11.1 Policy
11.2 Scope
11.3 Program
Descriptions
11.3.1 Accidental Releases
11.3.2 Air Emissions
11.3.3 Environmental Management Systems
11.3.4 Environmental Radiological Dose Assessment
11.3.5 Environmental Monitoring
11.3.6Contaminated Soil and Groundwater Management
11.3.7 Hazardous Wastewater Treatment Units
11.3.8 Petroleum Products Storage
11.3.9 Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Management
11.3.10 Sanitary Sewer Discharges
11.3.11 Storm Water Discharges
11.3.12 Underground Storage Tanks
11.4 Support
Organizations
11.5 Responsible
Parties
11.5.1 Principal Investigators and Supervisors
11.5.2 Employees
11.5.3 Environmental Services Group
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____________________
It is the Laboratory’s environmental policy to perform work in a manner that protects the health of the public and preserves the quality of the environment. The Laboratory is committed to:
The Berkeley Lab environmental protection programs are designed to reduce the Laboratory's impacts on air, water, soil, and other environmental media and to conserve natural resources. Many of these programs are managed by the Environmental Services Group (ESG), including:
Various DOE orders and federal, state, and local laws and regulations require Berkeley Lab to report any significant spills or releases of hazardous materials, pollutants, or chemical agents to the environment. To implement these requirements, the following procedure has been developed:
For complete descriptions of emergency procedures, refer to the Berkeley Lab Master Emergency Plan, LBNL/PUB-533.
Operations
at Berkeley Lab that emit hazardous (nonradioactive) or regulated air pollutants
are subject to the rules and regulations administered by the Bay Area Air Quality
Management District (BAAQMD). (Air emissions of radioactive materials are discussed
in Section 11.3.4.)
BAAQMD rules and regulations are designed to control emissions of particulates,
inorganic gases, organic compounds, air toxics, and odors. They require
any person who wishes to build, erect, alter, replace, operate, or use any
article, machine, equipment, or other device that might cause the emission
of air pollutants to first obtain a permit from BAAQMD, unless it qualifies
for one of the agency's specific exemptions. Prior approval is also required
for modifications to an already-permitted activity. The types of permitted
air pollution sources found at Berkeley Lab and their associated air pollutants
are summarized in the table below:
Air Pollution Source(s) | Primary Pollutant(s) |
Diesel-powered Emergency Standby Generators |
Diesel Particulate Matter |
Epoxy Mixing Hood |
Volatile Organic Compounds |
Fuel Dispensing |
Gasoline and Ethanol |
Paint Spray Booth |
Volatile Organic Compounds |
Sandblast Booth |
Particulates |
Soil Vapor Extraction Operations |
Volatile Organic Compounds |
Solvent Wipe Cleaning |
Volatile Organic Compounds |
Asbestos Removal |
Asbestos Dust |
The BAAQMD places operating conditions on each permitted air pollution source. The ESG provides technical assistance to each source owner/operator in meeting these conditions. More information regarding the current set of air permits and associated operating conditions can be found at:
If it is determined that a permit is required, an application is prepared
by ESG with the assistance from the owner of the activity. The application
typically consists of an applicable set of BAAQMD forms, a detailed description
of the activity, diagrams, and maps. If an activity involves construction or
installation of new equipment, an Authority to Construct is first issued by
the BAAQMD. When construction or installation has been satisfactorily completed,
and operations are ready to begin, the BAAQMD will issue a Permit to Operate.
Permits are valid for one year, and require annual renewal.
To avoid operational delays, advanced planning is essential in obtaining either
a new or modified permit from BAAQMD, since it can take several months for
the agency to review and approve an application. BAAQMD is authorized specific
lengths of time by its regulations to both determine if an application is complete,
and to then evaluate and decide whether to approve the request. The permit-review
process may take even longer if BAAQMD requests additional information at any
stage of the process, or if a risk assessment is required because of hazardous
air pollutants emitted by the source.
