The 2023 Schedule is posted below but is still in development. Please check back for updates.
Click into the box for the topic description and speakers. Please make note of of your topics of interest by “starring” them for future reference.
Wednesday May 10 2023
DAY 1
1:15 pm - 2:30 pm : Breakout Session 1
1.1 Tri-state Riverfront Revitalization
Camilla Warren, EPA - Moderator
Roundtable Discussion with Mayors on Riverfront Revitalization
1.2 Small Changes, Big Impacts: Zero Waste Goals, Climate Change, & Sustainability in Solid Waste
Julie Hall - Moderator; Jennifer Harrman
1.3 De-carbonizing Transportation and Promoting Equity
1.4 Remedial Technologies
Andrew Alexander, PG, RSM, BLE, Inc; Daniel Pile, REGENESIS; Bruce Kennington, Ramboll.
Enhanced Bioremediation of PCE in Groundwater using Milk Solution; Hydrocarbon Plume Remediation Using PetroFix - A Micron Scale Activated Carbon Fluid; Engineering Design to Thermally Treat a Deep TCE Source Beneath an Active Manufacturing Facility
1.5 TO-15A and Specialty Air Analysis
1.6 Side Slope Riser Repair at West Camden Using Geophysics and Non-standard Drilling
1.7 Water. GIS Projects Supporting Water Resource Management
20 minutes: ASSESSING PUBLIC DRINKING WATER PROTECTION AREAS THROUGH DEVELOPMENT OF A GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM METHODOLOGY, by Rebecca Ransom, USGS. 20 minutes: DEVELOPING A DASHBOARD FOR LAND USE CHANGE EVALUATION BY WATERSHED ACROSS TENNESSEE, by Jeremy Hooper, TDEC DSWM; 20 minutes: MAPPING PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM SERVICE AREA BOUNDARIES IN TENNESSEE, by Marie Caiola, Vanderbilt University, Drinking Water Justice Lab
The session will highlight current projects using geographic system information tools to support water resource regulatory programs and understanding hydrologic systems and characteristics in the State of Tennessee.
1.8 Stormwater
3:00 pm - 4:15 pm : Breakout Session 2
2.1 Brownfields
Camilla Warren, EPA - Moderator
Tips for Rural Brownfcield Communities - speaker TBD
2.2 Going Beyond the Phase I: Environmental and Social Due Diligence
Dawn Santoianni, Haley & Aldrich - Moderator; Peter Baty, ALO Advisors;
2.3 Alternative Remediation
Jason Curtsinger, P.E., TVA/AECOM; J. Todd Mcfarland, PG, CPG, WSP USA E&I, Inc.; Matt Adkins, CHMM, CSX Transportation, Inc.; Andrew Kiggen, Regenesis.
TVA Gallatin Gun Range Remediation; A Tank Car Fire for the Fourth of July - Rapid Site Characterization and Remediation following the release of Acrylonitrile; In-Situ Treatment of PFAS using Colloidal Activated Carbon.
2.4 How Do Alternative Energy Sources Play A Role in Climate Change & Testing
2.5 Leachate
2.6 Incinerator Issues Nationwide and Impact of Generators
2.7 PFAS Regional and Federal Updates
Aaryn Jones, Special Assistant, Immediate Office, Office of the Regional Administrator, Region 4, U.S. EPA Frannie Nilson, Environmental Toxicologist, Office of the Secretary, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Sonja Favors, Chief of the industrial Hazardous Waste Branch, Alabama Department of Environmental Management Moderator Laurel A. Royer, Carinalis Consulting and Research
The panel discussion will feature representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) , Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), and North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) who will present their perspectives on the status of PFAS regulations as well as ongoing and future action plans.
