CCLME.ORG - Model Toxics Control Act -- Cleanup.

State
Washington Regulations
Chapter 173-340 WAC Model toxics control act — cleanup

Last Update: 2/12/01

DISPOSITIONS OF SECTIONS FORMERLY CODIFIED IN THIS CHAPTER
173-340-010 Purpose. [Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.105B RCW. 88-13-036 (Order 88-40), § 173-340-010, filed 6/8/88.] Repealed by 90-08-086, filed 4/3/90, effective 5/4/90. Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.105D RCW.
173-340-020 Definitions. [Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.105B RCW. 88-13-036 (Order 88-40), § 173-340-020, filed 6/8/88.] Repealed by 90-08-086, filed 4/3/90, effective 5/4/90. Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.105D RCW.
173-340-030 Emergency actions. [Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.105B RCW. 88-13-036 (Order 88-40), § 173-340-030, filed 6/8/88.] Repealed by 90-08-086, filed 4/3/90, effective 5/4/90. Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.105D RCW.
173-340-040 Settlement procedures. [Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.105B RCW. 88-13-036 (Order 88-40), § 173-340-040, filed 6/8/88.] Repealed by 90-08-086, filed 4/3/90, effective 5/4/90. Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.105D RCW.
173-340-050 State conducted remedial action -- Notice. [Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.105B RCW. 88-13-036 (Order 88-40), § 173-340-050, filed 6/8/88.] Repealed by 90-08-086, filed 4/3/90, effective 5/4/90. Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.105D RCW.

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173-340-100
Purpose.
This chapter is promulgated under the Model Toxics Control Act. It establishes administrative processes and standards to identify, investigate, and clean up facilities where hazardous substances have come to be located. It defines the role of the department and encourages public involvement in decision making at these facilities.

The goal of this chapter is to implement chapter 70.105D RCW. This chapter provides a workable process to accomplish effective and expeditious cleanups in a manner that protects human health and the environment. This chapter is primarily intended to address releases of hazardous substances caused by past activities although its provisions may be applied to potential and ongoing releases of hazardous substances from current activities.

Note: All materials incorporated by reference in this chapter are available for inspection at the Department of Ecology's Toxics Cleanup Program, 300 Desmond Drive, Lacey, Washington, 98503.

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.105D RCW. 01-05-024 (Order 97-09A), § 173-340-100, filed 2/12/01, effective 8/15/01; 90-08-086, § 173-340-100, filed 4/3/90, effective 5/4/90.]

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173-340-110
Applicability.
(1) This chapter shall apply to all facilities where there has been a release or threatened release of a hazardous substance that may pose a threat to human health or the environment. Under this chapter, the department may require or take those actions necessary to investigate and remedy these releases.

(2) Nothing herein shall be construed to diminish the department's authority to address a release or threatened release under other applicable laws or regulations. The cleanup process and procedures under this chapter and under other laws may be combined. The department may initiate a remedial action under this chapter and may upon further analysis determine that another law is more appropriate, or vice versa.

(3) If a hazardous substance remains at a facility after actions have been completed under other applicable laws or regulations, the department may apply this chapter to protect human health or the environment.

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.105D RCW. 90-08-086, § 173-340-110, filed 4/3/90, effective 5/4/90.]

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173-340-120
Overview.
(1) Purpose. This section provides an overview of the cleanup process that typically will occur at a site where a release of a hazardous substance has been discovered with an emphasis on sites being cleaned up under order or consent decree. If there are any inconsistencies between this section and any specifically referenced sections, the referenced section shall govern.

(2) Site discovery. Site discovery includes:

(a) Release reporting. An owner or operator who knows of or discovers a release of a hazardous substance due to past activities must report the release to the department as described in WAC 173-340-300. Most current releases of hazardous substances must be reported to the department under the state's hazardous waste, underground storage tank, or water quality laws. The term "hazardous substance" includes a broad range of substances as defined by chapter 70.105D RCW.

(b) Initial investigation. Within ninety days of learning of a hazardous substance release, the department will conduct an initial investigation of the site under WAC 173-340-310. For sites that may need further remedial action, the department will send an early notice letter to the owner, operator, and other potentially liable persons known to the department, informing them of the department's decision.

(3) Site priorities. Sites are prioritized for further remedial action by the following process:

(a) Site hazard assessment. Based on the results of the initial investigation, a site hazard assessment will be performed if necessary, as described in WAC 173-340-320. The purpose of the site hazard assessment is to gather information to confirm whether a release has occurred and to enable the department to evaluate the relative potential hazard posed by the release. If the department decides that no further action is required, it will notify the public of that decision through the Site Register.

