HARVESTING EMSP RESEARCH RESULTS FOR WASTE CLEANUP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guillen, Donna Post; Nielson, R. Bruce; Phillips, Ann Marie; Lebow, Scott

2003-02-27

The extent of environmental contamination created by the nuclear weapons legacy combined with expensive, ineffective waste cleanup strategies at many U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sites prompted Congress to pass the FY96 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, which directed the DOE to: ''provide sufficient attention and resources to longer-term basic science research, which needs to be done to ultimately reduce cleanup costs'', ''develop a program that takes advantage of laboratory and university expertise, and'' ''seek new and innovative cleanup methods to replace current conventional approaches which are often costly and ineffective.'' In response, the DOE initiated the Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP)-a targeted, long-term research program intended to produce solutions to DOE's most pressing environmental problems. EMSP funds basic research to lower cleanup cost and reduce risk to workers, the public, and the environment; direct the nation's scientific infrastructure towards cleanup of contaminated waste sites; and bridge the gap between fundamental research and technology development activities. EMSP research projects are competitively awarded based on the project's scientific, merit coupled with relevance to addressing DOE site needs. This paper describes selected EMSP research projects with long, mid, and short-term deployment potential and discusses the impacts, focus, and results of the research. Results of EMSP research are intended to accelerate cleanup schedules, reduce cost or risk for current baselines, provide alternatives for contingency planning, or provide solutions to problems where no solutions exist.

Surface and subsurface cleanup protocol for radionuclides Gunnison, Colorado, UMTRA Project Processing Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-05-01

The supplemental standards provisions of Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 192 (40 CFR Part 192) require the cleanup of radionuclides other than radium-226 (Ra-226) to levels ''as low as reasonably achievable'' (ALARA), taking into account site-specific conditions, if sufficient quantities and concentrations are present to constitute a significant radiation hazard. In this context, thorium-230 (Th-230) at the Gunnison, Colorado, processing site will require remediation. However, a seasonally fluctuating groundwater table at the site significantly complicates conventional remedial action with respect to cleanup. Characterization data indicate that in the offpile areas, the removal of residual in situ bulk Ra-226 and Th-230 such that the 1000-year projected Ra-226 concentration (Ra-226 concentration in 1000 years due to the decay of in situ Ra-226 and the in-growth of Ra-226 from in situ Th-230) complies with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cleanup standard for in situ Ra-226 and the cleanup protocol for in situ Th-230 can be readily achieved using conventional excavation techniques for bulk contamination without encountering significant impacts due to groundwater. The EPA cleanup standard and criterion for Ra-226 and the 1000-year projected Ra-226 are 5 and 15 picocuries per gram (pCi/g) above background, respectively, averaged over 15-centimeter (cm) deep surface and subsurface intervals and 100-square-meter (m 2 ) grid areas. Significant differential migration of Th-230 relative to Ra-226 has occurred over 40 percent of the subpile area. To effectively remediate the site with respect to Ra-226 and Th-230, supplemental standard is proposed and discussed in this report

UTILIZING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CLEAN-UP AT SAVANNAH RIVER SITE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergren, C.

2009-01-01

The Savannah River Site (SRS) is a 310-square-mile United States Department of Energy nuclear facility located along the Savannah River near Aiken, South Carolina. During operations, which started in 1951, hazardous substances (chemicals and radionuclides) were released to the environment. The releases occurred as a result of inadvertent spills and waste disposal in unlined pits and basins which was common practice before environmental regulations existed. The hazardous substances have migrated to the vadose zone and groundwater in many areas of the SRS, resulting in 515 waste units and facilities that are required by environmental regulations, to undergo characterization and, if needed, remediation. In the initial years of the SRS environmental cleanup program (early 1990s), the focus was to use common technologies (such as pump and treat, air stripping, excavation and removal) that actively and tangibly removed contamination. Exclusive use of these technologies required continued and significant funding while often failing to meet acceptable clean-up goals and objectives. Recognizing that a more cost-effective approach was needed, SRS implemented new and complementary remediation methods focused on active and passive technologies targeted to solve specific remediation problems. Today, SRS uses technologies such as chemical/pH-adjusting injection, phytoremediation, underground cutoff walls, dynamic underground stripping, soil fracturing, microbial degradation, baroballs, electrical resistance heating, soil vapor extraction, and microblowers to more effectively treat contamination at lower costs. Additionally, SRS's remediation approach cost effectively maximizes cleanup as SRS works proactively with multiple regulatory agencies. Using GIS, video, animation, and graphics, SRS is able to provide an accurate depiction of the evolution of SRS groundwater and vadose zone cleanup activities to convince stakeholders and regulators of the effectiveness of various cleanup

The Role Of Land Use In Environmental Decision Making At Three DOE Mega-Cleanup Sites, Fernald, Rocky Flats, and Mound

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jewett, M.A.

2011-01-01

This paper explores the role that future land use decisions have played in the establishment of cost-effective cleanup objectives and the setting of environmental media cleanup levels for the three major U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sites for which cleanup has now been successfully completed: the Rocky Flats, Mound, and Fernald Closure Sites. At each site, there are distinct consensus-building histories throughout the following four phases: (1) the facility shut-down and site investigation phase, which took place at the completion of their Cold War nuclear-material production missions; (2) the decision-making phase, whereby stakeholder and regulatory-agency consensus was achieved for the future land-use-based environmental decisions confronting the sites; (3) the remedy selection phase, whereby appropriate remedial actions were identified to achieve the future land-use-based decisions; and (4) the implementation phase, whereby the selected remedial actions for these high-profile sites were implemented and successfully closed out. At each of the three projects, there were strained relationships and distrust between the local community and the DOE as a result of site contamination and potential health effects to the workers and local residents. To engage citizens and interested stakeholder groups - particularly in the role of final land use in the decision-making process, the site management teams at each respective site developed new public-participation strategies to open stakeholder communication channels with site leadership, technical staff, and the regulatory agencies. This action proved invaluable to the success of the projects and reaching consensus on appropriate levels of cleanup. With the implementation of the cleanup remedies now complete, each of the three DOE sites have become models for future environmental-remediation projects and associated decision making.

Environmental Cleanup of the East Tennessee Technology Park Year One - Execution with Certainty SM - 13120

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schubert, A.L. [URS - CH2M Oak Ridge LLC, P.O. Box 4699, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-7294 (United States)

2013-07-01

On August 1, 2011, URS - CH2M Oak Ridge LLC (UCOR) began its five-year, $1.4 billion cleanup of the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP), located on the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Oak Ridge Reservation in Tennessee. UCOR will close out cleanup operations that began in 1998 under a previous contract. When the Contract Base scope of work [1] is completed in 2016, the K-25 gaseous diffusion building will have been demolished and all waste dispositioned, demolition will have started on the K-27 gaseous diffusion building, all contact-handled and remote-handled transuranic waste in inventory (approximately 500 cubic meters) will have been transferred to the Transuranic Waste Processing Center, previously designated 'No-Path-To-Disposition Waste' will have been dispositioned to the extent possible, and UCOR will have managed DOE Office of Environmental Management (EM)- owned facilities at ETTP, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and the Y-12 National Security Complex in a safe and cost-effective manner. Since assuming its responsibilities as the ETTP cleanup contractor, UCOR has completed its life-cycle Performance Measurement Baseline; received its Earned Value Management System (EVMS) certification; advanced the deactivation and demolition (D and D) of the K-25 gaseous diffusion building; recovered and completed the Tank W-1A and K-1070-B Burial Ground remediation projects; characterized, packaged, and shipped contact-handled transuranic waste to the Transuranic Waste Processing Center; disposed of more than 90,000 cubic yards of cleanup waste while managing the Environmental Management Waste Management Facility (EMWMF); and provided operations, surveillance, and maintenance activities at DOE EM facilities at ETTP, ORNL, and the Y-12 National Security Complex. Project performance as of December 31, 2012 has been excellent: - Cost Performance Index - 1.06; - Schedule Performance Index - 1.02. At the same time, since safety is the foundation of

Prioritization of environmental cleanup problems at Hanford

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fassbender, L.L.

1994-01-01

New technologies and scientific research are needed to clean up the Hanford Site. However, there is insufficient funding to develop every technology that is identified or to undertake every scientific research project that is proposed. Thus, the Department of Energy (DOE) must focus its resources on science and technology (S ampersand T) that will have the most significant impacts on the overall cleanup effort. Hanford has recognized the importance of identifying and prioritizing its most critical problems and the most promising solutions to them. Hanford cleanup will require numerous decisions about technology development and implementation, which will be complicated because there are substantial uncertainties about the risks and the costs of new technologies. Further, the choice of a specific technology for a specific application must be evaluated with respect to multiple (and often conflicting) objectives (e.g., risk reduction, increasing effectiveness, cost reduction, increasing public acceptability, regulatory compliance). This paper provides an overview of the decision analysis methodology that was used to prioritize S ampersand T needs for Hanford cleanup

Science To Support DOE Site Cleanup: The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Environmental Management Science Program Awards; FINAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bredt, Paul R; Brockman, Fred J; Grate, Jay W; Hess, Nancy J; Meyer, Philip D; Murray, Christopher J; Pfund, David M; Su, Yali; Thornton, Edward C; Weber, William J; Zachara, John M

2001-01-01

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) was awarded ten Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) research grants in fiscal year 1996, six in fiscal year 1997, nine in fiscal year 1998, seven in fiscal year 1999, and five in fiscal year 2000. All of the fiscal year 1996 award projects have published final reports. The 1997 and 1998 award projects have been completed or are nearing completion. Final reports for these awards will be published, so their annual updates will not be included in this document. This section summarizes how each of the 1999 and 2000 grants address significant U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) cleanup issues, including those at the Hanford Site. The technical progress made to date in each of these research projects is addressed in more detail in the individual progress reports contained in this document. The 1999 and 2000 EMSP awards at PNNL are focused primarily in two areas: Tank Waste Remediation, and Soil and Groundwater Cleanup

Science to Support DOE Site Cleanup: The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Environmental Management Science Program Awards -- Fiscal Year 2002 Mid-Year Progress Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bredt, Paul R.; Ainsworth, Calvin C.; Brockman, Fred J.; Camaioni, Donald M.; Egorov, Oleg B.; Felmy, Andrew R.; Gorby, Yuri A.; Grate, Jay W.; Greenwood, Margaret S.; Hay, Benjamin P.; Hess, Nancy J.; Hubler, Timothy L.; Icenhower, Jonathan P.; Mattigod, Shas V.; McGrail, B. Peter; Meyer, Philip D.; Murray, Christopher J.; Panetta, Paul D.; Pfund, David M.; Rai, Dhanpat; Su, Yali; Sundaram, S. K.; Weber, William J.; Zachara, John M.

2002-06-11

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has been awarded a total of 80 Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) research grants since the inception of the program in 1996. The Laboratory has collaborated on an additional 14 EMSP awards with funding received through other institution. This report describes how each of the projects awarded in 1999, 2000, and 2001 addresses significant U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) cleanup issues, including those at the Hanford Site. The technical progress made to date in each of these research projects is addressed in the individual project reports included in this document. Projects are under way in three main areas: Tank Waste Remediation, Decontamination and Decommissioning, and Soil and Groundwater Cleanup.

An innovative approach to multimedia waste reduction measuring performance for environmental cleanup programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phifer, B.E. Jr.

