Detailed Optimization Questionnaire

Please complete the following questions to view your recommended optimization themes and relevant document sections. Note, results will not generate unless all questions have been answered.

Detailed Optimization Questionnaire
#	Questions	Responses
1	Are all identified decision-making regulators, potentially responsible parties, and stakeholders involved with the project?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
2	Is there regulator, potentially responsible parties, and stakeholder consensus on the CSM?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
3	Do formal RAOs exist? If so, are they realistic and clearly defined and interpreted the same way by all regulators, potentially responsible parties, and stakeholders?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
4	Are regulators, potentially responsible parties, and stakeholders adequately informed regarding the pump and treat system, including the following areas: – Performance and projected timeframes for achieving RAOs – Optimization actions planned/implemented – Transitions to alternative remedies or MNA (if applicable) – Regulatory considerations, approvals, violations – Relevant operational information including water use, reuse, renewable energy use, air quality monitoring, others	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
5	Is there regulator, potentially responsible parties, and stakeholder consensus on the remedial approach?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
6	Are all regulator, potentially responsible parties, and stakeholder concerns addressed?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
7	If the answer to questions 5 or 6 of this section is “No”, has the team developed a strategy for regulatory and stakeholder approval and justification of a system transition to another remedial action (i.e. passive/in-situ treatment), or MNA?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
8	Are the aquifer heterogeneity challenges at the site well understood?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
9	Has the plume been sufficiently delineated via a monitoring well network or High Resolution Site Characterization (HRSC) technologies to address aquifer heterogeneity?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
10	Have alternatives to pump and treat already been evaluated and found to be less viable and/or efficient towards achieving RAOs?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
11	If a transition from pump and treat is a likely path forward, has the implementation approach including timeframe, monitoring and evaluation plan been defined?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
12	Has a flexible ROD incorporating a treatment train strategy been considered as an alternative for the site?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
13	If a transition away from pump and treat is desired or planned, has stakeholder consensus been reached on the changed, and/or have regulators approved of the transition (i.e. ESD, TI waiver, ROD amendment, or other)?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
14	Is the planned or active remediation site free from encumbrances related to a known or potential land acquisition?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
15	Is (Are) the extraction well design(s) appropriate given the current understanding of the CSM?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
16	Has the plume capture of the planned/existing extraction network been determined or improved via a capture zone analysis or similar evaluation?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
17	Are system components (pumps, pipes, tanks) right sized for planned operations (i.e. not over-designed for the system)?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
18	If reinjection of treated water is currently incorporated into system design, is the reinjection location, depth, volume, and chemistry optimized for recirculation and removal of contaminants?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
19	Do the planned/existing injection wells/galleries have enough capacity to take the treated water?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
20	Have beneficial reuse options for treated water been incorporated into the system design?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
21	Is the efficiency of the extraction well network consistent?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
22	Are well rehabilitation methods effective?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
23	Are the influent and effluent conveyance system operating as designed without fouling/plugging, need for pipe diameter adjustments, etc?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
24	Has the current system been evaluated to determine whether one or more operational parameters could be optimized without major capital investment (i.e. pH adjustment, flow rate, chemical dosages)?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
25	Does the system currently employ energy saving components such as Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) pumps or premium efficiency motors?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
26	Are tools such as SCADA and modeling programs used effectively to control and monitor the system, and evaluate the system performance?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
27	Does the system have remote monitoring and is automation used to reduce required operator attention?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
28	Are contaminant concentrations and influent flows consistent with design parameters?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
29	Does the treatment system consistently meet the discharge requirements?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
30	If capital investment is planned, has a cost-benefit analysis been performed to understand whether life-cycle costs will be optimized by implementing the upgrades?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
31	Has the optimization program considered regulatory limitations to potential optimization actions such as water rights, water use/discharge requirements, renewable energy standards, air quality standards, and others?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
32	Have green energy opportunities been considered and/or implemented utilized to power the remediation system (solar, wind, geothermal)?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
33	Does system reporting incorporate energy usage, materials usage, waste volume, and other data that would be needed for routine energy assessments?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
34	Has an energy assessment been performed for the remedy?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
35	If a switch to alternative fuel or green energy is desired, has an evaluation on return-on-investment been completed to determine whether the investment will reduce costs over the life-cycle of operations?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
36	Has a sensitivity analysis been performed for system redundancy and resilience to weather events, power outages, and other unforeseen circumstances?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
37	Does the system (including groundwater extraction rates and extraction well screen depth intervals) address realized or projected challenges from groundwater elevation changes over time (i.e. due to climate change, drought, recirculation)	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
38	(For Superfund Sites): For an LTRA remedy, are RAOs likely to be achieved prior to transferring the site to the State?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
39a	For LTRA sites, is the remedy operating in a manner such that the site can be transferred successfully to the State according to the schedule?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
39b	If not, are the causes known and within the region’s control?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
40	Has the pump and treat system received failing grades on performance evaluation and performed optimization to address deficiencies?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
41	Are there pre-defined metrics for shutdown and transition into the next component of the remedy treatment train?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
42	Has the pump and treat operation been shutdown (possibly inadvertently by a hurricane event, for example) to assess natural attenuation and evaluate plume stability without pumping?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
43	Are contaminant concentration reduction or mass removal rates continuing to make significant progress in line with the original design intent?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
44	Is the operability and reliability of the system sufficient to avoid excessive downtime due to corrosion, fouling, poor local power supply, or other threats?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
45	Has an acceptable alternative performance objective been evaluated to determine whether remaining mass discharge (without pumping) can be naturally assimilated by MNA and remain protective of human health and the environment, and either ruled out or pursued?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
46	Have extraction or monitor well systems been reviewed for impacts (e.g. rising or declining groundwater, saline intrusion, changes in permafrost) of climate change?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain
47	Has the site been evaluated for sustainability and resiliency considerations?	Yes or N/A No/Uncertain

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