UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460
MAY 3 1993
OFFICE OF
SOLID WASTE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE
MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT: Preliminary Asss$nrfentfcA) Review Checklist
FROM:
Sitq/Assessment Branch (OS-5204G)
TO: Federal Facility Contacts
I am providing the attached PA review checklist as a
supplement to the Guidance for Performing Preliminary Assessments
Under CERCLA (EPA/540/G-91013 , September 1991) that you had
previously received.
This checklist summarizes the most important factors that
each PA may need to evaluate and each PA report may need to
address. Anyone conducting a PA can use this checklist to ensure
the adequacy of the PA report. Likewise, PA reviewers can use
the checklist as a review guide.
If you have any comments or questions on this checklist,
please call John Hollister at (703) 603-8835.
Attachment.
cc: Don Franklin (OFFE)
Site Assessment Section Chiefs (Regions 1 - 10)
Printed on Recycled Paper
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9345.0-08
PB93-963342
4/28/93
PA REVIEW CHECKLIST
Site Name:
CERCLIS ID No.:
Location (City, County, State):
Prepared by (Agency):
Date:
Reviewer Name:
Agency:
Document Reviewed:
(PA Report/Scoresheets/Both)
Date of Review:
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Site Name:.
PA REPORT REVIEW CHECKLIST
The preliminary assessment (PA) review checklist was designed to evaluate the
quality of PA work products. The review will ensure that EPA decisions concerning
the disposition of sites are made in a nationally consistent, scientifically Dased, and
efficient manner.
The order in which information is presented in the PA does not have to be
consistent with the checklist, but the PA should be organized in a logical sequence
and consistent with PA guidance. Relevant pages of the PA guidance manual
(Guidance for Performing Preliminary Assessments Under CERCLA, OSWER
Directive 9345.0-01A, September 1991) are provided in parentheses throughout the
checklist.
All factual information should be referenced in the PA report and PA
scoresheets with page numbers provided. The reviewer should place a checkmark in
the "Ref(s) Checked" column when information is verified in the references. If the
information is not supported by the reference material or the information is not
referenced, the reviewer should place an NS (not supported) in this column. The
reviewer may write in the space provided and attach sheets as necessary.
The reviewer should indicate in the left column whether the following
information is included in the PA narrative by placing a Y (yes), N (no), or NA (does
not apply to the site) in the space provided. Place an I (incomplete) in the left
column for information that is included but is not complete, and an S (scoresheets) if
the information is included in the scoresheets but not in the PA report. The bold,
italicized areas highlight several critical factors.
This checklist and the PA guidance manual can be ordered
from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) by calling
703-487-4650. To order both documents, the order number is
PB92-963303. The checklist by itself is order number PB93-963342.
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Site Name:
I. PA Content
Ref(s)
Introduction Checked?
Does the PA include the following information:
Agency/name of organization performing PA (p. 145)
Authority under which PA was conducted (p. 145)
Site name (p. 14)
Site alias (names other than that entered in CERCLIS) (p. 15)
Site address (street, city, county, state) (p. 145)
CERCLIS ID number (p. 15)
Site name and ID number identical to CERCLIS entry?
Purpose of PA (p. 145)
RCRA status (p. 16)
Comments:
Did PA activities include:
File review? (pp. 21-23) Y/N
Target survey? (pp. 31-32) Y/N
Site reconnaissance? (pp. 27-29) Y/N.
Comments: -~*~-
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Site Name:
Ref(s)
Site Location/Description Checked?
Does the PA include the following information:
Geographic coordinates (latitude/longitude) (p. 40)
Worksheets for latitude/longitude coordinate calculations (p. 40)
Site setting/nearby land use (Appendix D, p. 4)
Type of site (e.g., plating facility, landfill) (p. 41)
Site status (active/inactive) (p. 14)
Years of operation (p. 40)
Current site activities/use (p. 145)
Current disposal/storage practices (p. 40)
Source characterization (active, inactive, and historical sources)
(p. 42)
Description (p. 43)
Dimensions (p. 14) ^^_
Known or suspected wastes and hazardous substances (p. 40)
Description of containment and condition (p. 40) •
Size of site (p. 14)
Site accessibility (identification of access restrictions, natural barriers)
Site location map (p. 145) and other figures
1-mile source radius (pp. 23, 145)
Overland drainage route(s) (p. 145)
Probable point of entry (PPE) to surface water (Appendix C, p. 5)
Nearest well, intake, residence (p. 145)
Sensitive environments (p. 145)
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Site Name:
Site sketch (p. 44)
Major structures (e.g., buildings, paved areas, fences)
(p. 44)
Source areas (p. 44)
Comments:
Ref(s)
Operational History and Waste Characteristics Checked?
