UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460
OFF ICE OF
SOLID WASTE AND EMERGENCY
RESPONSE
OSWERNo. 9355.0-86A
MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT: Distribution of OSWER Radionuclide ARAR Dose Compliance Concentrations
(DCCs) for Superfund Electronic Calculator
FROM: Michael B. Cook, Director
Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation (OSRTI)
TO: Superfund National Policy Managers, Regions 1-10
PURPOSE
The purpose of this memorandum is to transmit to you a final electronic calculator
entitled: "Radionuclide ARAR Dose Compliance Concentrations (DCCs) for Superfund." The
radionuclide DCC calculator maybe found at the following website
http://epa-dccs.ornl.gov/radionuclides/. The electronic calculator is intended to help site
decision makers demonstrate compliance with dose-based Applicable or Relevant and
Appropriate Requirements (ARARs) at radioactively contaminated Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) sites.1
This electronic calculator provides guidance to EPA staff. It also provides guidance to
the public and to the regulated community on how EPA intends that the National Oil and
Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) be implemented. The guidance is
designed to describe EPA's national policy on these issues. The electronic calculator does not,
however, substitute for EPA's statutes or regulations, nor is it a regulation itself. Thus, it cannot
impose legally-binding requirements on EPA, States, or the regulated community, and may not
apply to a particular situation based upon the circumstances. EPA may change this guidance in
the future, as appropriate.
The electronic calculator transmitted by this memorandum provides guidance on preliminary remediation goal
issues involved at CERCLA sites and is consistent with the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution
Contingency Plan (NCP). It does not alter the NCP expectations regarding treatment of principal threat waste and the use
of containment and institutional controls for low level threat waste. Consistent with CERCLA and the NCP, response
actions must attain or waive applicable or relevant and appropriate requirements (ARARs). CERCLA response actions
for contaminated ground water at radiation sites must attain (or waive as appropriate) the Maximum Contaminant Levels
(MCLs) or non-zero Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs) established under the Safe Drinking Water Act,
where the MCLs or MCLGs are relevant and appropriate for the site.
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WASHINGTON. D.C. 20460
JAN 28 2004 ^ ~
OSWERNo. 9355.0-86A
MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT: Distribution of OSWER Radionuclide ARAR Dose Compliance Concentrations
(DCCs) for Superfund Electronic Calculator
v /) .-"-'/""
FROM: Michael B. Cook, Director N> ^ X / ^C- ^f^—
Office of Superfund Remediation and TeCnnology Innovation (OSRTI)
TO: Superfund National Policy Managers, Regions 1-10
PURPOSE
The purpose of this memorandum is to transmit to you a final electronic calculator
entitled: "Radionuclide ARAR Dose Compliance Concentrations (DCCs) for Superfund." The
radionuclide DCC calculator maybe found at the following website
http://cpa-dccs.ornl.gov/radionuclidcs/. The electronic calculator is intended to help site
decision makers demonstrate compliance with dose-based Applicable or Relevant and
Appropriate Requirements (ARARs) at radioactively contaminated Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) sitea1
This electronic calculator provides guidance to EPA staff. It also provides guidance to
the public and to the regulated community on how EPA intends that the National Oil and
Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) be implemented. The guidance is
designed to describe EPA's national policy on these issues. The electronic calculator does not,
however, substitute for EPA's statutes or regulations, nor is it a regulation itself. Thus, it cannot
impose legally-binding requirements on EPA, States, or the regulated community, and may not
apply to a particular situation based upon the circumstances. EPA may change this guidance hi
the future, as appropriate.
The electronic calculator transmitted by this memorandum provides guidance on preliminary remediation goal
issues involved at CERCLA sites and is consistent with the N ational Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution
Contingency Plan (NCP). It does not alter the NCP expectations regarding treatment of principal threat waste and the use
of containment and institutional controls for low level threat waste. Consistent with CERCLA and the NCP, response
actions must attain or waive applicable or relevant and appropriate requirements (ARARs). CERCLA response actions
for contaminated ground water at radiation sites must attain (or waive as appropriate) the Maximum Contaminant Levels
(MCLs) or non-zero Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs) established under the Safe Drinking Water Act,
where the MCLs or MCLGs are relevant and appropriate for the site.
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BACKGROUND
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued guidance entitled
"Establishment of Cleanup Levels for CERCLA Sites with Radioactive Contamination"
(OSWERNo. 9200.4-18, August 22, 1997). This 1997 guidance provided clarification for
establishing protective cleanup levels for radioactive contamination at CERCLA sites. The
guidance reiterated that cleanups of radionuclides are governed by the risk range for all
carcinogens established in the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency
Plan (NCP) when Applicable or Relevant and Appropriate Requirements (ARARs) are not
available or are not sufficiently protective. Cleanup should generally achieve a level of risk
within the 10"4 to 10"6 carcinogenic risk range based on the reasonable maximum exposure for an
individual. In calculating cleanup levels, one should include exposures from all potential
pathways, and through all media (e.g., soil, ground water, surface water, sediment, air, structures,
etc.) The guidance also provides a listing of radiation standards that are likely to be used as
ARARs to establish cleanup levels or to conduct remedial actions.
This radionuclide DCC calculator is part of a continuing effort by the Office of
Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation (OSRTI) to provide updated guidance for
addressing radioactively contaminated sites consistent with our guidance for addressing
chemically contaminated sites, except to account for the technical differences between
radionuclides and chemicals. This effort is intended to facilitate compliance with the NCP at
radioactively contaminated sites while incorporating the improvements to the Superfund program
that have been implemented through Administrative Reforms.
Today's radionuclide DCC calculator provides updated guidance to the equations that are
found in a previous guidance document issued by EPA entitled "Risk Assessment Guidance for
Superfund: Volume I. Human Health Evaluation Manual (Part AY' (EPA/540/1-89/002,
December 1989). Much of the basis for this updated guidance is found in two other guidance
documents issued by EPA entitled "Soil Screening Guidance for Radionuclides: User's Guide"
(OSWERNo. 9355.4-16A, October 2000), and "Supplemental Guidance for Developing Soil
Screening Levels for Superfund Sites (Peer Review Draff)" (OSWER No. 9355.4-24, March
2001).
IMPLEMENTATION
For questions regarding radiation site policy and guidance for CERCLA cleanup actions,
readers are referred to the RCRA/Superfund Hotline at 1-800-424-9346 or the Superfund
Radiation Webpage at http://www.epa.gov/superfund/resources/radiation/index.htm. The subject
matter specialist for this electronic calculator is Stuart Walker of OSRTI. He can be reached by
e-mail at walker.stuart@epa.gov or by telephone at (703) 603-8748.
cc: OSRTI Mangers
Nancy Riveland, Superfund Lead Region Coordinator, USEPA Region 9
Jeff Josephson
NARPM Co-Chairs
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Joanna Gibson, OSRTI Documents Coordinator
Elizabeth Cots worth, ORIA
Ramona Trovato, Senior Advisor to OSWER AA
Jim Woolford, FFRRO
Debbie Dietrich, OEPPR
Robert Springer, OSW
Cliff Rothenstein, OUST
Linda Garczynski, OBCR
Dave Kling, FFEO
Susan Bromm, OSRE
Earl Salo, OGC
John Michaud, OGC
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