vSrEPA
U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development and
Environmental Council of the States:
Partners for Meeting State Research Needs
September 2019 Update
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U.S. EPA's Office of Research and Development and
Environmental Council of the States
Partners for Meeting State Research Needs
The success of environmental protection and public health in the United States begins on the front lines at the
state and local levels. EPA's Office of Research and Development (EPA ORD) is a vital scientific and technical
resource to states and their communities, providing the technical support and training, science-based tools, and
innovative approaches and methods they need to meet their highest priority environmental and related public
health challenges, while also laying the groundwork for long-term health and prosperity.
Collaboration and teamwork with state environmental agencies make that all possible. EPA ORD has developed
critical partnerships to ensure our work is relevant to real-world environmental challenges and that scientific
findings and tools are delivered to decision makers in ways that make them immediately accessible and useful.
EPA ORD has partnered with the Environmental Council of the States (ECOS, the national association of state
environmental agency leaders) and its research arm, the Environmental Research Institute of the States (ERIS),
to ensure that our research is useful and practical for states to help address on the ground problems.
Our state partners provide significant insights into the environmental problems they face and how EPA can best
translate ORD science into well-informed decision tools for states and communities. Over the past several years,
ERIS and EPA ORD have strengthened the alignment of EPA's scientific and technical capabilities with state
research priorities and needs through a series of meetings and state surveys. As a result of this effort, EPA ORD
better understands the science needs of state environmental agencies, and states better understand EPA ORD's
research, tools and role within EPA. As recently as 2018, states identified their needs and grouped them into
broad topics, such as water, emerging contaminants/toxics, waste/remediation and air/ozone. EPA ORD values
the information the ERIS survey provides, as it will help us to continue to align our research program with state
science needs.
This document compiles summaries of how EPA ORD's work during the past years, in partnership with state
agencies, counties, communities and universities, has supported states in their efforts to protect human health
and the environment. These stories highlight a wide range of research, development, decision support tools and
technical assistance efforts focusing on air and water pollution, chemicals, Superfund and other contaminated
site remediation, infrastructure and homeland security - all of which are vitally important to helping states
address the highest priority, on the ground problems.
We look forward to continuing to build our partnership with ECOS/ERIS to develop the science that meets
states' immediate and long-term needs.
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Table of Contents
Air
Modeling and Monitoring
Deployment and testing of new air sensor technology (GA)
Prairie rangeland burning (KS)
Community air quality monitoring (CT, DC, IL, KS, NC, OK, PA, TX)
Monitoring technologies (CA, CO, CT, KY, MD, NH, OR)
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Quality,
11
Smoke Ready Toolbox for Wildfires (AR)
Underground fire at abandoned dumping site (AR)
Smoke Sense App (CA)
Reducing harmful air pollutants (MD, VA)
Emissions measurement methods (UT)
Fine particle air pollution (UT)
Planning for energy and air emissions (CT, ME, MA, NH, NJ, NY, Rl, VT)
Lake Michigan's ozone formation and transport (IL, IN, Ml, MN, OH, Wl)
Performance targets for air quality sensors (all states)
Multi-agency Long Island Sound Tropospheric Ozone Study (CT, NJ, NY, Rl)
Low-cost air quality sensors (CA)NEW
Evaluating chemicals (CA)
Setting risk-based cleanup levels for toxicity values (CA)
Priority Products identification (CA)
Cancer risk assessments (LA)
Chemical composition analysis (OK)
Mercury 29
Reducing mercury methylation (CA)
Modeling bioaccumulation of PCBs and mercury in fish (MN)
Reducing methyl mercury levels (OR)
Fishing sites for safe catch consumption (Rl)
PFAS 33
Contaminated site due to PFAS issues (AK)
Assessments of perfluorochemical emissions (PFAS) (NH)
PFAS (NJ)
Mapping PFAS levels (NC)
Chemicals
Asbestos...
22
Asbestos exposure following forest fires (MT)
IRIS assessment for Libby Amphibole Asbestos (MT)
Assessments
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Community Resources
Decision support tools to advance communities' priority projects (CA)
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education (NC)
Tools to help communities identify environmental issues (OR)
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Ecosystems
40
Population and land use projections (CA)
Corals and Climate Adaptation Planning (HI)
Impact of wetland remediation (MN)
Toxicity testing for Great Salt species (UT)
Habitat suitability models (WA)
Remedial investigation/feasibility study technical support (WA)
Coastal Biodiversity Risk Analysis Tool (WA)
Environmental DNA (eDNA) for species inventory (CA, KY, MD, WV)
Homeland Security 48
Toxicity information for sulfolane (AK)
Decontaminating subway railcars (CA)
Sampling operations following biological incidents (NY)
Transportable gasifier technology (NC)
Anthrax contamination cleanup (CA, DC, MA, NY, VA)
Wide area radiologic incident (NY, OH)
Response to ricin contamination (CO, DC, MS, OK, TN, VT, Wl)
Risk Evaluation 55
Tribal risk assessment (sediment and water quality) (ME)
Evaluating risk of aquatic contaminants (MN)
Shellfish harvesting closures (public health risk) (OR)
Wide-spread freshwater fish disease (PA)
Risk assessment training (all states)
Persistent environmental disparities research (AZ, CO, NM, UT)
Site-specific contaminant characterization (AL)
Jet fuel remediation (AZ)
Brownfield revitalization (DE)
Groundwater geochemistry study (ID)
Passive remediation alternative (ID)
Contaminant impacts (MA)
Chemical contamination (MA)
Remediation activities for Barker Hughesville Superfund Site (MT)
Suitable groundwater remediation (NH)
Thermal remediation of waste oils (NH)
Gold King Mine Spill local waterways/sediments sampling (NM)
Evaluating water interactions at Superfund site (OK)
Waste
Contaminated Sites and Superfund
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science in ACTION
Subsurface chlorinated solvent contamination (SC)
Superfund site technical support (WA)
Characterizing urban background levels for contaminated sites (FL, GA, KY, NC, SC, TN)
Resource Management 76
Synthetic turf field safety (CA)
Sustainable materials management (GA)
Modeling for agriculture, energy, water and air systems interactions (ID)
Food waste reduction (SC)
Management of bio-hazardous wastes (MD, NY)
Water
Drinking Water (ammonia, lead, small systems, treatment, utilities) 81
Assessment model for new water technologies (CA)
Lead service line identification (IL)
Lead contamination technical support (Ml)
Chemical contamination risks (TX)
Ammonia removal from drinking water (IL, IN, IA, OH)
Simulating conditions in drinking water utilities (CO, FL, KY, Ml, NY, OH)
Small drinking water systems (all states)
Harmful algal blooms 88
Managing algal toxins (OH)
Harmful algal blooms limiting drinking water (OH)
Managing excessive nutrient runoff causing HABs (OH)
Satellite derived measures of cyanobacteria (AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, IA, ID, KS, KY, LA, MO, ND, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, Rl,
SC, SD, TN, UT, VT, WA, Wl, WY)
Nutrients 92
Statistical evaluation of 40 years of monitoring data (CA)
Nitrogen pollution (FL)
Development of numeric nutrient criteria (GA)
Ocean acidification research (OR)
Analysis of nutrients and other parameters in water (Rl)
Managing nutrients in riparian ecosystems (WA)
Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen (DE, DC, MD, VA, WV)
Stormwater (extreme events, management, treatment 99
Stormwater best management practices (MD)
Models and tools to reduce sewer overflows (MO)
Impervious cover data for watersheds (VT)
Managing stormwater treatment systems (MD, PA, VA)
Stormwater management planning support (MD, PA, VA)
Wastewater 104
Need for water quality guidelines (MN)
Acceptance of bio-contaminated wastewater (NC)
Quality (chemical mixtures, stream monitoring, guidelines, recreational beaches, sulfate) 106
Freshwater vegetation communities (FL)
Survey designs for stream monitoring (KS)
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Village Blue (MD)
Evaluate robust management practices to improve water quality (MA)
Microbiological water quality (Ml)
Sulfate standard development support (MN)
Bacterial and viral indicators (MS)
Effects of industrial spills on ecosystem health (MS)
Groundwater characterization and remediation (NV)
Probabilistic survey designs (NH)
Water nitrate contamination (OR)
Stream condition assessments (VA)
Stream temperature stress (WA)
Watershed condition improvements (WA)
DNA-based microbial source tracking (WA)
Predicting water quality at beaches (IL, IN, Ml, MN, NY, OH, PA, Wl)
Stream monitoring network (AL, CT, DE, GA, KY, MA, MD, ME, NC, NH, NJ, NY, PA, Rl, SC, TN, VA, VT, WV)
River Spill model (IL, IN, KY, NY, OH, PA, VA, WV)
State Index 124
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AIR - MODELING AND MONITORING
Partner: Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Environmental Protection Division (completed)
Challenge: Understanding the precision and accuracy of low-cost air sensors to measure pollution
Resource: Deployment and testing of new air sensor technology and comparing to traditional sensors
"Georgia DNR staff were able to learn a lot about the
strengths and weaknesses of the deployment of low
cost air sensors as a result of ORD's testing of them in
the Atlanta area, and it would seem that further
studies are warranted to improve our
understanding" - Ken Buckley, Air Monitoring Unit
Manager at Georgia Environmental Protection
Division.
Advances in air pollution sensor technology have
enabled the development of small and low-cost
systems to measure outdoor air pollution. The deployment of a large number of sensors across a small
geographic area would have potential benefits to supplement traditional monitoring networks with additional
geographic and temporal measurement resolution. However, it is necessary to understand if these new sensors
will perform as needed and provide data of sufficient quality for decision making.
In response to this challenge and to better understand the capability of emerging air sensor technology,
EPA ORD, in collaboration with EPA Region 4 (Southeast), deployed low cost, commercially-available air pollution
sensors in two capacities: 1) at a regulatory air monitoring site, and 2) as a local sensor network over a ~2 km
area in a suburban Atlanta area that is part of the Community Air Sensor Network (CAIRSENSE) project. The site
is operated year-round as a multipollutant monitoring network site and includes an extensive suite of
measurements including criteria pollutants and precursors, air toxics, and meteorology. As part of CAIRSENSE, a
variety of particulate and gas sensors were deployed and tested from August 2014 to May 2015.
As a result, valuable knowledge was gained in the operation and performance of a wide variety of low-cost air
quality sensors. Sensor technology was observed to provide varying degrees of agreement with collocated
reference monitors. Environmental conditions, such as high relative humidity, were noted to sometimes impact
some sensor technologies. The data value of establishing an array of sensors dispersed over an area was
established as well as the type of communication and data management infrastructure needed to support
automated sensor data collections.
Because of this work, George DNR and others have enhanced knowledge about low cost sensor performance
and how such technologies might be used to meet their local air quality monitoring needs.
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Partner: Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE)
Challenge: Understanding trade-offs associated with prairie rangeland burning
Resource: Multi-model framework and decision support tool in support of Kansas Flint Hills Smoke Management
natural grassland prairie in the U.S. Throughout the region, land managers frequently use controlled burns to
sustain the natural prairie ecosystem from the encroachment of eastern Red Cedar and other woody species,
and to enhance the quantity and quality of the grasses for cattle grazing. However, smoke from widespread
prescribed spring burning has exceeded air quality limits and impacted urban areas such as Kansas City, Topeka
and Wichita.
To assist rangeland managers and local and state officials in better understanding the economic, ecological and
human health trade-offs of rangeland burning in Flint Hills, EPA Region 7 (Midwest) and ORD are collaborating
with KDHE and Kansas State University (www.ksfire.org) to establish a user-friendly, multi-model framework for
visualizing historical and hypothetical burning scenarios, including changes in the location, timing and frequency
of rangeland burning practices. Part of this effort involves characterizing the emissions from the Flint Hills
prescribed burning in both the spring and fall seasons. ORD is conducting aerial sampling with an instrumented,
tethered aerostat as well as ground sampling to derive emission factors that characterize the amount and nature
of the smoke. Tangible products of the research include computer-generated spatial and temporal maps of
predicted changes in rangeland productivity and air quality. Stakeholders and decision makers can use these
resources to identify best case scenarios for land management that strike a balance between the environmental,
economic and human health objectives of rural and urban communities.
The Flint Hills ecoregion of eastern Kansas and northern Oklahoma is
home to the largest (10,000 square miles) remaining contiguous
"Kansas Department of Health and Environment is excited and
optimistic about the potential uses of this multi-model framework,
including predicted spatial and temporal patterns of surface fuel loads,
live biomass (forage), and soil moisture information that can be used
to supplement our existing Flint Hills Smoke Management Plan
modeling tool." -KDHE Division of Environment John Mitchell (former
director)
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Partners: Participating pilot locations including the cities of Chicago, IL; Durham, IMC; Hartford, CT; Houston, TX;
Kansas City, KS; Oklahoma City, OK; Philadelphia, PA and Washington, DC
Challenge: Air quality monitoring for community awareness (ongoing)
Resource: Village Green Project
"The Village Green station is a helpful tool in educating the public,
and particularly children, about the importance of air quality in our
everyday lives. We are thankful to be one of several cities across the
country to have such an innovative tool." - Oklahoma DEQ
Executive Director Scott Thompson (referring to the Village Green
Project in Oklahoma City)
The Village Green Project (VGP) is a novel air and weather
measurement station originally developed by EPA ORD scientists.
The station is a compact, soiar-powered system that incorporates
air and weather instrumentation into a park bench. The project
builds upon the need to enhance transparency and showcases
next-generation air measurement technology by providing quality-assured data to the public on a near real-time
basis, updating to a public data website every minute.
The original prototype was field-tested outside a public library in Durham, NC. Following the successful
prototype test, EPA created a pilot VGP expansion and engaged with state, local and tribai agencies in placing
new park bench stations in various community environments. There are currently eight Village Green stations in
the U.S. located in a variety of environments selected by the grant recipients, such as libraries, a public garden,
and high foot-traffic tourist areas. In addition to Oklahoma City, OK and Durham, NC, participating cities include
Hartford, CT, Kansas City, KS, Houston, TX, Washington, DC, Chicago, IL, and most recently Houston, TX. The
state and local agencies have used the stations as an opportunity to host public outreach events, including
ribbon-cutting ceremonies and informational sessions.
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Partners: Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), California, Colorado, Connecticut, Kentucky, New
Hampshire and Oregon
Challenge: Identifying appropriate opportunities to use advanced monitoring tools, new data collection and
analysis techniques to create improvements and gain efficiencies in environmental monitoring (ongoing)
Resources: Development, pilot testing, and evaluation of advanced monitoring technologies
"Our partnership with EPA on advanced monitoring is extremely important. With new sensors entering the
market every day, understanding if they work and how to communicate the data they generate is a critical need
for state environmental agencies. In 2017, two major sensor studies are taking place in Baltimore, where
hundreds of stationary and mobile sensors will be collecting data on multiple air pollutants and greenhouse
gases. This partnership with EPA is both critical and timely."- MDE Secretary Ben Grumbles
Environmental monitoring is in the midst of a paradigm shift from data
being collected, stored, distributed and communicated by the
government to data being collected by anyone, anywhere and at any
time. This shift is driven by recent technological advances, ubiquitous
data communications and the reduced cost of monitoring technology.
EPA and the Maryland Department of Environment are co-leading a
state-EPA effort to determine how to fully take advantage of rapid
changes in environmental monitoring technology. New advanced
monitoring technologies are already available that are smaller, more
portable, and less expensive than traditional methods. However, the
rapid evolution of monitoring technology also presents challenges to
government agencies, the public and the regulated community because the performance (i.e., accuracy,
precision and reliability) of new technologies is largely uncharacterized. Communities, citizens, industry and
local, state, federal and tribal agencies are asking the same question: "How good is it?"
In April 2016, the state-tribal-EPA collaborative E-Enterprise for the Environment Leadership Council
recommended five actions for joint EPA-state work: 1) perform a detailed options and feasibility analysis on the
creation of an independent third-party evaluation/certification for new technologies; 2) develop scanning and
screening procedures within EPA and the states to help users make decisions on which equipment they should
purchase or pilot; 3) develop messaging and tools to support the interpretation of monitoring results to ensure
that data are properly interpreted and communicated to the public; 4) develop data standards for advanced
monitoring technologies to facilitate distribution, sharing and integration of data; and 5) identify and implement
efficiencies in current technology approval processes. EPA ORD is supporting these joint efforts, while continuing
research on the use and performance of new monitoring technologies. For example, an EPA-supported research
center will deploy a large, distributed network of low-cost air quality monitors in Baltimore and will collect data
to assess variability in pollutant concentrations, source contributions and exposures across in the city.
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science in ACTION
AIR - QUALITY
Partner: Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and the Arkansas Forestry Commission
Challenge: Ambient air quality and public health considerations from fires (completed)
Resource: EPA's Smoke Ready Toolbox for Wildfires
"Through this forum Arkansas has advanced partnerships for natural resource management to further the
protection of human health and the environment. EPA wildfire and air quality research has helped Arkansas
spark collaboration and dialogue among those who benefit from, practice, and live on the periphery of prescribed
burns." - ADEQ Director Becky Keogh
Land managers utilize fire in a variety of contexts
including forestry, conservation, and agriculture. While Arkansas
is attaining and maintaining all national air quality standards,
smoke from fires still contains air contaminants that affect air
quality. Due largely to the growing urban/rural interface, the
interaction between prescribed fire smoke and citizens has
increased over time. Facilitating healthy air quality requires
ongoing collaboration among land managers and air quality
experts.
In March 2018, ADEQ and the Arkansas Forestry Commission
jointly hosted a two-day Fire Policy Forum in Little Rock. The Fire
Policy Forum was the first of its type in Arkansas and included attendees and speakers from across the country.
The forum brought together a diversity of stakeholders, including land owners and managers from federal, state,
local, and private sectors, for discussions regarding the intersection of careful and prudent use of "fire as a land
management tool," air quality considerations, and solutions to the challenges of balancing these two necessities.
An EPA ORD expert participated in the forum to share EPA wildland fire research on the public health
implications of wildfire smoke. The featured presentation informed the Forum's participants of the implications
of the growing urban/rural interface and the nearby use of prescribed fire tool. EPA researchers collaborate with
communities to facilitate the use of a variety of Agency developed resources to prepare and respond to fires,
including the Community Health Vulnerability Index, Smoke Sense app, and Wildfire Smoke: A Guide for Public
Health Officials. These resources are available on the Smoke Ready Toolbox for Wildfires:
https://www.epa.gov/smoke-readv-toolbox-wildfires
The variety of presentations provided an opportunity for forum participants to discuss air quality as a factor to
be considered when conducting activities that cause air contaminant emissions and how to incorporate best
management practices and plans for use of fire as a management tool. It also fostered a vibrant dialogue
surrounding the use of fire as a land management tool and its effect on air quality in the state of Arkansas.
For more information on the forum, please visit: https://www.adea.state.ar.us/air/Dlannina/fire-forum.asDX
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Partner: Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), Arkansas Department of Health (ADH)
Challenge: Underground fire at abandoned dumping site sparks public health risks (ongoing)
Resource: Technical assistance and environmental monitoring
"The ability to access EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD)
resources and expertise is critical for state response efforts. Arkansas
appreciates continuing work with EPA to close the gaps on
environmental challenges and to address community concerns."- ADEQ
Director Becky Keogh
In July 2018, residents of Bella Vista, Arkansas noticed a dull haze and
the smell of smoke wafting through their community and seeping into
nearby homes and businesses. The source of their concern turned out
to be a smoldering underground fire at a former illegal dumping site. Two former owners of the property had
turned it into a kind of unofficial (and unmonitored) dump, allowing nearby residents to dispose of brush, wood,
and other organic material. Unfortunately, according to numerous news reports it is now clear that old car
batteries, wiring, and old pool liners were also discarded. Subsequently buried - the whole mess was out of
sight, out of mind. That was until smoke started rising from the ground.
Locally known as "the stump dump fire" the conflagration has continued to smolder for more than half a year,
sparking health concerns and attracting the attention of ADEQ and ADH, as well as elected officials including the
State's Congress Member and both Arkansas Senators? Together, they called on EPA for help.
"To date, EPA has provided resources to the state for air monitoring, legal advice, and engineering tactics to
assist the state in controlling the fire. Arkansas's congressional delegation along with the local and state officials
acknowledge and appreciate this assistance as well as the technical assistance provided by the EPA Region 6
Office in Dallas, Texas," noted Arkansas Congress Member Steve Womack and Arkansas Senators Tom Cotton
and John Boozman in a letter to the EPA Administrator asking for additional assistance.
That assistance has included significant technical and scientific support from EPA ORD, part of an ongoing
partnership to match ORD expertise and resources with high priority needs in the states. ORD engineers have
visited the burning stump dump site to assess conditions and gather information and contributed to an
assessment of ongoing management approaches and mitigation options. ORD also provided comments on the
ADEQ Draft Response Action Plan and has also has been assisting ADEQ with responding to questions the State
has received from the plan.
EPA researchers will continue to work closely with the State as officials to continue to monitor air quality and
other conditions and provide expert advice as they decide on the best course for minimizing additional risks and
move forward with plans to extinguish the fire and revitalize the site.
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Partners: Placer County Air Pollution Control District in Auburn, California
Challenge: Provide timely information to the public about air quality conditions and how to reduce exposure to
smoke during wildfires
Resource: Smoke Sense App
"Like the Wildfire Smoke: A Guide for Public Health Officials publication, the Smoke
Sense App is a valuable tool that resulted from state and federal collaborations. This
innovative citizen science mobile application not only provides key information to the
public, but also helps public health officials to learn directly from citizens about
health impacts of wildfire smoke and actions people are taking to avoid smoke, all of
critical importance in California/' - Dr. Mark Starr, Deputy Director for
Environmental Health, California Department of Public Health
"With mobile devices being more and more for information, having the Smoke Sense
App available from the District's webpage provided the public with another valuable
resource on air quality conditions in the area along with steps one can take to reduce
exposure." - Ann Hobbs, Associate Planner with the Placer County Air Pollution
Control District
Over the past 30 years, an average of five million acres of wildlands have burned
annually, with the average doubling in recent years. While fire is vital in maintaining ecosystems, there are
tradeoffs with its use. Larger and more intense wildfires generate smoke that poses direct risks to human health.
Exposure to smoke from fires can cause eye and throat irritation with more serious health problems for children,
older adults, and those with existing heart and lung disease.
During the 2018 wildfire season, the Placer County Air Pollution Control District in Auburn, California, shared the
Smoke Sense app with their residents as another resource to help them understand the impacts of wildfire
smoke in their area and to learn ways to reduce smoke exposures to protect their health.
The Smoke Sense app is part of a study to better understand the health impacts of wildland fire smoke, which
includes both controlled and uncontrolled burns; what people are willing to do to avoid smoke exposure; and
how to develop health risk communication strategies to encourage people to protect their health during
wildfires. EPA has collaborated with states, tribes, counties, public health organizations and others to promote
the app as a way to increase awareness of the connection between wildland fire smoke and health.
The Placer County provided a link to the Smoke Sense app along with other public health materials on smoke
and wildfires on their website, the California Smoke Blog and social media.
Working closely with state, federal and local partners, EPA has created several tools, including the Smoke Sense
app, that can be used to help communities prepare and respond to wildland fire smoke. The app and other
materials about smoke and health are available online on the Smoke-Ready Toolbox for Wildfires:
https://www.epa.gov/smoke-readv-toolbox-wildfires.
AIR QUALITY INDEX 27713 <•>
CURRENT AQ! A0I TOMORROW
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science in ACTION
Partner: Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and
other state air agencies
Challenge: Need for effective strategies to reduce harmful air pollutants (ongoing)
Resource: EPA's Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) Modeling System
CMAQ predicted ozotie for June 1, 2013
"Maryland has made dramatic progress over the past 10
years in reducing ozone and fine particle pollution. We
have invested heavily into research and modeling and this
investment has been one of the reasons we have been
successful. The CMAQ photochemical model has been the
key tool we have used to design and refine control
strategies. It has helped us find least cost solutions to
reduce ozone and fine particle pollution." - MDE Secretary
Ben Grumbles
For more than 15 years, EPA and states have been using EPA's Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ)
Modeling System, a powerful computational tool for air quality management. CMAQ simultaneously models
multiple air pollutants, including ozone, particulate matter and a variety of air toxics to help air quality managers
determine the best air quality management scenarios for their states and communities.
State agencies that control air pollution use CMAQ to develop and assess implementation actions needed to
attain National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) mandated by the Clean Air Act. States use the tool to
identify sources of air quality problems and to assist in the design of effective strategies to reduce harmful air
pollutants. Using data about land use, meteorology and emissions, CMAQ provides detailed information about
the concentrations of air pollutants in a given area for any specified emissions or air quality scenario. With
information generated by CMAQ, states are able to examine the estimated impacts of different air quality
policies.
The National Weather Service also uses the model to produce air quality forecasts twice daily, and the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention uses CMAQ data in two community-focused tools that allow users to access
county-specific air quality information on pollutants, such as ozone and particulate matter.
CMAQ has a worldwide user community with users in 125 countries. The system brings together three kinds of
models including: meteorological models to represent atmospheric and weather activities; emission models to
represent man-made and naturally-occurring contributions to the atmosphere; and an air chemistry-transport
model to predict the atmospheric fate of air pollutants under varying conditions. The newest version of the
model (CMAQ 5.2.1) was released in March 2018.
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Partners: Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Oil and Gas Cooperators
Challenge: Support efficient development of U.S. energy resources while protecting human health (ongoing)
Resource: Next generation measurement methods
"EPA ORD has been a valuable partner in our efforts to advance needed
energy development while improving air quality in the Uinta Basin."- Utah
DEQ Executive Director Alan Matheson
Oil and natural gas production has increased significantly within Utah's Uinta
Basin and across the United States over the last decade. Approximately
three-quarters of the production in the Uinta Basin is on Indian Country
within the Uintah and Ouray Reservation. Oil and natural gas extraction and
production activities co-emit volatile organic compounds, a subset of which
consists of air pollutants that are hazardous to human health, and
greenhouse gases directly to the atmosphere.
EPA ORD researchers in collaboration with Region 8 (Mountains and Plains)
are working with state officials and oil and gas operators to conduct emissions research on pneumatic
controllers used in upstream production for improved process control and safety functions. Because of the very
large number of these devices, they contribute significantly to air emissions, however some uncertainty remains
regarding the real-world emissions from these devices. In 2016, research was conducted in cooperation with oil
and gas operators in the Uinta Basin, Utah on assessing emissions from pneumatic controllers
(http://www.sdrp.org/Journai/Paperlnformation.aspx?PaperlD=75669).
The ongoing collaboration between EPA, the state of Utah, and oil and gas operators will improve understanding
of these devices and measurement methods, and ultimately support better development of U.S. energy assets in
ways that also protect human health and the environment.
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Partner: Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
Challenge: Fine particle air pollution (completed)
Resource: Ground-based and remote sensing air measurements for the Utah Winter Fine Particulate Study in
collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and other partners
"The in-kind funding EPA provided\ including the sophisticated
instrumentation, lab analysis and project management support, was
invaluable in making [the 2017 Utah Winter Fine Particulate Study] a
success. The nature of fine particle pollution during northern Utah's
periodic winter inversions presents a complex scientific problem [which
Utah] has been analyzing for many years, and the insight and technical
expertise of EPA researchers will certainly help in our efforts to tackle this
difficult problem. We are hopeful the measurements and analysis of the
complex atmospheric chemical reactions this study captured will enhance
our ability to create effective policy tools to improve Utah's air quality
during these winter episodes."- Utah DEQ Executive Director Alan Matheson
During the winter in Utah's northern valleys, cold air inversions trap pollution emitted from vehicles, industry
and agriculture, This allows atmospheric chemicals to mix and leads to the formation of fine particulate matter
{PM2.5), which is an air pollutant that is harmful to health when it is concentrated at high levels.
In 2017, EPA ORD provided support to Utah in its Utah Winter Fine Particulate Study - one of the most
comprehensive efforts to date to determine the chemical processes in the atmosphere that lead to the
formation of PM2.5. During January and February, ORD scientists collected ground-based air measurements using
new techniques they developed in the lab and remote sensing technology. The data were combined with
measurements of the upper atmosphere taken by NOAA using aircraft to obtain a complete analysis of
atmospheric chemistry in the valleys.
The science team collaborated on a report that was delivered to the State of Utah in spring 2018 on study
findings. Talks are on-going for a future follow on study in Utah. The data from the study will be used by Utah
DEQ to develop effective strategies for their State Implementation Plan to reduce PM2.5 levels during the winter
months. The study will help to improve air quality for the more than two million residents who live in the area.
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Partners: Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM), an association of eight
Northeastern States including Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,
Rhode Island and Vermont
Challenge: Northeastern states' planning for energy and air emissions (completed)
Resource: Energy system database
"EPA ORD, through its research programs, is well-positioned to support us in
better understanding the numerous multi-state origins and inter-state
transfer of air pollution and how it evolves as it travels to Rhode Island. No
individual state in the Northeast is capable of studying this complicated
issue alone." - Rl Department of Environmental Management Director Janet
Coit
The MARKet ALIocation (MARKAL) tool is used to model the nation's energy
system and evaluate different energy technology options for reducing air
quality emissions. The tool uses energy and water technology data to create
future scenarios or options for optimizing water and energy consumption
and management. City planners can run simulations on a variety of policy
options to evaluate the most cost-effective and environmentally sustainable
solutions for providing energy- and water-related services such as heating,
cooling, and water and wastewater treatment.
EPA ORD has collaborated with NESCAUM in the further development of a
MARKAL model tailored specifically to the energy infrastructure of the Northeast. This NE-MARKAL model was
based on ORD's U.S.-scale 9 region MARKAL/TIMES optimization model database used by decision makers for
coordinated energy and air emissions planning. ORD provided expertise and support for the development of
state-level model database(s) and implementation of the modeling framework and case studies. The NE-
MARKAL framework will be used by decision makers to examine energy policy options and their resultant
impacts on energy services in the region.
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Partner: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Lake Michigan Air Directors Consortium (LADCO)
Challenge: Better understanding of Lake Michigan's ozone formation and transport (ongoing)
Resource: Reference methods, optical and remote sensing analyses and federal research vessel in collaboration
with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NASA, the University of Iowa, the University
of Northern Iowa, the University of Minnesota, the University of Wisconsin via the National Science Foundation,
and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
"This study will improve the
models that we use to inform
science-based decision
making."- Wisconsin DNR,
Environmental Management
Division Assistant Deputy
Secretary Pat Stevens
Ozone is formed when
compounds such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) react with sunlight. Despite
dramatic reductions in these ozone precursor emissions, many areas bordering Lake Michigan continue to
experience elevated ozone concentrations. This long-standing issue is one of the more challenging air quality
issues in the eastern U.S.
