EPA-542-F-96-012
April 1996
Consortium for Site Characterization Technology
The goal of the Consortium for Site Characterization Technology is to increase the use of innovative characterization
technologies in assessing and remediating contaminated sites. To attain this goal, the Consortium will:
o Identify, demonstrate, evaluate, verify and transfer information about innovative and alternative monitoring,
measurement, and site characterization technologies to developers, users, and regulators; and
o Define and demonstrate a process for verifying the performance of innovative site characterization technologies.
By developing this process the Consortium will facilitate the independent testing and demonstration of
technologies that can generate the data necessary to evaluate and verify their performance.
What is the Problem?
The field of environmental monitoring technology is
evolving rapidly. Inventors are devising faster, cheaper,
better ways of identifying and mapping pollution, tracing
contaminant movement, and monitoring the progress of
remediation. However, few true innovations in
monitoring and site characterization are making it into
routine use at sites across the nation.
Most developers are well aware of the many hurdles and
pitfalls that exist along the path to commercializing
environmental technologies. Among the many problems
are: lack of investment capital; problems convincing
regulators and potential customers the product can meet
its claims; lack of credible performance data and access
to unbiased third parties to evaluate the data; and
difficulty in identifying places where the technology may
be tested.
Many of the hurdles for innovative technologies are
linked. Customers won't buy it until the regulators say
its okay. Investors won't invest until a clear market for
the product is defined and the product can achieve some
sort of regulatory acceptance. The regulator won't allow
its use until convinced by verifiable performance data
that the product can meet its performance objectives.
Achieving success in persuading customers and
regulators across the country is a repetitive, time and
dollar consuming effort. The result is slow market
penetration for technologies that may be able to help our
nation achieve its environmental goals faster, better and
less expensively.
What is the Vision?
The Consortium will fulfill the need for independent
evaluation of monitoring and site characterization
- technology performance. The Consortium brings
together the interests of Federal and state regulators;
Federal technology evaluation and verification entities;
and potential end users of these technologies to facilitate
independent verification of technology performance.
Customers, investors and regulators alike will judge a
technology on its merits, backed by quality data. The
Consortium is a scientifically credible body which will
verify and promote innovative field technology. The
public/private partnership encourages development of
new technology and develops markets for field
characterization technology.
What is its Context?
The Consortium is one of several pilot verification
programs operating under the aegis of the EPA's
Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) program.
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One of the roles of the Consortium and ETV is the
planning and executing of demonstrations by assisting
developers with designing and conducting
demonstrations. The goal of this effort is to generate
credible cost and performance information. The
Consortium also serves to transfer information to all
interested stakeholders.
How does the Process Work?
The Consortium is designed around a series of guidance
manuals which define how a demonstration will be
conducted and how the data will be evaluated. The
The Consortium will:
o Develop and distribute technology
demonstration guidance
o Provide selection criteria to judge the
readiness of a technology to participate
o Provide technical support to the technology
developer during the preparation and execution
of the demonstration
o Audit the demonstration while the technology
is being operated
o Independently evaluate and verify the data
set generated during the demonstration
o Report on the performance of the technology
o Widely disseminate performance information
and educate users and regulators
developer is expected to make use of these documents by
working with the Consortium staff to develop an
acceptable demonstration plan. The purpose of the
demonstration plan is to design a field exercise that will
allow the performance claims for the technology to be
evaluated in an objective and scientifically sound
manner. The developer will be expected to conduct the
demonstration at suitable field sites. The Consortium
will support the developer in selecting the sites,
approving the demonstration plan, and auditing the
demonstration. The Consortium will also provide for
data interpretation, report preparation, and the issuance
of a verification letter though EPA.
Who are the Partners?
As currently configured, the Consortium is a partnership
with the Department of Defense and the Department of
Energy. The Board of Technology Users, a group
comprised of representatives from the member Agencies,
small business concerns, instrument and professional
societies, state organizations and private sector
customers for site characterization technologies, will
help shape the basic activities and directions of the
Consortium. The member organizations will be the
sustaining force in providing initial funding, identifying
demonstration sites, and supporting systems for
information dissemination.
Would You Like More Information ?
For more information on the Consortium for Site
Characterization Technology contact:
Mr. Eric Koglin
U.S. EPA
National Exposure Research Laboratory
Characterization Research Division
P.O. Box 93478
Las Vegas, Nevada 89193-3478
(702) 798-2432 Fax (702) 798-2261
email: Koglin.Eric@WPMAIL.LAS.EPA.GOV
Dr. Stephen Billets
U.S. EPA
National Exposure Research Laboratory
Characterization Research Division
P.O. Box 93478
Las Vegas, Nevada 89193-3478
(702) 798-2232 Fax (702) 798-2261
email: Billets.Stephen@WPMAIL.LAS.EPA.GOV
Mr. Daniel Powell
U.S. EPA
Technology Innovation Office (5102G)
401 M. St., SW
Washington, D.C. 20460
(703) 603-7196 Fax (703) 603-9135
email: Powell.Dan@EPAMAIL.EPA.GOV
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