The environmental Laboratory Response Network eLRN

1
The environmental Laboratory Response Network
(eLRN)

• FSEA Meeting
• October 19, 2007

2
What is the eLRN?

• A comprehensive all-hazards/all-environmental
  media laboratory network to support responders
  across a spectrum of activities including
  preparedness, response, remediation, and recovery
  resulting from acts of terrorism or other
  emergencies
• Genesis HSPDs 5, 7, 8, 9, 10
• ICLN RFA Chart
• Focus is TIC, CWA, Rad, limited Bio

3
ICLN Organizational Structure
4
ICLN Response Matrix
JLC agreed to RFAs identified for each phase of
response
5
ICLN Response Matrix continued
6
EPAs Approach to Emergency Response

• EPA is not a first responder
• OSCs respond under National Response Plan and are
  tasked through the National Response Center
  and/or in conjunction with requests from State
  counterparts
• OSCs heavily utilize contract resources and
  commercial laboratories, but some Regions utilize
  local EPA laboratory
• Operate under ICS structures
• Large scale events (INS) establish Field
  Environmental Unit in Planning Section
• Field EU interfaces with HQ EU on issues for
  public release and additional technical support,
  if needed, during INS
• OSCs request analytical services as needed and
  expand required capacities and capabilities as
  event dictates

7
Anatomy of a Response
8
Laboratory Structure
Gold standard reference lab, methods, research,
etc.
OPPTS
ORIA
Confirm/quantify suspected detection
State
Commercial
Commercial
ORIA
Commercial
Routine monitoring
LRN
9
How Does the eLRN Work?

• Managed through Homeland Security Laboratory
  Response Center (HSLRC), OEM, OSWER
• Designed to address laboratory capability and
  capacity to meet environmental analytical needs
  of responders during the initial response through
  recovery phases of an event
• Vision is for a day-to-day support network that
  can seamlessly support events at any level for
  covered contaminants from member laboratories of
  known quality
• Includes coordination of all other infrastructure
  demands of ICLN RFA designations (NHSRC, ORIA,
  OW, NEIC)
• Lab assets obtained through ICS structures or by
  request through other appropriate channels

10
Overview

• The eLRN has made good progress in several areas
• - Homeland Security Laboratory Response
  Center
• - eLRN has 2007 funding
  
• - Membership criteria set for eLRN labs
• - Chemical Warfare Surety program
  established
• - Fixed Chemical Warfare lab capability
  enhanced
• - PHILIS Units delivered to EPA
• - All Hazard Receipt Facilities under
  evaluation
• - Established RAD component
• - Partnership with WLA on Drinking Water

11
Status of HSLRC

• Formal organization proceeding within the Office
  of Emergency Management (OEM)
• Small HQ Team
• - Schatzi Fitz-James, Team Leader
• - Terry Smith, Technical Liaison
• - Allan Antley, Operations Liaison
• - Another position coming
• Will continue to rely on partnerships with
  ORD/NHSRC, Programs, and Regions for project
  staffing and roll out of eLRN with States and
  other potential member labs

12
FY 07 Budget Initiatives

• eLRN/OEM
• 07 Omnibus Bill provides funding at 9.5 M
• for PHILIS/Fixed CWA/Rad program and
  infrastructure
• for logistics to roll out eLRN
• eLRN/ORIA
• 1M for 2 increased capacity labs (w/1m from
  OEM)2M total
• Quality audits of existing Rad labs
• Training program
• eLRN/WLA
• Regional Lab Response Plan program
• Integration of eLRN/WLA operations

13
eLRN Roll Out

• Membership criteria and checklist finalized
• Outreach efforts ongoing with APHL and ACIL
• Have established an EDD for initial reporting
• Working on operational guidance
• Roll out in Phases
• Phase 1-EPA labs
• Phase 2-State/Federal Labs
• Phase 3-Commercial sector/Local labs

14
eLRN Membership Criteria

• Basic elements require
• - Quality System (DW Certification, ISO
  17025 or NELAP
  
• equivalent)
• - Agreement to use eLRN methods
• - Reporting requirements (EDD)
• - Data and information security
• - Participate in proficiency testing
  program
• - Submit to audits
• - Meet lab specific health and safety
  requirements
• - Participate in Laboratory Compendium

15
Laboratory Compendium

• National compilation of laboratory assets
• Includes States, Federal, Commercial labs, Other?
• Designed to allow users to quickly assess
  locations, capabilities, and capacities of member
  labs
• Relies on member labs to update information
• Under redesign for improvements
• Comment period closed August 17 for latest round

16
Current Lab Capacities

• Toxic Industrial Chemicals
• - Informal network of 10 EPA Regional
  Labs, 50 State Labs, EPA Contract Lab Program
  (20 labs), potential access to large commercial
  community
• Estimated Capacity-8,500 samples/week (OK)
• Radiological Agents
• - Capacity from 2 EPA, 2 State, 16
  Commercial, and 9 Federal labs
• Estimated Capacity-4,700 samples/week
  (Need 6,500 up)
• CWA
• -Capacity from 4 Federal and 8 Commercial
  labs
• BOAs in place to access commercial CWA
  facilities
• Interagency Agreement with DOD ECBC
• Estimated Capacity-1-2,000 samples/week
  (Need 5,000 up)

