ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT Guidance …

1 Division of Environmental Response and Revitalization ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT Guidance document February 2003 Revised April 2008 State of Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Ted Strickland, Governor Chris Korleski, Director Lazarus Government Center, 50 West Town St., Suite 700, Columbus, Ohio 43215 Guidance for Conducting ECOLOGICAL Risk Assessments DERR - 00 - RR - 031 Oct ober 2006 Revised Apri l 2008 State of Ohio Environmental Protection Agency Division of Environmental Response and Revitalization Box 1049 Lazarus Government Center Columbus, Ohio 43216-1049 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Ohio EPA Districts.

2 V Acknowledgments .. vi Acronyms .. vii Chapter 1 OVERVIEW .. 1-1 Overview of the ECOLOGICAL Risk ASSESSMENT Process .. 1-1 Level I - Scoping ECOLOGICAL Risk ASSESSMENT .. 1-4 Level II - Screening ECOLOGICAL Risk ASSESSMENT .. 1-4 Level III - Baseline ECOLOGICAL Risk ASSESSMENT .. 1-5 Level IV - Field Baseline ECOLOGICAL Risk ASSESSMENT .. 1-5 Chapter 2 Level I - Scoping ECOLOGICAL Risk ASSESSMENT Objective .. 2-1 Prerequisites .. 2-1 Tasks .. 2-1 Task 1: Assess Existing Data .. 2-1 Task 2: Site Information and Identification of Important ECOLOGICAL Resources.

3 2-2 Task 3: Identify Potential Chemical and Non-chemical Stressors .. 2-2 Task 4: Level I ASSESSMENT .. 2-3 Task 5: Submit Level I Deliverable .. 2-3 ATTACHMENTS ATTACHMENT A ECOLOGICAL Phase I Site ASSESSMENT .. 2-4 ATTACHMENT B - ECOLOGICAL Scoping Checklis t .. 2-8 ATTACHMENT C - Evaluation of Potential ECOLOGICAL Harm .. 2-12 ATTACHMENT D - Level I Deliverable Outline .. 2-13 ATTACHMENT E - ODNR Species Information .. 2-14 Chapter 3 Level II - Screening ECOLOGICAL Risk ASSESSMENT Objective .. 3-1 Prerequisites .. 3-1 Tasks Task 1: Evaluate Existing Site Data.

4 3-2 Task 2: Site Characterization .. 3-2 Task 3: Data/Media Evaluation .. 3-2 Frequency of Detection .. 3-3 Common Laboratory Contaminants .. 3-3 Background Concentrations .. 3-3 Ohio Sediment Reference Values (SRVs) .. 3-4 Task 4: Scientific Management Decision Point .. 3-4 Task 5: Screening .. 3-5 Soil .. 3-5 Surface Water .. 3-7 Sediment .. 3-7 ii Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic Pollu tants .. 3-7 Cumulative Effects .. 3-7 Benchmark Availability .. 3-8 State and/or Federal Listed Species .. 3-8 Task 6: COPEC Selection.

5 3-8 Task 7: Conduct Site Survey .. 3-8 Task 8: Update Site Description .. 3-9 Task 9: Revise Conceptual Site Model .. 3-9 Task 10: Identify ECOLOGICAL Receptors .. 3-9 Task 11: Identify Complete Exposure Pathways .. 3-10 Task 12: Identify Candidate ASSESSMENT Endpoints .. 3-11 Task 13: Scientific Management Decision Point (SMDP) .. 3-12 Task 14: Submit Level II Report .. 3-12 ATTACHMENTS ATTACHMENT A - Flowchart and Legend .. 3-14 ATTACHMENT B - Potential ECOLOGICAL Contaminants of Concern .. 3-22 ATTACHMENT C - Summary of ECOLOGICAL Receptors.