Annually, BAAQMD will send permit renewal forms to ESG to update information
on permitted sources. Renewed permits are issued after the forms are returned
and annual fees are paid. BAAQMD conducts periodic inspections of permitted
sources. The inspection frequency depends on the risk posed by the source,
and is determined by BAAQMD.
Berkeley Lab employees play an important role in this program by:
Executive Order 13148, Greening the Government through Leadership in Environmental
Management, required all federal agencies to implement an Environmental Management
System (EMS) by December 31, 2005. An EMS is simply a systematic approach
to achieving environmental goals. DOE Order 450.1, Environmental Protection
Program, established the EMS requirement for all DOE facilities and, in addition,
mandated that the EMS be integrated with existing Integrated Safety Management
(ISM) systems.
LBNL developed and implemented a performance-based EMS a systematic approach
to ensuring that environmental stewardship activities are not only well managed
but also provide business value. The performance-based approach is one that
includes those components of the ISO 14001 EMS Standard that provide real and
tangible business value. This approach will allow the Lab to focus its resources
on those activities that have the most environmental benefit while maintaining
and building on the strengths of the current environmental compliance programs.
The goals of the LBNL EMS approach are to:
A continual cycle of planning, implementing, evaluating, and improving processes
is performed to achieve these EMS goals.
A cross-functional Core Team was formed to implement the EMS. The EMS Core
Team is currently composed of representatives from the Environmental Health & Safety
(EH&S), Facilities, and Procurement organizations, with team leadership
provided by EH&S. The Core Team has been working on the following implementation
tasks:
Internal assessments and external audits will be performed to evaluate the effectiveness of LBNL’s EMS. The EMS program will be audited by the Lab's Office of Contract Assurance and audited by a third party to determine if all programmatic activities were completed and to determine the effectiveness of the program. In addition, progress in achieving EMS objectives and targets and the results of EMS internal and external reviews will be reviewed by a Laboratory management team.
Dose assessment for radiological air emissions conforms to the standard prescribed in the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) for radionuclide emissions, promulgated as a result of the Clean Air Act (40 CFR 61, Subpart H). NESHAPs compliance is enforced by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 9, and inspections are conducted periodically by EPA personnel. Compliance with NESHAPs is also required by DOE, as established in DOE Order 5400.5, "Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment." DOE personnel can inspect the Berkeley Lab for NESHAPs compliance.
The NESHAPs regulation requires that DOE facilities limit radiation doses tooffsite individuals to less than 10 mrem per year from airborne releases of radionuclides. Exposures to doses of a hypothetical maximally exposed member of the public are determined, as well as the sum of all exposures to the population within a 80 km (50 mile) radius of Berkeley Lab. The dose assessments are performed using computer models that have been approved by EPA.
In addition to limiting dose from airborne radionuclides, the DOE (in DOE 5400.5) also limits the dose to members of the public from all exposure pathways affected by Laboratory operations to less than 100 mrem per year. Berkeley Lab must report to DOE doses from any single exposure pathway that exceeds 10 mrem per year.
DOE requirements also provide for the protection of biota in the environment. Specifically, the exposure limit for native aquatic organisms is 1 rad per day (DOE 5400.5), for terrestrial animals the exposure limit is 0.1 rad per day (DOE-STD-1153-2002), and for terrestrial plants the exposure limit is 1 rad per day (DOE-STD-1153-2002). At Berkeley Lab, the dose to biota is assessed annually and is reported in the annual Site Environmental Report.
Berkeley Lab meets radiation dose limits by ensuring that doses to the public
and the environment are kept as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA). The Environmental
Services Group maintains an Environmental ALARA Program Plan, which implements
the DOE’s ALARA policy.
Berkeley Lab employees play an important role in this process by providing
accurate and up-to-date information on their radionuclide use. The dose assessment
results are reported in the Site Environmental Report and the Annual NESHAPs
Report. These reports are distributed to DOE and regulatory agencies and are
available on the Web at the ESG Web site.
