Overview of the Contaminant Assessment Process

The Contaminant Assessment Process (CAP) was developed by the BEST Project in association with the Us Fish and Wildlife Service. The CAP is a standardized approach for assessing threats posed by environmental contaminants to refuges, national parks, and other lands managed by the Department of the Interior (DOI). It provides decision-support information for land managers and contributes to developing management options to minimize contaminant-related impacts.

The CAP is divided into two parts, a retrospective analysis and, if needed, field sampling. The retrospective analysis is a synthesis of existing information. Steps include a review of the ecological characteristics; management goals; habitats of importance for the land unit; delineation of transport pathways; identification of contaminant sources and types (including point and non- point sources); identification of potentially sensitive species; and ranking of contaminant issues according to their relative risk. If needed, field sampling is conducted to further evaluate a potential problem or to establish baseline conditions. Information assembled in the retrospective analysis is used to define sampling objectives, select appropriate methods, and develop sampling designs. Results from the field sampling are interpreted and the findings are reported to land managers.The process is designed to help managers answer the following types of questions. Are environmental contaminants likely to reach a land unit? Are environmental contaminants reaching a unit likely to harm species or habitats? Are further investigations warranted to evaluate risks? Are management actions available to minimize impacts?

There are two mechanisms to manage the CAP system. The first management system is an Internet-accessible database developed through joint funding with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’and BEST. This data management system is specifically designed to meet the management objectives and concerns of the FWS contaminant programs. Because of the specific design structure, this system may not address contaminant concerns or specific management needs of other DOI agencies. To address assessment needs of other DOI agencies, BEST developed a Decision Support Tool (DST). This system which is based on a Geographical Information System (GIS), addresses the spatial relationship of contaminant data with the physical and biological landscape. Additionally, the GIS platform allows the investigator to analyze, manipulate and create new datasets that address individual agency or management concerns.

Implementation of the CAP on DOI Lands

Development of CAP as a Decision Support Tool

Development of a Standardized Ranking and Prioritizing Process for CAP