®ER* TASC
Technical Assistance Services
for Communities Program
2010 — 2012 Program Report
inform
empower
enable
facilitate
engage
educate
strengthen
Working with Communities to Strengthen Environmental Decision-Making
-------
1 Welcome
2 Program Overview
4 Information Assistance and Expertise: Increasing Community Understanding
5 Community Education: Enhancing Skills
6 Community Education: Building Capacities
7 Information Assistance Needs Evaluation and Plan Development
8 Community Involvement Support: Facilitating Meaningful Engagement
9 Tribal Assistance: Strengthening Community Engagement in Indian Country
10 RCRA Sites: Responding to Community Concerns
11 The Superfund Job Training Initiative (SuperJTI): Providing Opportunities
12 Environmental Justice: Expanding the Conversation
13 TASC Profiles: Making a Difference in People's Lives
14 The TASC Program: A Look Back
15 TASC Today and Tomorrow
16 TASC Assistance Where You Live
-------
IWMeom
We are pleased to present the 2010-2012 Technical Assistance Services for
Communities (TASC) program report, which highlights some of the program's projects
and accomplishments since the last report in 2010, Although TASC originated within the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Superfund program, it has expanded to
provide support to other EPA programs and the communities they serve. TASC puts into
practice the powerful idea that communities can more meaningfully and effectively engage
in addressing their environmental challenges when equipped with a clear understanding
of technical and scientific concepts and environmental regulations and policies.
Since 2007, the TASC program has been helping communities build their technical
capacities to address complex environmental issues and engage in EPA actions affecting
them. Over the course of the last five-and-a-half years, the TASC program has worked to
build such technical capacity in more than 90 communities nationwide, by providing
workshops, training, document interpretation and educational assistance.
We hope this report illustrates how the program is making a difference in people's lives
and supporting communities across the country as they work to address environmental
challenges.
James E. Woolford,
Director
Office of Superfund Remediation
and Technology Innovation (OSRTI)
-------
Program Overview
•Hpr./ \ \&? *'
TASC is an EPA program that provides technical assistance services at no cost to communities. The program's goal is to empower
communities to participate substantively in addressing local environmental issues and actions that affect them.
While EPA staff work to provide information, education and support to communities so they may engage effectively in Agency
environmental actions, decisions and projects, sometimes a community may need supplemental technical assistance to fully
engage in the decision-making process. T ASC's purpose is to meet such needs.
Technical assistance under the TASC program focuses on increasing community understanding of the science, regulations and
policy related to environmental issues and EPA actions. This support allows communities to have a more informed and influential
voice in decisions related to their environmental issues of concern and EPA's actions.
TASC Technical Assistance Areas
Information Assistance Community Education
and Expertise
Information Assistance
Needs Evaluation and
Plan Development
Community
Involvement
Support
2 SEPA
i
Since 2008, TASC has served more
than 90 communities nationwide.
-------
Program Overview v
*
TASC Services
The TASC program is flexible and highly responsive, moving rapidly to meet community needs. Recognizing that each community
is unique, the program works with diverse stakeholders to provide a variety of technical assistance services. For example, TASC
projects:
• Provide community trainings.
• Review and analyze data and technical reports on behalf of communities.
• Provide educational presentations.
• Conduct technical assistance needs assessments.
• Support the formation of community' advisory groups.
• Facilitate community meetings.
• Develop community outreach materials.
TASC provides sendees through a national EPA contract. Under the contract, a contractor provides a dedicated team of technical
assistance specialists to communities throughout the United States and U.S. territories.
Program Benefits
The TASC program assists communities by:
• Providing opportunities for community education.
• Engaging diverse stakeholders and building community capacities.
• Offering training and facilitating employment opportunities through
the Superfund Job Training Initiative.
The TASC program benefits people by:
The TASC program assists EPA by:
Helping them understand complex environmental issues.
Explaining technical findings and answering questions.
