Risk Assessment Review Experience
TDC Environmental, LLC provides review of risk assessments for entities monitoring government agency activities and for entities preparing Environmental Impact Reports, Environmental Impact Statements, and other environmental assessments.
Selected Experience:
Diazinon and Chlorpyrifos Risk Assessments Technical Review: On behalf of the California Stormwater Quality Task Force (SWQTF), Dr. Moran conducted detailed technical peer reviews of the U.S. EPA risk assessments for the re-registration of diazinon and chlorpyrifos (Dursban). Both diazinon and chlorpyrifos have been linked to toxicity in urban runoff and wastewater treatment plant effluent. She identified numerous water quality issues in each of the multi-volume risk assessments, suggesting methods and resources to incorporate water quality considerations in the re-registration risk assessment process. The most important issue identified for both risk assessments was the need to evaluate pesticide sites of use and formulations for water quality impacts. The review comments, which were submitted by the SWQTF to the U.S. EPA, also identified opportunities for U.S. EPA to use the re-registration process to resolve disparities between water regulatory approaches mandated by the Clean Water Act and pesticide regulatory approaches mandated by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.
Malathion Risk Assessment Technical Review: On behalf of the California Stormwater Quality Task Force (SWQTF), Dr. Moran conducted a brief review of the U.S. EPA risk assessment for re-registration of malathion. In its National Water Quality Assessment, the USGS found malathion frequently in surface waters.
Lindane Risk Assessment Technical Review: On behalf of the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, Dr. Moran conducted a brief review of the U.S. EPA risk assessment for re-registration of lindane. Use of lindane in pharmaceuticals has been linked to exceedances of effluent limitations for wastewater treatment plants in California.
Atrazine Risk Assessment Technical Review: On behalf of the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, Dr. Moran reviewed the U.S. EPA risk assessment for re-registration of atrazine. Because atrazine is commonly found in surface waters, U.S. EPA used a special process to coordinate its atrazine review between the Office of Pesticide Programs and the Office of Water. If the outcome of the joint review prevents future pesticide-related water quality problems, the joint process could be a good model for future pesticide re-registration reviews.
Sanitary Fill Company Solid Waste Transfer Station and Hazardous Waste Facility Risk Assessment and Accident Analysis: TDC Environmental conducted a peer review of a draft health risk assessment and a draft accident analysis for expanded operations at the Sanitary Fill Company, including:
Altamont Landfill Health Risk Assessment: TDC Environmental provided an external quality assurance review of a draft health risk assessment for the expansion of the Altamont Landfill. The expansion included a proposal to accept Class II (designated) wastes in addition to municipal solid waste. The review focused on the technical accuracy of the document, CEQA adequacy of the analytical approach, and completeness of the assessment. Once the project proponent revised the risk assessment to resolve the issues identified in the peer review, the Alameda County Planning Department was able to be confident about using it in the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report.
CAETC Richmond Hazardous Waste Transfer Station Negative Declaration and Accident Analysis: Dr. Moran was the project manager for an expanded negative declaration and accident analysis for a proposed storage and handling volume increase at a hazardous waste transfer station in Richmond, California. The report assessed the likelihood and consequences of an accident at the facility. Accidents during both waste transfer and waste storage were considered, including explosions, fires, spills, and toxic gas releases. Physical site conditions and the proposed structural improvements were factored into the analysis, which found little difference in potential off-site effects between current and proposed future conditions. Dr. Moran and other team members explained the study findings to community members, the Richmond Planning Commission and City Council at a series of special presentations.
Franklin Canyon Annexation Health Risk Assessment: Dr. Moran performed a peer review of a health risk assessment that was conducted to analyze the potential effects of a coke-processing plant on a proposed residential development in Hercules, California. The proposed project involved annexing a 633-acre area near the coke processing plant to the City of Hercules, followed by construction of 877 single-family homes, a 200- to 300-room hotel, and upgrade of an existing public golf course. Dr. Moran also assisted City planners with interpreting the risk assessment, which found that the additional health risk that residents would incur at the proposed project site would not be zero, but that the overall health risks at the site would be little different than residents of other San Francisco Bay area residential locations experience.
