HAZARD EVALUATION & EMERGENCY RESPONSE (HEER) OFFICE

The Site Discovery Program identifies and assesses sites that are contaminated or potentially contaminated, and managed under HEER Office jurisdiction. Discovery of sites may occur from various initiatives including:

• Targeted sampling of suspect contaminated sites to determine presence or absence of significant contamination
• Assessment and site inspection funded by and coordinated with the U.S. EPA under the federal CERCLA program
• Investigations of public or media reports regarding hazardous substances
• Follow-up on referrals from other government agencies

The State Sites Program includes sites managed under an existing agreement or by voluntary cooperation with the HEER Office. These generally include non-military sites, initiated by non-emergency release reporting or by referral from the Site Discovery Program, where levels of contamination are being assessed or cleaned-up to address applicable Environmental Action Levels. This program primarily includes sites where the responsible party voluntarily cooperates with HEER Office oversight, but either may not be eligible or not interested in the requirements necessary under Fast Track Cleanups or the Voluntary Response Program (described below).

Fast Track Cleanups enables landowners and other private parties to conduct a voluntary assessment or cleanup under a simple agreement with HDOH. The focus of FTC is to streamline and expedite site closure at low and medium priority removal action sites.

The Voluntary Response Program (VRP) is a voluntary assessment and cleanup program intended to address a wide range of site conditions, contamination, and property transactions. In some cases, successful completion of the VRP can include an exemption from future liability.

The Brownfields Redevelopment Program is supported by and reflects the goals of the national brownfields program sponsored by the U.S. EPA. The program facilitates assessment, cleanup, and redevelopment of contaminated property.

The DoD-State Memorandum of Agreement (DSMOA) Program is a formal agreement whereby the HEER Office provides oversight for assessments and cleanups of Department of Defense (DoD) sites. Under this agreement, DoD provides funding to HDOH to support several HEER Office RPM positions.

The HEER Office Report Review Worksheet is a tool intended to be used by the HEER RPMs for reviewing and evaluating reports. This tool can also be used by preparers of reports as a checklist to ensure that the report sufficiently fulfills investigation/cleanup guidance presented in the HEER Technical Guidance Manual.