The
Berkeley Lab's environmental monitoring program helps to ensure that Lab activities
are conducted in a manner that will protect public health and maintain environmental
quality. The program is designed to demonstrate compliance with requirements
imposed by federal, state, and local regulatory agencies; confirm adherence
to DOE environmental protection requirements; and support environmental management
decisions. Regulatory oversight is performed by a number of external
agencies, including: DOE, the United States Environmental Protection
Agency, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, the California
Department of Health Services, the Regional Water Quality Control Board, the
East Bay Municipal Utility District, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District,
and the City of Berkeley.
Environmental monitoring activities at Berkeley Lab consist of four major activities:
The program is described in detail in the Berkeley Lab publication, Environmental Monitoring Plan. The ESG prepares, implements, and maintains the Environmental Monitoring Plan, and performs the environmental monitoring activities.
Information regarding environmental monitoring activities is reported annually in the Berkeley Lab Site Environmental Reports. The more recent reports are separated into two volumes. Volume I summarizes environmental monitoring results, compares the results to regulatory limits, and discusses environmental impacts to the public and the local environment. Volume II contains individual data results from effluent and surveillance activities.
In addition, meteorological monitoring data is collected every fifteen minutes from a 20-meter weather tower that is located onsite. The tower measures wind speed, wind direction, temperature, dew point, barometric pressure, solar radiation, and precipitation. The data can be obtained here in either graphical or tabular form. Please note that data collected from this site have not been validated and should be considered preliminary.
Many types of chemicals have been used or produced as wastes over the more than 60 years of Berkeley Lab operations. Some of these chemicals were released to the environment, mostly from spills and leaks that occurred decades ago. Since that time, Berkeley Lab has implemented internal policies and procedures to prevent these types of occurrences and protect the environment.
In May 1993, Berkeley Lab was issued a Hazardous Waste Facility Permit by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). One of the conditions of the permit required LBNL to investigate and clean up all historical releases of hazardous chemicals in accordance with the requirements of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Berkeley Lab conducted an investigation which determined that contaminants in the soil and/or groundwater included chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) used as solvents, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), petroleum hydrocarbons, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs), metals, pesticides, and radionuclides The results of the investigation are documented in the RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI) Report.
In consultation with regulatory agencies, Berkeley Lab implemented cleanup measures at the more seriously contaminated areas. These measures included removing sources of contamination, stopping discharge of contaminated groundwater to surface waters, eliminating the migration of contaminants, and installing groundwater treatment systems. Additional details regarding the soil and groundwater cleanup remedies can be found in the Corrective Measures Study Report.
Based on the results of the investigation and the initial cleanup measures, Berkeley Lab conducted human health and ecological risk assessments (HHRA and ERA) to evaluate whether the remaining contaminants in soil or groundwater had the potential to cause harm to human health or wildlife. The HHRA was completed based on the assumption that Berkeley Lab would continue to operate as a research laboratory for the foreseeable future. (However, as required by the regulatory agencies, it also provided a supplemental evaluation of potential risks based on hypothetical and unlikely residential land-use of the site.) The HHRA concluded that the levels of soil and groundwater contaminants did not present potential health hazards to Berkeley Lab employees and contractors unless:
The HHRA also identified the areas of groundwater contamination that posed potential risks in the unlikely event that groundwater was used for domestic purposes. The risk assessments concluded that no hazards existed to plants, animals, or offsite individuals, from exposure to chemicals in the soil, groundwater, or surface water.
Due to potential health risks from the soil and groundwater contamination, LBNL was required to perform additional clean up of the soil and groundwater. In addition, LBNL was required to submit a Soil Management Plan and a Groundwater Monitoring and Management Plan to the DTSC. These management plans describe the nature and extent of the contamination, procedures for the management and disposal of contaminated waste soils, and the institutional controls that are required to reduce potential risk from exposure to the contaminants until the final cleanup goals are reached. In addition, the Groundwater Monitoring and Management Plan provides the requirements for ongoing groundwater and surface water monitoring, which are performed by EH&S's Environmental Services Group. Both plans were approved by DTSC in September 2006.
