Note 1: This standard should be used in conjunction with other reference material to guide the user in developing and implementing sediment corrective action monitoring programs.

4.1 Activities described in this guide should be conducted by persons familiar with current sediment site characterization and remediation techniques.

4.2 This guide may be used by various parties involved in sediment corrective action programs, including regulatory agencies, project sponsors, environmental consultants, toxicologists, risk assessors, site remediation professionals, environmental contractors, analytical testing laboratories, data validators, data reviewers and users, and other stakeholders, which may include, but are not limited to, owners, buyers, developers, lenders, insurers, government agencies, and community members and groups.

4.3 This guide is not intended to supplant applicable regulations. Instead this guide may be used to complement and support such regulatory requirements.

4.4 This guide provides a decision framework based on over-arching features and elements that should be customized by the user based on site-specific conditions, regulatory context, and sediment corrective action objectives. This guide should not be used alone as a prescriptive checklist.

4.5 This guide provides a systematic, but flexible decision framework to accommodate variations in approaches by regulatory agency and by the user based on project objectives, site complexity, unique site features, regulatory requirements, newly developed guidance, newly published scientific research, changes in regulatory criteria, advances in scientific knowledge and technical capability, and unforeseen circumstances.

4.6 Implementation of the guide is site-specific. The user may choose to customize the implementation of the guide for particular types of sites, especially smaller, less complex sites.

4.7 When applying this guide, the user should undertake a systematic project planning and scoping process to collect information to assist in making site-specific, user-defined decisions for a particular project. Planning activities should include the following factors: (a) Assemble an experienced team of project professionals; (b) Identify the applicable regulatory program(s); (c) Engage stakeholders early and often in the planning process; (d) Define, agree on, and document clearly stated project objectives and intended outcomes;
(e) Recognize that sediment programs are complex, uncertainty is high, that an appropriate project-specific approach may be developed with the investment of time and effort, and that compromise and uncertainty are inherent in the process;
(f) Compile existing site data; and (g) Establish a plan for documenting and reporting key decisions and results. These project planning and scoping activities should be carried forward as the project progresses.

4.8 The users of this guide should consider assembling a team of experienced project professionals with appropriate expertise to scope, plan and execute a sediment data acquisition program. The team may include: regulatory agencies, project sponsors, environmental consultants, toxicologists, risk assessors, site remediation professionals, environmental contractors, analytical testing laboratories, and data reviewers, data validators, data users, and other stakeholders.

4.9 The users of this guide are encouraged to engage key stakeholders early and often in the project planning and scoping process, especially regulators, project sponsors, and service providers. A concerted ongoing effort should be made by the user to continuously engage stakeholders as the project progresses in order to gain insight, technical support and input for resolving technical issues and challenges that may arise during project implementation.

4.10 The users of this guide should establish a plan for documenting and reporting the results of the project planning process, including: key challenges, options considered, decisions taken, analytical approach details, data acquisition results, and project outcomes relative to project objectives.

4.11 The users of this guide are encouraged to continuously update and refine the conceptual site model and Project Work Plans and Reports used to describe the physical properties, chemical composition and occurrence, biologic features, and environmental conditions of the sediment corrective action project.

4.12 This guide supports users in the identification of key considerations for designing and implementing sediment program data acquisition plans, including the applicability and use limitations and considerations that may be necessary to achieve project data usability objectives.