Can you be more specific with the type of defect? As far as the bolt hole edge, some engineers will specify drilled holes versus punched holes in under certain circumstances. I'm thinking that this is because punching sets up stresses along the edges of the hole very much in the same way that stresses are set up in a sheared edge versus a rolled or flame cut edge. Because of this, the AISC allows less edge distances for bolt holes at rolled and flame cut edges and requires more edge distances for sheared edges, but any of these values are from the center of the hole, not the edge of the hole.
The indication is a 3/16 linear indication seen on the radiograph, it is less than an inch from the edge of a drilled hole. The area was a misdrilled hole and now the repair has an indication that will be within an inch of the new hole edge.
I would repair it back to sound base metal.
I think dmilesdot is asking not about the AASHTO edge distance between hole and plate edge, but the distance between an internal defect and the edge.
I don't know the answer but I'd love to hear it as well. My vague feeling is that if it's a pretensioned connection, the bolts will be compressing the defect so there's no danger of it spreading and it shouldn't be a problem, but I've been wrong before.
Hg