Supporting their active role in protecting healthy communities and
advancing environmental protection.
Removing communication barriers.
Connecting EPA with community feedback.
Building trust through productive working relationships.
Demonstrating EPA's commitment to meaningful community
involvement.
dEFft 3
-------
Some communities contact EPA with urgent information
needs. TASC technical assistance specialists work with
these communities to create accessible materials such as
fact sheets and maps that increase understanding and help
community members participate actively and effectively.
The TASC program also translates documents into other
languages to make sure they are widely accessible.
Comprehensive Document Review in
Northern New Jersey
In early 2012, the Raritan Bay Community Advisory Group
requested TASC assistance. With several major cleanup reports
for the Raritan Bay Slag Superfund site forthcoming, the
community sought help in understanding the reports" technical
contents so that they could participate meaningfully in site
discussions and cleanup planning. The site includes portions
of the Laurence Harbor seawall, a jetty and several beaches
contaminated by metal slag from blast furnace bottoms.
TASC technical assistance specialists met with community
members and the Community Advisory Group and toured
the site. The specialists then developed three documents
Information Assistance Engages
Community in Southern Texas
Since 2010, TASC technical assistance specialists have worked
closely with the Bandera Road Community Advisoiy Group,
which provides EPA with community input on the cleanup of
the Bandera Road Ground Water Plume Superfund site near
San Antonio in Leon Valley, Texas. The specialists review and
comment on technical documents, provide presentations on
technical issues and summarize key site-related information for
the community in semiannual newsletters.
To date, six newsletters have been created, in both English and
Spanish, forthe advisory group. The plain language publications
summarize well sampling results, efforts to mitigate harmful
indoor air vapors, results of cleanup pilot studies, changes to
contaminant toxicity values, and efforts to plug and abandon
old private water wells. TASC technical assistance specialists
have worked with the City of Leon Valley to make sure the
newsletters are available to all community members by
posting English and Spanish versions of the newsletters on the
city's website and mailing more than 300 copies to residents,
businesses and government officials.
~Kj"' 7" j
~ Y
:'aygro at the Raritan Bay Superfund site.
summarizing the site's cleanup reports, helping the community
understand the site's remedial investigation, risk assessment
and feasibility study. The technical assistance specialists
presented their findings at a public meeting and answered
community members' questions. Community members are
now more informed participants in ongoing site cleanup
discussions and are well prepared to provide comments to EPA
on the site's upcoming proposed plan.
Community meetings in Leon Valley, Texas.
4
SEPA
-------
TASC trainings and workshops are innovative, shared
learning experiences that enhance local knowledge and
skills. These sessions increase community knowledge
about environmental issues, technical and scientific
concepts, and regulatory and procedural issues. TASC
workshops provide communities with the tools and skills
needed to address their high-priority concerns.
TASC Workshop Focuses on Fresh Food
and Healthy Communities
Cities and towns nationwide are turning to urban agriculture
to increase their access to healthy, fresh food. During EPA's
information gathering for the Agency's Environmental Justice
Showcase Community project in Region 7, the community
expressed interest in learning more about urban agriculture
opportunities. TASC technical assistance specialists worked
closely with local stakeholders to develop an urban agriculture
workshop for the Kansas City, Missouri metropolitan area.
With TASC program assistance, a workshop was designed
to present key topics in urban agriculture. Topics included
growing crops on brownfield sites, garden design and
community gardens. The workshop included speakers from
local organizations, community gardens, and state and federal
agencies. TASC technical assistance specialists provided
support to organize, set up and host the April 2011 workshop.
The specialists also developed an Urban Agriculture
Workbook for attendees. The well-attended workshop
provided participants with information and resources and the
opportunity to speak with urban agriculture experts.
