2015 SAFG Research Tool (aka Query/ Questionnaire) Rationale:
Theme: States’ Site Assessment Programs – Current Practices and Processes
Problem Statement:
Using their Site Assessment Programs, States evaluate a variety of sites, from those which present very little risk to those which may be proposed for the NPL. EPA has developed several variations of the traditional Site Assessment process to allow flexibility for efficiency and reduction of duplicative tasks, i.e. Pre-CERCLA Screening (PCS) with sampling, Preliminary Assessment (PA) with sampling, Combined PA/Site Inspection (SI), and Abbreviated PA, etc. However, due to differences in EPA regional policies and their preferred approach to the Site Assessment process, States might not…show more content… As part of this phased approach project, a research tool/questionnaire is being developed to collect information from the individual States to determine their current practices, perspectives on efficiencies, inefficiencies and trends. The outcome of this project may result in recommendations for simplifying preliminary assessment and site inspection documents and/or identifying best practices using existing evaluation tools (e.g., Pre-CERCLA Screening, Abbreviated Preliminary Assessments,…show more content… • What works well? Currently available or innovative, streamlined approaches that States use.
• What does not work well? Determine tasks/documents (e.g. QA/QC and QAPPs) that could be streamlined.
• Flexibility: Are State’s Site Assessments program allowed the flexibility to choose which tools and/or report formats to use based on the site-specific circumstances?
• Documentation Efficiency: Streamlining of documents, practices, or processes has been identified in previous surveys as beneficial. Documents could include: Templates for PA and SI reports and work plans, QAPPs, Health and Safety Plans, HRS Scoring Packages, Site Access Agreements, etc., and practices could include: Data Quality Objectives, Conceptual Site Models, sampling checklists,
