600F93001
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Research and
Development
Washington, DC 20460
EPA/600/F-93/001
v>EPA Bioremediation
Action
Committee
Following the successful application of
b/oremediation on oil-contaminated
beaches at Prince William Sound, Alaska,
the BAC has been an effective instrument
in fostering the expansion of bloremadation
technologies lor the prevention and
treatment of hazardous pollutants.
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The Bioremediation Action Committee (BAC)
The Bioremediation Action Committee is a partner-
ship of experts from government, industry, academia,
and the public dedicated to expanding the use of
bioremediation in the treatment, control, and preven-
tion of environmental contamination. Chaired by
EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD),
the BAC provides a proactive forum to facilitate the
advancement of both the science and practical field
application of bioremediation.
The BAC was established in 1990 on the recommen-
dation of more than 100 leaders in the field of
bioremediation at an EPA/Industry meeting on
environmental applications of biotechnology. It is a
working body where participating individuals and
organizations collaborate to reach objectives defined
by the committee. Membership is open to any
interested party.
Addressing participants at the Second EPA/Industry
Meeting on Environmental Applications of Biotech-
nology in 1991, former EPA Administrator William
K. Reilly expressed the charge of the BAC as follows:
"I think we should develop, to the extent we can, a
national bioremediation response capability for oil
spills,...we should continue to develop aggressively
the full potential of bioremediation to treat our
hazardous wastes and clean up our abandoned sites,...
and we should creatively develop the potential of
biotechnology to prevent or reduce pollution in the
industrial and agricultural sectors through product and
process improvements."
BAC Functions
The BAC advances the development of bioremedia-
tion through a variety of functions, including:
Coordinating activities across organizations
Transferring information
Identifying priorities
Conducting projects to accomplish committee goals
Bioremediation Action Committee
.*"- >.
Protocols
BAC
Executive
Committee
TTie work of the BAC is carried out principally through the nine action areas shown above.
BAC Subcommittees
Communications
Actively promotes the increased acceptance and use of
bioremediation. Informs technical and nontechnical
communities of the latest processes and technological
advancements. Conveys the accomplishments of the
BAC to the user community.
Data and Information
Collects and reviews information about bioremedia-
tion for inclusion in a central database accessible to
state and federal waste cleanup decision makers,
industry, and the public. Information includes
technical, performance, and cost data from various
research, field applications, and case studies. The
information resides in EPA's Alternative Treatment
Information Clearinghouse (ATTIC) database, an on-
line, key word searchable repository.
Protocols
Develops standard protocols for testing the applicat
ity, effectiveness, and safety of bioremediation
products and treatment techniques for oil spill
response and hazardous waste cleanups. Works wit
EPA and its ORD laboratories to develop and valid;
test methods and QA/QC procedures that assist
decision makers evaluate and select bioremediation
products and applications.
Spill Response
Promotes and coordinates the incorporation of
bioremediation in oil and hazardous substance spill
contingency response plans across the United State
Subcommittee members collaborate with national <
regional response teams and area committees to
develop interim guidance and bioremediation respc
plans lailored lo their unique needs.
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Education
Reviews existing approaches to bioremediation
education and promotes training that adequately
prepares scientists, engineers, and technicians for the
field. Consults with academia to develop curricula
integrating biological sciences, chemistry, and
engineering to provide the diverse knowledge re-
quired.
Research
Identifies priority areas of research needed to provide
the scientific basis for future growth in bioremediation
technology. Reviews current federal, state, academic,
and industrial bioremediation research to determine
consistency, overlap, and additional needs. Informa-
tion gathered is used to develop recommendations on
which topics should be further investigated.
Pollution Prevention
Investigates and promotes applications of biotechnol-
ogy that reduce or eliminate toxic wastes generated by
industrial processes. Working closely with industry,
evaluates industry-specific technology demonstrations
and field applications and prepares case studies
documenting how biotechnology is being used to
prevent pollution at the source.
EPA Affiliated Activities
Regulation and Permitting Issues
The BAC serves as a forum to exchange information
between EPA and other interested parties on develop-
ments and issues regarding regulations and permitting
' affecting bioremediation. This is an issue and
information sharing activity, not one of consensus
recommendations to EPA.
Bioremediation Field Initiative
The Bioremediation Held Initiative is an EPA
program intended to assess and document the perfor-
mance of full-scale bioremediation field applications,
in coordination with the Regions and states, and to
create a database on progress in bioremediation.
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Representative BAC Accomplishments
Developed "Interim Guidelines for Preparing
Bioremediation Spill Response Plans," distributed to
response officials through National and Regional
Response Teams.
Completed the "EPA Region 6 Bioremediation Spill
Response Plan," a contingency plan for evaluating,
implementing, and monitoring bioremediation in
response to oil spills along the Gulf of Mexico.
Developed a set of protocols for testing the effec-
tiveness of oil spill bioremediation products for use
on open water, beaches, and marshes.
« Published a report on "States Use of
Bioremediation: Advantages, Constraints, and
Strategies."
« Published "Bioremediation Case Studies," a
compendium of private sector bioremediation
activities.
