AdvisoryBoard, and a member of the steeringcommittee for the Total PetroleumHydrocarbon Criteria Working Groupand the Association of AmericanRailroads Environmental Engineeringand Operations Subcommittee.conferenceco-directorsPAUL T.KOSTECKI,PH.D.Continued from page 1Continued on page 3light," says Kostecki. The participation of regulatorybodies is encouraged, especially atthe state level, because it is the regu-latory community that is responsiblefor insuring that environmental lawsare followed. "Regulatory agenciesset the clean-up guidelines and theclean-up levels, so they tend to be thepressure point for accomplishing envi-ronmental objectives," says Kostecki."WeÕve always tried to maintain a bal-ance between the regulators and theregulated community, whether theyare at the municipal, state, or federallevel, and between academia and theprivate sector." Training, networkinglure participants Participants donÕt just attend tech-nical presentations and visitexhibitorÕs booths; they are affordedmany opportunities to talk with theirregulatory colleagues informally andat workshops. This fosters anexchange of information that mightnot happen otherwise. "For example,"Kostecki points out, "issues such asMTBE may be significant in one state,and later in others. Conferees caninteract and exchange personal expe-riences.ÓThe conference is considered atraining course for both regulatoryagencies and environmental consult-ing companies of all sizes, and is cer-tified by the Licensed SiteProfessionals board inMassachusetts and The LicensedEnvironmental Professionals board inConnecticut as a continuing nationaleducation activity. Beyond contaminated soils By 1990, other problems in the soilenvironment were emerging, and thefocus broadened to encompasshydrocarbon contaminated soils,chlorinate hydrocarbons, and PCBs.In 1993, con-tamination by radionu-clei, heavy metals and pesticideswere included --the whole breadth of contaminat-ed soils. By 1999, a greatly expandedContaminated Soils and WaterConference drew nearly 900 partici-pants from around the world. The upcoming conference inOctober 2000 adds contaminatedsediments to the program. Like previ-ous expansions of the Conference,the addition of a sediments sectionsprang from needs expressed by par-ticipants. Kostecki noted, "Severalpeople said to me, ÔYou really shouldbe addressing sediments.Õ The advi-sory board concurred and the topicwas added to the program. "Sediments are important,"explains Kostecki, "because of thedynamics that can influence contami-nant behavior, releasing the contami-nants slowly into the water columnand, eventually, into the food chain.For example, dredging is a very sub-stantial activity in this country.Dredging can be a viable approach tomanaging contaminants in some sed-iment sites or may release contamina-tion that has lain dormant for years inothers." "The next stage of conferenceevolution," says Kostecki, "involvesthe expansion of intercampus collabo-ration.Ó Dr. Hilary Inyang, University ofMassachusetts-Lowell, joined theConference as Co-Director, repre-senting the Center for EnvironmentalEngineering, Science andTechnology. In 2000, the newGraduate School of Marine Sciences,a five-campus consortium within theUniversity system, will be part of theConference. The Dean of the newprogram, Dr. Brian Rothchild,University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, and the Associate Dean,Dr. Jack Archer, University ofMassachusetts-Boston, will becomeCo-Directors and help develop amarine sediments session. Staying the course "We have numerous people whohave developed a loyalty to the meet-ing," says Calabrese. "They knowthey will get something of value, sothey keep coming back." "We build relationships that con-tinue for a long time," says Kostecki,"and they continue because the con-ference gives them information thathelps them do their jobs better." "I think the only way you can makea real contribution is to stay thecourse on something," saysCalabrese. "Science today can bevery flighty, and people tend to runafter money. By staying the course, ifyou have a good idea, they will comeback to you, and by the time theycome back, youÕre the one who hasthe deepest roots and the greatestcapacity to provide something thatÕsreliable. "Some of the best fun, and some of the more interesting exchanges,take place on the eleventh floor" advises Frank Peduto, referring to theCampus Center lounge. "We’ve always found it a very relaxing place togo. A lot of my colleagues will say, ‘See you on the eleventh floortonight’ It doesn’t matter if the TV’s on and somebody’s watching a ballgame; other people are talking about what went on all day. You bringup a session that you may have listened to and you start discussing itwith someone else, and yet it doesn’t feel like work." conferencequotesConference Connection Summer 2000 3Continued from page 2The 2000 Contaminated Soils, Waterand Sediments Conference is oneof the few conferences approved forearning the continuing education cred-its required of Licensed SiteProfessionals and LicensedEnvironmental Professionals in thestates of Massachusetts andConnecticut. "We