(b) Hazardous sites list. The department will maintain a list of sites known as the "hazardous sites list" where further remedial action is required. The department will add sites to this list after the completion of a site hazard assessment. Sites placed on the list will be ranked using the department's hazard ranking method. The department will remove a site from the hazardous sites list if the site meets the requirements for removal described in WAC 173-340-330.

(c) Biennial program report. Every even-numbered year, the department will prepare a biennial program report for the legislature. The hazard ranking, along with other factors, will be used in this report to identify the projects and expenditures recommended for appropriation. See WAC 173-340-340.

(4) Detailed site investigations and cleanup decisions. The following steps will be taken to ensure that the proper method of cleanup is chosen for the site.

(a) Remedial investigation. A remedial investigation will be performed at ranked sites under WAC 173-340-350. The purpose of the remedial investigation is to collect data and information necessary to define the extent of contamination and to characterize the site.

(b) Feasibility study. A feasibility study will be conducted at ranked sites under WAC 173-340-350. The purpose of the feasibility study is to develop and evaluate alternative cleanup actions. The department will evaluate the remedial investigation/feasibility study, establish cleanup levels and the point or points at which they must be complied with in accordance with the procedures provided for in WAC 173-340-700 through173-340-760 and select a cleanup action that protects human health and the environment and is based on the remedy selection criteria and requirements in WAC 173-340-350 through 173-340-390. WAC 173-340-440 sets forth the circumstances in which institutional controls will be required to ensure continued protection of human health and the environment.

(c) Cleanup action plan. The cleanup action will be set forth in a draft cleanup action plan that addresses cleanup requirements for hazardous substances at the site. After public comment on the draft plan, a final cleanup action plan will be issued by the department.

(5) Site cleanup. Once the appropriate cleanup action has been selected for the site, the actual cleanup will be performed.

(a) Cleanup actions. WAC 173-340-400 describes the design and construction requirements for implementing the cleanup action plan.

(b) Compliance monitoring and review. The cleanup action must include compliance monitoring under WAC 173-340-410 and in some cases periodic review under WAC 173-340-420 to ensure the long-term effectiveness of the cleanup action.

(6) Interim actions. Under certain conditions it may be appropriate to take early actions at a site before completing the process described in subsections (2) through (5) of this section. WAC 173-340-430 describes when it is appropriate to take these early or interim actions and the requirements for such actions.

(7) Leaking underground storage tanks. Underground storage tank (UST) owners and underground storage tank operators regulated under chapter 90.76 RCW are required to perform specific actions in addition to what other site owners and operators would do under this chapter. WAC 173-340-450 describes the requirements for leaking underground storage tanks.

(8) Procedures for conducting remedial actions.

(a) Remedial action agreements. The department has authority to take remedial actions or to order persons to conduct remedial actions under WAC 173-340-510 and 173-340-540. However, the department encourages agreements for investigations and cleanups in appropriate cases. These agreements can be agreed orders or consent decrees reached under the procedures of WAC 173-340-520 and 173-340-530.

(b) Independent remedial actions. Persons may conduct investigations and cleanups without department approval under this chapter. The department will use the appropriate requirements in this chapter when evaluating the adequacy of any independent remedial action. Except as limited by WAC 173-340-515(2), nothing in this chapter prohibits persons from conducting such actions before the department is ready to act at the site; however, all interim and cleanup actions must be reported to the department under WAC 173-340-515. Furthermore, independent remedial actions are conducted at the potentially liable person's own risk and the department may take or require additional remedial actions at these sites at any time. (See WAC 173-340-515 and 173-340-545.)

(9) Public participation. At sites where the department is conducting the cleanup or overseeing the cleanup under an order or decree, the public will receive notice and an opportunity to comment on most of the steps in the cleanup process. At many sites, a public participation plan will be prepared to provide opportunities for more extensive public involvement in the cleanup process.

These and other requirements are described in WAC 173-340-600.

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.105D RCW. 01-05-024 (Order 97-09A), § 173-340-120, filed 2/12/01, effective 8/15/01; 91-04-019, § 173-340-120, filed 1/28/91, effective 2/28/91; 90-08-086, § 173-340-120, filed 4/3/90, effective 5/4/90.]

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173-340-130
Administrative principles.
(1) Introduction. The department shall conduct or require remedial actions consistent with the provisions of this section.

(2) Information sharing. It is the policy of the department to make information about releases or threatened releases available to owners, operators or other persons with potential liability for a site in order to encourage them to conduct prompt remedial action. It is also the policy of the department to make the same information available to interested members of the general public so they can follow the progress of site cleanup in the state.

(3) Information exchange.

