Task Force Meetings:
Technical Track Work Group Meetings:
Number of meetings in 2017 (http://srrttf.org/?page_id=961)
- Task Force (TF) Meetings: 15 (including two by phone and two other stand-alone meetings with EPA and Color Pigment Manufacturers Association)
- Technical Track Work Group (TTWG) Meetings: 12
- Education & Outreach (E&O) Work Group Meetings: Six
- Funding Work Group Meetings: One
- Administrative & Contracting Entity (ACE) Meetings: Three (up through August—did one more occur?)
January 2017: Three meetings in January (TTWG, TF, and E&O)
Inputs:
Process Discussion: Chris Page asked the Task Force to try to get all meeting materials in by noon the day before meetings. This is deadline for edits to agenda and materials with the exception of crucial late-breaking information.
Presentation/Discussion: Several EPA representatives attended the Task Force meeting in person or via phone to discuss the Human Health Criterial Ruling: Christine Psyk, Angela Chung, Brian Nickel, Mike Szelag, and Lucy Edmonson (who will join Brian Nickel in representing EPA on the SRRTTF).
Presentation/Discussion: Brandee Era-Miller provided, via email, updates on ongoing EAP projects: Long-Term Monitoring of PCBs in Lake Spokane Using Age-Dated Lake Sediment Cores, LSR Hatchery Case Study (sampling/analysis of hatchery fish—includes Trout Lodge (Avista) fish, High Volume Sampling/Long Term Monitoring Station at Spokane Tribal Reservation Boundary, Atmospheric Deposition, and Assessment of Methods for Sampling Low-Level Toxics in Surface Waters.
Outputs:
DECISION: The SRRTTF accepted the notes for November 16, 2016 and December 7, 2016 with a minor edit to the item titled,” Green Chemistry” on the final page of the December 7th, 2016 notes.
DECISION: The Task Force approved a letter of support for the Lands Council National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Grant Proposal to fund high school curricula for stormwater and Low Impact Development (LID). (
DECISION: The group agreed to move forward with development of a contract with CDM Smith to develop a database specific to the Task Force needs (to include that they turn the database over to the TF after). ACE to proceed with the contract with the scope of work as written.
DECISION: The Task Force approved the press release (drafted by the Education and Outreach work group) on the completion of the Comprehensive Plan, with minor edits as discussed at the meeting, and with the addition of a list of contacts as discussed.
DECISION: The May 24th, 2017 Task Force meeting was moved to May 31st, 2017.
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman to send EAP project update out to the full task Force. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman to incorporate all TTWG comments on the draft Press Release and send to the Task Force for review. Ruckelshaus Center to post Draft on January 18th, 2017 for a decision at the January Task Force meeting. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Chris Page to add funding/budget to the 1/25/17 Task Force meeting agenda. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman to make the edit and post the notes to the Task Force website. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Chris Page to connect with King County about a presentation on the blank contamination study at a future Task Force meeting. (Sent email, but needs follow-up)
ACTION ITEM: Ruckelshaus Center (Kara Whitman) to resend edited email asking SRRTTF participants to urge legislators to provide $ to the Task Force in the legislative budget. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Add an agenda item for next meeting – revisit the budget, funding strategies, and funding work group. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Kara to send the edited letter to Amanda Parrish on Task Force letterhead. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman to make the edits to the Comp Plan press release and add all signatories’ names, including John Beacham from Post Falls, and others if they choose (IDEQ and Dept. of Transportation) and put it on Task Force letterhead. Ruckelshaus Center to post the release on the Task Force website. Have Brook Beeler send out to the Ecology list serve, potentially Dan Redline at IDEQ. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Dave Moss to check on room availability for May 31st at the Spokane County Water Resource Center. (COMPLETED, confirmed)
ACTION ITEM: Kristen Zimmer to build a mockup for a new opening home page for the Task Force that focusses implementation and the PCB “story” as discussed in the meeting. Toni Taylor to help provide text for the page.
ACTION ITEM: Education and Outreach work group to start to pull together a logic diagram/draft work plan for the work of the education and outreach work group over the next year based on the control actions in the Comp Plan. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: The Ruckelshaus Center to put together a list of the SWAT teams and their leads and send out to the full Task Force. (COMPLETE)
February 2017: Four meetings in February (TF, TTWG, ACE, E&O)
Inputs:
Presentation/Discussion: EPA requested to meet with the Task Force (as requested) to discuss issues related to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); folks from EPA Region 10 will attend in person and EPA representatives from D.C. will attend by phone. They would like to talk through the challenges, and discuss options and strategies for addressing them. (Scheduled for April 2017)
Discussion: Task Force members attended Ecology Policy 1-11 Webinars and provided input.
