This text was obtained via automated optical character recognition.
It has not been edited and may therefore contain several errors.

---

Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental Chemistry Laboratory
EPA’s Environmental Chemistry Laboratory (ECL) at SSC is a national program laboratory specializing in residue chemistry analysis under the jurisdiction of the agency’s Office of Pesticide Programs in Washington, D.C. ECL’s mission is to analyze environmental and human samples for the presence of pesticides and other pollutants.
ECL’s work supports many federal anti-pollution laws. The laboratory analyzes samples to determine the presence and amount of agricultural chemicals and related chemical substances.
The laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art, sensitive and selective instrumentation, much of which is computerized and automated so that efficiency and high sample output is realized. Through the use of this equipment, a wide variety of sample media such as soil, human blood and urine, surface water, groundwater, sediment, plant and animal tissue can be analyzed. The Office of Pesticide Programs uses the data to monitor and regulate the use of pesticides in the environment.
Gulf of Mexico Program
The Gulf of Mexico Program at SSC, under the leadership of the Environmental Protection Agency, is an intergovernmental effort to develop a comprehensive management plan for future protection of the Gulf environment.
Due to the importance of Gulf of Mexico resources, both nationally and internationally, the Gulf program was established. Currently, hundreds of representatives from federal, state, local and private organizations from all five Gulf states are working together to address environmental concerns.
The Gulf is exposed to toxic chemical and pesticide contamination, overabundance of nutrients, rapid loss of habitats, shellfish contamination, coastal and shoreline erosion, and human influences on freshwater inflow to Gulf estuaries. The program strives to balance the needs and demands of human-related activities and the future conservation and enhancement of marine resources in the Gulf of Mexico.