Monitoring: The missing piece: A critique of NEPA monitoring

The U.S. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 heralded in an era of more robust attention to environmental impacts resulting from larger scale federal projects. The number of other countries that have adopted NEPA's framework is evidence of the appeal of this type of environmental legislation. Mandates to review environmental impacts, identify alternatives, and provide mitigation plans before commencement of the project are at the heart of NEPA. Such project reviews have resulted in the development of a vast number of reports and large volumes of project-specific data that potentially can be used to better understand the components and processes of the natural environment and provide guidance for improved and efficient environmental protection. However, the environmental assessment (EA) or the more robust and intensive environmental impact statement (EIS) that are required for most major projects more frequently than not are developed to satisfy the procedural aspects of the NEPA legislation while they fail to provide the needed guidance for improved decision-making. While NEPA legislation recommends monitoring of project activities, this activity is not mandated, and in those situations where it has been incorporated, the monitoring showed that the EIS was inaccurate in direction and/or magnitude of the impact. Many reviews of NEPA have suggested that monitoring all project phases, from the design through the decommissioning, should be incorporated. Information gathered though a well-developed monitoring program can be managed in databases and benefit not only the specific project but would provide guidance how to better design and implement future activities designed to protect and enhance the natural environment.     

Synthetic musks in environmental samples: indicator compounds with relevant properties for environmental monitoring

Synthetic musks (nitro and polycyclic musks) are a group of chemicals offering a wide range of important properties for environmental monitoring programs. They are produced as odorous chemicals and added to a wide variety of perfumes, toiletry products and other household products. As such, they are directly applied in cosmetic products or in washed textiles to the human body in considerable concentrations and accumulate owing to dermal resorption. In addition, synthetic musks also enter the environment via waste water treatment. Several polycyclic musks are chiral. By using chiral gas chromatographic methods, it is possible to determine the enantiomeric ratio and assess their bioavailability. Although an comprehensive quality assurance program must be followed during the analysis of synthetic musks in environmental samples, the determination of these compounds is not very demanding and can be carried out by a standard analytical laboratory specialising in trace analysis of organic pollutants. Owing to the pheromone-like behavior of some synthetic musks, the induction of receptors in olfactory systems should be investigated. For HHCB (1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta[g]-2-benzopyran, e.g., Galaxolide), three-dimensional structural similarities with androstenone (5 alpha-androst-16-en-3-one), a mammalian steroid pheromone, were found, which support the hypothesis of HHCB as an artificial pheromone. Owing to their environmental abundance, their relation to human activities and their potential for pheromone-like environmental behavior, synthetic musks are especially valuable as future indicator chemicals for environmental monitoring.     

机场使用除冰液的应急监测

介绍了机场除冰液污染的应急监测,包括监测方案制订、监测点位设置、分析对象确定、跟踪监测、数据分析等。监测结果表明,除冰液废液直排入河道在短期内对水环境造成了严重影响,但随着时间推移水体逐步恢复正常。机场除冰液污染的应急监测可通过监测水体中的化学需氧量进行。     

Linking Monitoring and Effects Research: EMAP's Intensive Site Network Program

The EMAP program has been organized into three primary elements: Multi-Tier Design, Indicators, and Index Sites. The Index Sites program (DISPro - Demonstration Intensive Site Project) is the primary activity within the Index Sites element of EMAP. This project represents an inter-agency effort between EPA/ORD and DOI/NPS to develop a demonstration of an intensive site network of monitoring and research locations throughout the United States, utilizing the Nation's parklands as "outdoor laboratories." Twelve parks were selected to establish this demonstration. These 12 parks were selected because they are readily accessible, have a history of monitoring environmental information, and represent a broad spectrum of ecological communities. EMAP, through DISPro, is examining whether a "network" of sites existing within the parks can be used to address monitoring issues for global-scale environmental stressors (e.g., air pollution) as well as locale-specific stressors (e.g., air deposition, water-borne) and coordinated with cause-effect, issue-based research related to these environmental stressors. As a first activity, EPA will provide each of the sites with the instrumentation to monitor UV-B. The intent of the program is to initiate a consistent air monitoring program at each site to be followed by consistent monitoring within other media. The project will initiate research projects at all the sites (eventually) to examine the effects of environmental stressors of importance at each of the sites.     

论建设项目"三同时"验收监测的性质与作用

介绍了我国建设项目"三同时"管理制度的技术支持工作--"三同时"验收监测,分析论述了"三同时"验收监测的性质与作用.     