Presentation/Discussion: Task Force small control action work groups presented their work plan status: Demolition Renovation and Control, Green Chemistry, Education and Outreach.
Outputs:
DECISION: The Task Force approved the January 25th, 2017 notes with minor edits.
ACTION ITEM: The Data Mining SWAT Team to consider meeting with the TCP program including Bill fees, Sandy Trecanni, and Jeremy Schmidt to narrow the focus for data mining.
ACTION ITEM: Bud Leber to take the data mining flow chart and expand so that it directly links to what is in the comp plan, prepare for the February TF meeting. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Tracking timeline: put in the Items that exactly match the comp plan – put this in the excel spreadsheet. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Building demolition and renovations: Cadie Olsen to set the next meeting of this subcommittee and prepare some discussion of next steps to discuss at the next full Task Force meeting. They will work from the Building and Renovation Control flow chart that Adriane put together. (Complete)
ACTION ITEM: Colorbox Rules: Greg Lahti will find more about the timeline for DES and report back to the Task Force to look at spreadsheet of the potential impact to the river given concentration of PCBS in paint and the gallons applied to roads. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Ruckelshaus Center revise the control action excel spreadsheet, adding a section called “future studies”, or make a separate tab for this section of the Com Plan. Also, make sure that the spreadsheet is consistent with the numbering and designation of A, B, C actions as designated in the Comp Plan.
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman to make the edits to the January 25th, 2017 notes and post to the Task Force website. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Technical Track Work Group (TTWG): Comp plan actions -Evaluate and determine the first steps, estimate how much they cost, and make recommendations to the Task Force. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Lisa Dally Wilson: Put data mining logic flow into list form for the TTWG to prioritize. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Comp Plan Work groups identify any anticipated expenditures.
ACTION ITEM: Ruckelshaus Center send out Greg Lahti’s numbers on PCBs in WSDOT paint in Spokane River basin (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Chris Page to connect with Andy Dunau to discuss the River Forum agenda and see if there is crossover with the Task Force work. (COMPLETE—no agenda yet for River Forum, dialogue to continue)
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman to send out information on the petition to EPA rom the Association of Washington Business. (COMPLETE)
March 2017: Three meetings in March 2017 (TTWG, TF, Funding)
Inputs:
Presentation/Update: The Lands Council provided an update on the White Rot Fungi Project (PCBs in Vactor Waste Breakdown).
Presentation/Discussion: Ecology TCP Program: Reopening Ecology Toxics Cleanup Program Sites
Presentation/Discussion: Mary Lou Soscia (EPA) Presented on the Columbia River Restoration Act.
Presentation/Discussion: Holly Davies updated the Task For on her work with PCBs in products and the Ecology database that is development.
Outputs:
ACTION ITEM: Adriane will look through the plan to see where Urban Waters can help.
ACTION ITEM: Dave Dilks will add questions raised by the data and how future monitoring would play into this in the Monthly sampling report.
ACTION ITEM: LimnoTech to pull together scope and budget and timeline for technical support for Task 1, 2, 3 by March 15th, 2017. (COMPLETE) Task Force to decide whether to continue process support with LimnoTech.
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman to make the minor revisions to the March 22, 2017 meeting summary and then post to the Task Force website. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: ACE to put together the contract with Limnotech for Task 1, 2, 3, and 4 as discussed at the meeting. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Adriane Borgias to send information on the Duwamish including access to their listserv and Kara Whitman to send it out to the Task Force. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Chris Page to ask Lisa Rodenburg if she would present to the Task Force on her work with the Duwamish. (COMPLETE. Update: Dr. Rodenburg to present at the April 2017 Task Force meeting)
ACTION ITEM: Dave Dilks, TTWG, and EPA to discuss the process of reopening Ecology TCP sites further with Sandy Trecanni and Bill Fees of TCP.
ACTION ITEM: Mary Lou to send the Columbia River Restoration Act language to Chris Page to send to the Task Force. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: The SRRTTF Outreach work group to brainstorm how to tell a coherent story of PCBS in products without causing undue alarm (Discussion in progress, but group needs further discussion.)
ACTION ITEM: EPA TSCA Meeting: The meeting with EPA representatives will occur April 26th, 2017 after the Task Force meeting at Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District from 12:30pm to 2:00pm. Adriane Borgias and Doug Krapas to coordinate with Lucy on meeting details.
ACTION ITEM: Ruckelshaus Center to send the list of contacts for house budget, clarifying that individual organizations should contact legislators. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Adriane to contact work group leads to discuss populating the Comp Plan tracking spreadsheet.
