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At least 181 records · Page 10

Using NASA Earth Observations to Identify Trends in Harmful Algal Blooms in Narragansett Bay

Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island is known for its quahog, or hard-shell clam, shellfisheries. However, increased levels in harmful algal blooms (HABs) have posed threats to quahog populations and raised public health concerns due to shellfishery closures resulting from contamination with neurotoxins released by phytoplankton. NASA DEVELOP partnered with the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory and Rhode Island’s Department of Environmental Management to use Earth observations and the partners’ in-situ data to visualize phytoplankton bloom events within the bay. The team used Sentinel-3 Ocean and Land Color Instrument (OLCI), Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI), and Landsat 9 OLI-2 to track proposed proxies for phytoplankton from June 2016 to October 2023. Multiple sensors and datasets were employed for more accurate results due to the small spatial extent of Narragansett Bay. Chlorophyll-a and total suspended solids were determined to be accurate parameters to monitor HAB events. Although complications could arise due to the relatively small size of the bay and small-scale of the bloom events, which may be difficult to visualize via remote sensing, Earth observations have proven to help strengthen HAB research, monitoring, and prediction and will complement the extensive in-situ data in Narragansett Bay.

Isabella Giordano↗

Enhanced Monte Carlo Simulation of the Voxel Phantom Lattice Submersed in a Contaminated Air Environment

External dose coefficient calculations reported for submersions in semi-infinite clouds, as in the Environmental Protection Agency: Federal Guidance Report 12, assume a person standing on the ground submerged in a radioactive cloud. In the scope of the work presented here, Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Center for Radiation Protection Knowledge has computed dose coefficients for monoenergetic photons, electrons, and positrons for worker exposures in three rooms of finite sizes representing an office, laboratory, and warehouse. In the process of simulating these exposures, International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 110 reference adult male and female voxel phantom lattices were placed in the rooms filled with contaminated air. It was apparent that additional simulations were need to treat the non-tissue voxels surrounding the phantoms as containing the contaminated air. Dose coefficients for three room sizes representing an office, laboratory, and warehouse were computed. The coefficients for electrons exhibit little dependence on room size for most energies. However, for organs within the range of electron transport, the dose from source activity within the non-tissue voxels of the lattice surrounding the phantom becomes increasingly important. The photon dose coefficients vary based on room size because of longer mean free paths. It is important to include the air surrounding the voxel phantom within the voxel lattice in the calculations, when simulating a voxel phantom submersed in air for source particle energies below 200-300 keV, otherwise, the organ dose coefficient would be underestimated. Organ and effective dose coefficients for each gender, energy, and room size will be tabulated on the Oak Ridge National Laboratory - Center for Radiation Protection Knowledge website: http://ornl.gov/crpk.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗

A method to the impact assessment of the returning grazing land to grassland project on regional eco-environmental vulnerability

The Chinese government has conducted the Returning Grazing Land to Grassland Project (RGLGP) across large portions of grasslands from western China since 2003. In order to explore and understand the impact in the grassland's eco-environment during the RGLGP, we utilized Projection Pursuit Model (PPM) and Geographic Information System (GIS) to develop a spatial assessment model to examine the ecological vulnerability of the grassland. Our results include five indications: (1) it is practical to apply the spatial PPM on ecological vulnerability assessment for the grassland. This methodology avoids creating an artificial hypothesis, thereby providing objective results that successfully execute a multi-index assessment process and analysis under non-linear systems in eco-environments; (2) the spatial PPM is not only capable of evaluating regional eco-environmental vulnerability in a quantitative way, but also can quantitatively demonstrate the degree of effect in each evaluation index for regional eco-environmental vulnerability; (3) the eco-environment of the Xianshui River Basin falls into the medium range level. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and land use cover and change (LUCC) crucially influence the Xianshui River Basin's eco-environmental vulnerability. Generally, in the Xianshui River Basin, regional eco-environmental conditions improved during 2000 and 2010. The RGLGP positively affected NDVI and LUCC structure, thereby promoting the enhancement of the regional eco-environment; (4) the Xianshui River Basin divides its ecological vulnerability across different levels; therefore our study investigates three ecological regions and proposes specific suggestions for each in order to assist in eco-environmental protection and rehabilitation; and lastly that (5) the spatial PPM established by this study has the potential to be applied on all types of grassland eco-environmental vulnerability assessments under the RGLGP and under the similar conditions in the Returning Agriculture Land to Forest Project (RALFP). However, when establishing an eco-environmental vulnerability assessment model, it is necessary to choose suitable evaluation indexes in accordance with regional eco-environmental characteristics. - Highlights: • We present a method for regional eco-environmental vulnerability assessment. • The method combines Projection Pursuit Model with Geographic Information System. • The Returning Grazing Land to Grassland Project is crucial to environment recovery. • The method is more objective to assess regional eco-environmental vulnerability.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Radon Vapor Intrusion Screening Level Calculator - 17041

