Environmental Risk Assessment
ENVR 490/590 Capstone
Specifications for Risk Assessment Project Spring 2013
Risk Assessment for the Gateway Pacific Terminal at Cherry Point Washington
Ship visiting the Port at the British Petroleum Pier at Cherry Point.
Below are the four scenarios and the integration and the team will be assigned by the instructor.
Group 1. Adaptive management applied to the Cherry Point Reach -Herring, Johns,
How would adaptive management be applied to this region given the variety of conceptual models and assessments (see below) and the long-term existence of most of these items?
Group 2. Coal Terminal construction and operational risk –Curtin, Geier, Patmont, Junge
The construction of the pier and the terminal area may involve moving land, increasing impervious surface, and construction of buildings in this area. This research team will use site-specific data and information from other sites to estimate risks to the Cherry Point region. This also includes the risks due to the operation of the site after completion.
Group 3. Risk due to Point Sources-Feidt, Anzalone, Natto, Fung
This includes the NPDES permitted effluents for the region from the cities and the industries.
Group 4. Risk due to Long Range Transport -Gallego, Schimelfenig, Vaughn
Hg, PCBs and other materials are introduced to the site from transport in the atmosphere and the marine system. If it is not from Cherry Point then it is due to long-range transport and needs to be considered.
Group 5. Non-point sources-. Dohman, Kelley, Friswold.
It if not from a pipe and still is from the general Cherry Point region then it is a topic for this working group. However, this does include stormwater runoff that is collected into a single pipe or materials that get into Tyrell Creek that are later discharged at the mouth.
Group 6. Climate change- Armstrong, Towler, Rosoff, Riggle
Evidence exists in the Puget Sound region that climate change is occurring. The charge of this group is to focus on the impacts that climate change will have at the Cherry Point region over the next 20 years. This will include the smelter, the two refineries, the bulk commodity terminal and the expected population growth in the area. Ocean acidification is included in this topic.
Group 7. Terrestrial Endpoints including migratory birds- Seguin, McClure, Fix
Terrestrial organisms exist at the Cherry Point site, including waterfowl, mammals, and amphibians in the adjacent wetlands.
Group 8. Integration of the risk assessment
This group will be a composite with a member from each of the teams. This group will be responsible for ensuring continuity among the various teams and for the synthesis of the risk assessment products.
Information Update
The Permit is on Blackboard under documents. The link to download it is: http://www.gatewaypacificterminal.com/
Here are links to the other government agencys involved.
Whatcom County: http://www.co.whatcom.wa.us/
US Army Corp of Engineers: http://www.usace.army.mil/Pages/default.aspx
WA Department of Fish and Wildlife: http://wdfw.wa.gov/
WA Department of Natural Resources: http://www.dnr.wa.gov/Pages/default.aspx
WA Department of Ecology: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/
The Institute has performed a number of studies regarding Cherry Point. The link to the Cherry Point projects is http://www.wwu.edu/toxicology/cherrypointlinks.shtml.
The mangement plan for the Cherry Point Marine Reserve was signed this fall by Commissioner Goldmark. The documents that discuss the mangement plan for this area including the endpoints can be found at Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve. These materials represent the concerted effort of the Cherry Point Collaborative Committee comprised of a number of stakeholders, industries, regulators, Tribes and Western Washington University.