美国环境监测一百年历史回顾及其借鉴

环境监测是从上世纪末由英美等发达国家首先开展的,至今有一百多年历史。美国科学技术高度发达,其环境监测水平也领先于其他国家。因此从某种意义上说,美国环境监测一百年的历程、作法和经验,在全世界范围内都具有一定的代表性。它基本上可反映出发达国家环境监测走过的普遍道路,并一定程度上也预示其他国家环境监测的发展方向。尤其是它的一些科学思路,成功的做法,先进技术（采样、前处理及分析测定技术）,高水平的标准方法     

Landscape scale ecological monitoring as part of an EIA of major construction activities: experience at the Turkish section of the BTC crude oil pipeline project

Ecological monitoring is a complementary component of the overall environmental management and monitoring program of any Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report. The monitoring method should be developed for each project phase and allow for periodic reporting and assessment of compliance with the environmental conditions and requirements of the EIA. Also, this method should incorporate a variance request program since site-specific conditions can affect construction on a daily basis and require time-critical application of alternative construction scenarios or environmental management methods integrated with alternative mitigation measures. Finally, taking full advantage of the latest information and communication technologies can enhance the quality of, and public involvement in, the environmental management program. In this paper, a landscape-scale ecological monitoring method for major construction projects is described using, as a basis, 20 months of experience on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) Crude Oil Pipeline Project, covering Turkish Sections Lot B and Lot C. This analysis presents suggestions for improving ecological monitoring for major construction activities.     

浅析环境监测对环境执法的案源保障作用

环境监测为环保行政执法提供的案源主要来自对企业监督性监测、在线监测、建设项目竣工验收监测、放射性及固废监测等过程.需从违法主体是否存在、违法事实是否清楚、法律依据是否充分、监测数据是否科学准确等方面,来保障案源的有效性.     

Trends in ambient concentrations of agrochemicals in humans and the environment of the United States

Uses of pesticides and related agrochemicals have been regulated in the United States since 1948. The United States government has supported human and environmental monitoring for pesticides and selected toxic chemicals for the past 15 yr. The initial ambient monitoring systems were designed to determine average concentrations of pesticides and related chemicals in human and environmental media on a nationwide basis and determine changes in these concentrations over time. The results of these surveys showed that almost all of the general human population and various environmental components contained low concentrations of chlorinated pesticides. As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) restricted many uses of the chlorinated pesticides, the organophosphorous and carbamate pesticides which replaced them were not as easily monitored by ambient surveys. Special monitoring studies had to be done more frequently to produce data on these compounds which were not as persistent or accumulative in the environment. Currently, a re-evalution has begun to determine pesticide monitoring data needs for the next 5 to 10 yr, modify existing ambient surveys, and plan needed short-term studies to efficiently meet regulatory data needs. Ambient monitoring for trends in chemical levels in humans and the environment will continue in the United States at a reduced level, and many exposure data needs will be met with use-specific monitoring studies.Presented at the International Conference on Environmental Hazards of Agrochemicals in Developing Countries, 8–12 November, 1983 in Alexandria, Egypt.     

The SSC cycle: a PDCA approach to address site-specific characteristics in a continuous shallow water quality monitoring project

In any water quality-monitoring project there are several critical success factors that must be adequately addressed in order to ensure the implementation and realization of the monitoring objectives. Site selection is one of these critical success factors. The monitoring sites must be selected to comply with the monitoring and data quality objectives. In the real world, ideal monitoring setting conditions are difficult to achieve, and compromises must be made in order to locate the monitoring stations that best represent the environment to be monitored. Site-specific characteristics are all the environmental, logistical and management factors particular to the monitoring site, that could influence the fulfilment of the monitoring and data quality objectives. Therefore, during the site selection process, it is essential to properly consider and evaluate these site-specific characteristics. The SSC cycle was developed with this goal in mind, to assist the monitoring team to systematically address site-specific characteristics. The cycle is a methodology to organize the site-specific characteristics in different categories, and to ensure a comprehensive overview of these characteristics throughout the project life cycle.     

江苏省设区市生态环境监测监控规划关键问题研究

生态环境监测是生态文明建设的重要支撑。在设区市级环境监测监控能力普遍较弱、生态环境保护压力巨大的双重背景下,编制设区市生态环境监测监控规划具有重要意义。在调查了江苏省部分设区市环境监测监控规划的基础上,总结了规划编制在监测监控网络建设、监测监控能力建设、质量管理、大数据应用建设、人才队伍建设等方面的主要内容,针对规划中普遍存在的组织架构不清晰、特色发展定位不明确、环境监测监控融合发展谋划不足、项目建设可行性论证不够等关键问题,提出应理顺组织架构、明确特色发展定位、加强环境监测监控一体化发展谋划、加强项目建设可行性论证等对策建议,以期为今后的规划编制工作提供相关借鉴。     