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has produced a web-based calculator for the assessment of cancer risk from radon in soil, soil gas, and pore water seeping into above-ground buildings. Like the chemical vapor intrusion screening level (VISL) calculator, the radon VISL (RVISL) provides screening levels in subsurface soil and water that are protective of preliminary remediation goals (PRGs) for radon in air that are based on either cancer risk or Applicable or Relevant and Appropriate Requirements (ARARs). In addition to the screening levels calculated, the RVISL can also calculate the risk from radon concentrations in soil, water, and air. The exposure routes evaluated in the RVISL are inhalation and external exposure from submersion in radon. Two source term options are provided for the user: one without radioactive decay and one with decay. Sources continually generating radon (Rn-222 and Rn-220), such as below ground uranium, would best be modeled with the 'without decay' models. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Radon is released from the normal decay of uranium, thorium, and radium in rocks and soil. It is an invisible, odorless, tasteless gas that seeps up through the ground and diffuses into the air. In areas without adequate ventilation, such as underground mines, radon can accumulate to levels that substantially increase the risk of lung cancer. Radon can enter homes through cracks in floors, walls, or foundations, and collect indoors. It can also be released from building materials, or from water obtained from wells that contain radon. Radon levels can be higher in homes that are well insulated, tightly sealed, and/or built on soil rich in the elements uranium, thorium, and radium. Basement and first floors typically have the highest radon levels because of their closeness to the ground. The RVISL will also allow for the calculation of screening levels for thoron (Rn-220) and Rn-219. The RVISL will be useful in assessing the final cleanup goals for subsurface soils where direct contact is not assumed. These sites can be landfills, buried waste cells or naturally occurring. By calculating protective levels of radon in subsurface soils, the likelihood of exceeding CERCLA protective standards (either risk range or ARARs) can be reduced. (authors)

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Regulation of the Shutdown Defueling and Decommissioning Reactors in the United Kingdom - 16576

Nuclear policy, including for decommissioning, in the United Kingdom is set by the UK Government. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, NDA, is responsible for managing the clean-up of the UK's nuclear legacy which includes the first generation of Magnox power stations. Magnox Ltd (MXL), owned by Cavendish Fluor Partnership, is the licensee and the management and operations contractor responsible for ten Magnox reactor sites and two restoration sites in the UK, working for the sites' owner, NDA. The work of the company is diverse covering electricity generation at Wylfa (until December 2015), defueling, and preparation for an interim end state, known as Care and Maintenance (C and M) which will precede the final site clearance. The C and M phase is expected to last over 75 years during which the sites are maintained in a passively safe and secure state while radiation levels are left to decay naturally. Preparations for this phase include removing fuel from the reactors and storage ponds; retrieving intermediate level waste from current stores and treating it or converting it to forms suitable for long-term storage or disposal and making sure of the integrity of critical safety systems of the de-fuelled reactors. The Decommissioning, Fuel and Waste programme within the Office for Nuclear Regulation, ONR, regulates nuclear safety in the 12 Magnox nuclear licensed sites. ONR works with the environmental regulators who are responsible for environmental protection on nuclear sites. The focus of this paper is the regulation of nuclear safety by ONR across the Magnox sites and the interactions with nuclear security and the environmental aspects required to achieve effective, proportionate and efficient regulation of these sites in the UK. ONR's strategy for regulating the Magnox defueling and decommissioning sites is focused on enabling the licensee to complete the initial stages of decommissioning and reduce the nuclear and radioactive hazards on its sites. To this effect, ONR's revised inspection guidance is centred on inspecting the (remaining) important systems for safety identified in the safety cases. Other interventions focus on engaging with the licensee on safety significant decommissioning projects to gain evidence of the licensee's readiness prior to and during these activities rather than formal assessment of the associated safety cases. In light of reduced hazards and risks across the de-fueled and decommissioning Magnox reactors, ONR's revised regulatory expectation regarding evolution of emergency arrangements during decommissioning is based on key transition points that follow electricity generation. Implementation of these revised strategies as well as organisational restructuring within the team responsible for regulation of the Magnox fleet has resulted in improved efficiency and consistency in regulatory approach whilst securing the required safety standards in managing decommissioning activities. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Regulatory Compliance Strategy For Recovery-Driven Underground Ventilation System Changes - 16355

