- Success Stories
- Environmental Resource Assessment & Management
Conducting Greenhouse Soil Tests for Soil Remediation Recommendations
There are thousands of abandoned mines in the Western United States and residual heavy metal concentrations can be high in mine spoils. These spoils can also be quite acidic. Acidic soils with high concentrations of heavy metals can significantly impact the re-establishment and growth of native plant species at these sites. Even after removal of soils with the highest heavy metal concentrations, re-establishment of native species can be difficult because of the high acidity.
Through our contract with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), CSS employee owners are supporting studies to develop methods for remediating contaminated mine soil and re-establishing native vegetation. This effort is important to helping prevent runoff and contamination of streams draining into larger watersheds.
As part of this work, CSS plant scientists are conducting greenhouse tests for the EPA to determine which soil amendments, such as biochar and lime, are most effective at mitigating the impacts of the metal contamination and acidity on the growth of native plants. This information will be used in recommendations for field applications of soil amendments at mine sites.
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Over 40 Years of Support
Since 1982, members of our staff have supported EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs. As part of this contract, our staff assess environmental and human health impacts on anthropogenic chemicals. The agricultural industry is critical to food and textile production, it is a large contributor to the U.S. economy. Not only does the industry provide food…
Contributing to the Next Generation Fire System
CSS plays a key role on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Atmospheric Sciences and Technology Applications Fire Detection Team, contributing to the development and validation of next generation wildfire detection capabilities. Working alongside subject matter experts and scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, CSS Employee Owners support efforts to evaluate and improve experimental…
Responding to Tangipahoa River Contamination
Following a fire at Smitty’s Supply facility in Louisiana’s Tangipahoa Parish on August 22, 2025, a CSS employee owner supporting the Environmental Protection Agency’s Superfund Technical Assistance and Response Team (START) sub-contract deployed to the scene on August 31 to assist with response efforts. Initially the staff member worked on logistics at the staging warehouse.…