UCSF Parnassus Heights Site Health Risk Assessment Review: At UCSF's request, Dr. Moran reviewed approaches and methodologies used in emissions monitoring programs and a health risk assessment for UCSF's Parnassus site to ensure that the programs were technically sound and capable of withstanding intense public scrutiny.
University of California Davis Environmental Services Facility Accident Analysis: Dr. Moran was the project manager for an analysis of accident risks at a proposed hazardous waste management facility at U.C. Davis. The report, commissioned to assist the campus with selecting the most appropriate site for the facility, was structured to facilitate its use in evaluating the environmental impacts of the proposed project in an Environmental Impact Report. In the analysis, Dr. Moran's team evaluated accident risk, looking both at the chances that various types of accidents would occur and the potential consequences of accidents. The report considered a range of conditions, from minor upsets to worst-case events, including spills, fires, explosions, toxic gas releases, and transportation accidents. The report also included a list of recommended design parameters and operational measures to minimize accident risks.
University of California Davis Briggs Hall Addition Health Risk Assessment: At the request of U.C. Davis, Dr. Moran supervised the preparation of an air emissions health risk assessment for fume hood emissions from a proposed new laboratory building. On a parallel track, Dr. Moran also oversaw a wind-tunnel analysis of near-field air flows, which was used to evaluate the safety of building ventilation design and near-building recreational areas such as a courtyard and picnic area. In addition to providing contractor direction and oversight, Dr. Moran performed a quality assurance peer review of the analyses, ensuring their technical accuracy and appropriateness for use in an Environmental Impact Report.
New United Motors Manufacturing (NUMMI) Plant EIR: Dr. Moran conducted a quality assurance peer review of a health risk assessment prepared for a fast-track EIR evaluating expansion of the NUMMI automobile and truck manufacturing plant in Fremont, California. The goals of the review were to ensure the accuracy of the technical analysis and the appropriateness of the approach for use as the basis of the environmental impact analysis. Dr. Moran was also task leader health and safety sections, which used the results of the risk assessment and several other technical reports.
UCSF Laurel Heights EIR: Dr. Moran managed preparation of the revised EIR for locating a UCSF biomedical research facility in a San Francisco residential area. Technical analysis by Dr. Moran included quality assurance review of a health risk assessment that analyzed the effects of research laboratory air emissions on site neighbors. Working closely with two teams of attorneys and several UCSF planners, Dr. Moran made sure that the project team clearly understood the health risk implications of project design decisions. Since facility air emissions were the primary source of community controversy, Dr. Moran prepared a detailed description, in lay terms, of the risk assessment process and results.
UCSF/Mount Zion Hospital Acquisition EIR: Dr. Moran conducted a quality assurance peer review for a health risk assessment that estimated the increases in health risks that would be caused by implementing UCSF's plans to expand hospital facilities, construct new facilities, and locate biomedical research laboratories at the Mount Zion hospital site in San Francisco. In order to address community concerns, Dr. Moran prepared an extensive discussion (in lay terms) of potential impacts associated with hospital and research laboratory use of hazardous materials. She also interpreted risk assessment results for the teams of attorneys and planners working on the project.
UCSF/Mount Zion Cancer Center EIR: Dr. Moran was the health and safety issues task leader for the preparation of a Subsequent EIR to address changes in UCSF's Master Plan for Mount Zion hospital, including the construction of a new cancer center. The primary focus of the SEIR was the development of a research building, a medical office building, and an off-street parking facility. The analysis focused on proposed changes in project design, which had the potential to increase impacts of laboratory fume hood air emissions in the areas immediately adjacent to the buildings. To address this concern, Dr. Moran coordinated with an engineering team to conduct an analysis of near-field impacts using site-specific data generated from a wind-tunnel study of air flows around building models.
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