Site Assessment
Contents- What is Site Assessment?
- EPA Region 8 Site Assessment Contacts
- Site Assessment Basics
- Other Resources
What is Site Assessment?
The Superfund cleanup process begins with site discovery or notification to EPA of possible releases of hazardous substances. Sites are discovered by various parties, including citizens, State agencies, and EPA Regional offices. Once discovered, sites are sent to the appropriate group or groups to investigate. Usually, the site is investigated by Site Assessment for a possible non-time critical site or Emergency Response for a possible time critical response. Once in Site Assessment, the SAM, Site Assessment Manager, evaluates the potential for a release of hazardous substances from the site through these steps in the Superfund cleanup process:- Preliminary Assessment (PA),Site Inspection (SI) & Expanded SI - investigations of site conditions
- HRS Scoring - A numerical screening mechanism used to qualify sites for possible inclusion on the National Priorities List
- NPL Site Listing Process - list of the most serious sites identified for possible long-term cleanup. There is extensive public involvement to reiew other options and gather support for listing.
- After listing the site leaves the Site Assessment group and goes to a Remedial Project Manager, RPM, for a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS), who determines the nature and extent of contamination as well as risk.
- Records of Decision (ROD) - explains which cleanup alternatives will be used at NPL sites. This step has extensive public input on the cleanup decision.
- Remedial Design/Remedial Action (RD/RA) - preparation and implementation of plans and specifications for applying site remedies
- Construction Completion - identifies completion of cleanup activities
- Post Construction Completion - ensures that Superfund response actions provide for the long-term protection of human health and the environment. Included here are Long-Term Response Actions (LTRA), Operation and Maintenance, Institutional Controls, Five-Year Reviews, Remedy Optimization, and NPL Deletion
EPA Region 8 Site Assessment Contacts
Luke Chavez, Site Assessment Manager for Utahchavez.luke@epa.gov
303-312-6512 Sabrina Forrest, Site Assessment Manager for Colorado and South Dakota
forrest.sabrina@epa.gov
303-312-6484 Jim Harris, Site Assessment Manager for Montana
harris.jim@epa.gov
406-457-5032 Gwen Christiansen, NPL Coordinator and
Site Assessment Manager for Wyoming and North Dakota
christiansen.gwen@epa.gov
303-312-6463
Site Assessment Basics
How are sites discovered? Hazard Ranking System (HRS) National Priorities List (NPL) For more information:-
National EPA Site Assessment Web site
Search for Site Assessment site information
You can query for current site assessment information as well as active sites past the site assessment stage
Other Resources
Region 8 Superfund home