Module 11
Information from Course Outline
Module 11, Closes Monday, November 12th
Introduction
ENVE 652 is part of UAF's environmental management track that also features ENVE
651, Environmental Risk Assessment , ENVE 644,
Environmental Management and Law , and ENVE 649, Hazardous and Toxic
Waste Management. All these courses are interrelated,
but are offered as stand-alone courses, so there is some overlap necessary for
introduction of various topics. Since all four of the textbook chapters are
subjects of modules in our other environment management courses, we will not
spend much time here. I suggest you skim the chapters in the book, but look
at the submodule, where I mention a few important items from Chapters 14, and
17. We will review one of the introductory submodules on risk assessment from
another course, then review the submodule on ecological risk assessment. Chapter 15 and 16 might interest you, but we will not go into them.
Reading from Stine and Brown
Parts of Chapters 14, and 17.
Module 11 |
||
| Submodule 11A | Toxics from the Environment (S & B Chapter 17.) | |
| Submodule 11B | Risk Assessment, 8A from ENVE 649, and 8B | |
| Submodule 11C | Ecological Risk Assessment 8C (Chapter 14) | |
| Learning Goals | ||
| Closure | ||
Homework.
There are 20 points for this module's homework. a.) 10
points for individual written assignment, b.) 10 points for the discussion,
and c.) extra credit points for the message to the instructor.
a.) Based on the EPRI article and your other work on mercury and methymercury, write a letter to the editor of your local paper. Most papers hold their letters to 350 words or less, so please do that. A local utility is planning a coal fired plant about 50 miles upwind from the town's favorite fishing hole and bathing beach. Earlier letters have condemned the project because of fears of mercury contamination, but these letters lacked a scientific perspective. Start by explaining to the readers the key issues in mercury contamination and finish with your recommendations about the plant. Use terminology that the typical newspaper reader will be able to understand.
b.) Discussion. Take off your science hat for a minute and think about the fundamental assumption of the 1983 NAS model, the separation of science in the risk assessment phase from the "other issues" that go into the risk management phase. Think about your own work situation. Do you believe it is possible to separate the assessment from the management? Give it some thought, write something, then comment on several other contributions. I expect some of you will reach very different conclusions.
c.) You may append a message to the instructor to the end of your written assignment described in a.). Possible extra credit points for pointing out typo's or glitches in the material, suggesting a topic for Module 14, or any good questions, comment or criticisms. Include this in your report, item a.) above.
© 2002, Robert A. Perkins