Findings of the Regulatory Program Work Group at the Water Quality Specialist Meeting February 3, 1993, in Albuquerque, New Mexico



In Reply Refer To:                               January 12, 1994
Mail Stop 412


OFFICE OF WATER QUALITY TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM NO. 94.07

Subject: Findings of the Regulatory Program Work Group at the Water Quality
         Specialist Meeting February 3, 1993, in Albuquerque, New Mexico

This memorandum updates Office of Water Quality (OWQ) Technical Memorandum
No. 94.03 by describing activities within the Water Resources Division (WRD)
that have addressed several of the work group findings.

1. Finding No. 1 stated:  "The NWIS-I database is not suitable for storing
   the data generated by regulatory programs."  The work group recommended
   that the WRD "actively support the development of a regulatory program
   database that can be used by all Districts."

   Relative to this recommendation, the U.S. Department of Defense
   Environmental Contamination (DODEC) Program, the National Water Quality
   Laboratory (NWQL), and the OWQ have been working for several years to
   develop a relational data base (based on INGRES) to store all field and
   laboratory analytical data acquired by DODEC projects.  This effort has
   been coordinated with the development of NWIS-II.  The DODEC INGRES data
   base has been installed and is now operational on several District Data
   General systems.  This data base is available on request to any District.
   For information, please contact Carol N. Gerlitz at the NWQL (303-467-8029
   (CGERLITZ)) or John D. Powell (703-648-6861 (JDPOWELL)), DODEC Program
   Manager.

2. Finding No. 3 stated:  "* * * the slow WRD reports approval process has a
   negative impact on the timely delivery of the Director approved reports."

   As follow-up, we checked to see whether the reports review and approval
   process at Headquarters did represent a timeliness problem for DODEC
   reports.  We found that no report from the DODEC program has been delayed
   or late because of actions taken by reports approval personnel located
   outside of District offices.  This is largely the result of excellent
   communication developed between the DODEC Program Manager and the the Staff
   Hydrologists for Reports, Branch of Scientific Publications.  WRD
   Memorandum No. 93.22, issued April 6, 1993, was the result of cooperative
   efforts of the above individuals to ensure that the report review system
   serves the Division's interests.

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3. Finding No. 3 also stated: "There is concern that using administrative
   reports will limit technology transfer."

   Each national Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) with the military requires
   that--for the Installation Restoration Program (IRP)--study results must
   be released to the military in an Administrative Report.  The MOU's further
   state that upon acceptance of the Administrative Report by the military,
   the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is free to publish the data and results.

   In addition to the required Administrative Reports, the DODEC Program
   Manager advises all DODEC projects to also plan for and publish either a
   Survey series report or a journal article.  This goal has been facilitated
   by a new arrangement between the DODEC Program Manager and the Branch of
   Scientific Publications.  Now, Director's approval of non-Survey or Survey
   series reports can be obtained simply by sending a copy of the approved
   Administrative Report along with the draft report from the District
   directly to the Staff Hydrologists for Reports.

4. Finding No. 5 stated:  "Safety training and medical monitoring programs
   related to hazardous materials studies need to be developed and emphasized
   in the WRD."

   From the initial involvement in Superfund and related studies, the Division
   has followed the USGS, the U.S. Department of the Interior, and the U.S.
   Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) safety and health requirements for
   conducting hazardous-waste studies.  The Division's health and safety
   requirements have changed as the USEPA requirements have evolved.  The
   Division now has in place a safety and medical monitoring program that is
   coordinated by the Branch of Operational Support.  Participation in this
   program is required of all Division projects that have potential to expose
   WRD employees to hazardous materials or unsafe environments.  Specific
   guidance is provided in WRD Memorandum No. 93.33 dated July 15, 1993.




                                 David A. Rickert
                                 Chief, Office of Water Quality

Key words: Regulatory program, Water Quality Specialist meeting

This memorandum updates Office of Water Quality Technical Memorandum
No. 94.03.

Distribution: A,B,S,FO,PO,AH


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