Document BBb8qoL7eQdgN5O1zJrrybKX

:,*OS:A ADA, OK LABORATORY LS EPA OFFICE OF RESE ARC II AM) DEVELOPMENT At a Glance The Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research C e n te r (RSKERC) in A da , OK, is a m ajor federal research facility operated by the O ffice of Research and Developm ent (ORD). ORD scientists in A da c o n d u c t research on g roundw ater, subsurface c o n ta m in a n t rem ediation, a n d ecosystem restoration. ORD activities have significant im pacts on the A da region, including advancing science, positively im pacting the econom y, and contributing to the regional community. S cience: ORD is a world-class research organization, a n d the research c o n d u c te d by scientists in A d a has b ro ad im pacts, including supporting decision m aking a t lo cal, regional, a n d national levels. A m ong m any different areas of study, A d a has several unique research capabilities, including laboratories, field equipm ent, and test wells to perform specialized subsurface investigations on gro un d w ate r co n ta m i nant transport, a n d d e ve lo p a n d assess technologies for re m e d iatin g g ro u n d w a te r contam ination. Community Engagement: EPA is a key co n trib u to r to the A d a com m unity. Employ ees work w ith local students through a m entoring program a t East C entral University (ECU) a n d W ater Fest, an annual interactive e d u c a tio n a l e ve n t for local 5th g ra d ers. EPA scientists w ork w ith ECU, the City of A da , a n d the C hickasaw Nation in a w a te r policy a n d m a n a g e m e n t c e n te r - the O ka' Institute (Oka' is the C hickasaw and C hoctaw word for w ater). Ada Laboratory Impacts by the Numbers Economic Im pacts: The A d a lab creates $3.4 million in disposable in co m e from fe d eral jobs a n d spends and additional $3.7 million on contracts, grants, a n d supplies a nd e qu ipm ent. These dollars are in je cte d into the local e c o n o m y annually as workers buy goods a n d services in the com m unity, sup porting additional jobs and spending and increasing overall econom ic output for the community. Did you know? in addition to federal scientists, the lab provides 48 on-site jobs to post-doctorai researchers, stu dent contractors, and facility staff. The Ada lab is a leader in sustainability. It is EP/vs first carbon-neutral fab, and uses geothermal heat pumps, energy efficient heating and air conditioning, and water efficient plumbing to reduce energy and water use and reduce GHG emissions. The lab indudes a 110-acre field site comprised of woodlands, open fields and ponds for ecosystem and groundwater research studies. Ada (Pontotoc County); OK 91 Total jobs at the laboratory $7.1 million Annual payroll, on-site contracts, and grant dollars supported by lab 48 Federal jobs on-site 16 8 /1 /2 0 1 6 65.1% Post-doctoral, student, 50th Anniversary of Reduction in water use and visiting researchers the Lab and signing of since 2007 on-site an MOU between ORD and the Chickasaw Nation $4 million Energy and 1 2 . 1% Reduction in energy use maintenance savings since 2003 R ecycle d/R e cycla b le . Printed on 100% post-consum er re c y c le d pap er. Turn over fo r m ore science! Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA Tier 5 ED 002061 00172820-00001 sOS:A ADA, OK LABORATORY LS FPA OKI IC i; OF RFSFARC II AM) DFYFLOPMFNT The Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research C e n te r (RSKERC) is an 87,119 square fe e t EPA research facility in the N ational Risk M a n a g e m e n t Re search Laboratory lo c a te d in A da, OK. Working closely w ith states, tribes, a nd EPA program a n d regional offices, the C enter's scientists c o n d u c t a nd a p p ly research to real-w orld problems. The national mission of the RSKERC includes a continuing focus on the Southern Plains region a nd the unique environm ental problems facing state and tribal governments in the region. Examples of w here the C enter's science is a p p lie d to pro te c t p ub lic health a n d natural resources in O klahom a a n d in o th e r parts of the country are summarized below: Aquifer Protection EPA has a responsibility to p ro te c t un derground sources of drinking w a ter (aquifers) from co ntam ination by per m itted activities such as underground injection. A d a scientists are c o n d u c t ing research on aquifer exem ption decision-m aking for in-situ uranium recovery. Through this research, they will d e v e lo p e n h a n c e d m ethods to m onitor, assess, a n d m odel drinking w a te r co ntam inants in aquifers. The results of this research will b e p ro to cols for regional offices a n d states to dete rm ine if a qu ife r exem ptions should be g ra nte d. Scientists are also working w ith the State of O klaho ma and the City of Ada to determ ine best m anagem ent practices for the A rbuckle Simpson Aquifer, a drinking w a te r source fo r 150,000 p e o p le in south ce ntra l O klahom a. This ong o in g research supports the activities of the O klahom a W ater Resources Board a n d C hickasaw Nation. This research also supports state efforts to understand the effects of groundw ater withdrawals and enhanced aquifer recharge on w a ter quality and hydrology. Innovative Remediation Technologies for Contaminated Sites A d a scientists have d e v e lo p e d a n d a p p lie d innovative techniques to cle a n up c o n ta m in a tio n in soil, subsoil, a n d gro un d w ate r. Techniques such as p e rm e a b le re a ctive barriers, in-situ ch e m ica l oxidation a n d re duction, a n d m onitored natural a tte n a tio n have been a p p lie d as pilot studies a t sites in all 10 EPA regions. Researchers are also developing m ethods for estimating the potential for contam ination of drinking w a te r wells by subsurface plumes of pollutants using the state of O klahom a as a test bed. A d d itio n ally, researchers are addressing vapors from underlying c o n ta m in a te d g ro u n d w a te r or soil that can m igrate into buildings and pose a po tential risk to the public. They have d e v e lo p e d models that integrate d a ta from the building interiors into a screening tool for petroleum v a por intrusion. These research efforts d irectly sup port state regulators through the Association of State a nd Territorial Solid Waste M a n a g e m e n t Officials, including the Leaking Underground Storage Tanks program in e a c h state a n d territory. Technical support for communities H ea dq u arte re d in A da, the G round W ater Technical Support Center (GWTSC) provides te c h n ic a l sup- _ , port a n d assistance to EPA decision - ' tB -makers, and State and local gov ernments on rem ediation of groundw ater and subsurface con tam in atio n on CERCLA a n d RCRA sites. These activities focus on as sessing a n d cle a nin g up groundw ater, a q u ife r materials, a n d soils. Field scientists a nd technicians travel n a tio n w id e to drill a n d install m onitoring wells, g a th e r core samples, a n d sam ple g roundw ater. The GWTSC's ex perts assess state-of-the-art inform ation a n d ch an n el it to users fo r d ire ct (site-specific) a n d general (manuals) applications. An exam ple is the support provided to the O klahom a Departm ent of Environmental Quality a n d EPA Region 6 fo r the O klahom a Refining Co. Superfund site in Cyril, OK. They e va lu a te d the im pacts of g ro un d w a te r/su rfa ce w a te r in te ra c tions on co nta m in a nt m igration dow nstream into the local watershed. For more information, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/greenIngepa/robert-s-kerr-environmentakeseafch-center Sierra Club v. EPA 18cv3472 NDCA Tier 5 ED 002061 00172820-00002