Developed a database on bioremediation including
over 150 sites where progress toward use is being
monitored and updated.
Sponsored a workshop with TJ.S.EPA, state
environmental agency officials, and petroleum
industry representatives to discuss the use of
bioremediation for underground storage tank and
other petroleum contaminated site cleanup.
Published a report on "High Priority Research on
Bioremediation."
Convened a two-day meeting between industry and
academia to discuss bioremediation education
interfaces and identify knowledge; skills, and abilities
needed at different educational/training levels.
«Identified pollution prevention case studies on the
biological destruction of metftylene chloride and
phenolics in a production process to prevent releases.
BAG Participants
Individuals from the following organizations have
participated in EPA/Industry Meetings and major
BAG meetings.
ACADEMIA
Cook College
Cornell University
Maryland Biotechnology Institute
Princeton University
Rice University
Rutgers University
Texas Research Institute
University of Louisville
University of Michigan
University of Tennessee
Wesichester Community College
ASSOCIATIONS
Aroerican Petroleum Institute
American Society for Microbiology
American Wood Preservers Association
Applied Biotreatment Association
Assoc. of Biotechnology Companies
Chemical Manufacturers Association
Hazardous Waste Treatment Council
Industrial Biotechnology Association
National Petroleum Refiners Association
ENVIRON. ORGANIZATIONS
Environmental Defense Fund
Friends of the Earth
National Wildlife Federation
FEDERAL ORGANIZATIONS
Army Corps of Engineers
Department of Defense
Department of Energy
Department of Health & Human Services
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Admin.
U.S. Coast Guard
INDUSTRY/CONSULTANT/OTHER
Allied Signal. Inc.
Alpha East. Inc.
Alpha Environmental. Inc.
American Cyartamid
Amgen
ASCI Corporation
BASF Corporation
BDM International, Inc.
Bioscience Management, Inc.
BioTroLInc.
COM
Celgene Corporation
Chevron Research A Technology Co.
Clean Sites, Inc.
DEVO Enterprises, Inc.
Eastman Kodak Company
EBASCO Services
Ecova Corporation
EG4G Idaho, be.
ENSR Corporation
Enviroflow, me.
Envirogen, Inc.
Environmental Dynamics, me.
NDUSTRY/CONSULTJOTHER (CONT)
Environmental Remediation, Inc.
Environment Today
Exxon Research & Engineering Company
Fluor Daniel
annett Fleming, Inc.
3enencor, Inc.
General Electric Corporation
General Motors Research Laboratories
Groundwater Technology, me.
Graver Chemical
HalHbunon NUS Environmental Corp.
Hunter Biosciences, hie.
ICF. Inc.
Inter Bio
[T Corporation
JML Biosciences
Labat- Anderson, Inc.
Marine Spill Response Corporation
Merck and Company. Inc.
Microbial Solutions
Mimirs Wells
Mobil Oil Corporation
Monsanto Company
MSRC
National Environ. Technology Appl. Corp.
Novo Nordisk Bioindustrials, Inc.
Nugen
OHM Remediation Services Corp.
Phillips Petroleum
PiQcoand Associates
Polybac Corporation
Radian Corporation
Remedial Technologies Held Services
RETEC
RMT. Inc.
SEA Consultants, me.
Solmar Corporation, Inc.
Sybron Chemical, Inc.
The Scientific Consulting Group, Inc.
Thome Environmental, Inc.
Westinghouse Environmental/Geotechnical
Woodward-Clyde Consultants
STATEORGAN1ZATIONS
National Governors' Association (working
in cooperation wifo numerous state
environmental regulatory agencies)
VS. EPA
Office of Prevention, Pesticides, A Toxic
Substances
Office of Research and Development
Office of Solid Waste A Emergency Response
Office of Water
BAG Contacts:
General Information
Mr. Kurt Jakobson, EPA/ORD
(202-260-5747)
BAC Executive Director
Mr. Stephen Lingle, EPA/ORD
(202-260-4073)
Regulatory/Permitting Issues (Wastes)
Dr. Walter Kovalick, EPA/OSWER
(703-308-8800)
Ms. Elizabeth MilewsW, EPA/OPPTS
(202-260-6900)
Bioremediation Field Initiative
Dr. Fran Kremer, EPA/ORD
(513-569-7346)
Ms. Nancy Dean, EPA/OSWER
(703-308-8797)
Communications
Dr. Fran Kremer, EPA/ORD
(513-569-7346)
Data and Information
Mr. James Solyst, National Governors' A
(202-624-7739)
Protocols
Dr. Edgar Berkey, NETAC
(412-826-5511)
Spill Response
Mr. Stephen Luftig, EPA/OSWER
(202-260-2180)
Education
Dr. Rashalee Levine, DOE
(301-903-7920)
Research
Dr. Martin Alexander, Cornell Universit
(607-255-1717)
Pollution Prevention
Dr. George Pierce, American Cyanamid
(908-862-6000 - ext. 415)
Dr. Laura Meagher, Rutgers University
(908-932-6571)
ATTIC Systems Operator
(301-670-6294)
February
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