The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a continuing requirement to provide technical support services to the EPA Zone 2, which is comprised of EPA Regions 4, 5, and 6, and Zone 3, which is comprised of EPA Regions 2, 7, 9 and 10.

Under the authority of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and in cooperation with our state and tribal partners, EPA manages a hazardous waste program, an underground storage tank program, and a solid waste program including the development of waste reduction strategies such as recycling. The goals of the RCRA program are: 1) Protect human health and the environment from the hazards posed by waste disposal; 2) Conserve energy and natural resources through waste recycling and recovery; 3) Reduce or eliminate the amount of waste generated, including hazardous waste; and, 4) Ensure that waste is managed in an environmentally safe manner.

RCRA is the result of several laws. Congress passed the Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA) in 1965. This statute provided the basis for regulating the proper management of solid waste. The SWDA went through several major amendments resulting in the RCRA of 1976. The Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) in 1984 and the Federal Facilities Compliance Act of 1992 have also amended RCRA.

To achieve RCRA program goals, four distinct yet interrelated programs exist under RCRA. Subtitle D of RCRA promotes and encourages the environmentally sound management of solid waste. It includes minimum Federal technical standards and guidelines for state solid waste plans. Subtitle C establishes a management system that regulates hazardous waste from the time it is generated until its ultimate disposal, in effect, from “cradle to grave”. Subtitle I regulates petroleum products and hazardous substances (as defined under Superfund) that are stored in underground tanks. It establishes performance standards for new tanks and requires leak detection, prevention, and corrective action at underground tank sites. Subtitle J regulates the medical waste generation, treatment, destruction, and disposal.

• Technical Reviews
• Technical Analysis/Assessment Support and Document Preparation
• Field Audit/Oversight and Inspections
• Field Sampling
• Data Review (Validation, Evaluation, and Reporting)
• Case Development
• General Enforcement Negotiation Support
• Expert Witness/Litigation Support
• Records Management
• Data Management
• Training and Conference Support
• Public Involvement and Outreach Activities
• Special Initiatives, Studies, and Program Support