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Environmental Science

Human Health and Environmental Risk

Protecting human health and the environment from the harmful effects of energy production and hazardous waste is a global challenge that EVS addresses through modeling and assessments to characterize and manage risks.

Modeling and Analytics

EVS conducts modeling studies to evaluate the risks posed to human health and the environment by the use, storage, transport, disposal, and release of hazardous materials. Our models have been used to predict the behavior of contaminants in the environment, determine compliance with regulatory dose criteria, and evaluate remedial technologies to make informed environmental decisions for a multitude of sites across the United States.

TheRESRAD family of codes, developed by EVS researchers andused widely by federal and state regulatory agencies, is internationally recognized as the industry standard for modeling risks of exposure to residual radioactivity.

Legacy and Environmental Management

Decision makers use risk-based criteria developed by EVS to characterize the risk associated with residual radioactivity and chemical contamination at legacy sites and identify optimal strategies for their cleanup, waste disposition, and future use.

EVS also conducts environmental and safety reviews in support of federal licensing and license renewals for nuclear reactors and nuclear fuel cycle facilities.

Environmental Restoration

Through programs like the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) and the Applied Geosciences and Environmental Management (AGEM) Program, EVS has improved both field and laboratory methods for characterizing and restoring sites with radiological and/or chemical contamination.

Our researchers have also evaluated the ecological risk associated with the movement of invasive aquatic species between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins and the feasibility and effectiveness of management strategies to control their movement and protect priority species.

Technical Support for Risk Assessment and Site Remediation

EVS provides technical support through the development of online tools and training courses and workshops. Our training courses include Radiological Assessments using MARSSIM and RESRAD for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and state regulators; Human Health Risk Assessment, Ecological Risk Assessment, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)/Geostatistic for the Navy and other Department of Defense services; and Remediation of Sites with Radioactive Contamination, conducted in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Research Highlights