MONDAY MAY 10, 2010

Morning – 8:30 am – 12:00 pm
The Aquatic Site Classification System
Susan Winch, Senior Environmental Specialist, Franz Environmental Inc.

The Aquatic Sites Working Group (ASWG) was established as a subcommittee under the Contaminated Sites Management Working Group (CSMWG) in order to develop guidance for classifying, assessing, and managing federal aquatic (marine and freshwater) sites.

Based on gap-analysis and feedback from custodial organizations, the ASWG identified the need to develop a system for classifying and prioritizing aquatic sites under the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) as contemporary systems were based on terrestrial site classification and weren’t adequately assessing specific environmental sensitivities of aquatic sites.

In 2009, an Aquatic Site Classification System (ASCS) was developed by Franz Environmental Inc. in collaboration with the ASWG and the CSMWG. This system can be used across all federal departments, produce consistent results amongst different users given the same data set and site information. This Microsoft Excel-based tool features:

• A well-defined approach for applying numerical scores, particularly for qualitative considerations such as potential receptors and exposure pathways in order to minimize subjectivity in scoring and maximize consistency;
• Scores equivalent to FCSAP Contaminated Sites Classification System, i.e., Class 1 (70-100), 2 (50-69), 3(40-49), N (<40), and I (insufficient information);
• A set of precluding factors is specified for situations where sites should be considered high priority and scoring is not necessary; and,
• A user-friendly interface with clear instructions and guidance on considerations for:

1. Measured sediment and/or water quality data;

2. Potential exposure pathways to receptors (human and ecological);

3. Migration potential (on and off site);

4. Site sensitivity (i.e., ecologically sensitive sites vs. typical sites); and,

5. Bioaccumulative and/or persistent substances.

This half-day professional development course will demonstrate these features and guide participants through the ASCS process using case studies of contaminated aquatic sites.

This session will be presented in English with simultaneous interpretation.

Morning – 8:30 am – 12:00 pm
Afternoon – 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Project Cost Estimation and Cost Management
Don Plenderleith, M.Sc., P.Eng., Associate, Golder Associates Ltd.

This half-day workshop delivered by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) will address project cost estimation. PWGSC has developed several project management (PM) tools applicable to federal contaminated site management, including Project Cost Management Guidance for Federal Contaminated Site Remediation/Risk Management Projects, based on the Project Management Institute’s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). During the course of this training session, project managers will enhance their understanding of the Cost Knowledge Area as defined by the PMBOK (including Earned Value Management) and develop a consolidated understanding of remediation project cost management within the federal context. Project cost estimation was identified as a key issue to be strengthened during an internal evaluation recently conducted on the FCSAP program.

This session will be presented in English with simultaneous interpretation.

Afternoon – 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm
FCSAP Quality Management System
Mark Richardson, Team Leader - Risk Assessment, SNC-Lavalin
Gino Dalla Coletta, M.Sc., MPM, P.Geo., Associate, Golder Associates Ltd.

Although most practitioners think of the quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) elements for analytical laboratory data or report reviews, quality management extends far beyond these elements alone. The purpose of this half-day session will be to identify and to evaluate the development and implementation of quality management elements and plans necessary to assure the required quality levels for Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) projects. There will be an emphasis on data quality management with respect to ensuring the appropriate development of human health risk assessments to ensure that the remedial/risk management approach focuses on the key risk issues. This workshop will draw both on the tools and templates presented in the FCSAP Project Quality Management Guidance and potentially an expert to address QA/QC considerations for analytical laboratory. This workshop will be co-sponsored by Public Works and Government Services Canada and Health Canada.

This session will be presented in English with simultaneous interpretation.

Morning – 8:30 am – 12:00 pm
Afternoon – 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Risk Reduction and Closure Process
Christian Ludwig, M.Eng., P.Eng., PMP, Principal, Franz Environmental Inc.
Natasha Corrin, M.A.Sc., P.Eng., Risk Assessor, Golder Associates Ltd.

Public Works and Government Services Canada, in conjunction with the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) Secretariat at Environment Canada and the Expert Support Departments (Health Canada, Environment Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada) is developing a process to demonstrate the reduction of risk at federal contaminated sites where remediation and/or risk management activities are being undertaken. This process will be incorporated into the Site Closure process which is being developed concurrently to assist federal custodians in demonstrating and documenting that no further action is required on specific sites. This Site Closure process is distinct from the Project Management Closure guidance previously developed as part of the suite of project/program management tools.

This professional development session will provide delegates with a detailed understanding of the risk reduction process and will explore linkages with the FCSAP program and other applicable site closure tools and activities.

This session will be presented in English with simultaneous interpretation.

English – Morning – 8:30 am – 12:00 pm
French – Afternoon – 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm
GOST Tool
David Juck, Ph.D., Research Officer, Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Council
Martin Désilets, Project Manager, Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Council
Jennifer Holdner, Project Manager, Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Council

The Guidance and Orientation on the Selection of Technologies (GOST) is a web-based tool developed by Public Works and Government Services Canada in collaboration with the National Research Council of Canada's Biotechnology Research Institute and the Montreal Centre of Excellence in Brownfields Rehabilitation.

The GOST tool was designed to assist project managers in the selection of remedial technologies for federal contaminated sites. It provides a list of tests which should be performed when conducting Phase III site assessments to assist in the validation of applicable technologies through the use of a questionnaire. The tool enables the user to determine the applicability of different treatment technologies in relation to the specific site conditions (i.e., contaminants, geology, hydrogeology). It has a number of technology fact sheets that describe the advantages, applications, laboratory tests and essays to perform to explore the application and associated cost of various treatment technologies. The tool has also other relevant sources of information on site characterization.

The focus of this professional development session will be on how to use the GOST application and will feature a demonstration of the tool and case studies to illustrate the tool’s functionality.

French – Morning – 8:30 am – 12:00 pm
English – Afternoon – 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Integration of Sustainable Development into Contaminated Sites Management
Sylvain Hains, Project Manager, Golder Associates Ltd.
Robert Noël-de-Tilly, Project Manager and Project Director, Associate, Golder Associates Ltd.
Other collaborators to be confirmed.

The objective of this professional development session is to introduce delegates to the integration of sustainable development into the contaminated sites field, building familiarity with the concept and how it can be applied to the planning of assessment, remediation or risk management projects. During this workshop, there will be a review of ongoing work in Canada, the United States and Europe, in regard to both tools and relevant references. The participant will learn how to integrate the three pillars of sustainable development – economic, social and environment – while building on a life cycle analysis approach and employing existing tools or those currently under development. Finally, contracting processes that can be employed to implement these types of approaches will also be discussed.

This session will be presented in French