TASC Program Supports EPA Community Roundtable in Midwest
Since 2010, a TASC technical assistance specialist has worked closely with the community near the Carter Carburetor Superfund
site, a former automotive manufacturing facility in St. Louis, Missouri. The specialist helped community members understand
decision documents and cleanup techniques for the site and met with local organizations to interpret EPA-recommended
alternatives to address site contamination. TASC also provided technical support at public meetings in 2011, with TASC staff
facilitating community meetings to help residents understand site conditions and EPA's cleanup recommendations.
In 2012, continuing its efforts to support the community, EPA worked with local stakeholders to create an open and inclusive
dialogue as part of the site's cleanup. The Carter Carburetor Roundtable was established to help all participants focus on
teamwork, improved interactions and building trust. The Roundtable includes nearby residents, local and federal agency staff,
responsible parties, faith-based and other community organizations, and state and federal elected officials. The Roundtable helps
make sure that the community, EPA and other interested stakeholders keep each other informed regarding the site's cleanup and
its local impacts. At the request of the community, a TASC technical assistance specialist participated in the third Roundtable
discussion in February 2012 to provide a presentation on "How Contaminants Move through the Environment."
&EPA 5
-------
Communities provide the vision and long-term leadership
for many projects. The TASCprogram provides capacity-
building tools - information materials, trainings, website
development - to support and strengthen community
initiatives. The TASC program helps make information
accessible to local leaders and community members
so they can make meaningful consistent progress in
addressing environmental issues.
Denver Urban Waters -
Green Jobs Pilot Project
As part of the Urban Waters movement, EPA is helping
communities restore their urban waters and surrounding
land. Community groups nationwide have taken the initiative
to address local water issues in urban environments. The
groups are engaging volunteers, community organizations
and government agencies to make their waters safe for many
uses. The Denver Urban Waters Green Jobs Pilot project
brings together community and watershed organizations in
underserved areas of Denver to work on water-related issues.
The TASC program works with an urban youth environmental
corps, the River Rangers, to build local youth leadership
capacity and watershed stewardship. The Rangers are part
of the Greenway Foundation, a river-focused community
organization in Colorado.
EPA and River Watch, a statewide volunteer water quality-
monitoring program, trained the River Rangers to take water
quality samples. Additionally, an interactive Internet mapping
tool was developed, allowing the Rangers to post sampling
results, photos and comments from their sampling missions,
and then view water quality results in a map format. The TASC
program also supported partnerships to provide continued
training and mentoring and assist the Rangers in finding
environmental internships.
Green Careers Curriculum Support
for Historically Black Colleges and
Universities
Four Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
recently joined Spchnan College in signing a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) on environmental sustainability with
EPA. As part of the agreement, HBCUs and EPA are working
together to develop "green career" opportunities for students
in areas like green building and renewable energy through
internships, service and outreach. The TASC program assisted
EPA Region 4 in this effort by developing an Environmental
Science / Engineering Curriculum Manual. The manual serves
as a guide for HBCUs looking to help students pursue green
careers and assists HBCU faculty in developing green career
tracks to complement existing environmental science and
6
-------
Information Assistance Needs Evaluation
and Plan Development
» . . _ . ' ff
TASC technical assistance specialists work closely with
communities requiring technical assistance to assess
their needs and develop detailed plans to guide EPA
in addressing them as rapidly and comprehensively as
possible.
Technical Assistance Needs Assessment
Conducted in Filmore, California
Community
In early 2011, when youth group One Step A La Vez learned
about the status of the Pacific Coast Pipeline Superfund site in
Fillmore, California, they contacted EPA Region 9 to request
technical assistance services for their community. EPA had
issued a draft cleanup plan for the former oil refinery for public
review and was working with Chevron, the site's potentially
responsible party, to increase community engagement activities.
TASC technical assistance specialists conducted a community
technical assistance needs assessment, which included a site
tour as well as meetings and interviews with community
members. The assessment identified strong community interest
across several topic areas, including historical health studies,
soil removal history, soil gas vapor intrusion, and ground water
and air monitoring data. EPA is currently working to address
the needs assessment findings.