A problem that is hindering states and stakeholders addressing this challenge is that Lake Michigan's unique
meteorology and ozone chemistry, including the transport of ozone and ozone precursors in the region, are not
completely understood. Photochemical models are important tools for understanding such transport issues.
However, these models historically have been unable to reproduce the lake breeze effect present around Lake
Michigan, making it difficult for states, the LADCO and EPA to accurately predict and address ozone
concentrations along the Lake Michigan lakeshore. LADCO is a regional planning organization that includes
representation from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin
(http://www.ladco.org/about/index.php).
In the summer of 2017, EPA ORD, LADCO, academic institutions, and other state and federal agencies pooled
their expertise and resources to commence a field study to collect information that will be used to better inform
air quality models and ultimately help understand ozone formation around Lake Michigan. EPA ORD, in
conjunction with NOAA and NASA, outfitted a NOAA research vessel with EPA instruments to support over-the-
water measurements. NASA and EPRI are providing airborne remote sensing measurement to complement EPA
and state surface measurements to help understand pollutant transport over Lake Michigan. These
measurements will be combined with satellite data to better understand ozone chemistry and transport over
the area, and better inform efforts to reduce ozone formation along the shoreline.
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Partner: Environmental Council of the States (ECOS)
Challenge: Need for non-regulatory performance targets for sensors that measure fine particulate matter
(PM2.5) and ozone in the U.S. (ongoing)
Resource: "Deliberating Performance Targets for Air Quality Sensors" Workshop and Webinar
"For this EPA ORD hosted workshop, state attendees were able to
contribute the state agency perspective to a broad discussion regarding
sensor qualitydata quantityand how smaller, lower-cost air monitoring
sensors may be used by state agencies. They were also able to gain a sense
of how different parties - national and international, private and public -
are handling the addition of smaller, lower-cost sensors to the market."-
ECOS Senior Project Manager Kelly Poole
Over the past several years, miniaturized, lower-cost air monitoring sensors
have entered the market and are now being used by researchers, industrial
facilities, state and local government agencies, tribal nations, citizen
scientists and the public for a variety of purposes. New applications include
a variety of activities, including: real-time high-resolution mapping of air
quality at a far greater density than regulatory monitors, real-time public
communication of sensor data, fenceline monitoring to detect emissions
events, community monitoring to assess hot spots, personal monitoring,
and applications to collect data in remote places. Given the rapid adoption and technological advances of new
air sensor technologies, there are numerous questions about how well they perform and how lower-cost
technologies can be used for certain non-regulatory applications.
EPA, in coordination with ECOS, convened a workshop in June 2018 on "Deliberating Performance Targets for Air
Quality Sensors." The workshop solicited individual stakeholder views related to non-regulatory performance
targets for sensors that measure fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone in the U.S. Through on-site and
webinar discussions, national and international participants addressed a range of technical issues involved in
establishing performance targets for air sensor technologies. These issues included for example sensor
performance for various measures like limits of detection and calibration, selecting approriate performance
targets, and adoptiong of one set of performance targets for all non-regulatory purposes, versus a tiered
approach for different sensor applications. The workshop included discussion of lessons learned from other
countries about choices or trade-offs they have made or debated in establishing performance targets for
measurement technologies.
As a follow up, a group of technical experts worked with EPA to document and summarize the individual
perspectives communicated at the workshop, within the context of relevant scientific literature. Workshop
products, including presentations delivered to the workshop, a report summarizing peer reviewed literature, a
brief research highlights article, and a more extensive peer-reviewed journal article discussing the workshop are
all publicly available. Links to these resources can be found at the bottom of this webpage:
https://www.epa.gov/air-research/deliberating-performance-targets-air-qualitv-sensors-workshops. Two more
documents will be released as a result of this workshop in early 2020.
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Partner: Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) supported by New Jersey
Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
(NYSDEC), New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the Connecticut
Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (CTDEEP)
Challenge: Persistent exceedance of health-based air quality standards for ground-level ozone in the New York
City Metropolitan area
Resource: Multi-agency Long Island Sound Tropospheric Ozone Study (LISTOS) to better understand factors of
ground-level ozone formation in collaboration with NASA, NOAA, University of Maryland, Atmospheric Sciences
Research Center (ASRC) of the State University of New York (SUNY) at Albany, and City College of New York
"ORD's coordination with and support of LISTOS has helped
New York better understand precursors of ground level
ozone in the New York City area so that we will be able to
better address it,"- Dirk Felton, Research Scientist, Division
of Air Resources, NYSDEC
Ozone is primarily formed when compounds such as
nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds react with
sunlight. The New York City (NYC) Combined Statistical Area
(CSA) is the largest CSA by population in the United States.
While air pollution levels have dropped over the years
across the United States, the NYC metropolitan area and
surrounding region continue to persistently exceed both past and recently revised federal health-based air
quality standards for ground-level ozone.
To better understand and address this challenge, EPA scientists collaborated in a multi-agency field study in
spring and summer 2018 called the Long Island Sound Tropospheric Ozone Study (LISTOS). LISTOS is aimed at
better understanding specific features of ground-level ozone photochemical formation, meteorology, and
transport downwind of NYC along the shorelines of Long Island Sound that are responsible for ongoing violations
of national ozone air quality health standards. Measurement assets supporting this field study included a
combination of aircraft and ground-based measurements from numerous research organizations.
The collaborative study is facilitated and partly funded by NESCAUM and NYSERDA includes in-kind support from
the NJDEP, NYSDEC, CTDEEP, SUNY Albany, SUNY Stony Brook, University of Maryland, University of Colorado,
City College of New York, and Yale. EPA efforts to support this study began in April 2018 with the deployment of
an initial set of ground-based measurement assets in NJ, NY, CT and Rl. The main part of the study ran from
June-August 2018. Information garnered from the study will inform efforts to better control and prevent
ground-level ozone formation with the aim of eventually meeting the national standards.
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Partner: South Coast Air Quality Management District's (SCAQMD) Air Quality Sensor Performance Evaluation
Center (AQ-SPEC)
Challenge: Understanding the utility and accuracy of low-cost air sensors to measure pollution (completed)
Resource: Deployment and testing of air sensors in 'real-world' conditions
"The SCAQMD/AQ-SPEC collaboration with the US EPA on
the Citizen Science Air Monitor (CSAM) evaluation project
set the ground for the development of a sensor network
across the South Coast Air Basin for the collection of
PM2.5, 03 and N02 data with a high level of spatial and
temporal resolution."- Andrea Polidori, SCAQMD
Advanced Monitoring Technologies Manager
Air pollution impacts can vary depending on geography,
weather and proximity to pollution sources. For example,
the Los Angeles metropolitan area often faces unhealthy
air quality levels due to the unique weather, geography
and variety of air pollution sources. Some vulnerable
communities in the area are disproportionately impacted because of their proximity to busy roadways, ports,
railyards, refineries and other industrial facilities. This has raised public health and environmental justice
concerns.
The recent emergence of smaller, portable, low-cost air quality sensors in the marketplace has provided new
opportunities for the public to measure air quality. To assist local and state air quality managers, community
groups, researchers and others, EPA ORD, in collaboration with EPA Region 9 (Pacific Southwest) and the South
Coast Air Quality Management District's (SCAQMD) Air Quality Sensor Performance Evaluation Center (AQ-
SPEC), deployed custom-built sensor devices (pods). Research collaborators are evaluating the performance of
the pods under "real-world" conditions to measure fine particulate matter (PM2.5), ozone (03), relative
humidity, and temperature at nine locations throughout southern California. The measurements were taken
from January 2017 to April 2017. The goal of this project was to characterize the performance of these newly
developed Citizen Science Air Monitor (CSAM) pods and better understand their potential applications for
community monitoring.
From October 2016 to April 2017, tests were conducted in the laboratory and field (Long Beach, Jurupa Valley,
and Coachella Valley) to examine pod performance and operation in real-world conditions. EPA designed and
developed the pods and provided guidance on the overall quality assurance and control of the project. AQ-SPEC
designed, developed and conducted the field and laboratory testing evaluations of the pods, the field
deployment, data collection, data quality assurance and control, and data analysis.
Results from the project will provide critical knowledge on pod performance in real-world conditions and sensor
data quality, and will benefit the development, distribution and access to air quality monitoring technologies for
communities. The project will also provide a better understanding of how ozone and PM2.5 concentrations vary
in southern California.
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science in ACTION
CHEMICALS - ASBESTOS
Partner: Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
Challenge: Asbestos exposure following forest fires (completed)
Resource: Computer modeling in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service
"The modeling results were used to scope and plan for the
potential socio-political and management challenges resulting
from a wildfire occurring in or threatening a portion of the Libby
Asbestos Super fund Site. These results will also be used to assist
the Montana DEQ in evaluating proposed remedies, and [they]
are important in informing local and Montana Department of
Natural Resources and Conservation firefighters in developing
response actions to protect firefighters and the citizens of Libby
and the surrounding area." - Montana DEQ, Remediation
Division Lisa Dewitt
As noted above, Libby amphibole asbestos (LAA) has been
found to co-occur with the vermiculite ore that was mined in
Libby, Montana starting in the 1920s. Due to the presence of
asbestos, additional concerns have been raised about the potential for forest fires near the Libby Asbestos site
to spread asbestos fibers, exposing firefighters and those living adjacent to the Libby site.
To address this potential health hazard, EPA ORD, in collaboration with Region 8 (Mountains and Plains),
provided technical support to Montana DEQ in assessing the health risks associated with potential forest fires
near the Libby Asbestos site in Montana. Specifically, ORD conducted experiments to understand the potential
asbestos emissions, and Region 8 used these data in a model to assess whether these emissions would result in
potential exposures. To obtain emissions data, ORD first burned forest floor material from a portion of the Libby
Asbestos site, simulating a forest fire. During these simulated burns, particulate matter and gaseous emissions
were measured and samples of the ash were analyzed to determine whether these samples contained asbestos.
These data suggested that only a small fraction of the asbestos in the forest floor material was released into the
gas phase. EPA Region 8 then used these data, along with direct measurements of asbestos in the forest floor at
the Libby site, and estimated combustion and meteorological conditions in a model to estimate potential
asbestos exposures under various scenarios. Because of these modeling efforts, EPA was then able to provide
Montana DEQ with the range of potential exposures for these scenarios, In addition, EPA is now able to model
forest fires when they do occur to more accurately estimate exposures and health risks to firefighters and to the
surrounding communities.
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science in ACTION
Partners: Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
Challenge: Addressing human health risks of exposure to Libby amphibole asbestos (completed)
Resource: IRIS assessment
m
"EPA ORD establishing the toxicity of the Libby amphibole asbestos
(LAA) was key to completing the multipathway risk analysis that was
necessary for the remedial action to move forward and provide
confidence for the public that a decade of EPA removal actions was
protective."- Montana DEQ, Remediation Division Lisa Dewitt
Libby amphibole asbestos (LAA) has been found to co-occur with the
vermiculite ore that was mined in Libby, Montana starting in the
1920s. When the mining and milling operations were active, residents of the Libby region were exposed to high
air concentrations of LAA. Local clinics began to observe incidences of respiratory disease in the Libby area that
were much higher than the national average for these asbestos-related diseases. After mining and milling
operations ceased, exposures still occurred from soils and vermiculite home insulation contaminated with LAA;
from roads, driveways and recreational areas where mine tailings containing LAA had been used; and from
former vermiculite processing facilities located in Libby. In 2002, the Libby mining and milling operations site
(Libby Asbestos) was placed on the Superfund National Priorities List.
The community had great concerns about the risks posed by the asbestos contamination in the town, with a
significant portion of residents concerned that the particular kind of asbestos in Libby was more toxic than other
forms of asbestos. In 2009, EPA announced that a public health emergency existed at the Libby asbestos site
this was the first time EPA had made a determination under the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) that conditions at a site constituted a public health emergency.
EPA ORD, in collaboration with Region 8 (Mountains and Plains), developed an Integrated Risk Information
System (IRIS) assessment of the asbestos mixture found in Libby (referred to as Libby amphibole asbestos).
Based on epidemiological analyses of workers exposed to LAA, the assessment concluded that inhalation
exposure to LAA could lead to thickening of the membranes that envelop the lungs, which could decrease lung
function. The assessment was able to identify a level of exposure that, over a lifetime, would be unlikely to
cause such effects on the lung membranes. This was the first quantitative toxicity estimate of adverse non-
cancer health effects for any type of asbestos. The assessment also established that the asbestos found in Libby
produced cancer, and importantly for the community, was able to show it was similar in potency to other forms
of asbestos.
With the IRIS assessment of LAA, along with site-specific exposure data, decisions could be made to protect
human health and to address community concerns about the toxicity of the specific form of asbestos found in
their area. EPA's Libby Superfund Site Human Health Risk Assessment, using the IRIS assessment, showed that
the cleanup actions EPA has taken since 1999 have reduced LAA exposures and risks at the Libby Asbestos site.
The asbestos ambient air concentrations there today are about 100,000 times lower than when mine and
processing facilities were in operation, making today's air quality in Libby similar to other Montana cities.
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CHEMICALS - ASSESSMENTS
Partners: California Environmental Protection Agency's (CalEPA) Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC)
and Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)
Challenge: Evaluating chemicals for health effects (ongoing)
Resource: New technologies, models, tools, data and other chemical information
"California benefits significantly from our partnership with
EPA ORD. We use ToxCast data to provide valuable insight
into how chemicals may cause toxicity, and we use their
lifecycle analytic and exposure modeling and monitoring
for various state efforts including our work on safer
consumer products. EPA ORD resources are helping us to
make more informed decisions about the potential health
effects of chemicals." - CalEPA Matthew Rodriquez (former
Secretary)
CalEPA's DTSC and OEHHA are collaborating with EPA ORD
on the following projects: 1) using ORD's new technologies
and computational modeling approaches to evaluate the potential health effects of chemicals; 2) improving and
using ORD science for evaluating the risk of chemical exposure to threatened and endangered species; and 3) a
collaboration which includes EPA's Region 9 (Pacific Southwest) and Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution
Prevention to advance sustainable chemistry practices and activities.
ORD researchers have provided CalEPA staff training on the use and interpretation of the high-throughput
chemical testing data contained in the ToxCast Dashboard (http://actor.epa.gov/dashboard/); planned and
participated in a workshop to discuss an endangered species case study in the Sacramento River Basin; and
shared database architecture to help the state develop chemical information databases. This collaboration is
helping California use scientific advances to make more informed decisions about the potential health effects of
chemicals, as well as determine safer and more sustainable uses of chemicals found in products that consumers
buy and use.
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science in ACTION
Partner: California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA)
Challenge: Set a risk-based cleanup level for para-Chlorobenzene Sulfonic Acid (p-CBSA) (completed)
Resource: Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Value (PPRTV) for p-CBSA
"When a chemical that had not been well-studied
threatened an important drinking water aquifer in the
LA. Basin, scientists from ORD were important partners.
They worked collaboratively with our state scientists to
develop a risk assessment using the best available
science." - CalEPA Secretary Matthew Rodriquez
The potential toxic effects of para-Chlorobenzene
Sulfonic Acid (p-CBSA), a by-product of the production of
the pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT),
present health concerns, particularly for drinking water
contamination because the chemical is highly water
soluble and mobile in aqueous environments. It has been
identified in potential drinking water sources beneath and near sites in California, such as the former Montrose
Chemical Corporation where DDT was manufactured from the 1950s to the early 1980s.
Because of high interest in evaluating the potential human health effects of p-CBSA, CalEPA and EPA ORD, in
collaboration with Region 9 (Pacific Southwest), worked together in assembling existing study data leading to
the development of a Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Value (PPRTV) assessment. Importantly, the
information in PPRTV assessments can be used in combination with exposure metrics to characterize the public
health risks of a given substance at a particular Superfund site. These risk characterizations can form the basis
for risk-based decision making, regulatory activities and other risk management decisions designed to
characterize and protect human health.
EPA ORD's PPRTV assessment identified information sufficient for derivation of a provisional reference value
that informs risk associated with oral p-CBSA exposures. The impact of this work will be realized in the
facilitation of risk-based decision making and activities on sites contaminated with p-CBSA.
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Partner: California Environmental Protection Agency's (CalEPA) Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC)
Challenge: To inform the identification of "Priority Products/' California DTSC must understand the potential for
exposures to chemicals contained in specific consumer products (ongoing)
Resource: Application of high-throughput human exposure models for thousands of chemical-product
"The Safer Consumer Product regulations don't use quantitative risk
assessment to prioritize product-chemical combinations as Priority
Products. Instead, the regulatory criteria are exposure potential and
hazard potential using a narrative standard. So, determining exposure
is critical for our decision making. The Stochastic Human Exposure and
Dose Simulation High Throughput (SHEDS-HT) model and product
intake fraction modeling are valuable tools to help us assess exposure.
CA DTSC can use SHEDS-HT to support the selection of Priority Product
categories and accelerate our screening of chemicals in our work plan
including flame retardants, antimicrobials, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and fragrances." - CalEPA
DTSC Safer Products and Workplaces Program, Deputy Director Meredith Williams
California DTSC's Safer Consumer Products program uses a multi-step process to reduce toxic chemicals in the
products that consumers buy and use. It identifies specific products that contain potentially harmful chemicals
and asks manufacturers if the chemical is chemical necessary and if there a safer alternative. DTSC identifies
"Candidate Chemicals" which may pose a health hazard, and then identifies "Priority Products" in which they
may occur. DTSC would like to consider potential human exposures associated with Candidate Chemicals when
deciding which products are a priority. However, since measured exposure data are rarely available for all
potential chemicals and products, exposure model predictions are needed.
EPA ORD's High-Throughput Stochastic Human Exposure and Dose Simulation Model (SHEDS-HT) is a population-
based model of human exposure to chemicals in consumer products that can be used to meet this need. Inputs
to SHEDS-HT include product compositions (i.e., chemical concentrations in various product types), human
behavior patterns (e.g., frequency and amount of product use), chemical properties, and population
characteristics. ORD has also developed a database of product chemical ingredient data called the Chemicals
and Products Database (CPDat) by collecting and summarizing data on thousands of products from publicly-
available data sources such as Material Safety Data Sheets and manufacturer ingredient lists. Using CPDat, ORD
scientists performed SHEDS-HT simulations of the predicted exposures associated with thousands of chemical-
consumer product combinations, including chemicals currently included on the DTSC Candidate Chemical List.
DTSC plans on using the SHEDS-HT results to support selection of Priority Product categories and further
prioritization or evaluation of products and chemicals. These activities will directly support California's Safer
Consumer Products program stated goal of identifying and prioritizing chemicals in consumer products with the
potential to cause adverse impacts on public health and environment.
For more information on SHEDS-HT: https://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/stochastic-human-exposure-and-
dose-simulation-sheds-estimate-human-exposure
combinations
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Partner: Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) and LaPlace, LA
Challenge: Potential cancer risks from emissions of chloroprene (completed)
Resource: IRIS assessment and air quality monitoring
"I want to thank EPA's Office of Research and Development for their
assistance in gathering and interpreting air quality data from around
the Denka Performance Elastomer facility in LaPlace, LA. The
information ORD provided helped the LDEQ design and implement
actions to reduce chloroprene emissions from the plant. The multi-step
Denka remedy is in the first stages of its implementation and has
already produced significant reductions in chloroprene emissions. When
agencies work together, everyone benefits." - LDEQ Secretary Dr. Chuck
Carr Brown
EPA ORD scientists assisted Region 6 (South Central U.S.) and the state
of Louisiana with their evaluation of potential cancer risks from emissions of chloroprene from the Denka
Performance Elastomer facility in LaPlace. Based on the risk evaluation and an engineering analyses, the
company reached an agreement with Louisiana to install control equipment to significantly reduce chloroprene
emissions. The facility had been identified in the EPA's National Air Toxics Assessment (December 2015) as the
highest cancer risk facility in the U.S.,, leading to ambient air monitoring in the vicinity of the facility. The air
monitoring demonstrated high levels of chloroprene in the ambient air in the surrounding neighborhood and at
schools near the facility. ORD scientists and staff from the LDEQ, EPA's Region 6 and Office of Air and Radiation
met with the community at a public meeting in LaPlace. EPA researchers characterized the potential health risks
associated with chloroprene. EPA directly supported the state of Louisiana in achieving action to reduce public
health risks from the chloroprene emissions.
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Partner: Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
Challenge: Fish kills and unknown contamination (completed)
"The ORD National Exposure Research Laboratory in Las Vegas was a
valuable asset during Oklahoma DEQ's investigation into the Red
River fish kills. This facility's expertise and analytical technologies
assisted with researching potential causative agents related to these
fish kills. In addition, I strongly support the mission of ORD to conduct
valuable research that leads to improvements in the continued
protection of public health and the environment." - Oklahoma DEQ
Executive Director Scott Thompson
Between 2011 and 2013 there were several incidents of concern in
the Red River watershed and Red Creek. There were four fish kills with unknown contaminants present in the
water, and stray gas bubbling between fish kill events. Oklahoma DEQ requested EPA ORD assistance in
identifying the unknown contaminants, and the source of the indeterminate stray gas.
EPA ORD scientists, in collaboration with Region 6 (South Central U.S.) set out to use state-of-the-art analytical
tools to identify the contaminants, and to oversee an isotopic analysis of the gases sampled by a private
company.
Through these techniques, ORD was able to make conditional chemical assignments of the contaminants and
help determine that the stray gases were from a biogenic (natural) source. This assistance provided information
to Oklahoma DEQ to assist in understanding and managing these incidents.
Resource: Chemical composition analysis
W
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CHEMICALS - MERCURY
Partners: California Regional Water Control Board
Challenge: Reducing mercury methylation in the Nacimiento Reservoir (completed)
Resource: Technical investigation
"Understanding mercury methylation and cycling of mercury in the
aquatic environment is particularly important to states and
communities that oversee health advisories for fish consumption.
The Lake Nacimiento study could help to enhance our
understanding of mercury methylation and controls in reservoirs-
CalEPA Environmental Engineer Carrie Austin
Although operations ended in 1970, the legacy of previous mercury
mining and processing activities at the Buena Vista, California
mining district still pose environmental and related public health
concerns. Mercury from the Buena Vista Superfund Site that enters the local watershed drains into the
Nacimiento Reservoir. Researchers have identified active zones of methylation—when mercury is converted into
a form that easily enters the food chain—in the reservoir's water columns and sediments.
Several remediation options are currently under consideration to protect the public from mercury exposure and
its detrimental impact on the nervous system. Researchers from EPA ORD are working closely with their
colleagues in Region 9 (Pacific Southwest) to identify the best ones. Together, they worked to determine how
much methyl mercury in the water column comes from methylation taking place in reservoir sediment, and to
identify the effect that higher dissolved oxygen levels in the water column can have on the methylation process.
Results showed that methylmercury production was primarily taking place within the water column, and that
reservoir sediment was not a significant contributor due to much lower methylation rates; additionally,
increased levels of dissolved oxygen would reduce overall water column methylation.
The information will help site managers focus on remediation activities that alter water column chemistry,
increase levels of dissolved oxygen, and utilize reservoir management strategies, thereby reducing seasonal
fluctuations of methyl mercury production.
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Partner: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
Challenge: Addressing Beneficial Use Impairments through tracking and remediation of bioaccumulating
contaminants (ongoing)
Resource: Modeling bioaccumulation of PCBs and mercury in fish
"EPA ORD's Mid-Continent Ecology Division has been
instrumental in providing data, analytical expertise
and guidance to support MPCA's efforts to remove
Beneficial Use Impairments (BUI's) in the St. Louis
River Area of Concern (AOC) in Duluth, MN and
Superior, Wl. This AOC is the largest and most
complex of the 43 legacy pollution sites surrounding
the Great Lakes in the U.S. and Canada. EPA's work on aquatic macrophyte models, bioaccumulative compounds
in fish tissue, benthic invertebrate communities and spatial data sets has accelerated the implementation of our
plan to complete all project work in the AOC by 2020 so that BUI's can be removed by the target date of 2025." -
MPCA John Line Stine (former Commissioner)
The St. Louis River is listed as a Great Lakes Area of Concern (AOC) under the Great Lakes Water Quality
Agreement of 1987. This AOC has several Beneficial Use Impairments including loss of fish and wildlife habitat,
excess loadings of sediment and nutrients, degradation of aquatic invertebrate communities (benthos), and
restrictions on fish and wildlife consumption. MPCA conveyed a need to identify improvements and advance
progress toward removing use impairments and eventual AOC delisting.
One of the critical impairments identified for this AOC is restriction offish and wildlife consumption. Both
Minnesota and Wisconsin have posted fish consumption advisories for the St. Louis River because fish have
elevated mercury and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) concentrations. Bioaccumulation of dioxins and furans in
the Thomson and Scanlon reservoirs are also a concern for fish, wildlife and human health. MPCA identified the
need to develop approaches to establish remediation targets for these and other bioaccumulating
contaminants, and monitoring designs to track progress after sediment remediation has occurred.
EPA ORD researchers worked with state agency staff to develop a geospatial, habitat-based model offish
bioaccumulation of PCBs to help determine the extent of PCB contamination in the AOC, screen for
contamination "hot spots," and develop monitoring plans for future assessments. ORD researchers also led a
multi-federal/state agency team to apply cutting-edge chemical tracers to identify the source and pathways of
mercury contamination in the AOC. The tracers are being applied to determine the role of legacy mercury
contamination in the AOC, and aid in establishing a mercury-specific remedial target. Finally, an approach to
determine the effectiveness of remediation that was developed in other Great Lakes AOCs was brought to the
Thomson and Scanlon reservoirs to aid state agencies in implementing and tracking the success of a proposed
remediation of dioxins and furans in the reservoir sediments.
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Partners: Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
Challenge: Determine the influence of water level fluctuations on the seasonal production of methyl mercury in
the Cottage Grove Reservoir (completed, but continued interactions)
Resources: Technical Investigation to help reduce methyl mercury levels
"I think this is valuable information for understanding
potential methyl mercury loading contributions and
methylation mechanisms related to water level fluctuations
in Cottage Grove Reservoir. Looking ahead, this study
suggests some potential considerations related to reservoir
flow management that could help mitigate mercury
methylation potential." - Oregon DEQ, Water Quality
Monitoring Manager Aaron Borisenko
The Cottage Grove Reservoir located south of the Historic
Black Butte Superfund Site has received historical and
ongoing loading of mercury and transport of contaminated
mercury sediments resulting in strict fish consumption advisories. Cottage Grove Reservoir operates as a flood
control reservoir, and lower water levels during the fall and winter expose 60-80 percent of the reservoir
sediments.
EPA ORD researchers designed an investigation at Cottage Grove to determine whether the seasonal exposure
of reservoir sediments was contributing to the elevated level of methyl mercury within the reservoir water
column. Results from the investigation identified that the seasonal lowering of the water level corresponded
with increased production of methyl mercury in sediments that were exposed to the atmosphere. Currently,
discussions for altering reservoir management strategies to control seasonal production of methyl mercury are
underway. By lowering the loading of mercury to the reservoir, Oregon DEQ hopes to benefit communities that
catch and eat fish.
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Partner: Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (Rl DEM)
Challenge: Determining freshwater fishing sites for safe catch consumption and predicting accumulation of
mercury (Hg) at untested sites (ongoing)
Resource: Sampling and analysis of mercury from fish tissues sampled across Rhode Island
"EPA ORD has been instrumental in providing technical
expertise and analysis of total mercury concentrations in fish
from freshwater sites in Rhode Island for over a decade. The
data generated are reducing a major data gap and have been
used by Rl DEM to identify impaired waters under Section
303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act. The data are also
reviewed by the Rl Department of Health which provides
advice to the public about fish consumption and mercury." -
Rl DEM Office of Water Resources Deputy Chief Sue Kiernan
Mercury (Hg) is a highly toxic contaminant of concern because of its propensity to accumulate in aquatic
organisms and to bio-magnify as it moves upward in aquatic food webs to fish. In New England, many lakes,
ponds and reservoirs are acidic, unenriched and have conditions conducive to bacterial methylation of Hg. This
methylation facilitates movement of mercury into aquatic food webs.
Due to concerns about mercury levels in freshwater fish in Rhode Island, scientists from EPA ORD have been
working with scientists in the Rl DEM Office of Water and Division of Fish and Wildlife to sample fish and to
determine their total Hg concentrations. This 15-year collaboration has resulted in the sampling and analysis of
fish communities from more than 50 freshwater sites from locations across the state, including two sites on
Narragansett Indian Lands. At more than 75% of sites, mercury concentrations were found to exceed the EPA
tissue-based criteria for human consumption in higher trophic level fish, such as Largemouth Bass, Black Crappie
and Chain Pickerel. As they are received, the results of fish Hg concentrations are shared with the Rl Department
of Health, which provides guidance on fish consumption to the public.
This cooperative research effort has also enabled EPA ORD scientists to measure stable isotopes of nitrogen and
carbon on fish collected. These measurements are being used in corollary research to develop models for
estimating trophic positions of different organisms in the food web. These models are useful for examining
movement of energy and contaminants (including Hg) in aquatic systems.
Overall, this EPA ORD and Rl DEM collaboration has helped determine which freshwater sites fishers can target
for safe harvests and has provided data to develop models for predicting movement and accumulation of Hg in
untested sites.
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CHEMICALS - PFAS
Partner: Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC)
Challenge: Contaminated site due to PFAS issues at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (ongoing)
Resource: Technical support for site contamination in collaboration with the U.S. Air Force
"EPA's collaboration with the ADEC and the Air Force on PFAS sampling and analytical methods is key to ensuring
valid, defensible data are collected on these emerging contaminants that are being found in soil, groundwater
and drinking water in Alaska and elsewhere across the country. Extremely low concentrations, in the parts per
trillion levels, in drinking water may pose unacceptable health risks, thus, rigorous sampling and analytical
methods are critical in ensuring people have clean drinking water." - ADEC Larry Hartig (former Commissioner)
With increased concern about the risk of per- and poly-fluorinated
alkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water, it is important to identify
the source(s) of the contamination and manage/remediate the
risk. To date, PFAS contamination has been observed at landfills,
primary and secondary PFAS-related manufacturing sites, wastewater
treatment plants, and emergency response and training sites where
aqueous film forming foams (AFFF) were used for firefighting. The
U.S. Department of Defense has identified hundreds of sites with
potential AFFF contamination.
