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.

Social and Economic Aspects of Remediation Levels for DOE Land Released to the Public


An overview of sample subobjectives, future land use objectives, and future land use alternatives.

How should the Department of Energy (DOE) make decisions about the level to which contaminated parcels of land should be cleaned up? More specifically, what social and economic elements should be integrated into a quantitative decision-support tool that helps DOE make those decisions?

The goals of such a decision support tool must be made explicit (e.g., select the optimal land use, the most cost-effective combination of land use and remediation, or narrow the range of possible options to those that may be viable).

Achieving public acceptance of the decision process and its outcomes should be an over-arching goal. Public and stake-holder preferences for different decision processes, components, and outcomes should be components of the decision support tool.

Carnes, S. A., B. L. Shumpert, I. E. Trietler, L. D. Trettin, D. P. Vogt, and A. K. Wolfe. 1993. Social and economic components of a decision support methodology for selecting remediation levels for parcels of U.S. Department of Energy property to be released to the public. Prepared by Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the Hazardous Waste Remedial Actions Program, Oak Ridge, Tenn. (preliminary draft).


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