Site Evaluation Criteria

The Site Evaluation Criteria (SEC) is a system used by the Bureau of Underground Storage Tanks to rank the priority of regulated UST cases with confirmed ground water contamination. The system of ranking uses a numerical scale from 1 through 9. Categories 7 and 8 are the lower priority ground water cases since no receptors have been identified proximal to the site or the receptor evaluation has been conducted and no risk has been identified to any receptor. Category 1-3 represent the highest priority designating impacted receptors. Category 9 indicates that a receptor evaluation has not been conducted/completed. The SEC number can change depending upon changing site conditions and as the remedial investigation and remedial action proceeds.

Categories

1. Receptors Impacted

• Source not identified
• Immediate response required of RP

2. Receptors Impacted

• Source identified but not mitigated
• Immediate response required of RP

3. Receptors Impacted

• Source identified and mitigated
• Immediate response required of RP

4. Receptors proximal, impact to the receptors not yet evaluated (sampled or data collected to evaluate receptor risk)

• Source not identified, or
• Source identified but not mitigated, or
• Source identified and mitigated
• 30-90 day initial response required of the RP

5. Receptors proximal, impact to the receptors evaluated (sampled or data collected to evaluate receptor risk), no impact demonstrated

• Source not identified, or
• Source identified but not mitigated, or
• Source identified and mitigated

6. No receptors proximal

• Source not identified

7. No receptors proximal or receptor evaluated and no risk identified

• Source identified and not mitigated

8. No receptors proximal or receptor evaluated and no risk identified

• Source identified and mitigated

9. No receptor search completed

• 30-day response required of RP

Definitions

• Receptor -potable well, surface water body, subsurface utility vault or building structure with vapors or human direct contact
• Proximal
1. potable well receptors located within 1000 feet from the downgradient edge of the plume, 250 feet upgradient or 500 feet sidegradient of the plume 2) the site is located within a mapped wellhead protection area (WHPA) 3) vapor intrusion receptors within 30 feet of dissolved petroleum hydrocarbon contamination in ground water or 100 feet of free product or dissolved ground water contamination that is not petroleum hydrocarbons 4) surface water located within 1000 feet from the downgradient edge of the plume
• Source
  1. Soil contamination above the Department’s most stringent cleanup criteria either above or below the water table.
  2. A leaking component of the UST system.
  3. Free product
• Source Not Mitigated
1. Soil contamination remaining over the Department’s most stringent criteria, and/or not delineated, and/or with no remediation ongoing
2. Increasing contaminant levels in ground water
3. Free product remaining and/or recovery ongoing
• Source Mitigated
  1. Soil contamination is delineated and remediation is ongoing
  2. Decreasing contaminant levels in ground water, and
  3. Free product no longer present

Notes

1. SEC must be reevaluated as the Remedial Investigation and Remedial Action proceeds and as receptors are evaluated so the category reflects current conditions.
2. Response times required of the responsible party are expected to change as the site priority changes.
3. For SEC 5 sites, routine receptor evaluation (i.e. sampling of potable wells, vapor in structures, etc.) must be conducted until a source is identified and mitigated.
4. A SEC 6 should be utilized for sites with free product and no receptors.
5. A SEC 3 could be lowered to a SEC 5 provided the POET influent has not been impacted for 1 year and the source is identified and mitigated.
6. A change in use from retail gasoline dispensing operations or auto repair to a residential or nonresidential use not involving the occupational exposure to petroleum products will result in increasing the priority of the site to insure any receptors are protected due to the change in use.
7. Professional judgment must be applied when evaluating risk and establishing the appropriate SEC. For example, potable wells are proximal and have been evaluated through sampling (no impact), the plume is stable and defined, there are no vapor intrusion or surface water receptors (an SEC 5), the priority of the site may be reduced to a SEC 7 or SEC 8.
8. To assist in the risk evaluation, responsible parties must check the public community and non-public community water supply well data to determine if the site is located within a mapped Wellhead Protection Area. GIS coverage is available at http://www.nj.gov/dep/gis/depsplash.htm
9. Where response times are not noted, schedules must be established with the assigned case manager.

Related Links

• SRP Site Remediation Reform Act