EPA ORD, in coordination with Region 10 (Pacific Northwest), is
providing technical support for PFAS site characterization at Joint
Base Elmendorf Richardson (JBER) in Anchorage. ORD previously
provided a review of an Air Force work plan to collect groundwater
and soil samples at JBER for PFAS analysis. ORD scientists will observe
the collection of groundwater samples by an Air Force contractor, visit locations where samples have been
collected, and collect wastewater and creek samples. ORD scientists will analyze splits of some samples to
evaluate the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) analytical PFAS methods (ASTM 7968-14 and
ASTM 7979-15). This will provide an opportunity to apply the ASTM methods to additional environmental
matrices analyzed to date, as well as analyze samples for PFAS precursors. The resulting data from the Air Force
and ORD can be used to decide further site characterization priorities.
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Partners: New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES)
Challenge: Understanding what perfluorochemicals (PFAS) are being emitted from industrial sources (ongoing)
Resource: Application of non-targeted high-resolution mass spectrometric methods to environmental
characterization; air/stack sampling methods development and testing
"EPA ORD's application of non-targeted high-resolution mass
spectrometric methods to detect current PFAS emissions in
air, water and soils has been a tremendous assist to NH as
we assess emissions from current operations and treatment
technologies to stop air emissions."- NHDES Assistant
Commissioner Clark Freise
Following the emergence of concerns about long-chain per-
and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), the state of New
Hampshire has conducted extensive work characterizing
"legacy" PFAS, primarily using contract laboratories.
However, there are ongoing technical challenges in this
work, including: limitations in current analytical methods to
comprehensively assess PFAS environmental contamination and related fate and transport expertise, handling
more complex sample matrices, and the unknown nature of compounds. Regional, state, and contract
laboratories are able to evaluate a relatively narrow slice of legacy PFAS, leaving environmental degradates and
new generation PFAS invisible.
There are known industrial sources of PFAS along the Merrimack River. To evaluate the environmental and
public health impact, NHDES requested EPA ORD's assistance to help them assess emissions and contamination
comprehensively. Of particular interest is conducting novel analyses to reveal the possible presence of newer
fluoropolymer materials. This has led to a strong collaborative effort with EPA Region 1 (New England) and NH
collecting valuable samples and ORD applying novel methods of sampling (air) and analysis (non-targeted high-
resolution mass spectrometry). Samples of water and soil had previously been collected to help understand the
entirety of contamination that may have resulted from the operation of the plant. The collaborative effort has
allowed an opportunity to engage in research to test new monitoring methods and instruments with the end
goal of a comprehensive assessment of environmental contamination of per- and polyfluorinated materials.
As a result, a first report based on targeted analyses was delivered in April 2018. Sampling and analysis is
ongoing, as well as employing non-targeted analysis techniques to identify novel PFAS. This work will help NH
better understand the extent of contamination and determine the needs for and proper design of air pollution
control equipment to control PFAS emissions.
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Partner: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
"EPA ORD's studies have provided critical information needed to
develop PFAS human health risk assessments. In particular, we
appreciate your foresight in initiating studies ofPFNA several
years before it was widely recognized as a potential concern. Also,
we especially thank you for your ongoing willingness to share your
knowledge ofPFCs (perfluorinated compounds) in general, to
answer all of our questions about your studies, and to continue
working with us on identifying PFAS sources/' - New Jersey DEP
Research and Environmental Health, Division of Science, Gloria B.
Post, PhD, DABT
A concern of New Jersey DEP is the ongoing presence of poly- and
perfluoroalky! substances (PFAS) in the drinking water resources of southwestern New Jersey. New Jersey DEP
reached out to EPA ORD when they were faced with relatively high contaminant levels of a specific PFAS
(perfluorononanoic acid, PFNA). New Jersey DEP continues to study the potential routes PFAS might be
following in finding its way into these water resources. The chief questions are where the contamination is
originating and whether it is getting into the water through direct discharge or through the air. Previous analysis
of water samples suggests that by looking at the ratios of different PFAS, it might be possible to identify a source
signature that could help determine the contaminant's origin. The goals of this study are to confirm that PFAS
contamination is occurring, establish specific PFAS source signatures, and evaluate the potential for impacts due
to air deposition.
New Jersey DEP has requested that ORD continue to work with them to analyze water, sediment and soil
samples for PFAS and their byproducts. In addition, ORD will collaborate with New Jersey DEP to evaluate the
data and summarize the study's findings in a joint publication.
Challenge: PFAS contamination (ongoing)
Resource: Water, soil and sediment analyses
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Partners: NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Cape Fear Public Utility Authority, Town of Pittsboro,
Fayetteville, NC State Highway and Public Works Commission
Challenge: Mapping PFAS levels across an entire river basin
Resource: Methods development and laboratory analyses
"We are extremely grateful for EPA ORD's work as we analyze these chemical compounds, EPA's analyses will be
crucial to our efforts in protecting public health and the environment as we learn more about these emerging
substances." - NC DEQ Assistant Secretary Sheila Holman
Because of concerns about long-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which persist in the
environment, their use began being phased out in 2006. In 2007, EPA ORD began a first-ever effort in the U.S. to
map PFAS levels in an entire watershed, focusing on North Carolina's Cape Fear River Basin. This mapping effort
demonstrated that there were multiple sources of many different PFAS throughout the basin, suggesting that
since the basin is a major drinking water resource, it could potentially be responsible for human exposures to
PFAS throughout the entire region. As part of this effort, EPA ORD also developed research-based methods to
measure PFAS in drinking water and detect novel PFAS using high resolution mass spectrometry non-targeted
analysis approaches.
EPA ORD's PFAS research in the Cape Fear Basin has continued to evolve. Having largely addressed PFAS waste
water discharge to the Cape Fear River, attention has turned toward air emissions, fate, transport, deposition,
and resulting land and surface water contamination down wind of the Chemours plant. EPA ORD is working with
Region 4 and NC DEQ to test and deploy air sampling methods including the application of non-targeted analysis
to comprehensively characterize air emissions. NC DEQ is also sampling and making available rain water for
testing. This work is being done cooperatively with Chemours to evaluate air emissions control technology that
they are considering. These efforts are expected to provide solutions for reducing exposures to these
potentially hazardous chemicals.
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science in ACTION
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
Partners: California State University (CSU) System
Challenge: Framework and decision support tools to advance priority projects in local government work plans
(ongoing)
Resource: Supporting campus-community partnerships through the EPIC Framework and EPA tools
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Partners: US2020, Citizen Schools, Durham Public Schools, WakeEd Partnership, NC Science Mathematics and
Technology Education Center, NC Science Festival, East Durham Children's Initiative, North Carolina State
University Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership
Challenge: Preparing the future environmental health workforce by providing STEM (science, technology,
engineering and math) education, especially in K-12 schools with low-income populations (ongoing)
Resource: EPA's Community Engagement and STEM Education Program in RTP
"EPA's Community Engagement and STEM Education Program in RTP has not only has been a source of ideas for
our own outreach program improvement but also serves as a model STEM outreach organization in the region,
because of its impactful work in schools, museums, and on-site for students of all ages through speed mentoring,
job shadowing, and hands-on STEM activities." - The Research Triangle Foundation, STEM in the Park Outreach
Program Manager Sarah Council Windsor
EPA's Community Engagement and STEM Education Program in
RTP provides guest speakers and judges at science
competitions, engages in impactful community partnerships,
and provides hands-on educational programming for students
and teachers in central NC and beyond. Most of the
programming takes place in schools where at least 50 percent
of students are on free or reduced lunch. The partners strive to
inspire all students to consider STEM careers with the
understanding that a diverse workforce is essential in
addressing future environmental challenges.
EPA ORD develops hands-on activities and interactive
discussions to engage student STEM learning and promote
environmental awareness. Through participation in local, state and national education conferences, the
partnership offers K-12 educator trainings that provide teachers with hands-on STEM strategies for their
classrooms and shares the partnership model with other agencies and businesses. Additionally, EPA RTP's
campus hosts many educational events each year, including a week-long science workshop for high school
students. EPA RTP was awarded two US2020 STEM Mentoring Awards in 2017 - one for Excellence in Volunteer
Experience, and a second for Volunteer Mobilization. The Excellence in Volunteer Experience Award recognizes
STEM programs that provide high-quality, well-supported STEM activities for their volunteers, while the
Volunteer Mobilization Award honors organizations that effectively engage their workforce to support youth-
serving organizations.
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Partner: Multnomah County, OR
Challenge: Help communities identify local environmental issues (completed)
Resource: EPA's Community-Focused Exposure and Risk Screening Tool (C-FERST) and technical support
"Environmental consultants and business owners have the means
to conduct environmental assessments, but communities often
don't. C-FERST changes that paradigm by making information
about Brownfields (former commercial or industrial sites)
accessible, thus placing decision making back into the hands of
communities. It allows them to leverage resources that turn sites
like Brownfields into something good for the community. What is
powerful about C-FERST is that it advances EPA's responsibility to
the public by taking public record and technical EPA documents and
making them accessible for communities." - Multnomah County's
Senior Program Specialist Matthew Hoffman
EPA's Community-Focused Exposure and Risk Screening Tool (C-FERST) is an online tool that helps communities
identify environmental issues around them, learn about these issues, and then explore ways to reduce their
health risks.
Officials from Multnomah County and the nonprofit organization, Groundwork Portland, used C-FERST to
identify brownfields in their area and determine possible uses for these properties. The partners used C-FERST
to conduct a community livability study assessing transit accessibility, food retail resources, and other issues as
part of a neighborhood redevelopment plan in the county.
Students from Concordia University used C-FERST to conduct a children's health and wellness study in Portland.
Students used the tool's community data to identify potential sources of social and environmental stress,
including exposure to diesel pollution, poverty and access to medical care. Recommendations from their
assessment were presented to community and government representatives.
EPA has decided to discontinue C-FERST as a stand-alone tool and instead move to a single GIS-based platform
containing both ecological and human health data.
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ECOSYSTEMS
Partners: California Energy Commission
Challenge: Population and land use projections to the year 2100 consistent with emissions storylines
(completed)
Resource: Integrated Climate and Land Use Scenarios (ICLUS) version 2
"It is extraordinarily beneficial to climate planning in California to be able
to rely on tools like ICLUS v2 to provide a federally-vetted baseline for
coordinated climate assessment research."- California Natural Resources
Agency, Special Assistant for Climate Change JR De la Rosa
EPA ORD researchers developed national population, land use and
impervious surface projections that the state of California used in its Third
Climate Change Assessment. For the fourth assessment, the state used
EPA's updated climate model, the Integrated Climate and Land Use
Scenarios version 2 (ICLUS v2), as a basis for land use scenarios in
California, with minor modifications as necessary. These scenarios were
used across multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral research that informs the Fourth Assessment.
ICLUS v2 uses the latest census, land use and land cover datasets to model population growth, residential
housing changes, and commercial and industrial development nationally to the year 2100. Projections use
information on fertility, mortality and international immigration rates that are consistent with global storylines
(e.g., Shared Socioeconomic Pathways) used in climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation
assessments. In addition, ICLUS v2 projections use information on domestic migration, including how future
climate may make certain places more desirable Combined with the addition of commercial and industrial land
uses, the updated projections from ICLUS v2 helped the state of California better assess potential future impacts
from climate change and prepare adaptation and mitigation responses.
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40
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science in ACTION
Partner: Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR)
Challenge: Restore and enhance the health and resiliency of West Maui coral reefs (ongoing)
Resource: Corals and Climate Adaptation Planning (CCAP) Adaptation Design Tool
"Participating in the development of the CCAP Adaptive Design Tool has
given the West Maui watershed planning team an opportunity to engage in
in-depth conversations with experts from around the world about how
climate change is likely to impact coral reef health and the connecting
watersheds. Once the tool is finished, we anticipate incorporating the
framework into our decision making to arrive at the most resilient set of
watershed management strategies that are relevant into an uncertain
future."- Hawaii DLNR, Watershed Coordinator Tova Callender
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The West Maui Ridge to Reef (R2R) initiative, founded by Hawaii's DLNR,
addresses adverse impacts to coral reefs in West Maui. It takes a comprehensive, watershed-based approach to
reducing land-based sources of pollution as a critical step toward restoring and building the resiliency of coral
reef ecosystems. However, climate change is complicating that effort. Increasing temperatures and ocean
acidification directly impact the health of coral reefs. In addition, changing precipitation patterns are altering the
frequency and load of nutrient pollution reaching coastal waters through runoff. Managers need tools that
incorporate climate change information and scenarios.
EPA ORD has been working with the R2R Initiative on 'climate-smart' management planning through the CCAP
project. The CCAP project is a cooperative effort of the Climate Change Working Group of the Interagency U.S.
Coral Reef Task Force, co-chaired by EPA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The
overall goal is to support the creation of effective, place-based adaptation actions using recent adaptation
planning principles and frameworks, tailored specifically for coral reefs. To achieve this, the CCAP and R2R teams
collaborated through workshops, webinars and expert consultations to develop, beta-test and refine the CCAP
Adaptation Design Tool. The tool guides users through two activities to: 1) systematically analyze a series of
'design considerations' for adjusting existing management actions to be more 'climate-smart'; and 2) brainstorm
and tailor additional adaptation actions based on general strategies compiled from the literature. An online
version of the tool with instructor-led training is available.
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Partner: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
Challenge: Determine the impact of wetland remediation and restoration on health (ongoing, nearly completed)
Resource: Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of a restoration site in the St. Louis River
"Through the HIA, EPA's team brought in a wide variety
of methods and metrics capable of assessing these, and
other, objectives as they relate to important health
pathways. The HIA team involved members of the
community through an extensive public input process,
which was important as the Project areas are in close
proximity to residential neighborhoods. EPA's
assessments resulted in recommendations that were
integrated into the Project design. We feel that the HIA
process and products were a valuable addition to this
Project's development." -—Minnesota DNR Habitat
Coordinator Melissa Sjolund
Under the U.S.-Canada Great Lakes Water Quality
Agreement, Areas of Concern (AOCs) are coastal communities that have lost beneficial uses of their aquatic
resources owing to the presence of legacy pollution, especially contaminated sediments. The St. Louis River AOC
along the Minnesota and Wisconsin border includes numerous remediation sites. In one phase of the cleanup,
Minnesota DNR plans to address a large wetland remediation and restoration project at Kingsbury Bay and
Grassy Point. The project will include excavating 350,000 cubic yards of sediment as well as restoring two stream
channels, numerous coastal wetlands, and extensive shoreline habitat, including removing non-native species.
The 200-acre site is considered important to the City of Duluth, Minnesota as a critical element to the
revitalization of the community. The location provides a unique opportunity to enhance recreation and tourism,
as well as improve quality of life in the adjacent neighborhoods.
At the request of stakeholders, EPA ORD is conducting a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) for the project to
consider the public health implications of both the environmental changes and the subsequent park amenities.
Those amenities include trails, boardwalks, fishing piers, birding platforms, a new swimming beach, and
improved boat access. Specifically, the HIA is providing evidence-based recommendations to Minnesota DNR
and the City of Duluth (who is responsible for any post-restoration amenities at these sites) to address any
disproportionate health impacts, mitigate potential adverse health impacts, and bolster potential health
benefits of the projects. Pathways through which the proposed projects could potentially impact health were
identified based on input from stakeholders, community members, and scientific researchers, and using a mix of
scientific methods. The health benefits from the project are likely to include reduced risk of chronic disease,
reduced stress, increased social cohesion, and improved well-being. Recommendations to improve the health-
related outcomes include conserving existing high-quality wetlands and focusing efforts on areas with highly
degraded conditions, the creation of sediment and vegetation management plans, increased communication
about safety, the protection and enhancement of culturally important resources, and encouraged dialogue with
neighborhood residents and user groups about changes to the existing parks.
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Partner: Utah Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Division of Water Quality (DWQ)
Challenge: Filling gaps in toxicity protocols and profiles for brine shrimp and brine flies of the Great Salt Lake
(ongoing)
Resource: Technical support for the development and implementation of acute and chronic toxicity testing for
Great Salt Lake brine shrimp and brine flies
"ORD's active participation with this project has brought a depth of expertise that Utah and Region 8 were
simply unable to provide. The value of their technically sound and practical advice can't be overstated." - Utah
DEQ/DWQ Environmental Toxicologist Chris Bittner
Utah's Great Salt Lake (Lake) is the largest salt water lake in the
western hemisphere and the 8th largest terminal lake (no outlet) in
the world. The Great Salt Lake supports 7.5 million birds and is
designated as a habitat of hemispheric importance by the Western
Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. The Lake contributes $1.1
billion annually to Utah's economy from mineral extraction
industries and brine shrimp fishing. The Lake is the ultimate
receiving water for the wastewater of approximately 78% of Utah's
population. Utah's population continues to increase putting
additional stress on the Lake's resources and services. The Great
Salt Lake is both an economic and ecologic treasure, yet currently
only has one water quality criterion (selenium).
National criteria are inappropriate for the Lake because of elevated
and variable salt concentrations that support an unusual ecosystem. Salt concentrations lake-wide range from
freshwater to 27% which is about 8-times saltier than seawater. The ideal salinities for a healthy brine shrimp
population range between 10 and 20% but less is known about brine flies. Little or no toxicity data are available
for brine shrimp and brine flies, the two-keystone species supporting the waterfowl and shorebirds.
EPA ORD, in collaboration with EPA Region 8 (Mountains and Plains), is assisting Utah DEQ'DWQ in the
development and implementation of novel toxicity tests for brine shrimp and brine flies. The results of these
tests will be used to support future numeric water quality criteria to protect the resource. Future work is also
anticipated to include development of Lake-specific Whole Effluent Toxicity Tests. EPA remains committed to
supporting Utah DEQ/DWQ and others' efforts to ensure that the water quality of Great Salt Lake continues to
provide important recreational, ecological and economic benefits for current and future generations.
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Partner: Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
Challenge: Selecting sites for restoration of native seagrass beds and managing invasive species (ongoing)
Resource: Habitat suitability models for native and invasive seagrasses in collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers
"The eelgrass biomass production model, developed by EPA ORD's Newport lab, is a critical module in the
eelgrass site selection model. A multi-faceted team of state, federal and private sector scientists integrated an
existing Puget Sound coupled physical and biogeochemical mode! with the eelgrass biomass production model to
identify sites where the biomass of transplanted eelgrass would increase over time. Knowledge of these
parameters vastly improve eelgrass restoration site selection and transplant success." - Washington State DNR,
Aquatic Biologist Dr. Jeffrey Gaeckle
Seagrass meadows are valued by coastal communities and tribes as
nursery habitats for fisheries species (such as Dungeness crabs, bay
clams, Chinook and Coho salmon) and habitat for multitudes of forage
species that support fisheries and wildlife in the Pacific bays and
estuaries. Washington has a goal to increase the area of native seagrass
beds in the Puget Sound by 20 percent by the year 2020. This requires
knowledge of where restoration and habitat conservation efforts will be
most successful. Washington State DNR, working with Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory as part of the Puget Sound Partnership, has been
using EPA ORD research on seagrass physiology to help identify
locations where native seagrass (Zostera marina) are likely to thrive. These sites were then prioritized for further
assessment and the potential for seagrass restoration. Sites with favorable environmental conditions based on
model output are more likely to be successfully restored with eelgrass.
In Washington, Japanese eelgrass has been identified by the shellfish aquaculture industry as a noxious weed
that disrupts the growth and harvest of Manila clams. ORD has also been conducting research on the ecology of
Japanese eelgrass and developed a habitat suitability model to determine where this invasive species has the
potential to become established. Knowing where the invasive seagrass is likely to colonize can assist aquaculture
biologists in developing efficient surveillance and eradication plans.
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science in ACTION
Partners: Washington State Department of Ecology
Challenge Upper Columbia River contaminated site (ongoing)
Resource: Technical support for remedial investigation/feasibility study
"Washington is addressing surface soil legacy smelter-emission
impacts across a range of communities and settings spanning the
state. The assessment of state-of-the-art, minimally disruptive
exposure reduction surface treatment technologies for rural-
residential and rural tribal-use settings common to the upper
Columbia River Valley is a fundamental step toward identifying long-
term cleanup measures. ORD's participation is highly valued to
ensure honest assessment, input and multi-disciplinary scientific
oversight." - Washington State Department of Ecology, Toxics
Cleanup Program, Upper Columbia River Site Project Coordinator John Roland
EPA ORD, in coordination with Region 10 (Pacific Northwest), is providing technical support for the Upper
Columbia River (UCR) Valley Superfund Site's remedial investigation/feasibility study. EPA ORD is a member of
the UCR Soil Amendment Technologies Evaluation Study technical team established through the interaction of
the Coleville Confederated Tribes, Washington State Department of Ecology, Teck Resources Limited, Ramboll
Environ and EPA Region 10. EPA ORD is engaged as a third-party to provide an unbiased, scientific assessment
of, and expertise on, soil amendment alternatives for soil lead and associated metals in the UCR
area. Amendment alternatives being evaluated include phosphate, magnesium oxides, ECOBOND®, compost,
biochar and other widely accepted treatment options for lead in soil. At this point, EPA has provided input on
potential alternative treatments for the site and provided input on testing that could be done to predict
treatment suitability/effectiveness at the site. EPA ORD also participates in site meetings and teleconferences
with the region, state and potentially responsible party to discuss the site soils and alternative soil remediation
approaches.
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Partner: Washington State Department of Ecology
Challenge: Understanding causes of change in nearshore ecosystems in Puget Sound (completed)
Resource: Projecting species vulnerability to changes in sea level, water temperature and coastal acidification
with the Coastal Biodiversity Risk Analysis Tool (CBRAT)
"The work EPA is doing through CBRAT will provide essential
knowledge on how climate change may impact the benthic community
and inform how we clean up contaminated sediment sites and restore
habitat to improve the health of Puget Sound." - Washington State
Department of Ecology, Toxic Cleanup Program's Chance Asher
Since the 1980's, the Washington Department of Ecology has
monitored seafloor condition as an indicator of the health of Puget
Sound nearshore ecosystems. Sediment chemistry, toxicity, and
benthic invertebrate community structure are monitored annually to
determine whether sediment-bound chemical contaminants, water
quality or other stressors have affected the composition of seafloor communities. Findings indicate declining
quality of Puget Sound seafloor ecosystem condition; however, in many locations changes do not appear to
correspond with sediment contaminant concentrations. Consequently, the Washington State Department of
Ecology is investigating which non-contaminant stressors may be causing this decline, including increased
carbon and nutrient loading, alteration of biogeochemical processes, and climate change.
The Washington State Department of Ecology requested information from EPA ORD scientists using the Coastal
Biodiversity Risk Analysis Tool (CBRAT) to determine whether climate-related stressors may be contributing to
observed declines, and to predict which stressors may be drivers in the future. CBRAT is a web-based tool that
projects the risk that invertebrates and fish face due to changes in sea level, water temperature and nearshore
ocean acidification based on the species' distribution, abundance, life history, and environmental tolerances.
Washington State and EPA are using environmental and life history traits available in CBRAT to assess which
Puget Sound seafloor invertebrates are most vulnerable to changing nearshore conditions. Those results will
inform the state about whether climate variables may have contributed to recent changes in seafloor
communities and to help forecast the composition of those communities under future near-shore climate
scenarios.
For more CBRAT information: https://cfpub.epa.gov/si/si public record report.cfm?dirEntrvld=311665
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Partner: Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MDDNR), West Virginia Division of Natural Resources
(WVDNR), California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CADFW), California Department of Water Resources
(CADWR), California State Water Reclamation Control Board (CASWRCB)
Challenge: Accurate methods to detect hard-to-find endangered species
Resource: Environmental DNA (eDNA) for inventory and monitoring of imperiled species in collaboration with
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Pennsylvania Field Office, and the University of Kentucky Department
of Forestry
"The development and validation of the eDNA methodology will
profoundly change how aquatic populations are monitored and
significantly improve the ability to conserve and recover rare
aquatic species." - Janet Clayton, Wildlife Diversity Biologist,
WVDNR
Conservation and management of endangered species requires
being able locate populations and determine their distribution of
in the environment. However, classical monitoring approaches
may overlook or underestimate species presence. Because living
organisms constantly shed DNA into the environment,
environmental DNA (eDNA) may offer an efficient and non-invasive solution for detecting sensitive species at
low abundances and can be readily obtained from environmental samples (e.g., water, soil) instead of thru
capture of whole organisms. Because each organism's DNA contains a unique genetic code, eDNA can be used
for precise taxonomic identification. The non-invasive nature of eDNA surveillance reduces stress, harm, and
spread of disease to the species of interest.
To provide support to various state agencies and in collaboration with EPA Region 3 (Mid-Atlantic), EPA Region 9
(Southwest), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Pennsylvania Field Office, and the University of Kentucky
Department of Forestry, ORD scientist developed eDNA tools and assessed the capability of eDNA to determine
distribution and relative abundance of species of concern. This included the federally-listed dwarf wedgemussel
(Alasmidonta heterodon) within the Chesapeake and Potomac drainage basins in Maryland. Ongoing research is
targeting multiple salamander species in KY streams, several imperiled freshwater mussels (Northern riffleshelI,
Snuffbox, Brook and Green floaters) in WV PA, and MD; and listed species in the Sacramento river (Delta smelt)
and Vernal pools (Fairy shrimp) in the Central Valley, CA.
These studies demonstrate how eDNA can be an effective tool for determining species occupancy at low
abundances or limited biomass. For example, dwarf wedgemussel eDNA was detected in water samples from all
Maryland streams known to support the species including streams with relatively low abundances. Innovative
techniques like eDNA surveillance can be incorporated into the species conservation management tool box as an
efficient and cost-effective means for state agencies to inventory and monitor imperiled species occupancy, to
guide more localized traditional monitoring efforts, and to inform habitat suitability studies for species
reintroduction programs.
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c/EPA
www.epa.gov/research
science in ACTION
HOMELAND SECURITY
Partner: Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC)
Challenge; Toxicity information for sulfolane to inform cleanup levels (completed)
Resource: Peer review of the available reference doses (RfDs) and technical support
"EPA's technical experts played a vital part in assisting
the state of Alaska in understanding the risks of
sulfolane in groundwater and the potential impacts to
public health. EPA provided critical information on
sulfolane mobility, toxicity and human health exposures
that greatly assisted ADEC in making decisions on
protecting residents. ADEC appreciates EPA for all their
timely support and help by providing information on the
best available science which was significant in Alaska's
response actions for sulfolane." - ADEC Division of Spill
Prevention and Response Director Kristin Ryan
Sulfolane is an industrial solvent used in gasoline production and petroleum refining. The discovery in late 2009
of sulfolane in drinking water wells near the Flint Hills North Pole Refinery (about 15 miles east of Fairbanks, AK),
led to an extensive investigation of contaminated groundwater. The groundwater plume is approximately 2
miles wide, 3.5 miles long and over 300 feet deep, rendering it one of the largest in the state, with many private
properties impacted. The National Toxicology Program (NTP) began new animal studies on sulfolane in 2014.
EPA's Region 10 (Pacific Northwest) requested that ORD develop a Provisional Peer-Reviewed Toxicity Value
(PPRTV) assessment for sulfolane. The information in PPRTV assessments can be used in combination with
exposure information to characterize the public health risks of a given substance at a particular hazardous waste
site. Importantly, these risk characterizations can form the basis for risk-based decision making, regulatory
activities, and other risk management decisions designed to characterize and protect public health. EPA ORD
finalized the PPRTV assessment in 2012.
At ADEC's request in 2014, EPA ORD scientists participated in an independent, expert peer review workshop to
discuss the available oral toxicity values/reference doses for sulfolane (including the PPRTV) and reach
conclusions based on the available science. EPA ORD scientists provided essential technical support in the peer
review workshop with respect to the scientific development process of the Sulfolane PPRTV assessment. This
technical support assisted ADEC in their consideration of cleanup levels for contaminated groundwater.
Ultimately, ADEC decided to wait to set a cleanup level for sulfolane until more data become available from the
new NTP studies, in order to best protect people from exposure. EPA ORD's input provided ADEC with important
information that will be needed for making a final determination.
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Partner: City of San Francisco
Challenge: Testing the decontamination of a Bay Area Rapid Transit railcar contaminated with a non-pathogenic
anthrax surrogate (completed)
Resources: Technical assistance and field support in collaboration with the U S Department of Homeland
Security and U.S. Department of Energy labs
"The Underground Restoration Project has been
instrumental in assisting the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid
Transit (BART) District prepare for a biological incident.
BART does not have subject matter experts on staff, who
can plan, prepare, develop and/or respond to a bio
incident. Underground Transport Restoration Guidance
prepares the agency for an unthinkable incident to a 'do-
able' response. The tabletop exercise and guidance
documents help us support and coordinate the regional
management and response to an incidentallowing our
service to be restored in a safe and timely manner. Without having the opportunity to participate in the project,
if there was an actual event, the San Francisco region would be responding blindly, without plans in place, which
would negatively impact lives, property and the environment." -BART Police Department Security Programs
Manager Lt. Kevin Franklin
Release of biothreat agents, such as Bacillus anthracis (Ba) spores, by terrorists into an underground subway
system could have devastating impacts on human health and the functioning of cities such as New York,
Chicago, Washington, DC, and San Francisco. This critical transportation infrastructure could be down for weeks
or months during the cleanup; in addition, the spores are likely to travel to street level, further affecting
people's lives and the economy.
As part of the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Underground Transport Restoration (UTR) project, EPA
ORD, Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), in conjunction
with DHS, conducted a scientific study in July 2015 to evaluate methyl bromide as a fumigant for
decontaminating subway railcars contaminated with Ba using non-pathogenic Ba Sterne strain spores. The study
was conducted to gain large-scale information on the use of methyl bromide for the decontamination of Ba
spores, and to develop site-specific plans and guidance that could be modified and used during a real-world
incident. The fumigant, methyl bromide, was selected because it has shown to be effective in the inactivation of
Ba spores during laboratory testing, is less corrosive than most other fumigants, and can be captured on
activated carbon.