ACTION ITEM: Ruckelshaus Center, with Adriane’s assistance, convert the Comp Plan tracking spreadsheet into a google doc to send to Task Force members for updating. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: The Ruckelshaus Center to put together a Scope and budget for 7/1/17-6/30/18, for consideration at the April 2017 Task Force meeting. (COMPLETE)
DECISION: The Task Force approved the March 22, 2017 meeting summary with minor revisions.
DECISION: The Task Force approved the LimnoTech Scope of Work for 2017, as amended at the meeting, for a total of $46,800.
April 2017: Four meetings in April (TTWG, TF, EPA/TF, E&O)
Inputs:
Presentations/Discussions (TTWG): Update on December Monthly Sampling Data and 2016 Technical Activities Report, Laboratory blank contamination, LimnoTech New Scope of Work Task 1-4, Positive Matrix Factorization proposal, Updates on Ecology’s Environmental Assessment Program (EAP), and discussion of whether to hold a Technical Workshop in 2017 or early 2018?
Special Meeting with EPA Headquarters and EPA Region 10: Goal of meeting was to identify technically and legally defensible solutions that address the regulatory conflicts between the TSCA/water quality standards and to development of next steps to make this happen should be the primary outcome of this initial meeting. The meeting included presentations by IEP and Ecology.
Presentations/Discussion (SRRTTF): Dr. Lisa Rodenburg called in to present her “PCB Congener and Factor Analysis Results on the Duwamish River Watershed.”, LimnoTech presented on preliminary findings of the homolog specific mass balance analysis of 2014 and 2015 data, Brian Nickel presented on EPA PCB Cleanup Sites in the Spokane River Watershed, Chris Donley presented on their work for Low PCB product purchasing and the letter that WDFW sent regarding low-PCB purchasing to fish feed vendors as a permit requirement, and Mike LaScuola presented on the “Communications Continuum” and “Social Marketing Campaign Development”.
Outputs:
ACTION ITEM: Mike Hermanson to coordinate with CDM Smith to prioritize input of data into database. ACTION ITEM: Dave Dilks to provide a draft of the Monthly Monitoring Report for Task Force review one week prior to the April Task Force meeting on 4/26/17.
ACTION ITEM: TCP (Sandy and Jeremy) to develop a stepwise process for Comp Plan Task 5.14, Part 3 in coordination with Bud Leber.
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman to make the discussed edits to the March 22, 2017 meeting summary and place them on the Task Force website. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Doug Krapas to put a letter together on TSCA Reform. The letter to be posted by May 3rd for a decision on a Conference Call meeting on May 10th at 10 am. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman to schedule a conference call for May 10th at 10 am and send out call in information for the meeting. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman to contact Andy Dunau about the possibility of the Task Force having a session at the Forum on the Comprehensive Plan. (COMPLETE, Andy has tentatively schedule a session on the second day, after Brandi’s presentation, pending Task Force decision to hold the session).
DECISION: The Task Force approved the March 22, 2017 meeting summary with minor edits as delineated at the meeting (change March to February, add year for any mentions of months).
DECISION: The Task Force decided to extend the Ruckelshaus Contract for the FY17-18, pulling out line item nine (public workshop) and specifying that amount as optional, to be determined.
May 2017: The Task Force held four meetings in May (TTWG, TF meeting with Color Pigment Manufacturer’s Association, Special TF conference call, and full TF meeting)
Inputs:
Presentations/Discussions (TTWG): LimnoTech presentation on 2016 Monthly Sampling and Report on 2016 Technical Activities, Adriane Borgias provided a brief overview of how to search the EIM database, Mike LaScuola gave a presentation on the Spokane Industrial Park site hazard assessment and cleanup (Map of site), Bud Leber presented on Kaiser’s groundwater treatment pilot project, and Sandra Treccani and Jeremy Schmidt of Ecology’s TCP provided a stepwise approach to addressing Comp Plan action 5.14.
Presentations/Discussion (TF/CPMA Meeting): EPA TSCA Presentation, CPMA presentation, George R. Fuchs Printing Ink presentation, and IEP PCB Presentation.
Presentations/Discussions (TF): CDM Smith issued a draft memo on the data management pilot project, Quarterly work group updates included: Green Chemistry, Regulatory Rulemaking (TSCA reform and WSDOT color box), Building demolition and renovation, Waste disposal assistance, and public outreach. The Task Force also discussed the NPDES permit timelines and process, and legislative funding.
