UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20460
OSWERNo. 9355.01-83A
MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT: Distribution of OSWER of Radionuclide Preliminary Remediation Goals (PRGs) for
Superfund Electronic Calculator
FROM: Elaine F. Davies, Acting Director
Office of Emergency and Remedial Response (OERR)
Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
Stephen D. Page, Director
Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (ORIA)
Office of Air and Radiation
TO:
Addressees
PURPOSE
The purpose of this memorandum is to transmit to you a final electronic calculator entitled:
"Radionuclide Preliminary Remediation Goals (PRGs) for Superfund." The Radionuclide PRG
calculator may be found at the following website
http://epa-prgs.ornl.gov/radionuclides. The electronic calculator provides guidance for establishing
PRGs at radioactively contaminated Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) sites.1
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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BACKGROUND
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued guidance entitled "Establishment of
Cleanup Levels for CERCLA Sites with Radioactive Contamination" (OSWER No. 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 PRO calculator is part of a continuing effort between the Office of
Emergency and Remedial Response (OERR) and the Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (ORIA) 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 PRO 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 B. Development of Risk-based
Preliminary Remediation GoalsY' (EPA/540/R-92/003, December 1991). 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" (OSWER No. 9355.4-16A, October 2000), and
"Supplemental Guidance for Developing Soil Screening Levels for Superfund Sites (Peer Review
Draft)" (OSWERNo. 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
specialists for this electronic calculator are Phil Newkirk and Ron Wilhelm of ORIA and Stuart Walker
of OERR.
Addressees:
National Superfund Policy Managers
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Superfund Branch Chiefs (Regions I-X)
Superfund Branch Chiefs, Office of Regional Counsel (Regions I-X)
Radiation Program Managers (Regions I, IV, V, VI, W, X)
Radiation Branch Chief (Region IT)
Residential Domain Section Chief (Region HI)
Radiation and Indoor Air Program Branch Chief (Region VET)
Radiation and Indoor Office Director (Region IX)
Federal Facilities Leadership Council
OERR Center Directors and Senior Process Managers
OERR NARPM co-chairs
cc: Steve Page, ORIA
Jim Woolford, FFRRO
Elizabeth Cotsworth, OSW
Craig Hooks, FFEO
Barry Breen, OSRE
Joanna Gibson, HOSC/OERR
Earl Salo, OGC
Jeff Josephson, Region U
Marianne Horinko, OSWER
Mike Shapiro, OSWER
Tom Dunne, OSWER
Jeff Denitt, OSWER
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