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) facility is managed and operated by Nuclear Waste Partnership LLC (NWP) for the U.S Department of Energy (DOE). On February 14, 2014, a radiological event occurred in the WIPP facility underground repository, which resulted in the release of transuranic isotopes contaminating a portion of the underground primarily along the ventilation path from Panel 7, the location of the incident. The release was initially detected by an underground continuous air monitor (CAM) which caused an automatic switch of the ventilation system to filtration mode and ventilation was directed through high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration banks located in the surface exhaust building. When the HEPA filtration was engaged, the underground normal ventilation was reduced from 425,000 standard cubic feet per minute (scfm) to 60,000 scfm. Since the event, all exhaust air is filtered through HEPA filters at 60,000 scfm to minimize the possibility of exposure to workers, the public and the environment. Ventilation of fresh air to the WIPP underground is a primary limitation to performing underground recovery activities; therefore, recovery-driven ventilation changes are needed. The safe recovery of the WIPP facility and resumption of normal waste emplacement activities require an increase in ventilation capacity to be accomplished in three phases: 1) Interim Ventilation System, 2) Supplemental Ventilation System and 3) Permanent Ventilation System. Each phase adds increased air flow to the underground and allows for underground activities to be performed concurrently. The regulatory strategy for ventilation recovery focuses on ensuring that needed changes to the WIPP facility are protective of human health and the environment. Recovery-driven ventilation changes are implemented using the procedures, processes, and regulations that are required by the two primary regulatory agencies for the WIPP facility: the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) as well as DOE requirements. Regulatory compliance is being achieved for the three ventilation phases to restore underground ventilation by providing the regulators and stakeholders opportunities for involvement during the design and development processes. A strategy for a tiered NMED permitting process and a plan for developing required EPA documentation are under consideration. The Project's objective is to resume normal waste emplacement activities with safety, protection of the public, the worker and the environment as the highest priorities. Important elements of ensuring that WIPP facility recovery and future waste emplacement activities occur as planned are transparency and communication with the regulatory community. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

TA-18-1 Slotin Building Restoration – Summary of Work to be Performed

The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) requires LANL to identify, evaluate, record, and protect eligible historic properties like TA-18-1 Slotin Building. The Environmental Protection and Compliance-Environmental Stewardship (EPC-ES) Cultural Resources program consults with the New Mexico State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) on undertakings that may affect these properties. TA-18-1 Slotin Building is an exceptionally significant Manhattan Project Property that has been determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and is included within the boundary of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. The building was constructed in 1946 and served as laboratory space for criticality testing. It is the location of the May 1946 criticality accident that resulted in the death of Louis Slotin. As a result of the accident, new procedures and designs for criticality experiments were implemented to prevent further accidents.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗

Global reverse supply chain design for solid waste recycling under uncertainties and carbon emission constraint

Highlights: • We propose a robust model for global reverse supply chain design. • The uncertain waste collection rate, currency exchange rate, and the maritime cost are incorporated. • The total emission and cost are affected by both the uncertainties and the global carbon cap. • The waste products flows between countries vary with the levels of uncertainties and the global carbon cap. • There is an opportunity to reduce the maritime emission. - Abstract: The emergence of concerns over environmental protection, resource conservation as well as the development of logistics operations and manufacturing technology has led several countries to implement formal collection and recycling systems of solid waste. Such recycling system has the benefits of reducing environmental pollution, boosting the economy by creating new jobs, and generating income from trading the recyclable materials. This leads to the formation of a global reverse supply chain (GRSC) of solid waste. In this paper, we investigate the design of such a GRSC with a special emphasis on three aspects; (1) uncertainty of waste collection levels, (2) associated carbon emissions, and (3) challenges posed by the supply chain’s global aspect, particularly the maritime transportation costs and currency exchange rates. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first attempt to integrate the three above-mentioned important aspects in the design of a GRSC. We have used mixed integer-linear programming method along with robust optimization to develop the model which is validated using a sample case study of e-waste management. Our results show that using a robust model by taking the complex interactions characterizing global reverse supply chain networks into account, we can create a better GRSC. The effect of uncertainties and carbon constraints on decisions to reduce costs and emissions are also shown.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Remediation of D-Area Ash Units, Savannah River Site - 18151