2.8 Legislative Updates
4:30 pm - 5:45 pm : Breakout Session 3
3.1 TDEC VOAP Regulatory Update
Evan Spann / Troy Keith, TDEC - Moderators/Speakers
Voluntary Oversight and Assistance Program guidance update
3.2 Water. Innovative Applications of Drones
a. Skytech – Andy Carrol has a private business that leverages drones and satellite imagery for some pretty unique applications (e.g., monitoring conservation easements). b. KYDEP – We’ve been in preliminary conversations with KYDEPs DSWM on their use of drones and they have some great use cases (landfills, UST system documentation/inspections, etc.). We’ll be talking to the Division of Water contact there soon as well since it sounds like they are doing some wetland mapping with drones. Either of these contacts may be able to present and I could inquire. c. I have drone contacts at ESRI and GeoJobe that might be able to present on the topic. Not sure of exact content they’d have for water related items but they’d definitely have software expertise and GeoJobe may have specific use cases. d. Stormpoint - They do a ton of public safety volunteer work with drones and they flew at the Waverly flood as well as other public safety related events in TN, KY and elsewhere. These are also the guys who collaborated with us to show the use case of flying the water plant and water tower for CPWS. There were some great thermal images from that flight and showed potential capabilities for flying that type of infrastructure for emergencies or inspection needs. I could talk to them to gage interest/topic if we wanted to have something like this (more public safety typically than water quality) if that’s appropriate.
Being developed and presenters to be invited
3.3 TDEC Vapor Intrusion Guidance: One Year Later
3.4 Extended reality and the conceptual site model – a look to the present
Dace Campbell, XR Consultant; Alec Pestov, vGIS; Scott Anderson, Haley & Aldrich, Inc.
Environmental remediation is an inherently complex, spatial problem. Environmental practitioners are challenged to effectively understand, make decisions, and communicate issues using abstract representations of traditional 2-D media. To overcome these challenges, progressive environmental practitioners are beginning to leverage real-time, 3-D media like extended reality (XR) to provide them with the super-powers needed, like time travel and x-ray vision, to spur stakeholder engagement and positive outcomes. This session will overview the XR landscape of virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality solutions available to environmental practitioners, and feature use cases and proofs of concept demonstrating how XR can help you make more effective decisions in remediation.
3.5 Closure and Post-Closure Landfill Cost Estimates and Long-term Custodial Care
3.6 OBOD and National Implications
3.7 Harnessing the Power of Environmental Data
Alex Antonison and Ryan Otter, Middle Tennessee State University; Representative, American Cleaning Institute
Environmental assessments generate large volumes of data. In many cases, these datasets are generated and used in silos, even when it’s produced for public consumption. As a result, the potential power of these datasets is not fully realized due to limited data analytics skillsets, and more critically, the awareness of the tools, technology, available to delineate trends, and outcomes for environmental assessment and management decision-making. This session will introduce example tools that make environmental data more accessible and usable by all stakeholders across the environmental and human health landscape. The goal is to stimulate a discussion on critically evaluating, “do we need more data?” and how we harness already generated data to better identify the gaps and better define parameters for collecting new data.
3.8 Ethics 1
Thursday May 11 2023
DAY 2
9:30 am - 10:45 am : Breakout Session 4
4.1 Brownfield Case Studies and Creative Reuse
Patrick Mullligan - Moderator. Speakers listed
Reindustrialization of K-25 Gaseous Diffusion Plant - Kevin Ironside, RSI UCOR
Overview of ETDD EPA Brownfield Coalition - Lydia BIRK, S&ME; Tim Hendrick, East Tennessee Development District
A Case Study in Residential Adaptive Reuse - Brian Kvam, Stantek
4.2 Next Generation: Role of Advanced Nuclear in De-carbonizing Energy
4.3 Accelerated Landfill Recovery / CTI
4.4 CSM
Joe Ricker, PE, WSP USA E&E, Inc.; Robin Mikeal, AECOM; Duane Guilfoil, PE, AST Environmental.