All persons are encouraged to contact the department and seek assistance on the general administrative and technical requirements of this chapter. Through its technical consultation program described in WAC 173-340-515, the department may also provide informal advice and assistance to persons conducting or proposing remedial actions at a specific site at any time. Unless the department is providing formal guidance for the implementation of an order or decree, any comments by the department or its agents are advisory and not commitments or approvals binding on the department. A person may not represent this advice as an approval of a remedial action. If the person requesting the advice is seeking binding commitments or approvals, then an order or consent decree shall be used.

(4) Scope of public participation. The department seeks to encourage public participation in all steps of the cleanup process. The department shall encourage a level of participation appropriate to the conditions at a facility and the level of the public's interest in the site.

(5) Scope of information. It is the department's intention that adequate information be gathered at a site to enable decisions on appropriate actions. It is also the department's intention that decisions be made and cleanups proceed expeditiously once adequate information is obtained. Studies can be performed and submittals made at varying levels of detail appropriate to the conditions at the site. Also, steps in the cleanup process may be combined to facilitate quicker cleanups, where appropriate. Flexibility in the scope of investigations and in combining steps may be particularly appropriate for routine cleanup actions. Once adequate information has been obtained, decisions shall be made within the framework provided in this chapter and in site-specific orders or decrees.

(6) Preparation of documents. Except for the initial investigation, any of the studies, reports, or plans used in the cleanup process can be prepared by either the department or the potentially liable person. The department retains all authority to review and verify the documents submitted and to make decisions based on the documents and other relevant information.

(7) Inter-agency coordination.

(a) If the department is conducting remedial actions or requiring remedial actions under an order or decree, the department shall ensure appropriate local, state, and federal agencies and tribal governments are kept informed and, as appropriate, involved in the development and implementation of remedial actions. The department may require a potentially liable person to undertake this responsibility. If the potentially liable person demonstrates that they are unable to obtain adequate involvement to allow the remedial action to proceed by a particular government agency or tribe, the department shall request the involvement of the agency or tribe.

(b) The nature and degree of coordination and consultation shall be commensurate with the other agencies' and tribes' interests and needs at the site. Interested agencies and tribes shall also be included in the mailing list for public notices under WAC 173-340-600. To facilitate coordination, it is important that agencies and tribes provide specific comments, including the identification of additional information needed or mitigating measures that are necessary or desirable to satisfy their concerns.

(c) In order to provide for expeditious cleanup actions, all federal, state, local agencies, and tribes are encouraged to coordinate when providing notices, holding meetings and hearings, and preparing documents. Whenever reasonable, the department shall coordinate and combine its activities with other agencies and tribes to minimize the duplication of notices, hearings and preparation of documents, unless otherwise prohibited.

(8) State Environmental Policy Act. See chapter 197-11 WAC for the State Environmental Policy Act requirements pertaining to the implementation of the Model Toxics Control Act.

(9) Appeals. Unless otherwise indicated all department decisions made under this chapter are remedial decisions and may be appealed only as provided for in RCW 70.105D.060.

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.105D RCW. 01-05-024 (Order 97-09A), § 173-340-130, filed 2/12/01, effective 8/15/01; 90-08-086, § 173-340-130, filed 4/3/90, effective 5/4/90.]

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173-340-140
Deadlines.
(1) Purpose. It is the department's intent to move sites through the cleanup process as expeditiously as possible. However, the department is limited by the amount of personnel and funds it can expend in any given fiscal year. This section is intended to establish reasonable deadlines for remedying releases within these constraints. The department's process for ranking and setting site priorities is described in WAC 173-340-330 and 173-340-340, respectively.

(2) Initial investigation. Within ninety days of learning of a release or threatened release of a hazardous substance, the department shall complete an initial investigation under WAC 173-340-310.

(3) Further investigation. At least twice a year, the department shall determine which sites with completed initial investigations are a high priority for further investigation. At that time, the department shall schedule high priority sites for further investigations to begin within six months. This determination will be based on the best professional judgment of departmental staff. Sites may be scheduled for further investigation at any time if the department determines that the site warrants expedited action.

(4) Site assessment and ranking. For high priority sites, the department shall complete the site hazard assessment and hazard ranking within one hundred eighty days of the scheduled start date. These sites shall be identified in the department's Site Register. Sites not designated as a high priority shall be scheduled for future investigations and listed in the biennial report to the legislature (WAC 173-340-340). The department shall conduct at least thirty-five site hazard assessments each fiscal year until the number of sites needing site hazard assessments are reduced below this number.

(5) Site investigation. Within thirty days of ranking, the department shall designate which sites are a high priority for a remedial investigation/feasibility study and which sites are a lower priority where further action can be delayed. The department shall review these lower priority sites and provide an opportunity for public comment as part of the biennial report to the legislature (WAC 173-340-340).

