1. Day 2 DQO Training Course Module 2 The EPA 7-Step DQO Process
Step 2 - Identify the Decisions
Presenter: Sebastian Tindall
(15 minutes)

2. Step 2: Identify Decisions
Step Objective:
Develop decision statements that require environmental data to address the objective of the problem statement
Step 1: State the Problem
Step 2: Identify Decisions
Step 3: Identify Inputs
Step 4: Specify Boundaries
Step 5: Define Decision Rules
Step 6: Specify Error Tolerances
Step 7: Optimize Sample Design

3. Step 2- Identify Decisions
Information IN Actions Information OUT
From Previous Step To Next Step
Identify Principal Study Questions
Concise Statement of the Problem
Decision Statements
Define Alternative Actions
Define Error if AA Incorrectly Taken
List Consequences of Errors
Rate Severity of Consequences

4. Background Principal Study Question: PSQ Alternative Action: AA
The PSQ identifies key unknown
conditions or unresolved issues that
reveal the solution to the Problem.
Alternative Action: AA

5. Background Principal Study Question: PSQ Alternative Action: AA
All the possible actions that might be taken
once a PSQ has been resolved.

6. Creating a Decision Statement
PSQ + AA
Decision Statement

7. What types of Decisions Require the DQO Process?
Only decisions whose PSQs require data (environmental measurements) to resolve
Three general types of decisions:
d: Red shovel/green shovel decisions
D: Decisions requiring environmental data
D: Large programmatic decisions

8. What types of Decisions Require the DQO Process?
TEST: Does the PSQ require data via environmental
measurements (old or new) to be resolved?
Only decisions whose PSQs require data (environmental measurements) to resolve
Three general types of decisions:
d: Red shovel/green shovel decisions
D: Decisions requiring environmental data
D: Large programmatic decisions

9. What types of Decisions Require the DQO Process?
Only decisions whose PSQs require data (environmental measurements) to resolve
Three general types of decisions:
d: Red shovel/green shovel decisions
D: Decisions requiring environmental data
D: Large programmatic decisions
Do we need to collect data via environmental
measurements to decide whether or not the
decrease in duck population is due to the lead
pellets in the wetlands?

10. Step 2- Identify Decisions
Information IN Actions Information OUT
From Previous Step To Next Step
Identify Principal Study Questions
Concise Statement of the Problem
Decision Statements
Define Alternative Actions
Addressing the question will resolve the problem.
Define Error if AA Incorrectly Taken
Identify the questions that must
be addressed in order to resolve
the problem statement. Note
that it is useful to divide these
by either the matrix to be
studied, the type waste, etc.
List Consequences of Errors
Rate Severity of Consequences

11. Example PSQs Is the Smith property radiologically contaminated?
Does the waste exceed toxicity characteristic (TC) criteria?
Is the waste ignitable?

12. PSQs 1. Are the site surface soils contaminated?CS
PSQs
1. Are the site surface soils contaminated?
2. Are the underlying soils contaminated?

13. Step 2- Identify Decisions
Information IN Actions Information OUT
From Previous Step To Next Step
Identify Principal Study Questions
Concise Statement of the Problem
Decision Statements
Define Alternative Actions
Decision rules (DRs) will be written in Step 5 to provide the criteria to select between the AAs. After data collection, DRs are used to select the appropriate AA.
For each question, list the
actions that may be taken as a
result of answering the question.
These actions use verbs such as
“remove, dispose, delist.”
Define Error if AA Incorrectly Taken
List Consequences of Errors
Rate Severity of Consequences

14. Example Relationship Between PSQs and AAs

15. Relationship Between PSQs and AAsCS
Relationship Between PSQs and AAs

16. Step 2- Identify Decisions
Information IN Actions Information OUT
From Previous Step To Next Step
Identify qualitative descriptions of the potential errors that could occur
Identify Principal Study Questions
Concise Statement of the Problem
Decision Statements
Define Alternative Actions
Define Error if AA Incorrectly Taken
List Consequences of Errors
Rate Severity of Consequences