Outputs:
ACTION ITEM: Doug Krapas drafted a letter to EPA regarding Docket ID No. EPA-HQOA-2017-0190-TSCA Inadvertent PCB Allowance Discrepancy with Water Quality Standards. The Ruckelshaus made edits as discussed at the TTWG meeting and sent it out to the full Task Force for review and decision at the Special Task Force conference call meeting. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Task Force Meeting to be held on May 10 at 10am by phone. “Can you live with it?” TTWG has already reviewed and provided their edits/feedback. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Adriane Borgias to send link to where the Task Force letter in response to EPA Docket ID No. EPA-HQOA-2017-0190-TSCA document should be submitted. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Final version of the Task Force response letter on Docket ID No. EPA-HQOA-2017-0190-TSCA Inadvertent PCB Allowance Discrepancy with Water Quality Standards, if agreed upon at May 10th meeting, to go to EPA by Ruckelshaus Center on behalf of the Task Force. (COMPLETE, submitted 5/11/17 online, and submitted hard copy via mail)
ACTION ITEM: LimnoTech Report on 2016 Monthly Sampling ready for potential approval at May 31st Task Force meeting. Pre-final draft out by May 4th (comments by May 17th); more formal draft to be posted by May 24th for decision at May 31st meeting.
ACTION ITEM: Ruckelshaus Center to add long term status monitoring as an agenda item to talk about at the June 2017 TTWG meeting. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman to finalize and upload approved meeting notes to SRRTTF website. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Task Force participants to send comments/revisions on notes from 4/26/17 Task Force/EPA meeting to Adriane Borgias.
ACTION ITEM: The Data Management Work group to meet to review the technical memo provided by CDM Smith for database task 1&2 (PCB Data Compatibility/Database Functionality Review) and provide recommendations for the next steps to the Task Force. Report draft to be sent to Ruckelshaus Center for posting by June 21st, 2017 for a decision at the June 28th, 2017 Task Force meeting.
ACTION ITEM: The Data Management Work Group to invite CDM Smith to attend and present at the June 28th, 2017 Task Force meeting. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: The Regulatory Reform/TSCA Work Group to meet via conference call to determine next steps. (COMPLETE)
Public Outreach: The outreach group will meet on June 7th, 2017 to develop messaging for the online outreach clearinghouse. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: PCB Control Action Implementation Spreadsheet: Ecology has offered to maintain the spreadsheet as part of its tracking of “Measurable Progress,” including acting as liaison with Control Action work groups.
ACTION ITEM: Adriane Borgias to provide a list of actions that she is working on that need to be completed (i.e. picked up by another Task Force member or Ecology representative). (COMPLETE)
DECISION: The Task Force approved the letter on Docket ID No. EPA-HQOA-2017-0190-TSCA Inadvertent PCB Allowance Discrepancy with Water Quality Standards with the edits discussed at the meeting.
DECISION: The Task Force approved the April 26th, 2017 and May 10th, 2017 meeting notes (with minor edits).
DECISION: The Task Force approved the 2016 Monthly Monitoring Report as final.
June 2017: The Task Force held three meetings in June (TTWG, TF, and E&O)
Inputs:
Presentations/Discussions (TF): Lucy Edmonson discussed some of the comments from the meeting summary of the EPA Task Force meeting that happened on April 26, 2017, LimnoTech presented on the homolog specific mass balance analysis and future monitoring in support of the Comprehensive Plan, Rachael McCrea of Ecology summarized the PCB-related work going on in the Green/Duwamish River that would be available for further presentations to the Task force down the road, and the Education and Outreach work group presented a proposal for a PCB outreach website.
