The Need for Requirements and Guidance for Protection of Biota: Basis for DOE’s Biota Dose Limits and Guidance Biota Dose Assessment Committee Meeting Washington, DC August , Stephen Domotor - Environmental Policy and Assistance Air, Water and Radiation Division (EH-412)

Presentation Outline n Need for Biota Dose Standards n DOE’s Existing and Proposed Limits n Scientific Basis for DOE’s Biota Dose Limits n Evolution of 10 CFR Subpart F: Protection of Biota n International Activities and Approaches Regarding Biota Dose Standards and Guidance Development

Need for Biota Dose Standards n “If man is protected then other living things are also likely to be sufficiently protected” (ICRP) n Certain exposure pathways are more important for biota than for humans n Radiation as a stressor in eco-risk assessments n Increasing DOE site and stakeholder interest n Increasing international interest

DOE Dose Limits for Biota n Current DOE Standard (Order DOE ): 1 rad/d (10 mGy/d) for native aquatic organisms n Proposed Standards (10 CFR 834, Subpart F): 1 rad/d (10 mGy/d) for aquatic animals; 1 rad/d (10 mGy/d) for terrestrial plants; 0.1 rad/d (1 mGy/d) for terrestrial animals n Intended to ensure protection of populations

Scientific Basis for DOE Limits n IAEA Report 172 (1976) Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Aquatic Organisms and Ecosystems n ICRP (1977) Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection n NCRP Report 109 (1991) Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Aquatic Organisms n IAEA Report 332 (1992) Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Plants and Animals at Levels Implied by Current Radiation Protection Standards n DOE Workshop Report (1995) Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Terrestrial Plants and Animals n UNSCEAR (1996) Sources and Effects of Ionizing Radiation

DOE Workshop n Sponsored by DOE EH-412; June 1995 n Experts in radioecology and eco-risk assessment reviewed IAEA # 332 (1992) and referenced reports n Consensus that dose limits were adequately supported by available scientific data n Existing data supports application of dose limits to representative members of the population n Recommended that guidance was needed for implementing existing or proposed biota dose limits

Evolution of Subpart F: Biota n March 23, 1993 NPR - included Subpart F - dose limits for aquatic animals n August 31, 1995 NLR - comments on aquatic animal dose limits and on reserved section requiring terrestrial dose limits n February 22, 1996 NLR - comments on dose limits for both aquatic and terrestrial organisms n Consistent Message in Comments –Requested cost-effective implementation guidance –Support use of screening criteria or methodologies –Guidance needed for biota monitoring –Flexibility regarding methods; development of a generic method for consistency

International Activities - Canada n Atomic Energy Control Board of Canada (AECB) is developing regulatory criteria for non-human species n Preliminary dose criteria for screening purposes : Group of Biota Critical Dose Rate No Effects Dose Rate mammals 100 mGy/year 10 mGy/year birds 500 mGy/year 50 mGy/year amphibians/reptiles 100 mGy/year 10 mGy/year benthic invertebrates1000 mGy/year 100 mGy/year fish5000 mGy/year 50 mGy/year n AECB

International Activities - IAEA n International Atomic Energy Agency - Technical Committee on “Protection of the Environment from Ionizing Radiation” n A “TECDOC” which –Reviews Regulatory Approaches for Environmental Protection –Reviews considerations for developing explicit standards and implementation guidance for protection of the environment