Historical aerial view of the Bunker Hill Mine site
Needs Evaluation Addresses One of
Nation's Largest Superfund Sites
The Bunker Hill Mining and Metallurgical site, located in
Idaho's Coeur d'Alene Basin, is one of the largest historical
mining areas in the world. Mining activities released an
estimated 100 million tons of waste that contaminated area
lakes, rivers and floodplains. Many Basin communities were
built on these mine wastes. The result: widespread exposure to
unsafe levels of heavy metals contamination in soil and water.
In March 2012, Region 10 requested a technical assistance
needs assessment to identify knowledge gaps and types of
assistance that might aid the community's understanding of the
cleanup process and EPA's community involvement efforts.
TASC technical assistance specialists held four community
meetings across the Basin, sharing information about the TASC
program and the Coeur d'Alene needs assessment. Specialists
also spoke with individual stakeholders about local technical
assistance needs. The resulting technical needs assessment
report summarized community priorities and provides a
blueprint for designing an effective, coordinated approach to
meet the community's technical assistance needs. In response
to the report, EPA provided a plain language summary of the
Upper Coeur d'Alene Basin Record of Decision Amendment
and is taking steps to fulfill other recommendations.
Community visit to the Pacific Coast Pipeline Superfund
site.
&EPA 7
-------
- JTJ*1 Ur
Community Involvement Supbtjrt:
Facilitating Meaningful Engagement
The TASC program provides support to help community members work together effectively so they can address their
environmental challenges. TASC technical assistance specialists meet with communities to provide process training,
meeting support and communication materials, facilitating sustainable, community-driven community engagement.
This support is often provided alongside other technical assistance services, such as technical assistance needs
assessments and document review.
Community meeting for the Newtown Creek Superfund site.
TASC Efforts Support Community Leadership and Engagement
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK
Through EPA Region 2, TASC technical assistance
specialists followed up on an initial Community
Advisory Group formation assessment at the Newtown
Creek Superfund site to provide the community with
the support needed to get their new organization up and
running. The TASC team organized the group's initial
meeting and facilitated group discussions that led to
key decision-making on the group's leadership and
prioritizing issues of concern. The group is now self-
sustaining and works closely with EPA on planning for
the site's cleanup. The site, a former industrial area and
polluted waterway, separates Brooklyn and Queens
Counties in New York City.
CLARKSDALE, MISSISSIPPI
The Red Panther Chemical Company site is located
in Clarksdale, Mississippi, near the 18th Street
Neighborhood. In 2011, following several earlier
cleanups, EPA identified the potential spread of
contaminated ground water as a threat to public
health and listed the site on the Superfund National
Priorities List. Recognizing that local residents had
many questions about the Superfund process, EPA and
TASC technical assistance specialists worked with the
community to establish a Community Advisory Group
for the 18th Street Neighborhood in early 2012. TASC
technical assistance specialists provided training to
help the group organize, establish procedures and
responsibilities, and facilitate meetings. TASC is now
providing support to the group to make sure it can
operate independently and sustainabh throughout the
Superfund process.
^ ^TASC did an outstanding job working productively with a diverse group of stakeholders. TASC staff
were responsive to their concerns and produced all deliverables in a professional and timely manner.
~ Community Representative
& a epa
-------
Building stronger tribal partnerships and increasing the
Agency's support for tribal communities is one of EPA s
top priorities. Working closely with tribal communities
nationwide, the TASC. program provides technical
assistance services tailored to local tribal needs and
concerns.
Technical Assistance Services Address
Tribal Priorities in Pacific Northwest
Midnite Mine is an inactive open-pit uranium mine on the
Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington State. It became
a Superfund site in 2000 when EPA added it to the National
Priorities List. Members of the Spokane Tribe have a unique
relationship with the land due to their subsistence lifestyle
and cultural/spiritual practices, including hunting, fishing,
gathering of roots and berries, logging, and sweatlodge and
medicinal plant use.
