Category Archives: LandWatch

USEPA Issues Policy Guidance on Evaluation of Institutional Controls

by Bob Wenzlau | 09 / 23 / 2011 |

The USEPA released on September 13, 2011 new guidance titled “Recommended Evaluation of Institutional Controls: Supplement to the Comprehensive Five Year Review Guidance”  providing recommendations for the monitoring and inspection of ICs during the CERCLA five-year review process.  The new USEPA guidance recommends that “ICs be mentioned specifically in the overall protectiveness statement when long-term protectiveness [...]

Posted in Cleanup Site Map Service, LandWatch
Tagged , ,

Terradex Keeps Contaminated Soil Safely Managed

by Mike Sowinski | 09 / 15 / 2011 |

We often think of Institutional Controls (ICs) as prohibiting certain uses – for example, prohibiting groundwater use, prohibiting daycare or school, etc.  But often, and importantly, ICs help make sure that contaminated soil, when excavated,  is managed properly and isn’t, for example, carried away for use as “clean fill.”  For those who deal with ICs, [...]

Posted in LandWatch
Tagged , , ,

Financial Health Monitoring of Institutional Control Property Owners

by Bob Wenzlau | 09 / 03 / 2011 |

The long term success of Institutional Controls (ICs) and cleanup remedies is often only as strong as the financial health of new property owners.   This is why, along with its classic suite of land monitoring, Terradex LandWatch now monitors the financial health of contaminated property owners. When new owners take over IC sites or residually [...]

Posted in Data Sources, LandWatch
Tagged , , ,

Where is the Water Well? The Competing Interests of Homeland Security and Environmental Health

by Bob Wenzlau | 08 / 18 / 2011 |

Can you find the location of a water well in on a governmental mapping system? The answer is maybe – and it varies nationwide. A strong tension between the environmental health protection and safeguards for homeland security controls whether you will find that water well.  Environmental health protection invites for more  transparency in water well locations [...]

Posted in Data Sources, LandWatch
Tagged , , , , , ,

ASTM Publishes Continuing Obligations Guide

by Mike Sowinski and Bob Wenzlau | 07 / 06 / 2011 |

After years in the making and on the heels of two recent court decisions addressing “appropriate care,” ASTM published E2790-11, the “Standard Guide for Identifying and Complying With Continuing Obligations.”

Posted in Continuing Obligations, LandWatch, Overview
Tagged , , , , , ,

Panel at Brownfields 2011 to Discuss Emerging Trends of IC Stewardship

by Mike Sowinski | 03 / 29 / 2011 |

A group of institutional control experts and state and local government experts, in a roundtable setting, will describe and compare thoughts about emerging trends in the IC institution, and particularly IC monitoring and stewardship, during an upcoming educational session at Brownfields 2011 – April 4th at 1pm.

Posted in Continuing Obligations, LandWatch, Overview
Tagged , , , , ,

States and Locals Gather on the Web to Talk ICs

by Mike Sowinski | 08 / 30 / 2010 |

A little over a week ago, Terradex hosted a web meeting on institutional controls (IC) efforts at state and local agencies, with a particular focus on the use of one call and local and state cooperation. About 15 participants from EPA, state agencies, local government, and academia gave 3-minute overviews of their IC stewardship efforts [...]

Posted in LandWatch, Overview
Tagged , , , , , ,

Taking Stewardship Underwater By Tracking Dredging Activity

by Bob Wenzlau | 08 / 26 / 2010 |

Stewardship services apply beyond our shorelines into harbors, waterways and oceans. Beneath the surface of harbors, rivers and channels are contaminated sediments and  unexploded ordnance (UXO).   A common and disruptive offshore activity is dredging, which can unknowingly disturb these materials – often to unfortunate ends. Dredging is a regulated activity, and thereby produces records that [...]

Posted in LandWatch
Tagged , , ,

Protecting 6,000,000 Children In Daycare From Toxic Hazards of Cleanup Sites

by Bob Wenzlau | 08 / 12 / 2010 |

Mix 400,000 daycares with 550,000 cleanup sites nationwide, and the vision takes shape for a national daycare screening service to vigilantly protect 6,000,000 children  from inadvertent exposure to toxics.  This effort started after 2006 on the failings at Kiddie Kollege, where children attending daycare were exposed to high mercury levels. The childcare facility occupied the same building that [...]

Posted in Cleanup Site Map Service, DaycareWatch, LandWatch
Tagged , , , , , ,

Helping West Virginia Screen One Call Excavation Tickets at Cleanup Sites

by Bob Wenzlau and Mike Sowinski | 07 / 21 / 2010 |

In both a progressive and unique move, the West Virginia DEP joined the state’s call-before-you dig, or “One Call” center to help screen for improper excavations at about 100 of the state’s environmental covenant sites.   The process requires a daily review of excavation tickets at or near these site which, in turn, allows DEP to [...]

Posted in LandWatch
Tagged , , ,