Increasingly in the environmental industry we are reminded how much we are part of the real world. Global economic pressures, geopolitical uncertainty, business ethics, and other world dynamics exert enormous pressure on our academic, industrial, governmental or consulting work venues. Yet, often these pressures have challenged us to produce scientific and engineering solutions that are more focused, cost-effective and readily implemented. The environmental remediation industry in general has responded well. Perhaps the growing alliance movement in business today is a signpost for another important opportunity. Collaborations enable entities to focus on what they do best and rely on others to do the same. Such collaborations build trust and encourage more strategic thinking. Contaminated Soils Volume 9 contains 38 technical papers, covering a wide range of environmental issues. Volume discussion includes: Part I Bioremediation; Part II Chemical Oxidation; Part III Heavy Metals; Part IV MTBE; Part V Phytoremediation; Part VI Radiation; Part VII Regulatory and Legal issues; Part VIII Remediation; Part IX Risk Based Cleanup; and Part X Site Assessment. Contributing authors to this volume are from government agencies, academic institutions, the consulting community and industrial companies. This important volume documents the state of environmental science and provides perspective on where we as an industry have come from. Increased scientific, engineering and consulting alliances and collaboration should drive our efforts going forward.