EPA Research in South Dakota

Explore EPA's research across the United States.

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

Technical Support for Ellsworth Air Force Base
Satellite Derived Measures of Cyanobacteria
Risk Assessment Training

For more EPA work, see EPA in South Dakota.

Technical Support for Ellsworth Air Force Base

U.S. Air Force bomber approaches runway in preparation for take off

Researchers from EPA’s Engineering Technical Support Center, part of the Office of Research and Development, are helping the Air Force tackle environmental remediation and cleanup at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. A half century of operations, including the use of PFAS-containing firefighting foam, have led to environmental contamination and the area’s designation as a Superfund site. Research support includes a review of the Air Force’s proposed sampling design for PFAS contamination, and an extensive review of the contract laboratories conducting PFAS analyses.

Learn more about EPA's Technical Support Centers

Satellite Derived Measures of Cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria blooms are an environmental and human health problem across the US. They are capable of producing toxins, odors, and surface scum that threaten the health of humans and animals, the quality of drinking water supplies, and the ecosystems in which they develop. EPA developed the CyAN app and CyANWeb, easy-to-use and customizable applications that provide access to algal bloom satellite data for over 2,000 of the largest lakes and reservoirs across the US. States with lakes, like South Dakota, can use CyAN to make faster and better-informed management decisions related to cyanobacterial blooms.

Risk Assessment Training

In 2015, EPA Office of Research and Development (ORD) partnered with the Interstate and Technology Regulatory Council (ITRC), a program of the Environmental Research Institute of the States, to develop specialized training for state risk assessors responsible for the cleanup of chemicals released into the environment. The ITRC team of approximately 75 representatives from various environmental sectors, including the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources, completed a comprehensive web-based training module. ORD scientists provided expert technical support as needed along the development processes and extensive peer reviews before release of the final product.