[Federal Register: December 27, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 247)]
[Notices]
[Page 77228-77230]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27de04-38]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and Technology
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR
Geological Survey
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration
[Docket No. OAR-2004-0096; FRL-7851-8]
Multi-Agency Radiological Laboratory Analytical Protocols Manual
AGENCIES: Department of Defense; Department of Energy; Department of
Homeland Security; Environmental Protection Agency; Nuclear Regulatory
Commission; National Institute of Standards and Technology, Commerce;
United States Geological Survey, Interior; and Food and Drug
Administration, HHS.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The participating agencies are announcing the availability of
the ``Multi-Agency Radiological Laboratory Analytical Protocols''
(MARLAP) Manual. The MARLAP Manual provides guidance for the planning,
implementation, and assessment phases of projects that require the
laboratory analysis of radionuclides. MARLAP's basic goal is to provide
guidance for project planners, managers, and laboratory personnel to
ensure that radioanalytical laboratory data will meet a project's or a
program's data requirements. The manual offers a framework for a
performance-based approach to achieving data requirements that is both
scientifically rigorous and flexible enough to be applied to diverse
projects and programs. This framework will promote national consistency
in the generation of radioanalytical data of known quality that are
appropriate for its intended use. Examples of radiological data
collection activities that MARLAP supports include: site
characterization, site cleanup and compliance demonstration,
decommissioning of nuclear facilities, emergency response, remedial and
removal actions, decontamination activities, effluent monitoring of
licensed facilities, environmental site monitoring, background studies,
and waste management activities. The MARLAP Manual, now finalized, is a
multi-agency consensus document. The agencies previously sought public
comment in order to receive feedback from the widest range of
interested parties and to ensure that all information relevant to
developing the document was received and addressed to the extent
possible. The interagency MARLAP work group reviewed all public
comments received as well as comments from a concurrent, independent
technical peer review. Suggested changes were incorporated, where
appropriate, in response to those comments.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft and the final MARLAP Manual, along with
public and technical peer review comments received, may be examined or
copied for a fee at the EPA Public Reading Room, Room B102, EPA West
Building, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20004. The room
is open to the public on all Federal Government work days from 8:30
a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Printed and CD-ROM versions of MARLAP (NTIS PB2004-105421) may be
purchased from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS). NTIS
may be accessed online at http://www.ntis.gov. The NTIS Sales Desk can
be reached between 8:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through
Friday, at 1-800-553-6847; TDD (hearing impaired only) at 703-487-4639
between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday; or
fax at 703-605-6900.
The manual is also available through the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/radiation/marlap or http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/sr1576/.
The NRC document number is NUREG-
1576, and the EPA document number is EPA 402-B-04-001A-C (in three
volumes).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: EPA: John Griggs, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Office of Radiation and Indoor Air, NAREL, 540 South
Morris Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36115-2601, (334) 270-3450,
griggs.john@epa.gov; Eric Reynolds, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation
(5204G), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.,
[[Page 77229]]
Washington, DC 20460, (703) 603-9928, reynolds.eric@epa.gov. DoD/Air
Force: Dale Thomas, Detachment 1, Human Systems Center/OEBA, 2402 E.
Drive, Brooks AFB, TX 78235-5114, (210) 536-5816,
dale.thomas@brooks.af.mil. DoD/Army: Ronald Swatski, U.S. Army Center
for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, Attn: MCHB-TS-LRD, 5158
Blackhawk Road APG, MD 21010-5403, (410) 436-3983,
ronald.swatski@amedd.army.mil. DoD/Navy: Commander William Adams, Navy
Sea Systems Command, SEA 04N, 1333 Isaac Hull Ave., SE., Washington, DC
20376-4120, (202) 781-2414, AdamsWJ@navsea.navy.mil. Army Corps of
Engineers: Jan Dunker, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, (Attn: CENWO-HX-
C), 12565 West Center Road, Omaha, NE 68144-3869, (402) 697-2566,
jan.w.dunker@usace.army.mil. DHS: Carl V. Gogolak, U.S. Department of
Homeland Security, Environmental Measurements Laboratory, 201 Varick
Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10014, (212) 620-3635, cvg@eml.doe.gov.
DOE: Mary Verwolf, U.S. Department of Energy, National Analytical
Management Program, MS4149, 850 Energy Drive, Idaho Falls, ID 83402,
(208) 526-7001, verwolmc@id.doe.gov; Emile Boulos, U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of Air, Water and Radiation Policy and Guidance (EH-41),
Room 3G-089, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202)
586-1306, emile.boulos@eh.doe.gov. NRC: Rateb (Boby) Abu Eid, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Mail Stop T-7J8, Washington, DC 20555,
(301) 415-5811, bae@nrc.gov. NIST: Kenneth Inn, National Institute of
Standards and Technology, Building 245, Room C114, MS 8462,
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8462, (301) 975-5541, kenneth.inn@nist.gov.
