Relative Risk Site Evaluation

Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Ohio

The Air Force completed the Relative Risk Site Evaluation (RRSE) for Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base (ANGB), Ohio, to support sequencing of environmental restoration work. When the term "Air Force" is used in this public notice, it includes the Air National Guard. The RRSE process is used to evaluate the relative risk posed by an environmental restoration site in relation to other sites. Restoration sites in Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) are evaluated during the RRSE process to sequence sites for Remedial Investigation. Due to discovery of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which includes perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), a RRSE was completed for the sites at this installation. Relative risk is not the sole factor in determining the sequence of environmental restoration work, but it is an important consideration in the priority setting process.

This RRSE fact sheet with individual site summaries is issued in accordance with the Department of Defense (DoD) Environmental Restoration Program (ERP) and is available for public review for 30 days as of this notice. The public comment period for Rickenbacker ANGB will be from May 3 - June 3, 2023. At Rickenbacker ANGB, five restoration sites were evaluated in the current RRSE. The Overall Site Category scores were one “High”, four “Medium”, and zero “Low” categories. Click here to read the full site survey. 

For more information or to submit written comments, please contact Troy Sanders at 3501 Fetchet Avenue, Joint Base Andrews, MD, 20762-5157, (240) 612-8506, or troy.sanders.3.ctr@us.af.mil.

**The RRSE uses PFAS screening levels set in September 2021 by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment (PDASD(EI&E)) in calculating the Contaminant Hazard Factor (CHF) score.  Updated PFAS screening levels were issued by PDASD(EI&E) in July 2022 and are available at https://www.acq.osd.mil/eie/eer/ecc/pfas/tf/policies.html.  As RRSE calculations are used to prioritize sites relative to other Department of Defense (DoD) sites, it is imperative that all RRSEs use identical scoring criteria.  Consequently, in building the first set of PFAS RRSEs DoD-wide, this RRSE uses the 2021 screening levels consistent with those used in the initial DoD RRSEs.  This RRSE will be updated whenever new data specific Rickenbacker ANGB becomes available and/or when RRSE process updates occur within the DoD.**