On March 1, 2000, the National
Research Council released a new report titled "Natural
Attenuation for Groundwater Remediation". This is the final report
of a committee commissioned in 1997 to assess current knowledge on cleanup
of contaminated sites by natural processes, to define limitations of natural
attenuation and steps needed to document its suitability at contaminated
sites, and to evaluate the adequacy of existing protocols. USGS scientist
Barbara Bekins was a member of the authoring committee, and results of
USGS field research studies are referred to frequently in the report.
The USGS Toxic Substances Hydrology Program was a cosponsor of this project.