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2005 Progress Report: The Center for Hazardous Substances in Urban Environments (CHSUE) Outreach Program
EPA Grant Number: R828771C007Subproject: this is subproject number 007 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R828771
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: HSRC (2001) - Center for Hazardous Substances in Urban Environments
Center Director: Bouwer, Edward J.
Title: The Center for Hazardous Substances in Urban Environments (CHSUE) Outreach Program
Investigators: Alavi, Hedy
Institution: Johns Hopkins University
EPA Project Officer: Lasat, Mitch
Project Period: October 1, 2001 through September 30, 2002 (Extended to September 30, 2007)
Project Period Covered by this Report: October 1, 2004 through September 30, 2005
Project Amount: Refer to main center abstract for funding details.
RFA: Hazardous Substance Research Centers - HSRC (2001)
Research Category: Hazardous Waste/Remediation
Description:
Objective:The objective of the Center for Hazardous Substances in Urban Environments (CHSUE) Outreach Program is to transfer knowledge and technology resulting from the research projects and expertise of the principal investigators and technical staff to communities with environmental contamination throughout the regions.
Progress Summary:The Outreach activities being conducted by the CHSUE are distributed among the partnering institutions to more appropriately respond to the local needs across the large geographical area represented by EPA Regions 1, 2, and 3. The interdisciplinary and multimedia nature of Brownfields problems demands a diverse array of scientific talent and facilities. The affiliations and expertise of the participants in the Outreach Program are detailed below:
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland (Lead Institution) (EPA Region 3)
Director: Edward Bouwer (environmental engineering, bioremediation, and engineering microbiology)
Associate Director: Hedy Alavi (environmental engineering, hazardous waste and solid waste management)
Ralph Lightner (environmental restoration and waste management)
Erik Rifkin (human health and ecological risk assessment, risk communication)
University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland (EPA Region 3)
Barbara Sattler (environmental health nursing)
Robyn Gilden (environmental health nursing)
Rebecca Clouse (environmental health nursing)
Mary Rosso (regulatory and community perspectives)
Johanna Neumann (community involvement)
Katie Huffling (environmental health nursing)
Errol Mazursky (EPA Fellow—public health)
Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland (EPA Region 3)
Gbekeloluwa Oguntimein (chemical engineering, hazardous waste management, bioremediation)
Guangming Chen (risk assessment, experimental design and statistics)
Sedley Williams (soil chemistry, water quality analysis, environmental assessment, geographic information systems)
Bheem Kattel (industrial engineer, occupational ergonomics and safety)
New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ (EPA Region 2)
Director: Fred Ellerbush (environmental engineering, hazardous and solid waste management, risk assessment, and outreach) (Fred left NJIT at the end of October 2005—his duties have been assumed by Daniel Watts)
Director: James Mack (environmental management, site, characterization and remediation)
Executive Director: Daniel Watts (environmental management and chemistry, green manufacturing, and sustainability)
Gerard McKenna (community outreach, characterization methods, technology transfer and training)
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (EPA Region 1)
Christopher Perkins (environmental monitoring and assessment, environmental toxicology and risk, risk communication)
Kevin Hood (public health, facilitation, community outreach)
Amine Dahmani (remediation, site assessment, Brownfields policy)
Charles Zimenski (hydrocarbon remediation, environmental engineering)
The outreach activities during the period of October 1, 2004 to September 30, 2005 include 51 projects geographically distributed across EPA Regions 1, 2, and 3 (Table 1). Twenty-five projects are allocated under TOSC, and 26 projects are allocated under TAB as shown in Table 1. A listing of the communities for the TOSC and TAB projects appears in Table 2. The listing in Table 2 is organized by EPA Region. The TOSC and TAB efforts include review of site characterization documents and remedial plans, review of hydrogeological data, workshops on Brownfields legislation and issues and remedial options for waste sites, training in redevelopment of Brownfield sites and former industrial areas, and communicating health effects for contaminants and information on health monitoring.