The soil and groundwater management plans specify that the following institutional controls will be used to reduce potential risks from exposures to contaminated soil and groundwater, and from impacts to the environment:
Soil cleanups have been completed, eliminating the known hazards to construction workers. However, if contaminated soil is unexpectedly encountered, excavation must be stopped, and ESG must be contacted to perform a hazard evaluation.
In parallel with the DTSC RCRA process, the Department of Energy (DOE) also required the Lab to investigate and address historical releases of radionuclides. A Summary of Radionuclide Investigations report was prepared and submitted to DOE in September 2003. Based on the investigation results, DOE determined that no corrective actions were required; however, DOE specified restrictions on the use of eight identified units or areas. For the two inactive and abandoned radioactive waste storage tanks at Building 74, a prohibition was placed on the release of the structure, equipment, or area from any existing controls. For five other radiological units (units at Buildings 71, 5 [2 units], 4, and 75), release of these areas to the general public was prohibited. The eighth area, the Building 75A Radioactive Waste Storage Area, was specifically designated for reuse by the Berkeley Lab Radiation Protection Group.
The only radionuclides detected in the soil that are above background levels
are tritium and curium-244. These contaminants were detected at concentrations
below levels that pose risks to human health or the environment. Soil
with concentrations of radionuclides above background levels, however, should
be disposed of in a facility licensed for Class A low-level radioactive wastes. Approval
for disposal of radioactive contaminated soil must be obtained from DOE prior
to offsite transport. The only radionuclide contaminant detected in the
groundwater is tritium. The tritium levels in the groundwater have been
declining and are currently less than the allowable Maximum Contaminant Level
(MCL) for drinking water. (Note: Groundwater at LBNL is not used as a public
drinking water source).
Berkeley Lab operates five hazardous wastewater treatment units, or fixed treatment units (FTUs). These are:
The wastewater is treated to meet the East Bay Municipal Utility District’s
discharge limits and then is discharged to the sanitary sewer.
State law requires all facilities treating hazardous waste to obtain authorization
from DTSC and the City of Berkeley. DTSC has created a tiered permitting
program, based on environmental risk, as the permitting process to gain authorization
to operate. The FTUs located at Buildings 25 and 77 have received authorization
to operate under the Permit-by-Rule tier. The FTUs located
at Buildings 2, 70A, and 76 are permitted to operate under the Conditional
Authorization tier.
ESG has prepared and maintains permit documentation, including notifications and plans required by the tiered permit program. It has also provided oversight of construction upgrades to these units to verify that the engineering standards have been met. An annual renewal is prepared and submitted to DTSC.
Permit-by-Rule and Conditional Authorization FTUs have the following operation requirements for which the operators of these units are responsible:
When a new FTU is planned, DTSC, the City of Berkeley, and the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) must be notified 60 days before the first treatment of waste begins. The permit submission must include:
Planning should take into account the 60-day lag time that DTSC requires to process the permit. In practice, a permit cannot be submitted until construction has been completed, the system leak tested, and the treatment unit certified by an independent, qualified professional engineer. In addition, planning should allow two to four months for the preparation of the permit. Preparation time will vary depending on the complexity of the treatment unit and whether the independent engineer identifies that upgrades are needed.
When there is a change to an existing treatment unit, a permit amendment must be submitted to DTSC, the City of Berkeley, and EBMUD. The permit amendment submission may include all the items listed for a new permit. Planning should allow two to four months for the preparation of the permit amendment. Once proof of receipt of the permit amendment has been received from DTSC, treatment of the waste may begin.
Petroleum product storage requirements are prescribed by federal regulations, which are driven by the Clean Water Act; hazardous material storage requirements, which are determined by DOE orders; and best management practices. Petroleum products stored in 55-gallon drums or tanks are governed by these requirements. The principal requirements include:
The details of the petroleum storage requirements are described in the Berkeley Lab Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures Plan, which is available on the ESG Web site.
In general, oil-filled electrical equipment of unknown content should be assumed to contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Oil-filled electrical equipment that may contain PCBs includes (but is not limited to) transformers, capacitors, circuit breakers, reclosures, voltage regulators, switches, motor starters, and electromagnets. If a piece of oil-containing equipment is to be disconnected and not reused, please contact Waste Management early in the planning stages so Waste Management can set up the waste accumulation area (WAA) and arrange shipment to meet regulatory requirements.
