Appendix C - Passaic River Public Digital Library

in surface water or sediment. Despite New Jersey’s fish/crab consumption advisories and prohibitions on
taking or attempting to take blue crabs in the Newark Bay Complex, NJDEP determined through angler
surveys that fishing and crabbing continue to occur in this area (NJDEP, 1995; Kirk-Pflugh, et al., 1999).
Therefore, for the purposes of the FFS, the adult angler/sportsman and other family members (i.e.,
adolescent and child) are the only receptors evaluated for exposure to COPCs associated with
consumption of self-caught fish and blue crab. Carcinogenic risks and noncarcinogenic health hazards
are estimated using exposure assumptions provided in the PAR (Battelle, 2006a) specifically for the
angler/sportsman. Recreational swimming, wading, and boating are also complete exposure pathways
that will be evaluated as part of the final RI/FS for the entire 17 miles of the Lower Passaic River.
4.2.2 Ecological Exposure
A wide range of ecological receptors is potentially at risk from COPECs in the Lower Passaic River,
including benthic invertebrates, fish, and a variety of piscivorous or aquatic avian and mammalian
predator species.
To estimate current and future risk to ecological receptors in the lower 8 miles, benthic invertebrates and
two upper-trophic-level piscivorous receptors, the great blue heron and the mink, were selected to
represent bird and mammal populations, respectively. These species were selected as conservative
surrogates because the great blue heron is a known resident bird species that is anticipated to receive
substantial exposures to contaminants which can bioaccumulate in aquatic food webs, and the mink is
known to be particularly sensitive to dioxin and PCBs (Aulerich and Ringer, 1977; Aulerich et al., 1985;
Restum et al., 1998; Tillet et al., 1966. To assess exposures to sensitive early life stages, the most
sensitive life stage to dioxin-like effects (Gilbertson et al., 1991; USEPA, 1993b, 2003b; Hoffman et al.,
1996), herring gull embryo viability was also selected as an endpoint for this assessment. Mummichogs
were selected as a conservative surrogate to represent the demersal forage fish. They are relatively
common in the area and provide a forage food base for the upper-trophic-level wildlife species. In
addition, risk to piscivorous fish (i.e., predatory fish that consume smaller fish) was also evaluated using
data on American eel and white perch (AE/WP) to represent the pelagic fish. The current ecological
CSM for the Lower Passaic River is presented in Figure 4-2.
Sediment-probing birds, amphibians, and reptiles were not selected as receptors of concern for this
assessment. Aquatic birds (e.g., herring gull) and piscivorous birds (e.g., great blue heron) are expected
to have a higher exposure to contaminated media and are generally considered to be more sensitive to
chemical contaminants than non-piscivorous birds. The presence of amphibians and reptiles is not well
documented in the lower 8 miles of the Passaic River but there appears to be little viable habitat to
support this ecological group. A more comprehensive analysis of the ecological receptors likely to be
exposed will be conducted as part of the baseline risk assessment (BERA).
Based on the identified receptors of concern, the following assessment endpoints (AE) were identified
and evaluated in the ecological risk assessment (Section 6.0):
• AE(1): Protection and maintenance (i.e., survival, growth, and reproduction) of benthic
invertebrate communities that serve as a forage base for fish and wildlife populations.
• AE(2): Protection and maintenance (i.e., survival, growth, and reproduction) of demersal,
benthivorous fish populations that serve as a forage base for fish and wildlife populations.
• AE(3): Protection and maintenance (i.e., survival, growth, and reproduction) of piscivorous, or
semi-piscivorous fish populations that serve as a forage base for wildlife populations or sports
fishery.
Draft Focused Feasibility Study Risk Assessment 4-5 June 2007
Lower Passaic River Restoration Project Appendix C