Alberta Tier 2 Soil and Groundwater Remediation Guidelines January 10, 2019 Title: Alberta Tier 2 Soil and Groundwater Remediation Guidelines Number: AEP, Land Policy, 2019, No.2 Program Name: Land Policy Effective Date: January 10, 2019 This document was updated on: ISBN No. ISBN: (Printed Edition) 978-1-4601-2692-9 ISBN: (On-line Edition) 978-1-4601-2693-6 Disclaimer: Original signed by: Date: January 10, 2019 Karen Wronko, Executive Director Land Policy Branch Environment and Parks January 10, 2019 Alberta Tier 2 Soil and Groundwater Remediation Guidelines Page 2 of 140 © 2019 Government of Alberta Citation: Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP). 2019. Alberta Tier 2 Soil and Groundwater Remediation Guidelines. Land Policy Branch, Policy and Planning Division. 150 pp. Any comments, questions or suggestions regarding the content of this document may be directed to: Land Policy Branch Policy and Planning Division Alberta Environment and Parks 10th Floor, Oxbridge Place 9820 – 106 Street Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2J6 Fax: (780) 422-4192 Email: [email protected] Additional copies of this document may be obtained by contacting: Information Centre Alberta Environment and Parks Main Floor, Great West Life Building 9920 - 108 Street Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2M4 Phone: (780) 310-3773 Fax: (780) 427-4407 Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.alberta.ca/ministry-environment-parks.aspx January 10, 2019 Alberta Tier 2 Soil and Groundwater Remediation Guidelines Page 3 of 140 © 2019 Government of Alberta Table of Contents Part A: Overview of Alberta Guidelines and Implementation Framework ........................................... 8 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 8 1.1 Alberta’s Framework for the Management of Contaminated Sites .......................................... 8 1.2 Tier 1 and Tier 2 Levels of Protection ..................................................................................... 9 1.3 Relationship to Other Guideline Documents ........................................................................... 9 2. Alberta Policy on Contaminated Site Management ............................................................................ 10 2.1 Pollution Prevention ............................................................................................................... 10 2.2 Legislation .............................................................................................................................. 10 2.2.1 Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act ................................................ 10 2.2.2 Water Act ............................................................................................................. 11 2.3 Principles of Contaminant Management ................................................................................ 11 2.3.1 Source Control ..................................................................................................... 11 2.3.2 Delineation ........................................................................................................... 12 2.3.3 Contaminant Management ................................................................................... 12 2.3.4 Management of Contaminants in Subsoil ............................................................ 12 2.4 Soil Protection in Alberta ....................................................................................................... 13 2.4.1 Using Tier 1 or Tier 2 Soil Remediation Objectives ........................................... 13 2.4.2 Background Soil Quality ..................................................................................... 14 2.4.3 Land Use .............................................................................................................. 14 2.4.4 Relationship to Air and Water Quality ................................................................ 15 2.4.5 Relationship to Land Application of Organic Materials and Industrial By-Products ......................................................................................................... 16 2.5 Groundwater Protection in Alberta ........................................................................................ 17 2.5.1 Alberta’s Initiatives to Protect Water Resources ................................................. 17 2.5.2 Protection of Domestic Use Aquifers .................................................................. 17 2.5.3 Using Tier 2 Groundwater Remediation Guidelines ........................................... 18 2.5.4 Background Groundwater Quality ....................................................................... 18 2.5.5 Relationship to Soil, Air and Surface Water Quality Guidelines ........................ 19 2.5.6 Points of Compliance ........................................................................................... 19 2.5.7 Risk Management ................................................................................................ 20 3. Alberta Framework for the Management of Contaminated Sites ........................................................ 21 3.1 Implementation Framework and Management Levels ........................................................... 21 3.2 Land Use Definitions ............................................................................................................. 23 3.3 Groundwater and Surface Water Use Definitions .................................................................. 24 3.4 Protection of Human Health and Ecological Receptors ......................................................... 24 3.4.1 Protection of Human Health ................................................................................ 24 3.4.2 Ecological Protection ........................................................................................... 25 3.4.3 Considerations Other than Toxicity ..................................................................... 26 3.5 Conditions and Restrictions Associated with Tier 2 and Exposure Control .......................... 27 4. Overview of Tier 2 Management ........................................................................................................ 28 January 10, 2019 Alberta Tier 2 Soil and Groundwater Remediation Guidelines Page 4 of 140 © 2019 Government of Alberta 4.1 Conditions Triggering Tier 2 ................................................................................................. 28 4.2 Eligible Exposure Pathway/Receptor and Parameter Modifications for Tier 2 ..................... 29 4.2.1 Pathways and Receptor Exclusion ....................................................................... 29 4.2.2 Guideline Adjustment .......................................................................................... 30 4.3 Exposure Pathway or Point-of-Exposure Measurements ....................................................... 30 4.4 Tier 2 Assessment and Evaluation ......................................................................................... 30 4.4.1 Additional Data Collection .................................................................................. 30 4.4.2 Recalculation of Objectives Based on Site-Specific Parameters ......................... 31 4.5 Tier 2 Decision and Management .......................................................................................... 31 5. Overview of Tier 2 Site-Specific Risk Assessment Options ............................................................... 32 5.1 Conditions Triggering Site-specific Risk Assessment ........................................................... 32 5.2 Basis and Considerations for SSRA ....................................................................................... 33 5.2.1 Pathways and Receptors ...................................................................................... 33 5.2.2 Parameters ............................................................................................................ 33 5.2.3 Human Health and Ecological Protection Endpoints ........................................... 33 5.2.4 Alternative Fate & Transport and Exposure Models ........................................... 33 5.3 Implementation of Site-specific Remediation Objectives ...................................................... 33 5.3.1 Data Requirements ............................................................................................... 33 5.3.2 Principles of Site-Specific Risk Assessment ....................................................... 34 5.4 Identification of Conditions/Restrictions Associated with Site-Specific Risk Assessment ... 37 5.5 Site-Specific Risk Assessment for Salt Contaminated Soil ................................................... 37 6. Exposure Control ................................................................................................................................ 38 Part B: User Guidance for Tier 2 Management Under the Pathway Exclusion and Guideline Adjustment Options ................................................................................................................. 39 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 39 2. Conditions Triggering Tier 2 .............................................................................................................. 39