Program Objectives - CERA

The Center for Environmental Remediation and Assessment will:

• Leverage Extensive Previous and On-Going Research on Assessment and Remediation to include Restoration and Reuse - with Focus on renewable energy, and reliable and resilient remedies which can be successful with global climate changes
• Collaborate with and leverage existing CAMP and MBMG Research Centers and Student/Workforce Development Programs at Highlands and CFWEP to align with and support an integrated program with view towards cradle to cradle developments and technologies.
• Serve as an integrated repository for science-based evaluation of three fundamental contributing factors to successful Environmental Technologies: Effectiveness, Sustainability and Value. 
• Develop new prediction and observation tools to evaluate remedy sustainability, adaptability and resilience with focus on the intersection of remedy effectiveness and climatic change
• Expand and Strengthen Industry, Government and Academic Collaborations
• Grow the Scale, Relevancy and Use of the Research
• Attract Private Investment through Innovation and Value
• Communicate the results of the Center of Environmental Remediation and Assessment projects to persons and organizations interested in environmental remediation, restoration, reuse and renewable technology, including managers, policy makers, scientists, decision makers, students and any others interested in these technologies.

In order to achieve the Center’s Outcomes, the Proposed Research projects will include:

• Analysis of the locally viable renewable energy assets for integration in facility decommissioning plans[solar, wind, geothermal],
• Review, evaluate and further development of new as well as improved water treatment techniques,
• Revegetation and remote clean up technologies,
• Predictive remedy assessment based on climatic changes, and
• Restoration acceleration.

The tested sites are projected to include the Butte-Anaconda mining complex and Montana’s numerous abandoned mines.