1

US EPARadNet Program

California Air Resources BoardMonitoring & Laboratory Division

Special Purpose Monitoring

2

Program History• 1950’s: Federal government begins monitoring

radioactive materials due to nuclear weapons testing

• 1970: Monitoring for rads is consolidated under the US EPA

• 1973: US EPA creates a continuous monitoring system called “Environmental Radiation Air Monitoring System” (ERAMS)

• 2005: ERAMS is renamed “RadNet”

3

What Is RadNet?• US EPA’s environmental radiation monitoring

program

• Categories monitored:

– Drinking water

– Precipitation

– Pasteurized milk

– Air

4

Air Monitoring• Sept. 11th brought renewed emphasis to monitoring airborne

rads.• US EPA installed a nationwide network of 124 “near real-

time monitors”

5

California RadNet Air Monitoring

• California’s RadNet sites:– Anaheim– Bakersfield– Eureka– Fresno– Los Angeles– Riverside– Sacramento (Began late 2008)– San Diego– San Francisco– San Jose– San Bernardino (11th site as of early 2011)

6

The RadNet Monitor

• Stand alone monitoring system developed by General Atomics

• Acquires, stores and electronically transmits data to the National Air Radiation & Environmental Lab (NAREL)

7

RadNet Components (Met. & Comm.)Satellite antenna

Temp. sensor

Cellular antenna

8

RadNet Components (Sampling)

Beta & gamma detectors

Filter

9

RadNet Components (Data Mgmt.)

Local Processing Unit (i.e. CPU)

10

Operator’s Role• Change and field test filters 2x / Week

• Complete and submit “Air Particulate Sample Report” to NAREL

• Occasionally assist US EPA with trouble shooting

• Annually calibrate the RadNet w/ US EPA’s assistance

11

Filter Change & Field Test

• Perform background count w/ the geiger counter• Remove and replace the exposed filter• Perform count on exposed filter w/ the geiger counter

12

Sample Report Completion

• After completion, mail form & filter to NAREL

13

Interesting Links

• Japanese Nuclear Emergency Webpage

http://www.epa.gov/japan2011/index.html

• USEPA Envirofacts – RadNet Data

http://iaspub.epa.gov/enviro/erams_query_v2.simple_query

• RadNet Operator Webpage

http://www.epa.gov/narel/radnet/operators/

14

Thanks for watching.

Contact:

Whitney Okabayashi

(916) 324-3997