Re: [CPEO-MEF] Defense memo on Perchlorate

[gill.michael@epamail.epa.gov]

Regarding perchlorate cleanups, Lenny asked:
"Rather than ask for critiques of the document, Id like to ask a broad
question: How should the Defense Department and other responsible
parties at sites contaminated with perchlorate deal with that
contamination, given that there is no promulgated health-based cleanup
standard for the compound?"


There may not presently be a promulgated federal health-based cleanup
standard for perchlorate, but EPA recommends a "provisional reference
dose" of 4-18 ppb range for adult exposure until a new refererence dose 
is developed.

At present, many states have developed "advisory" levels.  During a
recent Perchlorate Seminar held in Denver and "on-line" (June 4, 2002), 
a number of these advisories were discussed.  If States are involved in 
DoD cleanups, they will most likely push to attain their respective 
advisory levels as a result of cleanup.  The State advisory levels, as 
presented at the seminar were:

California -      4 ppb (2002 Action Level), 6 ppb (Draft Public Health 
Goal)
New York -  5 ppb and 18 ppb (2-tiered Action Levels, Planning and
Action)
Texas -           4 ppb (Action Level and Residential Cleanup Level)
Arizona -   14 ppb ('98 Health Based Guidance Level)
Massachusetts -    1 pbb (Advisory for children and other at-risk
subpopulations)
New Mexico -       1 ppb (Recent Drinking Water Screning Level)
Nevada -    18 ppb (Public Notice Standard)


_________________________________
Mike Gill
ORD Hazardous Substances Technical Liaison
US EPA Region 9 / SFD-8B
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA  94105
415-972-3054
415-947-3518 (Fax)
Gill.Michael@epa.gov
_________________________________

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