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Terrestrial Ecological Evaluation Process
Definitions and Acronyms
Defined terms applicable to the terrestrial ecological process are provided
below. These terms are defined either in WAC 173-340-200 or in the section
of the regulation in which they are used. CAUTION: Unless the term is
defined in WAC 173-340-200, the definition of the term may only apply to the
section in which the term is defined. Please refer to the applicable
section noted at the end of the definition to determine the applicability of the
definition.
- Bioassay
- "Bioassay" means a test procedure that measures the response of plants or
animals, or their tissues, to hazardous substances present in the soil.
- BTEX
- "BTEX" is an acronym that stands for the components present in gasoline -
Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl benzene, and Xylene.
- Commercial Property
- "Commercial Property" means properties currently zoned for commercial or
industrial property use and that are characterized by or are committed to
traditional commercial or industrial property uses such as offices, retail and
wholesale sales, professional services, consumer services, and warehousing.
[WAC 173-340-7490(3)(C)]
- Contiguous undeveloped land
- "Contiguous undeveloped land" means an area of undeveloped land that is not
divided into smaller areas by highways, extensive paving or similar structures
that are likely to reduce the potential use of the overall area by wildlife.
Roads, sidewalks and other structures that are unlikely to reduce potential use
of the area by wildlife shall not be considered to divide a contiguous area into
smaller areas.
[WAC 173-340-7490(1)(c)(iii)]
- Endangered Species
- See Threatened or Endangered Species
- Endangered Species Act
- "The Endangered
Species Act (ESA)"; 7 U.S.C. 136;16 U.S.C. 460 et seq. is federal
legislation protecting threatened or endangered species. It provides a means to
protect and conserve the ecosystems that threatened and endangered species live
upon; establishes a program for the conservation of threatened and
endangered species; and a method of achieving the purposes of the treaties
and conventions to protect such species across political boundaries.
What are the threatened or endangered
species in Washington state?
- Industrial Property
- "Industrial Property" means properties that are or have been
characterized by, or are to be committed to, traditional industrial uses such as
processing or manufacturing of materials, marine terminal and transportation
areas and facilities, fabrication, assembly, treatment, or distribution of
manufactured products, or storage of bulk materials, that are either:
Zoned for industrial use by a city or county conducting land use planning under
chapter 36.70A RCW (Growth Management Act); or
-
For counties not planning under chapter 36.70A RCW (Growth Management Act) and
the cities within them, zoned for industrial use and adjacent to properties
currently used or designated for industrial purposes.
See WAC 173-340-745 for additional criteria to determine if a land use not
specifically listed in this definition would meet the requirement of
"traditional industrial use" and for evaluating if a land use zoning category
meets the requirement of being "zoned for industrial use." [WAC
173-340-7490(2)(c)]
- Institutional Controls
- "Institutional Controls" means measures undertaken to limit or prohibit
activities that may interfere with the integrity of an interim action or a
cleanup action or result in exposure to hazardous substances at a site. They are
designed to prevent or limit exposure to hazardous substances left in place at a
site or to assure the effectiveness of the remedy. For examples of
institutional controls see WAC 173-340-440(1). [WAC 173-340-200]
- LOAEL
- "LOAEL" is the acronym used for "Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level" means
the lowest concentration of a hazardous substance at which there is a
statistically or biologically significant increase in the frequency or severity
of an adverse effect between an exposed population and a control group.[WAC
173-340-200]
- Native Vegetation
- "Native Vegetation" means any plant community native to the state of
Washington. The following sources shall be used in making this determination:
Natural Vegetation of Oregon and Washington,
J.F. Franklin and C.T. Dyrness, Oregon State University Press, 1988, and
L.C. Hitchcock, C.L. Hitchcock, J.W. Thompson and A. Cronquist, 1955-1969,
Vascular Plants
of the Pacific Northwest by Charles Leo Hitchcock (5 volumes). Areas planted with native species
for ornamental or landscaping purposes shall not be considered to be native
vegetation. [WAC 173-340-7491(2)(c)(i)]
(Here's a link to the Seattle Public Library
and the Washington State Library
to borrow a copy of Natural Vegetation of Oregon and Washington,
J.F. Franklin and C.T. Dyrness, Oregon State University Press, 1988, or
you may purchase it through your favorite bookseller. Here's an
additional link to a useful online
Field Guide to Selected Rare Plants of Washington developed by the
Washington State Department of Natural Resources' Natural Heritage Program
(WNHP) and the Spokane District of the U.S.D.I. Bureau of Land Management
(BLM) which contains fact sheets for 139 vascular plant species and one
lichen species.
