OVERVIEW OF CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS AND KEY EMERGING ISSUES IN SEDIMENTS AND REVIEW OF DATA AND LESSONS FROM SEDIMENT FIELD STUDIES

摘要

US EPA & others have determined that Sediments is the most complex and costly challengernto-date. National estimates for addressing these problems vary from $500 billion to over $2rntrillion. During the last several years various EPA initiatives have included the 1998 EPArnReport to Congress, EPA Sediment Management Strategy, year 2000 NRC RiskrnManagement Strategy and a R&D program which dates back to late 1980's. Variousrnstakeholders have sometimes taken opposing stance when addressing these issues. Recently,rnEPA held a forum, attended by 400 people, in order to develop consensus and address majorrnissues by hosting panel discussions with recognized experts leading the way in five focusrnareas. Meanwhile, the National Environmental Policy Institute has initiated a NationalrnSediments Dialogue and a host of technical and advocacy groups have initiated programs tornaddress these issues from various perspectives. There seems to be a growing consensus inrnthe scientific and technical communities on the major issues and the methods to study,rnresearch and implement sediment projects. Although much remains to be learnt, the nationrnseems to be coming to grips with the problem. Since the mid-1990’s EPRI has engaged in arnvariety of initiatives and projects involving sediments at utility sites. Several remediationrnand/or sediment removal projects have been conducted or are in the process of beingrncompleted. EPRI is experimenting with delivery of the reports and data in electronic formatrnusing a multimedia CD incorporating photos, video, text and audio. The data gathered andrnlessons learnt from these projects have been synthesized and will be described briefly in thernpresentation in the context of overall management of future sediment projects.rnThe author was as an EPA panelist on the Sediments Forum and has attended variousrndebates, forums and discussions, in addition to being active in several major research