At the Savannah River Site (SRS), under the tri-party Federal Facility Agreement (FFA) between the United States Department of Energy (US DOE), United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), and South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC), agreement was reached to remediate two ash basins, one coal pile runoff basin and one ash landfill as Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Removal Actions within a schedule of five years (2014 - 2019). These removal actions complete the remediation of these basins and the ash landfill which originated from nearly 60 years of powerhouse operations and cover a total area of nearly 40.5 hectares (100 acres). Utilizing proven as well as state of the art technologies and methods, the completed actions culminate in two protective multi-layer cover systems and the conversion of the coal pile runoff basin to an ecological diverse storm water retention basin. Completion of these removal actions has been determined to provide protection of future industrial workers and ecological receptors as well as prevent migration of mobile contaminants found in coal residues (e.g., arsenic) from powerhouse operations, achieving all applicable or relevant and appropriate requirements. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Variation of annual effective dose due to radon level in indoor air in Marwar region of Rajasthan, India

In the present work, indoor radon and thoron measurements have been carried out from different locations of Jodhpur and Nagaur districts of Northern Rajasthan, India using RAD7, a solid state alpha detector. The radon and thoron concentration in indoor air varies from 8.75 to 61.25 Bq m{sup −3} and 32.7 to 147.2 Bq m{sup −3} with the mean value of 32 and 73 Bq m{sup −3} respectively. The observed indoor radon concentration values are well below the action level recommended by International Commission on Radiological Protection (200-300 Bq m{sup −3}) and Environmental Protection Agency (148 Bq m{sup −3}). The survey reveals that the thoron concentration values in the indoor air are well within the International Commission on Radiological Protection (2005). The calculated total annual effective dose due to radon level in indoor air varies from 0.22 to 1.54 mSv y{sup −1} with the mean value of 0.81 mSv y{sup −1} which is less than even the lower limit of action level 3-10 mSv y{sup −1} recommended by International Commission on Radiological Protection (2005)

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

2016 Annual Site Environmental Report Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico.

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is a multimission laboratory managed and operated by National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International Inc., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). The DOE/NNSA Sandia Field Office administers the contract and oversees contractor operations at SNL, New Mexico. This Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) summarizes data and the compliance status of sustainability, environmental protection, and monitoring programs at SNL/NM during calendar year 2016. Major environmental programs include air quality, water quality, groundwater protection, terrestrial and ecological surveillance, waste management, pollution prevention, environmental restoration, oil and chemical spill prevention, and implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act. This ASER is prepared in accordance with and required by DOE O 231.1B, Admin Change 1, Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Environmental Report 2021

The purposes of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Environmental Report 2021 are to record Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL’s) compliance with environmental standards and requirements, describe LLNL’s environmental protection and remediation programs, and present the results of environmental monitoring at the two LLNL sites—the Livermore Site and Site 300. The report is prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) by LLNL’s Environmental Functional Area. Submittal of the report satisfies requirements under DOE Order 231.1B, “Environment, Safety and Health Reporting,” and DOE Order 458.1, “Radiation Protection of the Public and Environment.” The report is distributed electronically and is available at https://saer.llnl.gov/, the website for the LLNL annual environmental report. Previous LLNL annual environmental reports beginning with 1994 are also on the website. Some references in the electronic report text are underlined, which indicates that they are clickable links. Clicking on one of these links will open the related document, data workbook, or website. Sampling location maps throughout this report were created using ArcGIS® software by Esri. The report begins with an executive summary, which provides the purpose of the report and an overview of LLNL’s compliance and monitoring results. The first three chapters provide background information: Chapter 1 is an overview of the location, meteorology, and hydrogeology of the two LLNL sites; Chapter 2 is a summary of LLNL’s compliance with environmental regulations; and Chapter 3 is a description of LLNL’s environmental programs with an emphasis on the Environmental Management System including pollution prevention. The majority of the report covers LLNL’s environmental monitoring programs and monitoring data for 2021: effluent and ambient air monitoring and dose assessment (Chapter 4); waters, including wastewater, storm water runoff, surface water, rain, and groundwater (Chapter 5); and terrestrial, including soil, sediment, vegetation, foodstuff, ambient radiation, and special status wildlife and plants (Chapter 6). The remaining two chapters discuss LLNL’s groundwater remediation program (Chapter 7), and quality assurance for the environmental monitoring programs (Chapter 8). Complete monitoring data, which are summarized in the body of the report, are provided in Appendix A. The report uses Système International units, consistent with the federal Metric Conversion Act of 1975 and Executive Order 12770, “Metric Usage in Federal Government Programs” (1991). For ease of comparison to environmental reports issued prior to 1991, dose values and many radiological measurements are given in both metric and U.S. customary units. A conversion table is provided in the glossary. The report is the responsibility of LLNL’s Environmental Functional Area. Monitoring data were obtained through the combined efforts of the Environmental Functional Area; Environmental Restoration Department; Physical and Life Sciences Environmental Monitoring Radiological Laboratory; and the Radiation Protection Functional Area.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Radionuclide Risk Coefficient Uncertainty Distributions for Use in Performance Assessments - 19156