If the waste is known to have PCBs at a concentration of 50 parts per million (ppm) or greater, or contains waste from a PCB spill cleanup, the accumulation time in the generator satellite accumulation area (SAA) or WAA is 30 days.
When new large capacitors are purchased, it is recommended that the owner place a “non-PCB” label on the capacitor. A large capacitor is a capacitor that contains more than 3 pounds or 30 liquid ounces of dielectric fluid. When a new transformer is purchased, it is recommended that a “dry type” transformer be specified over an oil-filled transformer whenever possible. If an oil-filled transformer is purchased, it is recommended that the owner place a “non-PCB” label on the transformer. If a used transformer is obtained from another facility, the transformer must not contain PCBs greater than 5 ppm, and the transformer must have supporting documentation proving that the transformer does not have any PCBs above this threshold.
Discharges
to the sanitary sewer system are subject to increasingly complex and restrictive
standards imposed by the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) at the
main LBNL site, and by the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (CCCSD) at
the Joint Genome Institute (JGI). Both water districts have established
a permitting process that mandates operating conditions that must be met for
all wastewater discharged into their sanitary sewer systems.
At the Berkeley Lab main site, EBMUD has established three wastewater discharge permits. They are for:
These wastewater discharge permits specify different discharge limits at the site boundary and at the treatment units. Table 11-1 shows the substances for which Berkeley Lab has EBMUD-specific discharge limits.
Table 11-1. EBMUD Sanitary Sewer Discharge Limit
|
|
Wastewater Treatment |
Treated Groundwater Limit |
|
|
(daily |
(daily |
(monthly average |
(daily |
Arsenic |
2 mg/L |
2 mg/L |
— |
— |
Cadmium |
1 mg/L |
0.69 mg/L |
0.26 mg/L |
— |
Chlorinated Hydrocarbons |
0.5 mg/L |
— |
— |
— |
Chromium |
2 mg/L |
2.77 mg/L |
1.71 mg/L |
— |
Copper |
5 mg/L |
3.38 mg/L |
2.07 mg/L |
— |
Cyanide |
5 mg/L |
1.2 mg/L |
0.65 mg/L |
— |
Iron |
100 mg/L |
100 mg/L |
— |
— |
Lead |
2 mg/L |
0.69 mg/L |
0.43 mg/L |
— |
Mercury |
0.05 mg/L |
0.05 mg/L |
— |
— |
Nickel |
5 mg/L |
3.98 mg/L |
2.38 mg/L |
— |
Total Toxic Organics |
— |
2.13 mg/L |
— |
— |
Carbon Tetrachloride |
— |
— |
— |
0.005 mg/L |
Chloroform |
— |
— |
— |
0.014 mg/L |
1,1-dichloroethane |
— |
— |
— |
0.005 mg/L |
1,1-dichloroethene |
— |
— |
— |
0.005 mg/L |
Cis-1,2-dichloroethene |
— |
— |
— |
0.005 mg/L |
Trichloroethene |
— |
— |
— |
0.005 mg/L |
1,1,1-trichloroethane |
— |
— |
— |
0.005 mg/L |
1,1,2-trichlorofluoroethane |
— |
— |
— |
0.005 mg/L |
Tetrachloroethene |
— |
— |
— |
0.005 mg/L |
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) |
— |
— |
— |
0.0002 mg/L |
Oil and Grease |
100 mg/L |
100 mg/L |
— |
— |
Phenolic compounds |
100 mg/L |
100 mg/L |
— |
— |
Silver |
1 mg/L |
0.43 mg/L |
0.24 mg/L |
— |
Zinc |
5 mg/L |
2.61 mg/L |
1.48 mg/L |
— |
pH (not less than) |
5.5 S.U. |
5.5 S.U. |
— |
— |
Temperature |
150 F |
150 F |
— |
— |
The terms of the wastewater discharge permits require that Berkeley Lab abide by all applicable provisions of the EBMUD Ordinance or any other federal, state, and local regulations. Limits for radionuclide discharges are established based on the limits specified in Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations (17 CCR, Section 30253). Because of these requirements, no discharge may be made to the sanitary sewer system until the composition and concentration of the discharge is known. In some cases, sampling and analysis must be performed in order to determine if a discharge can be released to the sewer. ESG will assist employees in making this determination. Approval for release to the sewer can be issued only after all required analyses have been conducted and properly evaluated. In addition, ESG performs periodic wastewater discharge sampling and reports the results to EBMUD, as mandated by each permit. All sinks should be labeled to warn against disposal of hazardous substances down the drain.