6 3-23 ATTACHMENT D - Exposure Routes for ECOLOGICAL Receptors by Environmental Media .. 3-24 ATTACHMENT E - CSM Diagram .. 3-25 ATTACHMENT F - Level II Report .. 3-26 ATTACHMENT G - Point of Compliance .. 3-27 ATTACHMENT H - Ohio Specific Sediment Reference Values .. 3-28 ATTACHMENT I - Generic Receptor Species List .. 3-35 Chapter 4 Level III - Baseline ECOLOGICAL Risk ASSESSMENT Objective .. 4-1 Prerequisites .. 4-1 Tasks Task 1: Complete Problem Formulation .. 4-1 Task 2: Prepare Analysis Plan .. 4-2 Task 3: Perform Exposure ASSESSMENT .

7 4-3 Task 4: Perform Toxicity ASSESSMENT .. 4-4 Task 5: Perform Risk Characterization .. 4-5 Task 6: Perform Uncertainty Analysis .. 4-7 Task 7: Scientific Management Decision Point (SMDP) .. 4-8 Task 8: Submit Level III Deliverable .. 4-8 Task 9: Scientific Management Decision Point (SMDP) .. 4-8 ATTACHMENTS ATTACHMENT A - Generic Receptors .. 4-9 ATTACHMENT B - Exposure ASSESSMENT .. 4-15 ATTACHMENT C -Toxicity ASSESSMENT .. 4-25 ATTACHMENT D - Receptor Life History Data .. 4-36 ATTACHMENT E - Level III Report - Outline .. 4-47 Chapter 5 Level IV - Field Baseline ECOLOGICAL Risk ASSESSMENT Objective.

8 5-1 Prerequisites .. 5-1 Tasks Task 1: Refine Problem Formulation .. 5-1 iii Select COECs .. 5-1 Review/revise Establis h Measures .. 5-1 Task 2: Select ASSESSMENT Tools .. 5-2 Tissue Analysis/Bioaccumulation Studies .. 5-2 Populat ion/Community Evaluations/ Toxicity Tests (Bioassay) .. 5-2 Task 3: Prepare Field ECOLOGICAL Samplin g and Analysis Plan 5-3 Task 4: Conduct Fi eld/Laboratory W ork .. 5-4 Task 5: Perform Risk Characterization .. 5-4 Task 6: Perform Uncertainty Analysis .. 5-4 Task 7: Submit Level IV deliverable .. 5-4 ATTACHMENTS ATTACHMENT A - Useful References.

9 5-5 CHAPTER 6 Definitions Definitions .. 6-1 CHAPTER 7 Literature Cited Literature Cited .. 7-1 iv Ohio Environmenta l Pr ote ction Agency Division of Environmental Response and Revitalization Central Offi ce * Box 1049 Columbus, Ohio 43216-1049 Phone: (614) 644-2924 Fax: (614) 644-3146 Central District Offi ce Southeast District Offi ce PO Box 1049 2195 Fr ont Street Columbus, Ohio 43216-1049 Logan, Ohio 43138 Phone: (614)728-3778 Phone: (740)385-8501 Fax: (614)728-3898 Fax: (740)385-6490 Northeast District Offi ce Southwest District Offi ce 2110 East Aurora Road 401 East Fifth Street Twinsburg, Ohio 44087 Dayton, Ohio 45402-2911 Phone: (330)963-1200 Phone: (937)285-6357 Fax: (330)487-0769 Fax: (937)285-6249 Northwest District Offi ce 347 North Dunbridge Road Bowling Green, Ohio 43402 Phone: (419)352-8461 Fax: (419)352-8468 * Specific questions regarding the methodologies given in this Guidance should be directed to Central Offi ce.

10 Specific questions regarding the application of the Guidance to a specific Site or Property should be directed to the Site coordinator or VAP representative. v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: The ECOLOGICAL risk ASSESSMENT (ERA) process proposed in this document is based on several federal and state Guidance documents modified to reflect conditions of the State of Ohio. Ohio EPA would like to acknowledge their debt to these agencies, particularly EPA and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Ohio EPA would also lik e to recognize the efforts of the ECOLOGICAL Risk ASSESSMENT Group (ERAG) and staff members who assisted and cooperated with the development of this document .