66 © The Containment of Underground Nuclear Explosions Figure 4-5—Typical RAMs Arrayfor Vertical Driil-Hole Shot Access Rd measurements on water, milk, air. soil, humans. plants, and animals.'3 The sampling system and results are published annually in EPA’s **Offsite Environmental Monitoring Report. Radiation Monitoring Around United States Nuclear Test Areas.” tr Post shot access Rd. Trailer park Ground zero e, Plug truck access rd ht = 100 feet In addition to the RAMslocated down the drill hole, nine RAMs are placed at the surface around the test hole. SOURCE. Modified from Department ot Energy The heart of the EPA monitoring system is the network of 18 community monitoring stations. The community monitoring program began in 198] and was modeled after a similar program instituted in the area surrounding the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor power plant in Pennsylvania. Community Participation allows residents to verify independently the information being released by the government and thereby provide reassurance to the community at large. The program is run in partnership with several institutions. The Department of Energy funds the program and provides the equipment. The Environmental Protection Agency maintains the equipment, analyzes collected samples. and interprets results. The Desert Research Institute manages the network, employs local station managers, and independently provides quality assurance and data interpretation. The University of Utah trains the station managers selected by the various communities. Wheneverpossible, residents with some scientific training (such as science teachers) are chosen as Station managers. There are 18 community monitoring stations (shown as squares in figure 4-7) located around the test site. The equipment available to each station 3. ground and airborne monitoring teams would measure radioactive fallout and track the radioactive cloud, 4. Federal, State, and local authorities would be notified, and 5. if necessary, persons off-site would be requested to remain indoors or to evacuate the area for a short time. !2 Noble Gas Samplers: These samplers compress air in a tank. The air sample is then analyzed to measure the concentration of such radioactive noble gases as xenon and krypton. Offsite Monitoring by the Environmental Protection Agency ture from the air. The moisture is then analyzed to Underan interagency agreement with the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agencyis responsible for evaluating human radiation exposure from ingesting air, water, and foodthat may have been affected by nuclear testing. To accomplish this, EPA collects over 8.700 samples each year and performs over 15,000 analytical Particulates and Reactive Gases Sampler: These samplers draw 2 cubic feetof air per minute through a paperfilter and then througha canister ofactivated charcoal. The paperfilter collects particles and the charcoal collects reactive gases. Both are analyzed for radioactivity. includes: '* Tritium Sampler: These samplers remove mois- measure the concentration oftritium in the air. 12Modified from ‘*Onsite Environmental Repon for the Nevada Test Site’’ (January 1987 through December 1987), Daniel A. Gonzalez, REECo.. Inc., DOE/NV/10327-39. '3In addiuon. EPA annually visits cach location outside the Nevada Test Site where a nuclear test has occurred. \4Community Radiauon Monitoring Program,”’ U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, January 1984.