About EPA

About Region 3's Laboratory and Field Services at EPA's Environmental Science Center

What We Do

Region 3's Office of Analytical Services and Quality Assurance (OASQA), housed in the EPA Environmental Science Center (ESC) in Fort Meade, Maryland, provides laboratory and technical services for Region 3's air, water and waste programs. The lab:

  • is responsible for analytical services, site/project level data quality assurance, data management and integration;
  • provides both routine and non-routine laboratory analysis; and
  • plays a major role in quality assurance of all Regional data collection and analysis.

The ESC is now certified as a LEED® Building.  The U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®), is a certification program requiring applicants to demonstrate the building's operations as energy efficient and high performing.

Organization

Cynthia Caporale, Associate Director

OASQA includes:

  • Laboratory Branch
  • Technical Services Branch

The ESC also houses:

  • Region 3's Field Inspection Program, which conducts a variety of field investigations including complex multi-media inspections at large regulated facilities. The program also provides technical support to EPA's Criminal Investigation Division.

  • The Office of Pesticides Programs' Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, and Microbiology Laboratory.

  • The ESC Library