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ENGINEERING TECHNICAL SUPPORT CENTER: Annual Report Fiscal Year 2017
Citation:
Bronstein, K., J. McKernan, E. Barth, C. Northeim, AND P. Jordan. ENGINEERING TECHNICAL SUPPORT CENTER: Annual Report Fiscal Year 2017. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-18/277, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
ETSC’s mission is to provide site-specific scientific and engineering technical support to Remedial Project Managers (RPMs), On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs), and other remediation personnel at contaminated sites. ETSC is primarily staffed with scientists and engineers from ORD/NRMRL/LMMD, thereby covering a broad range of skills and technical expertise. ETSC collaborates with EPA programs and other federal agencies to deliver the latest methods, approaches, and technologies needed to characterize, remediate, and manage risk at contaminated sites. Additional assistance is provided by other ORD Laboratory or Division personnel, EPA Regional personnel, and external contractors and consultants as needed. ETSC’s combined technical expertise supplements the work performed by responsible local, EPA Regional, or national authorities, allowing them to work more quickly, efficiently, and cost effectively, while also increasing the technical experience of the remediation team.
Description:
ETSC provides technical support for soil, sediment, groundwater, and mining-related contamination. In 2017, the ETSC responded to approximately 250 site-specific requests from all 10 EPA Regions, territories (Puerto Rico) and internationally (China, Romania and Vietnam). 83% of the site-specific requests were on the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL). In FY17, ETSC provided critical support to 12 of 21 Superfund sites targeted for immediate, intense action. For two of these sites—West Lake Landfill in Bridgetown, Missouri and the San Jacinto River Waste Pits in Harris County, Texas—EPA proposed final remedies. Other requests ranged from characterization, monitoring and remediation of soil and water contamination to ecological effects from chemical exposures. ETSC also provided technical advice in the areas of engineering and prototype testing, environmental and human health risk assessment, and groundwater modeling. ETSC led or contributed to 68 dissemination products, including conference presentations, technical workshops, peer-reviewed journal articles, and other technical reports and products.