USGS: Ann Mullin, U.S. Geological Survey, National Water Quality
Laboratory, PO Box 25046, Denver Federal Center, Bldg. 95 Ent E3, Mail
Stop 407, Denver, CO 80225-0046, (303) 236-3480, ahmullin@usgs.gov.
FDA: Edmond Baratta, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Winchester
Engineering and Analytical Center, 109 Holton Street, Winchester, MA
01890, (781) 729-5700 (x728), edmond.baratta@fda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The MARLAP Manual provides guidance for the
planning, implementation, and assessment phases of those projects that
require the laboratory analysis of radionuclides. This guidance is
intended for project planners, managers, and laboratory personnel.
MARLAP was developed collaboratively over the past eight years by the
technical staffs of eight Federal agencies. State participation in the
development of the manual involved contributions from representatives
from the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the State of California.
Contractors of the DOE, EPA, and NRC, and members of the public, have
been present during the open meetings of the MARLAP work group and were
provided opportunities for input.
MARLAP is organized into two parts. Part I, intended primarily for
project planners and managers, provides the basic framework of the
directed planning process as it applies to projects requiring
radioanalytical data for decision making. Part II is intended primarily
for laboratory personnel. Seven appendices provide complementary
information and additional details on specific topics.
Because of its length, the printed version of MARLAP is bound in
three volumes. Volume I (Chapters 1 through 9 and Appendices A through
E) contains Part I. Part II is split between Volumes II and III. Volume
II (Chapters 10 through 17 and Appendix F) covers most of the
activities performed at radioanalytical laboratories, from field and
sampling issues that affect laboratory measurements through waste
management. Volume III (Chapters 18 through 20 and Appendix G) covers
laboratory quality control, measurement uncertainty and detection and
quantification capability. Each volume includes a table of contents,
list of acronyms and abbreviations, and a complete glossary of terms.
The MARLAP Manual benefitted from extensive internal, public, and
technical peer reviews. Before the publication of the draft version for
public comment, the participating agencies conducted internal reviews.
These internal review comments were addressed before public comments
were requested. The public review was a necessary and important step in
the development of the final multi-agency consensus document. The
document also received formal technical peer review under the auspices
of the EPA Science Advisory Board (SAB). SAB's comments and EPA's
responses are available at http://www.epa.gov/science1/fiscal03.htm.
In addition to commenting on individual chapters and appendices,
reviewers were requested to address the following questions while
reviewing the MARLAP Manual:
(1) Is the performance-based approach for the planning,
implementation, and assessment phases of projects technically sound,
and is the approach reasonable in terms of ease of implementation by
project managers and laboratories? Does the approach effectively link
the three phases of a project, and is the guidance on quality control
appropriate and supportive of a performance-based approach?
(2) Is the guidance on laboratory operations in Part II technically
accurate and useful?
(3) Are the concepts covered under measurement statistics,
specifically measurement uncertainty and detection and quantification
capability, presented accurately and appropriately?
(4) Is the information understandable and presented in a logical
sequence? How can the presentation of material be modified to improve
the manual?
The participating agencies continue to solicit comments arising
from review and use of the final MARLAP Manual. Comments will be
reviewed periodically by the participating agencies, resolved as
appropriate, and incorporated into future revisions of the manual.
Members of the public are invited to submit written comments to: U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC), Air and
Radiation Docket and Information Center, Docket No. OAR-2004-0096, MC
6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460. Comments may
be submitted electronically at http://www.epa.gov/radiation/marlap.
Compliance With the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act
of 1996 (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.)
NRC has determined that this action is not a major rule and has
verified this determination with the Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget.
[[Page 77230]]
For the Department of Defense, dated this 10th day of December,
2004.
Alex A. Beehler,
Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Environment, Safety and
Occupational Health).
For the Department of Energy, dated this 17th day of August,
2004.
Andy Lawrence, Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Environment.
For the Department of Homeland Security, dated this 11th day of
August, 2004.
Bert M. Coursey,
Director, Office of Standards, DHS/S&T Directorate.
For the Environmental Protection Agency, dated this 11th day of
August, 2004.
Elizabeth Cotsworth,
Director, Office of Radiation and Indoor Air.
For the National Institute of Standards and Technology, dated
this 6th day of August, 2004.
Lisa R. Karam,
Chief, Ionizing Radiation Division.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, dated this 6th day of
August, 2004.
John T. Greeves,
Director, Division of Waste Management and Environmental Protection,
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
For the U.S. Geological Survey, dated this 16th day of August,
2004.
Robert M. Hirsch,
Associate Director for Water, U.S. Geological Survey.
For the Food and Drug Administration, dated this 29th day of
September, 2004.
Thomas S. Savage,
Acting Director, Division of Field Science, Office of Regulatory
Affairs.
[FR Doc. 04-28201 Filed 12-23-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P