have a performance-basedprogram," says George Furst, SeniorEnvironmental Engineer for theMassachusetts Turnpike Authority anda past president of the Licensed SiteProfessionals Association, "whichmeans that itÕs up to the LSP to comeup with remediation options. This con-ference is an opportunity to be exposedto quite a few different types of remedi-ation that are occurring. That way, wecan learn some of the cutting edgeremedial technologies; itÕs really goodfor getting that." ItÕs not just the credits, notes Furst."Talking to other people who are work-ing in our profession in other states isimportant because what works therewill also work in Massachusetts. Andthen you have those special eveningpresentations where you can really gointo depth about particular technolo-gies, and get background on some ofthe science and engineering behind thedifferent technologies, which is impor-tant for LSPs to understand. We needto be exposed to a lot of different ideas,and this conference allows for that."In addition to regulatory agencies,environmental consulting companiesalso consider the conference to be acontinuing education venue. "TheyÕrehere every year," says Conference Co-Director Paul Kostecki, "and theyÕreusing it to train their people. ThatÕstelling me that we are making an impactin that regard." Sign in and sign out, cautions EdUnser, Regional Planner for theMassachusetts LSP Board Staff. "ItÕs agood place to pick up both technicaland regulatory credits," says Ed Unser,Regional Planner for theMassachusetts LSP Board Staff.However, LSPs seeking continuingeducation credits need to check withthe board regarding verification ofattendance requirements in order toensure that they obtain their credits.The conference attracts attendeesincluding representatives fromstate and federal agencies; military; a number of industriesincluding railroad, petroleum,transportation, utilities; the environmental engineering andconsulting community; and academia.Others including EnvironmentalLabs, Recycling, Turf Services,Pharmaceuticals, the Press,Computer Software, etc.13%Consulting 41%Transportation,Utilities,Petro/Chemical 10%State and FederalRegulators22%Academic14%Soils Conference Certifiedfor Continuing Ed CreditsWho are the conferenceattendees?Conference Connection Summer 2000 4Board certified toxicologist Professor of toxicology atthe University ofMassachusetts School ofPublic Health and HealthSciences, Amherst.Fields of Expertise:host factors affecting susceptibility to pollutantsDr. Calabrese has researchedextensively in the area of hostfactors affecting susceptibilityto pollutants. He is the authorof more than 400 papers inreferred journals and tenbooks, including Principles ofAnimal Extrapolation,Methodological Approaches forDeriving Environmental andOccupational HealthStandards, Multiple ChemicalInteractions, and Air Toxics andRisk Assessment. He has beena member of the U.S. NationalAcademy of Sciences, NATOCountries Safe Drinking Watercommittees, and the Board ofScientific Counselors for theAgency for Toxic Substancesand Disease Registry(ATSDR). He has been chair ofthe BELLE (Biological Effectsof Low Level Exposures)Advisory Committee since1990.conferenceco-directorsDR. EDWARDJ. CALABRESER esponding to heightened interest inissues concerning MTBE, a break-fast panel of state regulators attractedalmost 75 attendees at the 1999Contaminated Soils Conference. "Weput together a panel discussion of sev-eral regulators for seven in the morningon Wednesday of the conference, andalmost 75 people showed up to talkabout MTBE" "MTBE was really breaking as anissue in New England on a number offronts," recalls Frank Sweet, VicePresident and General Manager ofENSR (Acton, MA) who participated inthe panel. "The media was really push-ing it; politicians were putting BanMTBE bills in front of their legislatures.So a lot of the discussion revolvedaround breaking down some of themyths that the media perpetuated aboutMTBE, and trying to get to a more aca-demically-based understanding of thisvery complex issue. I think a lot wasdone that morning to bridge the gapbetween a number of the differentstates and their regulatorÕs perspectiveson the issue." Methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) isa gasoline additive that has been usedas an octane enhancer since 1979.Conventional gasoline has MTBE inamounts of a few percent by volume orless, while some premium blends cancontain as much as 9 percent. MTBEhas also been used to meet the oxy-genate requirement under the federalreformulated gasoline program aimed atreducing air pollution. MTBE is verywater soluble, and very persistent inground water. In recent years, there has beenincreasing concern over the potentialthreat to ground water quality posed bywidespread use of MTBE in gasoline.This concern has been propelled by: (1)studies demonstrating MTBE has car-cinogenic activity; (2) studies demon-strating MTBE has very low odor andtaste detection thresholds; and (3) stud-ies indicating the potential for frequent,though low-level, detection of MTBE inground water. In Maine, the Department ofEnvironmental Protection (DEP) hasbeen confronting