CAPE COD, Mass. -- The Environmentai Technology Center (ETC), a non-profit organization created by The Cape Cod Economic Development Council (now the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce) and Commonwealth of Massachusetts Legislation, has announced a collaboration with the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence (AFCEE) and the U.S. EPA to conduct technology demonstrations to optimize contaminated groundwater pump-and-treat systems at the Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR).
The Air Force is funding the demonstration of technologies that would optimize the existing and proposed contaminated groundwater pump & treat systems. The first phase is a demonstration of several advanced computer models developed at research universities around the country. Pump & treat technology is being used or proposed for more than 8 groundwater contaminant plumes at this Superfund site. Some of these systems will be the largest in the country. Optimization of the systems results in faster clean-up of the aquifer, lower costs, and less impact to the environment.
The EPA, which in a recent analysis of technology use at Superfund sites identified pump & treat as the technology used at 99 percent of Superfund sites, is committing additional resources for this effort, including expanding the demonstration to other sites.
The Environmental Technology Center is negotiating license agreements with the software developers and intends to use the demonstration results to assist in commercialization of the technology. Jim Plunkett, Executive Director of the Center, says, "the best case scenario would be an environmental software company based on Cape Cod which could market its product to national and international markets".
The Environmental Technology Center is an independent non-profit corporation located at the Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR), focused on demonstration and commercialization of emerging environmental technologies; specifically technologies which are applicable to the clean-up issues at the MMR.
The Environmental Technology Center is the result of cooperative efforts of several people and organizations including: Former Congressman Gerry Studds and Congressman Bill Delahunts' Office. the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce -- Economic Development Corporation, the Massachusetts Office of Environmental Affairs, and USEPA Region 1.
Funds from the Air Force and EPA have also been used by the Environmental Technology Center and the Environmental Technology Collaborative of Cape Cod to establish an intern and training program at the MMR. The intern program has supported over 100 interns since it's inception in 1995. The environmental training program has provided hazardous waste operations worker training to over 100 members of the military, municipal employees, and students.
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