United States
Environmental Protection
Site Characterization and Monitoring
Technical Support Center
FY09 Report
October 2008 - September 2009
Office of Research and Development
Office of Science Policy www.epa.gov/ord/osp
Superfund and Technology Liaisons
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Site Characterization and Monitoring
Technical Support Center
FY09 Report
October 2008 - September 2009
Prepared by:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
Office of Science Policy
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue (8104R)
Washington, DC 20460
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CONTENTS
BACKGROUND 2
FY09 TECHNICAL SUPPORT 3
GENERAL SUPPORT
Scout- Online Modeling Software 3
ProUCL4.00.02 Upgrades and Technical Assistance 3
Short-Term Implementation Requests 3
REGION/PROGRAM-SPECIFIC SUPPORT
Site-Specific Support by Region
Region 1
Brunswick Naval Air Station Site 4
Massachusetts Military Reservation Site 5
Fort Devens Site 6
Region 2
Onondaga Lake Site 6
Cornell-Dubilier Electronics Site 7
Syncon Resins Site 7
Region 3
Former Nansemond Ordnance Depot Site 8
Region 4
Barite Hill Site 10
B.F Goodrich Site 11
Olin OP Unit #2 Site 11
Region 7
National Beef Leathers Company Site 12
Region 8
Captain Jack Mine Site 12
Remote Mine Monitoring System (Tenmile Creek and Rimini/Lutrell) 12
Standard Mine Site 13
Region 9
Santa Susanna Field Laboratory Site 13
Region 10
Jackson Park Site 14
Eastern Michaud Flats Superfund Site 14
Bunker Hill MMC Site 14
UmatillaArmy Depot Site 15
Lower Duwamish Waterway Site 16
Sediment Background Statistical Workshop 16
TSP Forum Meeting MIS Discussion 16
Spent Sand/Foundry Operations 16
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BACKGROUND
On October 1, 2007, the Site Characterization and Monitoring Technical Support Center (SCMTSC)
changed operation from the NERL Laboratory in Las Vegas to the Superfund and Technology Liaison
(STL) Program of ORD' s Office of Science Policy (OSP). Information on the program and a list of the
STLs is located at http://www.epa.gov/OSP/hstl.htm.
Felicia Barnett, the STL in Region 4, is the SCMTSC Director with support from Bill Hagel, the STL
in Region 3, and Kathleen Graham, the STL in Region 8. The SCMTSC Director receives requests for
technical support from individual STLs on behalf of their regional waste program staff. Each STL works
with his or her regional staff to determine if and how ORD can best handle their technical support needs.
Each ORD Technical Support Center provides support on a different focus area. The SCMTSC provides
support on sampling and monitoring-related issues.
Technical Focus of the SCMTSC
Provide geostatistics statistical design, analysis, and expertise
Conduct field sampling and/or monitoring and contaminant measurement activities, including:
Soil-Gas measurements
Site characterization technologies (e.g., field portable X-ray fluorescence)
Fingerprinting of wastes
Geophysics
Evaluate reports, models, and work plans related to field sampling and measurement approaches
Develop issue papers and provide state-of-the-science information
Provide reliable and accurate information on innovative site characterization and remediation
technologies
Perform special analytical services
Provide GIS and data interpretation
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FY09 TECHNICAL SUPPORT
OCTOBER 1,2008-
SEPTEMBER 30, 2009
The following is a listing of all projects and requests the
SCMTSC handled during FY09.
GENERAL SUPPORT
Scout - Online Modeling Software
Scout software provides a wide variety of classical and
robust statistical methods not typically available in other
commercial software packages. A major part of Scout
deals with classical, robust, and resistant univariate and
multivariate outlier identification, and robust estimation
methods that have been available in the statistical literature
for the last three decades.
Work was completed on the Scout Users' Guide and the
Scout Factsheet. Several minor bugs in the Scout software
were corrected and delivered to the EPA Technical
Representative for evaluation.
PROUCL 4.00.02 UPGRADES AND
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
The ProUCL software package was developed to support
risk assessment and clean-up decisions at contaminated
sites based upon full data sets with or without non-detect
(ND) observations.
Upgrades for the ProUCL software were completed on
March 6, 2009, and the software executable files were
delivered to the EPA Technical Representative in Las
Vegas. Upgrades included configuring the software to
process data sets consisting of NDs and an unequal number
of values in the x and D_x columns. Sections added to
the ProUCL Technical Guide and Users' Guide address
minimum sample size issues regarding the number of
detected and non-detected values in a data set. ProUCL
can be downloaded at http://www.epa.gov/nerlesdl/tsc/
TSC_form.htm.
ProUCL technical assistance requests in FY09 continued.
With the release of ProUCL version 4.00.02, additional
questions about the changes resulted in three months of
increased activity. The SCMTSC provided more than
120 people with ProUCL assistance. Support included
providing assistance for installing the software, installation
of .NET software, help with error messages, importing
data, use of data spreadsheets, and constructing data
matrices. Technical guidance was provided in the areas of
statistical options within the software (Wilcoxon Mann-
Whitney test, and "robustified" 95% upper tolerance limits
[UTLs]), use of minimum detection differences, the number
of samples and number of NDs required for valid statistical
analyses, incorporating sample NDs into the statistical
analysis, identification of outliers, and identification of
multiple sample populations. Evaluations of two user data
sets were conducted and advice was provided on the type of
upper confidence limits (UCLs) that the ProUCL software
recommends.
SHORT-TERM IMPLEMENTATION
REQUESTS
The SCMTSC addresses numerous short-term requests
weekly. Examples of SCMTSC short-term requests include:
Lockheed provided comments to Region 10 on the use
of the appropriate statistical method for background
regarding the FMC site in Pocatello, Idaho.
Lockheed provided comments to Region 10 on a
suggested approach for dealing with the variability
of the Multi-Increment Sampling (MIS) effort in the
South Park Neighborhood of Seattle to address possible
polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination.
Stephen Billets of the Las Vegas Lab provided support
to Region 5 concerning the use of dioxin immunokits
and immunoassays.
Wayne Sovocool of the Las Vegas Lab provided
comments on the potential for polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs) to be created from a hydrocarbon
resin process at a Saturn Chemical Site in Region 2.
Don Betowski of the Las Vegas Lab responded to
Region 9/Navajo Nation issues concerning analytical
methods for toxaphene detection specifically for
sampling at old sheep dip vat sites.
Ron Williams of the RTF Lab provided comments to
Region 9 on the sampling strategy for air deposition
from the Halaco site.
