Topics

Title and Description

2024

ERAs at PFAS sites

Considerations for Conducting Ecological Risk Assessments (ERAs) at Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Sites (2024)
Navy sites are transitioning from Preliminary Assessments/Site Inspections (PA/SIs) to Remedial Investigations (RIs)
at sites with confirmed PFAS environmental releases. This presentation will discuss development of the conceptual
site model; current data gaps and applicable recommendations; important potential ecological exposure pathways;
selection of assessment and measurement ecological endpoints; potential uncertainties; ambient anthropogenic
background considerations; and the nuances of sample collection and analysis to support the ERA and appropriate risk
management decisions for a site.

HHRAs at PFAS sites

Considerations for Human Health Risk Assessments During Remedial Investigations at Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Sites (2024)
Navy sites are transitioning from PA/SIs to RIs at sites with confirmed PFAS environmental releases. This presentation
will discuss current recommended approaches for completing the HHRA; development of the conceptual site model;
default and site-specific exposure scenarios; assessing cumulative risk considerations for historical sites, where
PFAS are now being evaluated; ambient anthropogenic background considerations; and the nuances of sample collection
and analysis to support the HHRA and appropriate risk management decisions for a site.

Climate Resilience

Evaluating Climate Resilience at Navy’s Environmental Restoration (ER) Sites (2024)
Depending on location and other physical characteristics, climate-related hazards could impact potential remedial
alternatives or remedy protectiveness at Navy ER sites in the future. This presentation will focus on the recently prepared
NAVFAC framework and its methodology and resources for conducting a climate resilience assessment at Navy ER sites;
relevant portions of early guidance from the United States Environmental Protection Agency and states; and the implications
for future site management decisions

Data Analysis Solutions

Next-Generation Data Analysis and Visualization Solutions for Environmental Remediation (2024)
Innovative, robust, and defensible data tools and solutions are available and capable of reducing project costs;
automating reports; improving communications between internal and external stakeholders; and enhancing informed
decision-making at Navy sites. This presentation will discuss and provide examples through case studies on how several
geospatial or visualization tools and solutions are available to RPMs for use at any time in the project lifecycle.

Hydrogeologic Heterogeneity/
Groundwater Flux

Innovative Approaches for Delineating Hydrogeologic Heterogeneity and Groundwater Flux (2024)
There are newly developed, innovative approaches for delineating hydrogeologic heterogeneity and measuring groundwater
flow, which are available to RPMs, to improve site management decisions and remedial actions. This presentation will provide
an overview, including case studies, of new analytical tools or novel measurement approaches, including hydraulic and
geophysical tomography; tracer monitoring; real-time terrestrial, surface water, and airborne sensing tools; and thermal imaging

Multivariate Analysis

Applications of Multivariate Analysis (MVA) for Environmental Restoration Sites (2024)
The Navy is increasingly looking for innovative ways to evaluate complex site data in a manner that is robust and defensible.
MVA methods can be used to evaluate patterns or relationships in data that cannot be readily discerned using univariate
analysis methods. This presentation will provide an overview, including case studies, of how MVA methods can be used
as part of a “multiple lines of evidence” approach to inform risk management decisions at Navy sites.

2023

Vapor Intrusion

Comparison of Vapor Intrusion Screening and Mitigation Technologies  (2023)
This presentation will discuss results of a detailed, in-depth review of the performance of various real-time 
indoor air gas analyzers for pre-screening volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and efficacy of multiple vapor 
intrusion (VI) mitigation technologies, when VI risks are identified. Project includes review of various real-time gas
analyzers compared to HAPSITE®, results from evaluation of different heating, ventilation, and air 
conditioning (HVAC) filters to address VI emergency response, and an assessment of commercially available 
tools to address VI from sewer utilities. This lecture will provide lessons learned from these studies and how 
they can be applied to the greater Navy ERN/BRAC program.

Munitions Response

Innovations in Munitions Response Investigations (2023)
This presentation will focus on innovations to address Munitions Response (MR) and Advanced Geophysical 
Classification (AGC) project challenges and solutions. One specific case study will cover the use of 
Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) position technology, a high accuracy positioning system 
for use with MR technologies in GPS-denied areas, where MR investigation and remediation are limited to 
lower quality and less efficient methods. Other content will cover quality requirements for MR services, 
one-pass AGC methods, and underwater MR strategies and technologies. 

Risk Management, Metals

Best Practices and Risk Management Options for Metal-Impacted Sites (2023)
Metal-impacted sites are associated with industrial processes, former small arms firing ranges (SAFRs), 
waste disposal, and pesticide applications. They are commonly co-occurring with other contaminants 
such as petroleum hydrocarbons or chlorinated solvents, which are the primary drivers for risk (NAVFAC 
2022). Metals may also be detected at concentrations that exceed risk-based screening criteria in 
soil and groundwater. This presentation will provide an overview of metals chemistry and mobility in 
environmental media for Remedial Project Managers (RPMs) to draw upon during site investigations, risk 
assessments, and/or the scoping process for remedial actions that target metals in soil and groundwater.
This presentation will also provide best practices for developing and refining an optimized conceptual site 
model, important considerations for metals in background, information on how transport of metals can be 
influenced by biological, chemical, and physical processes, and considerations for improving risk to receptor 
estimations. An overview on challenges and solutions for SAFR and groundwater sites that includes case 
studies will be presented to provide best practices during site investigations.

PFAS

Best Practices for PFAS Sampling and Data Interpretation (2023)
This presentation will provide the most appropriate procedures that should be followed when sampling for 
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in different matrices. The matrices will include drinking water, 
groundwater, soil, sediment, surface water and tissue. The topic will include information on collecting control 
samples and which materials to use to ensure PFAS sampling integrity. Additional considerations for proper 
data analysis during the development of Site Investigation and Remedial Investigation reports will also be 
presented. This topic will also cover PFAS guidance updates from DOD and ASN. 

Sediments

Using Surface-Area Weighted Average Concentrations (SWACs) to Optimize Sediment and Soil Remedies (2023)
Planning and monitoring remedies for contaminated sediment and soil sites typically requires comparing 
contaminant data collected over different temporal and spatial scales to remediation goals. SWACs can be used
to estimate mean contaminant concentrations over a specified area. This presentation will highlight how SWACs
can be developed and used to estimate exposure point concentrations, develop remediation target areas, and provide
data for long-term monitoring. It will also review SWAC guidance and present several case studies. 

Directional Drilling, Complex Sites

Horizontal Directional Drilling and Horizontal Wells to Enhance Remediation at Complex Sites (2023)
Recent advancements in design and emplacement technologies have reduced the up-front cost and time 
to install horizontal wells, resulting in a viable option for more cleanup sites. With that, implementation of 
horizontal wells has increased in recent years due to the ongoing challenges of difficult cleanups, such as 
under-building treatment or subsurface amendment distribution. The Navy has installed horizontal wells at 
several ER and BRAC sites to remediate petroleum hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents, metals, and other 
contaminants of concern (COCs) in conjunction with various treatment technologies, such as in situ chemical 
oxidation (ISCO), soil vapor extraction (SVE), and multi-phase extraction (MPE); to mitigate vapor intrusion 
beneath buildings. This presentation will provide an overview of best practices for installing and operating 
horizontal wells; highlight recent advances in design and emplacement methods; and provide case studies 
employing horizontal wells that highlight success stories and lessons learned.