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Ecosystem Services Consideration in the Remediation Process for Contaminated Sites
Citation:
Harwell, M., C. Jackson, M. Kravitz, K. Lynch, J. Tomasula, A. Neale, M. Mahoney, C. Pachon, K. Scheuermann, G. Grissom, AND K. Parry. Ecosystem Services Consideration in the Remediation Process for Contaminated Sites. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, 285:112102, (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112102
Impact/Purpose:
The purpose of this manuscript is to provide contaminated site project teams a basic understanding of ecosystem services (ES) and provide guidelines for considering ES at cleanup sites. Addressing ES is a good engineering practice that improves cleanups, consistent with USEPA’s Core Elements of Greener Cleanups. This manuscript summarizes how an ES approach can inform technical decisions at environmental remediation projects, in part to reduce the environmental footprint of cleanup actions. The characterization of ES described in this manuscript provides an approach that may help site contaminated cleanup teams understand ES present at their site, understand how the remedial action may impact them, screen for mitigative measures, and effectively communicate ES concepts and involve the public in site decisions. It provides information about ES concepts, a framework for ES consideration in cleanup contexts, and example case study applications of ES assessment tools to illustrate the evaluation process. This manuscript was built from a collaborative RESES project between EPA Regional Programs, Office of Land and Emergency Management, and Office of Research and Development’s Sustainable and Healthy Communities research program with the intent of providing project managers leading remediation activities at contaminated sites technical guidance on considering ES at their sites. A key finding is that the tools individually have a focused applicability across parts of the ES spectrum. However, there is no single tool to evaluate site information and provide complete results on ES for all sites as each tool has its own advantages and disadvantages. Choosing which tool to use for a particular site depends on the site’s landscape setting, the size of the site, the types of ecosystems present that could be impacted by the cleanup or restored for reuse, and the resources available to conduct the analysis. This manuscript is broadly applicable to any remediation site with ecological considerations.
Description:
In 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Science Advisory Board recommended activities to advance consideration of ecosystem services (ES) to enhance existing remediation and redevelopment processes in the U.S. This article examines advancements in the decade since, focusing on providing those involved in cleanup of contaminated sites a basic understanding of ES concepts and guidelines for considering ES at cleanup sites using a new, four-step transferable framework. Descriptions, including activities for site teams and case study applications of ES tools, are presented for each step: (1) identify site-specific ES; (2) quantify relevant ES; (3) examine how cleanup activities affect ES; and (4) identify, select, and implement solutions (e.g., Best Management Practices). The goal of this article is to provide site cleanup stakeholders, including project managers, contractors, and site responsible parties, with a stronger foundation and shared understanding to consider ES during the cleanup process for their given site. Anticipated outcomes include identifying ES benefits to inform management and tradeoff analyses, a reduction in unintended impacts on ES during site operations, and attention to developing a robust suite of ES relevant for site reuse.
URLs/Downloads:
DOI: Ecosystem Services Consideration in the Remediation Process for Contaminated Sites
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33588170/