By Popular Demand -- a 2002 MTBE Conference

P>The National Ground Water Association knows a good thing when it sees one which is why it has already announced that there will most likely be a conference on MTBE in 2002.

Response before and after the conference this year was overwhelming. "MTBE in Ground Water: Assessment, Remediation Technologies, and Public Policy" took place June 4-5 in Baltimore. The event was cosponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 3, the American Petroleum Institute, the Maryland Department of the Environment, and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

Capacity at the event was around 200. However, this year it was first increased to 250 before final attendance ended up at 295. The preregistration total was 269.

The conference featured presentations by some of the leading experts on how to successfully remediate MTBE contamination and explore the issues of public policy surrounding the controversial compound. There was also an MTBE workshop in which several case studies were presented, and alternative approaches were discussed and compared to actual remedial actions being taken.

Dates and a site have not been chosen for next year. However, southern California is currently being considered a potential spot.