Science
TO RESULTS
SCIENCE lies at the heart of the mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Agency must rely on cutting edge research, accurate
measurements and effective technology to implement its programs to protect the environment and human health. Without sound science and credible data,
EPA can not wisely set environmental and health standards, clean up contaminated sites, measure ambient air and water quality conditions, or identify the new
technologies or practices that will reduce releases to the environment These fact sheets share with you some of our EPA New England's laboratory capabilities
and exemplify some of the very best science we do to meet our agency mission.
GOAL:
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 have caused EPA to reevaluate the types of events which might
result in environmental emergencies and require laboratory support. EPA is designated as the lead federal
agency for the remediation (or cleanup) of areas contaminated by the intentional or accidental release of
hazardous materials. At a national level, EPA has been working to enhance the laboratory resources available to
support responses to such incidents. In New England, EPA's regional laboratory is developing the capability to
analyze environmental samples for chemical warfare agents, piloting approaches to enhance the safety of labora-
tory workers, and building a coordinated network of laboratories to support emergency responses.
KEY CONTACTS:
ERNEST WATERMAN
Chief, Environmental
Investigations & Analysis
(617) 918-8632
waterman.ernest@epa.gov
ROBERT M AXFIELD
Deputy Director,
EPA New England
Regional Laboratory
(617) 918-8640
maxfield.robert@epa.gov
MICHAEL KENYON
Director. EPA New England
Regional Laboratory
(617) 918-8317
kenyon.michael@epa.gov
GENERAL INFO:
EPA NEW ENGLAND
REGIONAL LABORATORY
11 Technology Dr.
North Chelmsford, MA 01863
(617) 918-8300
www.epa.gov/ne/lab
TOLL-FREE
CUSTOMER SERVICE
1-800-EPA-7341
SCIENCE:
To enhance EPA's ability to respond to emergencies, wheth-
er from natural causes or terrorist activity, the regional
laboratory is working on the following three projects:
Chemical Warfare Agent Analytical Capability:
In 2006, EPA and the Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) launched an effort to substantially increase the lab-
oratory capacity for analysis of chemical warfare agents in
environmental samples. The EPA New England Regional
Laboratory was selected as one of the initial pilot sites
to establish the capability to analyze for both chemical
warfare agents and their degradation agents. This capabil-
ity will allow the regional laboratory to analyze environ-
mental samples, such as soil, debris, and water samples,
associated with the cleanup of sites contaminated from a
terrorist incident.
All Hazard Receipt Facility:
Working with DHS and other federal agencies, the regional
laboratory also piloted a specialized laboratory, known as
the All Hazard Receipt Facility, and an associated sample
testing protocol, designed to assess explosive, chemical and
radiological hazards that might be associated with unknown
or suspicious samples. The screening of such samples, before
they are brought into the main laboratory areas, will allow
safe and appropriate decisions to be made before further
laboratory analysis is attempted. The development of this
prototype facility was a federal response to requests for
a standardized safe approach to sample receipt from the
public health and environmental laboratory community
following the anthrax incidents of the early 2000s.
New England Network of Laboratories:
The regional laboratory is also working with public health
and environmental laboratories in New England to en-
sure that, in the event of a major incident the laborato-
ries work together in a coordinated and efficient fashion.
drawing on their different strengths and capabilities. Rep-
resentatives from the public health and environmental lab-
oratories have developed, and conducted mock exercises
of a joint plan for response to actual or suspected water
contamination incidents.
BENEFITS:
Collectively, these projects have strengthened the
capability of the regional laboratory and its state counter-
parts to assist emergency responders in protecting public
health and cleaning up releases of hazardous materials into
the environment. The laboratory's piloting of approaches
to receipt of suspicious samples verified the effectiveness
of a federal prototype, resulted in a published protocol on
safe sample receipt and screening, and serves as a model for
laboratones throughout the country.
cxEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA-901-F-09-014
April 2009
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