Traditionally, radiation dose has been used as the regulatory criterion for decision making in performance assessments (PAs), despite the concept of cancer risk arguably being a more easily understood endpoint than dose for the public, and a preferable metric for decision analysis. However, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed risk parameters for use in risk assessments and PAs in the form of radionuclide-specific risk coefficients, or RCs, which are published in various Federal Guidance Reports (FGRs). RCs are employed as scalars to convert environmental radionuclide exposure (via ingestion, inhalation, and external exposure) estimates to incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR). ILCR is the additional cancer risk averaged over a lifetime, over-and-above all-cause cancer risk, associated with carcinogen exposure. Uncertainties associated with RCs are discussed in FGR 13 and in a joint report published by EPA and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, but statistical distributions for the RCs were not directly developed. The uncertainty assessments in the EPA/ONRL report were based on dosimetric modeling and elicitation of nine experts. From these sources, five uncertainty categories were defined based on ratios of the 5. and 95. quantiles of uncertainty. Thus, the representations of uncertainty defined by EPA/ORNL are not distributions in a traditional sense. Furthermore, the authors only addressed uncertainty in RCs for inhalation and ingestion pathways. We develop a methodology for assigning statistical distributions to EPA's published mortality RC values (i.e. to estimate the probability of dying from radiation-induced cancers) for the inhalation (slow, medium, and fast absorption types), ingestion (water, food, and soil), and external exposure pathways associated with all cancer types. We employed the same dosimetric concepts and assumptions as EPA/ORNL, including cancer risk (dose-response) distributional information from a previous expert elicitation, which was also employed by EPA/ORNL in their work. We assumed that uncertainty in RCs can be described by lognormal distributions based on the modeling conducted previously by EPA/ORNL, and that point estimates tabulated in FGR 13 represent median values of the distributions. We also extended EPA/ORNL's uncertainty ratios to statistical distributions for external exposure RCs. The results are a set of radionuclide-specific distributions that are applicable in PAs that focus on cancer mortality. These distributions are currently and will subsequently be employed in PAs at various sites, in addition to the required regulatory dose limits. Quantification of ILCRs and associated uncertainty in PAs will provide regulators and the public with additional information for good decision making. Future directions include further refinement of the distributions and development of statistical distributions for morbidity RCs, which are used to estimate the probability of developing, but not necessarily dying as a result of, radiation-induced cancer. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

West Valley Demonstration Project Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for Calendar Year 2015

West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) Annual Site Environmental Report (ASER) for Calendar Year 2015. The report, prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy West Valley Demonstration Project office (DOE-WVDP), summarizes the environmental protection program at the WVDP for calendar year (CY) 2015. Monitoring and surveillance of the facilities used by the DOE are conducted to verify protection of public health and safety and the environment. The report is a key component of DOE’s effort to keep the public informed of environmental conditions at the WVDP. The quality assurance protocols applied to the environmental monitoring program ensure the validity and accuracy of the monitoring data. In addition to demonstrating compliance with environmental laws, regulations, and directives, evaluation of data collected in 2015 continued to indicate that WVDP activities pose no threat to public health or safety, or to the environment.