MTBE as a groundwater con-taminant associated withgasoline spills since 1984, and hastaken action in MTBE regulation andclean-up. Its preliminary report issued inOctober of 1998 helped bring the issueto public attention, and a segment onthe popular 60 Minutes program inspring of 2000 ensures that the topic willrise on the priority list of many state reg-ulatory agendas. Their concern is overblown, assertsa leading manufacturing spokesperson."MTBE is a problem that is completelymanageable." Less easy to manage,suggests this same spokesperson, isthe political pressure exerted on stateregulators by politicians responding to amedia-induced public frenzy. "A regula-tor from a northeastern state said to me,You know what? The problem isnÕt thatwe donÕt understand -- the problem isour state legislatures Your forum givesus hope that scientists and regulatorscan have an honest exchange and takean honest piece of information [aboutMTBE] away from the conference -- butregulators donÕt necessarily get the lastword." Audience responsessupplement panelistsÕperspective The give-and-take format of thebreakfast forum elicited input fromattendees as well as panelists. "ItÕs dis-cussion and debate," says Kostecki."You have a panel member makingstatements, you have an audience rais-ing their hands and saying, Wait aminute, IÕd like you to understand howwe do it in Pennsylvania. And thensomebody else adds, Well, thatÕs nothow we do it in New Jersey So itbecomes very interactive, very discus-sion-oriented. The audience probablyadded as much to the discussion as thepanel members." The next big issue:MTBEs replacements MTBE will be back at the 2000Conference, though probably with a dif-ferent focus. "ThereÕs a lot of concernalready coming from regulators aboutpotential replacements for MTBE," saysFrank Sweet, "specifically, ethanol,TBA, and a number of other potentialoxygenates that could be used to meetthe EPA oxygenate standard. Ethanol,for example, is a proven carcinogen,and is even more soluble than MTBE.So I think that MTBE substitutes may bethe focus next time." "When you get a decision at a statelevel that has tremendous repercus-sions nationally, you need a forum todiscuss it," says Kostecki. "We includetopics that are relevant and contempo-rary -- theyÕre important right now."MTBE Breakfast Panel Attracts 65 Participants Conference Connection Summer 2000 5Conference panel headed by U.S.Department of Energy discussesradionucleide contamination in soils.T his is not a trade show," saysConference Co-Director PaulKostecki, referring to the hall wheresome thirty-five exhibitors make them-selves available to attendees. "ItÕs theplace where the theories and conceptspresented at the sessions intersectwith their practical application in thereal world." ItÕs also the place where attendeesand exhibitors stand to gain from inter-action with each other. For attendees,itÕs the chance to check out the latest insite clean-up methods. For exhibitors,itÕs the networking opportunities thatcharacterize this particular conference. "ItÕs the one conference where youcan find people from government,academia and industry talking aboutpollution and environmental problems,"says Rick Wenning, Vice Presidentand Regional Manager for the SanFrancisco Bay Area of McLaren/Hart. Many agree, citing the good mix ofregulatory, industry, and consultingprofessionals attending the confer-ence. "ItÕs very important to me," saysPete Guest, Senior Associate withParsons Engineering Science inDenver, "to be able to talk with the indi-viduals who regulate, and find out whatthey require," says Guest. "I think theinteraction with the regulatory agencypersonnel is of particular interest, anda valuable learning experience." Stability counts, too: a stable rosterof attendees shows up year after year."IÕm on advisory committees for otherconferences," says one exhibitor, "butthe people come and go -- its just amarquis for their resum?; itÕs not some-thing theyÕre particularly involved in.With the UMass Conference, the advi-sory board and the people that getinvolved have a real interest and sharea real camaraderie. So I go as much tocontinue those relationships. "Yeah, I guess I hope some willdevelop into customers. But the realworld experiences that are conveyedand the advertising are wonderful. ItÕs anice place to let people know that IÕmaround, and the conversations thathappen in the exhibit area are realhelpful." That kind of loyalty doesnÕt justhappen -- its cultivated by conferenceco-directors Ed Calabrese and PaulKostecki. "ItÕs all about people," saysKostecki, "investing in people. Wehave people coming back to our con-ference year after year. We build rela-tionships that last a long time, and theylast a long time because we stay intouch with them." The high quality of technical infor-The Exhibit Hall: WhereTheory Meets ApplicationTop: Massachusetts-based ENSR discusses clean-upstrategies with attendees at a recent Conference.Left: Massachusetts is not too far to come for California-based Geomatrix Consultants. Gary Foote interacts withConference attendees in this photo.Conference Connection Summer 2000 6AEHSAlliance