AGENDA
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2022
Day One: Climate Resilient Remediation
8:00-9:00am
Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:00-9:45am
Conference Welcome: GRA President & GRA Conference Chair
Keynote Speaker: Chance Asher, Senior Toxicologist, Sediment Program Policy LeadDepartment of Ecology and Toxics Cleanup Program, Washington StateTitle: Learning from Success – Washington State’s Adaptation Strategies for Resilient Cleanup Remedies Ms. Asher is a leader in the climate change team in the Toxics Cleanup Program in Washington State’s Department of Ecology, a group that has been an early national leader in addressing the challenges contaminated sites face from climate change impacts. Ms. Asher will share information about Washington State’s pioneering climate resilient environmental cleanup program, including the origin, scope, and future directions of that program.
9:45-11:40am
Session I – Regulatory Perspectives: “How Regulators See Climate Change Impacting Contaminated Sites” Join in a discussion with EPA’s Region 9 Director of the Superfund and Emergency Management Division, Michael Montgomery, as he shares guidance and inter-agency coordination around climate resilient remediation.
Panelists:
• Michael Montgomery, EPA Region 9 - Director of the Superfund and Emergency Management Division
• Cheryl Prowell, Underground Storage Tank and Site Cleanup Programs Section Supervisor at the State Water Resources Control Board
• Lisa Horowitz McCann, Assistant Executive Officer, SF Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board
• Nelline Kowbel, Chief, Northern California Site Mitigation Division at California Department of Toxic Substances Control
• Dominique Forrester, Supervising Engineer at California Department of Toxic Substances Control
Panel Moderator: Alyx Karpowicz, Regional Water Quality Control Board, Region 2 - Groundwater Protection Division
11:40-12:25pm
Session II - Expert Roundtables
Intimate conversations with the experts! For this interactive session, attendees will sign up for small group facilitated discussion around a particular topic. Table expert facilitators will give a 5-10 min overview, then facilitate a group discussion around the topic. There will be a map of the tables with expert listed and tables will be numbered.
1. Vapor Intrusion Challenges with Fluctuating Groundwater Levels – Cheryl Prowell SWRCB
2. Groundwater Cleanup Challenges due to Sea Level Rise – Sean McCLain, San Diego RWQCB
3. Sustainable Approach to Environmental Laboratory Analyses – Johnny Mitchell, Pace Analytical
4. How to change an environmental liability into an ESG opportunity? - Roohi Toosi, PE, APEX Environmental & Water Resources
5. Curious About SURF – Come check us out – Nicole Tucker, Dudek
6. Reprioritizing and Responding to Environmental Justice Concerns Related to Sea Level and Groundwater Rise, Lisa (she/her) Horowitz McCann, SF Bay RWQCB
7. Impacts to landfills from Sea Level and Groundwater Rise, Alyx Karpowicz, SF Bay RWQCB
12:25-1:15pm Lunch
1:15-3:00pm
Session III - The Impact of Sea-Level Rise on Subsurface Remediation of Near-Shore Properties: New Challenges for an Uncertain Future
Join us for a discussion on how sea level rise (SLR)-induced surface inundation and rising groundwater levels present formidable challenges for existing and future remedies at near-shore properties. SLR is a known impact of uncertain magnitude, and one that attracts a great deal of interest and scrutiny for near-shoreline contaminated sites, which are often in or near residential communities. Consultants will need to advise responsible parties (RPs) on technical and budgetary issues to account for uncertain future conditions. RPs will need to make difficult financial decisions as to whether to spend more money in the near term to design/build an SLR-resilient remedy or to set aside reserves to address the implementation of remedial contingencies, at a substantial cost, in the long term. Regulators will need to develop policies and guidance that reflect realistic and balanced approaches in the face of uncertainty, and in the context of the overall impacts of SLR on coastal communities.
The panel will discuss:
• Predicting impacts of SLR on groundwater: What tools do we have and what tools do we need?
• Resilient and sustainable remediation: Which remedial technologies are SLR-resilient, and which are SLRvulnerable?
• Uncertainties in SLR impacts on contaminated properties: How do we manage risk in a reasonable manner?
Panelists:
• Ben Hagedorn, PhD, Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, California State University Long Beach
• Lucas Goldstein, PE, Peng, PG, Principal Engineer, Arcadis
• Raghu Suribhatla, PhD, PE, Haley and Aldrich
• Peter Zawislanski, PG, CHG, Principal Hydrogeologist, Terraphase Engineering Inc.
Panel Moderator: Tracy Roth, PG, Senior Associate Hydrogeologist, Terraphase Engineering Inc.