Table1. CHSUE Summary of Outreach Projects, October 1, 2004 through September 30, 2005
EPA Region |
TOSC |
TAB |
Total |
I |
7 |
7 |
14 |
II |
13 |
6 |
19 |
III |
5 |
13 |
18 |
Total |
25 |
26 |
51 |
Table 2. Summary of CHSUE Outreach Projects with Detail
EPA Region |
Project Title/ Community/Location |
TAB/TOSC |
I |
Aberjona River /Industri-Plex Superfund site Woburn, MA |
TOSC |
I |
Ninigret Park Charlestown, RI |
TAB |
I |
Newhall Coalition Hamden, CT |
TOSC |
I |
Fall River, MA/Tiverton, RI |
TOSC |
I |
Mallory Hat Factory Danbury, CT-Project closed during this period |
TAB |
I |
Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR) Cape Cod (several towns), MA |
TOSC |
I |
Rocky Hill, CT-Project closed during this period |
TAB |
I |
Williamstown, VT |
TOSC |
I |
Bridgeport, East End Neighborhood |
TAB |
I |
City of Meriden Redevelopment |
TAB |
I |
Roosevelt Mills Vernon, CT |
TAB |
I |
Unnamed Fish and Game Club/Lead Remediation CT – Project closed during this period |
TOSC |
I |
Aroostook Band of Mic Macs |
TAB |
I |
Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point |
TOSC |
II |
Brownfield Environmental Solutions for Trenton NJ |
TAB |
II |
Bloomfield, NJ |
TOSC |
II |
Buzby Landfill Voorhees, NJ |
TOSC |
II |
Camden, NJ, Fettersville Community Organization/Macedonia Historical Association |
TOSC |
II |
Ft. Edwards, NY |
TOSC |
II |
Heart of Camden Camden, NJ |
TAB/TOSC |
II |
Ironbound Community Corp Newark, NJ |
TOSC |
II |
Long Branch Concerned Citizens Coalition Long Branch, NJ |
TOSC |
II |
Martin-Aaron, Camden, NJ |
TOSC |
II |
Ringwood Neighborhood Association |
TOSC |
II |
New York State Department of Housing and Community Renewal Statewide, NJ |
TOSC |
II |
Lakewood Redevelopment Authority |
TAB |
II |
Ford Avenue Redevelopment Project Milltown, NJ |
TAB |
II |
New York State Department of Housing and Community Renewal Statewide, NJ |
TAB/TOSC |
II |
Coalition for Clean Air during Construction at Liberty Harbor North |
TOSC |
II |
Upper Hudson River – Brownfield |
TAB |
II |
Middleport Remedial Action Group |
TOSC |
III |
Lamond – Riggs Park Washington, DC |
TOSC |
III |
Hercules Golf/DE National Golf Course, New Castle |
TAB |
III |
Metachem Delaware City |
TOSC |
III |
U-HELP, Wilmington |
TAB |
III |
Baltimore Environmental Justice Network, Baltimore |
TOSC/TAB |
III |
Box Hill South, Abingdon |
TAB |
III |
Highway Petroleum Abandoned Gas Station, Cumberland |
TAB |
III |
Frederick Parcel “G”, Frederick |
TAB |
III |
Central Chemical Superfund Site, Hagerstown |
TOSC |
III |
Little Elk Creek One Cleanup Pilot, Elkton |
TOSC |
III |
Multiple Brownfields-Park Heights, Baltimore |
TAB |
III |
Brown Derby Abandoned Gas Station, Princess Anne |
TAB |
III |
Lester’s Garage Abandoned Gas Station, Salisbury |
TAB |
III |
Chester, Chester |
TAB |
III |
Pottstown, Pottstown |
TAB |
III |
Swimming Point Civic League, Portsmouth |
TAB |
III |
Park Heights Reisterstown Corridor Community, Baltimore, MD |
TAB |
NJIT
Continued Implementation of Projects Outlined in the Collateral Funding Received From U.S. EPA Region 2 Brownfields Program
New York State Roundtable: NJIT assisted in the organization and conducted the facilitation and report summary of the New York State Brownfields Communities Roundtable. The Roundtable was held in Rochester, New York, on October 13, 2004. This Roundtable was attended by about 60 people from federal and state governments, along with representatives from the EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant communities. These are an ongoing series of meetings that foster communication between the communities and government to maximize the benefits of the federal and state Brownfields initiatives. At the Roundtable, there were updates provided by the federal and state agencies, community “success story” presentations, and detailed discussions on Brownfield Areas of Concern (BOAs). The major theme and discussions centered on local implementation of Institutional Controls.
