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Soil Background and Risk Assessment

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About ITRC
1 Introduction
1 Introduction
1.1 Audience
1.2 Purpose
1.3 Use of Background in the Risk Assessment Process
1.4 Limitations
2 Soil Background Definition 
2 Soil Background Definition
2.1 Natural Soil Background
2.2 Anthropogenic Ambient Soil Background
2.3 Additional Background Definitions
3 Establishing Soil Background
3 Establishing Soil Background
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Conducting a Soil Background Study
3.3 Choosing an Area for a Soil Background Study
3.4 Sampling
3.5 Laboratory Analysis
3.6 Using an Existing Soil Background Study
3.7 Background Dataset Analysis
3.8 Establishing Default or Site-Specific Soil Background
3.9 Extracting Site-Specific Background Dataset from an On-site Dataset
4 Using Soil Background in Risk Assessment
4 Using Soil Background in Risk Assessment
4.1 Representative Site Concentration to Compare to a BTV
4.2 Using Default Background
4.3 Using Site-Specific Background
4.4 Use of Background for Remedial Goals
4.5 Additional Considerations
5 Geochemical Evaluations
5 Geochemical Evaluations
5.1 Geochemistry Is Not Statistics
5.2 Uses of Geochemical Evaluations
5.3 General Methodology
5.4 Nondetects
5.5 Key Geochemical Processes
5.6 Extracting Background Data from Existing Data
6 Using Geochemical Evaluations in Risk Assessment
6 Using Geochemical Evaluations in Risk Assessment
6.1 Using Geochemical Evaluations During COPC Selection
6.2 Using Geochemical Evaluations During Risk Characterization
6.3 Considerations
7 Environmental Forensics Related to soil Background
7 Environmental Forensics Related to soil Background
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
7.3 Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH)
7.4 Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
7.5 Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dioxins and Dibenzofurans (PCDD/F)
7.6 Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
7.7 Remote Sensing
8 Conceptual Site Model and Data Quality Objectives
8 Conceptual Site Model and Data Quality Objectives
8.1 Conceptual Site Model
8.2 Data Quality Objectives
9 Sampling
9 Sampling
9.1 Background Reference Areas
9.2 Sample Depth
9.3 Sample Size
9.4 Sample Methods
9.5 Sampling Design
9.6 Sample Collection Methods
9.7 Sample Handling
10 Analytical Methods
10 Analytical Methods
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Obtaining Reliable Analytical Data
10.3 Analytical Limits
10.4 Sample Preparation
10.5 Analytical Test Methods
11 Statistics
11 Statistics
11.1 Data Requirements
11.2 Data Distribution
11.3 Treatment of Nondetects
11.4 Graphical displays
11.5 Outliers
11.6 Confidence Interval Limit, Coefficient, and Limit
11.7 Statistical Values Used to Represent Background
11.8 Statistical Tests to Compare Site and Background Datasets
11.9 Statistical Software
12 Regulatory Framework from State Survey
12 Regulatory Framework from State Survey
12.1 Description of State Survey
12.2 Overview of State Survey Results
12.3 State Survey Results
13 Existing Guidance and Studies
14 Case Studies
14 Case Studies
14.1 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Soil Background Case Study
14.2 Former Firearms Training Range Soil Background Case Study
14.3 Region 4 RARE Urban Background Study
14.4 Geochemical Evaluation Case Study—Statistical Outlier is an Uncontaminated Soil Sample
14.5 Geochemical Evaluation Case Study—Statistical Outlier Is a Contaminated Soil Sample
14.6 Geochemical Evaluation Case Study–Contaminated Soil Sample Is Not a Statistical Outlier
14.7 Environmental Forensics Case Study—PAHs from Leaked Petroleum Versus Contaminated Fill
Frameworks
Frameworks
Framework 1
Framework 2
Framework 3
Appendices
Appendix A. Upper Limits Used to Estimate Background Threshold Values
Appendix B. Index Plots
Appendix C. Additional Sources of Information for PAHs in Soil
Additional Information
Team Contacts
Glossary
Acronyms
Acknowledgments
References
ITRC & EJ/DEI
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Soil Background and Risk Assessment
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ITRC & Environmental Justice/Diversity Equity & Inclusion

ITRC & Environmental Justice – A Commitment to Our Values

Environmental Justice is making its way to the forefront of today’s environmental community following
decades of documentation detailing the disproportionate burden placed on low-income and minority
communities by pollution and environmental hazards. Failure to address EJ concerns has led to grave
consequences for low-income or minority communities; without a voice, human health in these
communities can suffer greatly as a result of poorly informed environmental decision-making.

Defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as “…the fair treatment and
meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect
to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and
policies,” EJ can only be achieved when everyone has “the same degree of protection from
environmental and health hazards, and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy
environment in which to live, learn, and work.” (USEPA, 2020a). Since its inception in the early 1980s,
the field of EJ has grown to encompass a broad spectrum of other environmentally inclusive subjects,
concerns and, ultimately, legislation; some of the terminology commonly used today includes Social
Equity, Social Impact, and Environmental Equity.

Signed on February 16th, 1994, Executive Order 12898 officially recognized EJ on a federal level, directing
agencies to focus attention on the environmental and human health effects of federal actions on
minority and low-income populations (USEPA 2020b). Further executive action has been seen recently
with the signing of Executive Order 13990, on January 20, 2021, which established White House and
Inter-Agency Environmental Justice Councils, as well as the Justice40 Initiative for federal identification
and investment in disadvantaged communities (Federal Register, 2021). Another milestone was met
when New Jersey became the first state in the nation to adopt legislation on permitting requirements
based on EJ. Signed on September 18, 2020, Senate Bill 232 requires the New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection “to evaluate the environmental and public health impacts of certain facilities
on overburdened communities when reviewing certain permit applications.” (O’Connor, 2020).

ITRC will continue to develop reference material for project managers and environmental professionals
to consider in the use of current and future ITRC guidance materials in environmental decision-making
and project design. ITRC will include the principals of EJ in future environmental products – working
towards our mission while paying express attention to our core values of diversity, equity, inclusion and
transparency. ITRC is excited to be a part of addressing environmental justice and bringing more voices
to addressing the national and local environmental challenges.

ITRC Organizational Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Diversity, equity, inclusion and transparency are embodied within the core values of ITRC. They are
fulfilled in the pursuit of ITRC’s mission and vision. ITRC’s Membership Code of Conduct requires every
member to benefit from team consensus and collaboration. ITRC requires diverse perspectives that
provide the knowledge and skills to address all environmental challenges in pursuit of developing
innovative products.

References

Federal Register. Protecting public health and the environment and Restoring science to tackle the
climate crisis. (2021, January 25). Retrieved May 07, 2021, from
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01765/protecting-public-healthand-the-environment-and-restoring-science-to-tackle-the-climate-crisis

USEPA (a). Environmental Justice. (2020, December 07). Retrieved December 30, 2020, from
https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice

USEPA (b). Summary of Executive Order 12898 – federal actions to address environmental justice in
minority populations and low-income populations. (2020, July 23). Retrieved May 07, 2021, from
https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-executive-order-12898-federal-actions-address-environmental-justice

O’Connor, C. (2020, October 23). New Jersey’s First in the Nation State Environmental Justice Law.
Retrieved January 07, 2021, from https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/new-jersey-s-first-in-the-nation-state-10124/

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