ABSTRACT
Professional associations, environmental consultants and contractors working for government, and entrepreneurs are a driving force in the environmental industry. They are often the catalysts driving new ways of solving environmental problems, implementing proactive strategies to reduce investigation and cleanup costs, instituting methods of research and development, and the primary source of innovative technologies. The principal advantage of using the observational method is the explicit and up front recognition of uncertainty in conducting remediation projects. Brown et al. submit that recognition of uncertainty contributes positively to the remediation process by recognizing as a “fact of life” that uncertainty is inherent, and that it is not possible to “fully” characterize a site before remediation begins. However, in terms of development, it is important to keep in mind that innovative technologies and approaches are not solely thought of and developed by only private sector businesses and organizations.
