Science
^RESULTS
SCIENCE lies or the heart of the mission of the U.S. Environmental Protect/on 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.
KEY CONTACTS:
JERRY KEEFE
Investigations Team Leader
(o!7) 918-837b
keefe.jerry@epa.gov
ERNEST WATERMAN
Chief, Environmental
Investigations & Analysis
(617) 918-8632
waterman.ernest@epa.gov
MICHAEL KENYON
Director
EPA New England Regional
Laboratory
(617)918-8317
kenyon.michaelOepa 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
GOAL:
Many violations of environmental regulations are revealed by reporting and self-disclosure requirements or by
visual inspection of facility conditions and operations. However, often the most egregious violations require
sampling to show that discharge or emission requirements have been violated, evaded, or ignored or that
hazardous wastes have been misidentified and mishandled. EPA New England's sampling teams are there to
provide regulatory compliant, scientifically sound sampling of water, soil, Pediment, air, and wastes.
SCIENCE:
The regional laboratory's Investigations Team maintains
standard operating procedures for sampling a variety of
scenarios from the discharges in a sewer system to the
contents of a tank or drum. When contacted to support
a project the team works with program staff and our
chemistry and biology laborato-
ry teams to develop a sampling
and analysis plan. The planning
process identifies the target
materials to be sampled and
the analyses that need to be
performed to determine com-
pliance with an environmental
regulation and/or facility spe-
cific permit requirements. From
that starting point the team
determines a sampling strategy
that will collect representative
samples of the target materials.
They capture that strategy and
sample collection, preservation, storage, transport and
custody requirements as well as analytical requirements
into the sample and analysis plan which serves as the
blueprint that ensures the adequacy, integrity, and valid-
ity of the final data. The team also plans the logistics
of the sampling operation, prepares a health and safety
plan to minimize and control risks, and arranges the
necessary analytical services.
Meeting these objectives can be a challenge. At
one site, it may mean studying drainage systems to
pick sample points and then tracking the weather
for weeks to be able to quickly deploy and collect
samples during a storm of the right size to evalu-
ate a facility's wet weather
discharges. At another site,
it may require determining
how to deploy an autos-
ampling device at the right
point in a sewer system with
the right sampling triggers
to detect an illicit discharge
while managing the logistics
of discreetly deploying and
retrieving the device.
Monitoring device deployed in
a sewer to detect illegal discharge
of industrial wostewater
BENEFITS:
There is no substitute
for physical evidence that
someone is evading environmental laws. The Inves-
tigations Team's ability to collect and analyze sam-
ples provides critical support to our enforcement
programs in their efforts to identify and correct
significant violations involving releases of hazard-
ous substances into the environment.
o
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
inted on 100% recycled paper, with q minimum of 50% post consumer waste, using vegetable-based inks
EPA-901-F-09-030
April 2009
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