At the conclusion of the 36-hour fumigation period, the railcar was aerated and samples were collected and sent
for analysis. Results showed that none of the 40 fiberglass or 40 aluminum test samples contained viable spores
after fumigation while a few samples of the nylon carpet, rubber flooring sample, Mylar® and vinyl seating
showed low but positive residual spore levels. As a result of these findings, EPA recommends fumigating railcars
with methyl bromide for a 48-hour period to achieve complete decontamination.
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Partner: New York City (NYC) Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and NYC Transit
Challenge: The ability to effectively conduct sampling operations following a large biological incident within a
highly urbanized area in the U.S. (ongoing)
Resource: Technical assistance to evaluate the compatibility of current surface sampling options and analytical
methods for Bacillus onthracis
"The instant that a biological threat agent incident has
been detected, incident commanders will depend on and
expect accurate and reliable incident characterization to
support informed public health decision making. EPA's
groundbreaking efforts in this regard will prove critical to
New York City's ability to determine the scale and scope
of biological incidents rapidly and efficiently." - NYC
DOHMH Bioterrorism Surveillance Coordinator Joel
Ackelsberg, MD, MPH
EPA researchers have worked collaboratively with NYC
DOHMH and NYC Transit to answer key gaps in
capabilities to conduct effective sampling operations
following a large biological incident within a highly
urbanized area. EPA researchers, in collaboration with these partners, evaluated the compatibility of current
surface sampling options, when applied to urbanized outdoor or underground (subway) surfaces, with current
analytical methods for Bacillus anthracis. EPA researchers and NYC DOHMHC have also worked collaboratively to
determine the potential utility of "Native Air Sampling" approaches, and their compatibility with analysis
methods.
Because of this federal-local partnership, NYC personnel actively participate in project update teleconference
meetings and provide critical input into the project's directions. In this way, NYC has access to research
outcomes as they develop, and NYC has ensured that the project meets the city's emergency response needs.
Ultimately, the project has resulted in an enhanced ability to conduct sampling and analysis operations for a
large urban area following a Bacillus anthracis contamination incident.
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Partners: North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS)
Challenge: Disposal of contaminated animal carcasses following an agricultural emergency (completed)
Resource: A prototype transportable gasifier technology for on-farm disposal of animal carcasses
"EPA has served as the coordination point for both the research and
the response efforts related to mass disposal. Actual event response
and field testing identify real problems that cannot be properly
identified or solved when designing or modeling in an office.
Environment, material handling, human factors, size and volumes of
actual events must be experienced not perceived. EPA understands
these challenges and continues to assist states and industry in
attempting to solve the problems and bring workable technologies.
Continued research and development efforts of this type are critical
to assisting industry in their efforts to protect the food chain." -
NCDA&CS Jim Howard (retired)
Agricultural emergencies, such as foreign animal disease outbreaks, could result in the need to dispose of many
contaminated animal carcasses. The environmental impacts of carcass disposal are site-specific. Some
technologies (e.g., burial) are not viable in areas with a high-water table, such as North Carolina. Multiple
disposal options are necessary. Gasification has the potential to be a technology for on-farm use, which reduces
risk associated with transporting the carcasses to an off-site location (e.g., landfill, incinerator). It also has the
potential to generate energy at agricultural sites during non-emergency times, and burns more cleanly thus
requiring less pollution control equipment than conventional incineration.
As part of an interagency effort involving several federal agencies and the state of North Carolina, EPA built a
prototype transportable gasifier intended to process 25 tons per day of carcasses (scalable to 200 tons per day)
for on-farm disposal of animal carcasses. A demonstration was conducted to determine the feasibility of
gasification for carcass disposal and to identify technical challenges and improvements to simplify and improve
the gasifier as a mobile response tool. Past testing of the prototype demonstrated partial success, in that the
transportability and rapid deployment requirements were met; however, the throughput of animal carcasses
was approximately one-third of the intended capacity.
Significant modifications were made to various gasifier components, including the burner system, feed system,
control system, power distribution and ash handling system, in order to increase its operating capacity to the
rated design throughput. In September 2015, a series of tests were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of
the design modifications at increasing the system's throughput, as well as to demonstrate the unit's ability to
operate around the clock for an extended period of time. While the ash removal system and the system to move
material across the bed failed during the tests, the new burner, feed, control and power distribution systems all
functioned in an acceptable manner. The test and evaluation showed that improved alloys would be needed in
some of the parts to achieve the desired results. EPA ORD's support has helped the NCDA&CS focus on which
areas of the system require repair and additional modifications to achieve overall design goals.
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Partners: California, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, New York and Virginia
Challenge: Cleanup of an anthrax contaminated subway (ongoing)
Resources: Full scale demonstration of technologies
"The work being done with the Underground Transportation Restoration
Operational Technology Demonstration project has been critically important to
helping Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and other mass transit
properties face the daunting preparedness challenges associated with an
accidental or intentional release of a biological agent in the underground
transportation environment The project has helped inform our leadership in
determining operational strategies that will lead to a more rapid return to service
following such an event." - Homeland Security Investigations and Intelligence
Bureau Metro Transit Police Department, CBRN Coordinator Brandon W. Graham
Following the 2001 anthrax attacks, cleanup of the Hart Senate Office Building and Brentwood postal facility cost
in excess of $1 billion, and it resulted in the Brentwood postal facility being closed for over two years. Since that
time, EPA ORD has done a great deal of work to improve the nation's ability to cleanup buildings contaminated
with anthrax or other biological agents. In recognition of the complexities that would be involved, and the
number of cities that have underground rail systems, EPA along with the Department of Homeland Security
(DHS), the Department of Defense and several national laboratories turned their attention to the cleanup of
subway systems that could be contaminated with anthrax.
The Underground Transportation Restoration (UTR) Operational Technology Demonstration (OTD) was
conducted during September 2016 at Fort A.P. Hill's Asymmetric Warfare Training Center to evaluate
decontamination technologies that could be used in the event of an anthrax incident in a subway system. The
project used a non-pathogenic surrogate that behaves much like anthrax spores in terms of how it is transported
in the air, settles and how it can be killed. The project consisted of two rounds of background sampling, agent
release, decontamination, sampling, waste removal and decontamination, and post-decontamination sampling.
The technologies that were evaluated included a fogger that produced a fog from diluted bleach and a skid
mounted sprayer that sprayed a liquid pH adjusted bleach solution. Both technologies were selected because
they are off-the-shelf and could easily be purchased in an emergency.
A report was published in 2018 that thoroughly analyzed each step of the cleanup process (gathering of
samples, cleanup methods, waste management) as well as cost associated with each. The results of this study
concluded that there was no significant difference between the two cleanup methods. Utilizing approaches that
reduce cost, such as composite sampling which decreases the need for labor and supplies, data management,
sample shipment, and laboratory analysis, could make cleanup more manageable. The study noted that waste
management is an integral piece of the cleanup process and should be determined both during pre-incident and
response planning due to its impact on cost and logistics. This information was provided to DHS which has
developed site-specific plans for San Francisco and New York as well as guidance that could be used in other
cities.
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Partner: New York City, Ohio EPA, Columbus, OH City Council
Challenge: Cleaning up after a wide area radiologic incident
Resources: Full scale demonstration of technologies in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security (DHS)
"It's a great advantage to us to have the federal authorities look at
these products, be able to test them, with input obviously from the
local response organizations that are going to respondto see what
the best product on the market is." - Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Emergency Management Coordinator Michael Tobin
EPA ORD, in collaboration with DHS, conducted the Wide-Area Urban
Radiological Contaminant, Mitigation and Cleanup Technology
Demonstration in Columbus, OH in June 2015.
This demonstration provided first responders with options for response to a wide area radiological incident,
such as a dirty bomb explosion or a nuclear accident, by showing the responders the operation feasibility of the
tools in real time.
Five radiological decontamination technologies (including strippable coatings, gels and chemical foam) were
demonstrated on an urban building. Decontamination technologies were applied to remove contaminants from
the building's surfaces by physical and chemical methods. In addition, vehicle wash technologies as well as
several approaches to contain wash water and radioactive particles were demonstrated. "Radiological
contaminant mitigation" technologies are measures taken to reduce adverse impacts of radiological
contamination on people and the environment, and to facilitate restoration of first responder services and
critical infrastructure. Radiological contaminant mitigation technologies are designed for containing and
removing radiological contamination on the surface in the first hours or days following a radiological event. Such
technologies include "radiological particle containment," which is designed to prevent the spread of particles
that might result from vehicle or foot traffic. Radiological particle containment technologies are applicable for
early phase response to contain the radionuclides and to reduce radiation dose to responders and the public.
Radiological contaminant mitigation also includes "gross decontamination," which is performed with the goal of
reducing contamination levels. This reduction may not meet final cleanup levels but may be useful to mitigate
some public hazard or to contain contamination.
While no live radiological agents were employed in this demonstration, critical operational insight was gained by
the response community. This event continues the applied radiological cleanup research conducted by EPA ORD
at bench and pilot scales over the last several years. In attendance were senior officials from Ohio EPA,
Columbus, OH City Council, first responders from the U.S. and Canada, as well as representatives from New York
City, the Navajo Nation, the United Kingdom, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Batteile Memorial
Institute and others. Watch the Toolbox of Technolog video to learn more.
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Partner: Colorado, District of Columbia, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Vermont and Wisconsin state
environmental and/or public health agencies
Challenge: Enabling state and local communities to rapidly respond to ricin contamination (completed)
Resource: Technical assistance to aid field and laboratory approaches for sampling and analysis, operationally
applying decontamination methods, and strategically handling wastes
"Working with the EPA in response to this Ricin incident proved to be invaluable. They provided remediation
expertise and testing resources that saved our agency significant staff time. Thanks to their supportthe property
was appropriately decontaminated, eliminating any potential for future concern. Further, their knowledge and
availability helped to ensure that we could quickly respond to the needs of the community- Boulder County
Public Health, Water Quality and Hazardous Waste Coordinator Erin Dodge
Ricin is a deadly biological toxin that is
easily produced from castor beans,
making it one of the most worrisome
biological threat agents. Multiple ricin
incidents occurred following episodes
in the popular television show
"Breaking Bad" that featured its
production. EPA ORD researchers and
subject matter experts from the
CBRNE Consequence Management
Advisory Division in EPA's Office of Land and Emergency Management/Office of Emergency Management were
called upon by EPA Regions 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 to support various state and local communities during
independent ricin incidents spanning several years. EPA researchers developed innovative applied solutions to
the challenges encountered during the first ricin responses leading to significantly shortened response times and
decreased costs and resources required for the subsequent ricin incidents. The developed tools provide the
federal government with important new capabilities for helping states and local communities respond to ricin
incidents.
As one recent example, EPA ORD researchers rapidly supported EPA Region 8's (Mountains and Plains) response
to a ricin incident at a condominium in Boulder, Colorado. The applied solutions directly informed the sampling
plan, sample analysis, decontaminant selection, decontamination of responders and their equipment, and
handling of the ricin waste. Because the laboratory used ORD's recently developed analysis methods, some post-
decontamination samples indicated that ricin was still present in the condominium; these methods removed
analytics interferences and, thereby, increased the capability to detect ricin in environmental samples. This
information enabled state decision makers to determine that further decontamination of the unit was required
to protect public health. Without this research, the condominium could have been declared clean and safe for
re-occupancy when in fact ricin would have remained.
These efforts enabled the states and local communities to rapidly respond to ricin contamination incidents and
effectively clean up the affected areas. EPA researchers helped close scientific gaps, transition scientific
solutions, and enabled the states and local communities to be ready to rapidly respond to the next ricin or other
biotoxin incident.
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RISK EVALUATION
Partners: Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Penobscot Indian Nation
Challenge: Unique contaminant exposure scenarios for tribal risk assessment (completed)
Resource: EPA report of analyses of sediment and water quality in collaboration with the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC)/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
"The report validated our concern that Penobscot Nation
tribal members may be at risk simply by carrying out
cultural and traditional activities that our tribe has
practiced since time immemorial." - Penobscot Indian
Nation, Director of Natural Resources John Banks
The Penobscot Indian Nation of Penobscot Island, Maine,
was faced with high mercury levels in fish, triggering state
fish advisories for many years. A team of EPA ORD
scientists worked with the tribe to assess the
environmental and human health risks in the Penobscot
River watershed, which provides many of the cultural and
natural resources for the tribe. After four years of study, the team released a 125-page report that chronicles
the first tribal risk assessment by EPA, as well as the first study to examine the mutagenicity of environmental
samples from a tribal nation in the United States. Staff from Maine DHHS, which oversees fish consumption
advisories, served as peer reviewers for the assessment.
Unique to this risk assessment was the incorporation of Penobscot culture and traditions into exposure
assumptions. Hunting, fishing, trapping, gathering, basket-making, pottery and use of moccasins and birch-bark
canoes were among the considerations for exposure. For example, assessment scenarios included consideration
of cultural uses of fish, plants (fiddlehead ferns and medicinal plants), snapping turtles and wood ducks in
exposure estimates. Findings led researchers to conclude that consumption rates of most animal species, except
duck, carried a public health concern for mercury exposure. Consequently, the CDC issued a recommendation to
limit consumption of Penobscot River fish and turtles, but not ducks or plant life. The study also found that the
Penobscot River water, its sediments and drinking water from an underground aquifer showed no evidence of
mutagenicity from the classes of organic compounds known to be cancer-causing or mutagenic.
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Partner: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
Challenge: Evaluating risk of aquatic contaminants with minimal toxicity data (ongoing)
Resource: Extrapolation of species sensitivity and bioaccumulation to estimate potential impacts for
contaminants of concern
"EPA's variety of tools have been critical in developing aquatic toxicity
profiles (ATPs) for contaminants detected across Minnesota. The MPCA
uses EPA's estimation tools and databases to quickly obtain relevant
information about contaminants that have only recently been detected in
an aquatic environment. Prior to the development of these tools,
information about contaminants has been limited or time-consuming to
find. The profiles combine contaminant information such as fate in the
environmentaquatic life toxicity, and endocrine activity to screen
contaminants detected in Minnesota. The MPCA uses this information to
communicate potential effects of the contaminants found in Minnesota
and to identify pollution prevention opportunities for contaminants of
highest concern." - MPCA John Line Stine (former Commissioner)
EPA ORD scientists support ongoing efforts in Minnesota to characterize potential effects for a wide variety of
contaminants for which there exists limited information. MPCA uses a suite of EPA tools — Estimation Programs
Interface (EPI) Suite, ECOTOX, Web-ICE — to prioritize chemicals based on toxicity effects and hazard
characterization. Using these tools, MPCA develops toxicity profiles to screen contaminants that have been
detected in the state, and then uses those profiles to prioritize chemicals for further monitoring or pollution
prevention opportunities. The profiles are also used as a communication tool that the public or agency decision
makers can access to get an overview of the potential hazards associated with individual contaminants detected
in Minnesota. Specific recommendations are made to ensure the appropriate considerations are factored into
future monitoring efforts (e.g., some contaminants have greater seasonal or geographical inputs, and some
contaminants are more likely to partition to sediment or biota, and those matrices are important to sample in
addition to water). By assessing the characteristics of the contaminants, future monitoring can be more strategic
and less costly, yielding the most relevant data for those contaminants of highest concern.
As an example, during the development of an aquatic toxicity profile for triclocarban (an antibacterial agent
common in personal care products like soaps and lotions), MPCA used EPISUITEto demonstrate a high potential
for bioaccumulation and environmental persistence. They then used ECOTOX to obtain available toxicity
information, which was used as input into Web-ICE to determine that the compound had high acute toxicity to a
diversity of taxa. The toxicity profile resulted in the designation of triclocarban as a high priority contaminant for
monitoring in systems with effluent input, with focus on sediment monitoring due to the potential to
accumulate, persist and cause toxicity in sediment. The use of ORD tools allows MPCA to prioritize chemicals for
monitoring to ensure resources address the contaminants of greatest environmental concern.
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Partner: Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA)
Challenge: Managing Oregon's commercial shellfish harvests to reduce public health risk (ongoing)
Resource: Improved methods to forecast environmental conditions that lead to shellfish harvesting closures
"Tillamook Bay is one of the most productive arid diverse commercial
shellfish growing bays in Oregon. Environmental characteristics and human
development in the watershed also make it one of the most complicated in
terms of pollution impacts. The work EPA is doing on fecal indicator
bacteria will provide valuable information on sources of water pollution at a
level that has not been possible before. This information will be used to
ensure safe food can continue to be produced from this bay and help
maintain the livelihoods it supports." — ODA Food Safety and Animal Health
Program, Food Safety Inspector & Shellfish Specialist Alex Manderson
To protect human health, state agencies close estuarine waters to shellfish
harvest during periods of elevated fecal bacteria and other factors. In
Tillamook Bay, Oregon, elevated bacteria levels result in shellfish harvest
closures approximately 100 days a year, affecting the State's largest
concentration of commercial wild-caught shellfish and oyster aquaculture
operations. ODA has authority to restrict the harvesting and distribution of
shellfish by commercial processors if there is potential risk for illness to
consumers. ODA bases harvest closure decisions on river flow and
precipitation, which works well during wet seasons when runoff may carry fecal bacteria from urban or
agricultural sources into shellfish growing areas. However, these environmental variables do not predict
elevated fecal bacteria levels well during dry, summer months during peak shellfish harvesting season. Season-
specific criteria for determining high bacterial loads in the vicinity of shellfish beds would help ODA better
ensure the safety of commercial shellfish for the benefit of consumers and the shellfish industry.
EPA scientists are collaborating with ODA shellfish managers to develop improved models to forecast
environmental conditions indicative of unsafe levels of fecal bacteria within Tillamook Bay. The research involves
statistical analysis of environmental drivers (such as rainfall, wind strength, temperature, river discharge, tide
stage) that are associated with changes in the fecal bacteria concentrations at several locations within the
estuary, using ODA's bacterial data and publicly available environmental data. The analysis revealed seasonal
and locational differences of which environmental drivers had the greatest influence on bacterial levels.
Consequently, under a given set of environmental conditions, some parts of the estuary might not require
harvest closure, whereas others would. High precipitation and river discharge lead to elevated bacteria levels
during wet months (October to May), as expected. During dry seasons (June-September), the research revealed
that elevated bacterial levels were associated with strong winds and tidal extremes, and the EPA-developed
statistical models performed better than ones currently used by ODA. The models developed by EPA may be
used to inform ODA's approach for shellfish harvest closures and improve the effectiveness of future bacterial
monitoring efforts.
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Partner: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP)
Challenge: Wide-spread freshwater fish disease (completed)
Resource: Causal Analysis/Diagnosis Decision Information System (CADDIS)
"I am confident that our science-based partnership with EPA
ORD and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will help
us determine the causes of impacts to aquatic health in the
Susquehanna. Science guides our work in assessing the overall
health of the river, and in partnership with these agencies, we
will be able to create a strategy that matches our challenges to
conserve and protect this river, which is important to the
recreational vitality and economic prosperity of Pennsylvania." -
PA DEP John Quigley (former secretary)
Unusual mortality events and outbreaks of disease have been
observed annually in young-of-the-year Smallmouth Bass in the
mid to lower Susquehanna River since 2005, resulting in poor recruitment of juvenile fish into the adult
population. The Susquehanna River Smallmouth Bass Technical Committee, including representatives from PA
DEP and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), was formed in 2007 to characterize the potential
causes of the problems. Numerous water-quality and fish health variables were evaluated, but no definitive
associations emerged. Additional research and monitoring efforts continued, and in 2012 PA DEP initiated a
large study of the river. In 2014, PA DEP and its partners looked to EPA ORD's expertise and innovative tool, the
Causal Analysis/Diagnosis Decision Information System (CADDIS), to help organize and synthesize the data.
EPA assisted PA DEP and its partners in implementing the CADDIS causal assessment process, providing a means
to utilize the data collected to date and winnow the long list of hypothesized causes of the poor recruitment of
Smallmouth Bass. Candidate causes evaluated included abiotic stressors such as high flows, low dissolved
oxygen, high pH, and toxicity from exposure to ammonia or toxic chemicals. Biotic candidate causes included
food quality changes from non-native species and cyanobacteria. Diseases caused by pathogens or parasites
were considered, as well as the possibility that stressors have increased Smallmouth Bass susceptibility to
disease. Over 50 worksheets, comprising 400 pages, that described data collections and analyses were
developed and evaluated during the course of assessment.
Pathogens and parasites were identified as likely contributors to the problem: disease prevalence was strongly
and negatively correlated with survival of juvenile fish. Endocrine disrupters and herbicides were also judged to
be likely contributors by increasing disease susceptibility, although only limited evidence was available to
evaluate these candidate causes. The CADDIS process was particularly beneficial for optimizing further data
collection and analysis efforts. The financial and personnel resources of the state were redirected to the
priorities identified by assessment: endocrine disruptors, parasites and pathogens.
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Partner: Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC)
Challenge: Need for specialized risk assessment training (completed)
Resource: Training module, Decision Making at Contaminated Sites: Issues and Options in Human Health Risk
Assessment
"The experience and knowledge of EPA scientists were essential to
the success of this important training used by state risk assessors
and others to address complex challenges at contaminated sites."
- California Department of Toxic Substances Control (State Co-
Chair) Claudio Sorrentino
"The ITRC risk training is more robust as a result of our partnership
with EPA experts on this effort." - South Dakota Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (State Co-Chair) John McVey
EPA ORD partnered with ITRC, a program of the Environmental
Research Institute of the States, to develop specialized training for
state risk assessors responsible for the cleanup of chemicals released into the environment. Based on feedback
from EPA's Risk Assessment and Training Experience (RATE) program, ORD scientists reached out to ITRC and
proposed that ITRC create training modules on the harmonization of risk assessment approaches across state
regulators. EPA experts provided materials developed for its RATE program for the ITRC effort. These materials
provide up-to-date and comprehensive training for human health risk assessment, ranging from beginner to
expert classes.
The ITRC team of approximately 75 representatives from various environmental sectors completed a
comprehensive web-based training module entitled, Decision Making at Contaminated Sites: Issues and Options
in Human Health Risk Assessment. ORD scientists provided expert technical support as needed along the
development processes and extensive peer reviews before release of the final product. Currently, all interested
risk assessors in the U.S. and around the globe have free access to this important training material
(http://www.itrcweb.org/risk-3/). To date, more than 2,700 people have taken the online course and the
associated guidance document is available to download.
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Partner: Public health agencies of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah; New Mexico Environment
Department; New Mexico Environmental Public Health Tracking Program; New Mexico Department of Health
Private Well Program
Challenge: Persistent environmental health disparities that are common to the four states such as heavy metal
mixtures and well water concerns
Resource: Center for Native American Environmental Health Equity Research
"The Center's research results informed the work on exposure assessments to
metals from private drinking water conducted among communities in the Four
Corners' states regions; we look forward to continuing this beneficial exchange of
technical expertise." -New Mexico State Epidemiologist Dr. Mike Landen
Many Native American communities are impacted by mine wastes and heavy
metal contamination from abandoned mines. There is also community concern
about how these contaminants impact human health and cultural practices. To help address these challenges,
the EPA and NIH have jointly funded the Center for Native American Environmental Health Equity Research.
The Center investigated various metal of concern (uranium, arsenic, manganese, mercury) and community-
relevant metal mixtures in blood and urine samples obtained from community members. They also conducted
mechanistic experimental studies to explore immunologic effects. The results of this research were presented at
the Four Corners States Biomonitoring Consortium (4CSBC), organized by the state public health agencies of
Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. At the 2016 Annual 4CSBC Face-to-Face Meeting (September 28-30,
2016, Santa Fe, NM), the Center's Director presented and contributed to the discussion of biosample collection
protocols (blood, urine). She applied the lessons learned in her center's previous Navajo Birth Cohort Study
(funded by National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) and subsequent analysis of biomonitoring for
metals exposure conducted as part of the current center.
Based on the discussions at the meeting, the Consortium developed three studies to investigate exposure and
shared regional geophysical, cultural, economic, industrial, agricultural and political environment. For example,
the consortium utilized the Center's findings as a starting point for a new study, entitled, "The private well
drinking water and metals contamination study" (http://www.4csbc.org/). A study undertaken by the New
Mexico Biomonitoring Program included environmental sampling and assessment of water quality from
domestic wells. They conducted laboratory analysis of well-water samples for arsenic, cadmium, manganese,
mercury, selenium, and uranium. Testing of water from domestic wells helped to identify potential sources of
excessive exposures to those metals. Through this project, participants and communities learned about their
water quality, and possible actions to control exposures. Ongoing efforts include investigating potential
exposures to metals in drinking water across the state, investigating potential exposure to phthalates and other
chemicals from the use of plastics and some consumer products, and chemicals used in some pesticides. At the
local level, this collaborative project identified potential communities to include for monitoring, strengthened
participant recruitment, and built collaborations with local governmental agencies and community coalitions in
the recruitment and samples collection processes. The major impact of these efforts included developing states'
capacity to conduct environmental exposure assessments through biomonitoring studies and investigating
regional exposure concerns.
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science in ACTION
WASTE - CONTAMINATED SITES AND SUPERFUND
Partner: Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM); Mcintosh (Washington County), AL
Challenge: Cleanup of a complex site containing hazardous chemicals in various environmental media (soil,
sediment, groundwater, surface water) and buried wastes (ongoing)
Resource: High resolution site characterization and analyses of site-specific contaminants of the Olin project, in
collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Services (FWS), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
"EPA ORD's efforts on the Olin project
were essential to understanding the
science of the contaminants of concern
and the potential effects on target
species. This information allowed the
project team to make informed
decisions on the most impactful
approach forward. As the state project
manager during those efforts, ORD's
involvement was beneficial- ADEM
Section Chief Sonja B. Favors
The Olin Corporation Mcintosh plant is
an active chemical production facility
- that has been producing chlor-alkali
chemicals since 1952. The site was listed on the National Priority List of Superfund sites in 1984. Site operations
have resulted in contamination of soil, sediment, groundwater and surface water. EPA researchers, in
collaboration with Region 4 (Southeast), the state of Alabama (ADEM) and industry conducted a risk assessment
to determine the current and future effects of the site's contaminants on human health and the environment,
identify exposure pathways, and calculate total site risk.
EPA researchers, working with subject matter experts from NOAA, FWS, USGS, and USACE, provided innovative
measures for high resolution site characterization and analyses of site-specific contaminants (insecticides and
other emerging contaminants) in different media. Presently, researchers are supporting identifying, tracking,
and controlling sources of contamination to the site, and establishing a baseline for conducting post-cleanup
effectiveness assessments. EPA researchers also continue to provide technical support for evaluating and
assessing sampling methodologies, treatment technologies, and other options for the cleanup of the site.
Researchers are basing technical support on current research, development and evaluation of physical,
chemical, and biological processes with the goal to reduce risk to public health and environment.
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Partners: Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ)
Challenge: Jet fuel contamination of soils and aquifer at the former Williams Air Force Base Superfund Site
(completed)
Resource: Technology transfer and technical support for remediation of jet fuel, in collaboration with the U.S.
Air Force (USAF)
"The ADEQ appreciates the
support EPA ORD has
provided at the former
Williams Air Force Base Site
(ST012 former fuel depot jet
fuel release site). ORD
personnel provided a comfort
level to ADEQ to the extent
that ADEQ could confidently
champion innovative
technology use at this site." -
The former Williams Air Force Base in Mesa, Arizona, was commissioned as a flight training school in 1941, and
pilot training was its primary mission throughout the history of the base. Fuel storage and distribution
operations were conducted at the site (known as ST012), and releases from these systems contaminated the
underlying soil and groundwater. The fuel reached depths of approximately 240 feet below ground surface,
before the groundwater started rising, smearing the fuel within the aquifer. The base was closed in 1993, and
the majority of the property has been converted to the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport and college campuses,
among other uses.
Around 1998, EPA Region 9 (Pacific Southwest) and ADEQ requested technical support from EPA ORD to discuss
steam enhanced extraction (SEE) with the USAF as a potential remedy for the ST012 fuel spill. With continued
technical support from ORD, a pilot study steam injection was implemented in 2008, which recovered an
estimated 10,000 gallons of jet fuel. Based on the success of this pilot, a larger scale SEE remediation was
initiated in 2014, and operations continued until early 2016. Three different vertical zones of the aquifer were
treated, ranging from 140 to 240 feet below ground surface. The total volume of the treatment area was
410,000 cubic yards. More than 300 million pounds of steam were injected, and more than 2.6 million pounds
(388,000 gallons) of petroleum hydrocarbons were recovered. The recovered jet fuel was burned in a thermal
accelerator or recycled.
EPA ORD technical support for this project included assistance in choosing steam injection as the remedial
technology, review of all technical documents (including the design and the remedial action work plan), and
monitoring the implementation of the technology. This technical support has been instrumental in EPA Region 9,
the USAF and ADEQ moving forward in cleaning up the impacted areas of Williams Air Force Base.
ADEQ Environmental Associate Engineer Wayne Miller
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Partner: Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC); Kent County
Economic Development; City of Dover Planning Inspections, and Community Development
Challenge: Informing decision makers on potential impacts on health, food access, and economic development
from brownfield revitalization in the City of Dover (completed)
Resource: Rapid Health Impact Assessment (HIA) in partnership with EPA Region 3 and the Office of Brownfields
and Land Revitalization (OBLR)
"The rapid HIA for the Chesapeake Utilities site provided the
opportunity to envision a more positive future for this former
brownfield. The process challenged all of the partners to think not
only about bringing this property back into a productive state, but
also about the many benefits healthy food production and access will
bring to the community. We all appreciate the leadership and
expertise EPA provided for this project." - David Edgell, Principal
Planner, Office of State Planning Coordination, State of Delaware
"The city has been working on housing and crime issues, but without
adequate access to healthy foods, these households would still
struggle; the rapid HIA provided a setting which made cross-disciplinary discussions possible."- Dave Hugg,
Director, Planning, Inspections and Community Development, City of Dover
The City of Dover, Delaware and Kent County sought to redevelop a vacant and formerly contaminated property,
or brownfield, to spur revitalization in the downtown Dover area. Given a desire to increase food access in and
around Dover, local and state officials sought assistance with examining a cleaned brownfield site for economic
development through food production; of particular interest was an integrated fish and plant farming option
known as aquaponics. An EPA Region 3 (Mid-Atlantic) land revitalization project developed an Aquaponics
Business Plan User Guide to assist communities facing the challenge of identifying and implementing reuse
alternatives for brownfields.
A Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a systematic process that uses various data sources, analytical methods,
and input from stakeholders to determine the potential effects of a proposed policy or project on the health of a
population and provides recommendations on managing those effects. EPA ORD hosted a training workshop on
the HIA process for EPA Region 3 and interested parties from Delaware State University, the City of Dover, Kent
County, and Delaware State governments, including the Department of Health and Social Services and DNREC.
Building on the successes of the Aquaponics User Guide and HIA workshop, EPA staff (from ORD, OBLR, and
Region 3) agreed to work with local and state officials and community partners to conduct an HIA in July 2017.
EPA ORD has piloted a rapid HIA - an abbreviated form of HIA - for partners to select among brownfield
revitalization projects to improve food security in Dover. ORD staff guided the HIA process and utilized a mixed
methods approach to evaluate the health impacts, including qualitative and quantitative data, geographic
information system (GIS) and epidemiologic methods, and literature review. An HIA report has been developed
that documents the HIA analyses, findings and recommendations for the City of Dover to consider public health
when making decisions related to the revitalization project. This report also outlines opportunities for further
development and future assessments.
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Partners: Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ)
Challenge: Groundwater geochemistry study at the Simplot Operable Unit, Eastern Michaud Flats Superfund Site
(completed)
Resource: Technology transfer and technical support for understanding groundwater geochemical processes at
a phosphoric acid plant
"The subsurface investigation
at the Don Plant was an
important step in better
understanding the nature and
sources of low pH dense
aqueous phase liquids (DAPL)
present in the Phosphoric Acid
Plant (PAP) area. The results of
this investigation, along with
evaluation of monthly
monitoring results from
selected wells in the PAP,
clay in late 2015 and 2016 -
one DAPL was high in phosphorus and the other was high in sulfate, suggesting separate process sources." -
IDEQ Pocatello Region Mining Project Manager Margaretha English
The Don Plant fertilizer manufacturing facility is part of the Eastern Michaud Flats Superfund Site. It is a
phosphoric acid/liquid plant located near Pocatello, Idaho. Process liquids released from the plant site, which
are relatively dense and low-pH aqueous solutions, have migrated vertically through the groundwater column to
the top of the American Fails Lake Bed clay layer. The dense aqueous phase liquid forms pools and migrates
along the top of the clay layer towards the Lower Portneuf River. In order to control contaminant migration,
groundwater extraction wells are pumped to recover the dense aqueous fluids. Flowever, mineral solids
precipitate as a result of pumping within the groundwater extraction wells. The mineral precipitation is sufficient
to hamper the effectiveness of the pumps, in some cases even spark failure. The concern was to understand the
geochemistry within the aquifer that was causing these wells to foul and to develop solutions to keep these
extraction wells operating to reduce contaminant mass from moving towards the Lower Portneuf
River. Additional data were needed to identify the cause of mineral precipitation and develop a plan to address
the pump fouling issue when the groundwater extraction system is operating.
EPA Region 10 (Pacific Northwest) and the IDEQ first requested EPA ORD technical assistance in 2015 to support
the development of a work plan designed to better understand the pump fouling problem. Technology transfer
efforts by ORD scientists and the IDEQ/Region 10 team resulted in a plan to sample, analyze and identify mineral
precipitates and develop a geochemical model that could predict mineral precipitation in the extraction wells.
ORD scientists continued to provide technical assistance as the study data were obtained, and they reviewed the
technical aspects of the data analysis and modeling. Recommendations were provided to possibly reduce or
prevent mineral fouling in the extraction wells. To date the extraction wells have helped mitigate downgradient
migration of dense fluids.
helped identify that more than one type of low pH DAPL was pooling on top of the
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Partner: Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG)
Challenge: Development of a passive remediation alternative at the Bunker Hill Superfund Site (Lane Marsh)
(ongoing)
Resource: Technical Investigation
Abundant natural resources and clean functioning ecosystems are
highly valued by local and regional residents and a huge part of why we
choose to live here. The IDFG is committed to restoring healthy and
productive ecosystems in the lower basin. We are happy to have been
able to support and partner with EPA ORD in the effort to find new,
innovative, and cost-effective approaches to the wildland contamination
problems we face there." - IDFG Regional Wildlife Habitat Biologist
David Leptich
The Lower Coeur d'Alene River Basin in Idaho is an active habitat for
migratory birds (including the Canadian Tundra Swan) and part of the
Bunker Hill Superfund Site, a former lead refining and smelting facility.
Historical and ongoing transport of contaminated sediment to
floodplains, marshes and side lakes from the Bunker Hill site has
resulted in annual acute lead toxicity of migratory birds that utilize the
surrounding wetlands for feeding during migration. The concentration
of lead in some sediments is so elevated that acute effects of lead
toxicity are seen within as little as a two-week period. The loss of bird
life has also resulted in reduced use of the river basin for recreational activities. The historical release of
contaminated materials has led to the contamination of more than 18,000 acres of prime water fowl habitat.
The size and scope of the sediment contamination prohibits the use and application of traditional remediation
practices at this site, including sediment removal. A passive treatment option that reduces the potential for
biological uptake of lead is required. EPA ORD is collaborating with state partners to develop a passive soil
amendment option that would reduce bioaccessible lead concentrations in wildlife.
EPA ORD in collaboration with Region 10 (Pacific Northwest) has conducted an initial site investigation to
evaluate geochemical cycles, contaminant distribution and chemical speciation of lead throughout Lane Marsh.
They are also combining onsite redox measurements with lead speciation data to identify specific sediment
amendments for pilot-scale testing that would promote the sequestration of lead in non- and reduced-
bioavailable forms.
ORD's partners will use the results of the pilot scale testing to evaluate the best options for passive remediation
efforts. In addition, the potential for remedy selection based upon existing geochemical properties and
contaminant speciation will be employed at other locations within the Lower Coeur d'Alene Basin. Successful
identification and deployment of affordable and effective passive sediment remediation technologies will
ultimately result in a reduction of bioavailable lead improving the ecosystem by protecting migratory birds and
subsequently revitalizing recreational activities in the Lower Basin.
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Partner: Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), Massachusetts Development
Finance Agency (MassDevelopment)
Challenge: Defining the extent and nature of contaminant impact from a landfill on the Former Fort Devens on
groundwater and a recreational lake (completed); providing technical analysis of viable alternatives to stop
contaminant impacts to off-site public and private properties (ongoing)
Resource: Applying novel methods for detailed assessment of groundwater and contaminant movement in a
complex setting, in collaboration with the U.S. Army
"EPA ORD's involvement has been essential to the ongoing
development of a groundwater model that can be used to support a
remedy modification. Because of the technical complexity and
importance of this project, it is doubtful that the results from the
model could be accepted by the state without EPA ORD's
participation."-MassDEP Devens Project Manager David Chaffin
The Former Fort Devens made use of an onsite landfill the solid
waste generated during several decades of operations. The landfill
was not equipped with a system to prevent release of landfill
leachate into the underlying aquifer. The resulting contaminated
groundwater has since moved beyond the base property, impacting
an adjacent recreational lake (Plow Shop Pond) and the aquifer
underlying the Town of Ayer, MA.
EPA ORD, in collaboration with EPA Region 1 (New England) and the
U.S. Army, implemented a monitoring program during 2005-2008 to
clearly define the location and nature of impact to Plow Shop Pond.
This established that contaminated groundwater entering the lake
was caused by leachate migration from the eastern edge of the
landfill, causing contamination of lake sediment and water.
The multi-year effort included installation of supplemental monitoring locations and collection of detailed
chemistry data to define the source of arsenic contamination observed in the lake. Confirmation that the landfill
was the source of contamination led to construction of a remedy in 2013 to remove existing and prevent future
contamination of the lake. Continued work (2014-2018) will evaluate the success of the interim remedy installed
at the northern edge of the landfill and allow stakeholders to select a permanent solution to address
contamination impacting groundwater under the Town of Ayer, MA.
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Partner: Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP)
Challenge: Chemical contamination of soils and aquifer at the General Chemical Corporation facility (ongoing)
Resource: Technology transfer and technical support for remediation of chlorinated solvents and petroleum
hydrocarbons
"MassDEP greatly appreciates the expert advice we have received
from EPA ORD on the General Chemical TSDF assessment and
cleanup plans. MassDEP has been assisted with technical support
from ORD for this site since 2012. At each point, ORD has
provided valuable input, particularly with respect to the merits of
thermal and chemical oxidation remedies. It has been a great
service to the state program to receive the views of national
experts on these complex investigative and remedial issues-
MassDEP Bureau of Waste Site Cleanup Steve Johnson
From 1960 to 2012, General Chemical Corporation (GCC)
operated a permitted Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility
(TSDF) with waste management operations that included the
storage and repackaging of bulk virgin solvents for resale, and the
storage and consolidation of hazardous and nonhazardous
wastes. The facility is the location of multiple historical releases.
Contaminants include both petroleum hydrocarbons and
chlorinated solvents, which impact the soils and groundwater at
the facility. The contamination extends off site to former
residential properties, under a wetland, and contaminants
brook. A public elementary school abuts the site to the
In 2012, MassDEP requested technical support from EPA ORD to review the Remedy Implementation Plan
prepared for the site by GCC's consultants. ORD scientists and engineers recommended that additional site
characterization be carried out to better define the extent of the contamination, and then that the potential
remedial actions be re-evaluated. MassDEP required the recommended additional site characterization, and
ORD reviewed and commented on the subsequent Data Gap Action Plan Report (2013) and Remedial Action
Plan (2016). The re-evaluation of remedial actions based on the additional characterization information led to a
change in the recommended remedy for the site.
ORD's technical support helped lead to thermal remediation being chosen as an appropriate main remedial
technology for the site due to the large contaminant mass that is present. Suitable remediation will lessen the
various threats posed by the contaminants to the environment and human health.
discharge to a drainage ditch that flow into a
west/northwest.
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Partner: Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
Challenge: Remediation activities for Barker Hughesville Superfund Site
Resource: Technical Investigation in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and EPA Region 8
"DEO collaboration with EPA. Region 8 and ORD at these two
Superfund sites had enabled us to coordinate between the sites and to
consider the effectiveness of pilot tests at locations across the sites." -
Keith Large, Montana DEQ State Project Officer
EPA ORD provided technical assistance to Region 8 in their effort to
evaluate ongoing and future remediation activities for the Barker-
Hughesville and the Carpenter Snow Creek Superfund Sites located
within the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest in Cascade and
Judith Basin Counties, Montana.
Barker Hughesville
Barker Hughesville is a 6,000-acre site, where commercial mining operations were carried out between 1879 to
1940s. These operations left several hundred thousand cubic yards of mine waste distributed among 46 known
abandoned mines and along nearby creeks. Both private and U.S. National Forest Service (USNF) land is
impacted. The site also contains 17 adits that discharge mine water that contaminates nearby surface water
bodies.
Carpenter Snow Creek
Carpenter Snow Creek site is a 9,000-acre site, where commercial mining operations were also carried out
between 1879 to 1940s.
Together, the operations left over 1.2 million cubic yards of mine waste distributed among 90 known abandoned
mines and nearby creeks impacting both private and National Forest Service administered lands, The site also
contains 22 discharging adits of various water quality.
Due to the widespread nature of contaminated soil, sediment, streamside deposits, surface water and
groundwater with arsenic, copper, zinc, cadmium, manganese, thallium and lead, both sites were listed on the
National Priority List of Superfund sites in 2001. While EPA has the lead on the Remedial Investigation and
Feasibility Study at the Barker Hughesville site, Montana DEQ is developing the Remedial Investigation and
Feasibility (RI/FS) for the Carpenter Snow Creek site. ORD has collaborated with Region 8, DEQ and the USFS in
the evaluation of mine water treatment performed using sulfate-reducing bacteria to remove sulfate and metals
in water collected at the adit of Big Seven Mine and Haystack Mine located in the Carpenter Creek site. Mine
water was collected by DEQ's contractor and shipped to ORD's laboratory facilities in Cincinnati, Ohio for bench-
scale testing. ORD has also helped Mt Emmons Mining Company, EPA Region 8, USFS and DEQ with evaluating
the effectiveness of sulfate-reducing bacteria in treating water at the Danny T mine in Barker Hughesville where
Mt Emmons Mining Company is under and EPA order to conduct these laboratory tests. Additionally, ORD has
collaborated in providing technical comments on the feasibility studies of the remediation of several abandoned
mines and the overall remediation approach at both sites.
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Partners: New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES)
Challenge: Suitable groundwater remediation technologies at the South Municipal Supply Well Superfund Site
(ongoing)
Resource: Technology transfer and technical support for permeable reactive barrier & thermal remediation
"EPA ORD personnel have provided invaluable technical
support to the South Municipal Well government team."
- NHDES Waste Management Division Kenneth Richards
The South Municipal Water Supply Well Superfund Site
located in Peterborough, New Hampshire, includes the
New Hampshire Ball Bearings (NHBB) property, adjacent
wetlands, commercial/residential properties, and the
South Municipal Water Supply Well. Installed in 1952,
the South Well provided water to Peterborough for
nearly 30 years. In 1982, concentrations of volatile
organic compounds were detected in the South Well at
levels above 100 parts per billion and use of the well
discontinued. Initial groundwater and soil cleanup
actions at the site included in-situ vacuum extraction
and groundwater pump-and-treat using air stripping and carbon adsorption. In 2010, revised groundwater
remedies were initiated to include a combination of two treatment technologies: 1) thermal remediation within
targeted source areas, and 2) in-situ groundwater treatment using a zero-valent iron permeable reactive barrier
(PRB).
NHDES and EPA Region 1 (New England) first requested EPA ORD technical assistance in 2009 for information on
innovative remediation technologies, including thermal, enhanced bioremediation, and PRB applications.
Technology transfer efforts by ORD personnel resulted in recommendations on bench-scale studies, site
characterization and monitoring requirements, and final implementation of the thermal and PRB remedies. In
2014, the PRB was installed along the alignment of the former Boston & Maine Railroad (B&M) line to intercept
and treat groundwater contaminants emanating from the eastern NHBB property line. Thermal remediation
using Electrical Resistance Heating technology was completed in 2016. Approximately 5,000 pounds of
tetrachloroethylene (PCE) were removed from the subsurface. ORD personnel continued to provide technical
assistance to the NHDES and EPA Region 1 teams by helping to determine the effectiveness of the thermal and
PRB remedies.
Recent groundwater data collected from the site show that the PRB is failing to meet specified treatment
criteria. Current technical transfer efforts being provided include: assistance in interpreting site data;
recommendations on study designs for characterizing groundwater and solid-phase properties; and analytical
support to help diagnose the cause of the unanticipated inadequate treatment performance.
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Partners: New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES)
Challenge: Suitable technologies to remediate waste oils and chlorinated solvents at the Beede Waste Oil
Superfund Site
Resource: Technology transfer of Steam Enhanced Extraction and technical support for thermal remediation of
waste oils
"U.S. EPA ORD personnel have provided invaluable technical
support to the Beede Waste Oil Government team." - Ken
Richards, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
The Beede Waste Oil Superfund Site is located in Plaistow, New
Hampshire, within a predominantly residential area. Prior
commercial operations at the site, which began in 1926,
included storage and distribution of fuel oil and recycling of used
oil Spills, leaks from storage tanks, and discharges to lagoons on
the site created subsurface plumes of light nonaqueous phase
liquids (LNAPL) that contained a wide variety of petroleum
hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and chlorinated
solvents. The Record of Decision (ROD) chose soil vapor
extraction to remediate the smear zone of LNAPL, with a
contingency for thermal enhancements if it was determined
during the design stage that this was needed in order to meet
the site soil cleanup goals. The ROD also included a groundwater
extraction system to extract the downgradient dissolved phase plume.
In 2007, NHDES and EPA Region 1 (New England) requested EPA ORD technical assistance to aid in determining if
a thermal enhancement to the groundwater extraction system would be required to meet soil cleanup goals,
and if so, which of the thermal technologies would be most applicable to this site. In addition, ORD personnel
provided technical support on delineation of the area to be treated using thermal remediation.
In 2010, ORD completed a bench scale treatability study that demonstrated that steam injection remediation of
the soils was capable of reducing contaminant concentrations to meet the cleanup criteria. Subsequently, Steam
Enhanced Extraction (SEE) was chosen as the remediation technique for the two LNAPL-contaminated areas that
were delineated by the site characterization activities. From 2015 to 2016, SEE was used to successfully meet
the soil cleanup criteria, recovering more than 150,000 pounds of contaminants. In late 2018, steam injection
was initiated in the Phase 2 treatment area. To date, approximately 44 million pounds of steam have been
injected, and 135,000 pounds of contaminants have been recovered. Phase 2 is expected to be completed in the
Fall of 2019.
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Partner: New Mexico Environment Department (NMED), New Mexico Tech, University of Iowa, and Ohio State
University
Challenge: Environmental sampling and assessment of local waterways and sediments following Gold King Mine
Spill (completed, but assistance ongoing)
Resource: Center for Native American Environmental Health Equity Research
"ORD's support of the Center for Native American Environmental Health
Equity Research has helped NMED reach out to and coordinate with Navajo
Nation communities that were affected by the Gold King Mine spill/' -
Dennis McQuillan, Chief Scientist, NMED
In 2015, about 3 million gallons of contaminated waste water from the Gold
King Mine spilled into the Animas River impacting several tribes and states.
Following the spill, a team of researchers from the University of New
Mexico Center for Native Environmental Health Equity Research and New
Mexico Tech, in collaboration with the New Mexico Environment
Department (NMED), performed a sampling trip collecting water and
sediment samples from Silverton, CO to Farmington, NM. The results
obtained from this work were presented at the Environmental Conditions
of the Animas and San Juan Watersheds conference (Farmington, NM; May
17-18, 2016) which was co-organized by their collaborator from NMED and
other staff from the New Mexico Water Resources Institute and institutions
from the state of New Mexico.
As a result of this work, the Center, in collaboration with NMED, the University of Iowa, and The Ohio State
University, initiated an investigation of the mineral phases and metal release by microbiological activity from
sediments collected along the Animas River after the spill which impacted the Navajo Nation. Additionally,
NMED has utilized the information generated by the Center to propose a long-term monitoring program that
has been partially funded by EPA.
The EPA ORD-supported Center for Native American Environmental Health Equity Research, jointly funded by
EPA and NIH, was established to address pervasive environmental health disparities. The Center's primary focus
is biomedical and environmental research and Native-focused community engagement. The research team aims
to expand their understanding of mixed-metal toxicity and enhance confidence in the characteristics of the
metal exposures and the populations that influence the generalizability of the results.
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Partners: Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
Challenge: Evaluation of groundwater and surface water interactions at the Oklahoma Refining Co. Superfund
site (completed)
Resource: Technical evaluation of remediation plans for the site
"EPA ORD provided concrete recommendations on data
acquisition that have been incorporated into the ongoing
investigation at the refinery. This access to experts really
augments our ability to focus our resources to obtain the right
information to support decision making."- Oklahoma DEQ
Executive Director Scott Thompson
The Oklahoma Refining Co. Superfund site is located in Cyril,
Oklahoma. Gladys Creek adjoins the site along its northern and
eastern borders. The 160-acre abandoned site, which was
operated by several different owners as a refinery until 1984,
had generated wastes in approximately 50 impoundments (many unlined) and several buried waste areas.
Shallow groundwater beneath the site flows away from the Cyril community and discharges into Gladys Creek.
Approximately 1,600 people on public or private drinking water wells live within three miles of the site, with the
closest well (private) within 1000 feet of the site.
Site operations contaminated soil, sediment, surface water and groundwater with polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and metals. Wastes had been placed in surface pits on
the refinery property, and wastewater had been sent through an oil-water separator to remove oils and then
treated in a series of surface impoundments. Treated water from the surface impoundments was discharged
into Gladys Creek.
Cleanup of impoundments and waste sources was conducted between 1996 and 2001 on the southern portion
of the site; most removal activities were completed in 2006 on the northern site. The remaining work, including
the piece that EPA ORD helped with, includes groundwater, surface water, north side soil, and sediments.
Previous site investigations provided extensive information on contaminant concentrations in groundwater,
surface water, soil and sediments. This information has indicated where contaminants are found and where they
exceed the relevant standards. However, an estimation of the mass flux of contaminants in either groundwater
or surface water is necessary to determine the magnitude, rate and significance of adverse impacts on Gladys
Creek and to evaluate what actions need to be taken regarding those impacts. The strategy to conduct this
effort consists of identifying all major routes of groundwater discharge into Gladys Creek, quantifying
groundwater and surface water discharge, estimating the contaminant mass flux in the surface water and
groundwater, and evaluating the overall hydrology of the Gladys Creek watershed. ORD has provided technical
review comments to the state and EPA Region 6 (South Central U.S.) for the Plan Development to Evaluate the
Impacts of the Ground-Water/Surface Water Interactions on Contaminant Migration at the Oklahoma Refining
Company Superfund Site, Cyril, Oklahoma. It is anticipated that this information provided by ORD researchers
will assist Oklahoma DEQ in developing a remedial design for the remainder of the site.
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Partners: South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC)
Challenge: Developing and piloting effective strategies to target and treat subsurface chlorinated solvent
contamination in zones containing numerous subsurface impediments (completed)
Resource: Pilot study including design, construction and deployment of in-situ chemical oxidation (ISCO)
technology in collaboration with the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy
"Contaminated groundwater poses significant challenges to
states. Development of new and innovative ways to treat it in situ
is extraordinarily beneficial. We appreciate the availability ofORD
expertise to partner with our state experts on this project, and we
look forward to future opportunities to engage in collaborative
problem-solving work." - SC DHEC Director of Environmental
Affairs Myra C. Reece
EPA ORD is collaborating with multiple agencies to produce a
pilot-scale demonstration of in-situ chemical oxidation (ISCO)
technology at the U.S. Marine Corp Recruit Depot in Parris Island, SC.
Spills and leaks of perchloroethylene
(PCE), a colorless liquid widely used in
the dry cleaning of fabrics, leaked into
sanitary sewers resulting in groundwater
contamination that is threatening
nearby wetlands. The site is underlain by
numerous utilities (high pressure water
main, high voltage power line,
communication line, sanitary and storm
sewers, overhead steam lines) and involves high pedestrian and automobile traffic. Rigorous site
characterization was used to develop an accurate site conceptual model using an array of aquifer cores and
micro-wells to sample groundwater. Relative to conventional groundwater monitoring, more than 60% of the
aquifer requiring ISCO was eliminated due to the development of an accurate conceptual site model.
ORD designed, built and deployed a portable, multi-arm, low cost and efficient oxidant injection system. The
injection strategy optimized oxidant delivery and distribution in high priority targeted zones. Rigorous
monitoring of PCE and the sodium permanganate oxidant helped to focus subsequent injections and to assure
hydraulic control of the oxidant. ISCO has been selected by the partnering team for remediation at the site, and
recommendations have been provided for design and deployment of full-scale remediation.
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Partners: Washington State Department of Ecology
Challenge: Bunker Hill Superfund Site (ongoing)
Resource: Technical support
"The Washington State Department of Ecology appreciates ORD's involvement in the Bunker Hill Superfund Site.
The tools being developed by ORD will not only ensure that lakes and marshes receive appropriate cleanups and
reduce contaminant transport into Washington, but also may assist us in determining the best remedial
strategies at our own cleanup sites."- Washington State Department of Ecology, Toxics Cleanup Program
Hydrogeologist Sandra Treccani
The Bunker Hill Superfund Site, often referred
to as the Coeur d'Alene River Basin Cleanup
Site, is located in northern Idaho and eastern
Washington where early mining and milling
methods led to environmental contamination
from mine wastes. EPA ORD is providing
technical support for a portion of the site
including the lakes, wetlands, flood plains and
Coeur D'Alene river west of Bunker Hill.
EPA ORD scientists continue to assist with
document reviews for capping proposals, as
well as other remedial design input for this mega-site. This site will be studied by EPA ORD soil scientists to
identify remedial alternatives for Coeur d'Alene side lakes and marshes utilizing a historically heavily used
marsh, Lane Marsh, for migratory birds. Successful pilot studies developed at Lane Marsh will be eventually be
tested at other locations within this portion of the site.
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Partners: Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Georgia Environmental Protection Division, Kentucky
Department of Environmental Protection, North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, South Carolina
Department of Health and Environmental Control and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Challenge: Characterizing urban background levels for contaminated site cleanup levels (ongoing)
Resource: Sampling protocol
"Having a data set like the one gathered during the urban background
study is invaluable. It is very helpful to now have a comprehensive
data set that we can use to make scientific determinations regarding
appropriate urban background concentrations for many
constituents/'- Tennessee Department of Environment and
Conservation Environmental Consultant Merrie Embry, in the
Memphis Environmental Field Office, who also noted that the benefit
of working with EPA ORD and the other Southeastern states has
helped to ensure consistency in their sampling approach and data
evaluation.
In 2015, EPA scientists partnered with several Region 4 (Southeast) states to figure out how urban background
contaminants differ from industrial waste at urban sites. Initial efforts were focused on creating a process for
both soil sample collection and analysis that could be consistently applied across southeastern cities.
Soil samples collected from Louisville, KY; Lexington, KY; Memphis, TN; Raleigh, NC; and Winston-Salem, NC,
were analyzed in EPA laboratories and added to a growing urban background database for metals and PAHs. The
data and sampling process can be used by EPA, state agencies and local authorities to assess hazardous waste
and brownfield sites and make decisions around cleanup. The database will provide a general range of urban
background contaminant levels to be expected from sites in Region 4 cities. It can also serve as a screening tool
for comparison of potential sites. The utility of the tool is improved as coverage of data for comparison over
broader areas increases and more urban background data are added.
The success of the project has allowed sampling efforts to expand to additional cities in Tennessee, Georgia and
Florida. Recently, EPA and the state of Tennessee have used the study protocol to conduct an urban background
sampling effort in Chattanooga, TN. Additional regions, states and universities, including Georgia State
University in Atlanta, have expressed interest in the results and established sampling process. Professors and
students at the University of Florida in Gainesville have already used the sampling process in two urban areas in
central Florida.
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WASTE - RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Partners: California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) Office of Environmental Health Hazard
Assessment (OEI-IHA)
Challenge: Addressing safety concerns of tire crumb rubber used in synthetic turf fields and playgrounds
(ongoing)
Resource: Research for improved exposure assessment in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC)
"The U.S. EPA study complements and strengthens what we are doing in California. Consultations with the U.S.
EPA scientists benefit our project team and help to improve the quality of the California synthetic turf study."
- CalEPA OEHHA Senior lexicologist Dr. Patty Wong
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of
Research and Development (ORD) is collaborating with the CDC's
National Center for Environmental Health and Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the CPSC to study
key environmental and human health questions. To address the
concerns that have been raised about the potential health risks
from playing on synthetic turf fields containing tire crumb rubber,
a Federal Research Action Plan was launched in 2016 to investigate
potential human health implications. The Federal Research Action
Plan has four parts: a literature review and data gaps analysis,
outreach with key stakeholders, tire crumb rubber characterization research, and human exposure
characterization research. This research will provide a better understanding of the chemicals found in tire crumb
rubber and the potential exposures that field users may experience by using these fields.
EPA and CDC/ATSDR are reporting research findings in two parts. Part 1 communicates the research objectives,
methods, results and findings for the tire crumb rubber characterization research (i.e., what is in the material).
This report is now available. Part 2, to be released later, will include data to characterize potential human
exposures to the chemicals found in the tire crumb rubber material while using synthetic turf fields. Part 2 will
be released along with results from a biomonitoring study being conducted by CDC/ATSDR to investigate
potential exposure to constituents in tire crumb rubber infill. CPSC is conducting separate research on
playgrounds. These research activities and the resulting findings do not provide an assessment of the risks
associated with playing on or contact with the recycled tire crumb rubber used for synthetic turf fields. Instead,
these research results should inform future risk assessments.
Researchers at CalEPA OEHHA are also conducting research aimed at reducing data gaps for tire crumb rubber
constituents and human exposures. The federal research team regularly consults with OEHHA scientists to
discuss how the two studies can be mutually informative. The federal and state researchers will identify and
implement methods and approaches that will, where feasible, produce comparable data. This could effectively
expand the overall U.S. research sample size and will provide additional insight into potential exposure
variability. There are also important differences between the federal and OEHHA studies that will provide
complementary data for improved exposure assessment.
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Partner: Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Environmental Protection Division (EPD)
Challenge: Sustainable materials management (ongoing)
Resource: Developing a model and web application to implement EPA's state-based sustainable materials
management prioritization framework
"Georgia recognizes the need to adopt a life-cycle holistic perspective in
managing materials. This project has given us the opportunity to input Georgia
economic data to determine environmental impacts to the state for a wide
number of sectors. We expect the model to allow us to consider a wide array of
environmental and economic impacts when considering strategies intended to
reduce waste and improve the health and environment within the state." -
Georgia DNR EPD, Solid Waste Program Manager William Cook
Through the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Congress gives EPA the authority and
responsibility to assist states with properly managing solid and hazardous waste. The primary objectives of RCRA
are to minimize the risks to human health and the environment arising from waste disposal activities and
promote the conservation of valuable material and energy resources by minimizing waste.
EPA's Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery (ORCR) uses a sustainable materials management (SMM)
framework to fulfill the Agency's responsibilities under RCRA. ORCR assists states in voluntarily adopting the
SMM framework into their own efforts, promoting effective, efficient waste management while simultaneously
promoting economic growth, resiliency and jobs. SMM engages business, all levels of government, non-profits
and academia to enhance the economy and environment.
Georgia DNR/EPD expressed interest in testing EPA's SMM framework. A pilot study was initiated in 2014
involving Georgia DNR/EPD, the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the Georgia Recycling
Coalition, as well as EPA's Region 4, ORCR and ORD. EPA ORD is developing an open and transparent SMM
model, based on the framework, that identifies opportunities to reduce material use and potential human
health and environmental burdens associated with economic activity in Georgia. The EPA ORD SMM model
merges the principles of life cycle thinking with traditional economic theory and leverages data collected by EPA
and other federal agencies in a way that is easily adaptable for any state. The SMM model will be the first of its
kind to consider the production, use and disposal of materials within the context of human needs (e.g. food,
shelter and clothing) and wants (e.g., well-being and entertainment). The SMM model is being integrated into a
customizable web application using feedback from Georgia stakeholders. Once completed, Georgia DNR/EPD
will be able to prioritize opportunities for SMM in Georgia and assemble appropriate stakeholders from within
the state to develop potential policy alternatives that capitalize on these opportunities. The web application can
then be used to evaluate these alternatives and enable state officials to determine which option best satisfies
the priorities of Georgia.