1993-01-01

One of the greatest challenges we now face in environmental clean up is measuring the progress of minimizing multimedia transfer releases and achieving waste reduction. Briefly, multimedia transfer refers to the air, land, and water where pollution is not just controlled, concentrated, and moved from one media to another. An example of multimedia transfer would be heavy metals in waste water sludges moved from water to land disposal. Over two billion dollars has been budgeted for environmental restoration site cleanups by the Department of Energy for fiscal year 1994. Unless we reduce the huge waste volumes projected to be generated in the near future, then we will devote more and more resources to manage and dispose of these wastes

Report to Congress on the U.S. Department of Energy's Environmental Management Science Program. Research funded and its linkages to environmental cleanup problems. High out-year cost environmental management project descriptions. Volume 3 of 3 - Appendix C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-04-01

The Department of Energy's Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) serves as a catalyst for the application of scientific discoveries to the development and deployment of technologies that will lead to reduction of the costs and risks associated with cleaning up the nation's nuclear complex. Appendix C provides details about each of the Department's 82 high cost projects and lists the EMSP research awards with potential to impact each of these projects. The high cost projects listed are those having costs greater than $50 million in constant 1998 dollars from the year 2007 and beyond, based on the March 1998 Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closure Draft data, and having costs of quantities of material associated with an environmental management problem area. The high cost project information is grouped by operations office and organized by site and project code. Each operations office section begins with a list of research needs associated with that operations office. Potentially related research awards are listed by problem area in the Index of Research Awards by Environmental Management Problem Area, which can be found at the end of appendices B and C. For projects that address high risks to the public, workers, or the environment, refer also the Health/Ecology/Risk problem area awards. Research needs are programmatic or technical challenges that may benefit from knowledge gained through basic research

Mold: Cleanup and Remediation

Science.gov (United States)

... National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) Cleanup and Remediation Recommend on Facebook Tweet Share Compartir On This ... CDC and EPA on mold cleanup, removal and remediation. Cleanup information for you and your family Homeowner’s ...

1995 project of the year Hanford Environmental compliance project nomination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kelly, J.R.

1996-02-01

The completion of the Hanford Environmental Compliance (HEC) Project in December 1995 brought to a successful close a long line of major contributions to environmental cleanup. Not since the early days of the Hanford Site during and shortly after World War 11 had such a large group of diverse construction activities, with a common goal, been performed at Hanford. Key to this success was the unique combination of 14 subprojects under the HEC Project which afforded the flexibility to address evolving subproject requirements. This strategy resulted in the accomplishment of the HEC Project stakeholders` objectives on an aggressive schedule, at a $33 million cost savings to the customer. The primary objectives of the HEC Project were to upgrade selected Hanford Site facilities and systems to bring them into compliance with current environmental standards and regulations. The HEC Project contributed significantly towards the Hanford site compliance with Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) requirements. It provided, in part, those construction activities required to comply with those requirements in the areas of liquid and solid waste treatment and disposal, waste characterization, and groundwater monitoring.

1995 project of the year Hanford Environmental compliance project nomination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelly, J.R.

1996-02-01

The completion of the Hanford Environmental Compliance (HEC) Project in December 1995 brought to a successful close a long line of major contributions to environmental cleanup. Not since the early days of the Hanford Site during and shortly after World War 11 had such a large group of diverse construction activities, with a common goal, been performed at Hanford. Key to this success was the unique combination of 14 subprojects under the HEC Project which afforded the flexibility to address evolving subproject requirements. This strategy resulted in the accomplishment of the HEC Project stakeholders' objectives on an aggressive schedule, at a $33 million cost savings to the customer. The primary objectives of the HEC Project were to upgrade selected Hanford Site facilities and systems to bring them into compliance with current environmental standards and regulations. The HEC Project contributed significantly towards the Hanford site compliance with Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) requirements. It provided, in part, those construction activities required to comply with those requirements in the areas of liquid and solid waste treatment and disposal, waste characterization, and groundwater monitoring

Public participation in the evaluation of innovative environmental cleanup technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, T.; McCabe, G.; Serie, P.; Niesen, K.

1994-08-01

Technologies for remediation of contamination are urgently needed to clean up US Department of Energy (DOE) sites across the country. DOE is managing a national program to develop, demonstrate, and deploy new technologies with promise to expedite this cleanup. The Integrated Demonstration for Cleanup of Volatile Organic Compounds at Arid Sites (VOC-Arid ID) is one such effort. Time and resources, however, are too limited to be invested in methods of remediation that will never be deployed because they have not been rigorously evaluated or because they face the withering opposition of stakeholders. Therefore the VOC-Arid ID is assessing technology both in terms of its technical effectiveness and its stakeholder acceptability. Only if a technology performs as required and is acceptable to regulators, users of technology, and the public will the VOC-Arid ID recommend its use. What distinguishes public involvement in the VOC-Arid ID is the direct influence stakeholders have on the design of technology demonstrations by working directly with technology developers. Stakeholders participated in defining the criteria with which innovative environmental cleanup technology is being evaluated. The integrated demonstration is committed to providing stakeholders with the information they've indicated they need to reach reasoned judgments about the use of specific cleanup technologies. A guiding principle of the VOC-Arid ID is that stakeholder participation improves the technologies being developed, enhances the acceptance of the technologies, and will lead to the broad and timely deployment of appropriate and effective methods of environmental remediation. The VOC-Arid ID has involved stakeholders from the host demonstration site, Hanford, Washington, and from other and sites where the ID technologies may be deployed

Report to Congress on the U.S. Department of Energy`s Environmental Management Science Program: Research funded and its linkages to environmental cleanup problems, and high out-year cost environmental management project descriptions. Volume 3 of 3 -- Appendix C

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-04-01

The Department of Energy`s Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) serves as a catalyst for the application of scientific discoveries to the development and deployment of technologies that will lead to reduction of the costs and risks associated with cleaning up the nation`s nuclear complex. Appendix C provides details about each of the Department`s 82 high cost projects and lists the EMSP research awards with potential to impact each of these projects. The high cost projects listed are those having costs greater than $50 million in constant 1998 dollars from the year 2007 and beyond, based on the March 1998 Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closure Draft data, and having costs of quantities of material associated with an environmental management problem area. The high cost project information is grouped by operations office and organized by site and project code. Each operations office section begins with a list of research needs associated with that operations office. Potentially related research awards are listed by problem area in the Index of Research Awards by Environmental Management Problem Area, which can be found at the end of appendices B and C. For projects that address high risks to the public, workers, or the environment, refer also the Health/Ecology/Risk problem area awards. Research needs are programmatic or technical challenges that may benefit from knowledge gained through basic research.

Science to support DOE site cleanup: The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Environmental Management Science Program awards. Fiscal year 1997, mid-year progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-06-01

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory was awarded ten Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) research grants in Fiscal Year 1996. This report gives a summary of how each grant is addressing significant DOE cleanup issues, including those at the Hanford Site. The technical progress made to date in each of these research projects is addressed in more detail in the individual progress reports contained in this document. This research is primarily focused in three areas--Tank Waste Remediation, Soil and Groundwater Cleanup, and Health Effects

Science to support DOE site cleanup: The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Environmental Management Science Program awards. Fiscal year 1997 mid-year progress report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-06-01

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory was awarded ten Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) research grants in Fiscal Year 1996. This report gives a summary of how each grant is addressing significant DOE cleanup issues, including those at the Hanford Site. The technical progress made to date in each of these research projects is addressed in more detail in the individual progress reports contained in this document. This research is primarily focused in three areas--Tank Waste Remediation, Soil and Groundwater Cleanup, and Health Effects.

Three Mile Island Cleanup: experiences, waste disposal, and environmental impact

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, L.J.; Opelka, J.H.

1982-01-01

These papers were presented in a two-session symposium during the American Institute of Chemical Engineers 1981 Summer National meeting in Detroit, Michigan, August 16-19, 1981. The cleanup activities described included the venting of the gases, mostly krypton-85, from the reactor containment building and several entries of personnel into the containment building to determine the physical conditions and the levels of radiation and radioactive contamination. Results of the latest process development tests of the flowsheet for the submerged Demineralizer Water Treatment System for decontaminating the water in the containment building were presented. The status of existing knowledge of radiation effects on ion exchange materials used in radioactive waste management were reviewed. A program to demonstrate incorporation of the loaded zeolite into a glass as a final waste form was also described. The generation, classification, treatment, and disposal of solid waste forms resulting from the cleanup were discussed with special consideration of the ion exchange media used for cleanup of liquids with relatively high radionuclide concentrations. The radiological, socioeconomic, and psychological impacts of the cleanup were evaluated. This work formed the basis for the recent issuance by the NRC of a programmatic environmental impact statement relative to decontamination and disposal of the radioactive wastes resulting from the accidents

Green Remediation Best Management Practices: Overview of EPA's Methodology to Address the Environmental Footprint of Site Cleanup

Science.gov (United States)

Contaminated site cleanups involving complex activities may benefit from a detailed environmental footprint analysis to inform decision-making about application of suitable best management practices for greener cleanups.

Continuing Clean-up at Oak Ridge, Portsmouth and Paducah-Successes and Near-Term Plans

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fritz, L. L.; Houser, S. M.; Starling, D. A.

2002-02-26

This paper describes the complexities and challenges associated with the Oak Ridge Environmental Management (EM) cleanup program and the steps that DOE and Bechtel Jacobs Company LLC (the Oak Ridge EM team) have collaboratively taken to make significant physical progress and get the job done. Maintaining significant environmental cleanup progress is a daunting challenge for the Oak Ridge EM Team. The scale and span of the Oak Ridge Operations (ORO) cleanup is immense-five major half-century-old installations in three states (three installations are complete gaseous diffusion plants), with concurrent cleanup at the fully operational Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex, and with regulatory oversight from three states and two United States (US) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regions. Potential distractions arising from funding fluctuations and color-of-money constraints, regulatory negotiations, stakeholder issues, or any one of a number of other potential delay phenomena can not reduce the focus on safely achieving project objectives to maintain cleanup momentum.

Defining the framework for environmentally compliant cleanup: The Hanford site tri-party agreement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Austin, B.A.; Wisness, S.H.

1994-01-01

The Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order, commonly called the Tri-Party Agreement, was signed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the State of Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in May of 1989. It was the first three-party agreement of its magnitude in the country and was touted as a landmark agreement. It was one of the most significant actions that has been taken to define the framework for environmentally compliant cleanup actions at the Hanford Site. Accomplishments thus far represent a lot of planning, permitting, and development activities either required by regulation or necessary to ensure an adequate infrastructure to support cleanup activities. Actual cleanup work and construction of new facilities are beginning to accelerate as the Hanford Site moves out of study and development phases into actual cleanup activities. Significant changes to the Hanford Tri-Party Agreement were negotiated between May 1993 and January 1994. These negotiations were precipitated by the completion of a 15-month rebaselining study of the Hanford Site's Tank Waste Remediation System. The revised agreement is based on comments and values the three agencies heard from people of the region during the negotiation process. The recent renegotiation reflected an ability of the agencies and the agreement to change commensurate with technical, economic, and political realities of today. Hanford has moved into a new era of public participation which will continue to watch and guide cleanup efforts in manners satisfactory to regional concerns and values

Science to support DOE site cleanup: The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Environmental Management Science Program awards. Fiscal year 1998 mid-year progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-05-01

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory was awarded ten (10) Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) research grants in Fiscal Year 1996 and six (6) in Fiscal Year 1997. This section summarizes how each grant addresses significant US Department of Energy (DOE) cleanup issues, including those at the Hanford Site. The technical progress made to date in each of these research projects is addressed in more detail in the individual progress reports contained in this document. This research is focused primarily in four areas: Tank Waste Remediation, Spent Nuclear Fuel and Nuclear Materials, Soil and Groundwater Cleanup, and Health Effects

Science to support DOE site cleanup: The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Environmental Management Science Program awards. Fiscal year 1998 mid-year progress report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-05-01

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory was awarded ten (10) Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) research grants in Fiscal Year 1996 and six (6) in Fiscal Year 1997. This section summarizes how each grant addresses significant US Department of Energy (DOE) cleanup issues, including those at the Hanford Site. The technical progress made to date in each of these research projects is addressed in more detail in the individual progress reports contained in this document. This research is focused primarily in four areas: Tank Waste Remediation, Spent Nuclear Fuel and Nuclear Materials, Soil and Groundwater Cleanup, and Health Effects.

US Department of Energy Environmental Cleanup Technology Development program: Business and research opportunities guide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-12-31

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM) is charged with overseeing a multi-billion dollar environmental cleanup effort. EM leads an aggressive national research, development, demonstration, testing, and evaluation program to provide environmental restoration and waste management technologies to DOE sites, and to manage DOE-generated waste. DOE is firmly committed to working with industry to effectuate this cleanup effort. We recognize that private industry, university, and other research and development programs are valuable sources of technology innovation. The primary purpose of this document is to provide you with information on potential business opportunities in the following technical program areas: Remediation of High-Level Waste Tanks; Characterization, Treatment, and Disposal of Mixed Waste; Migration of Contaminants; Containment of Existing Landfills; Decommissioning and Final Disposition, and Robotics.

EFFECTIVE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE STRATEGY FOR THE CLEANUP OF K BASINS AT HANFORD SITE WASHINGTON

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

AMBALAM, T.