Does the PA adequately include the following information:
Ownership (public/private/other) (p. 40)
Current owners, address(es), and dates of ownership (p. 40)
Current operators, address(es), and dates of operation (p. 40)
Former owners, address(es), and dates of ownership (p. 40)
Former operators, address(es), and dates of operation (p. 40)
Description of historical site activities (p. 40)
Description of wastes generated on site (p. 40)
Historical disposal/storage practices (p. 40)
Historical information on spills (p. 40)
Past source areas (if a removal has occurred) (p. 40)
Removal actions, including descriptions, dates, agencies that conducted
the removal, and destination of wastes removed (p. 145)
Known!estimated waste quantity (i.e., constituent, wastestream,
volume, and area, as applicable) for each source (pp. 44-51)
Information on permits, including issuing agency, date, discussion
of inspection results, permit numbers, and violations (p. 145)
Information on other regulatory agency involvement (p. 145)
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Site Name:
Other investigations, including identification of investigating
agency, date, and results (pp. 21-30)
Previous sampling, if any, including discussion of analytical
data and summary of results (p. 145)
Comments:
Ref(s)
Ground Water Pathway Checked?
Does the PA include the following information:
Physiographic province underlying site/sources
Depth to shallowest aquifer (p. 56)
Permeability of strata overlying shallowest aquifer (p. 145)
Net precipitation (p. 54)
Identification of aquifers in order of increasing depth
(p. 145)
Aquifer description, including use, thicknesses, general
flow direction (p. 145)
Confining layers (p. 145)
Aquifer interconnections within 4 miles of the site
(or within 2 miles if source boundaries are well defined)
(p. 145)
Aquifer discontinuities within 4 miles of the site (p. 145)
Karst features (if non-karst, this should be stated)
(pp. 55, 57-58)
Citizen complaints
Well closures (p. 26)
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Site Name:.
Comments:
Is sufficient information provided to assess the likelihood of a release of hazardous
substances to ground water? (pp. 53-58) Y/N
Comments:.
Ref(s)
Ground Water Targets Checked?
Is the following ground water target information included:
Distance to nearest drinking water well (p. 73)
Description of municipal and stand-by wells, including location/
distance from site, depth of well/aquifer from which water is
drawn (pp. 14, 62-65)
If municipal and stand-by wells are part of a blended system,
total number of wells/intakes that contribute to the overall
system and the percent contribution of each well/intake within
the target distance limit (pp. 62-64)
Populations served by municipal well(s), including stand-by wells,
by distance category within 4 miles of the site (pp. 14, 62-65)
Description of private wells within 4 miles of the site,
including aquifer(s) from which water is drawn and
associated population per distance category (pp. 14, 65)
Other uses of ground water (e.g., irrigation, industrial) (p. 75)
Wellhead Protection Areas (p. 74)
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Site Name:.
Comments:
As presented, does the ground water population description provide enough
information toA calculate an MRS target value? (pp. 68-75) Y/N
Comments:
Ref(s)
Surface Water Pathway Checked?
Does the PA include the following information:
Sketch of surface water migration path indicating probable
point of entry (PPE) and target locations (pp. 82, 86-88, 146)
Facility discharges to surface water (including
permit information)
Distance to surface water (p. 81)
Floodplain designations/flood frequency (p. 83)
Surface soil type and permeability of overland drainage route (p. 79)
Drainage area description (p. 79)
2-year, 2$1rour rainfall (p. 79)
Mean annual precipitation (p. 79)
Water body types along 15-stream-mile migration route, including
segment description and intermittent/perennial depiction (p. 91)
Stream flow characteristics of each segment (p. 91)
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Site Name:.
Visual signs of contamination (e.g., oily sheen, stressed
vegetation, sediment discoloration, absence of wildlife)
(pp. 80, 95)
Fishery, intake, and/or surface water recreational
area closures (p. 95)
Comments:
Is sufficient information provided to assess the likelihood of a release of hazardous
substances to surface water? (pp. 78-85) Y/N
Comments:
Ref(s)
Surface Water Targets Checked?
Is the following surface water target information included:
Identification and location of drinking water intakes, including
standby intakes (p. 88)
Population served by each intake (apportioned population if the
intake i$_Łart of a blended system) (p. 90)
Description and location of fisheries (p. 91)
Organisms fished
Other uses of surface water (p. 102)
Description and location of sensitive environments in or
contiguous to the surface water migration path (p. 92)
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Site Name:.
Wetland frontage (p. 93)
Comments:.