Lockheed responded to Region 1 questions about
statistical analysis using composite samples and the
Wilcoxon Rank Sum test on groundwater natural
attenuation data.
Lockheed provided specific support to Region 7 on the
use of "robustified" 95% UTLs for background samples.
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REGION/PROGRAM-SPECIFIC
SUPPORT
In FY09, the SCMTSC provided support for 20 sites in
eight regions -1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, and 10 (see Chart 1),
performing 41 separate tasks, including site-specific work,
requested training/presentation meetings, and work for the
program office (see Chart 2).
CHART 1
FY09 Technical Support by
Number of Sites per Region
Region 1
3 Sites
Region 10
5 Sites
Region 9
1 Site
Region 8
3 Sites
Region 7
1 Site
Region 2
3 Sites
Region 3
1 Site
Region 4
3 Sites
20 Total Sites
CHART 2
FY09 Technical Support by
Number of Tasks per Region
Program/Workshops^
3 Tasks
Region 1
7 Tasks
Region 10
7 Tasks
Region 9
4 Tasks
Region 8
7 Tasks
Region 2
3 Tasks
Region 3
- 2 Tasks
Region 4
7 Tasks
Region 7
1 Task
41 Total Tasks
SITE-SPECIFIC SUPPORT
BY REGION
BRUNSWICK NAVAL AIR STATION SITE -
Region 1
The Brunswick Naval Air Station site occupies 3,094 acres
in the Town of Brunswick, Maine. It is located south of
the Androscoggin River, between Brunswick and Bath,
south of Route 1, between Routes 24 and 123. Among the
site areas, three were used primarily as landfills for the
Naval Air Station's household, office, and other wastes.
The landfills were used from 1945-1979. Other areas
reportedly had releases occur or were used for disposal of
various acids, caustics, solvents, and building materials,
including asbestos, or were used for fire training purposes.
Approximately 3,000 people live on the base within 1
mile of the site areas. An elementary school, college,
and hospital are located within 1 mile of the western
base boundary. Area surface water is used for recreation,
irrigation, and commercial fishing.
Task 1 - Conducted an evaluation of the statistical
methods proposed in the Background Study Sample and
Analysis Plan for the Brunswick Naval Air Station site.
The evaluation report for the Brunswick Naval Air Station
site was delivered to the Remedial Project Manager
(RPM) on February 16, 2009. The following statistical
recommendations were provided:
1. For data sets with non-detects (NDs), rigorous statistical
methods are better suited for left-censored data sets
consisting of non-detects (NDs) and below detection
limit observations. Several methods for data sets
consisting of non-detects (NDs) are available in the
ProUCL 4.00.02 software provided by EPA.
2. For more defensible and reliable conclusions
(e.g., controlling decision errors), it is suggested
that appropriate multivariate methods be used on
multivariate data sets to perform site versus background
comparisons. Scout 2008 software provided by the EPA
is available for this purpose.
Task 2 - Responded to external comments on the EPA-
generated evaluation report for the Background Study
Sample and Analysis Plan for the Brunswick Naval Air
Station site. The response to the external comments was
delivered to the RPM on May 8, 2009. Recommendations
to use ProUCL software were provided and concurrence
was provided regarding the use of multivariate statistical
methods.
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MASSACHUSETTS MILITARY RESERVATION SITE
MASSACHUSETTS MILITARY RESERVATION
SITE - Region 1
The Otis Air National Guard Base/Camp Edwards site,
more commonly known as the Massachusetts Military
Reservation (MMR), covers approximately 22,000 acres.
Although the occupants and property boundaries have
changed several times since MMR was established in 1935,
its primary mission has always been to provide training
and housing to Air Force and/or Army units. A review of
past and present operations and waste disposal practices
identified numerous potentially contaminated areas,
including several areas located on the southern portion of
MMR. These contaminated areas are the result of historic
chemical/fuel spills, fire training activities, landfills, and
drainage structures. Additionally, effluent from the former
sewage treatment plant historically was discharged into
sand beds, where it seeped into the groundwater. In 1984,
the U.S. Geological Survey detected contaminants in
monitoring wells downgradient of this former plant. In
1983 and 1984, the Air Force detected volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) in onsite monitoring wells near the
Base Landfill and a Fire Training Area. Monitoring also
detected VOCs in several hundred private wells (all of
which have been replaced by municipally-supplied water)
and in one town well (which was shut down). The EPA
designated the Sagamore Lens underlying MMR as a sole
source aquifer under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Through the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), the
SCMTSC is working with the Region I MMR Project Team
to develop site-specific Soil Screening Levels (SSLs). The
purpose is to identify contaminants of concern (COCs)
in soils, which if mobilized to groundwater, would result
in exceeding a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) or
other risk-based standard. The U.S. Army has consistently
maintained that while useful for identifying compounds in
soils with the potential of having an unacceptable impact
on groundwater, the MMR SSLs overestimate the mass of
contaminant present in soil and over predict the migration
of dissolved contaminants through the unsaturated zone.
Activities include further development and refinement of
Maximum Allowable Soil Concentrations (MASCs) and
oversight of sorption and desorption experiments. Batch
and column experiment results help to develop site-
specific loading rates and partitioning coefficients (Kd)
for predicting transport of propellants, explosives, and
pyrotechnic (PEP) compounds from surface soils through
the vadose zone. The data gathered from these experiments,
which were presented in an approved work plan, will and
have been used to fill site-specific data gaps in assessing the
behavior of these compounds in soils at MMR. Task work
included background document reviews, participation on
conference calls, and attendance at a meeting in Boston.
Task 1 - Calculated MASCs for the groundwater
pathway for research department explosive; hexahydro-
1,3,5,-trinitro- 1,3,5-triazine (RDX), high-melting
explosive; octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7 tetrazocine
(HMX), Tungsten, and 2,4,6-trinotrotoluene (TNT).
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ONONDAGALAKE
Task 2 - Document reviews of reports selected by RPM.
Task 3 - Review of report titled "Sorption/Desorption
Measurements of Nitroglycerin and Dinitrotoulene in Camp
Edwards, Massachusetts Soil." Draft comments submitted
to RPM in September 2009.
FORT DEVENS SITE - Region 1
The Fort Devens site, located northwest of Boston, is
comprised of approximately 9,280 acres divided into North,
Main, and South Posts. Three principal drinking water
wells are located within one mile of the Shepley' s Hill
Landfill (on the Main Post)the McPherson water supply
well (located west of the wetlands near Nonacoicus Brook)
and the Devens and Grove Pond Wellfields (located on the
south shore of Grove Pond and upgradient of the landfill).