Environmental, Inc.Alpha Analytical LabsAmerican Petroleum InstituteAmherst Scientific Publishers(ASP)Battelle Duxbury OperationsBlasland, Bouck & Lee, Inc.Burns & McDonnell WasteConsultants, Inc.Columbia Analytical ServicesCRC Press, LLCDexsil CorporationEA Engineering, Science, and TechnologyEarthSoftEastern Analytical, Inc.ENSREnviro-Tech ServicesCompanyEPA/TIO/TTEMIFranklin EnvironmentalServices, Inc.Geomatrix Consultants, Inc.GIS/SolutionsGlobal BioSciences and Matheson TriGasHarding Lawson AssociatesIT CorporationK-V Associates, Inc.ManTech EnvironmentalCorporationMarin Environmental, Inc.Maxymillian Technologies, Inc.McLaren/HartMicroseeps, Inc.N-CON Systems Co., Inc.National Shooting SportsFoundationNaval Facilites Engineering Service CenterNew England's EnvironmentNITON CorporationNortheast UtilitiesOgden Environmental and Energy ServicesParsons Engineering Science, Inc.RegenesisRMI Environmental ServicesRocky Mountain RemediationServicesRoy F. Weston, Inc.Sandia National LabsSERDP & ESTCP ProgramOfficeSevenson EnvironmentalServices, Inc.Severn Trent LabsSoil & Groundwater CleanupMagazineStrategic DiagnosticsThermoRetec CorporationTrace AnalyticalTrojan Technologies, Inc.VISTAinfo, Inc.Woods Hole Grouppastexhibitors"Continued on page 7mation is a universal draw. Says RonKlattenberg, Manager, RemediationServices for Northeast Utilities inHartford. "NU has enthusiastically sup-ported the Soils Conference becauseof the broad audience that this confer-ence attracts, and the high quality ofthe technical information thatÕs beingpresented. The conference allows usas a company to discuss some of theimportant issues in a very open forum,and weÕve done that on a couple ofoccasions. So I give the conferencevery high marks." Corinne Schultz, BusinessDevelopment Director for IT inNorwood, MA, has been involved withthe conference as an advisory boardmember and participant for sevenyears. "ItÕs a highly focused, technicalconference which draws representa-tives from many of the major marketsthat we serve -- state federal, andindustrial/commercial. The conferenceprovides us with a wonderful opportu-nity to demonstrate our capabilitieswithin the areas of innovative tech-nologies and strategies, and it alsoallows us the opportunity to interactwith our existing customer base." IT isa worldwide provider of environmentalcompliance services. Only thirty-five spaces are allottedeach year, ensuring plenty of room forattendees to mingle and schmooze.Prospective exhibitors should contactDenise Leonard at (413) 545-1239regarding space availability. Right: The NavalFacilitiesEngineeringCommand demonstrates itsSiteCharacterizationand AnalysisPenetrometerSystem (SCAPS) at the 1999Conference. Thestate-of-the-art unitpushes a probe 50to 100 feet into theearth to provide aninstantaneous read-out of contamination levels.Top: The Naval FacilitiesEngineering Service Centerreturns in 2000 as a ConferenceCo-sponsor.Left: Conference Advisory Boardmember Bill Kucharski (holdingcoffee cup) in Exhibit Hall.Kucharski is the formerSecretary for the LouisianaDepartment of EnvironmentalQuality. Conference Connection Summer 2000 7University Professor andDirector of the Center forEnvironmental Engineering,Science and Technology(CEEST) at the University ofMassachusetts, Lowell. Concurrently Professor atNanjing University in China.Fields of Expertise:waste containment systems,remediation technologies andunderground spaceProfessor Inyang has authoredmore than 100 research articles,design manuals, book chapters,and reports on waste contain-ment systems, remediation tech-nologies and underground space.He is an associate editor/editorialboard member of eight referredinternational journals, includingthe Journal of SoilContamination, ASCE Journal ofEnvironmental Engineering,Waste Management andResearch, and the Journal ofEnvironmental Systems.Currently, Professor Inyang is theChairman of the EnvironmentalEngineering Committee of theScience Advisory Board of theU.S. Environmental ProtectionAgency. He has been appointedto membership in the NationalAdvisory Council onEnvironmental Policy andTechnology (NACEPT). Both ofthese committees are congres-sionally chartered. He has wonseveral professional awards andholds a Ph.D. from Iowa StateUniversity; M.S. and B.S. fromNorth Dakota State University,and B.S. (Hons.) from theUniversity of Calabar.conferenceco-directorsPROF. HILARYINYANGContinued from page 6Center History D irected by Dr. Edward J.Calabrese with AssociateDirector Dr. Paul T. Kostecki, theNortheast Regional EnvironmentalPublic Health Center (NREPHC) wascreated in 1985 by the University ofMassachusetts Board of Trustees tooffer regional leadership in environ-mental health concerns, and to shareits expertise in teaching, research andpolicy assessment with respect tomultimedia (air, water, soil, food) con-tamination concerns. The mission ofthe Center is four-fold: ¥ To establish regular and effectivecommunication between thestates on issues related to envi-ronmental health; ¥ To provide training and educa-tional programs for state employ-ees and other designatedgroups; ¥ To conduct research on