Outputs:
ACTION ITEM: Karin Baldwin to coordinate with CDM on the recommendations from the TTWG. Mike Hermanson and Rob Lindsay to set up a meeting with CDM Smith to discuss the memo and invite TTWG. Proposal to move the Tech Track meeting to the 12th, have CDM Smith attend via conference call if the Task Force feels it would be useful. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Kara to send email requesting Task Force submit comments/questions to Mike Hermanson and Rob Lindsay by June 16th on CDM Memo and send EIM template to CDM for Export function. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: move July TTWG meeting to 7/12/17 and lengthen to three hours (9:30 to 12:30). (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Brandee Era-Miller to check on EAP staff availability for November 13th, 2017. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Rob Lindsay to check with Andy Dunau on scheduling a room on Monday at the Coeur d’Alene Resort prior to the River Forum conference. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Kara to contact Spokane County Water Resource Center to change Task Force meeting from November 15th to November 29th. (COMPLETE, November 29th scheduled)
ACTION ITEM: Jerry White to confirm with Rick Eichstaedt that Riverkeeper will present the information on an amicus brief they are involved in at the next Task Force meeting. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Don Keil to email the Ruckelshaus Center confirming that Mike Anderson will serve as the primary representative and Don Keil will be the alternate. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman to make the minor edits to the May 31st, 2017 meeting notes and post them to the Task Force website. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman to make the minor edits to the EPA/TF TSCA meeting notes and post the summary as final on the Task Force website. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Dave Dilks to provide a list of monitoring options, their objectives, and associated costs for discussion at the July 12th 2017 TTWG meeting. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Brandee Era-Miller, Karin Baldwin, and Adriane Borgias are to provide info on whatever Ecology monitoring options are possible (in 2018 and beyond), for discussion at the July 2017 Task Force meeting. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Task Force/TTWG group to prioritize topics and follow-up questions that Rachel McCrae or other Duwamish representative could present on in depth. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Chris Page to work with Rachel to schedule presentations as the SRRTTF prioritizes them. (IN PROGRESS)
ACTION ITEM: The CDM Smith Technical Memo for Task 1&2 to be posted for a decision at the July 26th Task Force meeting. Task Force members to send questions for CDM Smith before the July Task Force meeting, or bring them to that meeting. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Rob Lindsay to coordinate with Andy Dunau on potentially having Brandee Era-Miller present the three completed studies at the Forum (rather than at a separate Task Force meeting).
ACTION ITEM: The Outreach Workgroup to confer on the top couple/three urls that could be purchased for a website. (COMPLETE)
DECISION: The May 31st, 2017 meeting summary notes accepted with minor revisions as noted at meeting.
DECISION: The 4/26/17 EPA – Task Force meeting notes were accepted with minor grammatical edits.
DECISION: The meeting will stay on the 26th, with Kara Whitman facilitating and another Ruckelshaus Center person (Shane Carnohan) to fill in as note taker.
DECISION: Task Force Meeting to be scheduled for the 29th of November. (Kara to check room schedule) (COMPLETE)
DECISION: The Task Force approved the concept of the website and the outreach workgroup moving forward with the proposal.
July 2017: The Task Force held two meetings in July (TTWG and TF)
Inputs:
Email/TF website informational Posts: Limnotech’s “draft: Homolog Specific PCB Mass Balance for the Spokane River” available for review, Ecology News: Public Participation Grants Application Open, EPA to hold five public meetings in Idaho focusing on IDEQ seeking water quality permitting program, Ecology UPDATE: Solid Waste Handling Rules, ECOLOGY News: State Fiscal Year 2017 (SFY17) Draft Funding Offer List and Intended Use Plan (Draft List) for public review and comment, CDM Smith Technical Memo: Feedback requested by June 16, 2017, EPA NEWS: FY 2017 Grant Announcement: FY 2017 Source Reduction Assistance Grant Program, and Ecology News: Coastal Protection Fund (CPF) – Terry Husseman Account (THA) Grants.
Presentations/Discussions (TTWG): The TTWG discussed and prioritized the Duwamish River PCB Cleanup topics for further discussion at the Task Force meeting, and LimnoTech presented on Future Monitoring in Support of the Comprehensive Plan: Costs for Various Options.
Presentations/Discussions (TF): Dave Dilks presented the Homolog-specific mass balance memo draft and the comments received, CDM Smith presented the prototype Task Force PCB database,
Outputs:
ACTION ITEM: The Spokane River Stewardship Partnership (SRSP) to draft a “strawman” to begin the conversation at the work session. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: The TTWG to have a monitoring work session at August 2nd meeting. Develop a strategy to move forward (to bring to the Task Force). This will be an iterative process over the next months. Try to get Chris Donley and Brandee Era-Miller to 8/2 TTWG meeting and invite Task Force members (announce at 7/26/17 Task Force meeting. Determine next steps at work session.
ACTION ITEM: Dave Dilks to put together a by-location list of values from previous studies, to help the group think through the temporal and spatial options.