Community/ Interagency Workgroup Meeting: NJIT participated and supported a Community/ Interagency Workgroup Meeting held in Bayonne, New Jersey, on November 30, 2004. The meeting was attended by about 65 people from federal and New Jersey state agencies along with representatives from 3 communities–the City of Bayonne, NJ; the City of Orange, NJ; and Passaic County, NJ. NJIT prepared the community representatives to make focused presentations aimed at describing their redevelopment needs. NJIT also provided facilitation for the event to assure that the process would be interactive and beneficial, as well as preparing the summary action report for the meeting.
VCP Training for US Virgin Islands Government: A 3-day training course in “Administering the Voluntary Cleanup Program” was provided for about 15 staff of the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands on February 14-16, 2005. The training was provided by the Brownfields team at the NJIT-York Center for Environmental Engineering and Science (YCEES). This training supplemented earlier assistance that NJIT provided to the U.S. Virgin Islands in developing and preparing legislation for this important Voluntary Cleanup Program. The course was primarily focused on the department administration of the program and included: reviewing applications, preparing memoranda of understanding (MOAs), overseeing site assessment, and selecting remedial options. Training included advanced approaches using TRIAD and innovative technologies.
Interagency Workgroup Meeting in Puerto Rico: NJIT staff prepared four communities in Puerto Rico and facilitated an Interagency Workgroup Meeting for them with representatives from the federal government, Commonwealth agencies, and the Governor’s Office. The meeting was held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on February 17-18, 2005. The four communities participating were Guanica, Arroyo, Naguabo, and Catano. With the assistance of NJIT, the communities presented their needs for redevelopment, which covered a number of broad areas including environmental, transportation, waterfront development, recreation, housing, historical and cultural development, educational, economic development, etc. The government participants eagerly provided advice, brainstorming, and agreement to pursue future, follow-up actions.
NJIT prepared communities and provided facilitation for an Inter-Agency Workgroup meeting, which was held on August 18-19, 2005, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. At these sessions, representatives from communities of Dorado, Vega Alta, Hatillo, and Camuy briefed representatives from key U.S. government agencies, Puerto Rico Commonwealth agencies, and the Governor’s Office on critical environmental and development needs, including: environmental protection, land use, economic redevelopment, flood control, transportation, and dredging. Facilitation also was provided for a separate session of government representatives on exploring ways to be more effective for helping Puerto Rico communities. About 60 people attended.
Technical Outreach Services for Communities (TOSC)/Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB) Publication-Related Activities
TOSC/TAB staff published a paper on the Triad Approach study entitled “A Data Integration Framework to Support Triad Projects,” which was published in the winter 2004 edition of the journal Remediation. Staff also prepared a paper linking risk concepts to property and community value, entitled “Brownfields: Risk Property, and Community Value” for the journal Local Environment, which is expected to be published in spring 2006. In addition, TOSC/TAB staff prepared a paper on TOSC case studies, in collaboration with colleagues at Tufts University, for the journal Local Environment. It is expected to be published in spring 2006.
TOSC/TAB Outreach, Training, and Presentation Opportunities
TOSC/TAB staff co-sponsored multi-organization (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection [NJDEP] and several community groups and environmental justice organizations) community outreach “workshop” on risk assessment principles for communities. This opportunity arose from community questions on NJDEP’s recent publication of draft Soil Remediation Standards. Community members from across the state expressed a desire to know more about risk assessment principles so they might be equipped to comment on the draft standards during the interested party review period. Follow-up meetings were held with the Government Services Administration (GSA) to determine if government-owned Brownfields could benefit from the Triad Approach. Support was provided for the annual CHSUE meeting held at the University of Connecticut. NJIT attended a 4-day Triad Workshop in Washington, DC. At the workshop NJIT gave a presentation on the Milltown Triad project as well as participated in two others related to Milltown. NJIT also gave a presentation at a 1-day meeting of the NJDEP Triad Committee. This is an internal committee with NJDEP that is promoting Triad. The presentation was on the lessons learned at the Milltown Redevelopment Project and the use of decision logic and decision rules to guide a Triad investigation. Staff also attended the annual TOSC/TAB Conference in Estes Park, Colorado.
