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Climate change assessment and risk management is becoming an increasingly important topic in the field of environmental assessment. An ASTM task group is developing proposed new standards that cover all aspects of climate change assessment. The first standard to be approved by this task group is ASTM E2718 , Guide for Financial Disclosures Attributed to Climate Change. The task group is under the…
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Standards developed by ASTM International Committees F20 on Hazardous Substances and Oil Spill Response and E47 on Biological Effects and Environmental Fate play a role in both the initial response and follow-up to oil spills. The recent spill in the Gulf of Mexico highlights the importance of standards that cover all aspects of oil spill response and cleanup. F20 on Hazardous Substance and Oil…
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The rate at which a volume of light non-aqueous phase liquid, such as oil, will flow through a unit width of porous material, such as soil, for a unit gradient is termed LNAPL transmissivity. Being able to measure LNAPL transmissivity is an important aspect of environmental assessment work. It is possible to measure LNAPL transmissivity via several methodologies (for example, baildown tests,…
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As interest in energy efficiency and green buildings continues to build, it is easy to imagine that property due diligence by prospective buyers and lessees will begin to include such environmental considerations, which can impact property values and rental rates. This is particularly true in light of legislation such as California’s Assembly Bill 1103, a new law that became effective Jan. 1 and…, ASTM WK24707, , Guide for Building Energy Performance Disclosure, is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee E50.02 on Real Estate Assessment and Management. ASTM WK24707 will be used by professionals conducting due diligence for prospective property purchasers and lessees. “It is anticipated that energy disclosure obligations will be incorporated into the traditional legal obligations of landlords and sellers…
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Vessel-mounted cameras can be effectively and economically used by ship crews investigating and responding to an oil spill. ASTM International Committee F20 on Hazardous Substances and Oil Spill Response is currently developing a proposed new standard on use of cameras in this realm. WK24607 , Specification for the Design and Use of Vessel-Mounted Camera Systems for Oil Spill Response, is under…
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Six months after the spring 2008 publication of ASTM standard E2600 , Practice for Assessment of Vapor Intrusion into Structures on Property Involved in Real Estate Transactions, the task group that developed it surveyed users to receive feedback on the new standard. According to Anthony Buonicore, CEO of the Buonicore Group and chair of the vapor intrusion task group, the survey results have led…
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Subjects Include Vented Construction Systems, Furnace Exposure and Tunnel Fire Resistance, Subcommittee E05.11 on Fire Resistance, part of ASTM International Committee E05 on Fire Standards, is currently developing a number of proposed standards, including the following three test methods on vented construction systems, furnace exposure on test samples and tunnel fire resistance. All parties interested in working on fire resistance standards are encouraged to join in the activities of…, Vented Construction, Understanding how construction systems will perform in the earliest moments of a fire is crucial. A proposed new ASTM standard, WK22660 , Test Method for Evaluating Fire Performance of Vented Construction, will provide tests for evidence on how vented construction systems are affected by the first five minutes of a fire and will be used to complement existing fire testing methods test results “…, Furnace Exposure, Fire test laboratories and fire protection engineers will be the primary users of proposed new standard ASTM WK23795 , Test Method for Measuring the Uniformity of Furnace Exposure on Test Samples. The proposed standard provides general principles for measuring the uniformity of furnace exposure on samples tested in accordance with the following standards: - ASTM E119 , Test Methods for Fire…, Tunnel Fire Resistance, Fires in tunnels can reach temperatures as high as 2,500°F [1371°C], but current standards that deal with building fires provide for a maximum temperature of 2,000°F [1093°C] and are not specific to tunnels. A proposed new standard, ASTM WK23821 , Test Methods for Tunnel Fire Resistance, will be developed with the special considerations of tunnel fires in mind. According to Barry Badders, manager…
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has determined that the 2008 revision to an ASTM International standard describing the environmental assessment needs of parties involved in the acquisition of forestland and rural properties is now compliant with the agency’s All Appropriate Inquiries Rule (40 CFR Part 312, Standards and Practices for All Appropriate Inquires). The EPA decision came in a…
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Oil skimmer nameplate capacities are used to evaluate system performance for spill response planning standards. While manufacturers had been free to state any value as to the theoretical capacity of an oil skimmer, a new ASTM International standard provides a test that can be used to establish a realistic capacity. The standard, F2709 , Test Method for Determining Nameplate Recovery Rate of…
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A request from the United States Navy was the impetus behind the development of a new ASTM International standard, E2630 , Test Method for Luminance Ratio of a Fluorescent Specimen Using a Narrow Band Source. The new standard was developed by Subcommittee E12.05 on Fluorescence, part of ASTM International Committee E12 on Color and Appearance. Richard Harold, consultant, Color and Appearance…