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| Title: | Vegetation Sampling and Management | Publication date: | 8/11/2021 | Effective date: | 6/26/2013 |
BRIEFPolicy SummaryOnly trees in which tritium concentrations are indistinguishable from regional background levels may be removed from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) site. Additionally, all trees within the designated tritium restricted area (see Environmental Services Group (ESG) Procedure 270, Appendix A) must be authorized by ESG personnel prior to cutting, chipping, relocating within, and/or removing from the designated area. Who Should Read This PolicyBerkeley Lab Facilities employees, construction subcontractors, and their supervisors who: - Manage or perform tree trimming or cutting, or
- Plan construction projects that require tree trimming or cutting.
To Read the Full Policy, Go To:The POLICY tab on this wiki page To Read the ES&H Program, Go To:ES&H Manual Chapter 59 Environmental Risk Assessments (for Radioactivity) Subject Matter Expert ESG Environment, Health and Safety Division |
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| Title: | Vegetation Sampling and Management | Publication date: | 8/11/2021 | Effective date: | 6/26/2013 |
POLICYA. PurposeThe Vegetation Sampling and Management Program at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) ensures that tritium-contaminated trees (either potentially or confirmed to have tritium concentrations above regional background) are not removed from the Berkeley Lab site. B. Persons AffectedBerkeley Lab Facilities employees, construction subcontractors, and their supervisors who: - Manage or perform tree trimming or cutting, or
- Plan construction projects that require tree trimming or cutting.
C. ExceptionsIf analytical results show tritium concentrations are indistinguishable from regional background in a tree within the designated tritium restricted area, then that tree may be removed from the Berkeley Lab site (Department of Energy (DOE) Berkeley Site Office, 1999). D. Policy Statement- Only trees in which the tritium concentration is indistinguishable from regional background levels may be removed from the Berkeley Lab site.
- A flowchart of the process for assessing potentially contaminated trees is shown in Work Process A, General Requirements and Flowchart.
- The map showing the area where trees may not be removed without sampling for tritium and confirming concentrations are indistinguishable from regional background is in Work Process B, Map of Restricted Area Where Trees May Not Be Removed.
E. Roles and ResponsibilitiesRole | Responsibilities | Supervisors | - Ensure that environmental laws, regulations, and policies are followed.
- Request assistance from the Environmental Services Group for technical advice on vegetation management operations and what would be an appropriate compliance strategy.
- Ensure that vegetation management activities are performed within acceptable operating standards and that any required records are current.
- Notify the Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) Division immediately of any unauthorized tree removal.
| Employees | - Follow applicable environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
- Be fully aware of the environmental impact of their tree removal activities and comply with all requirements that govern those activities.
- Take immediate action to stop unauthorized tree removal and report all instances of unauthorized tree removal to the EHS Division.
| Environmental Services Group | - Develops Laboratory policies and procedures to ensure that tree removal operations are conducted in an environmentally safe manner and in full compliance with all applicable environmental laws and regulations and DOE orders.
- Prepares environmental compliance plans and reports as mandated by laws and regulations and DOE orders.
- Assesses current and planned Berkeley Lab tree removal activities and assists in defining environmental protection compliance actions.
- Reviews planned tree removal operations in accordance with ESG Procedure 270, Assessing Tritium in Trees Slated for Removal on LBNL Property.
- Provides technical assistance and participates in discussions regarding tree removal operations with Berkeley Lab employees, regulatory agencies, concerned public citizens, community organizations, and the media.
- Curtails or suspends any operations that pose an immediate danger to members of the public or the environment.
- Investigates reports of unauthorized tree removal, and notifies federal, state, and local authorities in a timely manner, as required.
- Coordinates and represents Berkeley Lab activities during environmental audits and inspections by regulatory agencies and the DOE.
- Responds to information requests from the public.
- Participates in DOE audits of off-site analytical laboratories to ensure the quality of analytical results received for environmental monitoring programs.
