EPA Aquatic Resources Impacts Internship

*Applications may be reviewed on a rolling-basis and this posting could close before the deadline. Click here for information about the selection process.

EPA Office/Lab and Location: A research associate opportunity is available at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 6, Dallas, Texas in the NPDES Permitting & Wetlands Section. This Section is responsible for administering the EPA’s wetland protection program within Region 6. There is potential for the research associated to be co-located at the EPA Region 6 Lab, Houston, Texas. Regional program responsibilities are mainly related to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and related regulations by EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA 404) establishes a program to regulate the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States, including wetlands, with EPA primarily interpreting guidance and policy in conjunction with the USACE administering the day-to-day permitting program.

Research Project: Research, review, summarize and compile meaningful ecological performance standards for compensatory mitigation banks and recommend improvements to existing approaches to established standards. The assessment would include an evaluation of the various aquatic resource habitat types found in the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast Region. Mitigation bank types evaluated may include a combination of restoration, establishment, enhancement and preservation of marsh, wetland, stream and riparian areas. The effort would include the evaluation of existing performance standards, monitoring reports, and potential field verification within the TX/LA Gulf Coast Region and nationwide as appropriate. Existing databases and similar studies may also be utilized to guide the effort along with existing models, tools, methods, or protocols, for assessing aquatic resources. The effort would address a critical need to identify and develop robust mitigation bank performance standards to help ensure successful compensatory mitigation projects in support the Compensatory Mitigation Bank Program under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The effort will include coordination with the appropriate resource agencies (e.g., Corps of Engineers, Texas Parks and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) to solicit input regarding aquatic resource criteria.

Additionally, there is an opportunity to investigate and develop potential mapping-based screening tools to evaluate recent land use trends and CWA 404 permit activities to support the integration of Environmental Justice (EJ) priorities into the Regional Wetlands Program. The Greater-Houston, Texas area is one within the Region 6 that has been noted for flooding concerns that impact self-identified environmental justice communities. The Regional Wetlands Program is seeking CWA 404 implementation opportunities with the perspective that prioritizing CWA 404 project reviews will allow for a more effective implementation of EJ policy in the Greater Houston Area. Providing this prioritizing information and datasets will allow for stronger and more detailed comments to permit actions in EJ identified area. Other program areas that may benefit from similar geographic-based prioritization efforts could include Clean Water Act Section 401 coordination, implementation of Regional Streamflow Duration Assessment Methods, and identification of potential beneficial uses of dredged material.