Under an expedited schedule, TechLaw developed and presented three training courses for EPA Region 6 and the LDEQ. Within a 7-week period, we developed a 2-day Environmental Chemistry Course, a 2-day Corrective Action Workshop and a 1½-day Environmental Statistics course.

These courses were tailored to meet the training needs of the LDEQ. Topics addressed in the Environmental Chemistry Course included chemical principles, environmental transport and transformation processes, groundwater chemistry of inorganic chemicals, data quality, sampling of soils, sediment and groundwater, analytical methods, and applicability of chemical principles to environmental remediation.

The Corrective Action course provided an overview of the Corrective Action Process from RCRA Facility Assessments through the Corrective Measures Studies/Corrective Measures Implementation and completion of corrective action.

The Environmental Statistics workshop was designed to provide EPA and state regulatory personnel with an overview of environmental statistics topics and applications. Areas of emphasis include understanding the data set, determining applicability of the statistical test, and evaluating conditions necessary for the test to be applied appropriately, and interpretation of results. A key area of focus of the training was the statistical tests used as part of the federal (and, as appropriate, state) solid and hazardous waste regulations. The Assistant Secretary of LDEQ issued a letter of appreciation for outstanding work to TechLaw and EPA Region 6 in response to this project.

TechLaw supported EPA Region 4 with the development and presentation of more than 33 training courses and workshops over a two-year period. We identified and secured qualified speakers from within our organization, as well as from subcontractors and outside organizations.

Course topics included: Identification of Regulated Hazardous Waste, Fractured Rock and Karst Hydrogeology, Natural Attenuation of Chlorinated Solvents, Risk Assessment for Toxic Air Pollutants, Risk Communication and Decision-Making, and Corrective Action. TechLaw was responsible for the development of training materials, securing meeting/workshop space, audiovisual equipment rental, and conducting registration. For this work, EPA awarded TechLaw an excellent rating for management, technical quality and cost.

This two-day facilitated training workshop is designed to provide EPA enforcement and compliance assistance personnel with a foundation for developing the elements of an EMS as a part of an enforcement action that included a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP).

The objectives of the course are to outline EMS elements to address identified environmental deficiencies; make an EMS element enforceable through an SEP; explain EPA’s policies on EMS; and use EMS elements to promote structural and behavioral changes in companies around environmental issues. Each participant receives a detailed course notebook that includes exercise materials, background information and legal/policy reference materials. This course was presented for Environmental Institutes in 1996 and 1997, and for EPA Region 8 in 1998.