Announcements for Remediation Professionals

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) SOLICITATION NUMBER 582-0900001 for Remedial Investigation and Removal Services for Superfund Cleanup and Superfund Site Discovery and Assessment Program Sites

***** NOTICE *****

TCEQ will host a public forum for the discussion of RFI 582-0900001. The goal of this round table discussion is to solicit additional information and discuss comments received as responses to the RFI. Specifically, information is being sought concerning improvements and suggested changes to how the TCEQ can better procure contracts to conduct activities at Superfund Cleanup and Superfund Site Discovery and Assessment Program sites. A response to the RFI is not a requirement for attendance. Any interested person is invited to attend and comment on RFI 582-0900001.

The forum will be held on January 13, 2009 at TCEQ campus, in Building E, Room 201S (Commissioner's Agenda Room) at 9:30 a.m. (Attendees must check in at the security desk in Building E prior to the start of the meeting.)

In addition, TCEQ may consider holding individual meetings with potential vendors to discuss certain aspects of the RFI. If, after attending the forum, you have more questions or have other concerns you believe to be appropriate only for an individual meeting, please contact Ms. Sherry Jaecks in writing by 11:00 a.m., January 20. Only attendees of the January 13, 2009 forum are eligible for a private meeting on this matter.

Attendance at this round table meeting and any subsequent individual follow-up meeting does not bind either you or TCEQ to any agreement or create an obligation to submit a contract proposal.

For questions or further information about the RFI, please contact Ms. Sherry Jaecks, Procurements and Contracts, in writing at sjaecks@tceq.state.tx.us.

Any inquiries submitted to the program area on the RFI, meetings, or the anticipated solicitation will be transferred to the Procurement and Contracts for response.

Proposed Rule: Remediation of Leaking Petroleum Storage Tank (LPST) sites

At the November 5, 2008 agenda the Commission approved the proposal of a rule package to revise 30 TAC Chapter 350, the Texas Risk Reduction Program (TRRP), and Chapter 334, Underground and Aboveground Storage Tanks rules. The proposed rule language will be published in the November 21, 2008, issue of the Texas Register for public comment. The public comment period will end January 5, 2009. You may download the proposed amendments to both Chapters from the following Web page: http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/rules/prop.html#09003.

The commission will hold a stakeholders meeting on this proposal in Austin on December 11, 2008 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. in Bldg E, Room 201S, at the commission's central office located at 12100 Park 35 Circle. The meeting is intended to facilitate discussion on the proposed rules. Oral comments will not be recorded. Comments may be submitted:

• by mail to Michael Parrish, MC 205, Office of Legal Services, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, Texas 78711-3087;
• by fax to Michael Parrish at (512) 239-4808; or
• electronically at http://www5.tceq.state.tx.us/rules/ecomments. File size restrictions may apply to comments submitted through the eComments system.

All comments should reference Rule Project Number 2009-003-350-PR.

Additionally, the commission will hold a public hearing on this proposal in Austin on December 16, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 201S, Building E, at the commission's central office located at 12100 Park 35 Circle. The hearing will be structured for the receipt of oral or written comments. Registration begins 30 minutes prior to the hearing. Individuals may present oral statements when called upon in order of registration. A time limit may be established to assure enough time is allowed for every interested person to speak. There will be no open discussion during the hearing; however, commission staff members will be available for discussion 30 minutes prior to the hearing and will answer questions before and after the hearing. Persons planning to attend the hearing, who have special communication or other accommodation needs, should contact Michael Parrish, Office of Legal Services, at (512) 239-2548. Requests should be made as far in advance as possible.

Hurricane Ike's Effect on Laboratory Samples

Due to the September 2008 preparation, evacuation, and/or recovery activities associated with the Hurricane Ike event along the Texas coast in the Galveston/Houston area, environmental laboratories in that area impacted by the hurricane's movements may report holding time and temperature preservation issues for samples collected Friday, September 5, 2008 through Thursday, September 11, 2005. These activities may include a) the mandatory and/or voluntary evacuation of the laboratories in advance of the hurricane's anticipated and/or actual landfall, b) the couriers, responsible for delivering the samples to the laboratory, not entering the area by land or by air until after the hurricane conditions had subsided, and c) the laboratory's recovery and return to routine operating conditions following the hurricane event.

The agency has developed guidelines with information regarding the evaluation of sample data and reimbursement issues when sample delivery and/or analysis was impacted by the hurricane event.

Laboratory Accreditation

Starting July 1, 2008, analytical data submitted to us that is related to permitting or remediation must be generated by a lab that our Texas Laboratory Accreditation Program has accredited under the NELAC standard for matrices, methods, and parameters of analysis, unless:

• The lab is an in-house lab and meets one of these criteria:
  • The lab performs work for its owner, for another company with a unit located on the same site, or without compensation for a governmental agency or charitable organization.
  • The lab is in another state and is accredited or inspected by that state.
• The lab is accredited under federal law.
• The data are needed for emergency-response activities and no TLAP-accredited lab is available.
• The lab supplies data for which we do not offer accreditation.

Starting July 1, 2008, we will accept analytical data for a permitting or remediation decision only if the data comply with all applicable rules for the regulatory program involved and:

• the lab generating the data is NELAC-accredited by TLAP,
• we have approved an exception as described above, or
• the data were generated on or before June 30, 2008.

For additional information on these requirements, see the NELAC page at http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/agency/nelac.html.

Report Required for Sites with Groundwater Contamination

The Texas Water Code (TWC) §26.408 requires the TCEQ, within 30 days of the date the TCEQ receives notice or otherwise becomes aware of groundwater contamination, to notify owners and users of private drinking water wells that may be affected by the groundwater contamination (ingestion standards exceeded).

The TCEQ needs critical local drinking water information within a short time frame to implement TWC §26.408. Please refer to the TWC §26.408 web page for guidance and information on this program.

Professional Geoscientists' Seal

Refer to this information on Professional Geoscientists' Seal requirements.

Listservs

Would you like to receive an e-mail when we have new information available regarding TRRP, PST, or the MSD programs? If so, refer to this information on joining the list(s) of your choice.