At the JGI, the CCCSD has established a single wastewater discharge permit for this facility. It also specifies discharge limits for specific substances, which are shown in Table 11-2.
Table 11-2. CCCSD Sanitary Sewer Discharge Limits
Parameter |
Site Limit |
Antimony |
5 mg/L |
Arsenic |
2 mg/L |
Cadmium |
0.3 mg/L |
Chromium |
1.5 mg/L |
Copper |
5 mg/L |
Cyanide |
1.5 mg/L |
Lead |
2 mg/L |
Mercury |
0.05 mg/L |
Nickel |
3 mg/L |
Selenium |
0.3 mg/L |
Silver |
1 mg/L |
Thallium |
1.5 mg/L |
Zinc |
5 mg/L |
Phenol |
10 mg/L |
pH |
5.5 - 12.4 S.U. |
Oil and Grease - Mineral |
100 mg/L |
Oil and Grease - Animal & Vegetable |
300 mg/L |
Total Toxic Organics |
2.1 mg/L |
Radioactivity |
Refer to 10CFR20.2003 |
Closed-Cup Flashpoint |
140F(60C) |
Lower Explosive Limit - single reading |
10% |
Lower Explosive Limit - successive readings |
5% |
Temperature |
150F(65C) |
The terms of this permit require that the JGI comply with the CCCSD Code as
well as any other federal, state and local regulations. Periodic compliance
sampling is not required at the JGI. Instead, the CCCSD has established
a requirement for Periodic Compliance Reports where the JGI demonstrates that
it has adequate procedures in place to protect sanitary sewer drains for the
discharge of prohibited or restricted materials. JGI staff prepare the
reports and submit them to the CCCSD on a semi-annual schedule.
In accordance with EPA regulations, Berkeley Lab has notified the State Water
Resources Control Board (SWRCB) in
1992
that
it will comply with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System’s
General Permit for discharges of storm water associated with industrial activity. This
permit requires Berkeley Lab to implement the best available technology that
is economically achievable and the best conventional pollution control technology
to reduce or eliminate storm water pollution. As a result, Berkeley Lab
must:
To implement these requirements, Berkeley Lab has identified and eliminated all unauthorized connections to the storm drains. In addition, outdoor chemical storage areas and transformer pads have been equipped with secondary containment basins. Storm water is monitored during two storms per year, in accordance with the permit, to determine whether the practices employed to reduce and control pollutants are effective. Berkeley Lab also conducts training relevant to storm water concerns for appropriate employees.
As a practical matter, employees must adhere to the above requirements for
any outdoor operations involving water, oil, chemicals,
or soils.
Indoor
operations must be designed to preclude escape of contaminants to the exterior,
and spills must be reported promptly to allow immediate containment and cleanup.
This program is described in detail in two Berkeley Lab publications, Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan and the Storm Water Monitoring Plan, which are available on the ESG Web site.
In addition, Berkeley Lab will notify and secure a General Construction Permit from the SWRCB for any projects exceeding one acre in size. Such projects require their own Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan and the implementation of Best Management Practices that are appropriate for the project.
Underground storage tanks (USTs) and systems are stringently regulated by federal and state laws. Regulatory elements address the following aspects of UST system management:
The City of Berkeley enforces the UST regulatory program, consolidating federal,
state, and local UST requirements. Berkeley also coordinates UST requirements
with applicable fire code provisions. In addition, Berkeley Lab’s
UST program must also conform to DOE policies.