2004-01-01

, sludge, debris and water. At present, almost all of the spent fuel has been removed from the basins and other activities to remove sludge, debris and water are scheduled to be completed in 2007. Developing environmental documentation and obtaining regulatory approvals for a project which was initiated outside CERCLA and came under CERCLA during execution, was a significant priority to the successful completion of the SNF retrieval, transfer, drying, transport and storage of fuel, within the purview of strong conduct-of-operations culture associated with nuclear facilities. Environmental requirements promulgated in the state regulations by Washington Department of Public Health for radiation were recognized as ''applicable or relevant and appropriate.'' Effective implementation of the environmental compliance strategy in a project that transitioned to CERCLA became a significant challenge involving multiple contractors. This paper provides an overview of the development and implementation of an environmental permitting and surveillance strategy that enabled us to achieve full compliance in a challenging environment, with milestones and cost constraints, while meeting the high safety standards. The details of the strategy as to how continuous rapport with the regulators, facility operators and surveillance groups helped to avoid impacts on the clean-up schedule are discussed. Highlighted are the role of engineered controls, surveillance protocols and triggers for monitoring and reporting, and active administrative controls that were established for the control of emissions, water loss and transport of waste shipments, during the different phases of the project

Science to Support DOE Site Cleanup: The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Environmental Management Science Program Awards - Fiscal Year 2000 Mid-Year Progress Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

CD Carlson; SQ Bennett

2000-01-01

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory was awarded ten Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) research grants in fiscal year 1996, six in fiscal year 1997, eight in fiscal year 1998, and seven in fiscal year 1999. All of the fiscal year 1996 award projects have been completed and will publish final reports, so their annual updates will not be included in this document. This section summarizes how each of the currently funded grants addresses significant US Department of Energy (DOE) cleanup issues, including those at the Hanford Site. The technical progress made to date in each of these research projects is addressed in more detail in the individual progress reports contained in this document. This research performed at PNNL is focused primarily in four areas: Tank Waste Remediation; Decontamination and Decommissioning; Spent Nuclear Fuel and Nuclear Materials; and Soil and Groundwater Cleanup

Science to Support DOE Site Cleanup: The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Environmental Management Science Program Awards - Fiscal Year 2000 Mid-Year Progress Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

CD Carlson; SQ Bennett

2000-07-25

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory was awarded ten Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) research grants in fiscal year 1996, six in fiscal year 1997, eight in fiscal year 1998, and seven in fiscal year 1999. All of the fiscal year 1996 award projects have been completed and will publish final reports, so their annual updates will not be included in this document. This section summarizes how each of the currently funded grants addresses significant US Department of Energy (DOE) cleanup issues, including those at the Hanford Site. The technical progress made to date in each of these research projects is addressed in more detail in the individual progress reports contained in this document. This research performed at PNNL is focused primarily in four areas: Tank Waste Remediation; Decontamination and Decommissioning; Spent Nuclear Fuel and Nuclear Materials; and Soil and Groundwater Cleanup.

HANFORD SITE CENTRAL PLATEAU CLEANUP COMPLETION STRATEGY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergman, T.B.

2011-01-01

Cleanup of the Hanford Site is a complex and challenging undertaking. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has developed a comprehensive vision for completing Hanford's cleanup mission including transition to post-cleanup activities. This vision includes 3 principle components of cleanup: the ∼200 square miles ofland adjacent to the Columbia River, known as the River Corridor; the 75 square miles of land in the center of the Hanford Site, where the majority of the reprocessing and waste management activities have occurred, known as the Central Plateau; and the stored reprocessing wastes in the Central Plateau, the Tank Wastes. Cleanup of the River Corridor is well underway and is progressing towards completion of most cleanup actions by 2015. Tank waste cleanup is progressing on a longer schedule due to the complexity of the mission, with construction of the largest nuclear construction project in the United States, the Waste Treatment Plant, over 50% complete. With the progress on the River Corridor and Tank Waste, it is time to place increased emphasis on moving forward with cleanup of the Central Plateau. Cleanup of the Hanford Site has been proceeding under a framework defmed in the Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (Tri-Party Agreement). In early 2009, the DOE, the State of Washington Department of Ecology, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency signed an Agreement in Principle in which the parties recognized the need to develop a more comprehensive strategy for cleanup of the Central Plateau. DOE agreed to develop a Central Plateau Cleanup Completion Strategy as a starting point for discussions. This DOE Strategy was the basis for negotiations between the Parties, discussions with the State of Oregon, the Hanford Advisory Board, and other Stakeholder groups (including open public meetings), and consultation with the Tribal Nations. The change packages to incorporate the Central Plateau Cleanup Completion Strategy were signed by the

West Valley Demonstration Project Annual Site Environmental Report Calendar Year 2003

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

This Annual Site Environmental Report for the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP or Project) is published to inform those with interest about environmental conditions at the WVDP. In accordance with U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Order 231.1A, Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting, the report summarizes calendar year (CY) 2003 environmental monitoring data so as to describe the performance of the WVDP's environmental management system (EMS), confirm compliance with standards and regulations, and highlight important programs. During 2003, cleanup of radioactive waste from the former nuclear fuels reprocessing plant that shut down operations in the 1970s was continued at the WVDP. The Project is located in western New York State, about 30 miles south of Buffalo, within the New York State-owned Western New York Nuclear Service Center (WNYNSC). The WVDP is being conducted in cooperation with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. Work activities at the WVDP during 2003 included: (1) maintaining canisters of vitrified high-level waste in a shielded facility; (2) shipping low-level radioactive waste offsite for disposal; (3) shipping packaged spent nuclear fuel assemblies to Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory; (4) constructing a facility where large high-activity components can be safely size-reduced and packaged for disposal; (5) decontaminating the fuel storage pool and the cask unloading pool; (6) decontaminating the general purpose cell and the process mechanical cell (also referred to as the head end cells); (7) cleanup of waste in the plutonium purification cell (south) and extraction cell number 2 in the main plant; (8) planning for decontamination and dismantlement of the vitrification facility; (9) continuing preparation of the Decommissioning and/or Long-Term Stewardship Environmental Impact Statement; and (10) monitoring the environment and managing contaminated areas within the Project facility premises

Hanford: A Conversation About Nuclear Waste and Cleanup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gephart, Roy E.

2003-01-01

The author takes us on a journey through a world of facts, values, conflicts, and choices facing the most complex environmental cleanup project in the United States, the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site. Starting with the top-secret Manhattan Project, Hanford was used to create tons of plutonium for nuclear weapons. Hundreds of tons of waste remain. In an easy-to-read, illustrated text, Gephart crafts the story of Hanford becoming the world's first nuclear weapons site to release large amounts of contaminants into the environment. This was at a time when radiation biology was in its infancy, industry practiced unbridled waste dumping, and the public trusted what it was told. The plutonium market stalled with the end of the Cold War. Public accountability and environmental compliance ushered in a new cleanup mission. Today, Hanford is driven by remediation choices whose outcomes remain uncertain. It's a story whose epilogue will be written by future generations. This book is an information resource, written for the general reader as well as the technically trained person wanting an overview of Hanford and cleanup issues facing the nuclear weapons complex. Each chapter is a topical mini-series. It's an idea guide that encourages readers to be informed consumers of Hanford news, to recognize that knowledge, high ethical standards, and social values are at the heart of coping with Hanford's past and charting its future. Hanford history is a window into many environmental conflicts facing our nation; it's about building upon success and learning from failure. And therein lies a key lesson, when powerful interests are involved, no generation is above pretense. Roy E. Gephart is a geohydrologist and senior program manager at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington. He has 30 years experience in environmental studies and the nuclear waste industry

Worker Safety and Health Issues Associated with the DOE Environmental Cleanup Program: Insights From the DOE Laboratory Directors' Environmental and Occupational/Public health Standards Steering Group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

M.C. Edelson; Samuel C. Morris; Joan M. Daisey

2001-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Laboratory Directors' Environmental and Occupational/Public Health Standards Steering Group (or ''SSG'') was formed in 1990. It was felt then that ''risk'' could be an organizing principle for environmental cleanup and that risk-based cleanup standards could rationalize clean up work. The environmental remediation process puts workers engaged in cleanup activities at risk from hazardous materials and from the more usual hazards associated with construction activities. In a real sense, the site remediation process involves the transfer of a hypothetical risk to the environment and the public from isolated contamination into real risks to the workers engaged in the remediation activities. Late in its existence the SSG, primarily motivated by its LANL representative, Dr. Harry Ettinger, actively investigated issues associated with worker health and safety during environmental remediation activities. This paper summarizes the insights noted by the SSG. Most continue to be pertinent today

Meeting the requirements for a DOE environmental restoration project. The Fernald strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vanoss, R.L.; Risenhoover, G.M.

1994-01-01

Environmental Restoration (ER) of five Operable Units (OU) at Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP) includes compliance with the requirements of Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and DOE Orders. Each regulatory driver has differing procedural requirements for documenting calculations, decisions, and actions involved in site cleanup. Integration of documentation and avoidance of duplication can save time and money. Such savings are being achieved by OU specific application of supporting studies, revised procedures, and guidance documents. Each OU is seeking appropriate opportunities to produce single documents that simultaneously fulfill the important requirements of the other regulations and DOE orders. These opportunities are evaluated at all phases of decision making, remedial design, and remedial action. Three essential processes precede environmental restoration/remedial action at a DOE site/project: 1. Completion of decision-making documents required by governing or applicable statutes. 2. Completion of important scientific and engineering analyses of remedial alternatives, and design and implementation of the remedial solution established in the CERCLA Record of Decision (ROD). 3. Preparation of DOE-mandated documentation to record engineering evaluations and cost estimates required for budgeting, decision making, and project management. Methodology and requirements for each process have developed from long, successful practice, but independently of each other. FERMCO, as new DOE contractor at Fernald and first Environmental Restoration Management Contractor (ERMC), is committed to a process of Continuous Performance Improvement (CPI). A major reevaluation of documentation and processes for support of environmental decision-making and design of cleanup activities to remediate the five OUs at the FEMP is being undertaken

Integrated program management for major nuclear decommissioning and environmental remediation projects - 59068

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lehew, John

2012-01-01

Document available in abstract form only. Full text of publication follows: CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company (CH2M HILL) is the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) contractor responsible for the safe, environmental cleanup of the Hanford Sites Central Plateau, sections of the Columbia River Corridor and the Hanford Reach National Monument. The 586-square-mile Hanford Site is located along the Columbia River in southeastern Washington, U.S.A. A plutonium production complex, housing the largest volume of radioactive and contaminated waste in the nation, with nine nuclear reactors and associated processing facilities, Hanford played a pivotal role in the nation's defense for more than 40 years, beginning in the 1940's with the Manhattan Project. Today, under the direction of the DOE, Hanford is engaged in one of the world's largest environmental cleanup project. The Plateau Remediation Contract is a 10-year project paving the way for closure of the Hanford Site. The site through its location, climate, geology and proximity to the Columbia River in combination with the results of past nuclear operations presents a highly complex environmental remediation challenge. The complexity is not only due to the technical issues associated with decommissioning nuclear facilities, remediating soil contamination sites, dispositioning legacy waste and fuel materials and integrating these with the deep vadose zone and groundwater remediation

Surface and subsurface cleanup protocol for radionuclides, Gunnison, Colorado, UMTRA project processing site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-09-01

Surface and subsurface soil cleanup protocols for the Gunnison, Colorado, processing sits are summarized as follows: In accordance with EPA-promulgated land cleanup standards (40 CFR 192), in situ Ra-226 is to be cleaned up based on bulk concentrations not exceeding 5 and 15 pCi/g in 15-cm surface and subsurface depth increments, averaged over 100-m 2 grid blocks, where the parent Ra-226 concentrations are greater than, or in secular equilibrium with, the Th-230 parent. A bulk interpretation of these EPA standards has been accepted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and while the concentration of the finer-sized soil fraction less than a No. 4 mesh sieve contains the higher concentration of radioactivity, the bulk approach in effect integrates the total sample radioactivity over the entire sample mass. In locations where Th-230 has differentially migrated in subsoil relative to Ra-226, a Th-230 cleanup protocol has been developed in accordance with Supplemental Standard provisions of 40 CFR 192 for NRC/Colorado Department of Health (CDH) approval for timely implementation. Detailed elements of the protocol are contained in Appendix A, Generic Protocol from Thorium-230 Cleanup/Verification at UMTRA Project Processing Sites. The cleanup of other radionuclides or nonradiological hazards that pose a significant threat to the public and the environment will be determined and implemented in accordance with pathway analysis to assess impacts and the implications of ALARA specified in 40 CFR 192 relative to supplemental standards

Cleanup at the Los Alamos National Laboratory - The Challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stiger, S.G.; Hargis, K.; Graham, M.; Rael, G.

