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Q: How do Toxics Program activities relate to regulatory programs?
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"Many thanks again for sending the excellent technical papers that provided recent
USGS sampling results on pharmaceuticals and personal care products
in rivers and streams. ...
this data has been used to support several programs and new proposals. The data was presented at an
Oregon Association of Clean Water Agencies seminar here in Portland to provide strong justification
for the need to build a 'Drug Take-Back Program'. ... Your data provided the audience and expert
panel members with proof that we have similar water quality issues here in Oregon as there are in
other waterways in the United States....
The USGS data has shown that standard wastewater treatment may not be fully effective at removing the
contaminants, so this information is important to consider within our existing permitting and
technical assistance programs for NPDES, WPCF, Onsite (large and individual septic systems), and
Wastewater Reuse and Biosolids. ... Your data has directly contributed toward Oregon DEQ's new
proposal for additional 'toxics monitoring' for State Legislative review and potential approval in
early 2007. Our agency will be partnering in that effort with USGS to collect more critical data to
supplement our Laboratory's capabilities. ...
In partnership with our sister state agency that regulates drinking water, the Oregon Department of
Human Services, we will be using the USGS data to carefully assess where our highest human health
risks may be with regard to pharmaceuticals and pesticides. We will use this research to help
determine our higher program priorities for additional monitoring, more detailed assessments, and
direct technical assistance to the communities, treatment plant operators, and public water system
officials."
Sheree Stewart, Drinking Water Protection Coordinator, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
(written communication, 2007)
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A: The U.S. Geological Survey is a non-regulatory, science agency. The Toxic Substances Hydrology (Toxics) Program
provides objective scientific information on the behavior of toxic substances in the Nation's hydrologic environments that is
used by regulators, resource managers, industry, and the public to improve decision-making and understanding of environmental
contamination problems. To achieve this the Toxics Program coordinates its activities with agencies such as the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and other U.S. Department of the Interior agencies. The Toxics Program meets with these
agencies to transfer information and technology, and to ensure that current and future research priorities are being
addressed. Many regulatory programs have used data and understanding from the Toxics Program as a basis for regulatory
policy.
Examples of Toxics Program Interaction with Regulatory Agencies
For more information on technology transfer activities please see the "How does USGS
transfer results and products to resource managers and regulators, industry, educators and students, the scientific community
at large, and the public?" FAQ.
Back to FAQ index
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