EPA offered TASC program support to the community affected
by Midnite Mine in early 2012. TASC provided a review of
two technical documents for the community. A TASC technical
assistance specialist then attended a public meeting to share
more information on TASC services and gather technical
assistance requests from the community. A TASC technical
assistance specialist also attended two technical meetings,
summarized them and hosted open calls with the community to
discuss the summaries, and delivered a summary of community
concerns to EPA. The support helped the community provide
meaningful input into the site's draft 30% Remedial Design
Report. Assuming funding is available, additional TASC
support will be offered during the development of the site's
remedial design.
Document Review Enhances Tribal
Engagement in New Mexico
The Navajo Nation's Red Water Pond Road community is
located near Northeast Church Rock and Quivira former
uranium mines in northwest New Mexico. Following
several short-term cleanups, EPA was developing long-term
cleanup plans for the site. To support the community's active
participation and engagement, EPA Region 9 sought TASC
program assistance for the Red Water Pond Road Community
Association. Beginning in late 2011, TASC technical assistance
specialists aided the Association in building organizational
capacity and interpreting technical documents related to a
removal action in English and Navajo. They also performed
a detailed needs assessment for the Association, documenting
and categorizing the community's needs. The assessment will
guide future technical assistance to the community.
Community members attend a meeting at the Spokane
Tribe longhouse.
Red Water Pond Road community members gather for a
meeting.
&EPA 9
-------
RCRA Sites:
Responding to Community Concerns
The TASC program also provides technical assistance sen'ices to
communities affected by sites regulated by the Resource Consen'ation
and Recovery Act (RCRA).
Meeting Facilitation, Technical Review Services
in Northern New Jersey
In summer 2010, community members contacted EPA Region 2 to request
technical assistance sendees at this RCRA-regulated former explosives
manufacturing facility in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey. From late 2010
through fall 2011, TASC technical assistance specialists helped residents
form a Community Advisory Group. The specialists also facilitated several
of the group's meetings, helping make sure the community is well informed
and able to share its expertise as part of ongoing site investigations and
cleanup. Finally, TASC technical assistance specialists conducted reviews
of several technical site documents and provided key findings in several
formats, including a presentation during a Community Advisory Group
meeting.
Document Review Enhances Community
Capacities in Western Texas
For more than a century, the Asarco smelter operated in El Paso, Texas.
In the 1990s, EPA and the State of Texas filed civil enforcement actions
against the RCRA-regulated facility, stating it failed to manage hazardous
waste properly. The facility had to complete multiple corrective actions to
clean up contamination. Community groups concerned about sampling and
facility cleanup requested TASC program assistance from EPA Region 6.
TASC technical assistance specialists performed an in-depth review of the
site's Draft Remedial Action Work Plan (RAWP) with the community's
concerns in mind and suggested questions the community may want to ask
the Trust, TCEQ and/or EPA to clarify the adequacy of sampling and the
proposed corrective actions.
io &EFA
-------
EPA's Superfund Job Training Initiative (SuperJTI), supported under the TASC program, is a job readiness program
that provides training and facilitates employment opportunities for citizens living in communities affected by
Superfund sites. Many of these areas are environmental justice communities with high levels of unemployment and
under employment (see page 12). Through Super JTI., EPA's goal is to help these communities develop job opportunities
that remain long after Superfund site cleanup.
Jacobsville SuperJTI: Making a Difference
in Evansville, Indiana
In early 2012, SuperJTI support staff reached out to area comiii unity
organizations for recruitment and hosted candidate orientations to
promote the program as a no-cost training opportunity for local
residents. The 20 trainees selected completed pre-employment
training and earned health and safety certifications. After graduating
in April 2012, trainees were placed into positions as environmental
technicians, drivers and site coordinators, working to clean up
contaminated yards in Evansville.
