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2005 Progress Report: Rocky Mountain Regional Hazardous Substance Research Center for Remediation of Mine Waste Sites
EPA Grant Number: R829515Center: HSRC - Rocky Mountain Regional Hazardous Substance Research Center for Remediation of Mine Waste Sites
Center Director: Shackelford, Charles D.
Title: Rocky Mountain Regional Hazardous Substance Research Center for Remediation of Mine Waste Sites
Investigators: Shackelford, Charles D. , Burger, Karl , Macalady, Donald L. , Wildeman, Thomas
Current Investigators: Shackelford, Charles D.
Institution: Colorado State University , Colorado School of Mines , Montana Tech of the University of Montana
Current Institution: Colorado State University
EPA Project Officer: Lasat, Mitch
Project Period: October 1, 2001 through September 30, 2006
Project Period Covered by this Report: October 1, 2004 through September 30, 2005
Project Amount: $5,261,000
RFA: Hazardous Substance Research Centers - HSRC (2001)
Research Category: Hazardous Waste/Remediation
Description:
Objective:The Rocky Mountain Regional Hazardous Substance Research Center (RMR HSRC) consists of a consortium of Colorado State University (CSU), Colorado School of Mines (CSM), Montana Tech of the University of Montana, and several academic and nonacademic participants from other regions of the United States and Canada. The RMR HSRC was established on November 1, 2001, through funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address issues related to remediation of mine waste sites. The RMR HSRC officially represents the states in EPA Region 8 (Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming). The activities of the Center, however, also pertain to any location within the United States where remediation of mine waste is required and/or where there is metals contamination.
The objective of the RMR HSRC is to develop new, and to improve existing, methods or technologies for remediation of mine waste sites that are cost effective and lead to cleanups that are protective of human health and the environment. The specific objectives of the Center include technology transfer, Technical Outreach Services for Communities (TOSC), and Technical Assistance to Brownfields (TAB). Technology transfer includes such activities as conferences, short courses, workshops, and field demonstrations, with a specific emphasis on the development of new technologies. The TOSC and TAB Programs provide educational information to allow communities to make informed decisions concerning environmental contamination and provide technical assistance to communities and other stakeholders, including the redevelopment of Brownfields sites.
Progress Summary:The Center’s consortium member faculties collectively represent an integrated research team comprised of 12 departments (biology, chemical engineering, chemistry and geochemistry, civil engineering, earth resources, environmental health, environmental science and engineering, fishery and wildlife biology, geology and geological engineering, microbiology, mining engineering, and rangeland and ecosystem science), and a much broader range of expertise areas. The associated partners for the Center, who also are eligible to participate in research and outreach activities, consist of members from three of the other four HSRCs—Katherine Banks and Paul Schwab, Midwest HSRC; Danny Reible, South & Southwest HSRC; John Westall, Western HSRC; several other academic institutions throughout the United States and one in Canada (David Blowes); four researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) who are involved in mine waste research; and one researcher at Brookhaven National Laboratory. These other participants not only strengthen the research capabilities of the RMR HSRC but also provide links through which to coordinate research activities with the other HSRCs, academic institutions, and federal agencies.
Charles Shackelford serves as the Director of the Center and the overall research program. Karl Burgher is the Associate Director in charge of training, technology transfer, and community outreach. Donald Macalady serves as an Associate Director in charge of quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) for the Center and coordinates the research activities at the CSM. Tom Wildeman serves as a Co-Director for training and technology transfer, and coordinates these activities at the CSM. Linda Hinshaw is employed on a part-time basis as an Administrative Assistant to the Director.
Two major advisory groups guide the activities of the Center. The Science Advisory Committee (SAC) has oversight for all Center research activities, including reviewing the progress of existing research projects, as well as reviewing and recommending proposals that have been submitted for new research projects. The Technology Transfer Advisory Committee (TTAC) oversees the Center’s training and technology transfer activities as well as the outreach activities. The members of the SAC and TTAC during this past year are listed in Tables 1 and 2, respectively.
