Location
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Start Date
15-5-2024 2:00 PM
End Date
15-5-2024 2:30 PM
Description
Supply Chain Challenges Impacting CCR Groundwater Monitoring Authors Ms. Jennifer Gable - United States - Environmental Standards Mr. Rock Vitale - United States - Environmental Standards Ms. Amanda Cover - United States - Environmental Standards Abstract CCR groundwater monitoring programs require thoughtful contracting and management of qualified and accredited laboratories to generate high quality data for a variety of assessment and compliance purposes. The capacity available within the commercial laboratory market has been (and continues to be) severely stressed since the onset of COVID-19. As a result of the pandemic, many qualified laboratory analysts and/or key management and QA personnel have opted to retire or seek employment in alternate fields, leaving the major network laboratories with hundreds of openings across their fleet of laboratory facilities. The challenges faced by the laboratory industry are compounded by changing regulatory requirements. In 2023, the US EPA proposed changes to the CCR Rule that would require investigation and monitoring of legacy CCR surface impoundments previously excluded from CCR Rule requirements. The proposed update could bring more than 1,500 additional potential legacy impoundments and CCRMUs under CCR Rule monitoring requirements, significantly increasing demands on laboratories proficient in CCR-related work. In addition, forces such as the litany of new regulation around per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have diverted laboratory resources toward potentially more lucrative service offerings. This presentation will discuss the challenges that commercial laboratories have faced since the pandemic and in the face of increased regulatory pressure. This presentation will include survey results from both sampling consultants and commercial laboratories on current service, capacity, and data turn-around-time obstacles and will present best practices for managing these reporting challenges.
Document Type
Event
Supply Chain Challenges Impacting CCR Groundwater Monitoring
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Supply Chain Challenges Impacting CCR Groundwater Monitoring Authors Ms. Jennifer Gable - United States - Environmental Standards Mr. Rock Vitale - United States - Environmental Standards Ms. Amanda Cover - United States - Environmental Standards Abstract CCR groundwater monitoring programs require thoughtful contracting and management of qualified and accredited laboratories to generate high quality data for a variety of assessment and compliance purposes. The capacity available within the commercial laboratory market has been (and continues to be) severely stressed since the onset of COVID-19. As a result of the pandemic, many qualified laboratory analysts and/or key management and QA personnel have opted to retire or seek employment in alternate fields, leaving the major network laboratories with hundreds of openings across their fleet of laboratory facilities. The challenges faced by the laboratory industry are compounded by changing regulatory requirements. In 2023, the US EPA proposed changes to the CCR Rule that would require investigation and monitoring of legacy CCR surface impoundments previously excluded from CCR Rule requirements. The proposed update could bring more than 1,500 additional potential legacy impoundments and CCRMUs under CCR Rule monitoring requirements, significantly increasing demands on laboratories proficient in CCR-related work. In addition, forces such as the litany of new regulation around per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have diverted laboratory resources toward potentially more lucrative service offerings. This presentation will discuss the challenges that commercial laboratories have faced since the pandemic and in the face of increased regulatory pressure. This presentation will include survey results from both sampling consultants and commercial laboratories on current service, capacity, and data turn-around-time obstacles and will present best practices for managing these reporting challenges.
