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 ------- |