17
EPA/DOD Surety Program

• Received approval for current DOD contractors to
  expand current CWA authorizations to support
  EPAs response and remediation needs, and methods
  research in collaboration with EPA NHSRC
• Second IAG/approval allows EPA use of
  ultra-dilute CWA standards for research and
  calibration of instruments to run CWA samples in
  eLRN labs
• EPA IAG with ECBC for logistics for ultra-dilute
  agent standards prep and transfer

18
Building Fixed CWA Capacity

• DHS funded three prototype fixed labs during FY
  2007 in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic
• Initial labs completed gap analysis and
  infrastructure improvements and can now receive
  agent
• Second round under review for Southeast,
  Southwest, West, and Northwest with DHS/EPA
  funding during 2008
• Review team completed visits for second round
• Will bring to a total of 6-7 fixed CWA labs with
  an increase of over 3,000 samples per week
• Methods issues remain-also see SAM Document
• (http//www.epa.gov/nhsrc/pubs/reportSAM030
  107.pdf)

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Portable High-Throughput Integrated
Laboratory Identification System (PHILIS)

• Originally a high-throughput screening system
  designed to identify and quantify TICs and CWAs
  above PEL
• Redesign of system, niche, and integration with
  EPA response needs completed
• All 3 units delivered to EPA
• PHILIS II under design with performance reviews
  set for Dec.

20
All Hazard Receipt Facilities

• Design Test Modular All Hazard Receipt Unit for
  Unknowns
• Combined Effort of EPA, DHS, DOD and other
  Agencies, to develop and test prototype designs
• Final protocols and procedures ready for testing
  (http//aphl.org/docs/Draft_AHRF_SOP_Guidance_09250
  6.pdf)
• Two prototypes
  delivered Fall 06
• Both facilities assessed
• High identification
• rates of surrogates

21
Radiological Working Group

• NCG sponsored Radiological Working Group
• Charged to evaluate current radioanalytical
  laboratory capability, capacity, and competency
  to respond to a radiological dispersion device
  (RDD)
• Participants include DHS, EPA, CDC, DOE, FDA,DOD,
  and NIST
• Co-Chaired by EPA and CDC
• Follows ICLN RFA responsibilities
• Focus on pilot projects similar to CWA to
  increase Rad capabilities during INS
• Two pilot projects increase capacity by 600
  samples per week

22
Water Lab Alliance Objectives

• Provide capability and capacity to analyze
  routine surveillance and triggered response
  samples in Drinking Water
• Align with existing laboratory networks
• Build foundation for an environmental laboratory
  response capability

23
WLA Approach

• Integration of
• Drinking Water Laboratories
• Wastewater Laboratories
• Commercial Laboratories
• Public Health and Environmental Laboratories
• -CDCs Laboratory Response Network (LRN)
• -EPAs eLRN

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Implementation Activities

• Start-Up Phase
• Identify priority contaminants of concern
• Identify methods and method gaps for priority
  contaminants
• Develop pilot systems
• Establish the WLA framework

25
Current WLA Support Efforts

• Regional Drinking Water Laboratory Response
  Preparedness Project
• Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL)
  Partnership
• Methods Development/Validation
• WLA Implementation Water Security Contamination
  Warning System

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CWS Elements
Elements can alone, or in combination, serve as a
trigger to warrant subsequent action.
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What is your labs role?

• Fl DEP lab will be an eLRN lab
• Local municipal drinking water and waste water
  labs will be potential participants in WLA/eLRN
• FL DOH lab is an LRN lab
• Local Health Labs may be LRN affiliated

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Next Steps

• External
• Partner with other Agencies to address gaps in
  environmental
• analyses
• Formally establish the eLRN and expand the
  national capacity
• for Chemical, Biological and Radiological
  analysis in
• environmental samples
• Participate with ICLN Networks, /MOUs, IAGs
• Outreach to States, other stakeholders
• Internal
• Continue formation of HSLRC
  
• Roll out eLRN
• Continue work on Water Lab Alliance
• Continue projects All Hazard Receipt
  Facilities/PHILIS/F
  ixed Labs
• Continue HSRC activities

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Contacts

• Schatzi Fitz-James eLRN Team
  Leader
• fitz-james.schatzi_at_epa.gov
  [phone]
• Allan Antley eLRN Operations
  Liaison
• antley.allan_at_epa.gov
  [phone]
• Patricia Tidwell-Shelton
  WLA Lead
• tidwell-shelton.patricia_at_epa.gov (202)
  564-6319
• Oba Vincent
  SAM Document vincent.oba_at_epa.gov
  [phone]