An easy-to-use summary of U.S. and Canadian requirements for locating underground utilities has been published by Infrastructure Resources, LLC. The One-Call and State Law Directory includes the following information for each state or province Overview of state laws and provisions including a link to the governing law Telephone numbers and web site URLs for
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The U.S. EPA released the final health assessment for trichloroethylene (TCE) to the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) database. The final assessment characterizes TCE as carcinogenic to humans and as a human noncancer health hazard. According to the EPA, this assessment will allow for a better understanding of the risks posed to communities from exposure to TCE in soil, water, and air. It will provide federal, state, local, and other policymakers with the latest scientific information to make decisions about cleanup and other actions to protect …
Searchable maps showing groundwater aquifers and groundwater Source Protection Zones (SPZs) in England and Wales can be obtained from the UK Environment Agency’s website. The aquifer designation data are based on geological mapping provided by the British Geological Survey. The maps show two different types of aquifer designation: Superficial (drift) aquifers consisting of permeable
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A global oil and gas company was found liable for soil and ground water contamination associated with historic drilling operations that impacted Ecuador’s northern jungle. The company was ordered to pay US$ 8.6 billion in remediation and restoration costs. The amount was far below the $27.3 billion recommended by a court-appointed expert. Plaintiffs allege that their hunting and fishing grounds near the headwaters of the Amazon River were contaminated by toxic wastewater […]
Groundwater pump and treat systems often provide a false sense of security to both responsible parties and their consultants. These systems have historically been installed to mitigate potential future risks associated with off-site contaminant migration and are considered by many to be an effective groundwater containment system. Environmental Resources Management (ERM) conducted high resolution site
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Environmental lawyers and consultants are now grappling with how to advise clients about CERCLA liability since the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling in Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway Company, et al. v. United States in May 2009. The two-part decision addressed, among other things, whether the owners of a portion of a contaminated site could be held jointly and severally liable for the cleanup costs of the entire site.
This article provides an overview of passive soil gas sampling techniques including a description of typical sample devices, applications for passive soil gas sampling and limitations associated with the method.
High resolution site characterization is an alternative approach to site investigation that significantly reduces uncertainty and enables development of more accurate and cost effective solutions than traditional approaches.