ACTION ITEM: SRSP to put together a list of planned treatment upgrades and their expected load reductions. (COMPLETE? Needs follow-up)
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman to add questions from the TTWG for each requested topic from the Duwamish, send to TTWG group to edit the questions, then provide to the Task Force. Any topics that will inform long term monitoring should be front-loaded in the sequence of presentations. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: The August 2017 TTWG meeting to be a work session, extended to go from 9:30 to 12:30. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman to finalize and post 6/28/17 meeting summary to the Task Force website. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Task Force to hold a “budget summit” to broaden discussion, develop ideas for budget allocations, identify options, allow people to think about it, and develop a timeline. This discussion will continue at the ACE meeting and beyond, since the group agreed a “budget summit” makes sense. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Task Force members in Washington state contact their legislators about the 2017 capital budget, which has not passed. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: The TTWG to discuss difference between 1668-A and C. Bud Leber to follow up with AXYS. (COMPLETED)
ACTION ITEM: CDM Smith to send Mike Hermanson an excel spreadsheet that includes necessary columns (Electronic Data Deliverable format), so each data owner can request specific data from AXYS. (COMPLETE? Needs follow-up)
ACTION ITEM: CDM Smith to present the database via webinar at the September 6 th, 2017 TTWG meeting. Ruckelshaus Center to coordinate with CDM Smith for the webinar, Karin Baldwin to set up webinar access for the meeting. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Ruckelshaus Center to confer with Rachel McCrae on the questions the Task Force has on each topic and work to identify the appropriate presenter for the identified/prioritized topics. (IN PROGRESS)
DECISION: The SRRTTF approved the June 28th, 2017 meeting summary.
August 2017: The Task Force held three meetings in August 2017 (ACE, TTWG, TF)
Inputs:
Presentations/Discussions (TTWG): Sarah Hubbard Gray and the SRSP pulled together a “straw man” outline for long term PCB monitoring to begin the dialogue.
Presentations/Discussions (TF): The Task Force discussed data gathering for CDM Smith, the Task Force potential Long term monitoring approach, Ecology’s Central Tendency study to address what EPA had outlined in their memo to the court, and a LimnoTech discussed a proposed analysis of fish and water column data using existing data. Karin Baldwin also gave a presentation potential PCB Control Actions, based on the Comp Plan, to fulfill State Budget Allocation Requirements, and Mike LaScuola gave a presentation on the Spokane Regional Health Districts interactive PCB house.
Outputs:
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman to make the edits to the July 26th, 2017 Task Force notes and post them as final notes to the Task Force website. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Mike Hermanson to schedule a meeting with data-owning folks about the Electronic Data Deliverable (EDD) template to discuss how chain of custody, location information, etc. will be addressed in the database/reporting. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: TTWG to consider this issue of a central tendency study at the Sept. 6, 2017 meeting. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: TTWG to consider the proposed study with the long-term monitoring plan at 9/6/17 meeting. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEMS: Mike LaScuola provide web traffic numbers for a sample Health District web page; Mike also to request FDA conduct market basket PCB study. (?)
ACTION ITEM: Karin Baldwin will check the status of groundwater study Ted Hamlin was working on before retiring. (COMPLETE: this data went to LimnoTech and the County. The County (Mike Hermanson) was going to write the report (jointly with Ecology) and include it in that report.
ACTION ITEM: Lucy Edmondson to follow up with Sara Reese about the Task Force letter to EPA in May and on the status of the PCB 11 toxicity screening. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Karin Baldwin to convene Green Chemistry work group (Doug Greenland, Mike Petersen, Saskia Vanbergen, Kara Whitman, and include Michelle Mullin from EPA). (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Jim Ross to send the final report on the demolition study (when complete) and the data to Ruckelshaus Center for Task Force distribution.
ACTION ITEM: Rob Lindsay, Karin Baldwin, Jerry White (or other environmental representative) volunteered to form a panel discussion/presentation for the Forum. The panel to present what has the Task Force done over the past few years. Small presentation and panel discussion? (COMPLETE, the panel ended up focusing on general regional toxics outreach)
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman and the E&O Work group to update Task Force posters and add a new panel for display at the River Forum. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman to request that the Education and Outreach work group potentially draft a carefully worded and diplomatic letter to send to other communities in the watershed with information about what the Task Force is doing and why. (COMPLETE, Jerry White has taken on this task)
DECISION: July 26th, 2017 Task Force meeting notes were accepted.
DECISION: SRRTTF approved the 2017 Homolog Mass Balance Memo with the edits Dave Dilks discussed.
September 2017: The Task Force held three meetings in September (TTWG, E&O, TF)
Inputs:
Presentations/Discussions (TTWG and E&O): CDM Smith provided a walkthrough of the database features, the group discussed how to move the Task Force forward into implementation actions using the “Strawman” long term monitoring framework, project ideas from Spokane County, and a list of project ideas from Ecology, and they had a discussion of the merits of developing a more comprehensive study on fish tissue and PCBs. The Education and Outreach work group had a work session to revise the 2016 Task Force outreach posters (Panel 1, Panel 2, and Panel 3) and create a new one focused on “What you can do”. The posters are to be revised by the October Task Force meeting for a decision and then to be on display at the November 2017 Spokane River Forum.
