Principles and Practical Skills for Environmental Site Assessment (ESA)

This training course presents principles and practical skills for conducting subsurface Environmental Assessments, with a focus on soil and groundwater contamination (and separate phase contaminants, if suspected or present). This course will review the process of Environmental Assessments conducted to determine whether suspected contamination is present. If a contaminant is present in sufficient quantity to be reportable and/or warrant further investigation (often referred to as a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment) and conducting assessment and delineation of a known release for submittal to an environmental regulatory agency. The class will provide a full spectrum of skills and knowledge to understand and execute a successful assessment.

Intended Audience: This course is intended for engineers, geologists, scientists and others conducting or needing to conduct or interpret Environmental Assessments. Environmental regulatory agency staff (federal, state and local), decision makers, consultants, environmental organization staff, attorneys, and interested citizens affected by or interested in Environmental Assessments will also benefit from the course.

Course Materials: Each participant will receive a copy of the course proceedings including notes and reference materials on the first day of the course.

Continuing Education Units: 1.3 CEU's

Registration: $395
You may register via the link below or by calling the Northwest Environmental Training Center at (425) 270-3274

Please wait to receive a course confirmation email, roughly one month prior to the class, before making any travel arrangements.

Course Topics

What is an Environmental Assessment?

Types of Environmental Assessment
Soil and Groundwater Contaminant Assessment
Why are Environmental Assessments Conducted?

Planning the Environmental Assessment

Assessment to Determine Whether Contaminants Exist
Assessment to Delineate Known Contaminants
Where to Begin?
Before You Go to the Site; When You Get There

Drilling and Sampling Soils

Monitoring Wells and Groundwater Sampling

Types of Monitoring Wells
Installation of Monitoring Wells
Groundwater Sampling

Assembling Additional Data Onsite

Groundwater Flow Direction, Gradient, Magnitude Data
Assembling a Body of Site Information
Slug Tests and Pumping Tests

Understanding the Phase II Environmental Site Assessment

Purpose and Approach to a Phase II ESA
Understanding Applicable Standards
Confidentiality and Preparing the Phase II ESA

Understanding Delineation of Environmental Contamination

Understanding Contaminant Behavior in Soil, GW, Sep Phase
Horizontal and Vertical Delineation in Soil, GW, Sep Phase

Determinations of Groundwater Flow and Transport

Elevation Survey and Triangulation
Calculating Groundwater Flow Direction and Gradient Magnitude
Calculating Hydraulic Conductivity
Groundwater Velocity and Contaminant Transport Velocity

The Assessment for an Environmental Regulatory Agency

Agency Guidelines, Formats, Contents, Organization
To What Standards Should We Delineate?
Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations

Recent and Current Developments

Course Materials

Attendees will receive a binder containing workshop proceedings and reference material.

What to bring

Pencil or pen, coffee mug and water bottle (to reduce waste). Please wear comfortable clothing appropriate for the prevailing weather. Coffee, tea and light snacks will be provided. You will be on your own for lunch.