Risk Assessment / Environmental Economics


  • Risk Assessments

  • Risk-Based Corrective Action Assessments

  • Economic Impact

  • Cost: Benefit Analysis

  • Cost-Effectiveness Studies

Huff & Huff, Inc. (H&H) has completed risk assessments at various levels of complexity to satisfy regulatory requirements as well as property transaction needs. Huff & Huff participated in the regulatory process for establishing the Tiered Approach to Cleanup Objectives (TACO) for Illinois on behalf of an industrial consortium. This included testimony and research on multiple state procedures. H&H has also acted as a RELPE (Remedial Evaluation Licensed Professional Engineer) acting on behalf of the IEPA during the review process.

The U.S. EPA protocols established for the Superfund program have been applied as part of the RI/FS procedure. In addition, H&H personnel have applied both the U.S. EPA Soil Screening Guidance and ASTM’s Risk-Based Corrective Action Procedures to sites where solvent-contaminated, metal contamination, pesticides, and soils have been addressed. Transport modeling has been necessary to develop objectives for chlorinated solvent constituents, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), and other solvents.  Tier 3 assessments have been approved for polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), PCE, TCE, MEK, and coal tar residues (BTEX and PAH).

Projects have been submitted and received IEPA closure for industrial facilities following the risk assessment process. Risk assessments have also been completed in accordance with the States of Louisiana, Texas, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Massachusetts. Cleanup objectives were derived for an industrial site in Ohio utilizing protocols developed by USEPA in RAGS (Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund). Similiar efforts have been completed in Texas, Louisiana, and Kansas.

Over 16 economic impact and cost/benefit studies regarding regulatory changes in water and air pollution have been prepared for the State of Illinois. Such studies involve an understanding of municipal and industrial discharge characteristics, financial descriptions and an analysis of environmental impacts. These studies pertained to the control of such pollutants as chromium, total dissolved solids, cyanide, BOD5, suspended solids, fecal coliform and carbon monoxide. In each case the costs and benefits of control were assessed.