Sustainable Materials Management
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Partners: Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES), a partnership between Idaho National Laboratory (INL),
Boise State University, Idaho State University, University of Idaho and University of Wyoming
Challenge: Improve local management of interactions between agriculture, energy, water and air systems
(ongoing)
Resource: Advanced environmental and energy modeling expertise in collaboration with the U.S. Department of
Energy's Idaho National Laboratory
"The INL Energy Environment Science and Technology
Directorate and CAES is proud of its collaboration with EPA ORD
to develop innovative processes and strategies to improve
agricultural, commercialindustrial and water security sectors.
The impact of this EPA funded work will enhance energy and
productivity efficiency; thus, improving profitability, safety and
environmental heath of regional and local communities while
increasing career opportunities in this exciting and important
area of research." - INL Program Manager Michael Carpenter
EPA is collaborating with the Department of Energy's INL and
four local universities engaged with CAES to address evolving interdependences between energy development
and the environment through an Interagency Agreement (IA) established in 2014.
Through the IA, EPA and its partners are developing modeling and simulation tools that can be used to better
understand the interactions between agriculture, energy, water and air systems. This would enable local
decision makers to better evaluate environmental impacts of existing and future energy development,
identify potential unintended consequences of policy and management actions, and assess mitigation
approaches for energy development.
The partners are also conducting research to enhance the nation's water system's resiliency; studying ways
to beneficially reuse and recycle materials used in industrial production processes; and conducting a pilot
project to develop advanced mapping, modeling and interpretation tools for understanding nutrient
distributions in soil and water. Fertilizer use and irrigation practices can potentially increase nutrient loading
in soils, which in turn, can result in decreased water quality. These new tools will be used to inform nutrient
management strategies.
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Partners: South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC), South Carolina
Department of Commerce (Commerce), and the City of Columbia
Challenge: Food waste reduction and landfill diversion (ongoing)
Resource: Food Waste Tracker Technology in collaboration with the U.S. Army (Fort Jackson)
"EPA ORD's proposal of the LeanPath demonstration came at an optimal
time for Fort Jackson. In the installation's efforts to meet Net Zero Waste
initiatives, we have explored ways to divert solid waste from the landfill
via off-site composting and food donations. With the implementation of
the Lean Path scales, we are able to collect data that supports these
measures. Additionally, there is the opportunity to critically assess our
dining operations and identify ways to improve operations and make
fiscally-sound decisions. EPA ORD has been very engaging and more than
helpful during the demonstration."- U.S. Army Garrison Fort Jackson
DPW-Environmental Division, Senior Project Manager Tameria Warren
The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that one out of six people struggle with hunger in the United
States, yet food waste is the single largest component being sent to landfills and accounted for 21 percent (35.2
million tons) of the nation's waste in 2013. South Carolina alone produced an estimated 607,000 tons of food
waste in 2015.
In 2014, researchers with EPA ORD's Net Zero program initiated a partnership with SC DHEC, SC Commerce and
the U.S. Army to better manage organic waste in the Columbia, SC region. ORD's Net Zero partnerships work
with communities and military installations to develop and apply innovative approaches to reduce energy,
landfill waste and water use. Collaborators in this South Carolina partnership included representatives who work
on waste management issues from local businesses, municipal officials, non-governmental organizations and the
Fort Jackson Army base. The partnership provided opportunities to share ideas and best practices through
conferences and face-to-face meetings. EPA also conducted a feasibility study for the partnership that
recommended strategies for optimizing recycling, repurposing and recovery of organic materials in the region.
Since the partnership was created, South Carolina has launched several educational and food waste diversion
campaigns, including the "Don't Waste Food SC" state-wide campaign:
(www.scdhec.gov/HomeAndEnvironment/Recycling/FoodWaste/).
As a follow-on activity, in March 2017, EPA provided technical expertise, community outreach and funding to
conduct a technology demonstration study using the Lean Path 360 food waste prevention technology at the
Fort Jackson Army base - one of the largest military training installations in the nation. LeanPath is an
automated food waste tracking system that helps companies and organizations reduce food waste
(www.leanpath.com: . The project has resulted in over 5 tons of food being donated to South Carolina food
donation and composting programs.
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Partners: Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH), New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC)
Challenge: How best to decontaminate materials and manage waste and wastewater contaminated with the
Ebola virus (completed)
Resources: Technical assistance
"During the 2001 and 2006 anthrax
incidents in New York City and the 2014
Ebola crises, New York state reached out
to EPA ORD and Region 2 staff for their
experience and acumen to collaborate on
creating a 'complete waste solution
This involved designing training sessions,
developing a computerized decision
support tool (l-WASTE), a NYC
Environmental Response and
Remediation Plan for Biological
Incidents, and conducting and publishing research on the ability of commercial autoclaves to treat thermally
resistant anthrax spores and the triple packaging used for transport of highly infectious agents. EPA ORD and
Region 2 staff have been responsive to all of our state's requests for assistance. Collaborative efforts by EPA and
the NYSDEC have contributed significantly in the management of biohazardous waste that has been both timely
and crucial to protecting public health and the environment in New York State and nationally." - NYSDEC Division
of Materials Management Research Scientist Alan Woodard, PhD
In 2014, there was an outbreak of Ebola cases in the United States. EPA ORD researchers were called upon to
provide technical support to states in responding to the emergency. EPA ORD scientists provided technical
support related to decontamination products and best ways to use them. They also delivered expert
recommendations for best decontamination methods for personal protective equipment, a critically important
issue for health care workers and others who came into contact with Ebola patients. EPA ORD provided
instruction on how waste contaminated with the Ebola virus should be managed and the fate of the virus in
wastewater. In addition, EPA ORD participated in a workshop with the Maryland DHMH and contributed to the
National Security Council's development of the Multi-Agency Interim Guidance on Management of Wastes
containing Category A Infectious Agents, such as Ebola. With EPA ORD technical support and assistance,
Maryland and New York were in a better position to address the challenges associated with managing waste
from the Ebola crisis.
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WATER - DRINKING WATER
Partners: State of California and San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC)
Challenge: Providing sufficient, quality water to meet increasing demands (ongoing)
Resource: Assessment model for introduction of novel water technologies
"SFPUC values the research being done by EPA. ORD in the field
of decentralized non-potable water systems. ORD is building
upon completed research to provide much needed, additional
support—in terms of characterizing pathogen concentrations
and identifying potential surrogates that can be used to
monitor treatment process performance—towards the goal of
reducing exposure to pathogens." - SFPUC Director of Water
Resources Paula Kehoe
Through our collaborations with the state of California and the
SFPUC, EPA ORD is developing and testing assessment
methods to identify optimum technologies for using alternative waters (sources) for non-potable and potable
purposes. Changes in drinking water and wastewater management strategies to meet state and local demands
has led to new approaches (e.g. membrane bio-reactors) for developing and implementing additions and
improvement to current water treatment and delivery schemes. In addition to these approaches, there is also
interest in utilizing alternative waters (sources) in community water systems. To utilize these alternative waters,
communities are now faced with additional challenges to ensure the same water quality is delivered, as well as
optimizing resource recovery and system efficiency when using alternative waters for non-potable and potable
purposes.
SFPUC leads an effort to implement decentralized non-potable water systems that involves a group of
stakeholders from across the country, including a range of water utilities (Austin, Denver, Los Angeles, Portland,
Seattle and Washington, DC) and public health departments (California, Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota,
Washington and New York City). EPA ORD is assisting by developing and assessing the risk-based log reduction
targets related to fit-for-purpose water use. This integrated assessment also includes life cycle costs, and
potential environmental (particularly energy) and human health impacts. EPA ORD's work will provide the state
and various utilities and public health departments with a system-level approach and framework that will
quantitatively evaluate the tradeoffs that exist among alternative processes and identify which configuration
delivers a robust and sustainable water system design.
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Partner: Illinois EPA, City of Galesburg
Challenge; High lead levels found in drinking water due to lead service lines (ongoing)
Resource: Lead service line identification project and technical support, in collaboration with Battelle
"The Illinois EPA was very pleased that Galesburg volunteered to
participate in ORD's lead service line identification project. We are very
hopeful that this project will go a long way in assisting water suppliers
who are unsure of the material types of the plumbing connected to their
distribution systems. Ultimately, the Illinois EPA hopes that this lead
service line identification project, combined with other research being
conducted by ORD, will provide low-cost alternatives to digging to
determine service line material types."-W. David McMillan, Manager,
Division of Public Water Supplies, Bureau of Water, Illinois EPA
EPA ORD has been working with the City of Galesburg, Illinois EPA, and
EPA Region 5 (Midwest) on lead service line (LSL) identification project in
Galesburg. The LSL identification project, led by ORD and its contractor
Battelle, was initiated as part of the Flint response to address the
national issue of helping water distribution utilities and individuals locate
LSLs. Galesburg has implemented phosphate-based corrosion control
treatment to reduce lead levels in the distribution system and provided
public education while actively replacing LSLs throughout the city.
During the week of July 31, 2017, Battelle collected sequential samples from 12 homes in Galesburg. On August
10, 2017, the project team received the first round of sampling results from the Region 5 lab. The results
indicated elevated lead levels at some locations.
EPA developed notification language that was sent to the City via email on August 11 to inform them of the
sampling results and to recommend use and/or installation of point-of-use filtration devices. The LSL
identification project also includes a past sampling effort iri Flint, Ml and is ongoing.
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Partner: Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), City of Flint
Challenge: High lead levels and other water quality challenges in the Flint water system (ongoing)
Resource: Technical support, computer modeling and sampling equipment
"The information that our EPA colleagues shared was
critical to our understanding of water systems in Flint."
- Genesee County Health Department, Public Health
Division Director Suzanne Cupal, MPH
In April 2014, the city of Flint, Michigan, switched from
purchasing finished drinking water from the City of Detroit
to treating raw water from the Flint River. For several
reasons, the finished drinking water was corrosive
following this change. As a result, the water stripped the
protective mineral layer from pipes in the drinking water
system and caused lead to leach from the pipes, increasing
the lead levels in the water. In October 2015, Flint switched
back to purchasing finished water from Detroit, and EPA formed the Flint Safe Drinking Water Task Force to
provide technical assistance to the City and State. In January 2016, EPA started a large-scale sampling effort in
Flint for lead, water quality parameters, and chlorine residual throughout the distribution system.
EPA ORD scientists and engineers, in coordination with Region 5 and the Office of Water, provide technical
support for the Flint drinking water response effort and the Flint Safe Drinking Water Task Force. The Task Force
provides technical assistance to the Michigan DEQ and the City of Flint to inform decisions about a source of
drinking water and to optimize corrosion control for the Flint system. EPA researchers reviewed the treatment
history, corrosion control and water quality for the Flint water system and made treatment recommendations.
They also provided sampling equipment and advice in the field on sampling strategies and developed a
disinfectant residual monitoring plan to ensure that residual is maintained throughout the distribution system.
Pipe loop rigs were built that incorporated lead pipes removed from Flint homes for real-time monitoring of lead
and corrosion control assessment. In addition, an improved distribution system hydraulic model was built so the
city now has a better understanding of the quality of the water moving through the system.
ORD researchers continue to support the City of Flint and are currently working on lead service line detection
methodologies for identifying existing lead pipes, lead particle analysis and assessment, corrosion control
treatment optimization studies for water source change using the pipe rigs, lead source/release diagnostic
studies, and pipe analyses for long-term treatment assessment and mechanisms of lead and other metals
release (https://www.epa.gov/flint/flint-drinking-water-technical-support-team).
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Partner: Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)
and City of Corpus Christi
Challenge: Chemical contamination in Corpus Christi's water supply (completed)
Resources: Determine health risks and action level
"The water situation in Corpus Christi in December 2016 was a good example of cooperation between Texas and
EPA. and the success we have when all work towards solving an environmental issue." - TCEQ Bryan W. Shaw
(former Chairman)
In December 2016, EPA ORD scientists, in coordination with
Region 6 (South Central U.S.), responded to a request for
assistance in Texas after an asphalt emulsifying agent,
Indulin AA-86, contaminated Corpus Christi's water supply.
Toxicity information along with treatment options to
remove this chemical from water was lacking. ORD
researchers provided assistance early in the response
concerning decontamination approaches that might be
suitable for use in removing the contaminant from the
system. In addition, EPA helped dissect and understand the
toxicity of the chemical and possible risks associated with
ingestion of contaminated water and the water-soluble salt
from the product. Texas state agencies, TCEQ and the Texas DSHS, along with ORD researchers and their
colleagues across EPA worked together to establish a health-based action level for the contaminant and
supported an immediate need to protect public health.
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Partners Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Illinois, Indiana and Ohio
Challenge: Ammonia found in drinking water in agricultural areas (ongoing)
Resource: Cost-effective treatment technologies for small drinking water systems with EPA licensed
NoMoniaTM technology to reduce ammonia in drinking water, in collaboration with AdEdge Technologies
"Given the array of challenges faced by small drinking water systems, ORD's
development of an affordable and easy to use ammonia treatment technology
is very helpful to Iowa and many other states. Technical and research support
of small drinking water systems is very important to Iowa." - Bill Ehm (former
Iowa DNR Environmental Services Division Director)
Across the United States, ammonia is found at high levels in many agricultural
areas where groundwater is the primary drinking water source, and it can be
a significant source of nitrate within the pipes of drinking water distribution
systems. When nitrate exceeds regulated levels, it poses significant health
risks to infants, causing symptoms that include shortness of breath and blue
baby syndrome. Ammonia can also compromise the effectiveness of
conventional water treatments for removing arsenic and other contaminants.
EPA ORD researchers developed a new, affordable and easy-to-use drinking
water treatment system -now known to the world as Patent No. US 8, 029,674 and marketed commercially by
AdEdge Water Technologies under the trade name NoMoniaTM - for small drinking water systems. The
innovative technology uses naturally occurring microorganisms to remove ammonia and other potential
contaminants. It is a single treatment process that generates no hazardous waste.
Working with AdEdge, EPA researchers conducted pilot tests in several small, rural communities, including
Gilbert, Iowa, which uses a drinking water source that contains ammonia, iron, manganese and arsenic. The EPA
technology proved to be the low cost, sustainable solution they needed.
NoMoniaTM was selected as the winner of the "Executive Board Technology Award" at the 2017 National
Federal Laboratory Consortium. An announcement (April 2017) in Water Online notes that "The award highlights
a successful technology transfer from a federal agency to a private sector company to commercialize, design,
and market the aforementioned technology."
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science in ACTION
Partner: Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Michigan, New York and Ohio
Challenge: Simulating and monitoring conditions in drinking water utilities (ongoing)
Resources: Technical assistance and field support
"Having access to my operational data in real-time keeps me on top of the system performance even when I am
not at the plant. This tool helps me manage my staff and resources by providing greater flexibility and real-time
information." - Milford, OH Water Department Supervisor Matt Newman
(.
i (
EPANET-RTX (real-time extension) and RTX:LINK are software
tools that have helped states and their drinking water utilities by
allowing continuous monitoring of their operations to improve
water quality and respond to incidents. Together states and their
utility partners use the tools to better understand and help
improve drinking water system operations.
EPANET-RTX was developed to allow utilities to link their raw
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) data with the
EPANET distribution system hydraulic model to evaluate
conditions in the system in real time. The development of real-
time analytics can provide utilities with the necessary tools to enhance system operations including emergency
response, improved pressure management, leak detection and water quality. EPANET-RTX is currently in use in
many locations including Ohio, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Michigan and New York.
To make real-time monitoring available to small systems that lack powerful computing capability, RTX:LINK
provides access to the SCADA data through mobile applications and desktop computers. RTX:LINK software
provides simple and secure access to key water utility operational data streams, using web-based dashboards
for trending and alerting. With RTX:LINK drinking water utilities have the ability to better understand water
quality and operational conditions in their system at any point in time.
RTX:LINK software is easy to install on popular SCADA systems and has been tested in several
locations. RTX:LINK has been piloted in the Milford, Ohio, water system, where it has provided 24 hour access to
current and historical tank levels, pump statuses and distribution system flows via mobile or desktop devices.
RTX:LINK is also being tested in the city of Flint, Michigan, where it is being used to provide the same benefits as
those in Milford along with a continuous, real-time understanding of water age. Using this technology has
helped these water systems optimize operation, identify water losses or low-pressure areas, and help predict
available pressure for firefighting should any disruption occur in the distribution system
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science in ACTION
Partners: Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Association of State Drinking Water Administrators
(ASDWA) and other state contributors
Challenge: Providing information, technical assistance and training to small drinking water systems (ongoing)
Resource: Webinars, workshops and workgroup to address challenges and treatment solutions for small systems
"It's very important that we provide small water systems with timely, easy
to use, and accessible tools and training to assist in operating these critical
public water systems, and the webinars and one-on-one meetings are
perfectly suited to meet this need." - Ohio EPA Craig Butler (former
Director)
EPA ORD and Office of Water, in coordination with Ohio EPA and ASDWA,
began hosting a monthly webinar series in 2015 that is targeted for state
agencies on challenges and treatment solutions for small water systems.
Because they tend to have fewer resources than larger systems, small
systems can face enormous challenges in consistently providing safe and reliable drinking water. The series
allows EPA to provide training and foster collaboration and dissemination of information, which, in turn, is
helping state agencies communicate the latest scientific advancements and current guidance to their small
systems. It also serves as a forum for the invaluable flow of information, providing critical insight about the
problems small water systems are currently encountering in their day-to-day interactions. With that increased
awareness, ORD experts can then modify their research to solve real-world problems that small systems are
experiencing.
As of August 2018, the series has attracted over 35,000 participants from all 50 states, 38 Tribal Nations, 4 U.S.
territories, and 30 other countries, and has provided over 22,000 continuing education credits (supported by
Ohio EPA). Presenters include representatives from state drinking water agencies to help encourage
communication between the states. For the webinar series schedule, registration and past recordings, visit EPA's
website at www.epa.gov/water-research/small-svstems-monthlv-webinar-series.
In addition to the webinar series, EPA hosts an annual small drinking water systems workshop in collaboration
with ASDWA. This free, face-to-face workshop offers in-depth training and information for handling small
drinking water systems problems and compliance challenges. It is primarily designed for state personnel
responsible for drinking water regulations compliance and treatment technology permitting. The workshop
typically attracts between 350-400 attendees from across the Nation. This year's workshop was held September
24-26, 2019 in the Greater Cincinnati Area (https://www.epa.gov/water-research/16th-annual-epa-drinking-
water-workshop-small-systems-challenges-and-solutions). Formed during the 2011 workshop, ORD also leads a
small drinking water systems technical communications workgroup to focus on targeted communication efforts
between EPA and the states, taking into account the different needs of system operators. In addition to EPA
staff, the workgroup includes state regulatory agency and small water utility representatives from 13 states. A
successful lead-free communications tool has been developed, and the workgroup meets on a regular basis to
decide on needed topics for the webinar series and to discuss the development of new tools.
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WATER - HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS
Partners: Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and public water utilities along Lake Erie
Challenge: Managing algal toxins in drinking water treatment plants (ongoing)
Resource: Algal toxin and water quality studies at drinking water treatment plants using Lake Erie as their source
"Ohio and EPA ORD continue to lead the nation in working with
public water systems to ensure safe drinking water and
minimize the threat of harmful algal blooms (HABs) and other
emerging contaminants. Research that EPA ORD is doing is
providing Ohio with immediate and practical information as we
implement first in the nation rules on HABs, and we are
grateful and fortunate and thankful for the collaboration on
these important issues."- Ohio EPA Craig Butler (former
Director)
Increasingly, drinking water treatment plants are challenged by
changes in the quality of their source waters and their aging treatment and distribution system infrastructure.
Individually or in combination, factors such as decreasing water and financial resources, climate change,
agricultural runoff, harmful algal blooms and landscape development increase the probability that algal toxins,
pesticides, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, endocrine disrupting compounds and other contaminants
of emerging concern will remain after treatment, ending up in people's drinking water.
In cooperation with public water utilities along Lake Erie, EPA ORD and Office of Water are conducting studies to
improve our understanding of the propagation of contaminants of emerging concern (particularly cyanotoxins)
through the drinking water treatment process, and to identify the best approaches for removing them. The
recent sampling campaign provided a unique opportunity to characterize the development of Lake Erie's
cyanobacterial bloom and its associated toxins at a high level of analytical detail. Researchers were able to
provide utilities and regulators with treatment recommendations that will help them make better informed
long-term decisions regarding the operation and modification of treatment processes to optimize removals.
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Partner: Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the City of Toledo
Challenge: Harmful algal bloom preventing access to drinking water (completed)
Resource: Innovative drinking water testing to help restore drinking water availability
"When we were faced with an emergency in Toledo, August 2017, due to cyanobacterial
toxins detected in their treated drinking water, EPA ORD staff was a great partner and
exceeded our expectations in understanding science and helping optimize treatment and
restore safe drinking water to our residents." - Ohio EPA Craig Butler (former Director)
On August 2, 2014, the Mayor of Toledo, Ohio, issued a "Do Not Drink" order for the 500,000 people of the City
of Toledo and neighboring communities because the water utility detected cyanobacterial toxins in their treated
drinking water. The City's drinking water source, Lake Erie, was experiencing a large cyanobacterial harmful algal
bloom at the time. Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, is particularly tricky because toxins are
released from the bacteria when they are damaged, so boiling the water only makes the situation worse. The
water ban set in motion a number of emergency actions, including Ohio Governor John Kasich declaring an
emergency in the area, the mobilization of the Ohio National Guard to distribute bottled water, and the closure
of hundreds of water dependent businesses in the Toledo metro area.
Working in conjunction with the City of Toledo, Ohio EPA officials immediately reached out to EPA ORD's
Cincinnati-based research laboratory for technical assistance. This laboratory is known as a world leader in the
evaluation and development of innovative drinking water testing, monitoring, and treatment technologies. Ohio
EPA asked for assistance with laboratory analyses for the presence of cyanobacterial toxins in treated drinking
water and identifying the optimal approach for controlling cyanobacterial toxins in the drinking water treatment
plant and distribution system. EPA ORD assembled a team of scientists and engineers to work throughout the
weekend. The ORD team led discussions regarding sample handling and procedures and facilitated an
agreement between Ohio EPA and the City of Toledo as to how they would collect and handle samples. Samples
were handled per the protocol, and chemical analyses were run by an agreed upon procedure between Ohio
EPA, the City of Toledo and EPA. Following the initial set of samples, the City of Toledo collected additional
water samples throughout their treatment plant to assess the effectiveness of various treatment processes in
reducing the cyanotoxin concentrations. The ORD team assessed sample results as the analyses were
completed, and they discussed what the results indicated about their current treatment processes with Ohio
EPA and Toledo's Department of Public Works. ORD scientists recommended treatment plant adjustments to
further reduce cyanotoxin levels in the finished drinking water, and they communicated the issues to local and
state officials in real time during the event.
ORD's efforts to produce timely and accurate results were critical for the Mayor of Toledo and the Governor of
Ohio when making their decision to lift the "Do Not Drink" order two days later on August 4, restoring safe
drinking water to some half a million people. Soon after the order was lifted, EPA's Office of Water consulted
with the ORD team and Ohio EPA to identify the lessons learned from the Toledo incident, particularly with
regard to the sample preservation and handling procedures for cyanotoxin samples, identifying areas where
improved guidance could be provided to U.S. drinking water systems performing cyanotoxin monitoring to
assure samples are appropriately preserved for transport and prepared for analysis. Ohio has long enjoyed a
strong relationship with ORD.
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Partner: Clermont and Brown County Soil & Water Conservation Districts, Clermont County Office of
Environmental Quality, Clermont County Water Division, Ohio EPA, Ohio Department of Agriculture/National
Resources Conservation Service
Challenge: Managing excessive nutrient runoff into East Fork Lake (Lake Harsha), which is causing harmful algal
blooms (ongoing)
Resource: The East Fork Watershed Cooperative is a collaboration between local, state and federal entities
including the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) responsible for
assessing and managing water resources
"This partnership has made a huge difference in what we've
been able to do at the local level. The research and expertise
involved in the Cooperative has made things possible that we
would never have been able to do on our own." - Clermont
County Soil and Water District Administrator John McManus
Excessive nutrient runoff in East Fork Lake causes harmful algal
blooms (HABs). These HABs in turn can produce cyanotoxins,
which are harmful to human health, and can compromise
drinking water safety. EPA ORD along with several federal,
state and local agencies collaborated to form the East Fork
Watershed Cooperative to address this issue.
This multiagency cooperative, led by EPA ORD staff, leverages
resources to help demonstrate how to better protect water
quality in the watershed. EPA provides technical support and
guidance, runs watershed simulation models, provides expert
review, assists USACE in monitoring water quality, participates
in state-wide HAB modeling efforts with USGS, and supports
the state of Ohio on nutrient Total Maximum Daily Load
(TMDL) implementation in the East Fork.
The short-term goal of the cooperative Is to provide early warning and efficient treatment plans for the toxic
algae problem in Lake Harsha. Their long-term goal is to eliminate the algae problem by reducing runoff from
nonpoint sources.
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science in ACTION
Partners: AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, ID, 10, KS, KY, LA, MO, ND, NY, OH, OR, PA, Rl, SC, SD, IN, UT, VT, WA, Wl and WY
state environmental or health departments
Challenge: Support the environmental management and public use of U.S. lakes and reservoirs by providing a
capability of detecting and quantifying cyanobacteria harmful algal blooms using satellite data records (ongoing)
Resource: Provide satellite derived measures of cyanobacteria, software and training in collaboration with the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA), and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
"The images we've been receiving through the CyAN project have been tremendously helpful to the Utah Division
of Water Quality (UDWQ), providing the foundation for a wide range of useful outputs. It allows UDWQ to better
target field sampling and more efficiently use our limited resources to protect public health. Finally, images are
easily shared with response agencies as a useful visual communication aid." - UDWQ Biological Assessment and
Harmful Alga! Bloom Programs Coordinator Benjamin M. Holcomb
Cyanobacteria blooms are an environmental and human
health problem across the U.S. They are capable of
producing toxins, odors, and surface scum that threaten
the health of humans and animals, the quality of
drinking water supplies, and the ecosystems in which
they develop. Scientists at EPA are part of a team of
specialists using remote sensing data to improve
cyanobacteria detection methods. Improving the
detection process would help state environmental and
health agencies better determine whether to post public
advisories to protect aquatic and human health.
The Cyanobacteria Assessment Network (CyAN) Project
is a multi-agency effort among EPA, NASA, NOAA, and
USGS to develop an indicator system using historical and
current satellite data to quantify the temporal frequency, spatial extent, and magnitude of blooms in U.S. lakes.
CyAN is providing weekly cyanobacteria monitoring data to state environmental and health departments from
the European Space Agency Sentinel-3 satellite, training opportunities, and software applications.
www.epa.gov/cyanoproiect
As part of the CyAN Project, EPA developed the CyAN app, an easy-to-use and customizable mobile application
that provides access to algal bloom satellite data for over 2,000 of the largest lakes and reservoirs across the
United States. EPA scientists developed the CyAN app to help local and state water quality managers make
faster and better-informed management decisions related to cyanobacterial blooms. The app is free and
available for download on Android devices™. During the CyAN app development, several states participated in
beta testing, including Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Missouri, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode island, South Carolina, South
Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, www.epa.gov/water-
research/CyANapp
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WATER-NUTRIENTS
Partners: San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI)
Challenge: Reduced ecosystem resilience and stability of San Francisco Bay from nutrient pollution (ongoing)
Resource: Statistical evaluation of 40 years of monitoring data in the San Francisco Delta region
"EPA ORD provided critical expertise in developing a
scientifically-defensible approach to estimating chlorophyll-a
concentrations in San Francisco Bay that would be protective of
designated uses. This work is forming a foundation of science
that will be ultimately used to develop nutrient management
strategies for San Francisco Bay, which is one of the most
nutrient-enriched estuaries in the United States." - Southern
California Coastal Water Research Project Authority,
Biogeochemistry Department Head Martha Sutula, PhD
San Francisco Estuary on the Pacific Coast of the U.S. is one of
the most prominent—and closely monitored—estuaries in the
western hemisphere. A robust database compiled over the past four decades has revealed that the Bay has
consistently high nutrient concentrations yet has rarely experienced eutrophication. Recent changes in land use
and weather, however, could lead to changes from the historic norm.
Local management agencies have prioritized the analysis of the monitoring data collected over the years from
the Delta region surrounding San Francisco Bay, a complex mosaic of inflows that receive, process and export
nutrients from the watershed to the lower Bay, as a preliminary approach to understanding large-scale
properties of the Bay.
EPA researchers are helping to conduct the first comprehensive evaluation of the long-term monitoring dataset
in the Delta. In collaboration with SFEI researchers, they have applied statistical models for trend analysis to
better understand regional water quality dynamics. The Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge and Season
(WRTDS) model was used to provide the descriptive potential of long-term data by describing variation in flow-
normalized concentrations, frequency of occurrence of extreme events, and nutrient response to historical
changes. Results will provide scientific support for nutrient criteria development, Total Maximum Daily Load
implementations, and routine condition assessments. Information provided by these models can also be used to
generate and test hypotheses of how responses to anthropogenic nutrient interacts with other environmental
changes to cause eutrophication.
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science in ACTION
Partners: Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Escambia County
Challenge: Nitrogen pollution in urban environments (ongoing)
Resource: Isotopes as tracers to identify sources of nitrogen pollution
K"Our partnership with EPA ORD offers
us a wonderful opportunity to gain a
. better understanding of nutrient loads
and likely sources within the Bayou
Chico and Pensacola Bay watersheds.
|y|j Funding for environmental restoration
is always limited. Having this
a understanding allows Escambia County
: and our partners to prioritize projects
that have the greatest potential to
have a positive impact on our ability to attain our surface water quality goals. We hope to use this research in
the future as the basis for better resource management decisions." - Escambia County, Water Quality and Land
Management Division Manager Brent Wipf
Bayou Chico is part of the Pensacola Bay System in northwest Florida and the subject of a basin management
action plan by the Florida DEP to improve water quality through reductions in nitrogen loadings. Moreover, local
governments are investing heavily to restore Bayou Chico and spur economic development in the surrounding
area. Two creeks in the watershed provide an ideal urban setting to compare nitrogen loadings between
contrasting land use and land coverages. Jackson Creek traverses residential and business developments and is
listed as impaired for elevated fecal coliforms and nitrogen levels. Jones Creek originates in a reclaimed nature
preserve/greenway and rarely exceeds water quality standards for fecal coliforms and nitrogen.
