New York State Comparative Risk Project Work Group Methods for Analysis
This document contains information and guidance for the Human Health, Ecosystems, and Quality of Life Work Groups to use when completing their evaluations.
Definitions - In all reports prepared for this Project, the following terms will be used and will have these meanings:
"Groups of stressors" will be used to refer to the groupings of items (for example, nutrients, particulates, pesticides, etc.) for which the associated risks will be evaluated.
"Stressor" will be used to refer to a specific substance or individual chemical that potentially produces an impact on human health or the environment. Most stressors are contained within one of the groups of stressors that have been selected for this Project.
"Residual risk" refers to the risks that continue to exist even though regulatory and other measures that reduce risk may be in place. This is the risk that exists right now, with currently practiced environmental management procedures and current degrees of environmental regulation and compliance. No assumptions are made about what the risk levels might be if regulations were stronger or weaker, or if different technology were used to control releases.
Work group responsibilities - Each work group will determine the degree of detail of their evaluations and characterizations in terms of stressors (based on the list of groups of stressors provided by the Steering Committee) and data richness, according to the Charge to Work Groups adopted January 31, 1997. Each work group should provide a work plan to the Steering Committee by June 27, 1997. All of the analyses and conclusions presented in the work products should be as complete and transparent as possible.
Geographic considerations - The work groups will give primary consideration to the effects of the groups of stressors on New York's population and ecosystems, however releases in New York that cause effects only in other states and releases in other states that cause effects in New York may be noted in the report. In addition, the work groups will explain how the effects of each group of stressors is geographically distributed throughout the State.
Combinations of stressors - Some stressors may produce particular adverse effects only when in combination with other stressors. When these effects are considered significant, and the stressors are part of different groups of stressors, then the effect may be included in the characterization for both groups.
Uncertainty - Each work group will report on the degree of scientific certainty of their conclusions, and will indicate those areas where a characterization cannot be made due to lack of sufficient data or information.
Sources of harmful releases - Each work group will attempt to identify the important sources of stressors that pose a risk to the area they are studying. Information on sources will be included in each work group report if available and appropriate.
Glossary - A single glossary of terms will be developed for this Project to ensure that the various reports produced reflect the same understanding of terminology. The glossary will appear in the back of every report. Work groups may suggest additions to the glossary at any time during their analysis.
Project timetable - Each work group will be expected to have a draft report ready for review by the public and the Steering Committee by December 31, 1997. The Human Health and Ecosystems work groups will provide the Quality of Life Work Group with early drafts or findings so that this information may be incorporated into their analysis.
Outline of report - The primary product of the work group will be a thorough, clear, and accessible presentation of the information gathered by the work group, in a manner that illuminates the major characteristics of each problem area and highlights the substantive differences in the risk posed by each. Each work group report will include a Table of Contents, an Executive Summary, and a body that presents the information that has been gathered and the work group's conclusions based on that information. The work groups are encouraged to provide as much information as is needed to provide the reader with as complete a picture of the problems caused by a stressor or group of stressors as possible.
Document adopted by the Steering Committee on May 2, 1997
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