Appendix C - Passaic River Public Digital Library

1.0 INTRODUCTION
This document presents the human health and ecological risk assessments to support the Focused
Feasibility Study (FFS) for the Lower Passaic River Restoration Project (LPRRP). The FFS was
undertaken to evaluate the need for, and feasibility of implementing an early action to control the
sediments of the lower 8 miles of the Passaic River. Those sediments were identified as a major source of
contamination to the 17-mile tidal portion of the Passaic River during a comprehensive study, which is
still on-going. The FFS evaluates alternative remedial actions within three target areas for the lower
8 miles of the Lower Passaic River. These target areas have been defined based on sediment and
bathymetric data collection and evaluation.
Human health and ecological risk assessments are designed to aid in risk management decisions regarding
the actions necessary to address the hazardous substances at a site. This document assesses current risk to
assist the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in evaluating the need for
undertaking early action in the sediments of the lower 8 miles of the Passaic River. The overall process
for assessing risk is as follows: (1) risks associated with current conditions are estimated, and (2) risks
under current conditions are then compared to future risks estimated to remain after remediation of
specific target areas. The comparison of current and future conditions was used to evaluate the benefits of
remediating each of the three target areas. This comparison ultimately determines the areal extent of the
active alternatives developed for the FFS.
As part of the FFS, this document follows a screening level risk assessment approach based on USEPA
Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund (RAGS) (1989; 1997a; 1998). It relies on data and analytical
tools that existed at the time that the FFS was undertaken, within the on-going, comprehensive 17-mile
study of the Lower Passaic River. It provides the information necessary to develop a remedial action
prior to the completion of a baseline risk assessment and a full Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study
(RI/FS). This sort of phased approach to evaluating early action during an on-going RI/FS is consistent
with USEPA’s Contaminated Sediment Remediation Guidance for Hazardous Waste Sites (USEPA
2005a). As the comprehensive 17-mile study proceeds to conclusion, a baseline human health risk
assessment (HHRA) and ecological risk assessment (ERA) will be developed, based on the full range of
data and analytical tools expected to be completed for the comprehensive study, to support a final
remedial decision for the 17 miles of the Lower Passaic River.
Draft Focused Feasibility Study Risk Assessment 1-1 June 2007
Lower Passaic River Restoration Project Appendix C