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Lead at Superfund Sites: Technical Assistance
The Technical Review Workgroup (TRW) is an interoffice workgroup convened by the Superfund program. Its goal is to support and promote consistent application of the best science in the field of risk assessment for metals and asbestos at contaminated sites nationwide. The TRW is composed of three committees: 1) Lead, 2) Asbestos and 3) Bioavailability.
Lead Committee Mission
The Lead Committee Mission reviews applications of metals and asbestos risk assessment methodologies at hazardous waste sites. Primarily, these reviews are intended to promote the application of scientifically sound and consistent approaches to risk assessment. The Lead Committee is responsible for developing national guidance and documentation on the structure, application, and validation of the IEUBK model. The Lead Committee reviews applications of other exposure, uptake, and biokinetic models used to assess lead risks at sites in which children are not expected to be the most sensitive population, such as industrial land use scenarios. The Lead Committee also advises Superfund management on risk assessment concerns for metals and asbestos.
Expertise of the Lead Committee
The principal members of the Lead Committee are technical staff from EPA Regions, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) Headquarters, and Office of Research and Development National Center for Environmental Assessment (ORD/NCEA). Lead Committee members generally have an active interest and recognized scientific expertise in metals or asbestos risk assessment.
Accessing the Lead Committee
Regional and state risk assessors and project managers may submit written or electronic requests for Lead Committee review to the Lead Committee co-chairs:
- Scott Everett (severett@utah.gov) Utah Department of Environmental Quality
- Charles Partridge (partridge.charles@epa.gov) U.S. EPA Region 8
- Michele Burgess (burgess.michele@epa.gov) U.S. EPA OSRTI Washington, D.C.
If a legal concern for confidentiality exists, documents should be submitted to the Lead Committee through regional legal counsel.
Response from the Lead Committee
The time required for the Lead Committee to complete a site-specific review will depend on the nature of the request and the extent of the review requested (i.e., a brief consultation or a thorough, in-depth review). Because the Lead Committee meets bi-monthly via teleconference, a substantial request for assistance should be submitted at least two months prior to a desired response.
The purpose of a Lead Committee review is to provide scientifically sound and consistent guidance to assist Regions and States in the appropriate use of the IEUBK model (or other risk assessment methodologies). The Lead Committee's written response and recommendations offer scientific support for the appropriate applications of the IEUBK model; however, Regions and States are neither required nor obligated to implement Lead Committee recommendations in site-specific risk assessments.
Questions concerning the use of the IEUBK software may be submitted to the TRW hotline.
- TRW Hotline
Questions may be submitted to the TRW hotline in either of the following ways:
- For Lead questions, send an e-mail to pbhelp@epa.gov.
- Call the toll-free TRW hotline at 1-866-282-8622. If a hotline staff member is not available to speak with you, you may leave a message on the hotline voicemail system.
Hotline requests are received and logged by staff members. Technical experts will respond to the call within 24 hours. In some instances, further research may be required to respond to the request. The requester will be notified of all progress. Hotline requests that require significant research are referred to the appropriate committee for review and consideration. If responses to hotline questions require discussion during a teleconference, the requesters are notified and may be encouraged to participate in the teleconference. The written response summarizing the Committee's review and recommendations will be provided after the teleconference.