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Advances in PFAS Monitoring and Remediation Using a Functionalized Material Approach - 20080

The growing global concerns about the effects to public health from human exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) motivates the development of strategies for reliable monitoring of PFAS in environmental streams, as well as for their rapid, effective removal if detected. For the continuous PFAS monitoring, an inexpensive, field-deployable, in situ sensor is urgently needed; yet the prevalent in situ techniques often struggle to strike a balance between the practical sensitivity and selectivity demands of the real world. Similarly, for effective PFAS removal, strategies for their fast, selective, and quantitative capture are desired, yet the present commercially available sorbents are unable to meet the requirements of rapid, quantitative capture of all PFAS components, and are notably inefficient in removing the more toxic smaller chains. To address these twin challenges, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is developing strategies for improved detection and remediation of PFAS. For the rapid, selective, quantitative removal of PFAS from environmental streams, the strategy relies on designing capture probes with exclusively tailored electronic and spatial affinities for the PFAS that are able to selectively capture them from environmental streams. For the in situ detection and quantification of PFAS in complex, multicomponent matrices such as groundwater, the approach relies on the targeted capture of specific PFAS by these PFAS-specific capture probes immobilized on a platform. The platform acts as an electrode to directly measure PFAS concentration through a proportional change in electrical response upon their capture. A combination of optimization of platform design and incorporation of additional, sensitive detection modalities have allowed us to achieve detection limits as low as 0.5 ng/L for detection of PFAS compounds (compared to the 70 ng/L Health Advisory Limit of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). (authors)

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

2022 Site Environmental Report: Idaho National Laboratory

The INL Site’s operations, as well as the ongoing cleanup mission involve a commitment to environmental stewardship and full compliance with environmental protection laws. As part of this commitment, the INL Site Environmental Report is prepared annually to inform the public, regulators, stakeholders, and other interested parties of the INL Site’s environmental performance during the year. This report is published for U.S. Department of Energy, Idaho Operations Office (DOE-ID) in compliance with DOE O 231.1B, “Environment, Safety and Health Reporting.” The purpose of the report is to provide the following: (1) Present the INL Site, mission, and programs, (2) Report compliance status with applicable federal, state, and local regulations, (3) Describe the INL Site environmental programs and activities, (4) Summarize results of environmental monitoring, (5) Discuss potential radiation doses to the public residing in the vicinity of the INL Site, (6) Report on ecological monitoring and research conducted by contractors and affiliated agencies and by independent researchers through the Idaho National Environmental Research Park, (7) Describe quality assurance methods used to ensure confidence in monitoring data, and (8) Provide supplemental technical data and reports that support the INL Site Environmental Report (https://idahoeser.inl.gov/publications.html).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Technical Project Plan for Meteorological Monitoring

This Technical Project Plan (TPP) specifies how the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Meteorology Monitoring Project implements the quality and technical activities defined by Department of Energy (DOE) orders and State and Federal regulations. The quality and technical requirements for meteorological monitoring are specified by DOE Order 414.1d Quality Assurance, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Guidance for Quality Assurance Project Plans (EPA 2002), and ANSI Standard 3.11 Determining Meteorological Information at Nuclear Facilities. The TPP will be reviewed annually and revised as necessary.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

2014 Annual Site Environmental Report for Sandia National Laboratories, Tonopah Test Range, Nevada, and Kauai Test Facility, Hawaii

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is a multiprogram laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation (Sandia), a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000. The DOE/NNSA Sandia Field Office administers the contract and oversees contractor operations at the SNL, Tonopah Test Range (SNL/TTR) in Nevada and the SNL, Kauai Test Facility (SNL/KTF) in Hawaii. Sandia manages and conducts operations at SNL/TTR in support of the DOE/NNSA’s Weapons Ordnance Program and has operated the site since 1957. Navarro Research and Engineering subcontracts with Sandia to administer most of the environmental programs at SNL/TTR. The DOE/NNSA/Nevada Field Office retains responsibility for cleanup and management of SNL/TTR Environmental Restoration sites. Sandia operates SNL/KTF as a rocket preparation launching and tracking facility. This Annual Site Environmental Report summarizes data and the compliance status of Sandia’s sustainability, environmental protection, and monitoring programs at SNL/TTR and SNL/KTF during calendar year 2014. Major environmental programs include air quality, water quality, groundwater protection, terrestrial surveillance, waste management, pollution prevention, environmental restoration cleanup activities, and implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act. Sandia is responsible only for those environmental program activities related to its operations. Environmental monitoring and surveillance programs are required by DOE O 231.1B, Change 1, Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting .

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