7pm, Monday, December 3, 2007 (Bureau of Economic Geology)

Diane Poteet, P.G., Senior Project Manager, State Lead Section, Remediation Division, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, will present:

"The Texas Superfund Process and Five Case Studies"

The Remediation Division of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) manages the Superfund Site Discovery and Assessment Program (SSDAP) and the Superfund Program for Texas. Together these programs address sites that are abandoned, contain hazardous substances, and where enforcement is exhausted or no financially capable responsible party exists. Sites are referred to the SSDAP from many sources and then assessed for eligibility and ultimate ranking in either the state or federal Superfund programs. Immediate Removal Actions are also implemented by the SSDAP project managers. The phases of the Superfund Program are Remedial Investigations/Feasibility Studies, Remedial Designs/Remedial Actions, and Operations and Maintenance. As a site moves through the SSDAP and Superfund phases, it can be funded in different ways depending on who takes action and when.

Five case studies are provided that demonstrate some of the various funding mechanisms and diversity of the process. The first site is a special Removal Action referred to TCEQ by the Texas Legislature. The second site is a State-lead federally-funded Remedial Investigation conducted at a Federal Superfund site. The third case is a State Superfund site where a Federal Removal Action was completed prior to it being ranked as a State Superfund site. The fourth is a “House Bill (HB) 3030” groundwater case that was referred by the TCEQ regional office, and which was assessed and ranked under the federal program. The fifth case is a State Removal Action at a State Superfund site.

Dr. Tim Mickle, The University of Texas, Jackson School of Geosciences, Bureau of Economic Geology, will present:
"An Overview of Current Carbon Dioxide Capture and Geologic Storage (Sequestration) Activities in Texas"

November 5, 2007, 7-8pm
University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology,
J.J. Pickle Research Campus, Building 130,
10100 Burnet Rd.
Austin, Texas

Prof. Ellen M Rathje, P.E., Ph.D., will present:
"Lessons from Earthquake Engineering Reconnaissance"

October 1, 2007, 7-8pm
University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology,
J.J. Pickle Research Campus, Building 130,
10100 Burnet Rd.
Austin, Texas