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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. Two current efforts under PAC 5 is SC 5-1 on Approach to Optimizing Decision Making for Late-Phase Recovery from Nuclear or Radiological Terrorism Incidents and 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

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.

PAC 5 met on March 6, 2011 in conjunction with the NCRP Annual Meeting. The Committee was asked to review the potential projects that are currently listed in NCRP’s 2010 Strategic Plan. The Committee agreed that a successful completion of the pending project of SC 5-1 (Approach to Optimizing Decision Making for Late Phase Recovery from Nuclear or Radiological Terrorism Incidents) will likely lead to several follow-on projects along this line, in related areas such as radioactive materials and waste management, cleanup strategy and technology, risk communication, as well as new methodologies for radiological assessment. Dr. Frank Parker suggested an additional task on the contamination of water supply issues. Dr. S.Y. Chen will coordinate these activities through the development of a white paper for each topic.

SC 5-1 on Approach to Optimizing Decision Making for Late-Phase Recovery from Nuclear or Radiological Terrorism Incidents >

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

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