Field Analysis and Site Characterization Activities of the U.S. Environmental Protection agency

Abstract

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has the responsibility for administering the cleanup of uncontrolled hazardous waste sites through the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (Superfund) as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986. There are numerous phases in the Superfund remedial process, from initial site identification and inspection through cleanup and delisting. Site characterization is a critical step in this process, as the selection and effectiveness of a remedial technology is almost solely dependant on the data generated during the Remedial Investigation (RI). In addition, the RI is often the lengthiest phase in the process, frequently due to the long turnaround on validated analytical data. Field instumentation that generates real-time or near-real-time data can be particularly useful for accelerating and reducing the costs of the Superfund process. Therefore, encouraging developers of field instrumentation to improve the performance of their devices and to advance the state of the technology to meet current and future environmental monitoring needs is extremely important for the Agency to meet its mandate and the public’s expectations of the Superfund Program.