EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency
Response
(5102G)
EPA-542-F-99-016
October 1999
www.epa.gov
clu-in.org
Saving Time and Money:
The Brownfields Technology
Support Center
Are traditional site assessment and cleanup approaches too time consuming and
expensive to support the redevelopment of a site?
Are you:
• Seeking strategies to streamline the site assessment and cleanup process?
• Identifying and reviewing information about complex technology options?
• Seeking information to use in evaluating or understanding contractor
capabilities and recommendations?
• Explaining complex technologies to communities?
• Planning a technology demonstration?
The Brownfields Technology Support Center
May Be Able to Help You!
Background: Technologies that lower costs, decrease time frames, and (or) positively
affect other decision considerations (for example, community acceptance, logistics, and
other factors) can have a significant effect on the redevelopment potential of brownfields
sites. Coordinated through EPA's Technology Innovation Office, the Brownfields Technol-
ogy Support Center ensures that brownfields decision makers are aware of the full range of
technologies available and can make informed and "smart" technology decisions for their sites.
The center provides a readily accessible resource for unbiased assessments and supporting
information about options relevant to specific sites. The center also provides a technology-
oriented process for reviewing cleanup plans for those sites.
The center works through EPA Office of Research and Development National Risk Manage-
ment Research Laboratories (NRMRL) in Cincinati, Ohio and Ada, Oklahoma and the National
Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) in Las Vegas, Nevada to provide the expertise and
information necessary to help brownfields decision makers determine whether innovative
options are available and feasible for their sites. The project also provides information about
other available support activities, such as those conducted by the Technical Assistance to
Brownfields (TAB) Program located at the five regional Hazardous Substance Research
Centers.
Support Available: The center focuses on technology questions. The five main types
of assistance now considered within the scope of the center's responsibility include:
1) Document Reviews: The center is available to review sampling and analysis plans
(SAP), quality assurance project plans (QAPP), feasibility studies, engineering designs,
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or work plans. The center evaluates the documents with regard to technology options,
implementation processes, and other appropriate elements.
2) Technology Scoping for Site Assessment or Investigation Technologies and for
Cleanup Technologies: Using information provided by EPA regional staff for specific
brownfields pilot sites, the center can prepare lists of potentially applicable technologies,
along with brief analyses of their advantages and disadvantages under specific conditions
at a site and in light of the specific features and needs of a site. This function is not a
formal review or approval process, but can provide decision makers with preliminary
information in support of decisions or approvals.
3) Technology Descriptions: The center can develop, upon request, a brief (several
pages) "layman's" guide describing a specific technology or technique. The guides
can assist decision makers in fully understanding the principles of the technology (along
with its cost and the time necessary to implement it) and assist them in communicating
the appropriateness of a technology to constituents and stakeholders interested in a
specific site.
4) Review of Literature and Electronic Resources: The center provides, upon request,
a list and description of available information resources for technologies or classes of
technology relevant to specific decisions at a site. The purpose of the reviews is to
allow stakeholders an opportunity to broaden their understanding of the technology
options available for use at their sites.
5) Demonstration Support: Drawing upon the expertise of the EPA Superfund Innova-
tive Technologies Evaluation (SITE) program, the center provides planning assistance
and technical review capabilities to localities that are seeking to arrange demonstrations
and evaluations of innovative sampling, analytical, and treatment technologies.
Status: After working with several localities during a limited beta phase of operation since
the fall of 1998, the center commenced pilot operations in July 1999, handling requests from
all EPA regions and brownfields localities. Requests are addressed by NRMRLs in Cincin-
nati (engineering and treatment issues) and Ada (groundwater issues) and the NERL in Las
Vegas (characterization and monitoring issues).
Access:
On-line requests, updates, reports:
By telephone:
EPA Contact:
http://clu-in.org/brownfieldstsc
1-877-838-7220 (Toll free)
Dan Powell,
EPA Technology Innovation Office
(703) 603-7196
**Localities can submit requests through their EPA regional brownfields coordinators **
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