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Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection

Policies, Guidance & Technical Support for Site Cleanup

Guidance (including formal policies technical support documents) related to contaminated site cleanup activities.
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Activity & Use Limitations (AULs)

Activity & Use Limitation Compliance Reminder (PDF 345.88 KB)

Air Emissions

WSC-94-150 Off-Gas Treatment of Point Source Remedial Air Emissions (PDF 723.67 KB)

Analytical Methods (including the CAM)

WSC-99-415 Preservation Techniques for Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Soil Sample Analyses (PDF 122.97 KB)
Compendium of Analytical Methods (CAM): WSC-10-320 

Chemical-Specific Information

Chemical Research & Standards 

Construction in Contaminated Areas

WSC-00-425: Construction of Buildings in Contaminated Areas (PDF 55.78 KB)
Real-Time Air Monitoring at Construction and Remediation Sites to Estimate Risks of Contaminated Dust Migration (PDF 62.42 KB)

Data Usability

WSC-07-350 MCP Representativeness Evaluations and Data Usability Assessments (PDF 251.57 KB)

Dispersant Use

Dispersant Pre-Authorization Policy (PDF 187.29 KB)

Drinking Water Source Areas

WSC-97-701 Non-Potential Drinking Water Source Areas (PDF 75.67 KB)

DRAFT Policies

Anthropogenic Background/Historic Fill public comment draft (PDF 235.18 KB)
AUL Guidance: Public Review Draft (PDF 2.83 MB)
LSPA Comments on MassDEP Draft AUL Guidance (PDF 320.96 KB)
Assessing Contamination at Residential Underground Heating Oil Tank Closures (PDF 103.26 KB)
Guidance on the Regulatory Status of Petroleum-Contaminated Remedial Wastewater, August 2009 (PDF 64.9 KB)
Draft Guidance on the Use, Design, Construction, and Monitoring of Engineered Barriers (PDF 519.63 KB)
Draft Policy: Petitioning for a Case-Specific Designation of a Non-Potential Drinking Water Source Area (PDF 41.67 KB)

Fact Sheets

Fact Sheets on specific topics related to the cleanup of contaminated properties. 

Feasibility Evaluations

WSC-04-160 Conducting Feasibility Evaluations Under the MCP (PDF 418.71 KB)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's/Q&A's)

MCP Q&A | MassDEP BWSC - list of FAQ/Q&A documents 

Gardening

WSC-14-910: Best Management Practices ("BMPS") for Non-Commercial Gardening at Disposal Sites (PDF 1.67 MB)

Geophysical Investigations

WSC-94-311 Standard References for Geophysical Investigations (PDF 3.17 MB)

Greener Cleanups

WSC-14-150 Greener Cleanups Guidance (PDF 728.62 KB)

Monitoring Wells

WSC-310-91 Standard References for Monitoring Wells Section 1 (PDF 343.12 KB)
WSC-310-91 Standard References for Monitoring Wells Section 2 (DOC 2.36 MB)
WSC-310-91 Standard References for Monitoring Wells Section 3 (PDF 5.8 MB)
WSC-310-91 Standard References for Monitoring Wells Section 4 (PDF 2.88 MB)
WSC-310-91 Standard References for Monitoring Wells Section 5 (PDF 2.48 MB)
WSC-310-91 Standard References for Monitoring Wells Section 6 (PDF 1.25 MB)
WSC-310-91 Standard References for Monitoring Wells Section 7 (PDF 420.94 KB)
WSC-310-91 Standard References for Monitoring Wells Section 8 (PDF 1.25 MB)
Standard References for Monitoring Wells: Small Diameter Driven Well Supplement (PDF 784.39 KB)

NAPL (Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid)

WSC-16-450 Light Nonaqueous Phase Liquids (LNAPL) and the MCP: Guidance for Site Assessment and Closure (PDF 1.71 MB)

PRPs (Potentially Responsible Parties)

WSC-601-90 Previously Non-participating and Newly Identified Potentially Responsible Parties (PRP)s Who Wish to Assume Responsibility for Response Actions (PDF 10.18 KB)

Public Involvement

WSC-800-91 Public Involvement Plan Interim Guidance For Waiver Sites (PDF 147.26 KB)

Rail Trails

Best Management Practices for Controlling Exposure to Soil during the Development of Rail Trails (PDF 222.55 KB)

Risk Assessment

WSC/ORS-95-141 Guidance for Disposal Site Risk Characterization Chapters 1-6 (PDF 2.01 MB)
WSC/ORS-95-141 Guidance for Disposal Site Risk Characterization Chapter 7 (PDF 2.08 MB)
WSC/ORS-95-141 Guidance for Disposal Site Risk Characterization Chapters 8-10, Appendices (PDF 2.85 MB)
More Risk Assessment Guidance Documents 

Soil Management

Interim Policy on the Re-Use of Soil for Large Reclamation Projects Policy # COMM-15-01 (PDF 346.25 KB)
WSC#13-500: Similar Soils Provision Guidance (PDF 520.86 KB)
WSC-94-400 Interim Remediation Waste Management Policy for Petroleum Contaminated Soils (PDF 48.74 KB)
COMM-97-001: Reuse & Disposal of Contaminated Soil at Massachusetts Landfills (PDF 251.98 KB)
Technical Update: Background Levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Metals in Soil (PDF 115.61 KB)
Technical Update: Considerations for Managing Contaminated Soil: RCRA Land Disposal Restrictions and Contained-In Determinations (PDF 56 KB)
Best Management Practices for Controlling Exposure to Soil during the Development of Rail Trails (PDF 222.55 KB)
SEE ALSO: MassDEP Reclamation Soil Project 

Training Materials

Current & Past Training Resources 

USTs (Underground Storage Tanks)

UST Closure Assessment Manual, WSC #402-96 (PDF 141.87 KB)

Vapor Intrusion

WSC-16-435 Vapor Intrusion Guidance: Site Assessment, Mitigation and Closure (PDF 2.27 MB)
An Expedited Approach to the Investigation and Mitigation of the Vapor Intrusion Pathway (PDF 2.56 MB)
Guidelines for the Design, Installation, and Operation of Sub-Slab Depressurization Systems (PDF 212.06 KB)
Technical Update: Residential Typical Indoor Air Concentrations (PDF 59.34 KB)

VPH/EPH

WSC-02-411 Characterizing Risks Posed by Petroleum Contaminated Sites: Implementation of the MADEP VPH/EPH Approach (PDF 460.84 KB)
WSC-02-411 Characterizing Risks Posed by Petroleum Contaminated Sites: Implementation of the MADEP VPH/EPH Approach Background Documentation (PDF 227.69 KB)
Evaluation of MassDEP Volatile Petroleum Hydrocarbon (VPH) Methods - VPH by GC/PID/FID and VPH by GC/MS, June 2016 (PDF 2.09 MB)
Laboratory Method Validation Study for the Determination of Volatile Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Indoor Air (ENSR) (PDF 1.06 MB)
WSC-99-415 Preservation Techniques for Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Soil Sample Analyses (PDF 122.97 KB)
Report on Results of the Fall 1997 VPH/EPH Round Robin Testing Program (PDF 928.86 KB)
Sediment Toxicity of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Fractions (PDF 1.43 MB)
Interim Final Petroleum Report: Development of Health-Based Alternative to the Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) Parameter (PDF 950.52 KB)
Updated Petroleum Hydrocarbon Fraction Toxicity Values for the VPH/EPH/APH Methodology (PDF 700.54 KB)
SEE ALSO: Past Training Resource Material 
SEE ALSO: Compendium of Analytical Methods (CAM) 
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