Radiological Environmental Monitoring – Where We Are, Where We’re Going

1. Radiological Environmental Monitoring – Where We Are, Where We’re Going Dale Holden Duke Energy

2. Short History – Radiological Environmental Monitoring • Programs established in 1970’s and 1980’s • Required for licensee • Preoperational and Operational • “check” on effluent releases (ODCM) • Verification of “pathways to man” • Established for Routine and Emergency Releases

3. Short History – Radiological Environmental Monitoring • Primary Pathways of concern – • Releases via air (gas and particulates) • Releases via water (discharge effluent) • Typical Media – • Water – Surface, Drinking, Ground • Air – Particulates, Gas (primarily iodine) • Vegetation – leafy plants, edible products

4. Short History – Radiological Environmental Monitoring • Typical Media – • Milk (cow, goat, etc.) • Meat (grazing animals – cow, deer, bison, etc.) • Fish • Soil • Sediments • Oysters, shellfish

5. Goal • Determine early trends of environmental build-up (bio-accumulation/animal tissue) of rad material in environment • Measure primary and secondary routes of potential exposure that could have a negative (risk) impact to the general population • Mitigate impact to humans to achieve negligible risk

6. How Have We Done???? • Nuclear Regulatory Commission Assess Licensee (on-going) • Fund “other” agencies to monitor environmental radiological impacts • State agencies • Private agencies (few) • Other federal agencies (FEMA)

7. How Have We Done???? • Programs did what they were supposed to – few issues • Nuclear Regulatory Commission ceases additional agency funding in 1998 • Accountability shifts from investigative to self-identified

8. Everything is GREAT………..but…. • All existing programs meet minimum regulatory requirements • 1990’s saw reduction of many programs due to budget constraints and potential deregulation • Facilities aging and seeking license renewal • Areas around facilities have changed • Definition of risk has changed

9. It was like looking at a sunrise on the beach….

10. But if you are not careful……

11. What Has Changed???? • Technological improvements • Lower detection limits • Improved analytical methods • Resource sharing – internet, web-based • Comfort with nuclear power production…….

16. Northlake School

17. McGuire Nuclear Station Property Northlake School

20. How should we manage future rad environmental monitoring?? • Maintain a heightened sensitivity to controls of radioactive material • Green means more than CO2 free – all emissions • Look “hard” for possible problems • Leaking pipes • Washout/rainout/plate-out/building wake effects • New Issues with updated regulations, e.g. C-14

21. How should we manage future rad environmental monitoring?? • Any radioactive material in the environment can be an issue….. • Risk is a matter of public perception, not biological consequence • Public perception affects development and future expansion • Don’t wait for regulation change to take action – evaluate program with potential consequence in mind

22. How should we manage future rad environmental monitoring?? • Communicate, Communicate, Communicate • Take the mystery out of the science – Examples: • www.radiationanswers.org/

24. How should we manage future rad environmental monitoring?? • Take the mystery out of the science – Examples: • http://www.hps.org/ • Create relative risk relationships people can understand • There are times we just challenge others with our communication…….

26. How should we manage future rad environmental monitoring?? • Care • Be prepared to spend $$$ when there may be little technical but much political justification • Always be open and honest – trust is the name of the game • Never Take for granted that you have arrived….