Illinois Administrative Code
Title 35 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Part 742 - TIERED APPROACH TO CORRECTIVE ACTION OBJECTIVES
Subpart A - INTRODUCTION
Section 742.110 - Overview of Tiered Approach

a) This Part presents an approach for developing remediation objectives (see Appendix A, Illustrations A and B) that include an option for exclusion of pathways from further consideration, use of area background concentrations as remediation objectives and three tiers for selecting applicable remediation objectives. An understanding of human exposure routes is necessary to properly conduct an evaluation under this approach. In some cases, applicable human exposure routes can be excluded from further consideration prior to any tier evaluation. Selecting which tier or combination of tiers to be used to develop remediation objectives is dependent on the site-specific conditions and remediation goals. Tier 1 evaluations and Tier 2 evaluations are not prerequisites to conducting Tier 3 evaluations.

b) A Tier 1 evaluation compares the concentration of contaminants detected at a site to the corresponding remediation objectives for residential and industrial/ commercial properties contained in Appendix B, Tables A, B, C, D, E, G, H and I. To complete a Tier 1 evaluation, the extent and concentrations of the contaminants of concern, the groundwater class, the land use classification, human exposure routes at the site, and, if appropriate, soil pH, must be known. If remediation objectives are developed based on industrial/commercial property use, then institutional controls under Subpart J are required. For the indoor inhalation exposure route, institutional controls under Subpart J are required to use remediation objectives in Appendix B, Table H or Table I.

c) A Tier 2 evaluation uses the risk based equations from the Soil Screening Level (SSL) model, Risk Based Corrective Action (RBCA) model and modified Johnson and Ettinger (J&E) model documents listed in Appendix C, Tables A, C and L, respectively. In addition to the information that is required for a Tier 1 evaluation, site-specific information is used to calculate Tier 2 remediation objectives. As in Tier 1, Tier 2 evaluates residential and industrial/commercial properties only. If remediation objectives are developed based on industrial/commercial property use, then institutional controls under Subpart J are required. For the indoor inhalation exposure route, institutional controls under Subpart J are required to develop remediation objectives pursuant to Appendix C, Table L.

d) A Tier 3 evaluation allows alternative parameters and factors, not available under a Tier 1 or Tier 2 evaluation, to be considered when developing remediation objectives. Remediation objectives developed for conservation and agricultural properties can only be developed under Tier 3.

e) Remediation objectives may be developed using area background concentrations or any of the three tiers if the evaluation is conducted in accordance with applicable requirements in Subparts D through I. When contaminant concentrations do not exceed remediation objectives developed under one of the tiers or area background procedures under Subpart D, further evaluation under any of the other tiers is not required.