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Site Assessment - SA
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Confidential Documents | |||||||
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Glossary of terms relating to file structure phase activities and file categories
Descriptions of 10.00 - 10.99 | SRC Folder Code HZ/SF/SA/SA | NARA General Records Schedule N1-412-94-4/1 |
Definition
Site Assessment (SA) is the initial phase of the Superfund response program. This phase identifies the site, assesses the extent of the site contamination, and outlines the future of the site (i.e., No Further Remedial Action Planned (NFRAP), Superfund Site Strategy Recommendation, remediation, etc.). The Hazard Ranking System (HRS) package is considered confidential until the site is proposed for ranking on the National Priorities List (NPL), or the site is closed by NFRAP or SEA. At that point, the HRS package is releasable to the public. If the site is listed on the NPL, a target sheet is used to cross-reference the notice from the Federal Register, which is placed in the NPL Docket.
SDMS Keyword (Click on keyword to see description)
10.17 Access
Agreement / Order
10.12 ATSDR Assessment [Moved to
Health Assessment phase]
10.18 Background
Information
10.21 Combined Preliminary
Assessment / Site Inspection
10.06 Expanded
Site Inspection Report (ESI)
10.11 Final
Hazard Ranking System (HRS) Package (Releasable)
10.15 Final
Strategy Determination [Superseded by
SSSR - 10.14]
10.05 Focused
Site Inspection Report (FSI) [Superseded
by Combined PA / SI - 10.21]
10.25 General
Correspondence
10.13 Hazardous
Waste Site Log [Superseded by Site Identification
Form - 10.01]
10.19
Installation Restoration Program
10.20 National
Priorities List (NPL) (Federal Register Notice)
10.09 No Further
Remedial Action Planned Form (NFRAP) or Site Evaluation Accomplished (SEA)
10.02 Notification
Form
10.24 Other
Clean Up Activity
10.03 Preliminary
Assessment (PA)
10.10 Preliminary
Assessment Score (Declassified) or Prescore (Declassified)
10.22 Sampling
and Analysis Plan
10.16 Sampling
Inspection / Sampling Data
10.04 Site Inspection
Report (SI)
10.07 Screening
Site Inspection (SSI)
10.14 Superfund
Site Strategy Recommendation (SSSR)
10.08
Tentative Disposition [Superseded by SSSR
- 10.14]
10.23
Quality Assurance Project Plan from the State
10.99
Other
10.01 Site
Identification Form
This form identifies a potential site; it is usually the first
form completed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in its
investigation.
10.02
Notification Form of Hazardous Waste Site
This is a form completed and submitted to the EPA entitled "Notification
of Hazardous Waste Site." This form is usually dated June 1981 and
can predate the Site Identification Form. This is the only Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) document in this phase; any other
RCRA document or related correspondence is filed in
History (HI) phase.
10.03 Preliminary
Assessment (PA)
All identified sites are required to be addressed by the EPA within
18 months of identification. The Preliminary Assessment, the first
study, collects and reviews available information on the site, including
other reports and published information such as State agency files and
newspaper articles.
10.04 Site
Inspection Report (SI)
The site inspection is generally conducted by the EPA, the State,
and/or their contractors. This includes a visual inspection of the
site, interviews with anyone associated with or having knowledge of the
site, and sampling of the site.
10.05 Focused
Site Inspection Report (FSI)
A Focused Site Inspection is conducted when the SI report indicates
that a more in-depth look at part of the site is warranted because the
sampling was not adequate or another type of hazard was identified, etc.
[Superseded by the Combined PA / SI -10.21].
10.06 Expanded
Site Inspection Report (ESI)
The Expanded Site Inspection augments the Site Inspection and
the Focused Site Inspection.
10.07 Screening
Site Inspection (SSI)
The Screening Site Inspection is conducted to support the HRS
package and the hazard ranking numbers assigned to the site.
10.08 Tentative
Disposition
A tentative disposition is a one page form that documents the
next action to be taken on a site. It is usually completed by EPA
personnel after the review of a site inspection and again after each additional
site assessment report, until NFRAP or SEA is the disposition.
[Superseded by SSSR - 10.14]
10.09 No
Further Remedial Action Planned Form (NFRAP) or Site Evaluation
Accomplished (SEA)
At anytime after the preliminary assessment or any of the later studies,
EPA can determine that no hazard exists. The site is closed to further
study by a NFRAP or SEA form. Both forms are basically the same,
but in mid 1992 the name was changed from NFRAP to SEA.
10.10 Preliminary
Assessment Score (Prescore) (Declassified) or Prescore (Declassified)
At the time the preliminary assessment is conducted, a preliminary
assessment score or Prescore is figured. This is a short version
of the HRS score sheet that quickly identifies if is a hazard that would
rank on the NPL list. This Prescore is pre-decisional and therefore
not releasable to the public. When a site is either closed (NFRAP
or SEA) or the site is proposed for ranking, the Prescore can be declassified
and is releasable under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
10.11 Final Hazard
Ranking System (HRS) (Releasable)
Based on information obtained from the site inspections, EPA uses a system
designed to rank the hazards associated with the site and compare it to
the risks posed by other sites throughout the nation. Those sites
with high enough scores are placed on the National Priorities List (NPL).
The HRS package consists of the HRS score, attachments to support the
score, and public comments. The HRS package is pre-decisional
until the site is proposed for ranking or the site is closed by NFRAP
or SEA. At that point, the HRS package can be declassified
and is releasable to the public under FOIA.
10.13 Hazardous Waste Site Log
10.14 Superfund Site Strategy Recommendation (SSSR)
10.15 Final Strategy Determination
10.17 Access Agreement
/ Order
The EPA is given authority in CERCLA to obtain access to property
that is contaminated or threatened with contamination for implementing
response actions. The access agreement should describe the activities
that will occur and the planned restoration of the property, if any, upon
completion. Access agreements are valid only for the current landowner
whose signature is on the agreement and do not transfer to future property
owners. NOTE: If an access agreement is generated
during the Emergency Response (EM) phase, the agreement
should be filed in the EM phase [13.29]. If an access agreement
is generated during the Remedial phases, it is filed in the
Enforcement, Legal Documents (NL) phase [30.04].
10.18 Background
Information
General correspondence and documentation that is related to Site
Assessment should be coded here.
10.19 Installation Restoration Program (applies to Federal sites)
10.20 National Priorities List (NPL) in Federal RegisterSites are first proposed to the National Priorities List (NPL) in the Federal Register. The EPA then accepts public comments on the sites, responds to the comments, and places on the NPL those sites that continue to meet the requirements for listing.
10.21 Combined
PA / SI Assessment
The combined PA / SI assessment integrates activities typically
performed during the PA (information gathering, site reconnaissance) with
activities typically performed during the SI (review of data, development
of field work plans, field sampling, filling data gaps) to achieve one
continuous site investigations. The EPA encourages the Regions to
combine PA and SI activities to reduce repetitive tasks and ultimately
costs. Even though the PA/SI can be generated during the Removal
phase, the PA/SI report will be maintained in the SA phase.
10.22 Sampling and Analysis Plan
10.23 Quality Assurance Project Plan from the State
10.24 Other
Clean Up Activity
This action is used to document clean up work at non-NPL sites being conducted
by non-EPA parties without EPA enforcement or oversight.
10.25 General
Correspondence
Any correspondence including letters, memoranda, notes, and record of
communications generated or received by the EPA.
10.99 Other
If the needed keyword code is not available, code to 10.99.