Site Investigations
The Site Investigation (SI) Program within the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) was established in 1983. Its mission is to fulfill the assessment portion of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980 or Superfund Program for the state of Indiana. Although some activities in the section have changed since 1983, the mission remains the same - assess potential hazardous waste sites and prioritize them for cleanup, according to their impact to human health and/or the environment. Site Investigation performs various assessments and investigations of sites and facilities throughout the state. Investigations are conducted in order to evaluate sites for their potential to be placed on the National Priorities List or for refferal to another cleaup program. Site investigations include assessing conditions or practices at a site to determine whether they do presently, or may likely in the future, contribute to environmental contamination from a variety of potential sources. Assessments also evaluate possible targets in the area that may be affected by any discovered contamination.
SI is funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) to perform assessments. The U.S. EPA Region 5 Office, located in Chicago, works with IDEM in the form of a cooperative agreement. The agreement outlines the commitments and responsibilities between the U.S. EPA and IDEM.
Currently, there are seven SI project managers, with offices in downtown Indianapolis, at the Indiana Government Center North on the 11th floor. To contact the Site Investigation Section, please call (317) 233-2570.
Overview of Assessment Process
The assessment process typically begins with SI staff receiving a complaint, site report, or site referral from other IDEM personnel, citizens, or county health department officials. Staff gather preliminary information about the site and identify possible negative impacts to human health and/or the environment. A site inspection may also be required. After the preliminary information is collected, the site is prioritized using either the PreScore or QuickScore computer model. Use of these computer models involves professional judgment that may include an evaluation of the overall site score, an evaluation of the site's past land use, possible sources of contamination, and sensitive environments. Staff may determine that environmental samples, such as water, soil, or sediment, need to be collected. If sample results or observations made during the site visit show that there is an immediate threat to human health and/or the environment, an immediate removal action could be recommended. Staff may expand the investigation at this point in the process by collecting additional environmental samples or by gathering other types of useful information. Once all data collected has been evaluated, IDEM staff and management determine how best to deal with the site on a long-term basis.
A site may be diverted to other programs within IDEM, such as State Cleanup or Federal Programs, at any time during the assessment process, if jurisdiction falls to another authority within IDEM. The site could also be referred to the U.S. EPA if it possibly qualifies for the Federal Superfund Program. Community relations are a key to success when working with the assessment process. Often members of a particular community may be able to provide important detailed information regarding a site. The SI staff are available to discuss these programs or provide assistance at any time.
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