Environmental Contaminants What We Do...
Contaminants Identification and Assessment
Environmental contaminants specialists at the NMESFO conduct field studies to determine sources of pollution,
to investigate pollution effects on fish and wildlife and their habitat, and to investigate fish and wildlife
die-offs. Sites typically assessed include those impacted by pesticides, industrial wastes,
oil and hazardous waste spills,
and drain water from agricultural irrigation and mining, as well as
Superfund sites and other
sites contaminated at some time in the past. Contaminants specialists have also developed tools such as the
Contaminants Assessment Program (CAP),
which was developed in cooperation with the US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division's
Biomonitoring of Environmental Status and Trends (BEST)
Program, to assist in evaluating contaminant threats to our natural resources, as well as
National Wildlife Refuges. In addition, field specialists
conduct contaminant surveys prior to the Service buying new lands.
|