The tryout program was well done, thoughtful,
respectful and interesting ... the candidates
found pride in their efforts and were encouraged
throughout
Community Representative
In spring 2012, the SuperJTI program provided training and job
opportunities for 20 trainees living on and near the Jacobsville
Neighborhood Soil Contamination site in southern Indiana. Through
a partnership with the site contractor, a community liaison, and
community organizations like United Neighborhoods of Evansville
and the Evansville Housing Authority, the SuperJTI program
provided local job seekers with new skills and work experience.
SuperJTI at the Diamond Alkali Site in Newark, New Jersey
In spring 2012, the SuperJTI program provided career development
opportunities for 15 trainees in an environmental justice community near
the Passaic River in northern New Jersey. Through a partnership with site
contractors, SuperJTI provided local job seekers with new skills and work
experience. SuperJTI staff and community partner Ironbound Community
Corporation conducted community outreach and hosted candidate orientations
to publicize the training and attract interested candidates.
After a rigorous screening process, trainees completed pre-employment and
technical training, and received three certifications. Following graduation,
13 trainees were placed in positions with contractors cleaning up the Passaic
River. Several news articles covering the program and the cleanup have
featured the graduates. EPA Region 2 Administrator Judith Enck also visited
the class and spoke at graduation.
Passaic River SuperJTI graduation
ceremony, spring 2012.
SEPA ii
-------
Environmental Justice:
Expanding the Conversation
All Americans should have access to a safe, healthy
environment. Across EPA s programs, the Agency
maintains an ongoing commitment to ensure
environmental justice for all people, regardless of race,
color, national origin or income.
Ensuring environmentaljustice means not only protecting
human health and the environment for everyone, but
also making sure all people are treated fairly and
given the opportunity to participate meaningfully in
the development, implementation and enforcement of
environmental laws, regulations and policies. Each year,
the TASC. program provides technical assistance for a
variety of projects as EPA engages with environmental
justice communities across the United States.
The Jacksonville Environmental Justice
Showcase Community Pilot Project
In 2010, EPA selected Jacksonville, Florida, as one of 10
Environmental Justice Showcase Community Pilot projects.
As part of its commitment, EPA provided $100,000 to help
a predominantly low-income and minority Jacksonville
community, referred to as "Health Zone 1," address
environmental and human health challenges. To provide the
best possible support, TASC technical assistance specialists
coordinated and facilitated meetings with neighborhood
groups, community development organizations and local
government representatives, and prepared a summary outlining
Environmental Justice
means that all communities deserve the same degree of
protection from environmental and health hazards, equal
access to the federal decision-making process, and a
healthy environment in which to live, learn and work.
m
1 |
The cc
enviro
Jacksc
immunity is working closely with EPA to address
nmental and human health challenges in
jnville's Health Zone 1.
local concerns and recommendations for addressing the
concerns. Building on this work, TASC technical assistance
specialists worked closely with EPA to prepare a Community
Action Plan that discusses priority activities and how EPA
will work with affected residents and partners. The specialists
also collaborated with EPA to consider appropriate success
indicators and develop a measurement tool for the project.
TASC Environmental Justice Projects in Maine and Pennsylvania
In 2012, TASC supported Portland, Maine's first CARE grantee by conducting an assessment of the environmental stressors and
lifestyle factors affecting the Somali community in the Riverton Park housing development. A demographic profile was included
in the results, which were translated into written Somali and presented at a community meeting. CARE (Community Action for
a Renewed Environment) is an EPA program that helps communities organize and take action to reduce toxic pollution in local
environments. The TASC program provides supplemental sendees to CARE grantee communities.
The TASC program also assisted the City of Chester Asthma Initiative in Chester, Pennsylvania. TASC technical assistance
specialists created two plain language fact sheets for this environmental justice community: "Managing Asthma: A Guide for
Seniors" and an accompanying symptoms checklist that seniors could share with their health care provider.