Presentations/Discussions (TF): The Task Force held a budget summit at the September meeting to discuss and prioritize projects to use of the $310,000 in funds provided by the legislature. Actions for funding were prioritized by the Technical Track Work Group with a survey prior to the full Task Force meeting of which most voting Task Force members participated in. This led to a prioritized list of projects for the full Task Force to consider. LimnoTech also gave a presentation on the “Comparison of Homolog-Patterns for Groundwater Well Data and Suspected Loads” and on the draft memo of this work.
Outputs:
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman to post the August 23, 2017 final notes to the Task Force website. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Chris Donley to locate PCB or fish contaminant experts and begin to put a suggested scope of work together along with a small Task Force workgroup (NOTE: On 10/4/17 the TTWG solicited volunteers for this fish sampling workgroup and came up with Brandee Era-Miller, Doug Krapas, Dave Dilks, Cadie Olson, Bud Leber, Lisa Dally Wilson, and Spokane County (TBD) in addition to Chris Donley and anyone else from WDFW. Monica Ott was also added to this work group at a later date.)
ACTION ITEM: Lisa Manning, Jerry White, AND Karin Baldwin to discuss the SRRTTF session for the Forum. Tom Agnew will ask BiJay if he can participate. (NOTE: Kara Whitman talked with Andy Dunau, who changed the session to a discussion of regional toxics outreach; the Task Force is no longer developing this session.)
DECISION: The Task Force authorized ACE to pay up to $5,000 to LimnoTech, and up to $10,000 to AXYS, to pay for the retrieval and/or generation of analytical data files needed to complete work on the Task Force database.
DECISION: Task Force accepted the 8/23/17 meeting notes, with one minor edit noted.
DECISION: The Task Force chose the “Partial Synoptic Sampling (high-frequency)” general approach. The work will be framed as baseline data collection, with further discussion of location, timing, and number of samples.
DECISION: The group wants to do “true science” on PCBs in fish tissue, but recognized a lot more thought needs to go into it, so tabled doing this study until the parameters can be more thoroughly pulled together.
DECISION: The Task Force agreed to the following projects for the $310,000 in legislative funding. Other moneys could fund other projects that did not get selected at this time.
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up to $140 K b (study groundwater upgradient of Kaiser)
$50,000 c (Plantes Ferry Park/Upriver Dam/Greene St. mass balance)
$10,000 i (support Green Chemistry) Total: $310,000
$ 35,000 j (product testing)
$25,000 e (outreach)
$50,000 Partial Sampling
DECISION: The Task Force agreed to authorize ACE to add scope and budget to cover ad-hoc TTWG requests.
ACTION ITEM: Chris Page invite Stephanie Hampton of CEREO to December Task Force meeting. (COMPLETE)
October 2017: The Task Force held three meetings in October 2017 (TTWG, E&O, TF)
Inputs:
Presentations/Discussions (TTWG and E&O): CDM Smith provided a guided tour of the Task Force Database and asked for feedback on features in the database, and access to missing analytical data. LimnoTech gave a presentation on the “Comparison of Homolog-Patterns for Groundwater Well Data and Suspected Loads” and the associated memo. The group also discussed proposal for the Environmental Assessment Program (EAP) to take on, this discussion was centered around potential projects based prioritized list from the Task Force, on previously submitted proposals (1, 2) and an additional proposal from Brian Nickel to expand the proposed mass balance assessment. The Education and Outreach Work group continued to revise the Task Force Posters to be ready for the Spokane River Forum.
Presentations/Discussions (TF): Will Hobs provided a presentation on the Wenatchee River PCB and DDT Source assessment and accumulation of PCBs in the food web study. Sundae Delgado of the Department of Enterprise Services also provided a presentation and asked for Task Force feedback and expertise on both an outreach video on PCBs and purchasing as well as a prototype of a purchasing tool to assist in purchasing decision making. The Task Force also worked through a project tracking chart.
Outputs:
ACTION ITEM: Post Falls send lab data to CDM Smith, CDM Smith to work with Brandee Era-Miller to get fish tissue data in the database. (COMPLETE? Awaiting formatting instructions)
ACTION ITEM: CDM Smith to potentially present at October Task Force meeting (will have all the different types of data included). (Did not present, still awaiting more data)
ACTION ITEM: Dave Dilks and Tim Towey to compare the river/groundwater estimated loads to aroclor patterns and report to the Task Force.
ACTION ITEM: Task Force members to send comments to LimnoTech on the Groundwater Memo by October 11th for posting by October 18th for a Task Force decision at the October 25, 2017 Task Force meeting.