(6) Remedial investigation/feasibility study. For all sites designated as a high priority, the remedial investigation/feasibility study shall be completed under WAC 173-340-350 within eighteen months of signing the order or decree. The department may extend the deadline up to twelve months if the circumstances at the site merit a longer time frame. The department shall provide the public an opportunity to comment on any extension. The department shall initiate a remedial investigation/feasibility study on at least ten sites per fiscal year.

(7) Cleanup action. The department shall select the cleanup action under WAC 173-340-360 and file a consent decree or issue an order for cleanup action for all designated high priority sites within six months of the completion of the remedial investigation/feasibility study. The department may extend the deadline for up to four months for consent decree and order discussions. The department shall provide the public with an opportunity to comment on any deadline extension.

(8) Site schedules. The department shall publish site schedules for designated high priority sites in the Site Register according to WAC 173-340-600(6).

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.105D RCW. 01-05-024 (Order 97-09A), § 173-340-140, filed 2/12/01, effective 8/15/01; 90-08-086, § 173-340-140, filed 4/3/90, effective 5/4/90.]

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173-340-200
Definitions.
For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions apply:

"Acute toxicity" means the ability of a hazardous substance to cause injury or death to an organism as a result of a short-term exposure to a hazardous substance.

"Agreed order" means an order issued by the department under WAC 173-340-530 with which the potentially liable person receiving the order agrees to comply. An agreed order may be used to require or approve any cleanup or other remedial actions but it is not a settlement under RCW 70.105D.040(4) and shall not contain a covenant not to sue, or provide protection from claims for contribution, or provide eligibility for public funding of remedial actions under RCW 70.105D.070 (2)(d)(xi).

"Aliphatic hydrocarbons" or "aliphatics" means organic compounds that are characterized by a straight, branched, or cyclic (non-benzene ring) arrangement of carbon atoms and that do not contain halogens (such as chlorine). See also "aromatic hydrocarbons."

"All practicable methods of treatment" means all technologies and/or methods currently available and demonstrated to work under similar site circumstances or through pilot studies, and applicable to the site at reasonable cost. These include "all known available and reasonable methods of treatment" (AKART) for discharges or potential discharges to waters of the state, and "best available control technologies" for releases of hazardous substances into the air resulting from cleanup actions.

"Applicable state and federal laws" means all legally applicable requirements and those requirements that the department determines, based on the criteria in WAC 173-340-710(3), are relevant and appropriate requirements.

"Area background" means the concentrations of hazardous substances that are consistently present in the environment in the vicinity of a site which are the result of human activities unrelated to releases from that site.

"Aromatic hydrocarbons" or "aromatics" means organic compounds that are characterized by one or more benzene rings, with or without aliphatic hydrocarbon substitutions of hydrogen atoms on the rings, and that do not contain halogens (such as chlorine). See also "aliphatic hydrocarbons."

"Averaging time" means the time over which the exposure is averaged. For noncarcinogens, the averaging time typically equals the exposure duration. For carcinogens, the averaging time equals the life expectancy of a person.

"Bioconcentration factor" means the ratio of the concentration of a hazardous substance in the tissue of an aquatic organism divided by the hazardous substance concentration in the ambient water in which the organism resides.

"Carcinogen" means any substance or agent that produces or tends to produce cancer in humans. For implementation of this chapter, the term carcinogen applies to substances on the United States Environmental Protection Agency lists of A (known human) and B (probable human) carcinogens, and any substance that causes a significant increased incidence of benign or malignant tumors in a single, well conducted animal bioassay, consistent with the weight of evidence approach specified in the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk Assessment as set forth in 51 FR 33992 et seq.

"Carcinogenic potency factor" or "CPF" means the upper 95th percentile confidence limit of the slope of the dose-response curve and is expressed in units of (mg/kg-day)-1. When derived from human epidemiological data, the carcinogenic potency factor may be a maximum likelihood estimate.

"Chronic reference dose" means an estimate (with an uncertainty spanning an order of magnitude or more) of a daily exposure level for the human population, including sensitive subpopulations, that is likely to be without an appreciable risk of adverse effects during a lifetime.

"Chronic toxicity" means the ability of a hazardous substance to cause injury or death to an organism resulting from repeated or constant exposure to the hazardous substance over an extended period of time.

"Cleanup" means the implementation of a cleanup action or interim action.

"Cleanup action" means any remedial action, except interim actions, taken at a site to eliminate, render less toxic, stabilize, contain, immobilize, isolate, treat, destroy, or remove a hazardous substance that complies with WAC 173-340-350 through 173-340-390.

"Cleanup action alternative" means one or more treatment technology, containment action, removal action, engineered control, institutional control or other type of remedial action ("cleanup action components") that, individually or, in combination, achieves a cleanup action at a site.