17. Step 2- Identify Decisions
Information IN Actions Information OUT
From Previous Step To Next Step
Identify Principal Study Questions
List the consequences of each
qualitative error listed for each
PSQ and AA.
Concise Statement of the Problem
Decision Statements
Define Alternative Actions
Define Error if AA Incorrectly Taken
List Consequences of Errors
Rate Severity of Consequences

18. Step 2- Identify Decisions
Information IN Actions Information OUT
From Previous Step To Next Step
Identify Principal Study Questions
Perform a qualitative
and relative assessment
of the consequences
of taking each AA.
Express in terms of:
Low
Moderate
Severe
Concise Statement of the Problem
Decision Statements
Define Alternative Actions
Define Error if AA Incorrectly Taken
List Consequences of Errors
Rate Severity of Consequences

19. Step 2- Identify Decisions
Information IN Actions Information OUT
From Previous Step To Next Step
Identify Principal Study Questions
When assessing consequences, take the following aspects into consideration:
Human health
Environment (flora/fauna)
Political
Economic
Legal
Concise Statement of the Problem
Decision Statements
Define Alternative Actions
Define Error if AA Incorrectly Taken
List Consequences of Errors
Rate Severity of Consequences

20. Errors, Consequences and Severity

21. Errors, Consequences and SeverityCS
Errors, Consequences and Severity

22. Step 2- Identify Decisions
Information IN Actions Information OUT
From Previous Step To Next Step
Identify Principal Study Questions
Concise Statement of the Problem
Decision Statements
Step 5 will provide criteria to
select between alternatives.
Define Alternative Actions
Define Error if AA Incorrectly Taken
Decision statements link
alternative actions with PSQs.
List Consequences of Errors
Rate Severity of Consequences

23. Step 2- Identify Decisions
Information IN Actions Information OUT
From Previous Step To Next Step
Identify Principal Study Questions
Concise Statement of the Problem
Decision Statements
Define Alternative Actions
Define Error if AA Incorrectly Taken
Decision statements
express a choice between AAs.
List Consequences of Errors
Rate Severity of Consequences

24. Decision Statements General Format:
Determine whether [Principal Study Question #1] requires [Alternative Action A] or [Alternative Action B].
Added Clarification:
Determine whether [unknown environmental condition/issue/criterion from the Problem Statement] requires [choosing between two or more Alternative Actions].

25. Decision Statements General Format:
Determine whether [Principal Study Question #1] requires [Alternative Action A] or [Alternative Action B].
Added Clarification:
Determine whether [unknown environmental condition/issue/criterion from the Problem Statement] requires [choosing between two or more Alternative Actions].
Using a standardized format is important
because it helps:
Eliminate red/green shovel PSQs
Improve the consistency between DQO documents
Make it easier for the reviewer to understand the decisions to be made

26. Decision Statement Example
Determine whether [the waste is ignitable] and requires [disposal in a RCRA landfill] or [requires only consideration of the remaining RCRA characteristics].

27. ‘Typical’ Decision Statement Examples
The question is whether a cap is needed and what COPCs are needed to assess the effectiveness of the cap.
EXAMPLE:
Lard oil that contained carbon tetrachloride was used; however it is unclear as to whether the oil and carbon tetrachloride are listed wastes.

28. CS
Decision Statements
1. Determine whether the surface soils are contaminated and require remedial action or require no further action.
2. Determine whether the site underlying soils are contaminated and require remedial action or require no further action.

29. Step 2 Summary
Decisions that are regulatory or professional judgement are not part of the Step 2 decisions
For the decision to be valid, there must be two or more alternative actions
Data are needed to choose between the alternative actions

30. Step 2- Identify Decisions
Information IN Actions Information OUT
From Previous Step To Next Step
Identify Principal Study Questions
Concise Statement of the Problem
Decision Statements
Define Alternative Actions
Define Error if AA Incorrectly Taken
List Consequences of Errors
Rate Severity of Consequences

31. End of Module 2
Thank you