United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Off toe of
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
Publication: 9355.15FS
December 1990
a EPA
U. S. Bureau of Reclamation
Assistance to the Superfund
Program
Office of Emergency and Remedial Response
Hazardous Site Control Division OS-220W
Quick Reference Fact Sheet
BACKGROUND
The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), established
in 1902, is an agency of the Department of Interior and
has a staff of approximately 7500. Its main engineer-
ing facility and research laboratory is located in Den-
ver, Colorado, with five regional offices (Billings,
Montana; Salt Lake City, Utah; Boulder City, Nevada;
Boise, Idaho; and Sacramento, California as shown on
figure 1), and a small headquarters staff in Washing-
ton, DC
Reclamation has developed considerable expertise in
total project management, including planning, engi-
neering design, research, construction management,
and in project operation and maintenance. Technical
support can be provided in areas such as chemistry,
chemical engineering, pump tests, groundwater, water
treatment, geology, and cutoff walls.
Reclamation can be utilized as a flexible source of
assistance in both the technical and management as-
pects of preliminary assessments/site investigations,
remedial investigation/feasibility studies, remedial
designs, and remedial actions. Reclamation has as-
sisted or is assisting EPA on 70 sites since the initial
memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed.
Work has been performed under the enforcement,
removal, and remedial programs.
AVAILABLE RECLAMATION
RESOURCES
Assistance is available from Reclamation's Denver
Office and the five Regional Offices. The main contact
within Reclamation is the Hazardous Waste Technical
Assistance Office.
This office was created to administratively coor-
dinate EPA reimbursable hazardous waste work, pro-
vide a single point-of-contact for other Government
agenties,and maintain a central accountingand docu-
mentation system as required for cost recovery work.
This office directs work to be accomplished into the
appropriate organization of Reclamation.
Resource Management - Denver. This organization
is staffed with technical specialists involved in Recla-
mation's water resources planning program. Speci-
alities includeseveral disciplines thatare normally in-
volved with feasibility report preparation, environ-
mental impact statement preparation, and environ-
mental compliance activities. The staff has extensive
experience in developing alternatives, presenting in-
formation for public consideration, and documenting
all phases of a decision process. Disciplines that are
available in these efforts include soil scientists, econo-
mists, public involvement specialists, social factors
analysts, report writers, biologists, hydrologists (sur-
face and groundwater), water quality specialists, and
planning engineers.
Engineering and Research - Denver. This organiza-
tion consists of design, research, and construction ca-
pabilities.
Design Divisions - The divisions that could be
involved with actual design work or review of
designs for others are the Civil, Electrical, Me-
chanical, Geotechnical, or Geology Divisions.
These divisions prepare all designs and specifi-
cations before being completed by Construction
and Procurement.
Research Division - This division offers a wide
variety of field, research and laboratory services
for hazardous waste work. Personnel are avail-
able to provideconstruction inspection, field test-
ing, laboratory testing of materials, and analyti-
cal services. In addition, expertise is available in
chemistry, chemical engineering, water treatment,
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environmental sciences, remote sensing, soils, con-
crete, and hydraulics. Laboratory testing is also
available for soils classification, water quality,
sediment analyses, and soil nutrients.
Construction Division - This division is the source
of the Design and Construction Advisors (DCAs)
described below for the Alternative Remedial
Contract Strategy (ARCS) program. Claims ana-
lysts are available to assist in evaluation of the
validity and dollar value of subcontractor claims
or change orders. Cost estimators can prepare
independent Government estimates, as required,
and schedulers can develop or review construc-
tion logic diagrams and schedules.
Regional Offices. When a new site falls within one of
Reclamation's five regional boundaries, as shown on
figure 1, program responsibility for that site is as-
signed to the appropriate Region. Most on-site field
and construction personnel are provided by the re-
gion or field office. Specialized technical expertise is
obtained from the Denver office. If additional assis-
tance is needed, personnel from any location in Recla-
mation may be detailed to the site. Assistance can also
be obtained through an indefinite quantity contract
with an Architect-Engineer firm.
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
BETWEEN EPA AND BUREAU OF
RECLAMATION
The EPA, represented by its Office of Solid Waste and
Emergency Response, first entered into an Memoran-
dum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department
of Interior, represented by the Bureau of Reclamation
in July, 1986. That MOU was subsequently amended,
and then reissued, effective September 21, 1987. It
authorizes EPA to identify sites and tasks where Rec-
lamation assistance could be beneficial. Funding for
the identified tasks is handled through two types of
Interagency Agreements. The first type covers gen-
eral management and support activities and is ad-
ministered by EPA Headquarters; the second type
supports activities at specific sites and is administered
by EPA Regions.
INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT FOR
SUPERFUND MANAGEMENT AND SUP-
PORT ACTIVITIES
EPA Headquarters has in place an Interagency Agree-
ment (IAG) entitled "Superfund Management and
Support Activities", authorizing funding for the fol-
lowing types of activities;
1. Overall management of Superfund work by the
Hazardous Waste Technical Assistance Office in
Denver and by Reclamation Regional Coordinators
(Work in support of a specific site will be charged to
the site-specific IAG for that site);
2. Maintaining and reporting the financial informa-
tion required to document costs on all lAGs;
3. Providing Reclamation personnel with the train-
ing, physicals, and safety equipment required for
performance of Superfund work and maintaining a
da tabaseof Reclamation employee safety trainingand
physical examination records;
4. Serving as Design and Construction Advisors
(DCA) for Alternative Remedial Contract Strategy
(ARCS) remedial actions and in support of special
studies/projects requested by EPA Headquarters
(more information on following page);
Figure 1: Bureau of Reclamation Regional Offices and Engineering Center
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THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION ADVISOR (DCA) PROGRAM
Under the Headquarters IAG, Reclamation is providing DCAs to support the Alternative Remedial Contract
Strategy (ARCS) construction program. These services will be available at no charge to the requesting Region
at least through fiscal year 1991. The DCAsare registered Professional Engineers withconsiderable field con-
struction experience and all EPA-required training and physical examinations. They are available at the
request of the Regional Project Manager as needed during either the design review phase or the construction
phase.
