Superfund Research Program
Research Translation Core
Project Leader: Steven N. Chillrud
Co-Investigator: Stuart Braman (Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University)
Grant Number: P42ES010349
Funding Period: 2006-2021
Project-Specific Links
Final Progress Reports
PublicationsFinal Progress Reports
Over the past year, the Columbia SRP Research Translation Core (RTC) has undertaken several activities related to groundwater issues in general and arsenic contamination in particular. Highlighted here are some of their government- and community-engagement initiatives.
Columbia RTC continues to partner with government agencies at the county, state, and federal levels in New Jersey, New York, New Hampshire, and Maine. At the Vineland Superfund Site, RTC and PI scientists have worked closely with the Remedial Program Manager to determine the most cost-effective and expedient way to remove arsenic contamination from the area’s groundwater. Researchers have provided feedback to key parts of the external review of this Superfund site, based on Columbia's work exploring new arsenic-remediation techniques. The researchers are currently planning additional field and laboratory work in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In New York, the Columbia RTC has continued its collaboration with the Rockland County Department of Health and the United Water Company on a survey of arsenic in the local groundwater in private and public wells. Findings from this study were presented at a community water forum. In addition, over 3,000 people attended the annual open house on Columbia’s Lamont Campus, where researchers organized hands-on activities highlighting issues of water use and arsenic contamination in the United States and Bangladesh. Project scientists working in Maine have also engaged educators, parents, and the local media to promote community involvement in arsenic issues and have launched the Strategic Plan for Arsenic Research in Kids (SPARK) program in five Maine school districts.
In addition to facilitating project-specific research translation, the RTC continues to play a leadership role in advancing the interactions among SRP-funded universities, federal agencies, and communities concerned with Superfund sites. It is working with researchers at EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) / Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to determine the most effective way to integrate existing data related to vulnerable populations near Superfund sites. This coordination across agencies is unique and will help create a comprehensive and effective online mapping tool for agencies and other stakeholders concerned with the impact of Superfund sites on nearby communities. It will also assist researchers interested in examining environmental justice issues more closely.
The RTC scientists are also participating at the national level with initiatives via the National Association of Remedial Project Managers and Partnerships for Environmental Public Health to coordinate interagency activities focused on Superfund sites. Four project scientists have been nominated to the EPA Integrated Risk Information System review of inorganic arsenic. An RTC geospatial specialist presented a poster at the CDC/ATSDR GIS Day on Innovative Methodologies and Mapping to Assess Vulnerable Populations near SF sites: GIS Fostering Collaborations. In addition, researchers have been actively involved with the RTC/CEC Annual Meeting sessions and are committed to help the SRP develop partnerships with EPA and ATSDR as well as implement open-access and data-sharing policies. Ongoing communications are facilitated by monthly seminars, the project website, and participation in agency webinars and forums. Finally, one of the SRP project PIs has taken a leave of absence to take a position with the United Nations Children's Fund in Bangladesh to plan and implement the provision of low-arsenic drinking water to the entire country.