Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
system (HRS). The HRS is a process that screens the threats of each site to
determine if the site should be listed on the national priority listing (NPL),
which is a list of sites identified as requiring possible long-term cleanup and
what the rank of a listed site should be. Following the initial investigation, a
formal remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/FS) is conducted to assess
the nature and extent of contamination. The next formal step is the record of
decision, which describes possible alternatives for cleanup to be used at an NPL
site. Next, a remedial design/remedial action (RD/RA) plan is prepared and
implemented. The RD/RA specifies which remedies will be undertaken at the
site and lays out all plans for meeting cleanup standards for all environmental
media. The construction completion step identifies the activities that were
completed to achieve cleanup. After completion of all actions identified in the
RD/RA, a program for operation and maintenance is carried out to ensure
that all actions are as effective as expected and that the measures are operating
properly and according to the plan. Finally, after cleanup and demonstrated
success, the site may be deleted from the NPL. Note that this process closely
resembles the step-wise design model described in Chapter 1.
In the first step in the process, the location of the site and boundaries should
be clearly specified, including the formal address and geodetic coordinates. The
history of the site, including present and all past owners and operators, should
be documented. The search for this background information should include
both formal (e.g., public records) and informal documentation (e.g., newspa-
pers and discussions with neighborhood groups
*
). The main or most recent
businesses that have operated on the site, as well as any ancillary or previous in-
terests, should be documented and investigated. For example, in the infamous
Times Beach, Missouri, dioxin contamination incident, the operator's main
business was an oiling operation to control dust and to pave roads. Unfortu-
nately, the operator also ran an ancillary waste-oil hauling and disposal business.
The operator “creatively” merged these two businesses: spraying waste oil that
had been contaminated with dioxins, which led to widespread pollution re-
sulting in numerous Superfund sites in Missouri, including relocation of the
entire town of Times Beach.
*
Many community resources are available, from formal public meetings held by governmental
authorities to informal groups, such as homeowner association meetings and neighborhood
“watch” and crime prevention group meetings. Any investigation activities should adhere to
federal and other governmental regulations regarding privacy, intrusion, and human subjects
considerations. Privacy rules have been written according to the Privacy Act and the Paperwork
Reduction Act (e.g., the Office of Management and Budget limits the type and amount of
information that U.S. agencies may collect in what is referred to as an information collection
budget). Any research that affects human subjects should at a minimum, have prior approval for
informed consent of participants and thoughtful consideration of the need for an institutional
review board approval.
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