ITRC’s Nationwide Training Courses on Vapor Intrusion;
An invaluable tool for site assessors
Current lack of knowledge about indoor air issues and evaluation techniques may oversimplify the problem and cause air quality investigations and subsequent risk assessments to understate or overstate the problem. Indoor air quality is overlooked in many environmental site investigations and soil/groundwater plume contamination scenarios. Moreover, lack of knowledge regarding indoor air quality issues and cost considerations tend to contribute to the omission of indoor air sampling and evaluation.
Background
Vapor intrusion is the migration of volatile chemicals from the subsurface into overlying buildings. Volatile chemicals may include volatile organic compounds, select semivolatile organic compounds, and some inorganic analytes, such as elemental mercury and hydrogen sulfide. Vapor intrusion requires three components: a source, an inhabited building, and a pathway from the source to the inhabitants. Vapor intrusion has become a significant environmental issue for regulators, industry leaders, and concerned residents.
Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council (ITRC) is a coalition of state environmental regulators working with federal partners, industry, and stakeholders to advance innovative environmental decision making. The ITRC’s mission is to develop information resources, to help break down barriers to the acceptance, and to use technically sound innovative solutions to environmental challenges through an active network of diverse professionals.
The ITRC Vapor Intrusion Team—composed of representatives from 19 state environmental agencies, 12 environmental companies, and 4 federal agencies (including EPA)—developed an ITRC Technical and Regulatory Guidance document, Vapor Intrusion Pathway: A Practical Guide (VI-1, 2007), and a companion document, Vapor Intrusion Pathway: Investigative Approaches for Typical Scenarios (VI-1A, 2007).
Two Types of Training Available
Both the Technical and Regulatory Guidance document and the companion document on Investigative approaches are summarized in an Internet-based training course for regulatory agencies and practitioners alike. This training provides an overview of the vapor intrusion pathway and information on the framework (evaluation process), investigative tools, and mitigation approaches. The training course uses typical scenarios to illustrate the process.
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ITRC’s nationwide training courses are unique forums for the exchange of technical and regulatory information related to environmental remediation. Classroom training courses are offered in classroom settings where participants can receive in-person, face-to-face training. ITRC’s multi-day classroom training events include hands-on problem solving to engage the students with real world and site applications. Multi-day classroom training is often provided in conjunction with an ITRC member state.
Led by internationally recognized experts, the 2-day ITRC classroom training is designed to enable the students to learn the latest strategies to conduct site screening and investigations; determine what tools are appropriate to collect quality data and evaluate the results; apply multiple lines of evidence to ensure quality decision-making; build solutions for VI issues through understanding of mitigation options; and network with environmental professionals dealing with this interdisciplinary and complex pathway. Interactive learning with hands-on exhibits, classroom exercises, and frequent Q&A sessions will reinforce these course objectives and contribute to a practical understanding of this difficult pathway.
In 2010-2011, the training course will be offered at locations across the United States.
March 22-23, 2010
– Norfolk, Virginia hosted by Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
July 12-13, 2010 – Cambridge, Massachusetts in cooperation with the Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Association (NEWMOA)
October 4-5, 2010 – Atlanta, Georgia hosted by Georgia Environmental Protection Division
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