regionalenvironmental health problems; ¥ To provide consultative assis-tance on technical policy issues.Mission and Goals Over the past ten years, theCenter has provided consistent lead-ership in two areas: ¥ the environmental and publichealth effects of soil contamina-tion, and ¥ the biological effects of low-levelexposures to chemicals and radi-ation. Soil Contamination. In the area ofsoil contamination, three activities ofnote are the development and man-agement of the Council for theEnvironmental Health of Soils(CHESS) from 1989 to 1993, the con-duct of several national surveys and,since 1985, the annual ContaminatedSoils Conference. The Council for the Health andEnvironmental Safety of Soils(CHESS) created a national frame-work to address the cleanup of conta-minated soils. CHESS received sub-stantial funding support from both thepublic and private sectors. CHESSactivities were blended into the over-all activities of the Center in the areaof soil contamination in 1993. Since 1985, the Center has con-ducted several state-by-state surveysin the areas of cleanup levels forpetroleum-contaminated soils andgroundwater, innovative technologiesuse, and MTBE. The information isdisseminated back to each state andpublished in the literature as peer-reviewed articles in journals andnational magazines. Funding for thesurveys has come from the Mass.Dept. of Environmental Protectionand USEPA. The annual contaminated soils,water and sediments conference isrecognized for its strong scientificcontent and renowned technical infor-mation exchange activities. Over5000 professionals have attended themeeting since 1990, with 700+ repre-senting state and federal regulatoryand public health agencies. It is wide-ly used as technical training for publicand private-sector scientists. Thepublication of peer-reviewed conference proceeds in monographform and via journal special issuesensures that technical information isbroadly transferred to the scientific,academic, and regulatory communi-ties. Research funding resulting fromthe Conference includes a long-terminterdisciplinary research programsupported by nearly two million dol-lars of funding to assess soil ingestionin children and adults. Low Level Exposures Initiative(BELLE). The second activity of theCenter, called the Biological Effects ofLow Level Exposures (BELLE) initia-tive, was begun in 1990 to assess thetoxicological implications of low dosesof exposure. It publishes a scholarlynewsletter that is distributed to 12,000scientists worldwide. Recently, theCenter entered into a relationship withthe publisher of the British Society ofToxicology to include the BELLEnewsletter as a regular feature of theBritish Society of Toxicology journal.The BELLE initiative has also con-ducted national workshops in 1990,1993, and 1996, with conference pro-ceedings published in each case. "This conference came out of a research project that was funded by theDEP back in the early eighties to address petroleum contamination,"recalls John Fitzgerald, Regional Engineer in the Northeast RegionalOffice of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection."Since then I come up just about every year, and every year I learn some-thing. I think what’s unique about this conference is the mixture of theo-retical, academic, practical and regulator’s perspectives which you don’tget in a lot of conferences. I come here for those two or three things thatmake me say Ah-ha I’m really glad I came this year, because I really didn’thave good insight into those two or three things until now.”conferencequotesAbout The Northeast RegionalEnvironmental Public Health CenterConference Connection Summer 2000 8Continued on page 9Accomplishments Since 1985, the Northeast RegionalEnvironmental Public Health Centerhas conducted over twenty nationaland international conferences in theareas of soil contamination, drinkingwater, biological effect of low levelexposures, municipal waste disposaland other public health issues. In addi-tion, the Center has also conductedover thirty workshops and courses on awide array of environmental and publichealth topics including pharmacokinet-ics, risk communication, gypsy mothrisk analysis, soil ingestion, indoor airquality, the Safe Drinking Water Act,ozone risk assessment, quantitativerisk assessment methodologies, andhormesis. Dr. Calabrese and Dr. Kosteckimake 15 to 20 presentations each yearas invited speakers to national andinternational societies, organizations,companies and universities as well asfederal and state agencies, presentingCenter research and promoting Centeractivities. Since its inception in 1985,the Center has established itself as aclear national leader in the areas ofsoil, water and sediments contamina-tion and the biological effects of lowlevel exposure. In 1990, five years after its inception,the Center had the unique opportunityto be evaluated as part of the NationalCouncil on Education for Public HealthAccreditation, comprised of nationallyrenowned academics and profession-als from the private and public sector.They wrote: "The NortheastEnvironmental Public Health Centerconcept is innovative and worthy ofemulation. It