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman to edit the 9/27/17 meeting notes and post to Task Force website. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Doug Krapas to have a discussion with representative Ornsby to better understand It would be helpful to have a description on how this funding is to be used, clear parameters. Adriane Borgias to request that Garret Ward from Ecology to provide a description of how the funding works. (COMPLETE: “Since the funding in the budget came from the general fund, SRRTTF can only spend $155K year FY. General Fund – State is an annual appropriation (whereas some of our other accounts are a biennial appropriation). For General Fund, because the funding comes in two separate appropriations, SRRTTF needs to spend $155K in FY18, and $155K in FY19. If SRRTTF underspends in FY18, by say $10K, that $10K does not roll to FY19)
ACTION ITEM: November 2017 meeting topic: project leads and project management.
ACTION ITEMS: The smaller database work group to work with Rao Sangarmanchi of CDM Smith on finishing the project/setting dates, etc.
ACTION ITEM: Jim Ross to work with LimnoTech and TCP (Jeremy Schmidt) to update map with well locations. (COMPLETE?)
ACTION ITEM: Ruckelshaus Center to send out the revised map/memo when it is done so it can be reviewed.
ACTION ITEM: Karin Baldwin and/or Adriane Borgias to put in an ask to Ecology could put in a request to move the fish feed though a bit faster? EAP will put the question out there. any other categories push through faster, ahead of others?
ACTION ITEM: Ecology to find out how the PCB Chemical Action Plan is being implemented as it relates to C10 and C11 in the list of Task Force projects.
ACTION ITEM: EAP- product testing is not appropriate for this group, there may be another avenue. Ecology will be submitted a Central Tendency study and continued technical support to EAP.
ACTION ITEM: Project management discussion to be added to the December 2017 TTWG Agenda. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Ruckelshaus Center to pull together a template for the implementation review summary (IRS) to discuss at the Technical Track Work Group meeting. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Kara to send this announcement out again. (who would write the grant, capacity question – a grant that likes regional coordination). (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Add discussion of process management for the Task Force to the November 2017 Task Force meeting agenda. (COMPLETE)
DECISION: The Task Force approved the 9/27/7 Task Force meeting notes minor edits.
DECISION: The Task Force approved the LimnoTech Groundwater Fingerprinting memo with the contingency that the map of the GE site be updated with correct well locations.
DECISION: Task Force Posters- 4 panels. Approved. Change newsprint to “recycled paper”, use version of poster with less yellow. Use the pie chart.
November 2017: The Task Force held three meetings in October 2017 (TTWG, E&O, TF)
Inputs:
Task Force members attended the Spokane River Forum on November 15 and 16, 2017. The newly revised Task Force poster display was used at the forum.
Outputs:
DECISION: The October 25th, 2017 Task Force meeting notes were approved with the minor spelling edit.
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman to make the minor edit and post the October 25, 2017 Task Force meeting notes to the Task Force website. (COMPLETE)
DECISION: The November 8, 2017 TTWG/SRRTTF Meeting Notes were approved with edits discussed at the meeting.
ACTION ITEM: Kara Whitman to make the minor edit and post the November 8, 2017 TTWG/Task Force meeting notes to the Task Force website. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: All Task Force members to reread the MOA and work to identify some items on how to execute the Comp Plan. Task Force functions – marching orders – define the process.
ACTION ITEM: Spokane Regional Health District to provide a project scheduling/tracking sheet that they use that may be a good template for Task Force project tracking. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Karin Baldwin to send out the budget and timeline from the contract to the Ruckelshaus for dissemination to the Task Force to assist in project lead development of scopes of work. (COMPLETE)
ACTION ITEM: Brandee Era-Miller will send the revised report by Friday Dec. 1. Kara Whitman Could give it another week for review, would be best if Brandee sent out the revised report with the stipulation to have comments back to Brandee by Friday December 8th.
ACTION ITEM: Ruckelshaus Center to pull list of Milestones agreed upon in the Comp Plan and note if they have been reached as part of the Implementation Review Summary (table 11 page 67). Is the Task Force accomplishing what they set out to do? If no, what needs to be done. (In progress, to be completed by January of 2018)
ACTION ITEM: Ruckelshaus Center to provide links on the Task Force website to the Task Force member (permittee) Toxic Management Plans (TMPs) if and when they are available. (Ongoing)
ACTION ITEM: Mike Petersen to pull the scope of work together and a budget for phase two of the fungi study work to be discussed and/or decided upon for funding at the January 2018 Task Force meeting.
December 2017:
The Task Force did not hold any meetings in December. The Ruckelshaus Center facilitated the compilation of materials for the Comprehensive Plan Annual Implementation Review Summary and Task Force members provided feedback to Brandee Era-Miller on an Environmental Assessment Program report on monitoring done at the Spokane Tribal Boundary.