From September 2017 to April 2018, with Weston Solutions, Inc., Guardian Environmental Services Co. and On-Site Environmental, Inc., EES provided advisory and assistance services to the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs, and other federal officials implementing the EPA responsibilities under the national response system), as part of the Response Support Team (RST), for reconnaissance and recovery tasks of hazardous waste materials and debris generated by Hurricanes Irma and María. Hurricanes generate vast amounts of debris and hazardous waste, and Hurricanes Irma and Maria generated enough debris to fill Yankee Stadium seven times. EPA was the lead federal agency responsible for the collection and proper disposal of oil and hazardous waste material.

EES responsibilities included assisting the North Branch OSCs and other federal officials with operations coordination for the collection and management of domestic hazardous wastes pursuant the requirements of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Public Law 93-288), as amended, as well as FEMA Emergency Support Function #10 (ESF #10 – Oil and Hazardous Materials Response), which is activated as described in the National Response Framework (NRF) in response to an actual and/or potential discharge and/or release of oil or hazardous material. The RST Contract (formerly referred to as: Technical Assistance Team [TAT] and Superfund Technical Assessment & Response Team [START]) provides scientific/technical support for EPA activities in furtherance of the agency’s primary mission: the protection of human health and the environment. For each assigned task, the RST provides appropriately experienced, trained, and accredited personnel with current credentials/certifications as well as all supplies, materials, tools and equipment necessary to complete the job.