Task 1 - Region 1 requested noninvasive methods of
identifying bedrock fractures. It was hypothesized that
naturally occurring radioactive radon gas preferentially
follows the bedrock fractures and when characterized at the
surface, correlation could be established between surface
and subsurface fracture zones.
The SCMTSC used the INL' s Backpack BaSIS to support
an ongoing bedrock mapping project at an approximately
100-acre granitic bedrock upland area adjacent to the
Shepley's Hill Landfill. A survey of this area was
completed, consisting of detailed maps indicating areas
of elevated radiation, and contour plots of radiation
intensity. The report titled "Surface Radiation Survey at the
Shepley's Hill Remediation Site, Devens, Massachusetts"
was received by RPM Bill Brandon in May 2009. The
report was finalized in September 2009 after two rounds of
comments.
Task 2 - INL presented the following results and
recommendations to Region 1 managers:
BaSIS surveys appear to depict surface rock outcrop
locations.
Elevated concentrations of radon cannot be ruled
out to be present in the soils above the subsurface
fractures due to length of count time using Sodium
Iodide (3 X 5-inch) detectors.
Detectors exist (CR-29) that correlate Rn-222 soil
concentrations to locations of subsurface fractures but
take nearly 10 days to complete measurement.
Atmospheric conditions affect gamma-ray spectrometers
(i.e., BaSIS).
CR-29s directly measure Rn-222 alpha decay particles.
Unlike gamma-ray spectrometers (BaSIS), CR-39
particle track detectors are not hindered by short-term
fluctuations in barometric pressure and soil moisture
content.
As such, it is proposed that a more detailed study of
the Rn-222 concentration in soils at Shepley's Hill be
conducted using CR-39 particle track detectors. This
may be a more effective means for locating subsurface
fractures using a minimally invasive, proven technique.
ONONDAGA LAKE SITE - Region 2
The Onondaga Lake site includes the lake, seven major
and other minor tributaries, and upland sources of
contamination to the lake (subsites). Onondaga Lake has
an areal extent of about 4.5 square miles, with a drainage
basin of approximately 285 square miles. Effluent from the
Metropolitan Syracuse Sewage Treatment Plant discharges
into the southeastern end of the lake. Onondaga Lake
flows to the northwest into the Seneca River. Historically,
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industrial processing plants and municipal wastewater
treatment plants routinely discharged their wastes into
the lake. The availability of salt and limestone led to the
location of the Solvay Process Company, the predecessor
to AlliedSignal, Inc. (Honeywell International, Inc. is a
successor corporation of the AlliedSignal, Inc.), on the west
shore of the lake for the production of soda ash.
Today, vast areas on the western shoreline are occupied
by the "Solvay waste beds," which contain by-products of
the company's soda ash production. In 1946, AlliedSignal
initiated a mercury cell process that produced chlorine,
sodium hydroxide, and potassium hydroxide at its facility
on Willis Avenue, and later expanded to include a facility
on Bridge Street. Waste streams containing mercury and
other heavy metals were discharged by these facilities.
Honeywell's Semet Residue Ponds, which contain volatile
organic compounds (VOCs) from facilities associated
with the production of benzene, toluene, naphthalene,
xylene, and "motor benzol," are an additional source
of contamination to the lake. Other industrial and
manufacturing facilities are also located along the shore or
tributaries to the lake and may be sources of contamination.
Onondaga Lake adjoins parklands owned by Onondaga
County. Public fishing was banned from the lake in 1970,
but it was opened to allow catch-and-release fishing in
1986.
Surface water is contaminated with mercury. Sediments
are contaminated with PCBs; pesticides; creosotes; heavy
metals, including lead, cobalt, and mercury; PAHs; and
VOCs. The groundwater at many of the upland sub-sites
is also contaminated. Several species of fish native to the
lake have high concentrations of mercury. Contact with or
ingestion of contaminated groundwater, surface water, or
sediments could pose a health threat.
Based on the comments returned, the SCMTSC finalized
the statistical evaluation of Appendices A, B, and C of the
interim Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) submitted
to the RPM in September 2008, and closed out the task in
November 2008.
CORNELL-DUBILIER ELECTRONICS SITE -
Region 2
The Cornell-Dubilier Electronics site is located at 333
Hamilton Boulevard in South Plainfield, New Jersey.
During its years of operation at the site (1936-1962),
Cornell-Dubilier Electronics, Inc. manufactured electronic
parts and components, including capacitors. Transformer
oils reportedly were tested for an unknown amount of time
during plant operations. During its operations, Cornell-
Dubilier Electronics, Inc. allegedly dumped material
contaminated with PCBs and other hazardous substances
directly onto site soils. The site is currently known as
Hamilton Industrial Park and is occupied by an estimated
15 commercial businesses. Through the years, numerous
companies have operated at the site as tenants. It is
estimated that approximately 540 people reside within 0.25
miles of the site, and the nearest residential homes are less
than 200 feet from the site. The total population estimated
to live within 1 mile of the site is 8,700. An unnamed
tributary to the Bound Brook traverses the southeast corner
of the site property. Water bodies that join the unnamed
tributary are designated by the State of New Jersey for the
maintenance, migration, and propagation of the natural
and established biota. An investigation that the New
Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP)
conducted in the vicinity of Hamilton Boulevard prior
to 1991 revealed significant groundwater contamination
consisting mainly of the VOCs trichloroethylene and
tetrachloroethylene. Due to widespread contamination,
residential wells in the area were closed and residents were
hooked up to a municipal water supply.
Based on comments on the September 2008 report to the
RPM, the SCMTSC finalized the report on an evaluation
of data sets to determine if there has been a statistically
significant increase in the mean concentrations of PCBs
over time and closed out the task in November 2009.
SYNCON RESINS SITE - Region 2
Syncon Resins once manufactured paints, varnishes, and
resins on a 5-acre site in South Kearny, Hudson County,
New Jersey. The company closed in 1981 and declared
bankruptcy. The site is situated within a coastal wetlands
management area and is bordered on the west by the
Passaic River, a tidal waterway. About 11,000 55-gallon
drums are stored in warehouses and in the open on the
ground. Analysis indicates that many drums contain
hazardous substances. Many are volatile and flammable,
posing air pollution and fire threats. Some drums have
rusted, spilling their contents onto the soil. Several bulk
storage tanks suspected of containing hazardous substances
are also located on the site. Two unlined ponds used for
subsurface disposal of process waste contain hazardous
organics. A large amount of soil is contaminated, and
groundwater is contaminated with organic chemicals,
including benzene, PCBs, and toluene.
