EPA Pacific Southwest (Region 9) Regional Laboratory
EPA’s Pacific Southwest (Region 9) implements and enforces federal environmental laws in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, the Pacific Islands, and 148 tribal nations.
What We Do
Located in Corvallis and Newport, Oregon, and in Hayward, California, the Region 9 Laboratory is an integrated science center whose mission is to protect human health and the environment in EPA’s Pacific Southwest region. Our full service, state-of-the-art facilities specialize in providing chemical and biological analyses, field sampling services, and technical expertise to EPA, state, tribal and other partners.
Biology Services
The lab provides a diverse range of biological laboratory services to support program offices of EPA, states, and tribes in Region 9. The types of assistance available include aquatic and sediment toxicity testing and microbiological testing on drinking water, ambient water, wastewater effluent, and ground water samples to verify the presence or absence of and quantify bacteria indicating fecal contamination. The team also provides analytical support, technical assistance, and training in these three areas. Also find related links to sources of EPA test methods, sediment toxicity, and more. The biology staff are an ongoing resource for technical assistance in biological methods and field sampling techniques, reviews of regional and state projects, and water resources assessment and monitoring programs.
Chemistry Services
The lab has a wide range of analytical chemistry capabilities to support environmental decision-making. Environmental samples are analyzed for organic and inorganic contaminants in a variety of media including water, soil/sediment, air and animal tissue. Lab analytical services generate data to support many of EPA’s programs including RCRA and CERCLA (Superfund), drinking water monitoring, air quality monitoring, and the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program.
Field Services
Field services include collecting environmental samples, conducting field audits of EPA contractors who are collecting samples for performing site investigations, conducting on-site field analyses at Superfund sites (supported by mobile laboratories), and providing technical assistance and training to other EPA program offices. Region 9's field staff also work on several field projects to assess environmental quality in the Pacific Southwest.