Environmental Radiation Data (ERD) is compiled and distributed quarterly, and contains data from the Environmental Radiation Ambient Monitoring System (ERAMS). Data from similar networks operated by contributing States, Canada, Mexico, and the Pan American Health Organization are reported in the ERD when available. ERAMS was established in 1973 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Radiation Programs (ORP). The ERAMS is comprised of nationwide sampling stations that provide air, surface and drinking water, and milk samples from which environmental radiation levels are derived. The major emphasis for ERAMS is toward identifying trends in the accumulation of long-lived radionuclides in the environment. Sampling locations are selected to provide optimal population coverage while functioning to monitoring fallout from nuclear devices and other forms of radioactive contamination of the environment. The radiation analyses performed on these samples include gross alpha and gross beta levels, gamma analyses for fission products, and specific analyses for uranium, plutonium, strontium, iodine, radium, krypton, and tritium.

"Dec 1984. Compiled and distributed by: Office of Radiation Programs Eastern Environmental Radiation Facility. Microfiche.