2009-01-01

This paper provides an overview of environmental cleanup at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and some of the unique aspects and challenges. Cleanup of the 65-year old Department of Energy laboratory is being conducted under a RCRA Consent Order with the State of New Mexico. This agreement is one of the most recent cleanup agreements signed in the DOE complex and was based on lessons learned at other DOE sites. A number of attributes create unique challenges for LANL cleanup - the proximity to the community and pueblos, the site's topography and geology, and the nature of LANL's on-going missions. This overview paper will set the stage for other papers in this session, including papers that present: - Plans to retrieve buried waste at Material Disposal Area B, across the street from one of Los Alamos' commercial districts and the local newspaper; - Progress to date and joint plans with WIPP for disposal of the remaining inventory of legacy transuranic waste; - Reviews of both groundwater and surface water contamination and the factors complicating both characterization and remediation; - Optimizing the disposal of low-level radioactive waste from ongoing LANL missions; - A stakeholder environmental data transparency project (RACER), with full public access to all available information on contamination at LANL, and - A description of the approach to waste processing cost recovery from the programs that generate hazardous and radioactive waste at LANL. (authors)

Technologies for environmental cleanup: Toxic and hazardous waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ragaini, R.C.

1993-12-01

This is the second in a series of EUROCOURSES conducted under the title, ''Technologies for Environmental Cleanup.'' To date, the series consist of the following courses: 1992, soils and groundwater; 1993, Toxic and Hazardous Waste Management. The 1993 course focuses on recent technological developments in the United States and Europe in the areas of waste management policies and regulations, characterization and monitoring of waste, waste minimization and recycling strategies, thermal treatment technologies, photolytic degradation processes, bioremediation processes, medical waste treatment, waste stabilization processes, catalytic organic destruction technologies, risk analyses, and data bases and information networks. It is intended that this course ill serve as a resource of state-of-the-art technologies and methodologies for the environmental protection manager involved in decisions concerning the management of toxic and hazardous waste

The Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory project -- Continuous evolution in leadership

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knutson, D.E.; McClusky, J.K.

1994-10-01

The Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) construction project at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) in Richland, Washington, is a $230M Major Systems Acquisition for the US Department of Energy (DOE). The completed laboratory will be a national user facility that provides unparalleled capabilities for scientists involved in environmental molecular science research. This project, approved for construction by the Secretary of Energy in October 1993, is underway. The United States is embarking on an environmental cleanup effort that dwarfs previous scientific enterprise. Using current best available technology, the projected costs of cleaning up the tens of thousands of toxic waste sites, including DOE sites, is estimated to exceed one trillion dollars. The present state of scientific knowledge regarding the effects of exogenous chemicals on human biology is very limited. Long term environmental research at the molecular level is needed to resolve the concerns, and form the building blocks for a structure of cost effective process improvement and regulatory reform

The Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory project -- Continuous evolution in leadership

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knutson, D.E.; McClusky, J.K.

1994-10-01

The Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) construction project at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) in Richland, Washington, is a $230M Major Systems Acquisition for the US Department of Energy (DOE). The completed laboratory will be a national user facility that provides unparalleled capabilities for scientists involved in environmental molecular science research. This project, approved for construction by the Secretary of Energy in October 1993, is underway. The United States is embarking on an environmental cleanup effort that dwarfs previous scientific enterprise. Using current best available technology, the projected costs of cleaning up the tens of thousands of toxic waste sites, including DOE sites, is estimated to exceed one trillion dollars. The present state of scientific knowledge regarding the effects of exogenous chemicals on human biology is very limited. Long term environmental research at the molecular level is needed to resolve the concerns, and form the building blocks for a structure of cost effective process improvement and regulatory reform.

Worker Safety and Health Issues Associated with the DOE Environmental Cleanup Program: Insights From the DOE Laboratory Directors' Environmental and Occupational/Public health Standards Steering Group

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

M.C. Edelson; Samuel C. Morris; Joan M. Daisey

2001-03-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Laboratory Directors' Environmental and Occupational/Public Health Standards Steering Group (or ''SSG'') was formed in 1990. It was felt then that ''risk'' could be an organizing principle for environmental cleanup and that risk-based cleanup standards could rationalize clean up work. The environmental remediation process puts workers engaged in cleanup activities at risk from hazardous materials and from the more usual hazards associated with construction activities. In a real sense, the site remediation process involves the transfer of a hypothetical risk to the environment and the public from isolated contamination into real risks to the workers engaged in the remediation activities. Late in its existence the SSG, primarily motivated by its LANL representative, Dr. Harry Ettinger, actively investigated issues associated with worker health and safety during environmental remediation activities. This paper summarizes the insights noted by the SSG. Most continue to be pertinent today.

Report to Congress on the U.S. Department of Energy's Environmental Management Science Program: Research funded and its linkages to environmental cleanup problems. Volume 1 of 3 - Report and Appendix A

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-04-01

This report is submitted in response to a Congressional request and is intended to communicate the nature, content, goals, and accomplishments of the Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) to interested and affected parties in the Department and its contractors, at Federal agencies, in the scientific community, and in the general public. The EMSP was started in response to a request to mount an effort in longer term basic science research to seek new and innovative cleanup methods to replace current conventional approaches which are often costly and ineffective. Section 1, ''Background of the Program,'' provides information on the evolution of the EMSP and how it is managed, and summarizes recent accomplishments. Section 2, ''Research Award Selection Process,'' provides an overview of the ongoing needs identification process, solicitation development, and application review for scientific merit and programmatic relevance. Section 3, ''Linkages to Environmental Cleanup Problems,'' provides an overview of the major interrelationships (linkages) among EMSP basic research awards, Environmental Management problem areas, and high cost projects. Section 4, ''Capitalizing on Science Investments,'' discusses the steps the EMSP plans to use to facilitate the application of research results in Environmental Management strategies through effective communication and collaboration. Appendix A contains four program notices published by the EMSP inviting applications for grants

Cleanup at the Los Alamos National Laboratory - the challenges - 9493

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stiger, Susan G.; Hargis, Kenneth M.; Graham, Michael J.; Rael, George J.

2008-01-01

This paper provides an overview of environmental cleanup at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and some of the unique aspects and challenges. Cleanup of the 65-year old Department of Energy Laboratory is being conducted under a RCRA Consent Order with the State of New Mexico. This agreement is one of the most recent cleanup agreements signed in the DOE complex and was based on lessons learned at other DOE sites. A number of attributes create unique challenges for LANL cleanup -- the proximity to the community and pueblos, the site's topography and geology, and the nature of LANL's on-going missions. This overview paper will set the stage for other papers in this session, including papers that present: Plans to retrieve buried waste at Material Disposal Area B, across the street from oen of Los Alamos' commercial districts and the local newspaper; Progress to date and joint plans with WIPP for disposal of the remaining inventory of legacy transuranic waste; Reviews of both groundwater and surface water contamination and the factors complicating both characterization and remediation; Optimizing the disposal of low-level radioactive waste from ongoing LANL missions; A stakeholder environmental data transparency project (RACER), with full public access to all available information on contamination at LANL, and A description of the approach to waste processing cost recovery from the programs that generate hazardous and radioactive waste at LANL.

Hanford Site Cleanup Challenges and Opportunities for Science and Technology--A Strategic Assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wood, Thomas W.; Johnson, Wayne L.; Kreid, Dennis K.; Walton, Terry L.

2001-02-01

The sheer expanse of the Hanford Site, the inherent hazards associated with the significant inventory of nuclear materials and wastes, the large number of aging contaminated facilities, the diverse nature and extent of environmental contamination, and the proximity to the Columbia River make Hanford perhaps the world's largest and most complex environmental cleanup project. It is not possible to address the more complex elements of this enormous challenge in a cost-effective manner without strategic investments in science and technology. Success requires vigorous and sustained efforts to enhance the science and technology basis, develop and deploy innovative solutions, and provide firm scientific bases to support site cleanup and closure decisions at Hanford.

Hanford Site Cleanup Challenges and Opportunities for Science and Technology--A Strategic Assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wood, Thomas W.; Johnson, Wayne L.; Kreid, Dennis K.; Walton, Terry L.

2001-01-01

The sheer expanse of the Hanford Site, the inherent hazards associated with the significant inventory of nuclear materials and wastes, the large number of aging contaminated facilities, the diverse nature and extent of environmental contamination, and the proximity to the Columbia River make Hanford perhaps the world's largest and most complex environmental cleanup project. It is not possible to address the more complex elements of this enormous challenge in a cost-effective manner without strategic investments in science and technology. Success requires vigorous and sustained efforts to enhance the science and technology basis, develop and deploy innovative solutions, and provide firm scientific bases to support site cleanup and closure decisions at Hanford

Cleanup at Los Alamos National Laboratory - the challenges - 9493

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stiger, Susan G [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Hargis, Kenneth M [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Graham, Michael J [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Rael, George J [NNSL/LASO

2008-01-01

This paper provides an overview of environmental cleanup at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and some of the unique aspects and challenges. Cleanup of the 65-year old Department of Energy Laboratory is being conducted under a RCRA Consent Order with the State of New Mexico. This agreement is one of the most recent cleanup agreements signed in the DOE complex and was based on lessons learned at other DOE sites. A number of attributes create unique challenges for LANL cleanup -- the proximity to the community and pueblos, the site's topography and geology, and the nature of LANL's on-going missions. This overview paper will set the stage for other papers in this session, including papers that present: Plans to retrieve buried waste at Material Disposal Area B, across the street from oen of Los Alamos' commercial districts and the local newspaper; Progress to date and joint plans with WIPP for disposal of the remaining inventory of legacy transuranic waste; Reviews of both groundwater and surface water contamination and the factors complicating both characterization and remediation; Optimizing the disposal of low-level radioactive waste from ongoing LANL missions; A stakeholder environmental data transparency project (RACER), with full public access to all available information on contamination at LANL, and A description of the approach to waste processing cost recovery from the programs that generate hazardous and radioactive waste at LANL.

Strategic Environmental Research and Development Project FY 1994: Assessing national remote sensing technologies for use in US Department of Energy Environmental Restoration Activities, Oak Ridge Solid Waste Storage Area 4 case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, A.L.; Smyre, J.L.; Evers, T.K.