12 &EFA
-------
TASC Profiles: Making a Difference in People's Lives
Cindy Escoto grew up in Fillmore, California, without ever knowing about the nearby Pacific Coast
Pipeline Superfund site. That changed in 2011, however, after local residents expressed concern
about the effects of the site on their health. One Step A La Vez, a local youth development
organization, jumped into action, with Ms. Escoto and the organization's staff and
Superfund Committee successfully encouraging local residents to comment on EPA's
updated cleanup plan. In response to One Step A La Vcz's request for support, TASC
technical assistance specialists conducted an assessment of community technical
assistance needs.
o
Working with TASC, One Step A La Vez staff and Fillmore residents identified
priority topics of interest. The completed community technical needs assessment
^ report recommended a series of dialogues on these topics, led by a TASC technical
assistance provider and hosted by One Step a La Vez. The dialogues will help
f* community members develop a deeper understanding of each topic and discuss their
concerns. Ms. Escoto explained that "TASC helped us in clarifying what we wanted as a
community." She added, "people should know about the TASC program and the role it can
play in helping make sure communities get what they need."
In 2011, Theodore Brown was at a difficult point in his life. Weighed down by past mistakes, he
was struggling simply to find a job. His fortunes started turning, however, after a meeting
at the local employment office led to the SuperJTI program. Theodore took a chance and
participated in the SuperJTI screening process for the Diamond Alkali Superfund site.
Bolstered by encouragement from his family, Theodore was accepted as a SuperJTI
trainee. Recognizing the opportunity, Theodore fully committed himself to the training.
In March 2012, Theodore stood alongside other proud SuperJTI program graduates. A
few days later, Theodore's hard work was rewarded when an environmental cleanup
company hired him as a conveyer operator at the Diamond Alkali site. While Theodore
hopes to work for the company as long as he can, his hopes do not end there. One day,
he hopes to be a part of a cleanup team responsible for responding to emergency spills.
This important work, Theodore explained, could take him anywhere in the country; it
would be a way of "helping someone else, and giving back." Theodore's experience with
SuperJTI has done more than merely open doors. The program, he said, has "given me a new
life, and a new beginning."
Having grown up directly across from the Red Panther Chemical Company site in the 18th Street
neighborhood in Clarksdale, Mississippi, Appolone Brooks has long been concerned about the
site's potential effects on her family and neighbors. In 2011, Ms. Brooks and other residents
formed the Red Panther Community Advisory Group to provide input on the site's
cleanup. With assistance from EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator at the site
and the TASC program, the group first met in May 2012. Today, the group is expanding
its membership, finalizing its operating procedures and meeting with site agencies.
According to Ms. Brooks, recently elected as the Community Advisory Group's chair,
'TASC has been just wonderful. They have provided valuable resource information and
' >29 hands-on assistance as we have worked through complex issues and decisions." Ms.
Brooks added that, "I would want other communities interested in technical assistance
//¦ to know that they should not be discouraged by a lack of knowledge or information m
Ua pursuing their goals. TASC has the expertise and skills needed to guide communities in the
direction of their choice." Having been involved at the site since 2004, Ms. Brooks' greatest
highlight to date is "seeing the process moving forward with TASC's involvement."
5-EPA 13
-------
EPA has been providing educational and technical assistance sen'ices to
communities for almost two decades. TASC was preceded by EPA s Technical
Outreach Sen'ices for Communities (TOSC) and Technical Outreach Sen'ices for
Native American Communities (TOSNAC.) programs, which assisted communities
and tribes, respectively, between 1994 and 2006. Brownfield communities
continue to receive assistance through the Technical Assistance to B row nfie Ids
(TAB) Communities program.
Across the TASC and TOSCprograms, EPA s goal has been to provide high-quality,
independent educational and technical assistance sen'ices to communities.
Informed, engaged communities are vital partners in ensuring EPA s mission to
protect human health and the environment.