"Cleanup action plan" means the document prepared by the department under WAC 173-340-380 that selects the cleanup action and specifies cleanup standards and other requirements for the cleanup action.

"Cleanup level" means the concentration of a hazardous substance in soil, water, air, or sediment that is determined to be protective of human health and the environment under specified exposure conditions.

"Cleanup standards" means the standards adopted under RCW 70.105D.030 (2)(d). Establishing cleanup standards requires specification of the following:

Hazardous substance concentrations that protect human health and the environment ("cleanup levels");

The location on the site where those cleanup levels must be attained ("points of compliance"); and

Additional regulatory requirements that apply to a cleanup action because of the type of action and/or the location of the site. These requirements are specified in applicable state and federal laws and are generally established in conjunction with the selection of a specific cleanup action.

"Cohen's method" means the maximum likelihood estimate of the mean and standard deviation accounting for data below the method detection limit or practical quantitation limit using the method described in the following publications:

? Cohen, A.C., 1959. "Simplified estimators for the normal distribution when samples are singly censored or truncated." Technometrics. Volume 1, pages 217-237.

? Cohen, A.C., 1961. "Tables for maximum likelihood estimates: Singly truncated and singly censored samples." Technometrics. Volume 3, pages 535-541.

"Compliance monitoring" means a remedial action that consists of monitoring as described in WAC 173-340-410.

"Conceptual site model" means a conceptual understanding of a site that identifies potential or suspected sources of hazardous substances, types and concentrations of hazardous substances, potentially contaminated media, and actual and potential exposure pathways and receptors. This model is typically initially developed during the scoping of the remedial investigation and further refined as additional information is collected on the site. It is a tool used to assist in making decisions at a site.

"Conducting land use planning under chapter 36.70A RCW" as used in the definition of "industrial properties," means having adopted a comprehensive plan and development regulations for the site under chapter 36.70A RCW.

"Containment" means a container, vessel, barrier, or structure, whether natural or constructed, that confines a hazardous substance within a defined boundary and prevents or minimizes its release into the environment.

"Contaminant" means any hazardous substance that does not occur naturally or occurs at greater than natural background levels.

"Curie" means the measure of radioactivity defined as that quantity of radioactive material which decays at the rate of 3.70 x 1010 transformations per second. This decay rate is nearly equivalent to that exhibited by 1 gram of radium in equilibrium with its disintegration products.

"Day" means calendar day; however, any document due on the weekend or a holiday may be submitted on the first working day after the weekend or holiday.

"Decree" means consent decree under WAC 173-340-520. "Consent decree" is synonymous with decree.

"Degradation by-products" or "decomposition by-products" means the secondary product of biological or chemical processes that break down chemicals into other chemicals. The decomposition by-products may be more or less toxic than the parent compound.

"Department" means the department of ecology.

"Developmental reference dose" means an estimate (with an uncertainty of an order of magnitude or more) of an exposure level for the human population, including sensitive subgroups, that is likely to be without an appreciable risk of developmental effects.

"Direct contact" means exposure to hazardous substances through ingestion and/or dermal contact.

"Director" means the director of ecology or the director's designee.

"Drinking water fraction" means the fraction of drinking water that is obtained or has the potential to be obtained from the site.

"Engineered controls" means containment and/or treatment systems that are designed and constructed to prevent or limit the movement of, or the exposure to, hazardous substances. Examples of engineered controls include a layer of clean soil, asphalt or concrete paving or other materials placed over contaminated soils to limit contact with contamination; a ground water flow barrier such as a bentonite slurry trench; ground water gradient control systems such as French drains or pump and treat systems; and vapor control systems.

"Environment" means any plant, animal, natural resource, surface water (including underlying sediments), ground water, drinking water supply, land surface (including tidelands and shorelands) or subsurface strata, or ambient air within the state of Washington or under the jurisdiction of the state of Washington.

"Equivalent carbon number" or "EC" means a value assigned to a fraction of a petroleum mixture, empirically derived from the boiling point of the fraction normalized to the boiling point of n-alkanes or the retention time of n-alkanes in a boiling point gas chromatography column.

"Exposure" means subjection of an organism to the action, influence, or effect of a hazardous substance (chemical agent) or physical agent.

"Exposure duration" means the period of exposure to a hazardous substance.

"Exposure frequency" means the portion of the exposure duration that an individual is exposed to a hazardous substance, expressed as a fraction. For example, if a person is exposed 260 days (five days per week for 52 weeks) over a year (365 days), the exposure frequency would be equal to: (5 x 50)/365 = 0.7.

"Exposure parameters" means those parameters used to derive an estimate of the exposure to a hazardous substance.