is, in the opinion of theteam, a unique opportunity to blendcurrent scientific advancements withreal world applications that have politi-cal and social relevance" Ten yearslater, we believe this to be even moretrue today.Where are conference attendees from?The conference attracts attendees from almost every state coveringevery region of the United States. Past conferences have had an inter-national presence as well, with attendees from Canada, South Africa,United Kingdom, Germany, Kuwait, Australia, Columbia, Mexico,Switzerland, France, Italy, Greece, Russia, China and Taiwan.Northeast63%Northwest4%CanadaMexicoColumbiaItalyGreeceKuwaitChinaTaiwanAustraliaSouth AfricaUnitedKingdomGermanySwitzerlandFranceRussiaWest10%Southwest9%South10%International3%Alaska1%Conference Connection Summer 2000 9LI.M., Law and Marine Affairs,University of Washington;J.D., Hastings College of theLaw, University of California,San Francisco. AssociateDean of the new IntercampusGraduate School of MarineSciences and Technology forthe University ofMassachusettsFields of Expertise:environmental law and policy, integrated coastal area management, and public trust law and theoryProfessor ArcherÕs researchinterests involve the study andanalysis of the U.S. coastal andocean resource managementregimes; coastal zone manage-ment; ocean and coastal pollu-tion issues; the development ofocean energy and mineralresources; fisheries manage-ment; the legal regime regulatinghazardous waste in the marineenvironment; and legal, policyand administrative issues at fed-eral, state and local levels,including intergovernmental con-flict resolution and federal-staterelations generally. Recentresearch projects have includeda national study of the applica-tion of public trust doctrine andtheory to protect coastal areasand resources, and an analysisof the interactions of the publictrust and constitutional takingsdoctrines. International legalaspects of marine and coastalresource management are alsoareas of interest.conferenceco-directorsJACK H.ARCHER,LI.M.Continued from page 8R ecent moves to collaborate withother UMass campuses are result-ing in new fields of interest and broad-er academic representation for the16th Annual Contaminated Soils,Water and Sediments Conferenceorganized by the Northeast RegionalEnvironmental and Public HealthCenter at UMass, Amherst. "One of theconferenceÕs strengths," says MarcellaWilliams, Deputy Chancellor, UMassAmherst, "is that it is so horizontalacross the range of disciplines withinthe university, across a range of issuesin our society, and across a range ofexpertise within the five-college sys-tem itself." Last year the Conference wel-comed Dr. Hilary I. Inyang, Director ofthe Center for EnvironmentalEngineering Science & Technology(CEEST) as a new co-director. Part ofthe University of MassachusettsLowell, CEEST is a multi-disciplinaryresearch, technical assistance andtraining organization that focuses onenvironment-related technologicalissues. "In the environmental arena,"says Dr. Inyang, "the interdisciplinaryscope is so wide that no one universityor campus has the relevant facultymembers of a critical mass, the equip-ment, and the resources to be domi-nant in that field. Synergy is only pos-sible if the different campuses pooltogether their intellectual and materialresources to seek eminence in thisarea." Each campus brings its ownstrengths, notes Dr. Inyang. Becauseof their location in the Boston area, forexample, UMass Lowell comes face toface with so-called brown environmen-tal issues -- industrial developmentand emissions. Reclaiming prime innercity sites that have been largely aban-doned because of residual contamina-tion has been a major focus forCEEST. Dr. Inyang chaired the sub-committee of the EPA that resulted inthe federal "brown fields" funding forassessment of industrial sites. New starting in 2000:Sediments Intercampus collaboration expandsin 2000 with the participation of thenew five-campus graduate program inMarine Sciences and Technologyinvolving the Amherst, Lowell,Dartmouth, Boston, and WorcesterMedical School campuses. One of thefew inter-campus schools in the nation,the new school will focus on an arrayof marine science issues, ranging fromthe management of fishing grounds tothe effects of pollution on marine envi-ronments. Dean Brian J. Rothschild,and Associate Dean Jack H. Archer,will oversee the addition of sedimentsto the Conference program. As the interface between soil andwater, sediments are important, saysConference Co-director Paul Kostecki,"because we are a very coastal coun-try with numerous rivers. Sedimentscan be the repository for past environ-mental sins while serving a very impor-tant ecological role. This dynamic canhave a profound public and ecologicalhealth impact, if not addressed properly.