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The RPM received a statistical evaluation of the
background and site data collected from the Syncon Resins
Superfund Site on August 3, 2009. The evaluation provided
background versus contaminated site comparisons using
two-sample hypotheses testing methods, and Background
Threshold Values (BTVs)/trigger values that can be used
to estimate site-specific Preliminary Remediation Goals
(PRGs) and cleanup criteria.
FORMER NANSEMOND ORDNANCE DEPOT
SITE - Region 3
The Former Nansemond Ordnance Depot (FNOD) site
is located in Suffolk, Virginia, near the northwestern
end of State Route 135. The U.S. Department of Army
obtained the property between 1917 and 1929 and it was
known as Pig Point Ordnance Depot. During World War
I, the facility was used for munitions storage, shipment,
classification, and destruction, handling up to 1,300 tons
of ammunition daily. In 1929, the facility's name changed
to Nansemond Ordnance Depot. During World War II,
the facility supported operations at the Hampton Roads
Port of Embarkation, including storage and shipment of
all types of ammunition overseas. It also received captured
enemy munitions for processing and further shipment to
other U.S. military facilities. Toward the end of the war, it
was used as a distribution depot, performing ammunition
reconditioning and loading. In April 1945, the Depot was in
demobilization, including the destruction of unserviceable
explosives, ammunition, and chemicals. GE acquired part
of the property in 1965, including an existing military
building that the company modified in 1966, doubling
its size. GE used this modified building as a television
assembly plant. In the early 1970s, GE added a finished
goods warehouse onto the building. GE eventually acquired
a total of about 134 acres of the former Nansemond
Ordnance Depot. GE operated a television assembly plant
at this location until approximately 1988.
In spring 1987, it was discovered that bulk explosives,
munitions, shells, and other ordnance items, both spent
and unexploded, had been disposed of by the DoD in a
2- to 3-acre area adjacent to College Drive on Tidewater
Community College (TCC) property. The U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers (USAGE) conducted a confirmation
study of this area (the TCC Removal Area) in June and
July 1987 under the Defense Environmental Restoration
Program. The study showed the presence of ordnance and
ordnance-related materials, including 19 live munitions,
numerous grenades, and a slab of crystalline TNT estimated
to weigh several tons. From November 1988-February
mGtWf
MUNITIONS FOUND AT NANSEMOND ORDNANCE DEPOT SITE
1989, the following materials were removed from the
Removal Area: 4,400 pounds of boosters, 260 pounds of
bulk explosives, 1,360 pounds of munitions/miscellaneous
ordnance, and 30,275 pounds of contaminated soil. USAGE
conducted additional fieldwork in the Removal Area from
November 1989-February 1991 as part of a Remedial
Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS). Chemicals
of concern identified in the RI/FS included heavy metals
and 2-amino-4,6-dinitro-toluene (2-A-4,6-DNT) in
surface soils, and heavy metals, TNT, 2,4-dinitrotoluene
(DNT), trinitrobenzene (TNB), dinitrobenzene (DNB),
2-A-4,6-DNT, N-methyl-N,2,4,6-tetranitro-aniline
(tetryl), and hexahydro-l,3,5-trinitro-l,3,5-triazine
(RDX) in groundwater. From April-June 1992, 316 tons
of contaminated soil and miscellaneous ordnance items,
including two 3-foot British shells, were removed from
the Removal Area. Confirmatory soil samples indicated the
presence of residual soil contamination.
An evaluation of the Multi-Increment Sampling
(MIS) approach of the site was completed and a report
titled "Statistical Evaluation of Multi-Increment Soil
Sampling (MIS) Approach and its Applicability in
Addressing Various Project Objectives of Environmental
Investigations" was delivered to the RPM on January 20,
2009. MIS is recommended as a cost-saving approach to
sampling and analysis at the site.
Task 1 - Conducted an extensive evaluation of the MIS
approach to determine if it is adequate for assessing
the Region 3 Nansemond Site. Conducted statistical
evaluations of actual and simulated site data for different
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MUNITIONS (LEFT) AND CANNONBALL (RIGHT) FOUND AT NANSEMOND ORDNANCE DEPOT SITE
MIS situations to determine the efficacy of the MIS
approach and provided results of the evaluations. A
simulation computer program was developed and field
scenarios were generated.
Summary conclusions regarding the evaluation include:
The proposed MIS approach differs from the approaches
described in the literature. The proposed approach does
not keep track of spatial information important for
making defensible decisions to address environmental
project objectives. SCMTSC s opinion is that without
spatial information (coordinates of locations), it is
not possible to use variography as described in the
literature, which is used to address short- and long-
range variability present within a Decision Unit (DU).
Knowledge about the range parameters is useful for
determining optimal spacing between the successive
increments (e.g., distance between parallel paths) for
collecting MIS increments.
Data Quality Objectives (DQOs) for the MIS approach
need to be developed and documented. DQOs
developed for the discrete sampling approach may not
be applicable to decision rules based upon MIS data
and statistics. Based upon MIS data and MIS mean, it
is not possible to develop defensible decision rules, and
decision errors associated with such decision rules (e.g.,
based upon comparison of MIS mean to an SSL) remain
unknown and unquantifiable.
A single MIS statistic, such as the 95% upper confidence
limit (UCL95), will lead to a single conclusion about the
entire DU, including the entire DU is clean/safe (e.g.,
when UCL95 < = SSL) or the entire DU is not clean
(e.g., when UCL95 > SSL). Decision errors associated
with such a decision rule need to be evaluated and
quantified. Based upon these kinds of statistics and
decision rules, an incorrect clean-up decision could be
made.
A data set does not have to follow a normal distribution
(or should be free of ND) to compute statistics of
interest, including UCL95 and other upper limits to
estimate background level concentrations. For data sets
with and without ND observations, several rigorous
nonparametric (not requiring normality) and computer
intensive bootstrap methods are available in the
literature. Many of those methods were incorporated
in ProUCL 4.0 and Scout 2008 software packages to
address various project objectives of an environmental
evaluation.
There is no substitute for graphical displays of
environmental data sets as they provide added insight
into a data set that cannot be revealed using simple
statistics, such as simple mean, MIS mean, UCL95,
Mest, etc. Whenever possible, and provided enough
usable data are available, it is desirable to supplement
statistical tests and results with meaningful graphical
displays of data sets. These informative graphical
displays cannot be generated using MIS data.