1995-02-01

During FY 1994, the Oak Ridge Environmental Restoration (ER) Remote Sensing Program teamed with members of the Oak Ridge National Security Program Office (NSPO), the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan (ERIM) under contract to the National Exploitation Laboratory (NEL), the Oak Ridge Waste Area Group 4 (WAG 4) ER Program, and the US Department of Energy (DOE), Offices of Technology Development, Nonproliferation and National Security, and Environmental Restoration, to conduct a test and demonstration of the uses of national remote sensing technologies at DOE hazardous waste sites located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Objectives of the Oak Ridge study were to determine if national remote sensing technologies are useful in conducting prescreening, characterization, and/or monitoring activities to expedite the clean-up process at hazardous waste sites and to cut clean-up costs wherever possible. This project was sponsored by the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Project (SERDP)

WEST VALLEY DEMONSTRATION PROJECT ANNUAL SITE ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT CALENDAR YEAR 2002

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

This annual environmental monitoring report for the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP or Project) is published to inform those with interest about environmental conditions at the WVDP. In accordance with U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Order 231.1, Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting, the report summarizes calendar year (CY) 2002 environmental monitoring data so as to describe the performance of the WVDP's environmental management system, confirm compliance with standards and regulations, and highlight important programs. In 2002, the West Valley Demonstration Project, the site of a DOE environmental cleanup activity operated by West Valley Nuclear Services Co. (WVNSCO), was in the final stages of stabilizing high-level radioactive waste (HLW) that remained at the site after commercial nuclear fuel reprocessing had been discontinued in the early 1970s. The Project is located in western New York State, about 30 miles south of Buffalo, within the New York State-owned Western New York Nuclear Service Center (WNYNSC). The WVDP is being conducted in cooperation with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Ongoing work activities at the WVDP during 2002 included: (1) completing HLW solidification and melter shutdown; (2) shipping low-level radioactive waste off-site for disposal; (3) constructing a facility where large high-activity components can be safely packaged for disposal; (4) packaging and removing spent materials from the vitrification facility; (5) preparing environmental impact statements for future activities; (6) removing as much of the waste left behind in waste tanks 8D-1 and 8D-2 as was reasonably possible; (7) removing storage racks, canisters, and debris from the fuel receiving and storage pool, decontaminating pool walls, and beginning shipment of debris for disposal; (8) ongoing decontamination in the general purpose cell and the process mechanical cell (also referred to as the head end cells); (9) planning

WEST VALLEY DEMONSTRATION PROJECT ANNUAL SITE ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT CALENDAR YEAR 2002

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2003-09-12

This annual environmental monitoring report for the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP or Project) is published to inform those with interest about environmental conditions at the WVDP. In accordance with U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Order 231.1, Environment, Safety, and Health Reporting, the report summarizes calendar year (CY) 2002 environmental monitoring data so as to describe the performance of the WVDP's environmental management system, confirm compliance with standards and regulations, and highlight important programs. In 2002, the West Valley Demonstration Project, the site of a DOE environmental cleanup activity operated by West Valley Nuclear Services Co. (WVNSCO), was in the final stages of stabilizing high-level radioactive waste (HLW) that remained at the site after commercial nuclear fuel reprocessing had been discontinued in the early 1970s. The Project is located in western New York State, about 30 miles south of Buffalo, within the New York State-owned Western New York Nuclear Service Center (WNYNSC). The WVDP is being conducted in cooperation with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Ongoing work activities at the WVDP during 2002 included: (1) completing HLW solidification and melter shutdown; (2) shipping low-level radioactive waste off-site for disposal; (3) constructing a facility where large high-activity components can be safely packaged for disposal; (4) packaging and removing spent materials from the vitrification facility; (5) preparing environmental impact statements for future activities; (6) removing as much of the waste left behind in waste tanks 8D-1 and 8D-2 as was reasonably possible; (7) removing storage racks, canisters, and debris from the fuel receiving and storage pool, decontaminating pool walls, and beginning shipment of debris for disposal; (8) ongoing decontamination in the general purpose cell and the process mechanical cell (also referred to as the head end cells); (9

Cleanup of radioactivity contamination in environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kosako, Toshiso

1994-01-01

Environmental radioactivity cleanup is needed under a large scale accident in a reactor or in an RI irradiation facility which associates big disperse of radioactivities. Here, the fundamental concept including a radiation protection target, a period classification, planning, an information data base, etc. Then, the methods and measuring instruments on radioactivity contamination and the cleanup procedure are explained. Finally, the real site examples of accidental cleanup are presented for a future discussion. (author)

Oil spills and their cleanup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fingas, M.

1995-01-01

Oil spills are an unfortunately common occurrence in the world's seas and can have extensive damaging environmental consequences. This article examines various methods of cleaning up oil spills, evaluates their effectiveness in various situations, and identifies areas where, current methods being inadequate, further research is needed. Containment, mechanical removal, shoreline cleanup, chemical treating agents, in situ burning, natural recovery and enhanced bioremediation are all assessed. The cleanup method must be selected to match environmental conditions. Results are good in quiet, sheltered waters, but need extensive development in open waters and high seas. (UK)

Proceedings of the seventh annual gasification and gas stream cleanup systems contractors review meeting: Volume 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghate, M.R.; Markel, K.E. Jr.; Jarr, L.A.; Bossart, S.J. (eds.)

1987-08-01

On June 16 through 19, 1987, METC sponsored the Seventh Annual Gasification and Gas Stream Cleanup Systems Contractors Review Meeting which was held at the Sheraton Lakeview Conference Center in Morgantown, West Virginia. The primary purpose of the meeting was threefold: to review the technical progress and current status of the gasification and gas stream cleanup projects sponsored by the Department of Energy; to foster technology exchange among participating researchers and other technical communities; to facilitate interactive dialogues which would identify research needs that would make coal-based gasification systems more attractive economically and environmentally. More than 310 representatives of Government, academia, industry, and foreign energy research organizations attended the 4-day meeting. Fifty-three papers and thirty poster displays were presented summarizing recent developments in the gasification and gas stream cleanup programs. Volume I covers information presented at sessions 1 through 4 on systems for the production of Co-products and industrial fuel gas, environmental projects, and components and materials. Individual papers have been processed for the Energy Data Base.

Status of decommissioning activities at the Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP) site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

The Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP) was formally closed and the mission of the facility was officially redirected toward environmental restoration in August 1991. Many of the production facilities and equipment still contained quantities of raw, intermediate, and finished production-related materials. The safe Shutdown program was initiated to remove and properly disposition all nuclear product and in process residue materials, supplies, chemicals, and associated process equipment that was abandoned in place when FEMP stopped production in 1989. As part of the remedial design of the interim remedial action, a schedule for building dismantlement was submitted in June 1995. A 31-year schedule was developed, based on anticipation of reduced funding levels. However, recent cleanup successes at Fernald led to DOE endorsement of greater funding for the final cleanup, accelerating the schedule for Operable Unit 3 dismantlement, reducing the schedule to ten years. Under the accelerated schedule, several plants will be dismantled, starting in 1996

Report to Congress on the U.S. Department of Energy`s Environmental Management Science Program: Research funded and its linkages to environmental cleanup problems. Volume 1 of 3 -- Report and Appendix A

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-04-01

This report is submitted in response to a Congressional request and is intended to communicate the nature, content, goals, and accomplishments of the Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) to interested and affected parties in the Department and its contractors, at Federal agencies, in the scientific community, and in the general public. The EMSP was started in response to a request to mount an effort in longer term basic science research to seek new and innovative cleanup methods to replace current conventional approaches which are often costly and ineffective. Section 1, ``Background of the Program,`` provides information on the evolution of the EMSP and how it is managed, and summarizes recent accomplishments. Section 2, ``Research Award Selection Process,`` provides an overview of the ongoing needs identification process, solicitation development, and application review for scientific merit and programmatic relevance. Section 3, ``Linkages to Environmental Cleanup Problems,`` provides an overview of the major interrelationships (linkages) among EMSP basic research awards, Environmental Management problem areas, and high cost projects. Section 4, ``Capitalizing on Science Investments,`` discusses the steps the EMSP plans to use to facilitate the application of research results in Environmental Management strategies through effective communication and collaboration. Appendix A contains four program notices published by the EMSP inviting applications for grants.

A software tool for soil clean-up technology selection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vranes, S.; Gonzalez-Valencia, E.; Lodolo, A.; Miertus, S.

2002-01-01

Soil remediation is a difficult, time-consuming and expensive operation. A variety of mature and emerging soil remediation technologies is available and future trends in remediation will include continued competition among environmental service companies and technology developers, which will definitely result in further increase in the clean-up options. Consequently, the demand has enhanced developing decision support tools that could help the decision makers to select the most appropriate technology for the specific contaminated site, before the costly remedial actions are taken. Therefore, a software tool for soil clean-up technology selection is currently being developed with the aim of closely working with human decision makers (site owners, local community representatives, environmentalists, regulators, etc.) to assess the available technologies and preliminarily select the preferred remedial options. The analysis for the identification of the best remedial options is based on technical, financial, environmental, and social criteria. These criteria are ranked by all involved parties to determine their relative importance for a particular project. (author)

Effects of control technology on the projected krypton-85 environmental inventory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oscarson, E.E.

1973-01-01

Growth projections for the USA nuclear power industry may be used to make projections of future radioactive material inventories available for potential release to the environment. Since krypton-85 is produced in reactors, the potential routes of release to the environment are at the reactors or the fuel reprocessing plants. The present generation of reactors and fuel reprocessing plants do not use any systems to limit the release of krypton-85 into the biosphere. Clean-up systems are currently being designed and could be introduced when necessary. The cumulative inventory of krypton-85 in the environment is dependent upon the time of introduction of these clean-up systems and their efficiencies, in addition to the total quantity produced. Annual and cumulative inventories of krypton-85 are projected to increase dramatically over the next 50 years. If controls are assumed to be initiated at various years, a series of graphs of different cumulative environmental inventories and the associated doses and health effects are drawn. Varying the year of introduction and the efficiency of these systems allows one to speculate as to the optimum time for control implementation

Cleanups In My Community (CIMC) - Recovery Act Funded Cleanups, National Layer

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — This data layer provides access to Recovery Act Funded Cleanup sites as part of the CIMC web service. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was signed into law...

Science to Support DOE Site Cleanup: The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Environmental Management Science Program Awards - Fiscal Year 2000 Mid-Year Progress Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carlson, Clark D.; Bennett, Sheila Q.

2000-07-25

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory was awarded ten Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) research grants in fiscal year 1996, six in fiscal year 1997, eight in fiscal year 1998 and seven in fiscal year 1999.(a) All of the fiscal year 1996 awards have been completed and the Principal Investigators are writing final reports, so their summaries will not be included in this document. This section summarizes how each of the currently funded grants addresses significant U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) cleanup issues, including those at the Hanford Site. The technical progress made to date in each of these research projects is addressed in more detail in the individual progress reports contained in this document. This research performed at PNNL is focused primarily in four areas: Tank Waste Remediation, Decontamination and Decommissioning, Spent Nuclear Fuel and Nuclear Materials, and Soil and Groundwater Cleanup.

West Valley Demonstration Project site environmental report for calendar year 1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-06-01

The West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP), the site of a US Department of Energy environmental cleanup activity operated by West Valley Nuclear Services Co., Inc., (WVNS), is in the process of solidifying liquid high-level radioactive waste remaining at the site after commercial nuclear fuel reprocessing was discontinued. The Project is located in Western New York State, about 30 miles south of Buffalo, within the New York State-owned Western New York Nuclear Service Center (WNYNSC). This report represents a single, comprehensive source of off-site and on-site environmental monitoring data collected during 1996 by environmental monitoring personnel. The environmental monitoring program and results are discussed in the body of this report. The monitoring data are presented in the appendices. Appendix A is a summary of the site environmental monitoring schedule. Appendix B lists the environmental permits and regulations pertaining to the WVDP. Appendices C through F contain summaries of data obtained during 1996 and are intended for those interested in more detail than is provided in the main body of the report.

Strategic alliance for environmental restoration - results of the Chicago Pile 5 large scale demonstration project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aker, R.E.; Bradley, T.L.; Bhattacharyya, S.

