An ecological enhancement is a modification to a site which increases and improves habitat for plants and animals while protecting human health and the environment. Elements of ecological enhancement can include natural or green remediation technologies and/or an end use which restores or otherwise increases the ecological value of the land. Ecological elements may bedesigned into remediation and closure projects. Considered at the inception of planning a site cleanup, green and natural technologies, in addition to traditional technologies, can costeffectively cleanup soil and groundwater contamination and restore, create, and/or improve habitat or the ecosystems. Designing an ecological end use as an integrated component of the remediation system can realize more benefits from the remediation process withoutcompromising the selected remediation goals and objectives. Incorporation of ecological enhancements can benefit multiple stakeholders, such as regulatory agencies, the regulated community, local communities, and the general public. The team believes that greater benefits may be gained by integrating ecological land reuse into the initial remediation strategy, but this in no way is meant to preclude incorporation of ecological enhancements into remediationprojects which are already underway. The Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC) Ecological Land Reuse Team has developed this guidance document to promote ecological land reuse as an integrated part of siteremediation strategies and as an alternative to conventional property development or redevelopment. This reuse may be achieved through a design that considers natural or green technologies or through more traditional cleanup remedies. The decision process presented here helps stakeholders to integrate future land use and stakeholder input into an ecological land enduse-based remediation project. Key to the project success is an understanding of the service capacity (the ability to produce jobs, housing, environmental habitat, mineral resources, agricultural goods, and other societal values) at, near, and surrounding a remediation project. Integrating stakeholders input regarding their desires for community development and needs iscritical. This type of an integrated project can gain strong support from the stakeholders and can transform them into strong advocates for projects integrating ecological elements into the future land reuse plans. The ITRC team is experienced in cleanup and ecological and habitat development techniques and in representing various interests (such as community stakeholders,consultants, the regulated community, government regulatory agencies, non-governmental organizations, and other government agencies). The team has incorporated various perspectives into this guidance to improve its applicability, usability, and value.

"July 2006"--Cover. "Technical and Regulatory Guidance."--Cover. ITRC website at www.itrcweb.org. Includes bibliographical references.