Task 2 - Final evaluation of the proposed MIS approach
(now called Incremental Sampling Methodology [ISM]) to
address site characterization, exposure, and risk assessment
objectives. The interim final version of the document
summarizing the evaluation results was delivered on July
20, 2009. The report summarized evaluations of actual and
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simulated site data to determine the efficacy of the ISM
approach. External comments to the July 20 document were
received and responses to the comments were delivered on
August 24, 2009.
With agreement from Region 3, information from this
simulation is being provided to the ITRC MIS Team
through volunteer work by the statistician.
BARITE HILL SITE - Region 4
The 795-acre Barite Hill/Nevada Goldfields site is located
approximately three miles south of McCormick, in
McCormick County, South Carolina. The site was actively
mined for gold from 1991-1995. Operations included the
use of a cyanide solution in a leaching process to extract
gold from ore. Nevada Goldfields used seven processing
ponds and one sediment pond, as well as a 10-acre acid
pit, which contained approximately 60 million gallons of
water with an average pH of 2.0 to 2.2 and a high dissolved
metal content. Nevada Goldfields pursued site reclamation
activities from 1995 until filing for bankruptcy in 1999.
The property was then relinquished to the South Carolina
Department of Health and Environmental Control.
The Barite Hill site is currently undergoing a removal
action that includes the installation of an evaporative cap
over a 250,000 cubic yard waste rock dump that extends
into an adjacent 10-acre acid mine drainage-filled pit lake.
The pit lake is undergoing lime neutralization and carbon
loading. The cap is divided into northern and southern
sections of similar design. The southern section covers
the majority of the acid producing waste rock dump. The
western upper 1/3 area of both caps is essentially flat and
incorporates an HDPE liner. The eastern lower 2/3 area of
each cap is graded to a 4:1 slope and is an evaporative cap
constructed of 2 feet of locally derived compacted saprolitic
silt covered by a 1-foot vegetated topsoil layer. The entire
cap sheds run off into the pit lake. The combination of the
pit neutralization and the capping of the waste rock dump
are intended to maintain the pit lake at an acceptable pH
and metals load over the long term.
The requested support for this site was an Integrated Cap
Monitoring and Pit Monitoring Design for the mine pit lake
and evaporative waste rock dump cap. The design needed
to incorporate the level of monitoring required to evaluate
the effectiveness of the cap's role in preventing the re-
acidification of the pit lake over time.
BARITE HILL SITE
Coordinated through a Cooperative Agreement with
INL, a monitoring plan was developed for an integrated
autonomous low-cost system that included:
A geophysical, hydrological self-calibrating general
chemical sensor network backed by a secure integrated
Web-based data storage and retrieval software system.
Remote control and access to accessible as well as
remote inaccessible monitoring systems.
Automation of data collection, QA review, and
reporting.
Remote control of data acquisition systems.
Secure Web-based data accessibility.
Complementary multi-sensor monitoring networks.
Critical event alarm capabilities.
Project Objectives:
Task 1 - Brief narrative report describing the TSC-INL
design.
Task 2 - Draft and final Monitoring Design Report.
Task 3 - Site visit to witness early implementation of
monitoring design.
Task 1 was completed in September 2008. Task 2 was
completed in October 2008 and Task 3 was completed on
November 21, 2008. Additional implementation work was
later funded under a separate IAG between Region 4 and
INL.
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B.F. GOODRICH SITE - Region 4
The B.F. Goodrich (BFG) site is a 2-acre industrial landfill,
located approximately two miles northeast of Calvert City,
Kentucky, on the southern bank of the Tennessee River.
BFG disposed of wastes on the site from 1969-1972 and
engineered a former creek channel for landfilling.
An active Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA) component, a former landfill, and a burn pit area
are now being addressed under Superfund. The potentially
responsible parties (PRPs) are proposing soil flushing,
but Region 4 requested SCMTSC assistance with the
dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) assessment so
they could make a more informed decision about the site.
Northwind is providing the support via the STREAMS
contract.
Task 1 - Review of the Sampling and Analysis Plan for the
DNAPL investigation. Sampling was conducted in spring
2009. The contractor also attended a site meeting.
Task 2 - The majority of the FY09 technical support
provided assisted EPA in the transition of much of the site
from RCRA to CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act). This
transition included the incorporation of over 200 solid
waste management units (disposal areas) and a 53-well
groundwater collection and treatment system. This resulted
in an expansion of the site area from 50 to 200 acres.
Several documents were reviewed to address the transition
issues and site visits and telephone meetings were required.
The technical support assisted EPA in the assimilation of
information for the new site areas and in the development
of a General Management Approach (GMA) for the site.
The GMA addresses the migration of contaminants to the
Tennessee River, the characterization of the site, source
removal actions, management of spills, and changes in
plant infrastructure.
OLIN OP UNIT 2 SITE - Region 4
The Olin Corporation Mclntosh Plant site is located
approximately 1 mile east-southeast of the Town of
Mclntosh in Washington County, Alabama. The Olin main
plant and associated properties cover approximately 1,500
acres. From 1952-1982, Olin produced chlorinated organic
pesticides, chlorine, caustic soda, and sodium hypochlorite
at the site. Presently, Olin produces chlorine, caustic soda,
and sodium hypochlorite; and blends and stores hydrazide
compounds at the site.
Work at OP Unit 2 (OU-2) is ongoing. In 2006, Olin
constructed a berm, or raised barrier, with a gate around
OU-2 as part of a study to test whether sediments that
drop out of trapped floodwater from the Tombigbee River
would form an effective natural cover over contaminated
sediments in the OU-2 area. EPA reviewed the most
recent data from this study and drew several preliminary
conclusions; namely, floodwaters entering the site contain
low amounts of sediment; those sediments are difficult
to capture in the site; and the sediments will not form an
effective cover. Olin collected additional data in summer
2009 and is participating in a capping study that EPA is
conducting. Olin was scheduled to submit an OU-2 RI/FS
report in fall 2009.
Region 4 requested help from both the SCMTSC and the
Engineering Technical Support Center to address site
characterization and remediation issues related to mercury-
contaminated soils and sediments at the site. The support
needed to have demonstrated experience on mercury-
contaminated sites with specific consideration given to
sediment sites. This knowledge would be essential in
reviewing the PRPs' documents. Knowledge and expertise
in modeling an estimated release of mercury flux through
different capping materials was also needed.
Task 1 - Delineation of contaminant mass and
concentration profile.
Based on historic and recent sampling results, the SCMTSC
STREAMS contractor developed and reviewed the mass
and concentration profiles for the Basin, Round Pond, and
floodplain areas. The delineation was conducted for key
COCs (mercury, methyl mercury, hexachlorobenzene, and
DDTr) in various phases (i.e., the consolidated sediment,
unconsolidated [fluff] layers and the surface water).
