Through a five-month cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA), ORNL researchers will use their expertise in environmental data systems, computer modeling and environmental regulations to help LA County's Department of Public Works.
"This agreement is one of the first efforts to bring the science and technology from one of DOE's national laboratories to address environmental problems in urban areas," said Michael Sale, co-leader of the project and a member of ORNL's Environmental Sciences Division. The CRADA was announced by ORNL Director Alvin Trivelpiece and Harry Stone, director of LA County's Department of Public Works.
The research team from ORNL and LA County will design a new environmental data collection and analysis system to be used by LA County and the 85 municipalities in the county to gather, analyze and report environmental data. Water quality problems in urban storm water runoff are a nationwide problem, so team members expect this project to have wide applicability.
ORNL, one of DOE's multiprogram research facilities, is managed by Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corp.