Assessing the quality of environmental monitoring programs

Abstract The Environmental Measurements Laboratory is conducting a program to assess the quality of environmental data being reported to the U.S. Department of Energy by 35 of its contractors. This paper presents a description of this assessment program. Semiannually, the Environmental Measurements Laboratory sends samples of soil, water, vegetation, tissue, and filter papers to the participants for analysis. The results of the analyses performed during the 8 years this program has been in operation have been satisfactory.