Proceedings of the Environmental Software Systems Compatibility and Linkage Workshop (NUREG/CP-0177)

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Publication Information

Manuscript Completed: September 2001
Date Published: May 2002

Edited by:
Gene Whelan, PNNL

Thomas J. Nicholson, NRC

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Richland, WA 99352

Prepared for:
Division of Systems Analysis and Regulatory Effectiveness
Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, DC 20555-0001

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Abstract

The NRC hosted a Federal interagency workshop on multimedia environmental software systems and data systems. The "Environmental Software Systems Compatibility and Linkage Workshop" was held at NRC 's Professional Development Center in Rockville, MD, on March 7-9, 2000. The environmental software systems that were discussed are used to evaluate contaminant release, transport and health effects through various media (hence multimedia refers to air, ground, and surface water) and environmental pathways to the public. A major motivation for the workshop was the desire of the participating Federal agencies to realize efficiencies and cost savings by utilizing existing models, systems, and databases developed in their programs, rather than developing totally new systems. Workshop participants for this inaugural gathering included Federal agencies, their cooperators and contractors (e.g., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, EPA's national exposure research laboratories, Offices of Research and Development, Radiation and Indoor Air, Solid Waste and Water, DOE, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, Golder Associates Inc., State of New Jersey and New Jersey Institute of Technology). The workshop objective was to facilitate communication between software products by focusing on standard attributes, protocols and specifications for linking environmental and risk models to databases and modeling systems. The workshop included presentations and demonstrations of current software systems (e.g., RESRAD, MEPAS, FRAMES, SEDSS, DandD, HWIR, LMS, WMS, etc.) used in site decommissioning assessments. The workshop attendees (1) reviewed detailed suggestions from system developers and users on attributes for linking the existing models, systems, Web-based, and GIS databases; and (2) discussed alternative software designs to ensure compatibility and linkage for future models, systems, and datasets. During an evening breakout session, the Federal agency representatives discussed the development of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for cooperating and coordinating research. Following the workshop, the MOU was developed and signed by NRC, EPA, DOE, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Geological Survey, and USDA/Agricultural Research Service, and is now being implemented.