Since its inception, the TASC program has worked closely with communities to provide high-quality sen'ices that
effectively and comprehensively address their educational and technical assistance needs. As the table below shows,
the TASC program has achieved some striking milestones. The program has worked with more than 90 communities in
34 states, territories and tribal nations across all 10 EPA Regions. TASC works with a diversity of EPA programs and
stakeholders, to address wide-ranging environmental problems. The program also provides significant opportunities,
helping communities build new capacities for the future through trainings, education and information assistance.
The TASC Program: By the Numbers
April 2008 - December 2012
Communities Served:
98
EPA Regions Represented:
10
States, Territories and Nations Represented:
34
SuperJTI Projects:
8
Advisory Groups Assisted with Formation and Facilitation:
8
Meetings Facilitated:
75+
Technical Reports Prepared:
29
Agency Documents Reviewed:
75+
Community Trainings Conducted:
21
Community Outreach Materials Prepared:
100+
Technical Assistance Needs Assessments Conducted:
14
Projects with Environmental Justice Communities Completed:
38
RCRA Projects Completed:
9
Tribal Projects Completed:
9
14 &EFA
-------
TASC Today
and Tomorro
Building on this strong foundation, the TASC program is also looking forward, recognizing that our partner agencies andprograms
and the diverse communities we work with will continue to identify new needs, opportunities and priorities. In 2013 and beyond,
TASC will develop creative educational approaches and seek innovative technical assistance solutions that meaningfidly engage
communities and truly make a difference, one community at a time.
Some of the TASC program s activities are highlighted below.
R10
Kodiak, Alaska:
Providing technical
assistance to the
Sun'aq Tribe of Kodiak
regarding water quality
in the Buskin River.
R5
East Saint Louis, Sauget
and Cahokia, Illinois:
Identifying key
community stakeholders
and conducting a
technical assistance needs
assessment for the Solutia
Inc. W. G. Krammrich
RCRA facility.
R9
Los Angeles, California:
Addressing long-standing cleanup
questions of the Del Amo Action
Committee at the Del Amo and
Montrose Superfund sites.
R7
St. Louis, Missouri:
Continuing support for
ongoing EPA-community
roundtable discussions
focused on cleanup of the
Carter Carburetor Superfund
site.
R1
Rockland, Abington,
Weymouth and Hingham,
Massachusetts:
Developing a report
evaluating water supply
impacts for the towns related
to development of the former
South Weymouth Naval Air
Station.
R2
Brooklyn, New York:
Providing technical document
review for the Gowanus Canal
Superfund site's Community
Advisory Group.
R6
Cibola County,
New Mexico:
Assisting Bluewater Valley Downstream
Alliance with interpreting and understanding
Superfund site cleanup activities.
R3
Ambler, Pennsylvania:
Interpreting technical
documents and providing
presentations to the
community on technical
topics at the BoRit Asbestos
Superfund site.
Laurel Springs, North Carolina:
Assisting with the formation of a
Community Advisory Group for
the Ore Knob Superfund site.
dEFft 15
-------
TASC Assistance Where You Live
For communities interested in the TASC services, more information is available on EPA's Web pages. If you are interested in
contacting EPA about the TASC program, please locate your state and EPA Region on the map below and contact the appropriate
EPA regional TASC coordinator listed on EPA's Web pages. Your regional TASC coordinator will review your situation and
answer any questions you have about the TASC program.
If a TASC project may be appropriate for your community, the representative will explain the straightforw ard request process.
The process begins with a written request from the community. All requests for technical assistance must be reviewed and
approved by EPA before TASC services are provided.
SEPA
-------
UI was very fortunate to have been involved with the
entire process. It not only changed the lives of the
participants but it changed my life to get to be part of this
great project." ~ SuperJTI Graduate
-------
train
strengthen
educate
facilitate
empower
enable
engage
inform
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation (5204P)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20460
January 2013 I www.epa.gov/superfund/community/tasc
Printed on 100% recycled/recyclable paper
with minimum 25% post-consumer fiber.
------- |