University of Maryland
As members of the Community Health and Protection subgroup of the Governor’s Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities, the Program Manager and Outreach Director are working to ensure communities have access to information and resources related to environmental health issues. The Region 3 Outreach Director is a commissioner on the Governor’s Commission on Environmental Justice and Sustainable Communities, assisting to highlight and address environmental justice issues in Maryland communities.
The Program Manager is working with the American Public Health Association’s (APHA) Environment Section and Public Health Nursing Section to increase awareness of community outreach needs at hazardous waste sites and how, as health care professionals, they can have a role. Outreach staff attended the Annual APHA Conference in Washington, DC, November 5-10, 2004, where the theme was “Public Health and the Environment.” Staff presented several scientific sessions and participated in a Continuing Education Institute.
Outreach staff is working with the University of Maryland School of Law and Maryland’s Office of Mediation and Conflict Resolution to gain skills in facilitation and conflict resolution and to host trainings for other nursing faculty and health care providers. The first of three training workshops was held on November 29, 2004, for Faculty at University of Maryland School of Nursing in Baltimore. The second workshop was held June 7, 2005, with 20 public health nurses and faculty attending. Work also is underway to create 50-minute online learning modules available for continuing education credits.
The Program Manager lectured on the topic environmental health and community involvement at hazardous waste sites for multiple undergraduate and graduate community health-nursing students at University of Maryland, Catholic University, and Salisbury University to increase their knowledge and awareness of issues and encourage their participation.
Outreach staff made an introductory presentation for the Delaware Community Involvement Advisory Council and attended Delaware’s Statewide Brownfields Conference. Outreach staff presented the Center’s outreach work to a consulting firm, EA Engineering, Inc., in an effort to add additional technical resources available to communities. Staff also provided an introductory presentation on Environmental Health and Technical Outreach Services available for the Lake Shore Rotary in Anne Arundel County in Maryland.
Outreach staff attended a 40-hour Civil Mediation Certification Training course to enhance conflict resolution and mediation skills available to communities. Staff also presented information on Center services and Brownfield redevelopment to the Wilmington Neighborhood Leadership Council on March 2, 2005. The Program Manager attended the annual TOSC/TAB meeting in Estes Park, Colorado, and presented information on the Region’s Outreach work as well as resources for environmental health assessment and surveillance in communities. Staff provided an introductory presentation on TOSC and TAB to the Pennsylvania Environmental Justice Advisory Board in Harrisburg on May 5, 2005. Staff responded to follow-up calls from attendees (e.g., representative from the Center for Environmental Oncology at University of Pittsburgh and Mayor Jones of Pottstown, PA) and discussed future collaborations to help communities in Pennsylvania. Outreach staff also responded to a request from a resident in Baltimore City concerned about uncovered piles nearby creating black dust in his apartment. Initial inquiries were made with the Baltimore Development Corporation and Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and connections with resources were made.
Outreach staff continues to make communities aware of grant opportunities as they arise, including EPA Brownfield Training and HUD Brownfield Economic Development Initiative Grants. Staff gave notification to communities about availability of the EPA CARE Program Request for Proposals and provided education on how to write a grant. In addition, staff attended the Maryland Department of the Environment’s “Emerging Trends in Maryland’s Voluntary Cleanup Program” workshop to gain understanding of new policies and procedures to better inform communities of changes and how they can participate in the process.
The outreach team worked with stakeholders to identify and interview key contacts in each state to assess common learning needs to create workshops and trainings. The team continues to look for partners in presenting the education on a broad basis throughout the region. Stakeholders included EPA Region 3, State Departments of Environment and Health, local government contacts, community organizations, and environmental justice groups. Identified needs thus far include Brownfield and Superfund 101, UST/Gas Station Cleanup and Redevelopment, Community Involvement, and Community Leadership Development.
Outreach staff is collaborating with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) to create four regional workshops on topics to be identified by the government and community contacts in each region. Outreach staff also met with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and a representative of UHELP, a community group in Wilmington, Delaware, to discuss technical assistance and educational needs. Center staff developed and distributed a needs assessment survey to identify topics of interest for workshops.
Staff participated in a community workshop on Arsenic in Wilmington, Delaware, which was held on May 16, 2005, at the People’s Settlement. The workshop was sponsored by UHELP and co-presented by DNREC. Ten community members attended. Outreach staff is collaborating with UHELP in Wilmington, Delaware, to host a series of three community workshops: 4-hour grant writing, 4-hour community capacity building, and 2-hour public participation. Workshops will be held this fall and winter.