ÓIntercampus collaborations attractmore students toConference The conference has always attract-ed students, notes Dr. Inyang, whoanticipates increased student registra-Intercampus CollaborationEnhances Soils ConferenceConference Connection Summer 2000 10Dean of the new IntercampusGraduate School of MarineSciences and Technology at UMass DartmouthFields of Expertise:population dynamics, biological oceanography, andfishery managementPrior to joining the University ofMassachusetts, ProfessorRothschild held professorships atthe University of Maryland and theUniversity of Washington. He hashad faculty or visiting scientistaffiliations with the University ofHawaii; Scripps Institution ofOceanography; Rosensteil Schoolof Marine and AtmosphericScience, University of Miami;Institut fur Meereskunde,University of Kiel; Woods HoleOceanographic Institution; andHarvard University. In govern-ment, Professor Rothschild was aCharter Member of the SeniorExecutive Service in theDepartment of Commerce. He hasserved as Senior Policy Advisor tothe Administrator of NOAA;Director of the SouthwestFisheries Science Center, LaJolla; and Deputy Director of theNorthwest and Alaska FisheriesScience Center, Seattle. Hisresearch has contributed to thefundamental understanding of fishstock recruitment, and to the roleof physical forcing on ocean bio-dynamics, in particular, the role ofsmall-scale turbulent flow onplankton encounter rates. He isthe author of Dynamics of MarineFish Populations, published byHarvard University Press. He hasedited five books and is theauthor of eighty research papers.conferenceco-directorsPROF. BRIAN J.ROTHSCHILDContinued on page 11A proposed major internationalCongress on PetroleumContaminated Soils, Sediments andWater, to take place in September2001, traces its roots to a collabora-tion forged by Research AssociateProfessor Paul Kostecki at the UMassContaminated Soils Conference. Since 1994, when he was invitedto Kuwait to coordinate and present aworkshop on the cleanup of petrole-um contamination resulting from thePersian Gulf War, Kostecki has beencultivating a network of contacts withKuwaiti science, business and highereducation institutions, including theKuwait Foundation for theAdvancement of Sciences (KFAS).The Kuwait Foundation for theAdvancement of Sciences fundsresearch and training projects world-wide, with emphasis on moderniza-tion and scientific development inKuwait and other Arab countries.These contacts culminated in a recentfour-day trip in April 2000 by a contin-gent of UMass administrators consist-ing of UMass President WilliamBulger, Chair of Trustees RobertKaram, Chancellor David and Dr.Kathleen Scott, Barbara Burn,Associate Provost for InternationalPrograms, and Dr. Paul Kostecki.Meeting with Dr. Ali Al-Shamiam,Director General of KFAS, the twoinstitutions affirmed their mutual com-mitment to the proposed Congress.At a visit to Kuwait University,President Al-Korafi emphasized theUniversityÕs interest in collaboratingwith Universities abroad, includingUMass. Priorities would beexchanges of faculty members andcooperation in research. KuwaitUniversity is developing an environ-mental health program, and officialshope to build upon the University ofMassachusettsÕ strength in this area.tions in October. "It is one thing tohave students enrolled in theoreticalclasses; it is another thing to providethem with the opportunity to listen topeople who have implemented actu-al field projects. This conferenceexposes students to a wider varietyof environmental activities." It all adds up to a diverse mix ofpersonalities and perspectives."What I often find," says DeputyChancellor Williams, "is that whenpeople of diverse perspectivescome together around mutual con-cerns, thereÕs a certain energy thatresults, and that causes the confer-ence to be that much better becauseof it. ItÕs just more exciting ThatÕsthe essence of what this conferencedoes and is all about." International Congress growsout of Soils Conference"We’re a risk assessment firm,"says Dallas Wait of GradientCorporation (Cambridge, MA),"and the conference has been agreat forum for providing riskassessment and eco-assessmentconcepts and for sharing ideaswith people. The area I’m specif-ically interested in is forensicchemistry. Forensic chemistrymeans using scientific tools toallow investigators to determinewho may be responsible forcon-tamination. Its’ a burgeon-ing field right now because ofliability issues associated withcleaning up contaminated sites,and this conference has a longhistory of producing high quali-ty papers, and experts who canexpound on some of the emerg-ing theories and practices inthat area." conferencequotesConference Connection Summer 2000 11After the banquet: UMass and KFAS cement plans for an International Congress in 2001 to promote cleanup ofpetroleum contamination. (starting 4th from left:) UMass President William Bolger; Robert Karam, UMass Board ofTrustees chairman; UMass Chancellor David Scott; KFAS Director General Dr. Ali Al-Shamiam; Dr. Barbara Burn,UMass Associate Provost for International Programs; Dr. Paul Kostecki, Research Associate Professor.Continued from page 10BENEFACTORSMassachusetts Department of EnvironmentalProtection Naval Facilities Engineering Command Naval Facilities Engineering Service CenterSandia National LabsNFEC US Army Corp - Cold Regions Research Lab US Army Corp - Waterway Experimental Station SPONSORSENSR Consulting and EngineeringGas Research Institute Harding Lawson