Table 1. Science Advisory Committee
Name |
Affiliation |
Component |
Brian Caruso............... |
EPA Region 8 (ORD Liaison)...................... |
EPA-Region/Federal |
Stan Christensen......... |
EPA Region 8 (Superfund)........................... |
EPA-Region |
James (Tim) Drever.... |
U. of Wyoming.............................................. |
Academic |
Tom Durkin................ |
South Dakota School of Mines & Technology………………………………… |
Academic |
Barb Filas................... |
Knight Piesold.............................................. |
Consulting |
Karl Ford.................... |
Bureau of Land Management........................ |
Agency-Federal |
Helen Joyce................ |
MSE Technology Applications..................... |
Consulting |
Warren McCullough... |
Montana DEQ............................................... |
Agency-State |
Don Runnells.............. |
U. of Colorado/MFG (Shepherd Miller)....... |
Academic/Consulting |
Nancy Rusho.............. |
U. S. Forest Service, Region 1 ..................... |
Agency- Federal |
Dirk van Zyl............... |
U. of Nevada-Reno........................................ |
Academic |
Roger Wilmoth........... |
U. S. EPA (Cincinnati).................................. |
EPA-Federal |
As indicated in these two tables, the SAC and TTAC members represent the full range of stakeholders in the mine waste remediation arena, including both regional and federal EPA personnel, other federal agencies with mine waste issues (U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior), a regional state environmental agency (Montana Department of Environmental Quality), consulting companies (Knight Piesold, MFG [Shepherd Miller], MSE Technology Applications), and several academic institutions. In addition, four of the six Region 8 states (Colorado, Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming) are represented through the SAC and TTAC membership. Finally, while the RMR HSRC is linked to three of the four HSRCs through other participants, linkage to the fourth, the Northeast HSRC, is provided through Kevin Hood who serves as a member of the TTAC.
Table 2. Training and Technology Transfer Advisory Committee
Name |
Affiliation |
Component |
MaryAnn Harrington-Baker.......................... |
MSE Technology Applications............................... |
Consulting |
Joe Galetovic.............. |
U. S. Department of the Interior (Surface Mining). |
Agency-Federal |
Kevin Hood................ |
Center for Hazardous Substances in Urban Environments........................................................... |
Other HSRC |
Glenn Miller............... |
University of Nevada-Reno..................................... |
Academic |
David Ordway............ |
EPA Region 8 (Brownfields).................................. |
EPA-Region |
Sonya Pennock........... |
EPA Region 8 (TOSC)........................................... |
EPA-Region |
Carol Russell.............. |
EPA Region 8 (Mining Coordinator, EPR)............ |
EPA-Region |
Kristina Proctor.......... |
Colorado State University-Pueblo........................... |
Academic |
Director’s Report
November 1, 2004 to October 31, 2005 is the fourth year of Center activity. The Center is an extension of the previous HSRC located at Kansas State University that represented EPA Regions 7 and 8. With the advent of the five new HSRCs in November 2001, EPA Region 7 is now associated with the Midwest HSRC located at Purdue University, and EPA Region 8 is now represented solely by our Center. As a result, the Center is the only current HSRC that is affiliated with only one EPA region; the other four HSRCs represent either two or three EPA regions. Although this distinction allows the Center to focus on the primary environmental issue of EPA Region 8, environmental impacts resulting from mining activities and abandoned mine lands, the allocation of funds in proportion to EPA region representation has ramifications with respect to the number of activities that can be undertaken through the RMR HSRC.
The Center funded five research projects during Year 4 of the Center grant. The first (R829515C007) was initiated in the second year of Center activity (November 1, 2002) and continued through the fourth year (October 31, 2005), whereas, the other five projects (Projects R829515C009 to R829515C013) were funded beginning in the third year (November 1, 2003) and continued through the fourth year. No new projects were initiated in the fourth year because all existing research funding was already allocated and no new funding was expected for the fifth year of Center activity (November 1, 2005-October 31, 2006). All projects funded to date, however, have been allowed internal no-cost extensions through the fifth year of Center activity. These internal no-cost extensions do not involve any new funds, but rather allow the investigators to spend any residual funds to continue their research through the fifth year.
Subcontracts were awarded to Montana Tech to undertake all TOSC and TAB activities for the Center. These TOSC and TAB activities are undertaken primarily through the direction of Karl Burgher, Associate Director of the Center, and his assistant, Kevin Mellott.
Another important goal of the Center is the education of students interested in careers directed toward finding solutions to environmental problems, particularly mine waste problems. Center research projects have provided half-time stipends or partial (hourly) support for 10 students working toward their Ph.D. degrees, 16 students working toward their M.S. degrees, and 11 students working toward their B.S. degrees. Center research also involved three post-docs, nine visiting scholars/researchers, and one visiting professor.
Highlights of the Fourth Year
A highlight of Year 4 of Center operation was the meeting on May 12, 2005, at the CSM pertaining to integrated passive treatment technologies based on research projects funded by EPA. The meeting was sponsored by the RMR HSRC and organized by Center participants Tom Wildeman, Amy Pruden, and Jim Ranville as well as Jim Gusek from Golder Associates. The seminar consisted of six oral presentations in the morning followed by several tours in the afternoon. The oral presentations were given by Jim Gusek on the work of the ADTI-metals mining sector, Kevin Mellott (Montana Tech of University of Montana) on the TOSC and TAB activities of the Center, Jim Ranville (CSM) on simple methods for evaluating mine waste and assessing bioaccessibility, Linda Figueroa (CSM) on new methods of biochemical and microbiological design and assessment of bioreactors treating metal contaminants, James Conca (New Mexico State University) on the use of ApatiteII™ to remediate soil and water, and Center Director Chuck Shackelford (CSU) on the design and assessment of alternative covers for tailings and mine waste. The meeting included approximately 50 participants.
