Investigations and Inspections

What do we do?

The Investigation and Engineering Unit (IEU) is a multi-disciplinary group providing technical support and assistance to the all the EPA Region 10 media programs. The unit provides;

Field inspectors trained in environmental monitoring and sampling for pesticides, toxic chemicals, water quality, air quality, asbestos and PCBs.
In addition;
IEU works closely with the other EPA programs and the Criminal Investigation Division to provide samples for compliance and enforcement actions.
IEU provides financial and economic analyses for the region, including determining whether a party is able to pay fines, penalties or cleanup costs.
IEU manages and maintains sampling and testing field equipment for the Region, along with a fleet of research boats.
IEU responds to citizen complaints received through the agency’s complaint system. Staff will investigate the complaint themselves or will refer a complaint to other program offices within EPA or the appropriate State or Local agency.
Here is a few of the projects we have been involved in recently:

Regionally;

Developing and teaching a course for enforcement staff on the basics of "ability to pay" analysis.
Providing Basic Inspector training to local, state, Tribal and federal inspectors.
Assisting programs in reviewing state pesticide enforcement programs and the Washington state agricultural field burning program.
Conducting inspections at schools to determine their compliance with both PCB and asbestos requirements for schools as part of a regional initiative.
Conducting special studies involving asbestos contaminated sites.
Assisting in the identification, documentation, environmental review, and compliance inspection of industrial facilities on tribal lands within the State of Washington.

Nationally;

Providing on-going technical support in the financial aspects of the Hells Canyon Dams FERC re-licensing.
Testing garden products, such as potting soils, to determine if vermiculite found in the products was releasing airborne asbestos fibers, (Link to RCRA asbestos page)

Internationally;

Providing training to environmental inspectors from Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and China who are developing their first environmental programs.
Providing training to environmental inspectors from other countries with established environmental programs.
Working with the World Bank to present inspector training at international conferences.
Teaching an on-going economic incentives course in San Salvador to representatives from Central American environmental agencies and organizations.
Reviewing the organizational and financial/marketing components of an international eco-forestry project.

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