Kansas State University (KSU) leads the consortium comprising the Great Plains/Rocky Mountain Hazardous Substance Research Center, which serves Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regions VII and VIII. Other member universities are Colorado State University, Haskell Indian Nations University, Lincoln University, Montana State University, South Dakota State University, Utah State University, and the Universities of Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Northern Iowa, Utah, and Wyoming. All are located in EPA Regions VII and VIII. The center was established in February 1989 to conduct research pertaining to the identification, treatment, and reduction of hazardous substances resulting from agriculture, forestry, mining, mineral processing, and other activities of local interest. In 1994, efforts of center principal investigators were broadened to include programs for minority academic institutions, technical outreach services for communities, and research and re-education for displaced military and Department of Defense personnel.

The center is headed by Dr. Larry E. Erickson, professor of chemical engineering at Kansas State University (KSU). Dr. Erickson is responsible for coordinating all of the center's activities. He is assisted by Dr. Stanley C. Grant, who is the associate director, and by Dr. Richard B. Hayter, associate dean for extension and outreach and director of engineering extension programs, who oversees the conduct of the center's training and technology transfer program. The center benefits from guidance supplied by a 16-person Science Advisory Committee and an 18-person Training and Technology Transfer Advisory Committee. Members of these committees are listed in Tables 1(A) and 1(B).

*Chair, 1992-1994

**Chair, 1995-Present

Key investigators at non-consortium institutions include Tissa H. Illangasekare, University of Colorado; Joseph B. Hughes, Rice University; Carl G. Johnston, Mycotech Corporation; and Joel R. Coats, Iowa State University.

EPA Regions VII and VIII have a curious diversity of interests resulting from the grouping of mineral-rich states such as Colorado, Montana, and Utah, with the states of the Great Plains whose economic foundations rest on agriculture and animal husbandry. The center defined its original mission in terms of these wide-ranging activities and has undertaken research in the following areas:

A decision was made in May 1990 to assign the highest priority to risk reduction research on soil and processes to clean up contaminated soil. Research proposals were requested based on the following needs and problems which are listed here in order of their priority based on the center’s current mission:

The center has supported research projects at non-consortium institutions through contracts. Less than 10% of the center's funds are allocated for projects at non-consortium institutions.

Diversity of interests in Regions VII and VIII and the large geographic area represented are further reflected in the training and technology transfer program the center currently supports. Much of the center's efforts are dedicated to support of activities which can reach large audiences with a minimum of resources. For example, issues of the center newsletter HazTech Transfer have been widely disseminated across the nation; an information clearinghouse at the Kansas State University Hale Library has been established and contains over 1,000 publications, including center-funded theses, dissertations, reports, and videos; the center has held annual conferences on hazardous waste research since 1986 with more than 70 papers presented at each conference; and general public environmental information activities are ongoing. Proceedings of the 1995, 1996, and 1997 conferences have been published on the Internet and in print form. Many center publications are now available on the World Wide Web at http://www.engg.ksu.edu/HSRC/home.html. These activities, augmented by some carefully selected special audience functions, appear to provide the most effective means of disseminating necessary technical information across this large and varied area.

The center's base support comes from EPA. Participating schools have all made substantial contributions as well. The U.S. Departments of Defense and Energy have partially supported several research projects. Contributions in support of the center have been received from individuals. Additional funding is also being sought through private industry and other public sector organizations; Boeing Commercial Airplane Group, Conoco Inc., Dupont, and Phytotech have contributed to the center through the Kansas State University Center for Hazardous Substance Research Industrial Partnership Program. Montana State University also has an industrial partnership program. The center's funding is summarized in Table 3.

*Includes Tuition and Travel (Rounded Annual Values)