What are SURF Initiatives?
Initiatives are member-driven programs, products, or activities that reflect the collective passion and expertise of the SURF community. Endorsed by SURF and open to all members, these initiatives are a direct expression of our commitment to advancing sustainable remediation practices.
SURF fosters a culture of creativity and collaboration, offering a flexible structure with minimal bureaucracy. Members are encouraged to pursue topics that inspire them, and SURF provides the platform to bring those ideas to life. Our all-volunteer Board of Trustees helps coordinate and support these efforts, ensuring alignment with SURF’s mission and bylaws.
The upcoming completion of the Environmental Justice Technical Initiative will result in a guidance document designed to help remediation professionals integrate environmental justice considerations into their work. Now, building on that momentum, we’ve shifted our focus to the RESTORE initiative. This next phase continues our commitment to sustainability in remediation, with new goals and strategies that reflect the evolving needs of our field. More details coming soon pending the completion of the EJ initiative.
🌱 Introducing RESTORE: SURF’s Newest Technical Initiative
We’re excited to announce the launch of RESTORE—the Remedial Evaluation and Screening Tool for Optimization and Resource Efficiency—a new SURF-owned tool designed to transform how we assess the impacts of remediation projects.
RESTORE aims to offer a simple, objective, and modern interface for conducting site impact assessments. It empowers practitioners to quantify the resource, social, and economic impacts of remedial actions using the most current and widely accepted quantitative methods.
Whether you’re passionate about sustainable remediation, experienced in impact assessment tools, or curious about tool development, we invite you to get involved.
👉 Learn more and join the initiative here!
Technical Initiatives
Every SURF resource in our library began as an idea of one or more SURF members. While some efforts have involved many members and over a year to complete, others take a few months and fewer members. Recent SURF member discussions have focused on technical initiatives to tackle in 2025. SURF will be hosting Member Virtual Happy Hours to connect interested members on specific topics.
Outreach Initiatives
Outreach is essential to making sustainable remediation inclusive, transparent, and impactful. At SURF, we connect science with communities—sharing innovations, gathering feedback, and building trust. Through webinars, newsletters, and public engagement, we extend our impact beyond technical circles, creating enduring value for communities and ecosystems alike.
