WWW page
The Environmental Restoration Division's updated World Wide Web site is now on-line.
The site now provides more information about on-going and completed cleanup activities and provides residents with other news and event dates. Whether you want to know how to find specific documents related to Superfund activities at the Lab, or want to know how to reach other health and environmental agencies, the new Website is a good place to start the search.
To access the site, just type in the Environmental Restoration Division's Internet address: http:www.oer.dir.bnl.gov/~oer. You can also find the site via the Brookhaven National Laboratory home page: http://www.bnl.gov.
Pilot study tests 'sparging'
At Brookhaven National Laboratory, engineers often conduct pilot studies to test new environmental remediation technologies. One pilot project undergoing evaluation for potential use is "in-well air sparging," a system that removes volatile organic compounds from groundwater.
The in-well air sparging system works by injecting compressed air underground into a well. The pressure of the air flow lifts the water higher into the well causing air bubbles to form. During this process, the contaminants are drawn to the air and become trapped in the rising bubbles. The volatile organic compounds then evaporate into the air at low concentrations. The clean water is then returned to the ground.
The benefit of using this system to remove contaminants from groundwater is that no complex pumps or controls are necessary. For example, no air stripping stack or recharge basin is needed. This means that the in-well air sparging system can be easily installed and operated, resulting in more efficient and flexible cleanup of the groundwater.
To determine the effectiveness of the air sparging system at Brookhaven National Laboratory, groundwater and air samples were collected during a five-week test period. Environmental engineers are currently evaluating all samples and the results will be reviewed by the U.S. Department of Energy, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency and N. Y. S. Department of Environmental Conservation.
DOE announces 'ten-year plan'
The U.S. Department of Energy's Environmental Management Program is challenging itself to clean up its sites, including Brookhaven National Laboratory, within the next 10 years.
While the Department of Energy has recently made significant progress in conducting its cleanups more efficiently, there is increasing concern over whether the department can sustain U.S. Congressional and public support of the current program. Nationwide, this program currently stretches beyond 70 years at a cost of approximately $200 billion.
The new program, described in the document entitled "The Ten Year Plan," will be the guiding document for each sites' cleanup activities. As such, these 10-year plans will drive budget requests, schedules, and the Department of Energy's actions through 2006 to expedite environmental management and cleanup work.
The Department of Energy is in the process of drafting this document and will make the Brookhaven National Laboratory portion available for public comment sometime during February or March. Stakeholders will be notified when and where this document will be available for review. Direct any questions to Angela Harvey, Department of Energy manager of BNL's Environmental Management Program, at 516-344-5345.