Region 7

300 Minnesota Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas 66101

The EPA Region 7 Laboratory plays a critical role in protecting people's health and the environment. Analysis of air, water, soil and biological samples provides the basis for EPA decision-making.

The laboratory meets the varied needs of many internal and external customers, including Region 7 environmental programs, federal agency partners, tribal, state and local governments, and non-governmental organizations.

The lab specializes in chemical and biological analyses, field sampling services, and air monitoring. (See lab capabilities below.) To ensure quality of environmental data, EPA scientists use state-of-the-art instruments and techniques in the lab and in the field to determine if air, water, soil, plants and animals have been contaminated.

Scientists follow rigorous quality control methods to ensure quality, accurate data. The Region 7 Laboratory is certified by the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Programfor more than 100 known environmental contaminants.

Laboratory Environmental Features

The EPA Region 7 Laboratory is located about one block from the Regional Office. Developed on a former brownfield site, the building employs as many energy, resource, and water-efficient features as possible in its design to preserve natural resources, ensure occupant health, and serve as a sustainable model for laboratory design.

Built in 2003, the facility was the first EPA laboratory constructed with the maximum green building principles, resulting in a Gold Level sustainable design rating from the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED^TM) program. The facility was designated as a Department of Energy Federal Energy Saver Showcase Facility in 2004.

For detailed information on the lab's unique environmental features, visit the Science and Technology Center's Greening EPA Web page. You can also read a summary fact sheet, Sustainable Facilities at EPA: Science and Technology Center, Kansas City, Kansas (PDF) (4 pp, 1.4MB About PDF), or a complete overview brochure, A Case Study of the Kansas City Science & Technology Center (PDF) (20 pp, 3.8MB About PDF).

Laboratory capabilities include:

• Chemical Analyses - analyzes air, water, soil, sediment, and toxic waste samples for various chemicals.
• Biological Analyses - analyzes biological samples, such as fish tissue and other animals, for contamination.
• Air Monitoring - works with state and tribes to implement air monitoring programs with more than 175 monitoring stations throughout Region 7.
• Response Support - responds immediately to emergencies with mobile analytical equipment that can identify and measure environmental and biological contaminants.
• Quality Assurance - ensures that environmental data is precise, accurate, and valid so it can be used to support decision-making.

Laboratory Contact

Michael F. Davis
Laboratory Manager
EPA Region 7
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, KS 66101
(913) 551-5042
davis.michael@epa.gov