Managing the Quality of Environmental Data at EPA Region 1
The Quality Assurance Unit is a multi-disciplinary group of chemists, scientists, environmental protection specialists and a chemical engineer. The staff is responsible for assuring the quality of data used to make decisions in support of the Agency mission and implementing and assessing the regional Quality system.
The QA Unit provides the following services:
- Technical Assistance:
- Project planning
- Expert chemistry and engineering advice
- Method reviews
- Document reviews
- Plan Reviews:
- Quality Assurance Project Plans
- Quality Management Plans
- Training:
- Quality Assurance and Technical
- Assessments:
- Laboratory
- Field
- Management systems
- Data
- Contract Management:
- Contract Laboratory Program
- Environmental Services Assistance Team
- Quality Systems Documents
Program Guidance & Requirements
- EPA New England Environmental Data Review Program Guidance
- EPA New England Environmental Data Review Supplement
- Example Inorganic Worksheets
- Example Organic Worksheets
- General Guidance
Quality Assurance Tools
EPA New England Quality Assurance Training
Training forms a vital part of the EPA New England Quality System. To assure that quality assurance and quality control responsibilities and specifications are understood at every stage of project implementation, the QA Unit provides training for all levels of EPA management and staff. In addition, QA training is made available to state and tribal partners, grantees and EPA contractors.
Tables
- Contaminants of Concern and Other Target Analytes Table (Project Action Limits and Reporting Limits Table)
- Field Sampling, Field Analytical and Fixed Lab Equipment Calibration Table
- Data Quality Indicators Table
- Project Documentation and Records Table
- Printable Distribution List Table for use in a Quality Assurance Project Plan (PDF) (1 pg, 7 K, About PDF)
- Field and Laboratory Quality Control Sample Summary Table
- Sample Preservation and Holding Time Table
- Reports to Management Table
- Sampling Location and Rationale Table
Miscellaneous
- Handbook for Analytical Quality Control in Water and Wastewater Laboratories
- Introduction to Using Excel Spreadsheets to Assist in Developing Quality Assurance Project Plans
- Generic Quality Assurance Project Plan Guidance for Programs Using Community Level Biological Assessment in Wadable Streams and Rivers
- The Volunteer Monitor's Guide to Quality Assurance Project Plans
- Quality Assurance Guidance for Conducting Brownfields Site Assessments
- Guidance for Quality Assurance Project Plan Development for EPA Funded Cooperative Agreements with State and Tribal Agencies for the Conduct of Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act Pesticide Programs
- California Stream Bioassessment Procedure from December 2003
- Methods for Biological Sampling and Analysis of Maine's Rivers and Streams from April 2014 (PDF) (37 pp, 715 K, About PDF) Exit
- Volunteer Lake Monitoring: A Methods Manual
- National Recommended Water Quality Criteria from 2004
- Volunteer Stream Monitoring: A Methods Manual from November 1997
- Statistical Methods in Water Resources (Download or purchase a copy of the document from the U.S. Geological Survey website)
- Guidance for Assessing Chemical Contaminant Data for Use in Fish Advisories: Volume 1: Fish Sampling and Analysis: Third Edition: November 2000 (PDF) (485 pp, 4.2 MB, About PDF)
- Guidance for Assessing Chemical Contaminant Data for Use in Fish Advisories: Volume 2: Risk Assessment and Fish Consumption Limits: Third Edition: November 2000 (PDF) (383 pp, 1.2 MB, About PDF)