1998-01-01

The world's largest environmental cleanup effort is focused upon the DOE weapons complex. These cleanup efforts parallel those which will be required as the commercial nuclear industry reaches the end of licensed life. The strategic Alliance for Environmental Restoration (Strategic Alliance), reflects the cooperative interest of industry, commercial nuclear utilities, university and national laboratory team members to bring a collaborative best-in-class approach to finding, and providing effective delivery of innovative environmental remediation technologies to the DOE Complex and subsequently to industry. The Strategic Alliance is comprised of team members from ComEd, Duke Engineering and Services, 3M, ICF Kaiser, Florida International University, and Argonne National Laboratory in concert with DOE. This team tested and evaluated over twenty innovative technologies in an effort to help provide cost effective technology solutions to DOE/Industry needs for decontamination and decommissioning. This paper summarizes the approach used by the Strategic Alliance and describes the results of this DOE funded project

Report to Congress on the U.S. Department of Energy's Environmental Management Science Program: Research funded and its linkages to environmental cleanup problems, and Environmental Management Science Program research award abstracts. Volume 2 of 3 -- Appendix B

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-04-01

The Department of Energy's Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) serves as a catalyst for the application of scientific discoveries to the development and deployment of technologies that will lead to reduction of the costs and risks associated with cleaning up the nation's nuclear complex. Appendix B provides details about each of the 202 research awards funded by the EMSP. This information may prove useful to researchers who are attempting to address the Department's environmental management challenges in their work, program managers who are planning, integrating, and prioritizing Environmental Management projects, and stakeholders and regulators who are interested in the Department's environmental challenges. The research award information is organized by the state and institution in which the lead principal investigator is located. In many cases, the lead principal investigator is one of several investigators at a number of different institutions. In these cases, the lead investigator (major collaborator) at each of the additional institutions is listed. Each research award abstract is followed by a list of high cost projects that can potentially be impacted by the research results. High cost projects are Environmental Management projects that have total costs greater than $50 million from the year 2007 and beyond, based on the March 1998 Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closure Draft data, and have costs or quantities of material associated with an Environmental Management problem area. High cost projects which must remain active in the year 2007 and beyond to manage high risk are also identified. Descriptions of these potentially related high cost Environmental Management projects can be found in Appendix C. Additional projects in the same problem area as a research award can be located using the Index of High Cost Environmental Management Projects by Problem Area, at the end of Appendices B and C

Surface and subsurface cleanup protocol for radionuclides, Gunnison, Colorado, UMTRA project processing site. Final [report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-09-01

Surface and subsurface soil cleanup protocols for the Gunnison, Colorado, processing sits are summarized as follows: In accordance with EPA-promulgated land cleanup standards (40 CFR 192), in situ Ra-226 is to be cleaned up based on bulk concentrations not exceeding 5 and 15 pCi/g in 15-cm surface and subsurface depth increments, averaged over 100-m{sup 2} grid blocks, where the parent Ra-226 concentrations are greater than, or in secular equilibrium with, the Th-230 parent. A bulk interpretation of these EPA standards has been accepted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and while the concentration of the finer-sized soil fraction less than a No. 4 mesh sieve contains the higher concentration of radioactivity, the bulk approach in effect integrates the total sample radioactivity over the entire sample mass. In locations where Th-230 has differentially migrated in subsoil relative to Ra-226, a Th-230 cleanup protocol has been developed in accordance with Supplemental Standard provisions of 40 CFR 192 for NRC/Colorado Department of Health (CDH) approval for timely implementation. Detailed elements of the protocol are contained in Appendix A, Generic Protocol from Thorium-230 Cleanup/Verification at UMTRA Project Processing Sites. The cleanup of other radionuclides or nonradiological hazards that pose a significant threat to the public and the environment will be determined and implemented in accordance with pathway analysis to assess impacts and the implications of ALARA specified in 40 CFR 192 relative to supplemental standards.

Enabling cleanup technology transfer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ditmars, J. D.

2002-01-01

Technology transfer in the environmental restoration, or cleanup, area has been challenging. While there is little doubt that innovative technologies are needed to reduce the times, risks, and costs associated with the cleanup of federal sites, particularly those of the Departments of Energy (DOE) and Defense, the use of such technologies in actual cleanups has been relatively limited. There are, of course, many reasons why technologies do not reach the implementation phase or do not get transferred from developing entities to the user community. For example, many past cleanup contracts provided few incentives for performance that would compel a contractor to seek improvement via technology applications. While performance-based contracts are becoming more common, they alone will not drive increased technology applications. This paper focuses on some applications of cleanup methodologies and technologies that have been successful and are illustrative of a more general principle. The principle is at once obvious and not widely practiced. It is that, with few exceptions, innovative cleanup technologies are rarely implemented successfully alone but rather are implemented in the context of enabling processes and methodologies. And, since cleanup is conducted in a regulatory environment, the stage is better set for technology transfer when the context includes substantive interactions with the relevant stakeholders. Examples of this principle are drawn from Argonne National Laboratory's experiences in Adaptive Sampling and Analysis Programs (ASAPs), Precise Excavation, and the DOE Technology Connection (TechCon) Program. The lessons learned may be applicable to the continuing challenges posed by the cleanup and long-term stewardship of radioactive contaminants and unexploded ordnance (UXO) at federal sites

Progress report on decommissioning activities at the Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP) site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

The Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP), is located about 18 miles northwest of Cincinnati, Ohio. Between 1953 and 1989, the facility, then called the Feed Material Production Center or FMPC, produced uranium metal products used in the eventual production of weapons grade material for use by other US Department of Energy (DOE) sites. In 1989, FMPC's production was suspended by the federal government in order to focus resources on environmental restoration versus defense production. In 1992, Fluor Daniel Fernald assumed responsibility for managing all cleanup activities at the FEMP under contract to the DOE. In 1990, as part of the remediation effort, the site was divided into five operable units based on physical proximity of contaminated areas, similar amounts of types of contamination, or the potential for a similar technology to be used in cleanup activities. This report continues the outline of the decontamination and decommissioning (D and D) activities at the FEMP site Operable Unit 3 (OU3) and provides an update on the status of the decommissioning activities. OU3, the Facilities Closure and Demolition Project, involves the remediation of more than 200 uranium processing facilities. The mission of the project is to remove nuclear materials stored in these buildings, then perform the clean out of the buildings and equipment, and decontaminate and dismantle the facilities

The role of risk assessment in remedial action cleanup programs (RACP): A case history

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fessler, R.G.; Bergmann, W.R.; Greenberg, A.J.

1988-01-01

A RACP (Remedial Action Cleanup Program) selects site cleanup criteria that protect human health and the environment and are cost effective. They generally use existing environmental standards and/or guidelines which include safe drinking water, RCRA groundwater protection, threshold limit values and air quality standards, and recommended soil cleanup level guidelines. If these are the only criteria used, the RACP may be more stringent and expensive than necessary. Another step, a risk assessment program, should then be considered in the cleanup decision process. A risk assessment uses chemical concentrations observed in soils, groundwater, and air to project their impact on human health and the environment. Toxicological data on human exposure to these concentrations (LD 50s and carcinogenic action levels) are used to assess risks to human health and the environment. The risk assessment also considers the probability of exposure. E.g., remedial programs at Superfund sites consider three criteria in order to assess risks to human health and the environment: (1) pathways of exposure, (2) population at risk, and (3) chemicals of concern. By eliminating or severely limiting the significance of any criteria, the site may no longer represent a significant risk. This paper presents a RACP case history where a risk assessment was needed to select a cost effective and environmentally acceptable cleanup program

Cleanups in My Community

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Cleanups in My Community (CIMC) is a public web application that enables integrated access through maps, lists and search filtering to site-specific information EPA...

Report to Congress on the U.S. Department of Energy`s Environmental Management Science Program: Research funded and its linkages to environmental cleanup problems, and Environmental Management Science Program research award abstracts. Volume 2 of 3 -- Appendix B

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-04-01

The Department of Energy`s Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) serves as a catalyst for the application of scientific discoveries to the development and deployment of technologies that will lead to reduction of the costs and risks associated with cleaning up the nation`s nuclear complex. Appendix B provides details about each of the 202 research awards funded by the EMSP. This information may prove useful to researchers who are attempting to address the Department`s environmental management challenges in their work, program managers who are planning, integrating, and prioritizing Environmental Management projects, and stakeholders and regulators who are interested in the Department`s environmental challenges. The research award information is organized by the state and institution in which the lead principal investigator is located. In many cases, the lead principal investigator is one of several investigators at a number of different institutions. In these cases, the lead investigator (major collaborator) at each of the additional institutions is listed. Each research award abstract is followed by a list of high cost projects that can potentially be impacted by the research results. High cost projects are Environmental Management projects that have total costs greater than $50 million from the year 2007 and beyond, based on the March 1998 Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closure Draft data, and have costs or quantities of material associated with an Environmental Management problem area. High cost projects which must remain active in the year 2007 and beyond to manage high risk are also identified. Descriptions of these potentially related high cost Environmental Management projects can be found in Appendix C. Additional projects in the same problem area as a research award can be located using the Index of High Cost Environmental Management Projects by Problem Area, at the end of Appendices B and C.

Model environmental assessment for a property-cleanup/interim-storage remedial action at a formerly utilized site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merry-Libby, P.

1982-07-01

This document has been prepared as a model for the preparation of an Environmental Assessment (EA) for a property-cleanup/interim-storage type of remedial action under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) of the US Department of Energy (DOE). For major federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) must be prepared to aid DOE in making its decision. However, when it is not clear that an action is major and the impacts are significant, an EA may be prepared to determine whether to prepare an EIS or a finding of no significant impact (FONSI). If it is likely that an action may be major and the impacts significant, it is usually more cost-effective and timely to directly prepare an EIS. If it is likely that a FONSI can be reached after some environmental assessment, as DOE believes may be the case for most property-cleanup/interim-storage remedial actions, preparation of site-specific EAs is an effective means of compliance with NEPA

Surface and subsurface cleanup protocol for radionuclides, Gunnison, Colorado, UMTRA project processing site: Final

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-01-01

Thorium 230 (Th-230) at the Gunnison, Colorado processing site will require remediation, however, a seasonally fluctuating groundwater table at the site significantly complicates conventional remedial action with respect to cleanup. Therefore, to effectively remediate the site with respect to Radium 226 (Ra-226) and Th-230, the following supplemental standard is proposed: In situ Ra-26 will be remediated to the EPA soil cleanup standards independent of groundwater considerations. In situ Th-230 concentrations will be remediated in the region above the encountered water table so the 1000-year projected Ra-226 concentration complies with the EPA soil cleanup concentration limits. If elevated Th-230 persists to the water table, an additional foot of excavation will be performed and the grid will be backfilled. Excavated grids will be backfilled to the final remedial action grade with clean cobbly soil. Final grid verification that is required below the water table will be performed by extracting and analyzing a single bulk soil sample with the bucket of a backhoe. Modeled surface radon flux values will be estimated and documented. A recommendation will be made that land records should be annotated to identify the presence of residual Th-230

US nuclear cleanup shows signs of progress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Renner, R.

1997-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy's program for dealing with the radioactive and hazardous wastes at its former nuclear weapons production sites and at the national laboratories has been criticized for its expense and slow pace of cleanup. The largest environmental restoration and waste management program in the world faces formidable technical and scientific problems and these, according to numerous investigative committees and commissions, have been compounded by poor management, misuse of technology, and failure to appreciate the need for new basic scientific knowledge to solve many of the cleanup problems. In the past three years, DOE's Office of Environmental Management (EM), often spurred by congressional action, has begun to trim costs and accomplish more. New measures have been introduced to improve contract efficiency, better utilize existing remediation technologies, renegotiate compliance agreements, and begin basic research. Environmental Management Assistant Undersecretary Alvin Alm, appointed in May 1996, is seeking to solidify these changes into an ambitious plan to clean up most of DOE's 130 sites by 2006. But there are widespread doubts that EM has the money, skill, and will to turn itself around. There are also concerns that, in the name of efficiency and economy, EM may be negotiating lower cleanup standards and postponing some difficult cleanup tasks. This article discusses these issues. 7 refs

Surface Modification of Graphene Oxides by Plasma Techniques and Their Application for Environmental Pollution Cleanup.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiangxue; Fan, Qiaohui; Chen, Zhongshan; Wang, Qi; Li, Jiaxing; Hobiny, Aatef; Alsaedi, Ahmed; Wang, Xiangke

2016-02-01

Graphene oxides (GOs) have come under intense multidisciplinary study because of their unique physicochemical properties and possible applications. The large amount of oxygen-containing functional groups on GOs leads to a high sorption capacity for the removal of various kinds of organic and inorganic pollutants from aqueous solutions in environmental pollution cleanup. However, the lack of selectivity results in difficulty in the selective removal of target pollutants from aqueous solutions in the presence of other coexisting pollutants. Herein, the surface grafting of GOs with special oxygen-containing functional groups using low-temperature plasma techniques and the application of the surface-modified GOs for the efficient removal of organic and inorganic pollutants in environmental pollution are reviewed. This paper gives an account of our research on the application of GO-based nanomaterials in environmental pollution cleanup, including: (1) the synthesis and surface grafting of functional groups on GOs, summarizing various types of low-temperature plasma techniques for the synthesis of graphene/GOs; and (2) the application of graphene/GOs and their composites for the efficient removal of organic and inorganic pollutants from aqueous solutions, including the interaction mechanism according to recently published results. © 2015 The Chemical Society of Japan & Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Environmental Assessment For Cleanup and Closure of the Energy Technology Engineering Center. Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None, None

2003-03-01

DOE analyzed two cleanup and closure alternatives and the No Action Alternative, in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality regulations implementing NEPA (40 CFR Parts 1500-1508) and DOE's NEPA implementing regulations (10 CFR Part 1021). Under Alternative 1, DOE is proposing to clean up the remaining ETEC facilities using the existing site specific cleanup standard of 15 mrem/yr. (plus DOE's As Low As Reasonably Achievable--ALARA-principle) for decontamination of radiological facilities and surrounding soils (Alternative 1). An annual 15-millirem additional radiation dose to the maximally exposed individual (assumed to be an individual living in a residential setting on Area IV) from all exposure pathways (air, soil, groundwater) equates to an additional theoretical lifetime cancer risk of no more than 3 x 10^-4 (3 in 10,000). For perspective, it is estimated that the average individual in the United States receives a dose of about 300 millirem each year from natural sources of radiation. However, actual exposures generally will be much lower as a result of the application of the ''as low as reasonably achievable'' (ALARA) principle. Based on post-remediation verification sampling previous cleanups have generally resulted in a 2 x 10^-6 level of residual risk. DOE would decontaminate, decommission, and demolish the remaining radiological facilities. DOE would also decommission and demolish the one remaining sodium facility and all of the remaining uncontaminated support buildings for which it is responsible. The ongoing RCRA corrective action program, including groundwater treatment (interim measures), would continue. Other environmental impacts would include 2.5 x 10^-3 fatalities as a result of LLW shipments and 6.0 x 10^-3 fatalities as a result of emission exhaust from all shipments. DOE would also decommission and demolish the remaining sodium facility and decommission and

Options for improving hazardous waste cleanups using risk-based criteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elcock, D.

