The Department of Defense (DoD) is responsible for remediating and protecting groundwater aquifers associated with military installations. Contaminated groundwater is the largest liability in the Defense Environmental Restoration Program. At many sites, groundwater resources have been contaminated with chlorinated ethenes and ethanes due to past usage and disposal practices. The Strategic Environmental Research & Development Program (SERDP) and the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) have funded numerous research and technology demonstrations to address chlorinated solvent sites since the early 1990s. Less complex sites have been cleaned up to some extent but may still require monitoring and management, and the remaining sites are more challenging.

Given these investments, SERDP and ESTCP hosted a two-day chlorinated solvents expert workshop from July 18-19, 2018 in Seattle, WA to review the current state of science, evaluate the adequacy of existing tools and technologies, and identify and prioritize research priorities to assist SERDP and ESTCP in developing a strategic plan for funding future research and demonstration projects related to chlorinated solvents. Invited participants including DoD and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) remedial project managers, federal and state regulatory scientists and engineers, university researchers, industry representative, and environmental consultants partook in five breakout session to discuss: (1) Site characterization and fine scale delineation; (2) Defining the new conceptual site model (CSM) for remaining sites in the DoD inventory; (3) Long term performance of remediation technologies; (4) Technology transfer issues; and (5) Future directions. On the first day, the breakout session working groups discussed management challenges and identified science and technology needs that could be addressed through SERDP and ESTCP funded efforts. Breakout sessions on the second day built on the first day by developing prioritized research, demonstration, and technology transfer needs that could be addressed over the next three to five years.

Workshop findings were compiled by several workshop participants and have been summarized in a Summary Report that will serve as a strategic plan to guide future SERDP and ESTCP investments, including development of the most recent FY20 SERDP Solicitation.