Environmental Radiation Monitoring and
Assessment
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Through environmental monitoring, sample collection, and data analysis, the Environmental Radiation
Monitoring and Assessment Section
works to protect the public
and environment from hazards associated with
ionizing radiation.
Mission
The Environmental Radiation Monitoring and Assessment Section’s mission, in accordance
with RCW 70.98,
is to protect the public and environment from hazards associated with ionizing
radiation.
The Section is responsible for:
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Ensuring protection of the public and environment from radiation sources by
conducting facility specific radiation monitoring programs near state-licensed
facilities, nuclear power plants and defense-related nuclear facilities to
measure radiological impacts, trends and identify or anticipate potential
problems.
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Developing a statewide radiological baseline
beginning with the Hanford Site.
-
Establishing
an independent quality assurance program to verify the adequacy and accuracy
of environmental monitoring programs conducted by licensees and federal
agencies.
Enforcement of environmental radiation standards within the state is
accomplished by coordinating, integrating and evaluating data from monitoring
programs operated by the state, the federal government and private industry. The data collected
from measuring levels of radiation in the air, water, soils foods and other
media is published in a variety of reports listed on the
Publications page.
Environmental Radiation Monitoring Overview
The Environmental Radiation Monitoring and Assessment
Section, conducts radiological surveys in many areas of the state. Monitoring
and assessment is conducted at facilities using radioactive material that have
the potential to release radioactive material to the environment. Most
facilities using radioactive material do not have that potential so no
monitoring is necessary outside of the facility although monitoring will be done
on site. It is important to note that while the potential exists for offsite
releases, this very rarely happens.
Currently the Environmental Radiation Monitoring and
Assessment Section monitors at the following facilities:
Hanford Environmental Radiation Oversight Program
The primary purpose of the
Hanford Environmental Radiation Oversight Program is to provide oversight of the
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) radiation monitoring programs. DOE
environmental radiation monitoring programs are conducted to determine the
impact of Hanford releases on the environment and the public. The DOH program
independently verifies the quality of the DOE program. The primary objectives of
the oversight program are to:
-
Independently verify the quality of DOE
monitoring programs at the Hanford Site by conducting split, collocated and
independent sampling at locations having the potential to release
radionuclides to the environment or locations which may be impacted by
releases.
-
Use DOE and DOH data to assess potential
impacts to the public by comparing radionuclide concentrations in samples
with concentrations in background samples. With the primary role of
oversight, the DOH monitoring program is not intended to completely
characterize environmental radiation from the Hanford site, nor is it
intended to find and report the highest levels of environmental
contaminants.
-
Address public concerns related to
environmental radiation at Hanford.
In the event
of accidents at Hanford involving potential radioactive releases, the Environmental
Radiation Monitoring and Assessment Section oversees monitoring and clean-up of sites.
The Section also developed the Hanford Guidance for
Radiological Cleanup providing a method for implementing a dose-based
cleanup standard when Hanford property is released for public use.
Links
Hanford Advisory Board
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
(PNNL) SESP
Contact Information
For more information call or email the appropriate person. Send written
correspondence to the address below or fax
to 360-236-2255.
Olympia Office
Debra McBaugh, Manager
360-235-3251
Lynn Albin, Lab Liaison 360-236-3252
Mike Brennan, Radon Outreach
Program360-236-3253
Eileen Kramer, Data and
Information 360-236-3254
Kristin Felix, Secretary
360-236-3240
Richland Office
Mike Priddy, Lead Health Physicist 509-946-0564
Bob Ruben, Health Physicist
509-946-0380
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