&EPA
technical BR
Bio-response Operational Testing and Evaluation (BOTE) Project
BACKGROUND:
The Bio-response Operational Testing and Evaluation (BOTE)
Project is a multi-agency effort designed to operationally test and
evaluate biological incident (anthrax release) response from
health/law enforcement response through environmental
remediation. The effort includes the coordinated project planning,
support, and/or involvement from:
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
o National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH)
o Laboratory Response Network (LRN)
• Department of Energy (DOE) National Labs
• Department of Defense (DoD) Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The effort was established through initial interactions between the DHS Science and Technology
Directorate (S&T) and EPA's Homeland Security Research Program (HSRP) in partnership to
further develop research products to support EPA's Homeland Security responsibilities.
The Agency's research has culminated in knowledge and products that have contributed to
significant advances in the understanding of biological agent decontamination; the impacts of
these products and expertise have been realized in field responses (such as the natural anthrax
responses in Region 1), exercises, and EPA/Office of Emergency Management (OEM) guidance
and policy documents. This research has helped improve EPA's preparedness and capability to
respond to a biological incident, specifically related to improving the readiness for mitigating the
effects of the release of a bio-agent over a wide area. It was recognized, however, that further
advances in preparedness achieved through research and development required a scaled-up,
systems oriented, approach to research conducted in an operational environment.
BOTE took place at the Idaho National Laboratory site near Idaho Falls, ID, using Bacillus
atrophaeus, a harmless spore-forming bacterium, as a surrogate for Bacillus anthracis, the
biological agent that causes anthrax. BOTE included extensive participation by EPA On-Scene
Coordinators, EPA researchers, EPA's National Decontamination Team, and representatives
from EPA Program Offices. The BOTE project was led by DHS, EPA and CDC, with DoD/DTRA
serving as the interagency coordinating study directorate.
The BOTE project was divided into two phases: (1) a field-level decontamination assessment and (2) a
multi-agency operational exercise. The objectives of Phase 1 were to:
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• Evaluate three decontamination technologies/protocols (vaporized hydrogen peroxide [VHP],
chlorine dioxide [CIO2], and amended bleach) at a field scale
• Demonstrate that biological sampling methods provide accurate characterization
• Analyze the results from the decontamination study and perform a cost analysis of the
approaches
• Determine the exposures associated with reentry into a building that has been contaminated
with surrogate B. anthracis spores and subsequently decontaminated.
The objectives of phase 2 were to:
• Evaluate the ability of the Laboratory Response Network (LRN) Program Office to share LRN test
results with EPA via the Integrated Consortium of Laboratory Networks (ICLN) portal.
• Assess data management systems used in the field and evaluate the ability to share data among
multiple systems.
• Implement Incident Command System (ICS) structure, processes, and communications between
federal, state, and local partners for a B .anthracis event.
• Document costs associated with an interagency environmental response to a B. anthracis event..
• Exercise field sampling as well as evidence collection procedures from the involved agencies.
• Exercise communications and coordination between the field and the LRN laboratory.
• Exercise decontamination and waste management (WM) decision making process and
implementation.
Phase 1 was completed during May 2011; Phase 2 was completed during September 2011.
Although the field portions of the two phases have been completed, data analysis is ongoing. A
comprehensive report is expected to be available later in 2012.
CONTACTS:
EPA Program Manager: Shawn P. Ryan (ryan.shawn@epa.gov) / Shannon Serre
(serre.shannon@epa.gov)
DHS Program Manager: Chris Russell (christopher.e.russell@dhs.gov)
January, 2012
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