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SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM: ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS FY 1994
Citation:
U.S. EPA. SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM: ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS FY 1994. EPA/540/R-95/522, 1995.
Impact/Purpose:
information
Description:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program evaluates innovative technologies for the remediation of contaminated Superfund and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective actions sites. Historically the use of innovative treatment technologies at contaminated sites has been impeded due to the lack of reliable cost and performance data. The SITE Program was created to overcome these impediments and respond to the increased demand for validated hazardous waste treatment technologies. The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA) directs EPA "to carry out a program of research, evaluation, testing, development, and demonstration of alternative or innovative treatment technologies ... which may be utilized in response actions to achieve more permanent protection of human health and welfare and the environment" [SARA Section 209(b), CERCLA Section 311 (b)!]. Therefore, the Program's primary mission, is fully compatible with the legislative mandate. From its inception in 1986 through fiscal year 1994, the SITE Program has evaluated 72 technologies by field demonstration, 13 of which were completed during the 1994 fiscal year. The SITE Program is now considered to be the pioneer program and model for demonstrating and evaluating full-scale, viable innovative treatment technologies at hazardous waste sites. It is the first program to provide cost sharing opportunities for the private sector. The program is currently participating cooperatively with 86 technology developers. The result of the continuing effort by the SITE Program to compile and communicate data to the user community has been an increase in the number of innovative technologies being used to clean up waste sites. The program is very effective in implementing the congressional mandate. A survey of four EPA regions indicates savings of 62% using innovative instead of conventional clean up technologies, or $21 million per site. To ensure the timely introduction of new technologies into the marketplace, the program maintains flexibility and has fortified its effort to leverage resources. This effort is being implemented through an increased focus on joint participation with other federal agencies, the private sector, EPA Regional Offices, and technology developers. One example of that leverage is the $4,253,400 that private Technology developers committed to SITE Demonstrations and projects in FY94 This report highlights the Program's successes, discusses the Program's progress and accomplishments over the past fiscal year, catalogues current projects being undertaken and cumulative projects, and provides an indication of future directions.