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Technical and Program Support (TAPS) teams

The Remediation and Redevelopment Division (RRD) reviews work plans and reports submitted to the division. The review typically includes evaluation of highly technical and scientific concepts to guide decisions for specific sites to ensure protection of public health, safety, welfare, and the environment. The RRD has implemented a peer review process, Remediation and Redevelopment Division Policy and Procedure No. RRD-15, Peer Review Procedure, which is a deliberative process conducted at the District Office or Section level where a project manager’s professional peers assist in rendering the division’s determination on a work plan or report submitted to that office.

At times, the input of division Technical Assistance and Program Support (TAPS) teams is needed to complete the analysis of the merits of the document under review from a technical, regulatory, and policy perspective. 

The TAPS team review is intended to be an assessment of a specific technical or policy issue guided by current scientific advances, best practices, commonly accepted standards, pertinent statutory requirements, and policies. Some sites may require reviews from multiple TAPS teams depending on site conditions. The TAPS Team review is generally intended to be guidance to inform decisions made on a document.

However, there are circumstances where the TAPS Team has the technical and regulatory knowledge required to assess the situation, and/or to determine what is appropriate for the conditions. These circumstances will be included in the standard operating procedures developed for each TAPS Team and are attachments to this document. In an instance where there is a dispute with a TAPS Team recommended action, the Peer Review Decision Maker will engage with division executive management in accordance with RRD-15. Although not required, there may be times when stakeholder participation in the TAPS Team review process may be necessary, appropriate or requested by the submitter and the merit of the involvement should be evaluated by the project manager and supervisor prior to scheduling a TAPS review. 

Responsibilities

The overall responsibilities of the Technical Assistance and Program Support (TAPS) Team include:

  1. Providing technical, regulatory, policy and procedural knowledge for the subject matter of the TAPS Team.
  2. Providing recommendations concerning technical matters based on sound and credible science, including best practices.
  3. Mentoring RRD staff to facilitate their professional development.
  4. Developing recommendations to the RRD Management Team on Policy and Procedures.
  5. Identifying necessary training for staff or the regulated community, relevant to each team’s area of expertise.
  6. Fostering an atmosphere for open and productive technical and regulatory dialogue with staff and the regulated community.
  7. Raising technical and policy issues, as necessary, for further review by the RRD management team.
  8. Compiling and maintaining technical decision documentation for ease of referencing the decisions and to provide technical input to the RRD management team for future policy development. 

EGLE Policy RRD-16: TAPS Teams Procedures