AssociatesParsons Engineering Science IT CorporationBenjamin Moore & Co.Chemical Land Holdings Environmental CanadaMcLaren HarLevine FrickeStrategic Environmental Research &Development Program (SERDP)LSP AssociationMerck & Company, Inc.Dupont EngineeringNortheast UtilitiesSUPPORTERS3MAEHSBattelleCRC/Lewis PressEA Engineering, Science & TechnologyNew York Department of Environmental ConservationOgden Environmental and Energy Services GeomatrixThermoRetecRoy F. Weston, Inc.Texaco, Inc. ExponentLousiana DEQAmerican Petroleum Institute Clayton Environmental ServicesAmerican Water Works Research FoundationAssociation of American Railroads National Shooting Sportsman Foundation(NSSF)Camp Dresser & McKee, Inc.Tighe & Bond, Inc. Ecology and Environment, Inc.The tremendous success of past conferences has been the result of the dedication and hard work ofour Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) members and this yearÕs conference is no exception. The SABevaluates abstract submissions, recommends invited papers and presenters, advises on special ses-sions and activities and generally serves as conference ambassadors encouraging colleagues to par-ticipate and attend. The creation of the SAB is the first crucial step in conference development, andcare is taken to insure philosophical, scientific, regulatory and geographical balance.Nader Al-Awadhi, Kuwait Institute for Scientific ResearchSami N. Al-Yakoob, Kuwait Institute for Scientific ResearchRoger Andes, Ass'n of American RailroadsRalph S. Baker, ENSRChristopher P.L. Barkan, Ph.D. University ofIllinoisMichael Battle, EA Engineering and TechnologyBruce Bauman, American Petroleum InstituteMark Begley, Massachusetts DEPRobert Block, GeoSyntec ConsultantsCarol Bois, Bois Consulting CompanyClifford Bruell, University of Massachusetts atLowellRob Clemens, Ogden Environmental & Energy ServicesTerry Combs, Soil & Groundwater CleanupEllen G. Cool, Ph.D., LPS, Harding Lawson AssociatesDavid Dahlstrom, Clayton EnvironmentalServicesJohn Del Pup, Texaco, Inc.Gregory S. Douglas, Ph.D., Arthur D. Little, Inc.James Dragun, The Dragun CorporationJack Duggan, Wentworth Institute of TechnologyJerome Edwards, Environmental Decision Group, Inc. - a Safety-Kleen Company Mohamed Elnabarawy, 3M EnvironmentalTechnology & ServicesJohn Fitzgerald, Massachusetts DEPPaul E. Flathman, CTL Engineering, Inc.George A. Furst, MA Turnpike AuthorityBernard T. Gagnon, ENSRMillie Garcia-Surette, MPH, MA DEP, South East RegionConnie Gaudet, Ph.D., Environment Canada, Soil & Sediment Quality SectionPeter R. Guest, Parsons Engineering Science,Inc.Annette Guiseppi-Elie, Dupont EngineeringJohn Gustafson, Equilon Enterprises LLCMark Harris, Chemical Land HoldingsTom Hayes, Gas Research InstituteHilary I. Inyang, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts at LowellEvan Johnson, LSP, Tighe & BondRon P. Klattenberg, Northeast Utilities ServicesBill Kucharski, GECCo, Inc.Guy Lanza, Ph.D., University of MassachusettsPeter B. Lederman, Ph.D., P.E., DEE, New Jersey Institute of TechnologyJohn Lynch, ThermoRetecFred McKosky, P.E., Ecology and EnvironmentLarry Mencin, The Sherwin-Williams CompanyCharles A. Menzie, Menzie Cura Associates, IncNihar Mohanty, Massachusetts DEPDavid Nakles, ThermoRetecNagaraj Neerchal, UMBCVincent Ogunro, Center for EnvironmentalEngineering, Science and Technology (CEEST)Sylvain Ouellet, Environment CanadaGareth Owen, GoWen EnvironmentalRick Patterson, NSSFTom A. Pedersen, Camp Dresser & McKee, Inc.Frank Peduto, NY State DECAlex Rothchild, Levine FrickeEugene Rutz, University of Cincinnati, College of EngineeringScott Saroff, Blasland, Bouck & Lee, Inc.Corrinne E. Schultz, IT CorporationJay Silkworth, GE Corporation, R&DLee Sollenberger, Roy F. Weston, Inc.Christopher Teaf, Ph.D., Florida State UniversityAllen Uhler, Battelle Environmental ForensicInvestigation GroupStephen R. Wassersug, Global Environment & Technology FoundationRichard J. Wenning, M.S., McLarenHart/ChemRiskPeter Woodman, Ph.D., ExponentBaoshan Xing, Ph.D., University ofMassachusettsFederal Advisory BoardJohn Abraham, ATSDRPatrick Brady, Sandia National LaboratoryJohn Cullinane, US Army Engineer WaterwaysExperiment StationJohn Glaser, US Environmental Protection Agency, ORDJoseph Graf, Naval Facilities EngineeringCommandLeslie Karr, Naval Facilities Engineering ServiceLynn Kucharski, TAMS Consultants Inc.Scott Markert, Naval Facilities Engineering CommandThomas L. Potter, USDA-ARSPaul Rakowski, Naval Facilities Engineering CommandMike Reynolds, Ph.D., USA - Cold RegionsResearch and Engineering Laboratory Michael Sivak, US EPA, Region 2Catherine Vogel, SERDP/ESTCP Program OfficeWade Weisman, Wright-Patterson AFBLarry J. Zaragoza, D.Env., US EPAScientific Advisory BoardSponsors &SupportersPosters offer an extension of thestrong technical content of theConference, and more than doublethe amount of information presentedat Conference programs. Postersare exhibited in the halls and inassigned "poster rooms" throughoutthe Conference. Assigned postertimes provide presenters and atten-dees with periods when they caninteract on a one-to-one basis.Poster Sessions