Spring 2010 Information Bulletin Features Symposium & Workshop Highlights
 The latest issue of the SERDP & ESTCP Information Bulletin is now online. It highlights (1) the seven Project-of-the-Year Awards announced at the 2009 Partners Symposium; (2) SERDP’s development of a framework for sustainability metrics and reporting at military installations; (3) a Conservation Biology essay on the role of demonstration in translating conservation science into practice; (4) SERDP soot science research, recognized with a Distinguished Paper Award at the 32nd International Symposium on Combustion; (5) recipients of SERDP-sponsored travel awards to the 94th Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting; (6) FY 2010 SERDP- and ESTCP-funded efforts in the Environmental Restoration focus area; and (7) new documents now available in our online library. Past issues
Call for Poster Abstracts for the Partners in Environmental Technology Technical Symposium & Workshop Released!
All Abstracts Due by July 30, 2010  Mark your calendars for the 2010 Partners in Environmental Technology Technical Symposium & Workshop, sponsored by SERDP and ESTCP, to be held November 30-December 2, 2010 in Washington, D.C. This event typically attracts more than 1,100 attendees and will offer a dynamic opening Plenary Session, 14 technical sessions, three short courses, approximately 450 poster presentations, and a variety of networking opportunities of interest to attendees from the government, academic, and private sectors. The Call for Poster Abstracts is now available, and submissions are due July 30. Visit the Symposium site (www.serdp-estcp.org/symposium) for details about the Call and other information. If you have any questions, e-mail partners@hgl.com or call (703) 736-4548.
Technical Report, Webcast, and Animation Introduce Geophysical System Verification as a Physics-Based Alternative to GPOs
ESTCP in collaboration with the military Services, state and federal regulators, and the National Association of Ordnance and Explosive Waste Contractors (NAOC) has designed a physics-based alternative to geophysical prove-outs (GPO). Geophysical system verification (GSV) moves resources from an upfront evaluation of geophysical systems to ongoing verification of system performance, building confidence that data generated throughout a munitions response project is meeting project objectives. A report, webcast (1hr 10min), and animation (9 min) present the physics basis of GSV, outline key elements of this approach (instrument verification strip and production blind seeding program), and describe its implementation on an example site.
SERDP Conducts Sustainability Assessment of a Military Installation
Report Presents Design for Sustainability Metrics and Reporting  The sustainable management of U.S. military bases requires a comprehensive framework as well as appropriate management metrics and reporting systems to highlight emerging issues and systemic problems. SERDP has developed a mission sustainability framework (MSF) and set of conceptual sustainability metrics for Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) in southern California. The prototype framework and conceptual metrics may be considered as the basis for a comprehensive military installation sustainability reporting system. Installations may need to add additional metrics that reflect their unique situation. This report consolidates and presents the key results of this project, including (1) the MSF for categorizing and presenting metrics, (2) examples of sustainability metrics in each MSF category, and (3) a conceptual design for a sustainability reporting system, which can be further developed to work in harmony with other metric reporting systems now in use or development.
Webcast Now Available on Classification Methods for Military Munitions Response
SERDP and ESTCP are pleased to announce the release of a webcast that provides a tutorial on the sensors, methods, and status of the classification of military munitions using geophysical methods. The webcast covers advanced processing of data collected with existing commercial instruments, as well as the promising results from emerging optimized systems. Click here to view the webcast.
DoD Policy Memo Points to ASETSDefense as Resource on Hexavalent Chromium Alternatives The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics issued a memo on April 8, 2009, “Minimizing the Use of Hexavalent Chromium (Cr6+),” that requires DoD to reduce usage of Cr6+ processes and materials, while ensuring performance and cost-effectiveness continue to be met. To assist DoD organizations with meeting these requirements, the memo points to ASETSDefense as a resource for knowledge on research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) efforts and experience with alternatives. ASETSDefense – Advanced Surface Engineering Technologies for a Sustainable Defense – is a SERDP and ESTCP initiative that aims to facilitate the implementation of new, environmentally friendly technologies for surface engineering by providing ready access to information and data from RDT&E efforts supported by DoD organizations and the private sector. A central repository of data and information is now available through ASETSDefense for those responsible for qualifying and approving the use of new surface engineering technologies on weapons systems. An informational workshop “ASETSDefense '09: Sustainable Surface Engineering for Aerospace and Defense” was held September 1-3, 2009, in Denver, Colorado. All environment, safety, and occupational health (ESOH) coating issues in new and legacy aircraft, vehicles, and ships were covered; however, special emphasis was given to hexavalent chromium in response to the recent memo. To access the surface engineering database and view briefings from the ASETSDefense ’09 Workshop, visit www.asetsdefense.org.
