This is a brief description of studies that exemplify the methods and approaches that have been developed and used by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) researchers in conducting integrated assessments. See the complete list of Integrated Assessment Briefs to find out more about ORNL's efforts in integrated assessment. Contact Mike Farrell (farrellmp@ornl.gov) for more information.

Ecological Risks in the DOE Environmental Restoration Project


Assessments can evaluate the comparative ecological risks of remedial action alternatives.

What are the comparative ecological risks of remedial action alternatives at Department of Energy (DOE) facilities?

DOE operates dozens of research and weapons production facilities. Some of these facilities occupy several hundred square miles and have been largely protected from human disturbance for the last 50 years. Many have vegetation types and species that have become rare in surrounding areas.

The ecological benefits of actions taken to remediate past contamination must be balanced against the ecological costs of the land disturbance caused by the remediation. Relative ecological risks and benefits of environmental restoration were assessed at six of these facilities.

The assessment showed that potentially significant levels of contamination were present at all sites. However, only a small fraction of the total area of most facilities was affected. Facility managers should perform site-specific assessments of the ecological value of areas proposed for remedial action.

Barnthouse, L. W., G. K. Eddlemon, L. K. Mann, L. L. Sigal, D. Mohrbacher, B. Ulsh, and J. Johnston. 1994. Ecological risks of DOE's programmatic environmental restoration alternatives. ORNL/ASI Report to META/Berger, Inc. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn. (draft).


Where To?

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Integrated Assessment Briefs. 1995. ORNL/M-4227. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN.