EPA Research in Indiana

EPA researchers are working hard to protect communities across the nation. Learn about some of the work EPA researchers are doing in Indiana.

• EPA Researchers Explore Brownfield Revitalization’s Effects on Communities
• Air Sensor Loan Programs: Promoting Air Quality Education by Bringing Sensors to You!
• Restoring a Unique Area in Northwest Indiana
• EPA Researchers Analyzing How Warming Temperatures Will Affect Harmful Algal Blooms in Reservoirs
• EPA Researchers Help Water Systems Keep Lead out of Drinking Water

For more EPA work, see EPA in Indiana.

EPA Researchers Explore Brownfield Revitalization’s Effects on Communities

Brownfields are underused properties where expansion, reuse, or redevelopment is complicated due to the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. Cleaning up these sites offers several benefits to the community, but there are also concerns that some residents may be impacted in unforeseen ways. EPA researchers collected and analyzed neighborhood-level data in four neighborhood areas, including Indianapolis, with brownfields and explored the impacts of brownfields cleanup and reuse. Read EPA Researchers Explore Brownfield Revitalization’s Effects on Communities.

Air Sensor Loan Programs: Promoting Air Quality Education

As interest in local air quality increases, so does the demand for air sensors—the smaller, lower cost, non-regulatory technologies that measure air quality. However, air sensors are not always accessible to everyone. EPA worked with the Los Angeles Public Library to start a pilot air sensor loan program that then expanded to the Midwest, to provide local communities in Indiana with access to air sensors and guidance on using them. Read Air Sensor Loan Programs: Promoting Air Quality Education by Bringing Sensors to You!

Restoring a Unique Area in Northwest Indiana

The Grand Calumet River, flowing mainly through northwestern Indiana, is in one of the most heavily industrialized areas in the United States. The river has been recognized as an Area of Concern since the 1980s largely due to legacy pollutants. EPA scientists are providing technical assistance to several projects associated with restoring the Grand Calumet River. Read Restoring a Unique Area in Northwest Indiana.

EPA Researchers Analyzing How Warming Temperatures Will Affect Harmful Algal Blooms in Reservoirs

Climate change and ongoing nutrient pollution may cause more frequent and intense cyanobacterial blooms. However, there is limited historical monitoring data that can show the rate and severity of the potential increase. To address this issue, EPA scientists collaborated with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to compile and analyze over 30 years of monitoring data from 20 U.S. reservoirs located in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. Read EPA Researchers Analyze 30 Years of Data to Understand How Warming Temperatures Will Affect Harmful Algal Blooms in Reservoirs.

EPA Researchers Help Water Systems Keep Lead out of Drinking Water

If a system has lead service lines, limiting corrosion is a necessary step to reduce lead exposure from drinking water. Water systems in EPA’s Region 5 - comprised of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio - shared lead service line pipes and water quality data with EPA researchers. EPA and others used predictive solubility models to help drinking water systems pick the right corrosion control treatment for their system’s individual needs. Read EPA Researchers Help Water Systems Keep Lead out of Drinking Water.