The Wise Report
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
December 8, 2013
A new Texas Risk Reduction Program (TRRP) Guidance Document titled “Determining Representative Concentrations of Chemicals of Concern for Ecological Receptors” (RG-366/TRRP-15eco) is now available at the following link: http://www.tceq.texas.gov/publications/rg/rg-366_trrp_15eco.html.
This document presents guidance for determining representative concentrations of chemicals of concern for use in ecological risk assessments conducted under TRRP. Particular topic areas include:
• ensuring that data used in ecological risk assessments (ERAs) are representative and appropriate for each exposure medium
• defining exposure areas for ecological exposure pathways
• evaluating potential hot spots for ecological exposure pathways
• identifying outliers and describing composite sampling related to ecological exposure pathways
This document is primarily intended for persons conducting a Tier 2 screening level ecological risk assessment (SLERA), as specified in the TRRP rule at 30 TAC 350.77(c). Persons performing a SLERA should use this document in addition to the TCEQ’s 2001 Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance (ERAG) as a resource. The ERAG is currently unavailable on the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TCEQ’s) website but can be obtained by contacting Larry Champagne (larry.champagne@tceq.texas.gov) or Vickie Reat (vickie.reat@tceq.texas.gov). TCEQ is working to have a revised draft version of the ERAG available for downloading.
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Texas State Agencies are required to conduct a four-year rule review to see whether the reasons for initially adopting their rules continue to exist. The Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists (TBPG) is conducting its four-year rule review, now through 2014. The TBPG wants to make every effort possible to elicit stakeholder participation in this process. Now is the time for you to make recommendations for readoption, amendments, or repeal of the authorizing statutes. For more information go to: https://tbpg.state.tx.us/rulereview.html.
Henry M. Wise, P.G.
The Wise Report
12/8/2013