Task 2 - Technical support on conducting physical and
chemical characterization of sediment, groundwater, and
surface water and necessary sampling protocol.
The SCMTSC provided technical support, including
evaluations, recommendations on all site-specific
methods for collection, processing, suitability of devices/
instruments, and analyses of water and sediment samples
with emphasis on mercury and methyl mercury. The
sampling methodologies were reviewed to ensure that the
design/procedure was scientifically robust and defensible.
Field oversight was provided for sampling performed in
September 2009.
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NATIONAL BEEF LEATHERS COMPANY SITE -
Region 7
Activities at the National Beef Leathers site were an
emergency response investigation to address public
concerns about a St. Joseph, Missouri, leather tannery's
distribution of waste sludge for use as agricultural fertilizer
on northwest Missouri farms, and whether the sludge
material contained hexavalent chromium. Due to the
large area to be investigated, the SCMTSC developed
statistically-based sampling approaches to characterize
potential contamination in selected farmlands fertilized
with the site sludge. The report of recommendations for
the sampling plan was delivered to the Region on June 25,
2009.
CAPTAIN JACK MINE SITE - Region 8
The Captain Jack Mine site is located at the headwaters of
upper Left Hand Creek about 1.5 miles south of Ward in
Boulder County, Colorado. The site is in a narrow valley
known as California Gulch. Mining for gold and silver in
the region began in 1860 and ended in 1992.
The site is comprised of the Big 5 Mine (the upper mine),
the Captain Jack, Ltd. Mill, the Black Jack Mine (the
lower portal), and other mines and waste features in the
immediate surrounding area. The Big 5 Mine, located
about 500 feet upstream from the mill, consists of an adit
(tunnel), a large tailings pile, and a settling pond. The mill
works area includes several lagoons previously used for
settlings tailings from the mill. The lower portal includes
the Black Jack adit and the contents of a shed. Other mine
wastes include waste material in Left Hand Creek and
waste rock from the mine tunnels. In the 1890s there was a
mining community known as Camp Frances.
The State of Colorado and EPA Region 8 issued a Record
of Decision (ROD) for the site in September 2008. A
major element of the site is the Big Five mine adit and
underground mine-workings, which release 20-50 gpm of
acid-mine drainage through the portal onto the mine-waste
dump. The adit-tunnel extends westerly for 7,000+ feet,
and intersects a connecting tunnel (the Niwot Crosscut)
connecting the Big Five complex with the Columbia-
mine district to the north near Ward. The intersection of
these tunnels is believed to be 400-500 feet below ground
surface. The geology is a vein-structure in granitic bedrock
with erratic joints and fractures. Collapsed zones within the
tunnel make it cost-prohibitive to make direct observations
of geologic conditions and groundwater flows further into
the tunnel.
The SCMTSC through INL provided technical services to
cover several functions:
Design and QA Plans:
Design geophysical work plan to determine the location
of the Big Five-Niwot tunnel intersection.
Oversee implementation of geophysical work plan
to accurately pinpoint the Big Five-Niwot tunnel
intersection.
Conduct a field review, develop draft conceptual design
for monitoring of mine-pool treatment and for external
seepage monitoring of the mine-pool reservoir.
A student intern from the University of Arizona (graduate
major in Geophysics) was retained to assist in all aspects of
the project.
Task 1 - Reviewed data and systems related to the Captain
Jack Mine project and began project planning for upcoming
fieldwork.
Task 2 - Engaged in planning with EPA and the State of
Colorado to locate the intersection/tunnel believed to be
400-500 feet below ground surface.
Task 3 - Designed geophysical work plan to determine the
location of the Big Five-Niwot tunnel intersection. Draft
work plan was submitted; final work plan is expected to be
completed in early FY10.
Additional tasks based on the work plan will be performed
inFYlO.
REMOTE MINE MONITORING SYSTEM (TENMILE
CREEK AND RIMINI/LUTRELL) - Region 8
The Upper Tenmile Creek Mining Area site is located in
the Rimini Mining District, southwest of Helena, Montana,
and consists of numerous abandoned and inactive hard
rock mine sites that produced gold, lead, zinc, and copper.
Mining began in the Rimini Mining District before 1870
and continued through the 1920s. Little mining has been
performed in the district since the early 1930s.
Design, build, field install, and evaluate a prototype
autonomous monitoring system that can provide near real-
time information on environmental conditions and aqueous
chemistry at remote, inaccessible mine sites. This EPA
Pilot Study is sponsored by the Office of Research and
Development.
New work plan from INL was submitted to David Reisman
in September 2009 for approval.
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STANDARD MINE
STANDARD MINE SITE - Region 8
Standard Mine, a National Priorities List (NPL) site, is
located near Crested Butte, Colorado. Contaminants of
concern are primarily heavy metals, including elevated
levels of manganese, lead, zinc, cadmium, and copper. The
Standard Mine releases 70 gallons/minute of groundwater
from the abandoned mine workings to Elk Creek, and the
Crested Butte municipal drinking water source downstream
is potentially threatened. The SCMTSC through INL is
providing technical services to cover several functions.
Task 1 - Oversee geophysical investigation(s) to determine
the location of the groundwater flow patterns within the
underground mine workings.
Task 2 - Oversee geophysical investigation(s) to determine
if the Standard Mine fault, along which the workings were
completed, is the main conduit for water within the mine
system, or whether there are other faults controlling water
movement.
Task 3 - Develop work plan for monitoring water levels
within the mine workings once the bulkhead has been
installed and monitor fluid movement near the fault in the
area of the upper workings where a ground water cutoff
trench is anticipated.
Tasks 1 and 2 are partially completed and expected to be
done in early FY10.
SANTA SUSANNA FIELD LABORATORY SITE -
Region 9
Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL) is a 2,850-acre site
located in Ventura County, California, approximately 2
miles south of the City of Simi Valley. The site is divided
into four areas that are under different ownership. Boeing
owns Areas I, III, and IV. The National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA) owns Area II and 42 acres
of Area I. Since 1948, the principal activities in Areas I, II,
and III of the SSFL have been large rocket engine research,
assembly, and testing by Rocketdyne and NASA. From
1956-1988, Rocketdyne and the Department of Energy
(DOE) used the Energy Technology and Engineering
Center (ETEC) located in Area IV for nuclear energy
research and development.
These site operations resulted in soil and groundwater
contamination. Primary chemical contaminants include
trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE), metals,
and petroleum hydrocarbons. DOE, Boeing, and NASA
are conducting clean-up actions of chemical contamination
under the direction and oversight of the State of California
Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). DTSC
is using RCRA as its regulatory authority. The extent of
chemical contamination has not been fully characterized,
but it is estimated that more than 500,000 gallons of TCE
lies beneath the site.
