HAEP Release-Response Working Group Presentation - October 18, 2018
China’s Superfund Era – Hawaii’s and the Birth of Environmental Restoration Programs in the Central Kingdom
Presented by Dr. Roger Brewer, State of Hawaii Department of Health
Date: Thursday, October 18, 2018
Time: 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Presentation begins at noon.
Location: HECO Conference Room ASB2, 8th Floor, American Savings Bank Tower, 1001 Bishop Street
Cost: Free. (No lunch provided)
This talk is part of the Hawaii Department of Health/HAEP Release-Response Working Group, which is committed to the increased dissemination of technical knowledge to the Hawaii Environmental Professional Community. As such, this talk is presented free of charge. Brown-bag lunch and drinks are permitted in the room during the talk. Thanks to HECO for providing the meeting space.
Synopsis:
China’s rapid industrial development over the past thirty years has led to a great leap forward in the welfare and prosperity of its citizens. Mega cities connected by highways and high-speed rail are packed with Starbucks, Pizza Hut, Ikea and a plethora of local businesses. The development has come at a cost to the environment. Concerns over air pollution have led to an explosion of electric mopeds and cars, sidewalks are packed with bikeshare bicycles and ultra-modern subways. Outdated, polluting industrial complexes in urban cores are being shut down and redeveloped in order keep up with population growth and the migration of rural people in search of jobs into cities.
Time is of the essence. The Chinese government requires that new construction commence within twelve months of the closure of an industrial complex. Traditional site investigation methods used to investigate and clean up contaminated properties in the US were quickly recognized as inadequate. In this presentation Roger Brewer, with the Hawaii Department of Health, will describe how representatives of the Chinese Academy of Sciences became aware of Hawaii’s guidance on the use of “DU-MIS” investigation methods to expedite the cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties and his experience spending six-months working with the national Soil Science Institute in Nanjing earlier this year to develop similar, DU-MIS guidance for China, assist in site investigations and train budding, environmental regulators and consultants. The experience was particularly exiting for Roger, since he originally moved to Hawaii from Nanjing to began his career in environmental work 25 years ago.
Synopsis:
China’s rapid industrial development over the past thirty years has led to a great leap forward in the welfare and prosperity of its citizens. Mega cities connected by highways and high-speed rail are packed with Starbucks, Pizza Hut, Ikea and a plethora of local businesses. The development has come at a cost to the environment. Concerns over air pollution have led to an explosion of electric mopeds and cars, sidewalks are packed with bikeshare bicycles and ultra-modern subways. Outdated, polluting industrial complexes in urban cores are being shut down and redeveloped in order keep up with population growth and the migration of rural people in search of jobs into cities.
Time is of the essence. The Chinese government requires that new construction commence within twelve months of the closure of an industrial complex. Traditional site investigation methods used to investigate and clean up contaminated properties in the US were quickly recognized as inadequate. In this presentation Roger Brewer, with the Hawaii Department of Health, will describe how representatives of the Chinese Academy of Sciences became aware of Hawaii’s guidance on the use of “DU-MIS” investigation methods to expedite the cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated properties and his experience spending six-months working with the national Soil Science Institute in Nanjing earlier this year to develop similar, DU-MIS guidance for China, assist in site investigations and train budding, environmental regulators and consultants. The experience was particularly exiting for Roger, since he originally moved to Hawaii from Nanjing to began his career in environmental work 25 years ago.
1991: PhD Geology (minor in Chinese)
1991-1993: Post-Doctorate Researcher, Nanjing University (Dept of Geology) 1993-Present: Environmental Scientist (Hawaii Department of Health, California Environmental Protection Agency, international consulting) 2017-2018: Visiting Researcher, Nanjing Institute of Soil Science |
Speaker Bio:
Roger Brewer is senior environmental scientist with the Hawai’i Department of Health (HDOH). His environmental experience includes regulatory compliance audits, field investigations, contaminant fate and transport modeling and human health and ecological risk assessments. In the past ten years he has focused on the development of the state’s Decision Unit and Multi Increment Sample (DU-MIS) site investigation guidance as well as guidance for the risk-based in investigation of petroleum contamination. He is currently working with the Chinese Academy of Sciences on development of DU-MIS guidance and Environmental Screening Levels and spent six months in China in 2017 and 2018 assisting in translation, site investigations and training. Roger has also worked as an environmental consultant in the US, Asia and South America and as a senior geologist and environmental risk assessment specialist for the California Environmental Protection Agency. His academic background includes a PhD in geology and post-doctoral research at Nanjing University in China. |
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