General Program Announcements

New and Improved: RR Report Now Web-based

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Newsfeed Screen ShotWelcome to the new RR Report! In August, the RR Program’s RR Report changed from a static, PDF-based publication into a new, online newsfeed. The move represents the Program’s continuing commitment to outreach and communication.

The new RR Report offers greater functionality beyond the static version. It is searchable by category, tag or by key words or phrases. As we add new content to the site, the search feature will grow more robust. We hope that subscribers will appreciate the significant upgrades that this newsfeed format provides.

Our new site also offers the opportunity to post items more frequently than ever before. If you’re a frequent reader of the RR Report, you can visit the page whenever you like and see new content as it is posted here: https://rr-report.blogs.govdelivery.com/. We will notify subscribers every few weeks of posts that occurred during that time; we may occasionally alert readers to time-sensitive posts.

As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions regarding the RR Report. Please contact Mick Skwarok via email or by phone at 608-266-9263.

Updated Vapor Intrusion Guidance – RR-800 Public Input Opportunities

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The RR Program seeks your input on a significantly revised document titled, RR-800, Addressing Vapor Intrusion at Remediation & Redevelopment Sites in Wisconsin. The revisions to RR-800 include: updates from ITRC’s and USPEA’s vapor guidance; additional details on required deliverables; expectations for outreach; clarification on preemptive mitigation; and a significantly expanded discussion on vapor mitigation (design options, performance verifications, long-term operation and maintenance, and continuing obligations).

The document can be reviewed at http://dnr.wi.gov/news/input/guidance.html and comments can be submitted through September 8, 2017 to the Vapor Intrusion Team Leader, Alyssa Sellwood at Alyssa.Sellwood@wisconsin.gov. In addition, the RR Program will host a question and answer session on Tuesday, August 29th.  Mark your calendars; more details to come.

Job Opportunities with the RR Program

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Applications are currently being sought for entry and senior-level Hydrogeologists for multiple positions around the state within the Remediation and Redevelopment Program.

The deadline to apply for these positions is August 7, 2017. Click here to view the announcements.

Vacancies are being filled in a number of locations, and the Program anticipates additional openings in the next several months. The agency intends to use this recruitment to fill those vacancies.

 

Congratulations to RR Program Staff Award Winners

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award winners

Bill Fitzpatrick, Christine Haag and Judy Fassbender Not pictured: Alyssa Sellwood, Gena Larson and Darsi Foss

The Remediation and Redevelopment Program would like to congratulation our staff who received the DNR’s 2016 Environmental Management Division Awards. Each award winner brings unique qualities, knowledge, and passion to their work. We are honored to have these outstanding people – and all our staff members – on the Remediation and Redevelopment team.

The following were recognized this year for their contributions to the RR Program:

  • Remediation and Redevelopment Employee of the Year – Alyssa Sellwood
  • Environmental Management Division Supervisor of the Year – Christine Haag
  • Environmental Management Division Team of the Year – Contaminated Materials Management Workgroup (RR members) Judy Fassbender, Gena Larson, Darsi Foss

Recent RR transfer Bill Fitzpatrick was also recognized as the Employee of the Year in the Office of the Great Lakes for his work in that program prior to joining Remediation and Redevelopment.

Redevelopment Successes Detailed in Reports

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Report Covers

The RR Program details the various activities undertaken and achieved throughout the year through the biannual Section 128(a) Report.

For nearly 15 years, the Remediation and Redevelopment Program has worked under a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to enhance state efforts with the cleanup and redevelopment of brownfields. As part of the agreement, the RR Program details the various activities undertaken and achieved throughout the year and makes those efforts available to the public through the biannual Section 128(a) Report. These reports can be found on the Brownfields Program webpage and we invite you to have a look. Recent reports detail redevelopment sites in Manitowoc and Madison, highlight video projects, recognize staff efforts, and recognize our external partners for helping guide program efforts.  

 

Reminder: Required Submittals, Consultant Qualifications and Certifications

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As part of the Remediation and Redevelopment Program’s continuing outreach to its customers, the program wants to remind consultants and responsible parties that:

(1) Wis. Admin. Code § NR 700 rule series (hereafter “NR 700”) specifies the technical reports or documents that must be submitted to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) regardless of whether the responsible party is requesting a fee review or not; and

(2) Those documents are to be prepared by or under the supervision of a professional engineer, hydrogeologist or scientist as those terms are specifically defined in NR 712.03. This rule chapter requires: (1) appropriate qualifications of the consultant; (2) signatures; and (3) certification language to be included with the appropriate NR 700 submittals.