Another highlight of 2005 was the Center’s fourth annual meeting held September 8-9, 2005, at CSU. This meeting is one of the two semiannual meetings required by EPA for the Center, the other meeting is with the SAC. Unlike previous semi-annual meetings that were held in person, the semiannual meeting for the SAC was conducted via conference call on March 3, 2005, at the request of the SAC, primarily to save on travel time and expenses associated with the meeting. The annual meeting in September consisted of oral presentations, poster presentations, social events, and formal meetings of the SAC and TTAC. The oral presentations were moderated by the Center Director, and consisted of presentations by each of the six principal investigators for the fourth year research projects, as well as a presentation by Kevin Mellott on TOSC and TAB outreach activities being conducted on behalf of the Center at Montana Tech. The audience consisted of Center Administrative personnel, members and participants of the Center, SAC and TTAC members, and students who are involved in Center research. The students were required to generate posters on their research for display and presentation during lunch on the first day. The SAC then used the oral presentations, poster presentations, and progress reports generated by the principal investigators and distributed to SAC members prior to the meeting, as a basis for evaluating the progress of the existing projects on September 9, 2005. The outcome of this evaluation by the SAC was that all projects were making satisfactory progress.
Center Program Summary for 2005
A summary of the research program at the Center for Year 4 (2005) is summarized in Table 3. Refer to the individual Center research project reports for descriptions of the projects.
Table 3. Research Program Summary for Projects in Effect During 2005
Project |
Project |
Principal |
End |
R829515C007 |
Evaluation of Hydrologic Models for Alternative Covers at Mine Waste Sites |
Charles Shackelford (CSU) |
2005 |
R829515C009 |
Development and Characterization of Microbial Inocula for High-performance Passive Treatment of Acid Mine Drainage |
Kenneth Reardon (CSU) |
2005 |
R829515C010 |
Reactive Transport Modeling of Metal |
Linda Figueroa (CSM) |
2005 |
R829515C011 |
Assessment of Electrokinetic Injection of Amendments for Remediation of Acid Mine Drainage |
Kenneth Carlson (CSU) |
2005 |
R829515C012 |
Metal Toxicity Thresholds for Important |
Mark Paschke (CSU) |
2005 |
R829515C013 |
An Improved Method for Establishing Water Quality Criteria for Mining Impacted Streams |
James Ranville (CSM) |
2005 |
| 1CSM = Colorado School of Mines; CSU = Colorado State University; UWM = University of Wisconsin-Madison 2 Includes EPA and cost-shared funding for fourth year (2005) |
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Journal Articles: 21 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other center views: | All 191 publications | 21 publications in selected types | All 21 journal articles |
| Type | Citation | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Bednar AJ, Garbarino JR, Ranville JF, Wildeman TR. Effects of iron on arsenic speciation and redox chemistry in acid mine water. Journal of Geochemical Exploration 2005;85(2):55-62. |
R829515 (2005) |
not available |
|
|
Clark JL, Clements WH. The use of in situ and stream microcosm experiments to assess population and community-level responses to metals. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. |
R829515 (2005) |
not available |
|
|
Clark JL, Clements WH. The use of in situ and stream microcosm experiments to assess population-and community-level responses to metals. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 2006;25(9):2306-2312. |
R829515 (Final) |
|
|
|
Clements WH. Small-scale experiments support causal relationships between metal contamination and macroinvertebrate community responses. Ecological Applications 2004;14(3):954-967. |
R829515 (2003) R829515 (2004) R829515 (Final) |
|
|
|
Hemsi PS, Shackelford CD. An evaluation of the influence of aquifer heterogeneity on permeable reactive barrier design. Water Resources Research 2006;42(W03402), doi:10.1029/2005WR004629. |
R829515 (2005) R829515 (Final) |
|
|
|
Hemsi PS, Shackelford CD, Figueroa LA. Modeling bioreactor experiments for iron precipitation based on sulfate reduction and decomposition of organic solids. Journal of Environmental Quality . |
R829515 (2005) |
not available |
|
|
Hemsi PS, Shackelford CD, Figueroa LA. Modeling the influence of decomposing organic solids on sulfate reduction rates for iron precipitation. Environmental Science & Technology 2005;39(9):3215-3225. |