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F. Definitions/AcronymsTerm | Definition | Environmental monitoring | The collection and analysis of environmental samples or direct measurements of environmental media. Environmental monitoring consists of three major activities: effluent monitoring, environmental surveillance, and meteorological monitoring. | Regional background | Tritium levels in trees in the region beyond the influence of Berkeley Lab activities, which may be less than the lowest activity the analytical laboratory can detect | Restricted area | An area surrounding Building 75 where tritium levels in trees may exceed the regional background (where tree removal is restricted), and where tritium sampling is required in order to remove trees | Unauthorized tree removal | Removing trees or wood chips from the restricted area without obtaining confirmation from ESG that tritium levels in the trees are indistinguishable from regional background levels |
G. Recordkeeping RequirementsSupervisors must ensure that vegetation management activities are performed within acceptable operating standards and that any required records are current. H. Implementing DocumentsDocument Number | Other Reference Number | Title | Type | 07.09.009.001 | N/A | Vegetation Sampling and Management | Program | 07.09.009.002 | N/A | Work Process A, General Requirements and Flowchart | Process | 07.09.009.003 | N/A | Work Process B, Map of Restricted Area Where Trees May Not Be Removed | Process | N/A | ESG Procedure 270 | Assessing Tritium in Trees Slated for Removal on LBNL Property | Procedure | N/A | ESG Procedure 266 | Soil and Vegetation Sampling for the Environmental Radiological Protection Program | Procedure | N/A | LBL-27170 | Site Environmental Report (most recent) | Report |
Environmental Risk Assessments for Radioactivity Subject Matter Expert Environmental Services Group EHS Division J. Revision HistoryDate | Revision | By Whom | Revision Description | Section(s) Affected | Change Type | 1/2/2012 | 0 | Pauer | Rewrite for wiki (brief) | All | Minor | 6/26/2013 | 1 | Wahl | Rewrite for wiki (policy) | All | Minor | 8/11/2021 | 1.1 | J. Cummings | Periodic review: minor clarifications | All | Minor |
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label | Document Information |
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| Title: | Vegetation Sampling and Management | Document number | 07.09.009.001 | Revision number | 1.1 | Publication date: | 8/11/2021 | Effective date: | 6/26/2013 | Next review date: | 8/11/2024 | Policy Area: | Environmental Protection Program | RPM Section (home) | ESH | RPM Section (cross-reference) | None | Functional Division | EHS | Prior reference information (optional) | ES&H MANUALES&H Manual Section 11.3.6 moved to Chapter 59 |
Source Requirements Documents- Department of Energy, Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment, DOE Order 458.1 (September 15, 2020)
Other Driving Requirements- Nolan, Richard H. "Tree and Vegetation Management Program," memo from DOE Berkeley Site Office to David McGraw, EH&S Division Director, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (April 5, 1999)
- Retired document, and information contained within it was promulgated to the appropriate ESG plans/procedures. Department of Energy, Environmental Radiological Effluent Monitoring and Environmental Surveillance, DOE-HDBK-1216-2015
Implementing DocumentsDocument number | Other Reference Number | Title | Type | 07.09.009.000 | N/A | Vegetation Sampling and Management | Program | 07.09.009.002 | N/A | Work Process A, General Requirements and Flowchart | Process | 07.09.009.003 | N/A | Work Process B, Map of Restricted Area Where Trees May Not Be Removed | Process | N/A | ESG Procedure 270 | Assessing Tritium in Trees Slated for Removal on LBNL Property | Procedure | N/A | ESG Procedure 266 | Soil and Vegetation Sampling for the Environmental Radiological Protection Program | Procedure | N/A | LBL-27170 | Site Environmental Report (most recent) | Report |
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label | Additional Information |
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| Title: | Vegetation Sampling and Management | Document number | 07.09.009.000 | Revision number | 1.1 | Publication date: | 8/11/2021 | Effective date: | 6/26/2013 | Next review date: | 8/11/2024 | Policy Area: | Environmental Protection Program | RPM Section (home) | ESH | RPM Section (cross-reference) | None | Functional Division | EHS | Author name/contact info | Wahl |
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| Revision 0 publication date | 1/2/2012 | Retirement date | n/a | Prior reference information (optional) | PUB-3000 Section 11.3.6 moved to Chapter 59 |
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| Inputs from more than one Functional Area? | No | List additional Functional Areas & contacts |
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| Inputs from more than one Policy Area? | No | List additional Policy Areas & contacts |
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| 30-day notification needed? | No | 30-day start date | n/a | 30-day end date | n/a |
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| LDAP protected? | No |
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| Need TABL reminders? | No | Frequency | n/a | Brief reminder text: | n/a |
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| Approval Sheet for this revision received (date) [Note: author is responsible} |
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- (Policy Area 1), (Policy Area 2), (Section)
New terms that need to be added to Glossary/Acronym list:- (list items not found and context (Policy Area name) – full definition would be included in Policy)
Implementing Documents restricted to department/functional use(optional – these will be used for tracing between requirements and associated documents) Side bars: Side bar 1 location (cite by Policy Section # - for example: Section D.2.a) Sidebar 1 text: Sidebar 2 location Sidebar 2 text: Sidebar 3 location Sidebar 3 text: |
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