Design phase assistance might include:
1. Review the ARCS contractor's proposed work plan;
2. Perform a review at preliminary (30 percent) design completion to verify appropriateness and con-
structability;
3. Perform a similar review at the final (90 percent) design completion, focusing also on claims
prevention; and
4. Prepare an independent Government cost estimate for construction.
During the construction phase, the DCA could:
1. Review the ARCS contractor's proposed work plan;
2. Review the procurement process, especially the review of "best and final offers" on a negotiated
contract;
3. Participate in the preconstruction conference;
4. Receive periodic updates from EPA and ARCS site personnel and make occasional visits to the site;
5. Support the review and analysis of construction claims and changes, including preparing independ-
ent Government cost estimates; and
6. Participate in the pre-final construction site inspection to verify that the work fulfills contract re-
quirements.
How to Arrange for Reclamation DCA Services
EPA Regions can request assistance under the DCA program by initially contacting the appropriate RD/RA
Regional Coordinator at EPA Headquarters in Washington. EPA Headquarters will contact Reclamation
through the Chief, Hazardous Waste Technical Assistance Office, and will establish a separate task order and
obligation of funds for the work requested. As DCA services are requested and performed, copies of
correspondence should be sent to the RD/RA Coordinator. For more information, contact the RD/RA
Coordinator for your Region at EPA Headquarters, Design Construction Management Branch, FTS 398-
8393 or (703) 308-8393.
SITE-SPECIFIC INTERAGENCY
AGREEMENTS
With the exception of DCA services, other work per-
formed by Reclamation is handled through site-spe-
cific lAGs. EPA Regions may enter into these site-
spetific lAGs with Reclamation to manage design,
construction, and related tasks for remedial actions
and to provide technical support for oversight of
remedial design and remedial actions conducted by
States and PRPs.
As of October 1990,32 LAGs were in place and active,
authorizing Reclamation assistance at specific Super-
fund sites in six EPA regions. Reclamation's support
activities to-date include:
1. Drilling and sampling monitoring wells;
2. Testing soil samples;
3. Developing preliminary remedial action al-
ternatives for EPA review;
4. Preparation of design plans and specifica-
tions;
5. Contract administration and onsite inspec-
tion; and
6. A ward and administration of remedial action
contracts.
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HOW TO ARRANGE FOR RECLAMATION SITE SPECIFIC SERVICES
In accordance with the MOU, site-specific lAGs may be set up between EPA Regional
Administrators and Reclamation's Denver Office. EPA's point of contact at Reclamation is
Gerald Bowles, Chief, Hazardous Waste Technical Assistance Office, FTS 776-8646 or (303)
236-8646. Each IAG shall include, at a minimum, the following:
1. Project Scope of Work;
2. Project budgets, including management and oversight costs;
3. Cost documentation requirements; and
4. Reporting requirements;
Sample lAGs are contained in the "Superfund Interagency Agreements Handbook", currently
in draft, and scheduled for publication in the Spring of 1991.
EXAMPLES OF ACTUAL PROJECTS
Under the DCA Program - At the Aladdin Plating site
in Pennsylvania (Region 3), Reclamation prepared a
Government estimate and reviewed the plans and
specifications for excavation and disposal of 12,000
additional cubic yardsof contaminated soil. Reclama-
tion observed and verified the ARCS subcontractor
soil sampling in conjunction with an alleged problem
with the specifications soil description. Reclamation
also performed a technical analysis of the subcontrac-
tor's related change request, and provided contract
procedural advice.
Under Site-Specific lAGs - At the Smuggler Moun-
tain Site in Colorado (Region 8), Reclamation is pre-
paring plans and specifications for remediation of a
neighborhood built on mine wastes, and for a project
to demonstrate the remediation method. They as-
sisted EPA in obtaining access agreements from about
160 homeowners for the soil sampling program, and
have prepared a draft temporary relocation program
for the demonstration project. Reclamation will
also manage the remedial action at the site.
At the Denver Radium site in Colorado (Region 8),
Reclamation is administering and providing onsite
inspection for the approximately $80 million trans-
portation and disposal contract The material is
being removed from 44 different properties in vari-
ous areas within the city of Denver and transported
by rail to an approved site in Utah. The contractor
has already disposed of 91,370 tons of material.
Also notable are Reclamation's activities since 1986
at the Iron Mountain Mine Site in California (Re-
gion 9). During the remedial design and remedial
action stages of this project to control acid mine
drainage, they have performed design and con-
struction management for diversion structures and
capping.
For More Information, Contact:
At EPA:
Design & Construction
Management Branch *
U.S. EPA (OS-220W)
401 M Street SW
Washington, DC 20460
(703) 308-8393
FTS: 398-8393
FAX: 398-8389
* Call your RD/RA Regional Coordinator
ul
O
At Reclamation:
Gerald Bowles
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
D-3800, P.O. Box 25007
Denver, CO 80225
(303)236-8646
FTS: 776-8646
FAX: 776-6763
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