Radionuclides associated with ETEC nuclear operations
include tritium, plutonium-238, plutonium-239, iodine-131,
strontium-90, cesium-137, cobalt-60, thorium-228, and
uranium-235. Pursuant to the Atomic Energy Act, DOE
has conducted decommission and demolition of ETEC
buildings. DOE is currently preparing an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) under the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA). The community is active and very
involved.
Task 1 - Evaluation of the sampling requirements for the
SSFL site was initiated in March 2009. Statistical methods
for evaluating environmental data were recommended
to ensure proper characterization of the site, which
has radiological and chemical contamination. Several
site documents were reviewed to identify and provide
information on various statistical methods that could be
used for evaluating environmental data at the site.
Task 2 - Provide technical and information support to the
site team, which includes community members. A meeting
was held with Nicole Motoux and Gregg Dempsey (EPA
Region 9) on April 3, 2009 to discuss statistical methods
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that can be used to evaluate environmental data to ensure
proper characterization of the site. A conference call was
held on April 29, 2009 and a stakeholder meeting was
attended on April 30, 2009. Potential sampling approaches
were provided at the stakeholder meeting. A report
summarizing the proposed statistical methods to address
statistical issues of the Radiological Background Study
(RBS) evaluations to be performed at the SSFL site was
delivered to the Region on June 5, 2009. A conference call
was held on June 22, 2009 to discuss the calculation and
evaluation of contaminant background threshold values
Task 3 - Develop a draft report summarizing the proposed
statistical methods to address stakeholders' concerns and
statistical issues described in the Sampling and Analysis
Plan. The draft report was delivered to the Region on July
15, 2009 and the final report was submitted on July 31,
2009.
Task 4 - Develop a report summarizing statistical methods
that can be used on gamma radiation count data to screen
regions of Area IV exhibiting gamma radiation levels
exceeding the background levels/investigation levels. The
report was submitted to the Region on August 27, 2009.
JACKSON PARK SITE - Region 10
The Jackson Park Housing Complex (JPHC) site is located
east of Highway 3, approximately 2 miles northwest of
Bremerton, Washington. The 300-acre complex currently
contains housing for 3,000 military personnel. From 1904-
1959, the facility operated as a Navy ammunition depot
and included ordnance, manufacturing, processing, and
disassembly. Residual ordnance powders were disposed
of by open burning. Hazardous dust deposited onto floors
during ordnance handling was washed into floor drains that
lead into Ostrich Bay. In addition to ammunition-related
activities, the site also contained incinerators, paint, battery
and machine shops, and a boiler plant. The munitions
buildings were demolished between 1973 and 1975, when
the housing complexes were built.
The SCMTSC provided information to the EPA Regional
Representative Harry Craig on the potential use of indicator
kriging for the Jackson Park site.
EASTERN MICHAUD FLATS SUPERFUND SITE -
Region 10
The Eastern Michaud Flats Superfund Site (oka Simplot
or FMC), located northwest of Pocatello, Idaho, covers
approximately 2,530 acres. Two adjacent phosphate ore
processing facilities, the FMC Corporation and the J.R.
Simplot Company Don Plant, make up the Superfund site.
These processing facilities operated from the early 1940s
until the FMC facility closed in December 2001. The
Simplot Don Plant facility is still in active operation.
Guidance was provided for computing an appropriate
background statistic based on a site-specific background
data set and comparing the result with a pre-established
maximum concentration level (MCL) value. The guidance
provided:
The background module of ProUCL software can be used
to:
Compare site concentrations data distribution to
background concentrations data distribution;
Compare point-by-point site data to some pre-
established screening level such as BTV or not-to-
exceed value; or
Compute background Upper Threshold Value (UTV)
based on site-specific background data.
When comparing site data to background data, a
determination can be made whether the site concentrations
can be considered as coming from site concentrations
comparable to those of background. The main objective
of performing background versus site concentrations
comparison is to determine if site concentration data
exceed upper background threshold levels (e.g., upper
prediction limit [UPL], upper tolerance limit [UTL]) with
high confidence. Background upper threshold typically
is estimated by a 95% upper prediction limit (95UPL),
95% upper limit for 90th, or 95th percentile (95UTL90,
or 95UTL95) provided enough background data are
available. Thus, a 95% UPL or UTL is computed based
upon background data, and individual point-by-point site
observations are compared with those upper BTVs.
BUNKER HILL MMC SITE - Region 10
The long history of mineral extraction in the Coeur d' Alene
Basin has left a legacy of heavy metal-laden mine tailings
that have accumulated along the Coeur d' Alene River and
its tributaries. The metals have contaminated the water
and sediments of Lake Coeur d' Alene, and continue to be
transported downstream via the Spokane River. In 1983,
the EPA listed the Bunker Hill Mining and Metallurgical
Complex on the NPL.
The SCMTSC through INL provided sequential extractions
and leaching experiments on metals samples from the site.
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The Coeur d'Alene Basin Commission and Region 10
asked the SCMTSC to conduct a series of extraction
procedures and leach tests on soil from the area of the
Central Impoundment Area (CIA) and in the Osborn Flats
area. Exposed minerals from historic mining activities
have contributed to contamination in the South Fork Coeur
d'Alene River and its tributaries. Due to the challenge
of cleanup, a preliminary study of metal availability and
release from sediments from the area was performed to
help understand the factors affecting metal mobility. Three
groups of experiments were conducted:
Task 1 - Sequential extraction tests to determine the
operational speciation of the metals in the sediment
(including a Quality Assurance Project Plan [QAPP] for all
the tests).
Task 2 - Leaching tests to determine the effect of pH on
metal leached.
Task 3 - Leaching tests to provide insight into the effect of
aerobic and anoxic conditions on the metal leached.
Core samples were collected in August 2008 from four
locations, three from just outside of the CIA and one from
the Osborn Flats area. The primary metals of concern
were zinc, cadmium, and lead. In addition, calcium, iron,
magnesium, manganese, sulfur, and selenium were also
measured. The sediment samples were subjected to a
sequential extraction protocol that segregates the metals
into four operationally defined fractions: ion-exchangable
fraction (Phase 1), acid-soluble fraction (Phase 2), organic/
oxide/sulfide-bound fraction (Phase 3), and the residual
fraction (Phase 4).
