Onsite Analytical Support Following Hurricane Harvey
CSS helped EPA protect the communities affected by Hurricane Harvey from volatile and semi-volatile water contaminants.
Traveling Through a Historic Storm to Expand EPA Onsite Analytical Capacity During an Emergency
Hurricane Harvey began its historic assault on the Gulf Coast region in late August 2017. While the storm was still slowly churning across Texas and Louisiana, EPA Region 6 requested analytical support from the mobile laboratory units CSS operates for EPA. We mobilized two analytical units from Castle Rock, CO towards the requested destination of Corpus Christi, TX. However, EPA’s orders changed over the course of the next day in response to newly emerging needs. As a result, two CSS chemists flew to Corpus Christi, then drove more than five hours through heavy rain to San Antonio and then to the Region 6 laboratory in Houston before finally meeting up with the redirected mobile laboratory units. By the following day, the units were ready to receive and analyze samples, handling a total of 67 water samples and 1 soil sludge matrix from 16 different sites over a two-week period. Preliminary results were submitted to EPA within 48 hours, helping the Agency protect the affected communities from volatile and semi-volatile contaminants and speed cleanup efforts.
Additional Projects
Quick Response Guides for Emergency Response
CSS prepares tactical, field, and quick response guides used by EPA OSCs and other first responders to address a wide range of contaminants.
Guiding Wildfire Response and Recovery
CSS supports communities following catastrophic wildfires to ensure that items discarded during site cleanup are properly identified, sorted, and sent to an appropriate disposal facility.
ITC Tank Farm Fire Emergency Response
In response to a dangerous fire EPA ordered CSS’ senior field operations specialists to a facility near Houston where massive tanks stored highly flammable liquids to help manage emergency response activities.
Service Areas
Emergency Preparedness & Response
We help our clients prepare for and protect the health and environment of communities after disasters and hazmat releases.
Safety, Health, & Environmental Compliance
We provide our clients with tools to protect their workforce, the public, and the environment.
Space Science Application Support & Operations
We deliver scientific support to advance our clients’ research goals.
Environmental Resource Assessment & Management
We apply science to address challenges affecting the nation’s natural resources.
Facilities Operations & Maintenance
We understand your facility support needs and deliver customized solutions.
Human Health Risk Assessment
We help advance the understanding of chemical effects on people and the environment.
Get in touch
Contact us to learn more about our projects, capabilities, solutions, and service offerings.