"Exposure pathway" means the path a hazardous substance takes or could take from a source to an exposed organism. An exposure pathway describes the mechanism by which an individual or population is exposed or has the potential to be exposed to hazardous substances at or originating from a site. Each exposure pathway includes an actual or potential source or release from a source, an exposure point, and an exposure route. If the exposure point differs from the source of the hazardous substance, the exposure pathway also includes a transport/exposure medium.

"Facility" means any building, structure, installation, equipment, pipe or pipeline (including any pipe into a sewer or publicly owned treatment works), well, pit, pond, lagoon, impoundment, ditch, landfill, storage container, motor vehicle, rolling stock, vessel, or aircraft; or any site or area where a hazardous substance, other than a consumer product in consumer use, has been deposited, stored, disposed of, or placed, or otherwise come to be located.

"Federal cleanup law" means the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.

"Fish diet fraction" means the percentage of the total fish and/or shellfish in an individual's diet that is obtained or has the potential to be obtained from the site.

"Food crop" means any domestic plant that is produced for the purpose of, or may be used in whole or in part for, consumption by people or livestock. This shall include nursery, root, or seedstock to be used for the production of food crops.

"Free product" means a nonaqueous phase liquid that is present in the soil, bedrock, ground water or surface water as a district separate layer. Under the right conditions, if sufficient free product is present, free product is capable of migrating independent of the direction of flow of the ground water or surface water.

"Gastrointestinal absorption fraction" means the fraction of a substance transported across the gastrointestinal lining and taken up systemically into the body.

"Ground water" means water in a saturated zone or stratum beneath the surface of land or below a surface water.

"Hazard index" means the sum of two or more hazard quotients for multiple hazardous substances and/or multiple exposure pathways.

"Hazardous sites list" means the list of hazardous waste sites maintained under WAC 173-340-330.

"Hazardous substance" means any dangerous or extremely hazardous waste as defined in RCW 70.105.010 (5) and (6), or any dangerous or extremely dangerous waste as designated by rule under chapter 70.105 RCW; any hazardous substance as defined in RCW 70.105.010(14) or any hazardous substance as defined by rule under chapter 70.105 RCW; any substance that, on the effective date of this section, is a hazardous substance under section 101(14) of the federal cleanup law, 42 U.S.C., Sec. 9601(14); petroleum or petroleum products; and any substance or category of substances, including solid waste decomposition products, determined by the director by rule to present a threat to human health or the environment if released into the environment.

The term hazardous substance does not include any of the following when contained in an underground storage tank from which there is not a release: Crude oil or any fraction thereof or petroleum, if the tank is in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local law.

"Hazardous waste site" means any facility where there has been confirmation of a release or threatened release of a hazardous substance that requires remedial action.

"Hazard quotient" or "HQ" means the ratio of the dose of a single hazardous substance over a specified time period to a reference dose for that hazardous substance derived for a similar exposure period.

"Health effects assessment summary tables" or "HEAST" means a data base developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency that provides a summary of information on the toxicity of hazardous substances.

"Henry's law constant" means the ratio of a hazardous substance's concentration in the air to its concentration in water. Henry's law constant can vary significantly with temperature for some hazardous substances. The dimensionless form of this constant is used in the default equations in this chapter.

"Highest beneficial use" means the beneficial use of a resource generally requiring the highest quality in the resource. For example, for many hazardous substances, providing protection for the beneficial use of drinking water will generally also provide protection for a great variety of other existing and future beneficial uses of ground water.

"Independent remedial actions" means remedial actions conducted without department oversight or approval and not under an order, agreed order, or consent decree.

"Indicator hazardous substances" means the subset of hazardous substances present at a site selected under WAC 173-340-708 for monitoring and analysis during any phase of remedial action for the purpose of characterizing the site or establishing cleanup requirements for that site.

"Industrial properties" means properties that are or have been characterized by, or are to be committed to, traditional industrial uses such as processing or manufacturing of materials, marine terminal and transportation areas and facilities, fabrication, assembly, treatment, or distribution of manufactured products, or storage of bulk materials, that are either:

? Zoned for industrial use by a city or county conducting land use planning under chapter 36.70A RCW (Growth Management Act); or

? For counties not planning under chapter 36.70A RCW (Growth Management Act) and the cities within them, zoned for industrial use and adjacent to properties currently used or designated for industrial purposes.

See WAC 173-340-745 for additional criteria to determine if a land use not specifically listed in this definition would meet the requirement of "traditional industrial use" and for evaluating if a land use zoning category meets the requirement of being "zoned for industrial use."

"Inhalation absorption fraction" means the percent of a hazardous substance (expressed as a fraction) that is absorbed through the respiratory system.

