Review of U.S. Department of Energy Technical Basis Report for Surface Characteristics, Preclosure Hydrology, and Erosion (1995) / Chapter Skim
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4 CONCLUDING COMMENTS
4 CONCLUDING COMMENTS
Pages 93-106
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From page 93... ...
will need to demonstrate that it has a good understanding of the scientific and technical issues that would affect the construction and long-term performance of such a facility. Given the unportance of this undertaking to the health and safety of present and future generations of this nation's citizens, it is this committee's opinion that the scientific and technical analyses presented in the TBR should meet the highest standards of scientific quality.
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From page 94... ...
In the spirit of peer review as a method to improve scientific quality, these sections also offer constructive suggestions of ways to increase the effectiveness of this and future TBRs. AUDIENCE FOR THE TBR The audience for this TBR is never defined clearly in the report.
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From page 95... ...
The designation of target audiences is a DOE policy issue. The committee recommends that DOE policymakers carefully consider the advantages of writing for a broad audience to build scientific credibility and public acceptance for its site characterization program.
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From page 96... ...
Without a clear statement of the questions to be addressed, the report reads as more of a narrative rather than a focused technical analysis. A list of questions or hypotheses of concern at the beginning of each major section of the TBR would have served to focus the supporting technical analysis—and would have made it easier for the committee and other concerned readers to assess whether that technical analysis adequately addressed those questions.
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From page 97... ...
SYNTHESIS OF AVAILABLE DATA Another problem noted by the committee in its review is the failure of the TBR to explicitly address all available data in the scientific and technical analyses. This problem may not be apparent to nonexpert readers without knowledge of the scientific literature related to the site characterization program.
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From page 98... ...
The second aspect of the data synthesis problem relates to tracing information used in the TBR back to primary references. Many of the data and models cited in the TBR were taken from previously published papers, and references to those papers are provided throughout the report.
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From page 99... ...
SYNTHESIS OF ANALYSES In the committee's judgment, the TBR does an inadequate job of compiling and synthesizing available data and analyses to explain the scientific and technical issues related to surface characteristics, erosion, and preclosure hydrology. Indeed, the TBR presents the results of analyses with relatively little synthesis or documentation.
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From page 100... ...
The integration of data and analyses from multiple sources into a coherent document is a complex and difficult process. The committee believes that this process is carried out most effectively with the direct involvement of those doing the science in this case the scientists who are involved directly in site characterization efforts because they have the most complete understanding of the data and methodologies and are trained in analytical synthesis.
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From page 101... ...
Multiple-methodology approaches seem particularly well suited to many of the problems addressed in the TBR. As noted in Chapter 2 of this report, for example, the use of multiple geochronologic methods for measuring surface exposure ages might have significantly reduced uncertainties and increased confidence in the validity of the results obtained from the cation ratio dating method.
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From page 102... ...
the spatial and temporal variabilities in rates and processes are obscured through the use of average values. The focus on generating average values or single explanations is contrary to science as an open process of inquiry in which investigators are encouraged to invent alternative explanations for phenomena, explore the whole range of natural causative processes, and make discoveries of previously unrecognized facts even if those facts seem inconsistent with current theories.
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From page 103... ...
PRESENTATION OF DATA AND ANALYSES Aside from the fact that necessary data are not always provided in the TBR, as noted previously, the data, analyses, and conclusions generally are not presented effectively. Of particular concern to the committee is the absence of basic geologic and topographic maps and cross sections to orient the reader and to illustrate spatial relationships among the various elements of the site: the land surface, surface drainages, rock units, surficial deposits, the proposed repository, the ground water table, perched water zones, and important data collection sites.
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From page 104... ...
Of particular importance are geologic and topographic maps and cross sections that illustrate the locations of land surfaces, drainages, rock units, surficial deposits, perched and ground water, the proposed repository, and selected data collection sites. PEER REVIEW Many of the problems noted in this report could have been discovered and corrected had an effective peer review mechanism been in place during preparation of the TBR.
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From page 105... ...
There is no reference made to this review in the TBR; nor does the TBR address the issues raised in the USNRC review related to extreme erosion and the cation ratio dating method. To be useful, peer review must have an influence on the scientific process; that is, peer review must be allowed to feed back into scientific investigations.
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From page 106... ...
The peer review process should also include provisions to ensure that the results of internal and external peer review effectively feed back into this and future TBRs and, when appropriate, into the associated scientific and technical programs.
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