Sustainable Remediation: Reducing Greenhouse Gas Production at Travis Air Force Base

摘要

Over the last 5 years, CH2M HILL has worked to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) production at Travis Air Force Base (AFB) by optimizing existing groundwater treatment systems and finding innovative ways to treat chlorinated solvent plumes at several sites across the base. Existing remediation systems, mostly extraction and ex situ treatment, had been operating for approximately 10 years when CH2M HILL began to implement strategies for optimized remediation in October 2008. A groundwater Record of Decision (ROD) for Travis AFB is currently being developed, and one of its objectives is to apply green and sustainable remediation principles into the selection of final remedies. Multi-year demonstration projects were used to verify the effectiveness of these innovative treatment strategies under real world conditions and to acquire the data needed to obtain regulatory acceptance and develop performance metrics for remedial designs. Significant reductions in GHG production were realized through use of five key methods: (1) introducing solar power to existing treatment system components, (2) implementing in situ source-area treatments in areas with potential DNAPL, (3) applying phytoremediation where appropriate, (4) installing in situ biobarriers across high concentration solvent plumes, and (5) improving the performance of existing remediation systems. CH2M HILL worked in partnership with the Air Force and regulatory agencies to implement optimized remediation strategies, while decreasing energy consumption and GHG production. Sustainable remediation strategies have been shown to successfully treat both source areas and distal portions of contaminant plumes. Some treatment innovations have combined some of these methods to work together as a treatment train to provide total plume remediation.