1995-01-01

This paper explores how risk- and technology-based criteria are currently used in the RCRA and CERCLA cleanup programs. It identifies ways in which risk could be further incorporated into RCRA and CERCLA cleanup requirements and the implications of risk-based approaches. The more universal use of risk assessment as embodied in the risk communication and risk improvement bills before Congress is not addressed. Incorporating risk into the laws and regulations governing hazardous waste cleanup, will allow the use of the best scientific information available to further the goal of environmental protection in the United States while containing costs. and may help set an example for other countries that may be developing cleanup programs, thereby contributing to enhanced global environmental management

Environmental monitoring for the DOE coolside and LIMB demonstration extension projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, T.; Contos, L.

1991-09-01

The purpose of this document is to present environmental monitoring data collected during the US Department of Energy Limestone Injection Multistage Burner (DOE LIMB) Demonstration Project Extension at the Ohio Edison Edgewater Generating Station in Lorain, Ohio. These data were collected by implementing the Environmental Monitoring Plan (EMP) for the DOE LIMB Demonstration Project Extension, dated August 1988. This document is the fifth EMP status report to be published and presents the data generated during November and December 1990, and January 1991. These reports review a three or four month period and have been published since the project's start in October 1989. The DOE project is an extension of the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) original LIMB Demonstration. The program is operated under DOE's Clean Coal Technology Program of ''emerging clean coal technologies'' under the categories of ''in boiler control of oxides of sulfur and nitrogen'' as well as ''post-combustion clean-up.'' The objective of the LIMB program is to demonstrate the sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) and nitrogen oxide (NO x ) emission reduction capabilities of the LIMB system. The LIMB system is a retrofit technology to be used for existing coal-fired boilers equipped with electrostatic precipitators (ESPs). 5 figs., 12 tabs

Report on DOE labs takes aim at cleanup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1995-01-01

This article is a review of the Galvin report on the environmental restoration activities at DOE nuclear facilities. The report is highly critical of DOE efforts, calling for a management overhaul and partial privitization of some facilities. Urging that the facilities be more integrated into the environmental management program, the report asserts that the low quality of science and technology in field cleanup work is the most important reason for the limited pace of cleanup activities. Excessive administrative costs were also cited

Taking interim actions: Integrating CERCLA and NEPA to move ahead with site cleanup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacDonell, M.M.; Peterson, J.M.; Valett, G.L.; McCracken, S.H.

1991-01-01

The cleanup of contaminated sites can be expedited by using interim response actions in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as amended, and the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). In fact, a major portion of some Superfund sites can be cleaned up using interim actions. For CERCLA sites being remediated by the US Department of Energy (DOE), such actions must also comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) because the DOE has established a policy for integrating CERCLA and NEPA requirements. A strategy for the integrated documentation with implementation of interim actions has been applied successfully at the Weldon Spring site, and major cleanup projects are currently underway. This paper discusses some of the issues associated with integrating CERCLA and NEPA for interim actions and summarizes those actions that have been identified for the Weldon Spring site

Taking interim actions: Integrating CERCLA and NEPA to move ahead with site cleanup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacDonell, M.M.; Peterson, J.M.; Valett, G.L.; McCracken, S.H.

1991-01-01

The cleanup of contaminated sites can be expedited by using interim response actions in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), as amended, and the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). In fact, a major portion of some Superfund sites can be cleaned up using interim actions. For CERCLA sites being remediated by the US Department of Energy (DOE), such actions must also comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) because the DOE has established a policy for integrating CERCLA and NEPA requirements. A strategy for the integrated documentation and implementation of interim actions has been applied successfully at the Weldon Spring site, and major cleanup projects are currently underway. This paper discusses some of the issues associated with integrating CERCLA and NEPA for interim actions and summarizes those actions that have been identified for the Weldon Spring site

Effectiveness of cleanup criteria relative to an accidental nuclear release

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, S.Y.; Yuan, Y.C.

1988-01-01

In the event of an accidental nuclear release, the associated long-term radiological risks would result primarily from ground contamination pathways. Cleanup of the contaminated ground surfaces is a necessary step toward reducing the radiological risk to the general population. Ideally, the radiological risk decreases as the level of cleanup effort increases; however, as the cleanup criterion (i.e., the required contaminant concentration after cleanup) becomes more stringent, the cleanup effort may become prohibitively costly. This study examines several factors that are important in determining the effectiveness of the cleanup criteria for selected radionuclides: (a) annual individual dose commitment (mrem/yr), (b) total population environmental dose commitment (person-rem), and (c) total area (km 2 ) requiring cleanup following an accident. To effectively protect the general population, the benefits of cleanup should be weighed against the potentially large increase in cleanup area (and the associated costs) as the cleanup criterion becomes more stringent. The effectiveness of cleanup will vary, depending largely on site-specific parameters such as population density and agricultural productivity as well as on the amount and type of radionuclide released. Determination of an optimum cleanup criterion should account for all factors, including a comprehensive cost/benefit analysis

Investigation of the Use of "Cucumis Sativus" for Remediation of Chromium from Contaminated Environmental Matrices: An Interdisciplinary Instrumental Analysis Project

Science.gov (United States)

Butler, Lynsey R.; Edwards, Michael R.; Farmer, Russell; Greenly, Kathryn J.; Hensler, Sherri; Jenkins, Scott E.; Joyce, J. Michael; Mann, Jason A.; Prentice, Boone M.; Puckette, Andrew E.; Shuford, Christopher M.; Porter, Sarah E. G.; Rhoten, Melissa C.

2009-01-01

An interdisciplinary, semester-long project is presented in which students grow Cucumis sativus (cucumber) plants from seeds and study the ability of the plants to remediate a heavy metal from contaminated soil or water or both. Phytoremediation strategies for environmental cleanup are presented as possible alternatives to chemical based clean-up…

Perceptions of on-site hunters: Environmental concerns, future land use, and cleanup options at the Savannah River Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burger, J.; Sanchez, J.

1999-01-01

The Department of Energy owns land in 34 states, and most of these lands have been off limits to the public for over 50 years. Although some parts of each site are contaminated, most of many sites are not. With the ending of the Cold War, the department is considering alternative land uses. In this article, the perceptions of hunters and fishermen allowed on site for a limited time were examined, about environmental concerns, future land use, and cleanup options. Although loss of jobs was the foremost concern, preserving parts of the site had more support as a future land use than continuing the nuclear mission, and nearly three-quarters of the sample supported cleanup, regardless of cost. On-site employment was a significant indicator of lower concern about safety and environmental issues, less support for designating the site for research, and more concern for maintaining jobs

CERCLA and RCRA requirements affecting cleanup of a hazardous waste management unit at a Superfund site: A case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walsh, T.J.

1995-03-01

The Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP) attempted to address both RCRA and CERCLA requirements at the fire training facility (FTF) by integrating a CERCLA removal action work plan with a RCRA closure plan. While the regulatory agencies involved with the FTF cleanup agreed the integrated document was a good idea, implementation proved complicated, owing to disposition of clean debris from a Superfund site, treatment of contaminated media, duration of cleanup activities, and cleanup certification. While all the complications have not been resolved, solutions to all have been proposed to Ohio EPA and U.S. EPA. Both agencies have worked closely with FEMP to find the most effective fulfillment of RCRA and CERCLA requirements

Deriving cleanup guidelines for radionuclides at Brookhaven National Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meinhold, A.F.; Morris, S.C.; Dionne, B.; Moskowitz, P.D.

1997-01-01

Past activities at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) resulted in soil and groundwater contamination. As a result, BNL was designated a Superfund site under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). BNL`s Office of Environmental Restoration (OER) is overseeing environmental restoration activities at the Laboratory. With the exception of radium, there are no regulations or guidelines to establish cleanup guidelines for radionuclides in soils at BNL. BNL must derive radionuclide soil cleanup guidelines for a number of Operable Units (OUs) and Areas of Concern (AOCs). These guidelines are required by DOE under a proposed regulation for radiation protection of public health and the environment as well as to satisfy the requirements of CERCLA. The objective of this report is to propose a standard approach to deriving risk-based cleanup guidelines for radionuclides in soil at BNL. Implementation of the approach is briefly discussed.

Deriving cleanup guidelines for radionuclides at Brookhaven National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meinhold, A.F.; Morris, S.C.; Dionne, B.; Moskowitz, P.D.

1997-01-01

Past activities at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) resulted in soil and groundwater contamination. As a result, BNL was designated a Superfund site under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). BNL's Office of Environmental Restoration (OER) is overseeing environmental restoration activities at the Laboratory. With the exception of radium, there are no regulations or guidelines to establish cleanup guidelines for radionuclides in soils at BNL. BNL must derive radionuclide soil cleanup guidelines for a number of Operable Units (OUs) and Areas of Concern (AOCs). These guidelines are required by DOE under a proposed regulation for radiation protection of public health and the environment as well as to satisfy the requirements of CERCLA. The objective of this report is to propose a standard approach to deriving risk-based cleanup guidelines for radionuclides in soil at BNL. Implementation of the approach is briefly discussed

DOE pursuing accelerated cleanup at Fernald

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borgman, T.

1996-01-01

The timing is right, and officials at Fernald are ready to initiate final cleanup actions-at an accelerated pace. open-quotes We have a viable, aggressive plan in place that will reduce the risks associated with the site by accelerating the cleanup schedule, and save a lot of time and money in the process,close quotes said Don Ofte, president of the Fernald Environmental Restoration management Corporation (FERMCO). Ofte is referring to the accelerated cleanup plan that the U.S. Department of Energy has approved to complete the remediation of Fernald in approximately 10 years-instead of 25-30 years-at a cost savings to taxpayers of almost $3 billion. This article describes the scenario at Fernald and politically which has lead to this decision

Credibility and trust in federal facility cleanups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raynes, D.B.

1995-01-01

The most important indicator of a well-managed site cleanup effort may no longer be funding or scientific expertise. While support for federal facility cleanup has included appropriations of more than $10 billion annually, these expenditures alone are unlikely to assure progress toward environmental remediation. open-quotes Trustclose quotes is now overwhelmingly mentioned as a prerequisite for progress with site cleanup in DOE's weapons complex. In part, federal budget deficits are forcing participants to focus on factors that build consensus and lead to cost-effective cleanup actions. In some cases, the stakeholders at cleanup sites are making efforts to work cooperatively with federal agencies. A report by 40 representatives of federal agencies, tribal and state governments, associations, and others developed recommendations to create a open-quotes new era of trust and consensus-building that allows all parties to get on with the job of cleaning up federal facilities in a manner that reflects the priorities and concerns of all stakeholders.close quotes Changes are underway affecting how federal agencies work with federal and state regulators reflecting this concept of shared responsibility for conducting cleanup. This paper addresses these changes and provides examples of the successes and failures underway

Hanford Site environmental management specification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grygiel, M.L.

