Radiation and Indoor Environments National Laboratory (R&IE)
The Radiation and Indoor Environments (R&IE) National Laboratory in Las Vegas, NV is one of two national, laboratories in EPA’s Office of Radiation and Indoor Air. The lab’s mission is to protect the public and the environment by minimizing exposure to radiation and indoor air pollution through environmental measurements, applied technologies, and education. The R&IE Laboratory provides scientific and technical support activities for the Agency’s radiation, ambient air quality and indoor environments programs to EPA headquarters, regional programs, other federal agencies, tribal, state, and local governments, and private industry.
R&IE provides innovative technology and services through three centers:
- Radioanalysis and Quality Assurance (CRQA)
- Environmental Restoration, Monitoring, and Emergency Response (CERMER)
- Indoor Environments (CIE)
The R&IE National Laboratory is the lead field component of ORIA, providing direct and indirect laboratory and technical support for Environmental Restoration, Radiological Emergency Response/Homeland Security, Indoor Environments, National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring, and Tribal Environmental programs. The R&IE National Laboratory applies specialized expertise and unique capabilities in these areas:
- Emergency Response and Homeland Security
- Prepared to respond to potential emergencies involving radiation
- We get trained responders and necessary equipment to the field/response. Field teams assess environmental impacts to determine the likelihood and extent of radiation exposure.
- We are an essential component of EPA’s Radiological Emergency Response Team (RERT) and serve in a lead role during EPA’s response to radiological emergencies and accidents nationwide.
- Radiochemical and field measurement methods are investigated as they relate to emergency response, special concerns, and quality assurance.
- Environmental Restoration and Cleanup
- We provide our Regional customers with expert assessment and monitoring of contaminated sites.
- We apply specialized expertise and unique capabilities to evaluate and assess sites contaminated with radiation and provides health and safety and quality assurance support for remedial and removal activities.
- We have a unique fleet of mobile radiological laboratories, support vehicles, equipment and instrumentation.
- Indoor Environments
- We work with Regions/University partners to assess unique risks of at-risk populations.
- We provide radon reference laboratory services to consumer measurement firms.
- We provide radon measurement services for partner organizations working in disadvantaged communities.
- We develop, evaluate, and demonstrate measurement and remediation technologies.
- Ambient Air
- We provide quality assurance for EPA’s National Air Monitoring Networks including:
- field QA audits for ambient air monitoring programs and;
- QA oversight & management of acid deposition programs
- We conduct lab QA programs for State and Regional Photochemical and Ozone Monitoring Networks
- Tribal air Monitoring
- R&IE’s Tribal Air Monitoring Support Center (TAMS) is a model partnership between Tribes, Northern Arizona University’s Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals and EPA
- We develop and deliver training and provide technical assistance to Tribes who are implementing monitoring programs