Continue reading “Reminder: Required Submittals, Consultant Qualifications and Certifications” →

Wisconsin Communities Receive $1.8M in EPA Brownfields Awards for FY17

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Money stack clip artA handful of Wisconsin communities, counties and entities will put to use recent brownfields awards from the US EPA. The awards are for assessment or cleanup activities and are part of the 279 awards given to communities across the nation, totaling $56.8 million.

These Assessment and Cleanup Grants, in Wisconsin and elsewhere, will aid under-served communities through the assessment and cleanup of abandoned industrial and commercial properties and expand the ability of communities to recycle vacant and abandoned properties for new, productive reuses.

Recipient Assessment / Cleanup Award Amount
Blugold Real Estate Foundation, Inc. (Eau Claire) Cleanup $200,000
Blugold Real Estate Foundation, Inc. (Eau Claire) Cleanup $200,000
Green Bay Assessment $300,000
Sheboygan County Assessment $300,000
Washington County Assessment $600,000
Wauwatosa Assessment $200,000

The US EPA has a list of all FY17 grants selected for funding, as well as a searchable database and fact sheets of all selected applicants.

NR 700 Semi-Annual Reporting Due Soon

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Clip art of reportSemi-annual reporting for the period of January 1, 2017 to June 30, 2017 is due August 8, 2017. Semi-annual reporting is required of responsible parties (RPs) for all “open” sites, including those sites the DNR formerly classified as “conditionally closed,” in the BRRTS online database. Consultants may submit these reports on behalf of the RPs.

An email from the DNR with your unique report identification number will go out on July 7, 2017. If you do not receive an email, you can request a number by submitting the Report ID Request Form. The Report ID number you will receive uniquely identifies the activity for which you wish to report, the reporting period, and verifies the person using the ID is authorized to submit the report. If you have any questions, please contact Tim Zeichert at (608) 266-5788.

Continue reading “NR 700 Semi-Annual Reporting Due Soon” →

Public Input Opportunity on Soil RCLs for PAHs

Posted on by Zachary Teicher

The Remediation and Redevelopment (RR) Program seeks your input on a new guidance document titled Calculating Soil RCLs for PAHs Wis. Admin Code § NR 722.11 (1) (RR-079).

This guidance document introduces the modified residual contaminant level (RCL) spreadsheet that allows for an alternative method of calculating non-industrial direct contact RCLs for seven carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (cPAHs). The modifications are based on a reassessment of the risk posed by cPAHs by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

The modified spreadsheet assesses these cPAHs exclusively on cumulative risk and does not assess their individual compound-specific risk. Use of this spreadsheet complies with the requirements of Wis. Admin. § NR 722.11 for developing alternate standards when meeting the RCLs in Wis. Admin. § NR 720 is not practicable.

The comment period will be open through May 31, 2017. This document can be reviewed on the Department’s public input web page, and comments can be submitted to Paul Grittner.

New Tools Available for Vapor Intrusion Professionals

Posted on by Zachary Teicher

The RR Program recently added four, new online tools to our vapor intrusion (VI) prevention web page to assist environmental professionals as they prepare VI assessments or plan for outreach on a site impacted by vapor intrusion.

Three of these tools are located on the Vapor Intrusion for Environmental Professionals website, under the “community outreach” tab, and include:

  1. Vapor Intrusion 101 video uses a hand drawn animation technique to introduce the concept of vapor intrusion. It is intended for use in conjunction with factsheets and personal communication when talking with a property owner who is unfamiliar with vapor intrusion.
  2. The Responsible Neighbor – A Vapor Intrusion Story video shares an important message for consultants, attorneys, and RPs on how good communication with neighbors benefits everyone involved with an environmental cleanup.
  3. RR-067: Vapor Intrusion Investigation – Information Sheet for Neighbors can be given to an off-site property owner when access is needed to investigate vapor intrusion on their property. This factsheet provides an introduction to environmental investigations, identifies the parties involved, and clarifies who the property owner can contact with questions.

The fourth new tool is on the same web page, under the “screening levels” tab:

  1. Quick Look-Up Table for VALs and VRSL Wisconsin’s Vapor Action Levels (VALs) and Vapor Risk Screening Levels (VRSLs) have changed over time due to updates to EPA’s risk calculations and changes in default attenuation factors. History of Changes to VALs, VRSLs and Attenuation Factors for Common VOCs is a quick reference to the historical screening levels and the dates when changes occurred, and is intended to clarify the basis for past decisions at a site.

Questions about these new tools or other issues related to vapor intrusion can be directed to Alyssa Sellwood, the RR Program’s VI specialist.