ESG provides UST compliance support, maintains a documented program, including
a UST Monitoring and Emergency Response Field Manual, and provides UST compliance
training, as required by law. The Facilities Department, as the tank
operator, plays a major role in implementing plans and procedures to ensure
compliance with UST and City of Berkeley regulations. Certified “Designated
UST Operators” within the Facilities Division are responsible for conducting
monthly inspections of the UST systems and scheduling annual monitor certification,
annual product precision line testing, annual mechanical line leak detection
testing, annual spill bucket testing, and tri-annual secondary containment
testing.
Berkeley Lab currently has six operating UST systems. Four of them store diesel fuel for emergency generators, and the other two are used for unleaded and diesel fuel storage at the Building 76 motor pool.
Acutely hazardous wastes are any wastes defined as acutely hazardous by 22 CCR, Division 4.5, Chapter 11, Article 4.
As low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) is an approach to radiological management and control that aims to keep exposures (individual and collective) to the general public and the environment at levels as low as is reasonable, taking into account social, technical, economic, practical, and public policy considerations. As used in this manual, ALARA is not a dose limit but a process that has the objective of attaining doses as far below the applicable controlling limits as is reasonably achievable.
Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) is the local agency responsible for regulating stationary sources of regulated or hazardous air pollutants in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) is a Department within the California Environmental Protection Agency that regulates hazardous waste management and remedial actions.
East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) is the local municipal wastewater treatment facility that accepts and regulates sanitary sewer discharges from Berkeley Lab.
Effluent is any treated or untreated liquid discharge from Berkeley Lab or from a Laboratory facility.
Emission is
any filtered or unfiltered substance released to the air from Berkeley Lab
or from a Laboratory facility.
Environmental monitoring is the collection and analysis of environmental samples or direct measurements of environmental media. Environmental monitoring consists of three major activities: effluent monitoring, environmental surveillance, and meteorological monitoring.
Environmental surveillance is the collection and analysis of samples, or direct measurements of air, water, soil, foodstuff, biota, and other media from Berkeley Lab and its environs, for the purpose of determining compliance with applicable standards and permit requirements, assessing radiation exposures of members of the public, and assessing the effects, if any, on the local environment.
Environmental occurrence is any sudden or sustained deviation from a regulated or planned performance at an operation that has environmental protection and compliance significance.
Extremely hazardous waste is any hazardous waste or mixture of hazardous wastes that, if human exposure should occur, may result in death, disabling personal injury, or serious illness because of its quantity, concentration, or chemical characteristics (22 CCR Section 66261.110).
Hazardous air pollutant is any pollutant that is listed in Section 112(b) of the Clean Air Act.
Hazardous wastes are wastes exhibiting any of the following characteristics: ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, and toxicity. In addition, EPA has listed specific wastes as hazardous that do not necessarily exhibit these characteristics.
Public Owned Treatment Works (POTW) is a general term used for sewage treatment plants. The East Bay Municipal Utility District plant is the POTW that accepts sewage from Berkeley Lab.
Radionuclide is a natural or manmade atom that spontaneously undergoes radioactive decay.
Regulated air pollutants are pollutants for which standards
have been promulgated under the
authority of the Clean Air Act, and include the classes of substances defined
as nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, toxic air contaminants,
or
ozone-depleting substances.
State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) is the agency responsible for promulgating the California General Permit for Storm Water Discharge Associated With Industrial Activities. At Berkeley Lab, this permit is administered and enforced by the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board, with assistance from the City of Berkeley.
Underground storage tank (UST) is a stationary device designed to contain an accumulation of hazardous material or waste. A tank is constructed primarily of nonearthen material, but the entire surface area of the tank is totally below the surface of, and covered by, the ground.
United States Environmental Protection Agency is a federal agency responsible for enforcing environmental laws. In California, some of this responsibility is typically delegated to state and local regulatory agencies.
All of the above references can be found in the Environmental Services Group offices, located in Building 85B. Several are available on the Web, as noted in this chapter.
_____________________
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