The role of ecological risk assessment in state Superfund programs: The Oregon experience
- Dept. of Environmental Quality, Portland, OR (United States). Waste Management and Cleanup Div.
Oregon has recently enacted amendments to its state Superfund law which emphasize risk-based remedial action decisions. The rules, consistent with the amended law, have eliminated the previous cleanup standards of ``background`` and ``lowest feasible concentration.`` These standards have been replaced with risk-based standards requiring consideration of site-specific factors. The acceptable risk levels do not have to be achieved through treatment methods, nor, in all instances must the contaminants be removed. Acceptable risk levels may be achieved by reducing the concentration of the hazardous substance or by blocking or preventing exposure. The characteristics of the site, surrounding environment, and the nature of contaminants, influence which method will be used to attain the protectiveness standard for the cleanup. The amended statute and the rules both require that human health and ecological risk be given equal consideration. Thus, Oregon joins a number of other states that are, or are considering, explicitly including ERAs in their environmental protection programs. Oregon`s implementation of the legislative mandate to recognize and respond to risks to ecological resources involved a variety of unique issues and challenges. Five of the most compelling issues discussed in this paper, that were and are being addressed during implementation of ERAs in Oregon, are: (1) Definition of what constitutes an ecological receptor; (2) Establishment of assessment endpoints as early as possible in the ERA process; (3) Quantitative definition of the term ``...the point before significant adverse impacts occur...`` and establishment of acceptable risk levels for ecological receptors; (4) Allowance for use of probabilistic methods when establishing acceptable risk levels for ecological receptors; and (5) A phased or tiered approach to ERA to allow for a better balance between site complexity and an investigation`s level of effort.
- OSTI ID:
- 353497
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-970677--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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