R829515 (2004) R829515 (2005) R829515 (Final) |
|
|
|
Hemsi P, Shackelford C. Influence of aquifer heterogeneity on permeable reactive barrier design. Water Resources Research 2004. |
R829515 (2004) |
not available |
|
|
Hong H, Pruden A, Reardon KF. Comparison of CE-SSCP and DGGE for monitoring a complex microbial community remediating mine drainage. Journal of Microbiological Methods 2007;69(1):52-64. |
R829515 (Final) |
|
|
|
Kashian DR, Prusha BA, Clements WH. Influence of total organic carbon and UV-B radiation on zinc toxicity and bioaccumulation in aquatic communities. Environmental Science & Technology 2004;38(23):6371-6376. |
R829515 (2004) R829515 (2005) R829515 (Final) R829640 (2003) R829640 (Final) |
|
|
|
Logan MV, Reardon KF, Figueroa LA, McLain JET, Ahmann DM. Microbial community activities during establishment, performance, and decline of bench-scale passive treatment systems for mine drainage. Water Research 2005;39(18):4537-4551. |
R829515 (2004) R829515 (2005) R829515 (Final) |
|
|
|
Paschke MW, Valdecantos A, Redente EF. Manganese toxicity thresholds for restoration grass species. Environmental Pollution 2005;135(2):313-322. |
R829515 (2004) R829515 (2005) R829515 (Final) |
|
|
|
Paschke MW, Perry LG, Redente EF. Zinc toxicity thresholds for reclamation forb species. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 2006;170(1-4):317-330. |
R829515 (Final) |
|
|
|
Pruden A, Messner N, Pereyra L, Hanson RE, Hiibel SR, Reardon KF. The effect of inoculum on the performance of sulfate-reducing columns treating heavy metal contaminated water. Water Research 2007;41(4):904-914. |
R829515 (Final) |
|
|
|
Prusha BA, Clements WH. Landscape attributes, dissolved organic C, and metal bioaccumulation in aquatic macroinvertebrates (Arkansas River Basin, Colorado). Journal of the North American Benthological Society 2004;23(2):327-339. |
R829515 (2003) R829515 (2004) R829515 (Final) R829640 (2002) R829640 (2003) R829640 (Final) |
|
|
|
Redman AD, Macalady DL, Ahmann D. Natural organic matter affects arsenic speciation and sorption onto hematite. Environmental Science & Technology 2002;36(13):2889-2896. |
R829515 (2002) R829515 (Final) |
|
|
|
Ritter K, Aiken GR, Ranville JF, Jackson BP, Macalady DL. Evidence for aquatic Aarsenate-Fe(III)-natural organic matter complexation. Environmental Science and Technology . |
R829515 (2005) |
not available |
|
|
Ritter K, Ranville JF, Macalady DL. Properties of natural organic matter (NOM)important with respect to its interference with arsenate adsorption to goethite. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta . |
R829515 (2005) |
not available |
|
|
Ritter K, Macalady DL. The interference of natural organic matter (NOM) with arsenate adsorption to goethite under conditions of flow: the importance of both the adsorbed and solution-phase NOM. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta . |
R829515 (2005) |
not available |
|
|
Rojas R, Julien P. Washload erosion modeling with CASC2C-SED. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering. |
R829515 (2003) R829515 (2004) |
not available |
|
|
Velleux ML, Julien PY, Rojas-Sanchez R, Clements WH, England Jr JF. Simulation of metals transport and toxicity at a mine-impacted watershed: California Gulch, Colorado. Environmental Science & Technology 2006;40(22):6996-7004. |
R829515 (Final) |
|
bioavailability, contaminant candidate list, acid mine drainage, contaminant transport, contaminated sediment, environmental toxicant, fate and transport, mine tailings, risk assessments, sediment transport, total maximum daily loads,
,
Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Toxics, Scientific Discipline, Waste, RFA, Remediation, Geology, Bioavailability, Hazardous Waste, Environmental Engineering, Fate & Transport, Hydrology, Contaminant Candidate List, Hazardous, National Recommended Water Quality, Monitoring/Modeling, arsenic, copper, risk assessment, total maximum daily loads, contaminant transport models, fate and transport, toxicity, fate and transport , microbial populations, environmental toxicant, lead, mining, mining wastes, acid mine drainage, cadmium, risk assessments, surface water, contaminated sediment, contaminant transport, contaminated sediments, manganese, metals, sediment transport, Zinc, contaminated soil, mine tailings, mathematical model, cleanup, modeling
Relevant Websites:
http://www.engr.colostate.edu/hsrc/
Progress and Final Reports:
2002 Progress Report
2003 Progress Report
2004 Progress Report
Original Abstract
Final Report