Assuring Quality in Federal Cleanups
On this page:
EPA plays a unique role in the quality assurance process for land cleanup, providing oversight to other federal agencies cleaning up federally owned land. While the main focus is on NPL sites, EPA provides technical support for cleanups at non-NPL sites and sites being cleaned up under other authorities, such as RCRA. Quality assurance efforts set a minimum standard for how to conduct land cleanup activities and help to provide guidance to agencies and contractors planning cleanups.
Policy
Memorandum: Uniform Federal Policy for Quality Assurance Project Plans
Issued by the Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Environment, Safety and Occupational Health in 2006, requesting DoD components begin immediate implementation of the UFP-QAPP.
Uniform Federal Policy for Quality Assurance Project Plans
The Uniform Federal Policy for Quality Assurance Project Plans (UFP-QAPP) is a consensus document prepared by the Intergovernmental Data Quality Task Force (IDQTF). It provides instructions for preparing Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs) for any environmental data collection operation.
A QAPP is a formal document describing in comprehensive detail the necessary quality assurance (QA), quality control (QC), and other technical activities that must be implemented to ensure that the results of the work performed will satisfy the stated performance criteria.
Part 1: UFP-QAPP Manual - March 2005
Part 2A (Original): UFP-QAPP Workbook (505-B-04-900C) - March 2005
Part 2A (Revised): Optimized UFP-QAPP Worksheets - March 2012 | ufp_qapp_worksheets.zip(42 pp, 622 K) *
Part 2B: Quality Assurance/Quality Control Compendium: Minimum QA/QC Activities
Frequently Asked Questions: Uniform Federal Policy for Quality Assurance Project Plans
Uniform Federal Policy for Quality Assurance Project Plans - Training Materials
This page contains materials for running a training on how to plan projects using the Uniform Federal Policy for Quality Assurance Project Plans (UFP QAPP).
* The Optimized UFP-QAPP worksheets refer to EPA’s Guidance for Quality Assurance Project Plans (EPA QA/G-5) (PDF) (111 pp, 512 K, About PDF). EPA QA/G-5 is currently under revision. Although the document is being revised, the general quality standard tenets that it lays out are sound, and the Optimized QAPP worksheets that refer to it are still acceptable for use.
Other Information
The collection, use, and dissemination of information of known and appropriate quality are integral to ensuring that EPA achieves its mission. Disseminated information should adhere to a basic standard of quality, including objectivity, utility, and integrity.
Intergovernmental Data Quality Task Force: Scope, Elements, Basis, Benefits, Implementation
Superfund Analytical Services: Quality Assurance/Quality Control
Contacts
For more information or to submit your comments, please contact:
Charlotte Bertrand
Director, US EPA Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Office
Telephone: (202) 564-0539
E-mail: bertrand.charlotte@epa.gov
Ellen Treimel
US EPA Federal Facilities Restoration and Reuse Office
Telephone: (202) 564-0557
E-mail: treimel.ellen@epa.gov