International Regulatory Development

As is true throughout the industrial world, oil exploration and production in Mexico has contributed to the potential contamination of native soils and groundwater. Assessment of these impacts with an emphasis on cost-effective removal of those wastes has become a matter of increasing importance and awareness. This increased awareness has heightened the need to develop a systematic approach for cost effective identification, evaluation, and remediation planning for potential hazardous waste sites associated with such activities in Mexico. In an effort to initiate plans and potential solutions for these issues in Mexico, ALL recently teamed with Lockheed Martin and Argonne National Lab in a joint effort with the Mexican National Oil Company (PEMEX) and the Mexican National Institute of Ecology (INE) that is partially funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Through this effort, ALL staff are supporting the analysis and development of a proposal for new regulations, evaluating regulations and proposals for regulatory modifications, and developing procedures for the management and disposal of contaminated soils and groundwater.