"Inhalation correction factor" means a multiplier that is used to adjust exposure estimates based on ingestion of drinking water to take into account exposure to hazardous substances that are volatilized and inhaled during use of the water.

"Initial investigation" means a remedial action that consists of an investigation under WAC 173-340-310.

"Institutional controls" means measures undertaken to limit or prohibit activities that may interfere with the integrity of an interim action or a cleanup action or result in exposure to hazardous substances at the site. For examples of institutional controls see WAC 173-340-440(1).

"Integrated risk information system" or "IRIS" means a data base developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency that provides a summary of information on hazard identification and dose-response assessment for specific hazardous substances.

"Interim action" means a remedial action conducted under WAC 173-340-430.

"Interspecies scaling factor" means the conversion factor used to take into account differences between animals and humans.

"Land's method" means the method for calculating an upper confidence limit for the mean of a lognormal distribution, described in the following publications:

? Land, C.E., 1971. "Confidence intervals for linear functions of the normal mean and variance." Annals of Mathematics and Statistics. Volume 42, pages 1187-1205.

? Land, C.E., 1975. "Tables of confidence limits for linear functions of the normal mean and variance." In: Selected Tables in Mathematical Statistics, Volume III, pages 385-419. American Mathematical Society, Providence, Rhode Island.

"Legally applicable requirements" means those cleanup standards, standards of control, and other human health and environmental protection requirements, criteria, or limitations adopted under state or federal law that specifically address a hazardous substance, cleanup action, location, or other circumstances at the site.

"Lowest observed adverse effect level" or "LOAEL" means the lowest concentration of a hazardous substance at which there is a statistically or biologically significant increase in the frequency or severity of an adverse effect between an exposed population and a control group.

"Mail" means delivery through the United States Postal Service or an equivalent method of delivery or transmittal, including private mail carriers, or personal delivery.

"Maximum contaminant level" or "MCL" means the maximum concentration of a contaminant established by either the Washington state board of health or the United States Environmental Protection Agency under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f et seq.) and published in chapter 248-54 WAC or 40 C.F.R. 141.

"Maximum contaminant level goal" or "MCLG" means the maximum concentration of a contaminant established by either the Washington state board of health or the United States Environmental Protection Agency under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f et seq.) and published in chapter 248-54 WAC or 40 C.F.R. 141 for which no known or anticipated adverse effects on human health occur, including an adequate margin of safety.

"Method detection limit" or "MDL" means the minimum concentration of a compound that can be measured and reported with ninety-nine percent (99%) confidence that the value is greater than zero.

"Millirem" or "mrem" means the measure of the dose of any radiation to body tissue in terms of its estimated biological effect relative to a dose received from an exposure to one roentgen (R) of x-rays. One millirem equals 0.001 rem.

"Mixed funding" means any funding provided to potentially liable persons from the state toxics control account under WAC 173-340-560.

"Model Toxics Control Act" or "act" means chapter 70.105D RCW, first passed by the voters in the November 1988 general election as Initiative 97 and as since amended by the legislature.

"Natural attenuation" means a variety of physical, chemical or biological processes that, under favorable conditions, act without human intervention to reduce the mass, toxicity, mobility, volume, or concentration of hazardous substances in the environment. These in situ processes include: Natural biodegradation; dispersion; dilution; sorption; volatilization; and, chemical or biological stabilization, transformation, or destruction of hazardous substances. See WAC 173-340-370(7) for a description of the expected role of natural attenuation in site cleanup. A cleanup action that includes natural attenuation and conforms to the expectation in WAC 173-340-370(7) can be considered an active remedial measure.

"Natural background" means the concentration of hazardous substance consistently present in the environment that has not been influenced by localized human activities. For example, several metals and radionuclides naturally occur in the bedrock, sediments, and soils of Washington state due solely to the geologic processes that formed these materials and the concentration of these hazardous substances would be considered natural background. Also, low concentrations of some particularly persistent organic compounds such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) can be found in surficial soils and sediment throughout much of the state due to global distribution of these hazardous substances. These low concentrations would be considered natural background. Similarly, concentrations of various radionuclides that are present at low concentrations throughout the state due to global distribution of fallout from bomb testing and nuclear accidents would be considered natural background.

"Natural biodegradation" means in-situ biological processes such as aerobic respiration, anaerobic respiration, and co-metabolism, that occur without human intervention and that break down hazardous substances into other compounds or elements. The process is typically a multiple step process and may or may not result in organic compounds being completely broken down or mineralized to carbon dioxide and water.

"Natural person" means any unincorporated individual or group of individuals. The term "individual" is synonymous with "natural person."

