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Tools Used for Visualizing Sampling and Analysis Data During Response to a Contamination Incident
Citation:
Rodgers, M., A. Speciale, T. Boe, J. Falik, AND E. Silvestri. Tools Used for Visualizing Sampling and Analysis Data During Response to a Contamination Incident. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-21/150, 2021.
Impact/Purpose:
The Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response (CESER) within the Office of Research and Development (ORD) conducts applied, stakeholder-driven research and provides responsive technical support to help solve the Nation’s environmental challenges. The Center develops technologies and decision-support tools to help safeguard public water systems and groundwater, guide sustainable materials management, remediate sites from traditional contamination sources and emerging environmental stressors, and address potential threats from terrorism and natural disasters. This report describes research that was conducted to identify commonalities, efficiencies, lessons learned, and gaps among data visualization and statistical analysis tools currently used throughout EPA and the federal government. Research emphasized tools that are used to visualize sampling and analysis data collected in support of remediation after an intentional or natural contamination incident to streamline and improve the capabilities of United States Coast Guard (USCG) and EPA responders. This research effort built upon a previous effort to identify and recommend user-friendly tools that more easily facilitate the acquisition of field sampling data and subsequent management of sampling data following a wide-area incident. Recommended tools identified through this research will be exercised during the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/EPA-sponsored Analysis for Coastal Operational Resiliency (AnCOR) project
Description:
In the event of a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) wide-area incident, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for clearance, waste disposal processes, and data collection and quality checks to advise decision-making. This research effort focused on identifying commonalities, efficiencies, lessons learned, and gaps among data visualization and statistical analysis tools currently used throughout EPA and the federal government. EPA first conducted a literature review and market research to identify and describe data visualization and statistical analysis platforms (i.e., tools, applications, and programs) currently in use throughout EPA, the federal government, and commercial and/or academic settings. To supplement the literature review and market research, operational expert feedback was solicited from the response and research community regarding visualization tools currently being used for presenting and analyzing data collected during a contamination incident response. Research emphasized tools that are used to visualize sampling and analysis data collected in support of remediation after an intentional or natural contamination incident to streamline and improve the capabilities of United States Coast Guard (USCG) and EPA responders. This research effort built upon a previous effort to identify and recommend user-friendly tools that more easily facilitate the acquisition of field sampling data and subsequent management of sampling data following a wide-area incident. Recommended tools identified through this research will be exercised during the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/EPA-sponsored Analysis for Coastal Operational Resiliency (AnCOR) project.