Groundwater Plume Analytics® Tools for Evaluating Remedy Effectiveness; Leveraging Digital Workflows and Integrated Conceptual Site Models to Elevate Dynamic and Interactive Partnerships; Quantitative High Resolution Site Characterization (hrs.) - A Remedial Design Process to Improve Conceptual Site Models, Develop Surgical Designs, and Manage Stake Holder Expectations.
4.5 How Does Climate Change Affect The Indoor Air Environment
4.6 Treatment Methods for PFAS (Montrose)
4.7 Scientific Data Quality Integrity
4.8 OSHA PSM
11:00 am - 12:15 pm : Breakout Session 5
5.1 Brownfield Funding Opportunities
Olga Perry, EPA and Paula Middlebrooks,TDEC
An overview of grant and loan opportunities
5.2 Innovation By Battery: Creating New Opportunities for Evs and Electric Grid Storage
5.3 Characterization of Disposed CCRs To Determine Sustainability for Beneficial use Harvesting
5.4 The Role of Air Sampling in the Carbon Credits Marketplace
5.5 Wildlife Habitat Landscapes: Certification Options for On-Site land Management
5.6 ESG Panel: Career Trends / State of ESG
Dawn Santoianni, Haley & Aldrich - Moderator; Dodd Galbreath, Lipscomb University, Institute for Sustainable Practice; Consultant; Client.
5.7 Corrective Action Orders vs. Permits and Redevelopment Of RCRA Facilities
5.8 Sovereign Citizen
2:00 pm - 3:15 pm : Breakout Session 6
6.1 Brownfield / Land Use
Lamont Price - TNECD, others invited
Brownfield Economic Development Roundtable
6.2 Advancing Sustainability and Resilience Through Innovation
Dawn Santoianni, Haley & Aldrich - Moderator; Don Haynes, Florim USA; Eastman Chemical, invited (speaker TBD); Ben Chandler, Haley & Aldrich.
6.3 Remedial Tools
Kit Carson, Ramboll; PJ Nolan, PhD; Cole Mayer; Rens Verburg, PhD, WSP USA E&E, Inc.
Expedited Geophysical and Drilling Supplemental Site Characterization Investigation of a Karstic Gasoline Release; Next-generation, high-resolution methods of characterization of solid samples for Environmental Source Demonstrations.
6.4 Vapor Intrusion Sampling Best Practices / Mitigation
6.5 Recycling of Wind Turbine Blades, Solar Panels, and EV Batteries
6.6 Liquid Release Test methods for Landfills
6.7 Water. TDEC Water Wells Program Update
20 minutes: Program Overview, by Ashby Barnes, TDEC. 20 minutes: TN Water Well Desktop Application & DWR Driller Reports. 20 minutes: Future Goals for Wells Program Discussion, by Anna Sartors, Richard Rogers and Ashby Barnes.
The session will discuss current public facing GIS and database applications available for use by all Tennessee stakeholders.
6.8 Ethics 2
3:30 pm - 4:45 pm : Breakout Session 7
7.1 Making the Economic Case for Hydrogen
7.2 Applying Digital Technology to Automate Compliance Assurance Monitoring
7.3 Producer Liability and Disposal at End of Life
7.4A Remote DNAPL and Implications of Chlorine Solvent Plumes 7.4B Beyond PFAS - Pharma and Personal Care Disruptors
7.4A: Joe Rossabi - Redox Tech, LLC 7.4B: Jeff Paul - Golder/WSP
7.4A: This discussion will present our work on remote DNAPL and the implications for remediation of persistent chlorinated solvent plumes, which was recently published in Nature Communications Earth and Environment. The published data show that contrary to the common assumption that persistent contamination in large chlorinated solvent plumes is always due to back diffusion of contaminants out of the solid matrix, there is the possibility of small, dispersed DNAPL far from the source release area. This means that instead of remedial efforts being limited by the rate of diffusion (very slow and expensive), faster, more effective, and less expensive in situ remediation is possible.
