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PAC 5:  Environmental Radiation and Radioactive Waste Issues 

Program Area Committee (PAC) 5 provides oversight for activities related to environmental radiation and radioactive waste issues. A current effort under PAC 5 is SC 64-22 on Design of Effective Effluent and Environmental Monitoring Programs.

Currently authorized but unfunded activities within this program area are:

• assessment of measurement methodologies for environmental indicators of past releases (with PAC 6)
• case studies and lessons learned from remediation of sites and facilities with radioactive contamination
• clearance as a radiation protection strategy for radioactive material management
• development of a risk assessment and risk management parameter handbook
• radiation protection criteria for plants and animals
• risk-based corrective action in remediation of contaminated ecosystems
• usage factors for environmental dose calculations

PAC 5 met on March 1, 2009 in conjunction with the NCRP Annual Meeting. The Committee discussed the fact that the new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, Lisa Jackson, will place a strong emphasis on science as a basis for strengthening regulations Recent efforts by DOE in revising Order 5400 on Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment and Order 435 on Performance Assessment of Low-Level Waste Disposal Facilities were discussed, as well as the preparation of operational guidelines for emergency response to incidents involving radiological dispersal devices. NCRP President Tenforde briefed the PAC 5 members on reports proposed by NCRP to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on recovery strategies following a nuclear or radiological terrorism incident, and to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on effective effluent monitoring programs. The Committee also discussed several possible new reports on the fate, transport, doses, and dispersal options for naturally-occurring radioactive material in the environment.

The Committee met on March 7, 2010 in conjunction with the NCRP Annual Meeting. Representatives of state and federal government agencies described current areas of interest, including the proposed effort by NCRP to prepare a commentary with EPA support that will provide guidance on updating 40 CFR 190 regulations related to the uranium fuel cycle. The Committee also discussed the new proposal from NCRP to DHS to prepare a report on “Approach to Optimizing Decision Making for Late Phase Recovery from Nuclear or Radiological Terrorism Incidents,” an effort that is expected to be initiated in 2010.

SC 64-22 Design of Effective Effluent and Environmental Monitoring Programs >

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