- Natural Background
- "Natural Background" means the concentration of hazardous substance
consistently present in the environment that has not been influenced by
localized human activities. For example, several metals and radionuclides
naturally occur in the bedrock, sediments, and soils of Washington state due
solely to geologic processes that formed these materials and the concentration
of these hazardous substances would be considered natural background.
Also, low concentrations of some particularly persistent organic compounds such
as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) can be found in surficial soils and sediment
throughout much of the state due to global distribution of these hazardous
substances. These low concentrations would be considered natural
background. Similarly, concentrations of various radionuclides that are
present at low concentrations throughout the state due to global distribution of
fallout from bomb testing and nuclear accidents would be considered natural
background. [WAC 173-340-200]
- NOAEL
- "NOAEL" is the acronym used for "No Observed Adverse Effect Level". It means
the highest exposure level at which there are no statistically or biologically
significant increases in frequency or severity of adverse effects between the
exposed population and its appropriate control; some effects may be produced at
this level, but they are not considered to be adverse, nor precursors to
specific adverse effects. [WAC 173-340-200]
- Semi-Native Vegetation
- "Semi-Native Vegetation" means a plant community that includes at least some
vascular plant species native to the state of Washington. The following shall
not be considered semi-native vegetation: Areas planted for ornamental or
landscaping purposes, cultivated crops, and areas significantly disturbed and
predominantly covered by noxious, introduced plant species or weeds (e.g.,
Scotch broom, Himalayan blackberry or knap-weed). [WAC 173-340-7491(2)(c)(ii)]
- Sensitive Environment
- "Sensitive Environment" means an area of particular environmental value,
where a release could pose a greater threat than in other areas including:
Wetlands; critical habitat for endangered or threatened species; national or
state wildlife refuge; critical habitat, breeding or feeding area for fish or
shellfish; wild or scenic river; rookery; riparian area; big game winter range.
[WAC 173-340-200]
- Significant Adverse Effect
-
For species protected under the
Endangered Species Act or other applicable laws that extend protection to
individuals of a species: "Significant Adverse Effect" means an impact that
would significantly disrupt normal behavior patterns that include, but are not
limited to, breeding, feeding, or sheltering.
- For all other species: "Significant Adverse Effect" means effects that
impair reproduction, growth, or survival.
-
- Soil
- "Soil" means a mixture of organic and inorganic solids, air, water, and
biota that exists on the earth's surface above bedrock, including materials of
anthropogenic sources such as slag, sludge, etc. [WAC 173-340-200]
- Soil Biota
-
"Soil Biota" means invertebrate multicellular animals that live in the soil
or in close contact with the soil. [WAC 173-340-200]
- Successional
- "Successional" refers to the process of ecosystem development as brought
about by changes in the populations of species that results in the creation of a
geographic region with particular characteristics. Early successional refers to
species that tend to more quickly give way to other species (weeds, nonnative
varieties, etc.), typically representing lower quality habitat.
Late-successional refers to more persistent species, and tend to be associated
with higher value habitat.
- TEE
- "TEE" is the acronym for "Terrestrial Ecological Evaluation".
- Terrestrial Ecological Receptors
- "Terrestrial Ecological Receptors" means plants and animals that live
primarily or entirely on the land. [WAC 173-340-200]
- Threatened or Endangered Species
- "Threatened or endangered species" means species listed as threatened or
endangered under the
federal Endangered
Species Act
16 U.S.C. Section 1533, or classified as threatened or endangered by the
state fish and wildlife commission under WAC 232-12-011(1) and 232-12-014.
[WAC 173-340-200]
What are the threatened or
endangered species in Washington state?
- Undeveloped Land
- "Undeveloped Land" means land that is not covered by buildings, roads, paved
areas or other barriers that would prevent wildlife from feeding on plants,
earthworms, insects or other food in or on the soil. [WAC
173-340-7491(1)(c)(iii)]
- Wildlife
- "Wildlife" means any nonhuman vertebrate animal other than fish. [WAC
173-340-200]
Please contact David
Sternberg if you have any questions or comments about the TEE web pages.
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