Site Assessment Unit

The Site Assessment Unit is responsible for performing assessments at sites with actual or potential releases of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants which may impact the human health and/or environment of the citizens of the State of Kansas. Citizens' complaints, new site discoveries and local government referrals are assessed using money obtained through a grant agreement from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Site Assessment Program

Sites that have been properly assessed by the Site Assessment Program are then referred to a state or federal program for appropriate response action. In 1996, the Unit assessed 67 sites and of those sites, 46 were referred to other state programs without further federal involvement; no further action was determined for ten of those sites. In 1997, the Unit assessed 60 additional sites.

Field Support

The Site Assessment Unit also provides the field support for the Remedial Section and other sections within the Bureau of Environmental Remediation. Staff in the unit are highly trained to properly assess contaminated sites and have a variety of field equipment available to assist in the site assessments. Field resources include drilling rigs, geoprobe units, a mobile laboratory, geophysical tools, an x-ray fractionator, a ground water sampling trailer, and other numerous types of field equipment.