Outreach staff is collaborating with MDE and various Maryland communities to host a gas station assessment and cleanup workshop. The Program Manager was the invited speaker at another workshop on arsenic, held May 21, 2005, which was sponsored by the Milltown-Limestone Civic Alliance. Topics covered included risk assessment process, sources of arsenic in the environment, routes of exposure, health effects, and public health measures to reduce exposure. Thirty-five community members attended, including State Senator David Sakola.
Staff spoke with Felecia Fred, EPA Region 3 Brownfields Office, about offering a presentation on TAB at the New Brownfields Grantees Workshop being planned for this fall. A request for Brownfields Training and assistance was received from Faith Initiative in Chester, Pennsylvania. Staff collaborated with Reverend Strand of the Initiative, PA DEP, and EPA Region 3 to develop and host the workshop, held September 13, 2005. Staff attended a community tour, identified speakers, and collected and presented background information on environmental and health conditions in Chester, industrial legacy, and potential financial and organizational resources available. Thirty community members attended.
Future Activities:The outreach, training, and presentation activities of CHSUE will continue throughout EPA Regions 1, 2 and 3.
Journal Articles:No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 10 publications for this subproject
Supplemental Keywords:hazardous substances, hazardous waste, environmental contamination, Brownfields, remediation, risk assessment, environmental justice, technical outreach, technology transfer, urban environment, public health, toxics, exposure, cleanup, risk communication, assessment, health, physical aspects, RFA, waste, Brownfields, ecological risk assessment, ecology and ecosystems, hazardous, hazardous waste, health risk assessment, physical processes, risk assessments, Brownfield sites, community support, contaminant dynamics, contaminant transport, environmental hazards, environmental justice, exposure, hazardous substance contamination, human exposure, human health risk, outreach and education, outreach material, risk assessment, technical outreach, technology transfer, urban environment, web development,
,
Scientific Discipline, Waste, Health, RFA, PHYSICAL ASPECTS, Brownfields, Risk Assessments, Health Risk Assessment, Physical Processes, Ecological Risk Assessment, Hazardous Waste, Hazardous, Ecology and Ecosystems, environmental justice, urban environment, outreach material, brownfield sites, environmental hazards, human health risk, technical outreach, outreach and education, community support, contaminant dynamics, contaminant transport, web site development, hazardous substance contamination, exposure, technology transfer, human exposure, web development
Relevant Websites:
Progress and Final Reports:
2002 Progress Report
2003 Progress Report
2004 Progress Report
Original Abstract
2006 Progress Report
Final Report
Main Center Abstract and Reports:
R828771 HSRC (2001) - Center for Hazardous Substances in Urban Environments
Subprojects under this Center:
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R828771C001 Co-Contaminant Effects on Risk Assessment and Remediation Activities Involving Urban Sediments and Soils: Phase II
R828771C002 The Fate and Potential Bioavailability of Airborne Urban
Contaminants
R828771C003 Geochemistry, Biochemistry, and Surface/Groundwater Interactions
for As, Cr, Ni, Zn, and Cd with Applications to Contaminated Waterfronts
R828771C004 Large Eddy Simulation of Dispersion in Urban Areas
R828771C005 Speciation of chromium in environmental media using capillary
electrophoresis with multiple wavlength UV/visible detection
R828771C006 Zero-Valent Metal Treatment of Halogenated Vapor-Phase Contaminants in SVE Offgas
R828771C007 The Center for Hazardous Substances in Urban Environments (CHSUE) Outreach Program
R828771C008 New Jersey Institute of Technology Outreach Program for EPA Region II
R828771C009 Urban Environmental Issues: Hartford Technology Transfer and Outreach
R828771C010 University of Maryland Outreach Component
R828771C011 Environmental Assessment and GIS System Development of Brownfield Sites in Baltimore
R828771C012 Solubilization of Particulate-Bound Ni(II) and Zn(II)
R828771C013 Seasonal Controls of Arsenic Transport Across the Groundwater-Surface Water Interface at a Closed Landfill Site
R828771C014 Research Needs in the EPA Regions Covered by the Center for Hazardous Substances in Urban Environments
R828771C015 Transport of Hazardous Substances Between Brownfields and the Surrounding Urban Atmosphere