ESTCP Answers the Most Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Chlorinated Solvent Sites To help state and federal regulators, consultants, DoD staff, and community members make site management decisions based on the best available science, an ESTCP team has compiled a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document on chlorinated solvent site management that addresses 25 key questions, providing an overview of current knowledge regarding the management of subsurface chlorinated solvent releases. The document entitled Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Management of Chlorinated Solvents in Soils and Groundwater is intended to be a concise overview, while the more extensive companion document, Guide for Selecting Remedies for Subsurface Releases of Chlorinated Solvents, is planned for release in 2009. Both documents are expected to contribute to better use of resources, more effective remediation and risk management, and more productive cooperation between the parties involved in site cleanups. The ESTCP team members involved in this effort are Dr. Tom Sale (Colorado State University), Dr. Chuck Newell (GSI Environmental), Dr. Rob Hinchee (IST), Dr. Paul Johnson (Arizona State University), and Dr. Hans Stroo (HydroGeoLogic, Inc.). Through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Technology Innovation Program, an online seminar on this topic was held on March 24, 2009. For those interested in viewing or downloading the files, visit www.clu-in.org/conf/tio/faqdnapl. Archived webinar files with audio will soon be available.
Classifying Munitions from Clutter Focus of ESTCP Pilot Program
New Animation Depicts Process and Presents Results to Date  Distinguishing intact munitions from nonhazardous metal and geology, a process referred to as classification, is critical to the Department of Defense's efforts to cost-effectively remediate munitions-impacted sites. Through an ESTCP Pilot Program, the detection and classification capabilities of commercially available and emerging sensors are being demonstrated at a number of field sites under operational conditions. Results from the former Camp Sibert in Alabama—a relatively simple site in terms of munitions, topography and vegetation, and geology—have shown that substantial classification is in fact possible. A second set of demonstrations is now under way at the former Camp San Luis Obispo in California, a more complex site. In cooperation with regulators and program managers, the Pilot Program also is investigating how classification technologies can be implemented as part of cleanup operations. The animation available here describes the classification process as well as the results from the first phase of the Pilot Program, a continuing effort that will span several years.
Monograph on In Situ Bioremediation of Perchlorate in Groundwater Now Available  SERDP and ESTCP are pleased to announce the release of In Situ Bioremediation of Perchlorate in Groundwater, the first volume in an Environmental Restoration Monograph Series. While significant progress has been made in the development of innovative and more cost-effective environmental remediation technologies, efforts are needed to facilitate broader use of these technologies by government and industry. This monograph will serve as a reference tool for remediation professionals to effectively apply in situ bioremediation of perchlorate in groundwater by providing a critical review of the past decade of intensive research, development, and technology demonstrations. To obtain a copy, visit http://www.springer.com/environment/environmental+management/book/978-0-387-84920-1.
ESTCP Pilot Program Demonstrates the Success of Wide Area Assessment
Newly Released Report Highlights Technology Capabilities and Limitations Motivated by a recent Defense Science Board report and Congressional direction, ESTCP conducted a Wide Area Assessment (WAA) Pilot Program from 2005 through 2007. In a series of demonstrations in site conditions ranging from ideal to challenging, the Pilot Program accomplished its three primary objectives: Evaluate the effectiveness of individual technologies and a WAA process to identify areas of concentrated munitions use, Demonstrate that WAA data can support decisions on areas that show no evidence of concentrated munitions use, and Understand the site-specific factors that affect applicability and limitations of the technologies.
Results from the demonstrations clearly show that the technologies are effective and provide strong evidence that, when applied to suspected munitions sites, they have the potential to separate parcels with extensive munitions use from those that show no evidence of munitions activity. The report available here presents detailed results from the individual demonstrations along with general conclusions about the capabilities and limitations of the WAA technologies. To illustrate the various technologies used for land-based and underwater applications, two animations also have been developed and are available at http://www.estcp.org/links/WAA-Pilot-Video.cfm.
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