"Nonaqueous phase liquid" or "NAPL" means a hazardous substance that is present in the soil, bedrock, ground water or surface water as a liquid not dissolved in water. The term includes both light nonaqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) and dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL).

"No observed adverse effect level" or "NOAEL" means the exposure level at which there are no statistically or biologically significant increases in frequency or severity of adverse effects between the exposed population and its appropriate control; some effects may be produced at this level, but they are not considered to be adverse, nor precursors to specific adverse effects.

"Nonpotable" means not a current or potential source of drinking water. See WAC 173-340-720 and 173-340-730 for criteria for determining if ground water or surface water is a current or potential source of drinking water.

"Null hypothesis" means an assumption about hazardous substance concentrations at a site when evaluating compliance with cleanup levels established under this chapter. The null hypothesis is that the site is contaminated at concentrations that exceed cleanup levels. This shall not apply to cleanup levels based on background concentrations where other appropriate statistical methods supported by a power analysis would be more appropriate to use.

"Oral RFD conversion factor" means the conversion factor used to adjust an oral reference dose (which is typically based on an administered dose) to a dermal reference dose (which is based on an absorbed dose).

"Order" means an enforcement order issued under WAC 173-340-540 or an agreed order issued under WAC 173-340-530.

"Owner or operator" means any person that meets the definition of this term in RCW 70.105D.020(12).

"PAHs (carcinogenic)" or "cPAHs" means those polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons substances, PAHs, identified as A (known human) or B (probable human) carcinogens by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. These include benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene, chrysene, dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene.

"Permanent solution" or "permanent cleanup action" means a cleanup action in which cleanup standards of WAC 173-340-700 through 173-340-760 can be met without further action being required at the site being cleaned up or any other site involved with the cleanup action, other than the approved disposal of any residue from the treatment of hazardous substances.

"Person" means an individual, firm, corporation, association, partnership, consortium, joint venture, commercial entity, state government agency, unit of local government, federal government agency, or Indian tribe.

"Picocurie" or "pCi" means 10-12 curie.

"Point of compliance" means the point or points where cleanup levels established in accordance with WAC 173-340-720 through 173-340-760 shall be attained. This term includes both standard and conditional points of compliance. A conditional point of compliance for particular media is only available as provided in WAC 173-340-720 through 173-340-760.

"Polychlorinated biphenyls" or "PCB mixtures" means those aromatic compounds containing two benzene nuclei with two or more substituted chlorine atoms. For the purposes of this chapter, PCB includes those congeners which are identified using the appropriate analytical methods as specified in WAC 173-340-830.

"Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons" or "PAH" means those hydrocarbon molecules composed of two or more fused benzene rings. For the purpose of this chapter, PAH includes those compounds which are identified and quantified using the appropriate analytical methods as specified in WAC 173-340-830. The specific compounds generally included are acenaphthene, acenaphthylene, fluorene, naphthalene, anthracene, fluoranthene, phenanthrene, benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, pyrene, chrysene, benzo[a]pyrene, dibenzo[a,h]anthracene, indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, and benzo[ghi]perylene.

"Potentially liable person" means any person who the department finds, based on credible evidence, to be liable under RCW 70.105D.040.

"Practicable" means capable of being designed, constructed and implemented in a reliable and effective manner including consideration of cost. When considering cost under this analysis, an alternative shall not be considered practicable if the incremental costs of the alternative are disproportionate to the incremental degree of benefits provided by the alternative over other lower cost alternatives.

"Practical quantitation limit" or "PQL" means the lowest concentration that can be reliably measured within specified limits of precision, accuracy, representativeness, completeness, and comparability during routine laboratory operating conditions, using department approved methods.

"Probabilistic risk assessment" means a mathematical technique for assessing the variability and uncertainty in risk calculations. This is done by using distributions for model input parameters, rather than point values, where sufficient data exists to justify the distribution. These distributions are then used to compute various simulations using tools such as Monte Carlo analysis to examine the probability that a given outcome will result (such as a level of risk being exceeded). When using probabilistic techniques under this chapter for human health risk assessment, distributions shall not be used to represent dose response relationships (reference dose, reference concentration, cancer potency factor).

"Public notice" means, at a minimum, adequate notice mailed to all persons who have made a timely request of the department and to persons residing in the potentially affected vicinity of the proposed action; mailed to appropriate news media; published in the newspaper of largest circulation in the city or county of the proposed action; and opportunity for interested persons to comment.

"Public participation plan" means a plan prepared under WAC 173-340-600 to encourage coordinated and effective public involvement tailored to the public's needs at a particular site.

"Rad" means that quantity of ionizing radiation that results in the absorption of 100 ergs of energy per gram of irradiated material, regardless of the source of radiation. (continued)