- Success Stories
- Emergency Preparedness & Response
Webinar Support for Emergency Chemical Release Response
Our staff on contract with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Scientific and Technical Assistance for Consequence Management Team recently provided support for the development, coordination, and moderation of a pre-Operational Testing and Evaluation of Chemical Remediation Activities webinar for EPA On-Scene Coordinators. The EPA Office of Research and Development presented on the use of provisional advisory levels (PAL). The EPA Office of Emergency Management CBRN Consequence Management and Advisory Division (CBRN CMAD) presented on the process of chemical clearance during an emergency chemical release incident. Our staff assisted the EPA team in developing the event, acted as moderator, and provided technical support. This educational and interactive webinar was critical in providing the On-Scene Coordinators with information that will support them in their efforts during an emergency chemical release event. The webinar was a big success, with approximately 50 participants, and received very positive feedback from attendees.
 EPA Office of Emergency Management gave an interactive presentation on the clearance process after the release of a chemical warfare agent. |  EPA Office of Research and Development gave an interactive presentation on the use of PALs during an emergency chemical release event. |
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Evaluating Chemical Transfer from Pregnant and Nursing Animals
CSS scientists supporting the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Pesticide Programs are reviewing modeling data that evaluates the potential for transfer of chemical residues from pregnant and nursing animals to fetuses and infants. The vast majority of data come from pharmaceuticals, but staff are reviewing some data from pesticides and other environmental contaminants as well.…
Continued Analysis of Contaminants from East Palestine Train Derailment
In February 2023, a freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio spilling chemicals that contaminated surrounding soil, water, and the air. Several Portable High-throughput Integrated Laboratory Identification Systems (PHILIS) – the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) suite of mobile laboratories designed to provide on-site analysis of chemical agents – and staff were mobilized to the site following the accident to conduct analysis of various contaminated media. The CSS…
Discovering the Urchin Killer
A diver collects a long-spined sea urchin. Credit: Blake Gardner Our employee owners were recently part of a team of detectives on a mission to discover the killer of long-spined sea urchins, Diadema antillarumy, throughout the Caribbean Sea. The infected urchins lose their spines, leaving them more vulnerable to predation or dying after a few…