EPA ORD scientists in collaboration with Region 4 (Southeast) and partners are collecting water and sediment
samples in the creeks and watershed to compare and contrast potential sources, fate and transport of nitrogen
in the two creeks. Sampling locations are located along the creeks, the bayou, adjoining lakes and wells for
groundwater sampling. Samples are collected on a quarterly basis for base flow measurements and more
frequently around rainfall events. Samples are analyzed for a suite of water quality chemical parameters
including nitrite, nitrate and chemical tracers of wastewater discharge. Elemental isotope (515N and 6150) data
will be analyzed using mixing models in conjunction with water quality data to provide estimates of N loading
and turnover in the two creeks and their contribution to the bayou. This project is providing the technical basis
for the County and Florida DEP to better understand nutrient loads and sources in the watershed and inform
decision making for the basin wide management action plan.
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Partner: Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Environmental Protection Division (EPD)
Challenge: Establishing a scientific framework to guide the development of numeric nutrient criteria for coastal
waters (completed)
Resource: Technical support in collaboration with academic experts from Southeastern U.S.
"Georgia EPD is currently working on a collaborative project with
the University of Georgia and EPA to collect data necessary to
develop a water quality model to aid in setting numeric nutrient
criteria for estuaries. The mode! will examine the sensitivity of
water quality to changes in land and water use. Specifically, it
combines watershed and hydrodynamic models to a water quality
model, and we're applying it to estuaries in Mcintosh County, GA.
The coupled modeling system will allow us to model nutrient
dynamics and the biological responses of algae, including chlorophyll and dissolved oxygen estimates, and
ultimately to predict changes in water quality associated with changes in land/water use and climate change.
EPA. has been instrumental in guiding the collection and interpretation of data for the linked models." - Georgia
DNR EPD, Watershed Planning Manager Victoria Booth
Coastal waters are an important resource driving coastal recreation, tourism, fisheries and other economic
activity. A number of states have recently taken significant steps to address nutrient pollution that threatens
these uses. For example, nutrient criteria and a bay-wide Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) has been
established for the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed, and the state of Florida adopted numeric nutrient criteria
for nearly all of its estuaries and coastal waters. In both instances, widely recognized water quality issues such as
seagrass loss, hypoxia and harmful algal blooms were among the useful endpoints for criteria development. The
unique coasts of South Carolina and Georgia present a different challenge, however, as high tides, extensive salt
marshes and naturally turbid waters create a unique but valuable ecosystem.
As part of EPA's long-standing approach of supporting states to develop water quality criteria and nutrient
management approaches for their waters, EPA Region 4 (Southeast) convened the Georgia-South Carolina
Estuary Team (GASCET) to adapt the previously applied approaches in Florida and Chesapeake Bay to create a
unique framework appropriate for the ecology of the Georgia and South Carolina coast. EPA ORD provided
expertise in eutrophication and nutrient criteria development.
The team, which included local academic experts and agency representatives from both states, evaluated
available scientific information and produced a report in 2015 that identified three unique classifications for
coastal systems in Georgia and South Carolina. These include estuaries associated with Piedmont riverine
systems, blackwater systems with coastal plain headwaters, and coastal embayments with only local freshwater
inputs. The team also identified candidate criteria development approaches and evaluated their potential
applicability to coastal waters in the two states. The report is being used to inform early steps in criteria
development in both states, including guidance on new data to collect in support of anticipated future
requirements of the process.
An Approach to Develop
Numeric Nutrient Criteria for
Georgia and South Carolina .
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science in ACTION
Partner: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW)
Challenge: Acidification in estuaries harming clam and crab fisheries (ongoing)
Resource: Ocean acidification research
"The expertise of the scientists at the Newport US EPA
lab has been valuable as we evaluate how to improve
monitoring of ocean acidification-related parameters
and the value of seagrasses in buffering the effects of
ocean acidification. Oregon's shellfish aquaculture
industry - and likely our wild marine species - are at risk
from current ocean conditions, which are projected to
become more corrosive over the next several decades." -
Oregon DFW, Marine Resources Program Manager
Caren Braby
Increasing acidification of offshore ocean waters has harmed the oyster aquaculture industry in Oregon and
threatens the state's recreational and commercial fisheries for bay clams and Dungeness crabs. Governors of
California, Oregon and Washington have joined with stakeholders through the Pacific Coast Collaborative to
develop coordinated solutions to address the adverse effects of ocean acidification. In Oregon, the Oregon Coast
Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia Workgroup formed to advance recommendations from the Collaborative. This
workgroup, led by the Oregon DFW, includes representatives from Oregon Department of Environmental
Quality, Oregon Department of Agriculture, EPA ORD, Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership, Tillamook
Estuaries Partnership, several tribes and watershed councils, the oyster aquaculture industry and universities.
In addition to participating in the interagency workgroup, ORD scientists are conducting research on the
contribution of excess nutrients to acidification of estuarine waters, methods to distinguish human from natural
sources of nutrients in estuaries, and the use of seagrass meadows as a method to reduce the effects of
acidification to shellfish. The research is being conducted at ORD's Pacific Coastal Ecology Laboratory in Newport
and in Tillamook Bay - site of Oregon's largest inshore shelIfisheries. The results of this research will provide
state agencies with tools to reduce the causes and effects of acidification in Pacific Northwest estuaries, thereby
enhancing the environment and economies that depend on the shellfisheries.
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Partners: Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (Rl DEM), Rhode Island Department of
Health, City of Newport
Challenge: Establish target phosphorous and chlorophyll-o concentrations necessary to restore and protect the
Newport Water Supply Reservoirs (completed)
Resource: Analysis of nutrients and other parameters in water
"EPA ORD's contributions to the effort - spanning from its
inception to its end - were critical to its success. Of utmost
significance was the ORD Atlantic Ecology Division's
involvement in securing analytical chemistry support from
ORD's Mid-Continent Ecology Division in Duluth, MN, and in
performing certain instrumented analyses critical in enabling Rl
DEM to pursue a comprehensive monitoring program to
evaluate relationships between nutrients, algae and
cyanobacteria production, total organic carbon and disinfection
by-product formation that serve as the foundation for setting
TMDL targets for these critical water supply reservoirs-
Rl DEM Office of Water Resources Deputy Chief Elizabeth Scott
In 2014, Rl DEM identified all nine Newport Water Supply Reservoirs as impaired, citing low water clarity, low
levels of dissolved oxygen, frequent algal and cyanobacteria blooms, and elevated levels of total phosphorus,
total organic carbon and chlorophyll-o. Rl DEM added each of the reservoirs to the List of Impaired Waters
under the Clean Water Act, and initiated a Total Maximum Daily Load study to address their degraded water
quality. The goal of the study was to establish target phosphorus and chlorophyll-o concentrations that will
ensure algal growth and total organic carbon concentrations are reduced to a level that supports safe drinking
water and protects aquatic life as required under the Clean Water Act.
To assist Rl DEM, EPA ORD collected water quality monitoring data biweekly from early May through mid-
October 2015, from the nine impaired reservoirs located in Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth, Little Compton
and Tiverton - all towns in southeastern Rhode Island. Rl DEM, in consultation with the Rhode Island
Department of Health, will use the analytical chemistry data results to help establish the target total
phosphorous and chlorophyll-o concentrations necessary to restore and protect the Newport Water Supply
Reservoirs.
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Partner: Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW)
Challenge: Managing nutrients in riparian ecosystems for fish and wildlife benefits (ongoing)
Resource: Science synthesis of nutrient processes in riparian ecosystems
"EPA's willingness to co-author the nutrient chapter of the
Washington DFW's riparian science synthesis document was critical to
providing the best science to biologists, managers and policy makers
throughout Washington. We viewed EPA as an essential partner that
provided a very high level of expertise that Washington DFW simply
did not have."- Washington State DFW, Chief Scientist Dr. Timothy
Quinn
Riparian ecosystems and their streams are critically important
locations for sustaining a healthy balance of nutrients -primarily
carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) - across watersheds and
far downstream. Vegetated riparian areas can be efficient natural filters by storing, removing and "fixing"
potentially harmful excess nutrients that flow into aquatic ecosystems from uplands dominated by human
activities, such as agriculture and urbanization.
To assist Washington State DFW, EPA ORD scientists provided state-of-the-science information on nutrients and
riparian ecosystems as a chapter in an upcoming guidance manual designed for states, tribes and commercial
interests responsible for managing riparian zones. The chapter provides a basic understanding of nutrient (C, N
and P) cycling in riparian zones, including stream channels and Pacific Northwest groundwater. In highlighting
the well-studied effects of various land uses, this chapter provides for state officials the key factors they need to
consider for maintaining conditions needed for optimal nutrient transport, such as hydrologic connection,
vegetation type, soil condition and salmon use of streams.
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science in ACTION
Partner: Delaware Department of Agriculture, D.C. Department of Energy & Environment, Maryland Department
of the Environment (MDE), Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, West Virginia Department of
Environmental Protection (ongoing)
Challenge: Estimating the impact of atmospheric deposition on nutrient loading in Chesapeake Bay
Resource: Improved models for calculating historic and predicting future atmospheric deposition of nitrogen
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"Science-based decision-making is at the core of the
Chesapeake Bay Program Partnership and ORD's work to
update the CM AO. airshed model provided the partnership
with a better understanding of past progress and well as
future opportunities for reducing atmospheric sources of
pollution/' - Lee Currey, Water and Science Administration
Director, MDE
2010
2020
2030
2
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WATER - STORMWATER
Partners: Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), Montgomery County, City of Rockville
Challenge: Identifying the most cost-effective suite of stormwater best management practices (BMPs) to meet
both local sediment total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) and downstream targets for Chesapeake Bay TMDL
(ongoing)
Resource: Case study application of EPA's Watershed Management Optimization Support Tool (WMOST) version
3
"One of Maryland's greatest challenges, and opportunities, is to
ensure its Phase I MS4's meet permit and TMDL restoration
requirements in ways that are affordable and sustainable. This
study, in a small urban watershedis a cooperative effort among
state, county and city governments and EPA to develop a balanced
implementation strategy. EPA ORD's modeling tools used in this
study have unique features such as stormwater BMP runoff
reduction estimates and cost optimization modules to help us
achieve environmental results, while maximizing savings for
ratepayers."- MDE Secretary Ben Grumbles
The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) has
identified the Cabin John Creek watershed in Montgomery
County, MD as impaired by sediments, nutrients, bacteria,
chlorides, sulfates and impacts to biological communities. Cabin
John Creek drains to the Potomac River, part of the Chesapeake
Bay watershed. To help address these impairments, MDE is
providing guidance to local communities about applying cost-
effective best management practices (BMPs) to meet regulatory
targets set by the total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) for
sediments.
EPA ORD is applying version 3 of EPA's Watershed Management
Optimization Support Tool (WMOST) to the Cabin John Creek watershed to determine the most cost-effective
suite of stormwater BMPs (including green infrastructure) for controlling sediment loading. Watershed
managers are using the results of WMOST calculations to identify solutions that will meet both local sediment
targets and downstream loading targets for total suspended solids (TSS), total phosphorus (TP), and total
nitrogen (TN) for the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed.
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Partner: Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR); City of Kansas City
Challenge: Defensible models to reduce sewer overflows and improve regional water quality in a cost-effective
manner (completed)
Resource: Storm Water Management Model
"States are focusing on ways to address storm water
and tools like the Storm Water Management Model are
essential to a successful outcome. This model makes
analyses of best management practice options readily
available. In addition, the climate adjustment addition
helps cities reach sustainable solutions." - Missouri
DNR Sara Parker Pauley (former director)
States and municipalities heavily use EPA ORD's Storm
Water Management Model (SWMM) to model
stormwater flows and the performance of water
infrastructure in urban areas. SWMM's Climate
Adjustment Tool can also be used to consider potential
future changes in temperature and precipitation that
will influence the runoff volumes. SWMM is the engine for the basis of almost all future water infrastructure
design. SWMM runoff and flow predictions are used for multi-billion-dollar decisions for foreign, federal, state
and municipal governments. The city of Kansas City, Missouri, designed its $10 million, 100-acre Middle Blue
River pilot on SWMM predictions, and the City intends to design any future green infrastructure controls using
SWMM.
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Partner: Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
Challenge: Prioritization of developed areas for retrofit stormwater best management practices (completed)
Resource: High resolution impervious cover data for Vermont watersheds
"The impervious cover data we received from EPA saved me one to two days of work in our efforts to bring
increased awareness of the negative impacts on water quality of impervious surfaces which are directly
connected to surface waters in developed areas. Increased awareness of problem areas helps us work with
municipalities to mitigate impacts." - Vermont DEC Watershed Management Division, Hank (David) Ainley
EPA ORD has developed methods for high accuracy
classification of high resolution (1-meter) imagery for
impervious cover from the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP)
imagery for impervious cover with the understanding that
such data are needed by states and local communities for
infrastructure and development planning. Vermont DEC was
looking for mapping data to quickly prioritize developed
areas for stormwater best management practices retrofits.
ORD was able to provide copies of the in-house developed
high resolution impervious cover data, developed in-house;
to Vermont DEC's Watershed Management Division.
Vermont DEC staff are now using these data in conjunction with mapped sewer drainages to quantify connected
impervious cover in municipalities with wastewater treatment plants. Vermont DEC is also comparing the
condition of streams in watersheds with differing levels of connectivity and using this information to inform
decision on where to retrofit. Together Vermont and EPA are exploring ways in which ongoing ORD research on
watershed-scale effects of nature-mimicking infrastructure development can complement the state's efforts.
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Partners: Alliance for Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Dauphin County Conservation District,
Lancaster County Clean Water Consortium, Lancaster County Conservancy, Lebanon County Conservation
District, Pennsylvania State University and Susquehanna River Basin Commission
Challenge: Managing stormwater treatment systems to protect and to restore water quality in the Chesapeake
Bay (completed)
Resource: Center for Green Infrastructure and Stormwater Management
"An ounce of stormwater pollution prevention is worth a pound of
cure, particularly when it adds multiple benefits through green
infrastructure and natural treatment systems. The Center helps
Chesapeake Bay states and stakeholders find solutions to some of
our most challenging water quality problems through science-based
innovation and collaboration." - Maryland Department of the
Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles
The EPA ORD-supported Center for Green Infrastructure and
Stormwater Management was established to conduct
interdisciplinary research to understand and to influence how
decisions are made at multiple spatial and jurisdictional scales to manage stormwater treatment systems that
protect and restore water quality in the Chesapeake Bay, By the time indicators of impairment are measured
within the Chesapeake Bay, the opportunity for adaptive management to alleviate the degradation of water
quality may have already passed. It is therefore imperative to identify headwater landscapes that are
particularly vulnerable to stress from high pollutant loads, population growth and changes in land management.
The Center serves as a focal point to bring together stakeholders and researchers from multiple disciplines to
improve stormwater management in urban and suburban settings; to reduce pollutant loads of nutrients,
sediments, organics and metals; and to minimize stormwater volume and energy use across a range of storm
event magnitudes. To accomplish these objectives, the Center identified the cognitive and institutional barriers
preventing communities from adopting green infrastructure measures to manage stormwater. Additionally, the
Center designed green infrastructure and developed methods to help stakeholders visualize alternative
infrastructures. It modeled the environmental and financial benefits of these alternative infrastructures and
served as a forum for stakeholder discussions.
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science in ACTION
Partners: Stafford County, VA; City of Baltimore, MD; York, PA
Challenge: Methods to address the effects of current and future changes in storm intensity, heavy precipitation
events, and more frequent and severe floods in stormwater management planning (completed)
Resource: Technical support to identify barriers and provide tools, data, methods and actions to facilitate
planning for impacts of more frequent and severe storms and floods in collaboration with the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and their partners
"Effective planning requires a clear understanding of the
science. To that end, the help we are receiving from EPA
scientists is critical to enabling us to come up with short and
long- range plans that will protect our lands and our
waterways." - VA Department of Environmental Quality
Director David Paylor
Changes in storms and heavy precipitation events, along with
land use changes such as development, can significantly affect
the volume of stormwater runoff that municipalities must
manage to protect public health and water quality. Locai
decision makers have identified the need for information that
would be useful for planning and adapting local stormwater management plans and controls to account for
these changes.
To address this need, EPA ORD scientists and colleagues from NOAA held workshops and led other community-
level efforts across states within the Chesapeake Bay and Great Lakes regions. The collaborations resulted in
jointly derived insights into how scientific information on weather and climate can be most effectively
disseminated to help communities increase the resiliency of stormwater systems in the face of current and
future land use changes and more intense storms and floods. In particular, discussions focused on opportunities
to implement infrastructure based on low-impact development practices, such as rain gardens that collect and
absorb runoff from rooftops, sidewalks and streets, and other alternative management strategies. A summary
report was prepared to inform states and communities on implementing stormwater management plans
(https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/global/recordisplav.cfm?deid=310Q45).
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WATER - WASTEWATER
Partners: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), Western Lake Superior Sanitary District
Challenge: Complexity of waste water treatment plant (WWTP) effluents and lack of available water quality
guidelines or reference values for many of the chemicals (ongoing)
Resource: Biological effects-based monitoring of WWTP effluents using new science tools in collaboration with
the St. Cloud State University, the University of St. Thomas, the National Park Service and USGS Toxic Substances
Hydrology Program
"The information generated through this
collaborative work will help MPCA and local
wastewater treatment facilities better address
the contaminants in sewage treatment
discharges. Managing impacts of chemicals in
surface waters is especially important for MPCA
as Minnesotans highly value lakes and streams."
- MPCA John Line Stine (former Commissioner)
While wastewater treatment infrastructure has
been critical for the improvement of water
quality nationwide, effluent from waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) often represents a highly complex
soup of chemical contaminants whose composition can vary daily and seasonally with human inputs as well as
plant operations. Due to both their complexity and the lack of available water quality guidelines or reference
values for many of the chemicals found in WWTP effluents, these sources pose a challenge for determining what
biological impacts these effluents may cause, which chemicals may be driving those responses, and where and
how to best allocate limited resources available for monitoring and management.
In collaboration with partners at the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District in Duluth, Minnesota, MPCA and
other federal and academic partners, EPA ORD studied WWTP effluents discharging into a diversity of surface
waters across Minnesota, ranging from urban and agriculture influenced watersheds, to large Great Lakes
tributary streams, to a highly pristine national scenic waterway. The group employed novel tools akin to clinical
diagnostic tests to look at fish caged in effluent impacted waters, and to estimate and measure both potential
and observed biological effects of tens to hundreds of chemicals. By comparing the observed effects of these
complex mixtures to expected effects housed in on-line databases, the scientists can better identify which
chemicals and biological effects might be of greatest concern, and also identify whether unknown constituents
may be contributing significantly to the responses. With this information, decision makers in Minnesota wiil be
able to strategically target follow up investigations that can generate solutions to these challenges.
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Partners: NC Department of Environmental Quality, City of Charlotte, City of Raleigh
Challenge: Acceptance of bio-contaminated wastewater by Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs)
Resource: Technical support around pathogens in wastewater infrastructure
"The question of how wastewater plants deal with bio-
contaminated waste needs to be addressed before a
potential health emergency surfaces. EPA's proactive work
to assist wastewater operators before the next emergency
occurs is not only prudent, but critical in order to protect
public health." - NC DEQ Assistant Secretary Sheila
Holman
In October 2014, EPA held a forum on pathogens in
wastewater infrastructure for state and POTW
representatives. The forum focused on providing
recommendations, technical information and potential solutions to the wastewater industry, particularly for
emergencies.
EPA is investigating data needs that, if filled, would assist wastewater plant operators in making decisions about
whether and how to accept wastewater contaminated with pathogens (e.g. anthrax bacteria, Ebola virus) during
an emergency. EPA is also in the process of performing research projects to address needs associated with
POTW acceptance of wastewater potentially contaminated with pathogens.
The forum was organized around the following questions: How do we deal with wastewater contaminated with
biological agents such as Bacillus anthracis or Ebola virus? What is needed/required for utilities to accept bio-
contaminated wastewaters? What sorts of tests, protocols and regulatory guidance are needed? What is needed
for permit authorities in NC to guide/allow utilities to accept these wastes? How should these (tests, protocols
and regulatory guidance) be designed or implemented? Who should design and evaluate these? Are there other
"simpler" tests and protocols? What is needed to address concerns and issues raised by the public, wastewater
workers and operators? What are the data gaps and what type of research is needed?
As a result of this forum, EPA and the Water Environment Research Foundation held a national workshop on this
topic in 2016. In turn, this led to several research projects being planned and implemented to address the key
research gaps and needs brought up in the workshop.
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WATER - QUALITY
Partners: Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), South Florida Water Management District
(SFWMD)
Challenge: Saltwater encroachment damaging freshwater vegetation communities in the floodplain (ongoing)
Resource: Time series salinity model as a tool for development and evaluation of restoration alternatives
"The salinity tool will allow the ecological sub-team of the
Loxahatchee River Watershed Restoration Project to
evaluate the various potential project features in order to
determine what grouping of features such as storage
reservoirs, storm water treatment facilities, and restored
wetlands performs the best for the restoration of flows to
the federally designated Northwest Fork of the
Loxahatchee River. The tool allows us to take the differing
flow scenarios from the watershed and predict how those
flows will change the salinity regimes in the river and
therefore affect the location, health and survival of key
indicator species such as juvenile fish, submerged aquatic vegetation and oysters." - SFWMD Applied Science
Bureau, Coastal Ecosystems Section Science Supervisor Patti Gorman
Loxahatchee River contains a diverse array of aquatic and riparian ecosystems, with the upper reach being home
to one of the last remnants of bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) floodplain swamp in southeast Florida. In
1985, a 16.6-km stretch of the river became Florida's first federally-designated National Wild and Scenic River.
The unique ecosystem of the Loxahatchee River, with its quiet beauty, has captured the attention and
imagination of residents and visitors, as well as agency and community leaders for many years. However,
anthropogenic alterations of the Loxahatchee River watershed, particularly the permanent opening of the
Jupiter Inlet and construction of drainage canals, have resulted in significant encroachment of a saltwater-
tolerant, mangrove-dominated community into the freshwater floodplain currently dominated by bald cypress.
Restoration of the ecosystem has become a priority for federal, state and local agencies and the general public.
Essential to the restoration of the Loxahatchee River ecosystem are technically sound modeling tools for the
development and screening of restoration alternatives. EPA ORD scientists developed a salinity modeling tool
implemented in a user-friendly Excel© platform. Salinity can be simulated with a given time series of freshwater
inflow associated with varying restoration alternatives developed during the planning process. Spatial features
of the tool also allow for estimation of salinities at any designated locations along the entire reach of the river.
The simulated salinity data are further used to quantify the ecological benefits with respect to habit lifts of
freshwater floodplain vegetation, fish larvae, oysters and seagrasses in response to these varying restoration
alternatives. Stakeholders from the SFWMD and Florida DEP are using this tool in the development of
restoration alternatives, while EPA ORD scientists continue to provide technical support for model development
and application.
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Partners: Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE)
Challenge: Efficient and defensible survey designs for stream monitoring (completed)
Resource: Probabilistic survey designs integrating national and state reporting requirements
"In my view, this collaboration with ORD is a very good
example of the state-national partnership we have had with
ORD. The Corvallis Lab provided the statistical expertise and
analytical framework, and we provided our local knowledge
and creativity and put our state level monitoring priorities on
the table. The result is a survey design that is better for
everyone involved." - KDHE Division of Environment John
Mitchell (former director)
Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is
charged with reporting on the stream condition for all
streams in the Kansas Surface Water Register (KSWR), which
was developed in 1994.
It is a challenge for both state- and national-scale assessments to develop a survey design that ensures
representativeness when only a limited number of locations are available for sampling. If the state and national
monitoring efforts can be integrated, it not only supports inter-calibration but is efficient and cost-effective. EPA
ORD uses a probabilistic sampling design that ensures representativeness and allows the use of statistical tools
to determine condition values and the reliability of those estimates (uncertainty). This strategy has been
incorporated into the NARS, which includes national-scale assessments of rivers and streams, lakes, coastal
zones and wetlands. In working to refine the KSWR, KDHE was interested in whether it could be used in the
National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NRSA).
In collaboration with EPA ORD, Kansas first conducted a study to determine if the KSWR included all the streams
with flowing water required by NRSA. After determining that was the case, EPA ORD used the Kansas Register of
streams as part of the NRSA 2018-19 survey design. By integrating state requirements for Kansas with NRSA
requirements, Kansas reached a cost-effective solution for meeting their state assessment needs and
simultaneously participating in the NRSA survey.
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Partner: Maryland Department of Natural Resources; Blue Water Baltimore; City of Baltimore; Waterfront
Partnership of Baltimore; National Aquarium
Challenge: Improve the water quality in Baltimore's Harbor and gather water quality data (ongoing)
Resource: Using sensors to provide real-time water quality data, in collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey
(USGS)
"The National Aquarium uses Village Blue as a tool to
better understand what is entering Baltimore's Inner
Harbor through Jones Falls. This data provides sound
science on core water quality parameters necessary
for the Aquarium's long-term harbor projects and for
evaluating the harbor's health." - National Aquarium,
Chesapeake Bay Program Manager Charmaine
Dahlenburg
Maryland's Baltimore Harbor has suffered from poor
water quality for several years. Some of this is caused
by the city's aging sewage system leaking fecal
bacteria into the harbor when it rains.
EPA ORD and Region 3 (Mid-Atlantic), in collaboration with USGS, initiated the Village Blue project to provide
real-time water quality monitoring data to the public in Baltimore, MD to raise awareness about water quality in
the harbor. Water sensors were installed to gather real-time water quality monitoring data that is then
streamed to EPA's interactive Village Blue monitoring application, which does not require a download and is
compatible with all operating systems. The application displays the data in a mobile-friendly, easy-to-understand
format complimentary to work that a number of state and local organizations are already doing to make water
quality data available to the public. As part of this project, EPA scientists are developing a how-to guide so that
other communities can develop their own Village Blue stations.
The project is currently providing information about water quality in a publicly accessible website, and it is
allowing visualization of real-time water quality data. The project supports the Waterfront Partnership of
Baltimore goal of making the Baltimore Harbor "swimmable and fishable" by 2020. More information and the
water sensor data can be found at: https://www.epa.gov.water-research/village-blue
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Partners: Manomet, Audubon, Nature Conservancy, Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic
Development District (Taunton, MA), nine townships in upper Taunton River Watershed in response to
recommendations from the state of Massachusetts
Challenge: Evaluate robust management practices to improve water quality, sustain water supply, and reduce
flooding under varying weather regimes and projected landscape development using conservation and
restoration of natural infrastructure and natural processes (ongoing)
Resource: Case study application of EPA's Watershed Management Optimization Support Tool (WMOST)
"Manomet is partnering with EPA ORD to apply the WMOST
model in the Taunton River Watershed in southeastern
Massachusetts. The WMOST analysis will provide insight on the
nutrient pollution ramifications of different degrees of
protection of the green infrastructure network identified by
Manomet and project partners. Without the support of EPA
ORD, the application of WMOST to quantify the value of the
green infrastructure network would not have been possible." -
Manomet, Senior Program Leader Climate Services Eric
Walberg
The Taunton River in Massachusetts is a designated Scenic River
with significant natural resources, but it is located in a rapidly
developing region with water supply issues and degrading
water quality. The state of Massachusetts has recommended
conservation objectives for the watershed that include creation
of public forums on the economic value of purchasing (conservation) lands to control municipal budgets and the
development of a land purchase priority system. Based on this recommendation, EPA ORD is assisting the non-
governmental organization (NGO) Manomet with an application of the Watershed Management Optimization
Support tool (WMOST), to evaluate costs and benefits of natural and nature-based green infrastructure in
protecting property and drinking water quality. EPA ORD will also help communities in the upper Taunton by
demonstrating a new version of WMOST designed to support consideration of multiple objectives. This will
provide stakeholders information to evaluate tradeoffs. In addition, this case study is providing information that
will be used by the NGOs and regional planning commission for training workshops on green infrastructure in
surrounding communities.
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Partner: Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
Challenge: Timely public notification of microbiological water quality at inland and Great Lakes recreational
beaches (ongoing)
Resource: Validate and implement rapid water monitoring technology for E. co//'fecal indicator bacteria
"Michigan is excited to be the first state to use qPCR
methods for testing beach water across the entire state
and to be a pioneer in using this method for a new water
quality indicator at beaches. Our citizens and visitors will
know before they swim that it is safe to do so, and
beaches will open sooner after an advisory. We are
pleased that the US EPA is a partner in helping us achieve
this goal." - Michigan DEQ's Water Resources Division
Director Teresa Seidel
Michigan uses E. coli to set water quality standards for
recreational use, for both total and partial body contact.
Current culture-based methods for detecting E. coli in the
water are not timely, typically providing results after
people may have been exposed to contaminated water or long after "safe" beaches were closed awaiting
results. Michigan initiated a statewide effort to change this, instead using a rapid quantitative polymerase chain
reaction (qPCR) method to monitor inland and coastal freshwater beaches. In 2012 EPA provided water quality
criteria for both culture and qPCR methods for another fecal indicator bacteria group, enterococci, but not for E.
coli.
EPA has been collaborating with MDEQ and Michigan State University to conduct studies to validate EPA draft
Method C: a rapid qPCR method developed by EPA ORD for quantitative detection of the state-approved water
quality indicator organism, E, coli. EPA ORD has also provided training to labs in the use of this new method.
Another part of this collaborative effort between EPA and MDEQ is to establish E. coli values as measured with
draft Method C that are equivalent to current water quality criteria at over 70 inland and Great Lakes beaches
throughout the state using guidelines that are now available from EPA's Office of Water. Data collected both by
the ORD and local Michigan laboratories will be used in making these determinations. These efforts will lead to
quicker, validated methods being put in the hands of multiple university, water quality, and public health
laboratories throughout the state and beyond.