3:00-3:15pm Break
3:15-5:10pm
Session IV – Long-Term Drought Impacts on Island Subsurface Remediation Systems: Too LIttle Water
This session will focus on the impact drought-induced groundwater level decreases in inland areas, specifically how decreases in groundwater levels impact the design and implementation of current and future groundwater remediation and vapor intrusion remedial designs and remedial actions. Remediation experts will discuss identified vulnerabilities in areas experiencing groundwater level decreases resulting from California’s long-standing drought and plans to tackle current and future remediation within a changing climate. They will provide updates on actions being taken on current and future remediation projects to ensure climate-resilient remedies. The new National Groundwater Association White Paper on resilient design concepts will also be spotlighted in this session as an additional tool for practitioners.
Panelists:
• Jeff Davis, Principal Integral Consulting, Inc, co-author NGWA White Paper “Remediation Site Resiliency: Planning and Implementation Strategies”
• Martin Barackman, Senior Geologist and Groundwater Modeler at Northgate Environmental Management, will discuss remediation efforts at several California sites that were affected by changing groundwater levels
Session Moderator: Lisa Campbell, PG, PMP, Principal Senior Project Manager, CDM Smith
5:10-7:00pm
Networking Reception - Join your fellow colleagues and our hosts, the San Diego GRA Branch to connect on hot topics of the day!
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2022
Day Two: Sustainable Remediation and Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Criteria
7:00am: Darcy Dash 5k Run/Walk
7:30-8:30am
Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:30-10:25am
Session V – SURF: “Adapting from Local to Global: When Emerging Contaminants Become Pervasive in Our Environment”
Join the Sustainable Remediation Forum directors in exploring how implementing sustainable tools can benefit a remediation site. This will be followed by a brief introductory training session on how these tools can be applied effectively towards water and wastewater infrastructure when adapting to emerging contaminant treatment needs. A panel discussion will wrap up the session on the challenges and opportunities of looking holistically and in a sustainable manner when addressing the various treatment system needs for contaminant specific requirements.
Case Study: “Transitioning from Active to Passive Remediation by Refining the Conceptual Site Model Using Existing Data”
Presenter: Scott Stromberg, Geologist, Orion Environmental Tool Training:
• Katie Elich, Project Engineer – Woodard & Curran
Panelists:
• Nick Amini, Branch Manager for Surface Water & Agriculture, State Water Resources Control Board
• Steve Cole, Assistant General Manager, Santa Clarita Valley Water Authority
• Roy Thun, Senior Environmental Specialist - GHD, SURF Board Member
Panel Moderator: Stacey Hellekson, Woodard & Curran, SURF Board Member
10:25-10:40am Break
10:40am-12:00pm
Session VI – “ESG – What is it and what does it mean for your agency and clients?”
Our final technical session will be an educational discussion on Environment, Social, Governance or ESG drivers that are shaping project planning and implementation. In this session, regulatory leaders from sister agencies - the Water Board and DTSC- will give an overview of ESG drivers in the regulatory landscape (AB 2108 Water Policy: environmental justice, disadvantaged, and tribal communities) and specifically the critical understanding for groundwater practitioners to have in the coming year. Panelists will lead a focused discussion on “Centering Equity in Decision-making” to help participants consider how they can broaden consideration in their projects and programs. Annalisa will also share an overview of the State Water Board’s recent Racial Equity Resolution and brand new Action Plan which is a compilation of actions and goals intended to advance equity, diversity and inclusion.
Speakers:
• Annalisa Kihara, Assistant Deputy Director, Div. of Water Quality – Groundwater Branch, State Water Resources Control Board
• Todd Sax, D.Env., Deputy Director of Site Mitigation and Restoration, Department of Toxic Substances Control
Panel Moderator: Christy Kennedy, Sr. Water Resources Engineer & Hydrogeologist, Woodard & Curran; GRA Vice President
12:05-1:00pm - Closing Keynote & Conference Wrap-up – Lunch Talk
12:20-12:45pm
Keynote Speaker: Christopher Hyun - Climate Lead, Conservation Emergency Regulations
Lead, Racial Equity Team for the State Water Resources Control Board
Christopher Hyun will wrap up the conference with a lunch talk laying out a statewide perspective on climate trends. In Chris’s roles at SWRCB he ensures the Board can do it all to mitigate climate impacts, save water, and improve social equity. Chris’s closing talk will tie together the various deep dive sessions on climate resiliency, sustainable remediation and ESG topics over the last two days at the conference and highlight how the SWRCB is leading in this new normal.
12:45-1:00pm - Conference Wrap Up - Conference Co-Chair
2:00-5:00pm - GRA Board of Directors Meeting
GRA Members are welcome to participate.