Evaluation of both the potential ecological risks of exposure to wastes and of the potential impacts of remedial activities is therefore a critical step in the selection of remedial actions. Baseline ecological risks and potential remediation impacts were assessed for an environmental impact statement at the facility. Physical impacts were evaluated by mapping areas likely to be disturbed during remediation over maps of habitats and sensitive species distributions. The results indicate that potential ecological hazards exist in the Central Plateau region and adjacent to the reactors along the Columbia River, with estimated radiation doses exceeding the current DOE benchmark of one rad per day and chemical hazard quotients exceeding 1.0 for receptors exposed to the maximum estimated radionuclide and chemical concentrations in soils. No attempt was made to quantify uncertainties, but they are likely to be high.
Field studies suggest that current exposures are limited and hazards low.
Conversely, the physical impacts which would result from remediation are extensive and are likely to have much lower uncertainty. These results illustrate the significant tradeoffs which must be made if remediation of potential radiological and chemical hazards is to proceed in areas with important ecological resources.