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Partner: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
Challenge: Development of an updated sulfate standard (completed)
Resource: Technical support to the state by expert consultation and peer review
"MPCA values the scientific expertise and partnership of EPA. ORD, as we
have worked to understand the complex physical, chemical and biological
relationships that impact wild rice growth in Minnesota's lakes, stream
and wetlands. By cooperating with the ORD's Mid-Continent Ecology
Division and other scientific experts, the MPCA has developed ground-
breaking improvements in our understanding of these relationships." -
MPCA John Line Stine (former Commissioner)
EPA ORD scientists supported an ongoing effort in Minnesota to better
understand and address the effects of sulfate and other substances on
wild rice, which is an important component of many of Minnesota's lake
and stream ecosystems, and a highly valuable economic and cultural
resource for many state residents. ORD researchers consulted with lead
scientists from MPCA on both the original study protocol and the technical
aspects of the study, and then on the analysis and interpretation of the
resulting data. ORD also consulted with EPA Region 5 on aspects of sulfate water quality standards. These
improved understandings will help decision makers protect Minnesota's wild rice waters. MPCA is in the process
of amending the water quality sulfate standard to protect wild rice.
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Partners: Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Turkey Creek Community Steering Committee
Challenge: Multiple sources of fecal contamination (ongoing)
Resource: Fecal bacterial and viral indicators for identification of pollution sources
"Along with these efforts in Turkey Creek, Mississippi DEQ feels very
fortunate to have benefited from our ongoing partnership with
EPA's Gulf of Mexico Program and ORD's Gulf Ecology Division. /As
with all successful partnerships, we attribute these successes to the
dedicated staff at our respective agencies along with the
community leaders and their commitment to collaboration and
communication throughout the project. We look forward to future
opportunities for successful collaboration/' - Mississippi DEQ, Field
Services Division Chief Doug Upton
Turkey Creek in Gulfport, Mississippi, is listed as impaired due to
fecal contamination under the Clean Water Act. Pollution control
measures are only effective if the sources are identified. In 2007,
the Mississippi DEQ included three monitoring locations on Turkey Creek as part of an Ambient Recreational
Monitoring Network. As this contamination issue has persisted for some time, EPA ORD began assisting in 2016
by collecting samples at the monitoring stations and employing novel viral and community microbiology
techniques to compare with standard bacterial techniques.
These locations are sampled and evaluated for fecal coliform and E. coli during both the contact (May-October)
and non-contact (November-April) seasons. In August 2011, the local community's plans included the need to
identify and mitigate all pollution sources for both Turkey Creek and Bayou Bernard and establish regular
monitoring to ensure water quality.
EPA ORD scientists and partners are collaborating on research to identify the sources of fecal pollution in Turkey
Creek, leveraging the current successful community citizens' science bacterial monitoring program established
by EPA's Gulf of Mexico Program. Collaborators from the Gulf of Mexico Program are in regular communication
with Mississippi DEQ. Through a monthly sampling scheme, fecal sources are being identified through
characterization of viral genotypes and microbial communities in the water column and sediment. The project
also evaluates land use, stream hydrology and urban sewage treatment in the landscape for the identification of
point and non-point pollution sources. Data from this project will be shared to better inform decisions made by
Mississippi DEQ and the local Turkey Creek Steering Committee to control fecal-contamination in Turkey Creek.
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Partners: Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (DMR), Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
(GBNERR)
Challenge: Better understanding acute and chronic effects of industrial spills on ecosystem health in a coastal
reserve (ongoing)
Resource: Analysis often years of monitoring data to describe water quality changes from industrial spills, in
collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
"When there's an industrial spill, we want to he able to respond
appropriately. Analyzing effects of prior spills on things we measure in
our long-term water quality and nutrient monitoring program helps us
plan for such situations by understanding the past. ORD staff has been
incredibly helpful in analyzing the data - bringing both statistical and
software expertise to the project. Through the process, they've helped
us get a better idea of how to analyze and interpret our long-term
monitoring data. This is also helping with other data analyses and will
be used by other state agencies." - Mississippi DMR GBNERR
Monitoring Coordinator Kimberly Cressman
Grand Bay is part of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (GBNERR) established as a federal
partnership with the Mississippi DMR to address long-term research, monitoring, education and stewardship
goals. The reserve includes 18,400 acres of protected areas that cover several coastal habitats including pine
savannas, salt marshes, seagrass meadows and oyster reefs. Researchers at GBNERR work collaboratively to
advance science-based management and appreciation of the reserve's unique resources. Although GBNERR is
relatively pristine, industrial activities have negatively affected the health of the bay. One of the largest fertilizer
production facilities in Mississippi is located in the nearby city of Pascagoula. Extreme weather caused two spill
events in 2004 and 2011. Highly acidic and phosphorus-rich wastewater entered GBNERR, causing dramatic
changes in water quality and observed fish kills. Understanding the immediate and potentially long-term effects
of these events is a priority for effective management of GBNERR.
Understanding long-term changes in water quality is critical to describing historical impacts and developing
expectations of future changes of the ecosystem health of GBNERR. Research staff at GBNERR have been
collecting routine monitoring data at several locations since 2004. After attending an EPA ORD workshop on
time-series analysis, GBNERR staff initiated a collaborative effort to describe the response of nutrient
parameters in GBNERR in relation to acute and chronic effects of each spill event, as well as spatial changes in
these parameters among the monitoring sites. Previous studies have been limited in the amount and quality of
data used to describe such spill events. Results from this analysis provide critical information on estuarine
response to industrial impacts—most estuaries are nitrogen-limited, so the effects of phosphorus inputs are not
well understood. This collaborative work not only addresses a critical research gap, but also describes potential
changes in GBNERR water quality that can guide more effective management of this unique and valued
ecosystem.
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Partners: Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (DEP)
Challenge: Groundwater characterization and remediation at the Anaconda Mine Site (Lyon County)
(completed)
Resource: Technical assistance and review of groundwater background conditions and groundwater
characterization to assess the amount and type of groundwater contamination
"ORD's technical assistance has been essential
in characterizing the complex hydrogeological
conditions and extent of groundwater
contamination at the Anaconda Mine Site,
setting the stage for evaluation of remedial
options."- Nevada DEP Administrator Greg
Lovato
The Anaconda Mine Site has uranium and
sulfate groundwater contamination related to
previous copper ore mining. Hydrology at the
Anaconda Mine Site is complex and subject to significant uncertainty, particularly with respect to the effects of
local hydrology on long-term contaminant migration. Establishing background concentrations of uranium and
sulfate in groundwater are also critical to understanding the extent and magnitude of groundwater
contamination. Groundwater modeling provides a useful tool for better understanding current conditions and
potential remedial options, but the performance of any selected remediation strategy must ultimately be
determined by a properly designed performance monitoring network.
Groundwater modeling of this site has the potential to reduce the cost of monitoring by helping to pinpoint
where monitoring wells are most needed. EPA ORD has provided technical assistance on and reviews of
groundwater characterization and modeling efforts, as well as technical analyses that will be used to evaluate
possible remediation options. Nevada DEP Abandoned Mine Lands Program, in conjunction with EPA Region 9
(Pacific Southwest), is using the analyses provided by ORD to help design both better remediation strategies and
better monitoring systems for the abandoned mine complex.
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science in ACTION
Partners: New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES)
Challenge: Stream assessment integration and efficiency (completed)
Resource: Probabilistic survey designs integrating national and state reporting requirements
"The partnership between EPA ORD and NHDES on the
national stream assessments has created synergies that allow
both organizations to meet their respective goals. Using each
organization's strengths - NH DES'familiarity with streams in
the state and EPA's skill with survey sampling design - the
result is far greater than either could achieve alone." - NHDES
Water Pollution Division, Watershed Management Bureau
Biomonitoring Program Andy Chapman
The NHDES Water Quality Assessment Program is responsible
I for reporting on the quality of the streams in New Hampshire
under the Clean Water Act. It is impossible to sample every stream, so NHDES sought a means to subsample
streams in such a way that was representative of all state streams. EPA researchers have developed a
statistically robust protocol for doing just that. EPA ORD scientists have developed a probabilistic survey design
that ensures that results from sampled locations are representative of the condition of all streams in the survey
area. This strategy has been incorporated into the National Aquatic Resources Surveys (NARS), which includes
national-scale assessments of rivers and streams, lakes, coastal zones and wetlands.
NHDES assembled a geographic data layer that identifies all streams within the state that must be assessed.
They requested that EPA ORD integrate this stream data layer into the NARS National Rivers and Stream
Assessment (NRSA). Using their stream network instead of the NRSA network enables the state to use the
results of the state survey for the national dataset. Consequently, the state will conduct a state-level survey
design for 2018-22 and integrate it with NRSA. This integration of the state and national survey designs is a cost-
effective option for participating in NRSA while also meeting state assessment requirements.
In 2004, EPA partnered with states to provide national and regional level assessments for Clean Water Act
reporting. EPA ORD has assisted 53 different states, tribes and territories since 2012 to develop sample survey
designs and biological, chemical and physical habitat indicators. The survey designs provide statistical rigor for
small sample sizes, which allow states to report on more of their waterbodies than previously possible.
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Partners: Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ); Oregon Department of Agriculture
Challenge: Improve surface and groundwater nitrate contamination from agriculture (completed)
Resource: Collaborating with farmers to assess the effectiveness of fertilizer best management practices
"EPA ORD scientists have made significant contributions to the
monitoring program in the southern Willamette Valley Groundwater
Management Area. Their technical expertise has enhanced analyses of
complex hydrological systems, as well as informed Oregon DEQ
synthesis of multi-scale factors impacting nitrate concentrations in the
southern Willamette Valley."-Oregon DEQJoni Hammond (former
acting director)
Groundwater nitrate contamination affects thousands of households in
the Southern Willamette Valley Groundwater Management Area in
Oregon. To reduce non-point source loading of nitrogen to
groundwater and surface water, successful approaches are needed within affected communities to integrate
science, outreach and management efforts. A partnership was formed that brings together commercial farmers,
Oregon Department of Agriculture, soil and water conservation districts and EPA to assess the current state of
groundwater in the Valley, and to evaluate best management practices (BMPs) in fertilizer management.
In this collaborative project, scientists measured nitrate leaching from 15 fields in the Valley. They shared the
data with farmers and discussed BMPs for fertilizer application that would reduce the leaching. Farmers have
instituted some of these BMPs on their fields and now are seeing positive results for nutrient use efficiency and
less contamination.
In addition, EPA ORD scientists have provided stable isotopic analyses to identify the causes of high temporal
nutrient variability within local wells. These efforts have helped illuminate complex groundwater-surface water
interactions and greatly improved Oregon DEQ's monitoring program for the groundwater management area.
ORD efforts helped to reduce potential new inputs of nitrate into the groundwater system and understand the
complex dynamics of groundwater in general.
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Partners: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
Challenge: Integration of state and national stream condition assessments (completed)
Resource: Probabilistic survey designs integrating national and state reporting requirements
"Virginia DEQ has found it very helpful to integrate our state
stream condition assessment into the National Streams and Rivers
Assessment. With technical assistance from ORD, we were able to
apply robust statistical analysis to calculate a picture of stream
health for the entire state from a small, manageable set of field
samples." - Virginia DEQ. Director David Paylor
Virginia DEQ is charged with reporting stream condition for the
state, presenting a challenge to strategically conduct sampling
protocols that will accurately represent stream water quality
across the state's many streams without overwhelming state
resources. EPA researchers have pioneered the design of just such
survey techniques to assist water quality analysis across large areas. The EPA-developed strategy of probabilistic
surveying has been incorporated into the National Aquatic Resources Surveys (NARS), which includes national-
scale assessments of rivers and streams, lakes, coastal zones and wetlands.
Virginia DEQ took steps to integrate the state stream condition assessment requirements with the NARS
National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NRSA). To achieve this, Virginia DEQ collaborated with EPA ORD to
develop and interpret probabilistic survey designs specifically for their state stream condition assessments. The
resulting survey design ensures representativeness of sampling locations, which then facilitates the use of
statistical tools to determine condition values that incorporate acceptable levels of uncertainty. Virginia also
adopted NRSA stream condition field and laboratory procedures to further integrate with the NRSA approach.
Because of common measurements and survey design, Virginia is using the stream sites from their state
program for the NRSA 2018-19 monitoring, thus promoting inter-calibration and efficiency.
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Partners: Washington State Department of Ecology, Nooksack Indian Tribe, Lurrimi Nation
Challenge: Anticipating stream temperature stress on cold water fishes (salmon) in the Northwest (ongoing)
Resource: Long-term outlook models for rising stream temperatures to determine potential impacts of elevated
temperatures and to examine potential mitigation strategies, in collaboration with the University of
Washington, the U.S. Forest Service, NOAA Fisheries and U.S. Geological Survey
"Increased temperature and habitat
degradation are a major threat to the many
types offish that live in this watershed. Through
the process of research and data collection, we
learned we must do everything we can to keep
water quality conditions stable over the next
few decades. We never would have had the
ability to look into the future without the help
ofORD."- Washington State Department of
Ecology, Water Quality Engineer Steven Hood
Stream temperatures in the Pacific Northwest are projected to increase under future long-term weather
scenarios due in part to increases in air temperature and in part to changes in water levels and water flow
caused by altered rain and snowmelt patterns. Combined, these changes in stream temperature and hydrology
could have substantial negative effects on cold-water fish species such as salmon. To better understand the
potential impact of long-term weather changes on the potential to achieve water quality and salmon recovery
goals, EPA ORD, in collaboration with Region 10 (Pacific Northwest) and the Office of Water, launched a
collaborative research project in the South Fork Nooksack River with the Washington State Department of
Ecology.
The research plan incorporates the total maximum daily load (TMDL) for temperature, which was developed by
the Washington State Department of Ecology for the South Fork Nooksack River, as a pilot for integrating future
weather scenarios into a watershed-specific plan to improve water quality for cold-water fish species. An
overarching goal is to ensure that relevant findings and methodologies related to future stream temperature
scenarios inform the South Fork Nooksack River Temperature TMDL Implementation Plan under development by
EPA Region 10 and the state of Washington.
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Partners: Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Washington State Department of Ecology,
Nisqually Land Trust, Nisqually Tribe
Challenge: Improve watershed condition for salmon recovery, clean drinking water and other ecosystem
services (ongoing)
Resource: EPA watershed restoration planning tools (VELMA, Penumbra) and technical support
"Guided by sophisticated new modeling from EPA ORD's Western
Ecology Division in Corvallis, combined with modeling used by the
Nisqually Tribe for salmon recovery, the community forest's
management team will selectively thin the property's timber stands to
encourage old-growth forest characteristics and increase stream flow
during the fall spawning season." - Nisqually Land Trust Executive
Director Joe Kane
Intensive forest management in the Pacific Northwest during the past century has emphasized clearcutting on
short harvest intervals (40-50 years). This highly profitable practice has converted the region's vast pre-
settlement old-growth forests to young forest landscapes. This has fundamentally changed the functioning
forest watersheds and their capacity to sustainably provide essential ecosystem services (nature's benefits) for
local and downstream communities. Provisioning of drinking water, flood protection, fish and wildlife habitat,
and recreational and cultural opportunities have been significantly degraded in many places.
Indicative of these widespread changes, Puget Sound salmon populations have declined sharply from historic
levels. For example, 22 of at least 37 Chinook populations are now extinct, and many other species are listed as
endangered. Communities, tribes and state agencies (Departments of Natural Resources and Ecology) are now
collaborating throughout the region to implement salmon recovery plans that aim to restore hydrological and
ecological processes critical to salmon recovery, and more broadly, to the functioning of entire watersheds and
the ecosystem services they provide. A prime example is the Nisqually Community Forest (NCF), a novel
collaboration of communities in southern Puget Sound (http://nisquallylandtrust.org/our-lands-and-
projects/nisqually-community-forest/) aimed at acquiring private forest industry lands from willing sellers. The
NCF is a working forest owned and managed for the benefit of local communities.
EPA ORD has developed and transferred modeling tools to NCF to support their salmon-recovery planning in the
Mashel River watershed, a once prime salmon producing sub-basin of the Nisqually River. NCF staff are currently
using EPA's Visualizing Ecosystem Land Management Assessments (VELMA) watershed simulator to quantify
long-term effects of alternative management and climate scenarios on key salmon habitat and water quality
variables. A key NCF goal is to design sustainable management plans that emphasize forest thinning and robust
riparian buffers, a strategy shown by VELMA simulations to restore greater summer stream flows favorable to
salmon spawning. Other ongoing NCF projects using VELMA include prioritization of land acquisitions,
community-based best management practices and long-term management strategies.
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Partner: Washington State Conservation Commission
Challenge: Improving water quality challenged by fecal sources in Washington (ongoing)
Resource: Collaborating on technical oversight committee concerning implementation of DNA-based microbial
source tracking tools along with members from Washington State Conservation Committee, Washington
Department of Agriculture, Washington State Department of Ecology, and Whatcom Conservation District
"The Washington State Conservation Commission has really appreciated and relied on ORD's help and scientific
knowledge and expertise of microbial source tracking. EPA ORD gave our agency panel an informational
presentation on what microbial source tracking actually is and how it can be used. The information helped our
pane! understand the scientific concepts around it, which
in turn, helped the pane! in selecting the best project." -
Karla Heinitz, Management Analyst, State Conservation
Commission
Every citizen, community, state, tribe and economy
relies on clean, safe drinking water. The number one
biological contaminant in U.S. surface waters is fecal
pollution leading to impairment of almost 10,000 water
bodies from every state.
EPA, in collaboration with members from the
Washington State Conservation Committee, Washington
Department of Agriculture, Washington State Department of Ecology, and Whatcom Conservation District, are
part of a technical oversight committee. This committee was organized by the Washington State Conservation
Commission to support the implementation of DNA-based microbial source tracking tools across the state in
2017-2019.
The goal of the committee is to prepare a request for proposals (completed March 2018) and select suitable
projects (ongoing) that will help educate, build laboratory capacity, and implement DNA-based microbial source
tracking tools, developed by EPA ORD, statewide. Findings from selected studies will be used to improve water
quality management in study areas and serves as a blueprint for future microbial source tracking applications on
a statewide level.
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c/EPA
www.epa.gov/research
science in ACTION
Partners: Local and regional beach managers across states that border the Great Lakes, as well as other states
Challenge: Predicting water quality at beaches (completed)
Resource: Virtual Beach software
To protect public health, beach managers need to continually assess the level of potentially harmful microbes
(primarily bacteria) in the water. However, traditional, culture-based testing methods take a full 24 hours to get
results - preventing same-day, proactive beach closures and leaving many recreational swimmers open to
sickness or infection. EPA's Virtual Beach tool offers a solution.
Virtual Beach (VB) is a Windows desktop-based software package designed by EPA researchers that provides
rapid, real-time assessments of microbial water quality with model accuracy typically exceeding 80 percent.
Beach managers use VB to develop site-specific statistical models for predicting fecal contamination based on
readily-available data on such as wind direction/speed, rainfall and cloud cover as well as wave height, water
turbidity and sunlight intensity. Once a model is developed for a site using historical data, environmental
information can be collected at a site in the morning, and moments later the model can produce a prediction to
guide decisions about closing the beach for the day or for issuing advisories.
VB is used to assist in advisory issuances in the Great Lakes states and to forecast water conditions in numerous
locations in Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South
Carolina, and Wisconsin. VB supports efforts to support the local economy while protecting the health of
residents.
"This reliable, predictive water quality model is key to
protecting health and promoting recreational enjoyment of our
beaches. The model provides same-day public notifications of
beach conditions at a lower cost than traditional monitoring.
Communities that use Virtual Beach can dedicate more of their
resources to locating and correcting sources of contamination
and improving local beaches. The (Wisconsin DNR's)
partnership with EPA in the developmen t of this practical
scientific tool offers a great pay off." - Wisconsin DNR Cathy
Stepp (former secretary)
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Partners: Depts. of Environmental Protection (KY, MA, ME, NJ, PA and WV); Depts. of Environmental
Management (AL and Rl); CT Dept. of Energy & Environmental Protection; DE Dept. of Natural Resources and
Environmental Control; Depts. of Natural Resources (GA, MD and Red Lake Nation (tribal)); MA Dept. of Fish &
Game; NH Dept. of Environmental Services; Depts. of Environmental Conservation (NY and VT); Depts. of
Environmental Quality (NC and VA); SC Dept. of Health & Environmental Control; TN Dept. of Environment &
Conservation; VA Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries; Susquehanna River Basin Commission; TN Valley Authority
Challenge: Develop a baseline monitoring network to detect long-term trends (ongoing)
Resource: Technical support to states and tribes through workshops and stream monitoring network
development, in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Geological Survey
"As an interstate agency, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC)
certainly recognizes the value of the regional partnership EPA has assembled
to address the need for collecting the data necessary for detecting changes to
water quality and aquatic life communities over time, especially as it relates to
any regional trends that may result from climate change effects. The
establishment of an effective regional network is a bigger task than any single
agency can undertake given the resources involved, and EPA's staff provided
the needed leadership to establish and guide the partnership, as well as the scientific expertise on the study
methods for characterizing any future changing conditions." - SRBC Executive Director Andrew Dehoff
EPA ORD is working with our regional offices, states, tribes, river basin commissions and other entities to
establish Regional Monitoring Networks (RMNs) for freshwater wadeable streams. The objectives of the RMNs
are to collect long-term biological, thermal, hydrologic, physical habitat and water chemistry data to document
baseline conditions across sites and detect long-term changes. Consistent methods are being used to increase
the comparability of data, minimize biases and variability, and ensure that the data meet data quality objectives.
Continuous sensors are being employed when possible. RMN surveys build on existing state and tribal
bioassessment efforts with annual sampling of a limited number of sites that can be pooled at a regional level.
Pooling data enables more robust regional analyses and improves the ability to detect trends over shorter time
periods. The collaborations across states, tribes and other entities resulted in the development of RMNs, some
of which have collected data since 2012. Recently, EPA Regions 1, 2, 3 and 5, in coordination with their states
and tribes, began developing RMNs for lakes and wetlands with the same objectives as the stream RMNs.
RMN data can be used for many purposes, over short and long-term timeframes. These applications include
informing water quality and biological criteria development and protection planning priorities, refining lists of
biological, thermal and hydrologic indicators, and detecting trends in commonly-used water quality and
biological indicators. The RMN data also are important for detecting climate change effects in the context of
biomonitoring. There are a number of climate change projections that are relevant to aquatic life condition,
including increasing temperatures and changing frequency and magnitude of extreme precipitation events and
frequency of summer low flow events. Managers will be able to use the monitoring data to help inform adaptive
management.
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Partner: Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO), an interstate commission representing 8
states (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia) and the federal
government
Challenge: Providing information to water utilities that will inform operating decisions and minimize impacts on
water users results from spills within U.S. waterways (ongoing)
Resource: River Spill model in collaboration with Corona Engineering and American Water
"The River Spill model has been used on several recent spills
on the Ohio river and has predicted the actual times and
concentrations very well. If accurate spill and river condition
data is fed into the River Spill model, the model seems to
accurately predict the resulting conditions downstream-
ORSANCO Technical Program Manager Sam Dinkins
There are 25,000 navigable miles of inland waterways
within the contiguous U.S., which transport an estimated
630 million tons of commodities valued at $73 billion
annually. There are also hundreds of drinking water intakes
that supply drinking water to 66% of American water consumers. Spills within U.S. waterways can threaten safe
drinking water supplies, fire protection, commerce, and critical navigation activities.
Given this challenge, EPA ORD researchers developed software that can run two-dimension models of spills in
rivers. The software helps utilities decide if they should close their intake, add additional treatment, or access
alternative water supplies, if available, while the worst of the spill plume passes. The River Spill model uses real
time river data collected and distributed by the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and
it can be run on a computer or handheld device. The model adds two-dimension definition and real-time
updates to the U.S. Department of Defense's Technical Reachback Division's IC Water model.
The River Spill model is currently being tested by ORSANCO and American Water on spills that occur on the Ohio
River and its tributary system. The initial results indicate good correlation between the model and actual spill
conditions. Commercial entities such as Corona Engineering and American Water, which is the largest publicly
held water company in the U.S., are partnering with EPA to test the River Spill model in West Virginia. The River
Spill model is also being adapted to work on other river systems within the U.S. Current ongoing applications for
the model include the Tom Bigbee Water Way and the Des Moines River. The model will allow any water utility
utilizing source water from a river system to make the most informed operating decisions concerning spills
within minutes of data input.
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State Index
ALABAMA
Site-specific contaminant characterization 61
ALASKA
Contaminated site due to PFAS issues 33
Toxicity information for sulfolane 48
ARIZONA
Jet fuel remediation 62
ARKANSAS
Smoke Ready Toolbox for Wildfires 11
Underground fire at abandoned dumping site 12
CALIFORNIA
Assessment model for new water technologies 81
Decontaminating subway railcars 49
Decision support tools to advance communities' priority projects 37
Evaluating chemicals 24
Low-cost air quality sensors NEW 21
Population and land use projections 40
Priority Products identification 26
Reducing mercury methylation 29
Setting risk-based cleanup levels for toxicity values 25
Statistical evaluation of 40 years of monitoring data 92
Synthetic turf field safety 76
Smoke Sense App 13
DELAWARE
Brownfield revitalization 63
FLORIDA
Freshwater vegetation communities 106
Nitrogen pollution 93
GEORGIA
Deployment and testing of new air sensor technology 7
Development of numeric nutrient criteria 99
Sustainable materials management 77
HAWAII
Corals and Climate Adaptation Planning 41
IDAHO
Modeling for agriculture, energy, water and air systems interactions 78
Groundwater geochemistry study 64
Passive remediation alternative 65
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ILLINOIS
Lead service line identification 82
KANSAS
Prairie rangeland burning 8
Survey designs for stream monitoring 107
LOUISIANA
Cancer risk assessments 27
MAINE
Tribal risk assessment (sediment and water quality) 55
MARYLAND
Stormwater best management practices 99
Village Blue 108
MASSACHUSETTS
Evaluate robust management practices to improve water quality 109
Contaminant impacts 66
Chemical contamination 67
MICHIGAN
Lead contamination technical support 83
Microbiological water quality 110
MINNESOTA
Modeling bioaccumulation of PCBs and mercury in fish 30
Need for water quality guidelines 104
Sulfate standard development support Ill
Impact of wetland remediation 42
Evaluating risk of aquatic contaminants 56
MISSISSIPPI
Bacterial and viral indicators 112
Effects of industrial spills on ecosystem health 113
MISSOURI
Models and tools to reduce sewer overflows 100
MONTANA
Asbestos exposure following forest fires 22
IRIS assessment for Libby Amphibole Asbestos 23
Remediation activities for Barker Hughesville Superfund Site 68
NEVADA
Groundwater characterization and remediation 114
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NEW HAMPSHIRE
Probabilistic survey designs 115
Suitable groundwater remediation 69
Assessments of perfluorochemical emissions (PFAS) 34
Thermal remediation of waste oils 70
NEW JERSEY
PFAS 35
NEW MEXICO
Gold King Mine Spill local waterways/sediments sampling 71
NEW YORK
Sampling operations following biological incidents 50
NORTH CAROLINA
Acceptance of bio-contaminated wastewater 105
Mapping PFAS levels 36
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education 38
Transportable gasifier technology 51
OHIO
Managing algal toxins 88
Harmful algal blooms limiting drinking water 89
Managing excessive nutrient runoff causing HABs 90
OKLAHOMA
Chemical composition analysis 28
Evaluating water interactions at Superfund site 72
OREGON
Ocean acidification research 95
Reducing methyl mercury levels 31
Tools to help communities identify environmental issues 39
Water nitrate contamination 116
Shellfish harvesting closures 57
PENNSYLVANIA
Wide-spread freshwater fish disease 58
RHODE ISLAND
Analysis of nutrients and other parameters in water 96
Fishing sites for safe catch consumption 32
SOUTH CAROLINA
Food waste reduction 79
Subsurface chlorinated solvent contamination 73
TEXAS
Chemical contamination risks 84
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UTAH
Emissions measurement methods 15
Fine particle air pollution 16
Toxicity testing for Great Salt species 43
VERMONT
Impervious cover data for watersheds 101
VIRGINIA
Stream condition assessments 117
WASHINGTON
Habitat suitability models 44
Managing nutrients in riparian ecosystems 97
Remedial investigation/feasibility study technical support 45
Stream temperature stress 118
Superfund site technical support 74
Watershed condition improvements 119
Coastal Biodiversity Risk Analysis Tool 46
DNA-based microbial source tracking 120
MULTI-STATE STORIES
Ammonia removal from drinking water (IA, IL, IN, OH) 85
Anthrax contamination cleanup (CA, DC, MA, NY, VA) 52
Characterizing urban background levels for contaminated site cleanup levels (FL, GA, KY, NC, SC, TN) 75
Community air quality monitoring (CT, DC, IL, KS, NC, OK, PA, TX) 9
Lake Michigan's ozone formation and transport (IL, IN, Ml, MN, OH, Wl) 18
Management of bio-hazardous wastes (MD, NY) 80
Managing stormwater treatment systems (MD, PA, VA) 102
Monitoring technologies (CA, CO, CT, KY, MD, NH, OR) 10
Planning for energy and air emissions (CT, ME, MA, NH, NJ, NY, Rl, VT) 17
Predicting water quality at beaches (IL, IN, Ml, MN, NY, OH, PA, Wl) 121
Risk assessment training (all states) 59
Simulating conditions in drinking water utilities (CO, FL, KY, Ml, NY, OH) 86
Small drinking water systems (all states) 87
Stormwater management planning support (MD, PA, VA) 103
- Stream monitoring network (AL, CT, DE, GA, KY, MA, MD, ME, NC, NH, NJ, NY, PA, Rl, SC, TN, VA, VT, WV) 122
Wide area radiologic incident (NY, OH) 53
Satellite derived measures of cyanobacteria (AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, IA, ID, KS, KY, LA, MO, ND, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA,
Rl, SC, SD, TN, UT, VT, WA, Wl, WY) 91
Performance targets for air quality sensors (all states) 19
Response to ricin contamination (CO, DC, MS, OK, TN, VT, Wl) 54
- River Spill model (IL, IN, KY, NY, OH, PA, VA, WV) 123
Environmental DNA (eDNA) for species inventory (CA, KY, MD, WV) 47
Persistent environmental disparities research (AZ, CO, NM, UT) 60
Multi-agency Long Island Sound Tropospheric Ozone Study (CT, NJ, NY, Rl) 20
Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen (DE, DC, MD, VA, WV) 98
Reducing harmful air pollutants 14
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