环境监测领域拓展方向和途径

分析了环境监测市场背景与走向,提出环境监测站应向环境质量和污染源监督监测,快速应急监测和事故仲裁监测,规划及建设项目环评现状、竣工验收、施工期与回顾性监测,排污收费总量监测和污染源自动监控仪监测检定,机动车排气污染物监测,环保产品性能及环保产品认定监测,室内环境与装饰装修材料监测,食品安全检测,以及环保体系认证监测领域拓展,进一步提升监测能力。     

建设项目竣工环境保护验收监测报告的审核

简述了建设项目竣工环境保护验收监测报告的内涵和特点,从规范审核程序、优选审核方法、把握审核重点等方面总结了验收监测报告审核的技术方法与要求,并以苏州市环境监测中心站为例,介绍了网络化管理审核流程,以及对审核人员的具体要求,突出审核过程的科学性和责任性.对实际审核过程中有关复测、时效性以及环境敏感点监测等问题作了进一步的探讨.     

浅谈生态影响型建设项目竣工环保验收调查报告编制

阐述了编制生态影响型建设项目竣工验收调查报告的重点和内容。该报告的编制重点应是施工期为减轻施工对周围生态环境影响采取的保护措施调查、竣工后环境恢复措施调查和工程建设前后周围环境质量变化调查与监测;该报告的编制内容包括介绍验收调查任务的由来、验收调查的依据、确定验收调查重点和采用的评价标准,对工程概况和环境概况也需进行简要描述。指出生态环境影响调查水、气、声环境质量调查和环境管理制度调查是调查报告的核心部分,并且环境影响报告结论及有关批复内容和对公众意见调查所起的作用也不容忽视。     

环境监测能力建设项目管理思路与实现

近年来,环境监测能力建设项目资金投入不断加大,项目规模增长迅速,实施任务日益繁重,项目绩效考核要求越来越高,但项目管理还处于比较粗放的状态。在分析环境监测能力建设项目管理现状和需求的基础上,提出通过转变项目管理模式、强化信息支撑手段、完善制度建设、培养管理人才等多种手段,提高项目管理的科学性和时效性,实现重点项目管理的精细化、科学化和规范化。     

Bioavailability assessment of phosphorus and metals in soils and sediments: a review of diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT)

This paper provides an overview of the principle and latest development of the diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technology and its applications in environmental studies with a focus on bioavailability assessment of phosphorus and metals in sediments and soils. Compared with conventional methods, DGT, as a passive sampling method, has significant advantages: in situ measurement, time averaged concentrations and high spatial resolution. The in situ measurement avoids artificial influences including contamination of samples and sample treatment which may change the forms of chemicals. The time averaged concentration reflects representative measurement over a period of time. The high-resolution information captures the biogeochemical heterogeneity of elements of interest distributed in microenvironments, such as in the rhizosphere and the vicinity of the sediment-water interface. Moreover, DGT is a dynamic technique which simultaneously considers the diffusion of solutes and their kinetic resupply from the solid phases. All the advantages of DGT significantly promote the collection of “true” information of the bioavailable or labile forms of chemicals in the environment. DGT provides potential for applications in agriculture, environmental monitoring and the mining industry. However, the applications are still at the early testing stage. Further studies are needed to properly interpret the DGT-measured results under complex environmental conditions, and standard procedures and guideline values based on DGT are required to pave the way for its routine applications in environmental monitoring.     

新形势下环境监测科技发展现状与展望

结合国家生态环境监测网络建设方案和环境监测管理方式的变化,依据"十三五"期间环境保护重点工作和国家科技体制改革方向,对环境监测科研现状进行了分析。从环境监测技术体系建设、国家重点研发计划、国家科技重大专项等方面综合考虑,分析了水、气、土等方面的科研工作现状和问题,总结了"十三五"期间环境监测技术体系建设需求和进度安排,归纳了国家层面环境监测科技发展需求,提出了"十三五"环境监测科技发展的展望与思路。     

区域规划环评中大气环境监测点位布设研究

探讨了大气环境监测点位的布设方法,在区域规划环境影响评价布设大气监测点位时,应综合考虑开发区的功能区划分、区内产业分布及环境敏感点分布等情况;结合规划区内外现状及规划实施后重点污染源的位置及排放高度,根据区域污染气象条件,采用Gauss模式预测最大浓度落地点,并以此作为区域大气环境监测点的布设依据.对某区域开发规划案例进行了大气环境监测点位布设研究,通过实践,该布设方法不仅可以反映区域大气环境质量现状的空间分布特征,而且可以为区域大气环境预测提供良好的数据支持,为优化区域规划提供依据;同时,对规划后的污染源最大浓度落地点的监测,可以为单个项目的环境预测提供背景值,起到简化入区建设项目环评的作用.