As presented, does the surface water population description provide enough
information to calculate an HRS target value for the drinking water threat.' pp. 88-
90, 94-102) Y/N/NA Fo* '-e human food chain threat? (pp. 91-92, 103-104)
Y/N/NA For the enviro ental threat? (pp. 92-93, 105-107) Y/N/NA
Comments:
Ref(s)
Soil Exposure Pathway Checked?
Does the PA include the following information:
Identification of known/suspected areas of contamination
(pp. 110-111)
Discussion of previous surface soil sampling, including
analytical data and summary of results (p. 145-146)
Attractiveness/accessibility of areas of contamination
Soil Exposure Targets
Is the following"*stfil exposure target information included:
Residences, schools, and day care centers and associated populations
within 200 feet of an area of known/suspected contamination (or within
200 feet and on the property of an area of contamination if boundaries
of the are ire well defined) (p. 118)
Work area- and number of workers on site within 200 feet of an area
of known/suspected contamination (p. 115)
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Site Name:.
Use of site/areas of contamination (i.e., resources) (p. 123)
Terrestrial sensitive environments located on an area of
known/suspected contamination (pp. 116, 122)
Nearby population within a 1-mile travel distance in 0 to
1/4 mile, >l/4 to 1/2 mile, and >l/2 to 1 mile distance
categories (p. 124)
Comments:
As presented, does the soil exposure population description provide enough
information to calculate a resident population target value? (pp. 118-123)
YIN/NA Nearby population target value? (p. 124) YIN
Comments:
Ref(s)
Air Pathway Checked?
Does the PA include the following information:
Direct observation of substances released to air (p. 127)
Site reconnaissance safety monitoring instrument (HNu,
OVA) results
Description of cover material/containment (p. 40)
Discussion of previous air sampling, if any, including c
analytical data and summary of results (p. 127)
Reported odors/citizen complaints (p. 127)
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Site Name:
_ _ Known reports of adverse health effects associated with
a suspected/known release (p. 127)
Comments:
Is sufficient information provided to assess the likelihood of a release of hazardous
substances to air? (p. 126-130) Y/N
Cowmen ts:
Ref(s)
Air Targets Checked?
Is the following air target information included:
Distance to nearest residence or regularly occupied
building (p. 137)
Population within ° to 1/4 mile, > 1/4 to 1/2 mile, >l/2 to 1 mile,
>1 to 2 miles, >2 to 3 miles, and >3 to 4 miles (pp. 131-132)
Resources within 1/2 mile of the site (p. 140)
Identification and location of sensitive environments within
1/2 mile of the site (pp. 138-139)
Comments:
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Site Name:
As presented, does the air population description provide enough information to
calculate an HRS target value? (pp. 131-140) Y/N
Comments:
Photodocumentation Log
Are photos of the site, accompanied by a written description and reference to their
location on a site map, included as an attachment to the PA report? (p. 147)
Y/N
Comments:
Documentation
Are the following references included with the report?
Topographic map with 4-mile radius indicated (p. 23)
Population apportionment and calculation worksheets (Appendix C, p. 30)
County census data or population database (e.g., GEMS) (p. 24)
Field reconnaissance logbook (p. 29)
Comments:
Is the information throughout the narrative adequately referenced? (p. 143) Y/N.
Comments:
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Site Name:
Are statements in the narrative supported by the references cited? Y/N_
Comments:
Are page numbers provided in reference citations? Y/N_
Comments:
II. PA Quality
Does the PA provide sufficient information for SI planning? Y/N_
Contmen ts:
Is the information in the PA report 'resented in a format consistent with PA
guidance? (pp. 143-144) YIN
Comments:
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Site Name:
Does the PA sufficiently address all pathway characteristics that could significantly
inpace the site decision? Y/N All target information? Y/N
All site operational information? Y/N
Comments:
Are wastes adequately characterized based on available information? (tm 44-51)
Y/N
Comments:
Did the PA highlight concerns that may not be addressed by HRS factors? (e.g.,
imminent explosion potential, Emergency Response notification) Y/N/NA
Comments:
Is the information presented in the PA report consistent with the information
provided in the preliminary HRS scoresheets? Y/N
Commen ts:
13 4/28/93
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Site Name:.
Are projected releases of hazardous substances to the environment, if any,
appropriate for the site? YIN/NA
Comments:
Is the designation of primary and secondary targets appropriate for significant or
potentially significant pathways? Y/N
Comments:
Does the PA provide sufficient information to support a recommendation? Y/N_
Does the reviewer agree with the PA recommendation? (i.e., SEA, H, or L) Y/N_
Comments:
14 4/28/93
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