7.4B: The occurrence of endocrine and other biological disruptors in the environment is increasing. The discussion will focus on Pharma and Personal Care Products and their distribution in the environment. Data will be presented from the late 1950s to present. Suggestions of when and where to look for these disruptors, their interaction with nutrients and biota in subsurface and surface waters, and some mitigation and remediation approaches will be presented.
7.5 Effective Engagement With Water Boards
Dodd to recruit Moderator to lead discussion from perspective of applicants, appellants, and participants of the process. 3 Presenters: Dodd Galbreath, State Water Quality Oil and Gas Board Member and Middle TN Stormwater Board Member; West TN Stormwater Board, TBD; East TN Stormwater Board, TBD. Paula to recruit East and West presenters.
This session will provide insight and lessons learned from leading, managing, and interacting effectively with regulatory boards whether you are a current board member or applicant for a regulatory variance, a permit appeal, or a board appeal to an enforcement action.
7.6 Hiking and Helping: Corporate Volunteering and Support of TN State Parks
7.7 CCR Remediation and Relocation
7.8 Brownfields
Friday May 12 2023
DAY 3
9:30 am - 10:45 am : Breakout Session 8
8.1The Role of Nature Based Solutions in Achieving Carbon Neutrality
John McFadden - Moderator; Jeff Barrie, TN Environmental Council; Keith Kline, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
8.2 Achieving Environmental and Financial Sustainability in Transportation with Propane
8.3 All Things Green House Gas and Landfills
8.5 A: PFAS and Organic Florine 8.5B: PFAS Precursor Analysis and Data Interpretation
8.5A: Lindsay Boone - PACE Analytical 8.5B: Dora Chiang - WSP
8.5A: The EPA has been consistently updating regulations both proposed and enforceable on PFAS in a wide array of sample matrices. Of note, the EPA announced a proposed rule to designate Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)—also known as Superfund. The U.S. EPA also plans to use available programs to address environmental contamination from leachate and other sources. The agency plans to leverage ELG Preliminary Plan 15 to conduct a detailed study of PFAS in wastewater discharge from landfills. In addition, landfills are covered by National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting and required to report PFAS discharged into the environment under the EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) program. Therefore, it is of the upmost importance for environmental professionals to understand the most up to date PFAS methods available to utilize at their project sites. We will cover both speciated PFAS methods such as EPA 1633 and Total Oxidizable Precursor Assay (TOPS) as we as non-speciated organic fluorine methods (TOF, AOF, EOF, TF). We will also compare data from the historical PFAS by Isotope Dilution Method, also know as 537M to data generated from EPA Draft 1633. This presentation will aid in analytical decision making at PFAS impacted sights for cost efficiency and time management.
8.5B: Still PENDING
8.6 Lamp Recycling Facility Operations and RCRA Permits
8.7 Community Engagement in Land Conservation and Outdoor Recreation
8.8 Environmental Justice and Community Engagement (Air Permitting)
11:00 am - 12:15 pm : Breakout Session 9
9.1 Environmental Justice and RCRA
9.2 Disaster Debris Management Planning
9.3 Trends in PFAS Litigation and risk management strategy
Tiffany Thomas, Haley & Aldrich; Patrick McKeown, ECT2; attorney to be named.
In addition to litigation surrounding the use and disposal of AFFF, other products and processes known or suspected to have employed PFAS-containing materials are facing increasing scrutiny. This panel will present an overview of other PFAS-related litigation and topics of regulatory inquiry with respect to non-AFFF sources and products. Effective strategic management practices will also be discussed, and will include possible action items that may be undertaken to assess potential risks associated with PFAS usage prior to the execution of a sampling program.
9.4 Drones for Landfills
9.5 Hiking and Helping: Corporate Volunteering and Support of TN State Parks
9.6 Water. Regionalization
Development of the West TN Regionalization Plan for Blue Oval City and Sumner County Regionalization Efforts
Being developed and presenters to be invited