Metal concentrations were highest in the sediments
collected at SF-BH-EPZ-12 near the CIA. The metal
concentrations in locations SF-OB-PZ-13 (Osborn Flats
area), BH-E-PZ-16 and BH-E-PZ-24 (both from around the
CIA) for cadmium, lead, and zinc were relatively similar.
Leaching tests were conducted to determine how pH
and the presence or absence of oxygen affected the
concentration of leached metals. The pH of the leach
solution naturally had a significant effect on the leachability
of all the metals. Cadmium and zinc leached at greater rates
as the pH of the leach solution was reduced. At a pH of
2, the concentration of cadmium and zinc was roughly 10
times higher in the leach solution than what was observed
at pH 6 or 7. A similar pattern was observed with lead,
although the differences were less dramatic, being about
five times higher lead concentration at pH 2 than 6-7.
Leaching tests also were conducted to determine how
the presence or absence of oxygen affected metal
concentrations in leach solutions. The tests were conducted
following a two-week wetting/drying cycle conducted at
atmospheric conditions. The most notable observation was
that each location reacted very differently from the other
locations. However, at each location, cadmium and zinc
reacted in the same manner.
Cadmium tended to be the most mobile metal, although it
was present in the lowest concentrations. Iron was the least
mobile, suggesting that most of the iron existed as stable
iron oxides or mineral iron. Lead was generally more easily
extracted than zinc and both were present in concentrations
higher than what was observed for cadmium.
In experiments conducted at pH 7, many of the elements
(aluminum, cadmium, copper, iron, magnesium, lead,
and zinc) showed little or no change with time. The rates
of leaching in pH 2 solutions, in contrast to the pH 7
solutions, appeared to increase with time for most of the
elements. Leached concentrations were also greater at low
pH, except for selenium. Leached calcium, magnesium, and
potassium concentrations increased over time but appeared
to approach a steady state near the end of the experiment.
A final draft report of the results was in progress at the end
of FY09 for submittal in early FY10.
UMATILLA ARMY DEPOT SITE - Region 10
The Umatilla Army Depot (Lagoons) site, which occupies
about 20,000 acres in Hermiston, Oregon, has operated
as a storage depot for conventional munitions and
chemical warfare agents since 1941. Areas of the site were
contaminated with explosives and metals because of past
demilitarization and disposal operations. Between the
1950s and 1965, about 85 million gallons of wastewater
from explosive washout operations were discharged into
two unlined lagoons. The lagoons cover about half an acre.
The groundwater contaminant plume is estimated to cover
350 acres, and access to the site is restricted. About 100
people live on the post, and approximately 900 people live
within three miles of the site. The nearest drinking water
well is located about 6,500 feet from the disposal area.
Commercial agriculture is conducted within the vicinity of
the depot and crops are irrigated with area groundwater.
Review comments on the sampling plan proposed in the
U.S. Army's Permit Modification Request (PMR) for the
Umatilla Army Depot were delivered to the Region on
May 8, 2009.
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The Army is proposing the use of a new approach to
liquefy mustard gas heels. More conservative DQOs
are desirable to ensure that the proposed approach
works effectively in characterizing metal contents and
mustard agents, which, in turn, will be used to determine
appropriate feed rate to control hazardous emissions
into the environment. Therefore, it was recommended to
sample a sufficient number of containers to ensure that
a higher percentage (e.g., 99%) of containers will meet
the acceptance criteria (0 exceedances) with a confidence
level of 0.95. These more conservative DQOs will require
sampling of 299 containers.
LOWER DUWAMISH WATERWAY SITE -
Region 10
The Lower Duwamish Waterway site is a 5.5-mile stretch
of the Lower Duwamish River that flows into Elliott
Bay. The waterway lies south of downtown Seattle and
is flanked by industrial corridors and the South Park and
Georgetown neighborhoods.
Sediments (mud and sand on the river bottom) in and
along the waterway contain a wide range of contaminants
from years of industrial activity and from stormwater. The
Washington State Department of Ecology and EPA are
working to clean up contaminated sediment and control
sources of recontamination.
EPA added about five miles of the waterway to its list of
Superfund cleanup sites in 2001. The contaminants in the
waterway sediments include PCBs, PAHs, mercury and
other metals, and phthalates.
Reviewed and provided information to the EPA Regional
Representative on the use of kriging standard deviation
methodology for conducting sampling at the Jackson Park
site area.
SEDIMENT BACKGROUND STATISTICAL
WORKSHOP - Region 10
At the request of Region 10, Anita Singh from Lockheed
attended the Sediment Background Workshop in Seattle
on October 7, 2008. Federal, State, university, and private
representatives attended the workshop with the goal of
developing a Sediment Evaluation Framework (SEF) for
use in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. The SEF includes
procedures for conducting a bioaccumulation assessment
of dredged material, including tissue and sediment
concentrations protective of aquatic life; and human and
wildlife consumption of fish and shellfish.
The majority of the background-related issues dealing with
univariate data sets (with and without ND observations)
can be handled by ProUCL 4.0. For multivariate data sets
(analyzing several correlated contaminants simultaneously),
Scout software has tools to establish BTVs in the
multivariate setting and to perform site versus background
comparisons. The upgraded ProUCL 4.0, completed in
March 2009, includes new prediction and tolerance limit
features based on gamma distribution that can be used in
background contaminant evaluations.
TSP FORUM MEETING MIS DISCUSSION
The first report on MIS analysis for the
Nanesmond site was delivered to the SCMTSC
Director on January 20, 2009. The results of the
MIS analysis were presented by Anita Singh from
Lockheed at the Technical Support Program (TSP)
meeting in San Diego, California, on January
27, 2009. Ms. Singh also participated in a panel
discussion on the MIS approach for contaminated
soils.
SPENT SAND/FOUNDRY OPERATIONS
Analyses were conducted of Spent Foundry Sands
data obtained from the Office of Solid Waste and
Emergency Response (OSWER). The data for
the analysis were divided into the following six
groups:
Inorganics group
PAH Totals group
Phenolics Totals group
Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure
(TCLP) group
Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Precipitation
(SPLP) group
American Society for Testing & Materials
(ASTM) group
Each group contained several different sets of
data. The summary of the statistical analysis was
divided into two parts: the inorganics group and
the leachate data. Box plots were developed to
evaluate the adequacy of the detection limits for
each compound/element. The data were analyzed
and information for a bounding/high-end risk
characterization was provided to OSWER.
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SEPA
United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
Office of Science Policy (8104R)
Washington, DC 20460
www. epa. gov/ord/osp
Recycled/Recyclable. Printed with vegetable oil-based inks on 100% postconsumer, process chlorine-free recycled paper.
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