1998-06-10

The US Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office (RL) uses this Hanford Site Environmental Management Specification (Specification) to document top-level mission requirements and planning assumptions for the prime contractors involved in Hanford Site cleanup and infrastructure activities under the responsibility of the US Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management. This Specification describes at a top level the activities, facilities, and infrastructure necessary to accomplish the cleanup of the Hanford Site and assigns this scope to Site contractors and their respective projects. This Specification also references the key National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), and safety documentation necessary to accurately describe the cleanup at a summary level. The information contained in this document reflects RL`s application of values, priorities, and critical success factors expressed by those involved with and affected by the Hanford Site project. The prime contractors and their projects develop complete baselines and work plans to implement this Specification. These lower-level documents and the data that support them, together with this Specification, represent the full set of requirements applicable to the contractors and their projects. Figure 1-1 shows the relationship of this Specification to the other basic Site documents. Similarly, the documents, orders, and laws referenced in this specification represent only the most salient sources of requirements. Current and contractual reference data contain a complete set of source documents.

Hanford Site environmental management specification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grygiel, M.L.

1998-01-01

The US Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office (RL) uses this Hanford Site Environmental Management Specification (Specification) to document top-level mission requirements and planning assumptions for the prime contractors involved in Hanford Site cleanup and infrastructure activities under the responsibility of the US Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management. This Specification describes at a top level the activities, facilities, and infrastructure necessary to accomplish the cleanup of the Hanford Site and assigns this scope to Site contractors and their respective projects. This Specification also references the key National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), and safety documentation necessary to accurately describe the cleanup at a summary level. The information contained in this document reflects RL's application of values, priorities, and critical success factors expressed by those involved with and affected by the Hanford Site project. The prime contractors and their projects develop complete baselines and work plans to implement this Specification. These lower-level documents and the data that support them, together with this Specification, represent the full set of requirements applicable to the contractors and their projects. Figure 1-1 shows the relationship of this Specification to the other basic Site documents. Similarly, the documents, orders, and laws referenced in this specification represent only the most salient sources of requirements. Current and contractual reference data contain a complete set of source documents

Development of teleoperated cleanup system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Ki Ho; Park, J. J.; Yang, M. S.; Kwon, H. J.

2005-01-01

This report describes the development of a teleoperated cleanup system for use in a highly radioactive environment of DFDF(DUPIC Fuel Demonstration Facility) at KAERI where direct human access to the in-cell is strictly limited. The teleoperated cleanup system was designed to remotely remove contaminants placed or fixed on the floor surface of the hot-cell by mopping them with wet cloth. This cleanup system consists of a mopping slave, a mopping master and a control console. The mopping slave located at the in-cell comprises a mopping tool with a mopping cloth and a mobile platform, which were constructed in modules to facilitate maintenance. The mopping master that is an input device to control the mopping slave has kinematic dissimilarity with the mopping slave. The control console provides a means of bilateral control flows and communications between the mopping master and the mopping slave. In operation, the human operator from the out-of-cell performs a series of decontamination tasks remotely by manipulating the mopping slave located in-cell via a mopping master, having a sense of real mopping. The environmental and mechanical design considerations, and control systems of the developed teleoperated cleanup system are also described

Science to Support DOE Site Cleanup: The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Environmental Management Science Program Awards-Fiscal Year 1999 Mid-Year Progress Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peurrung, L.M.

1999-05-01

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory was awarded ten Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) research grants in fiscal year 1996, six in fiscal year 1997, and eight in fiscal year 1998. This section summarizes how each grant addresses significant U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) cleanup issues, including those at the Hanford Site. The technical progress made to date in each of these research projects is addressed in more detail in the individual progress reports contained in this document. This research is focused primarily in five areas: Tank Waste Remediation, Decontamination and Decommissioning, Spent Nuclear Fuel and Nuclear Materials, Soil and Groundwater Clean Up, and Health Effects

Science to Support DOE Site Cleanup: The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Environmental Management Science Program Awards-Fiscal Year 1999 Mid-Year Progress Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peurrung, L.M.

1999-06-30

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory was awarded ten Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) research grants in fiscal year 1996, six in fiscal year 1997, and eight in fiscal year 1998. This section summarizes how each grant addresses significant U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) cleanup issues, including those at the Hanford Site. The technical progress made to date in each of these research projects is addressed in more detail in the individual progress reports contained in this document. This research is focused primarily in five areas: Tank Waste Remediation, Decontamination and Decommissioning, Spent Nuclear Fuel and Nuclear Materials, Soil and Groundwater Clean Up, and Health Effects.

Cincinnati, Ohio: Two environmental projects in danger of being misunderstood

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeJong, K.A.

1992-01-01

The Mill Creek Flood Control and the Fernald Decontamination projects are major environmental issues in the (sub)urban setting of Cincinnati. Flood control of the Mill Creek, a tributary of the Ohio River that bisects Cincinnati, was initiated after a flood with $3 million damage in 1959. Its costs were originally estimated at $42 million (1970) and later at $106 million (1976); $110 million has now been spent and the total cost may reach $313 million in the year 2000 (1992 dollars). Benefit/cost ratios ranging between 2.6:1 and 1.6:1 were used to rationalize this project. Flood frequency of the Mill Creek will be discussed. Decontamination of the suburban Fernald site follows manufacturing of nuclear materials from 1953 until 1989. 149 tons of uranium and thorium wastes were released in the air, 83.5 tons to the Greater Miami River and 5,975 tons were placed in pits, all of which are leaking. The cost to cleanup up the local contamination may exceed $10 billion over a time period of 20--30 years, and the calculation of benefit/cost ratios is complex. The hydrology of the Fernald site will be examined. These two environmental projects are run respectively by the Army Corps of Engineers and the US Department of Energy through large industrial contractors. The projects are in danger of becoming like projects of the ''Military-Industrial Complex'' because of the public's ignorance or misinterpretation of the facts; the argument of public safety, and the huge costs. The role of geologists should include edification of the public about the geological aspects of environmental projects

Review of State Soil Cleanup Levels for Dioxin (December 2009)

Science.gov (United States)

This final report summarizes a survey of state soil cleanup levels for dioxin and characterizes the science underlying these values. The objective of this project was to summarize existing state cleanup levels for dioxin in soil, together with their scientific bases where availa...

Action Memorandum for the Engineering Test Reactor under the Idaho Cleanup Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A. B. Culp

2007-01-26

This Action Memorandum documents the selected alternative for decommissioning of the Engineering Test Reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory under the Idaho Cleanup Project. Since the missions of the Engineering Test Reactor Complex have been completed, an engineering evaluation/cost analysis that evaluated alternatives to accomplish the decommissioning of the Engineering Test Reactor Complex was prepared adn released for public comment. The scope of this Action Memorandum is to encompass the final end state of the Complex and disposal of the Engineering Test Reactor vessol. The selected removal action includes removing and disposing of the vessel at the Idaho CERCLA Disposal Facility and demolishing the reactor building to ground surface.

Accelerating cleanup. Paths to closure Hanford Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edwards, C.

1998-01-01

This document was previously referred to as the Draft 2006 Plan. As part of the DOE's national strategy, the Richland Operations Office's Paths to Closure summarizes an integrated path forward for environmental cleanup at the Hanford Site. The Hanford Site underwent a concerted effort between 1994 and 1996 to accelerate the cleanup of the Site. These efforts are reflected in the current Site Baseline. This document describes the current Site Baseline and suggests strategies for further improvements in scope, schedule and cost. The Environmental Management program decided to change the name of the draft strategy and the document describing it in response to a series of stakeholder concerns, including the practicality of achieving widespread cleanup by 2006. Also, EM was concerned that calling the document a plan could be misconstrued to be a proposal by DOE or a decision-making document. The change in name, however, does not diminish the 2006 vision. To that end, Paths to Closure retains a focus on 2006, which serves as a point in time around which objectives and goals are established

Computer models used to support cleanup decision-making at hazardous and radioactive waste sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moskowitz, P.D.; Pardi, R.; DePhillips, M.P.; Meinhold, A.F.

1992-07-01

Massive efforts are underway to cleanup hazardous and radioactive waste sites located throughout the US To help determine cleanup priorities, computer models are being used to characterize the source, transport, fate and effects of hazardous chemicals and radioactive materials found at these sites. Although, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the US Department of Energy (DOE), and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) have provided preliminary guidance to promote the use of computer models for remediation purposes, no Agency has produced directed guidance on models that must be used in these efforts. To identify what models are actually being used to support decision-making at hazardous and radioactive waste sites, a project jointly funded by EPA, DOE and NRC was initiated. The purpose of this project was to: (1) Identify models being used for hazardous and radioactive waste site assessment purposes; and (2) describe and classify these models. This report presents the results of this study

Computer models used to support cleanup decision-making at hazardous and radioactive waste sites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moskowitz, P.D.; Pardi, R.; DePhillips, M.P.; Meinhold, A.F.

1992-07-01

Massive efforts are underway to cleanup hazardous and radioactive waste sites located throughout the US To help determine cleanup priorities, computer models are being used to characterize the source, transport, fate and effects of hazardous chemicals and radioactive materials found at these sites. Although, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the US Department of Energy (DOE), and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) have provided preliminary guidance to promote the use of computer models for remediation purposes, no Agency has produced directed guidance on models that must be used in these efforts. To identify what models are actually being used to support decision-making at hazardous and radioactive waste sites, a project jointly funded by EPA, DOE and NRC was initiated. The purpose of this project was to: (1) Identify models being used for hazardous and radioactive waste site assessment purposes; and (2) describe and classify these models. This report presents the results of this study.

Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES)

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The Assessment, Cleanup and Redevelopment Exchange System (ACRES) is an online database for Brownfields Grantees to electronically submit data directly to EPA.

Next steps in the development of ecological soil clean-up values for metals.

Science.gov (United States)

Wentsel, Randall; Fairbrother, Anne

2014-07-01

This special series in Integrated Environmental Assessment Management presents the results from 6 workgroups that were formed at the workshop on Ecological Soil Levels-Next Steps in the Development of Metal Clean-Up Values (17-21 September 2012, Sundance, Utah). This introductory article presents an overview of the issues assessors face when conducting risk assessments for metals in soils, key US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) documents on metals risk assessment, and discusses the importance of leveraging from recent major terrestrial research projects, primarily to address Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemical Substances (REACH) requirements in Europe, that have significantly advanced our understanding of the behavior and toxicity of metals in soils. These projects developed large data sets that are useful for the risk assessment of metals in soil environments. The workshop attendees met to work toward developing a process for establishing ecological soil clean-up values (Eco-SCVs). The goal of the workshop was to progress from ecological soil screening values (Eco-SSLs) to final clean-up values by providing regulators with the methods and processes to incorporate bioavailability, normalize toxicity thresholds, address food-web issues, and incorporate background concentrations. The REACH data sets were used by workshop participants as case studies in the development of the ecological standards for soils. The workshop attendees discussed scientific advancements in bioavailability, soil biota and wildlife case studies, soil processes, and food-chain modeling. In addition, one of the workgroups discussed the processes needed to frame the topics to gain regulatory acceptance as a directive or guidance by Canada, the USEPA, or the United States. © 2013 SETAC.

The optimized baseline project: Reinventing environmental restoration at Hanford

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goodenough, J.D.; Janaskie, M.T.; Kleinen, P.J.

1994-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy Richland Operations Office (DOE-RL) is using a strategic planning effort (termed the Optimized Baseline Project) to develop a new approach to the Hanford Environmental Restoration program. This effort seeks to achieve a quantum leap improvement in performance through results oriented prioritization of activities. This effort was conducted in parallel with the renegotiation of the Tri-Party Agreement and provided DOE with an opportunity to propose innovative initiatives to promote cost effectiveness, accelerate progress in the Hanford Environmental Restoration Program and involve stakeholders in the decision-making process. The Optimized Baseline project is an innovative approach to program planning and decision-making in several respects. First, the process is a top down, value driven effort that responds to values held by DOE, the regulatory community and the public. Second, planning is conducted in a way that reinforces the technical management process at Richland, involves the regulatory community in substantive decisions, and includes the public. Third, the Optimized Baseline Project is being conducted as part of a sitewide Hanford initiative to reinvent Government. The planning process used for the Optimized Baseline Project has many potential applications at other sites and in other programs where there is a need to build consensus among diverse, independent groups of stakeholders and decisionmakers. The project has successfully developed and demonstrated an innovative approach to program planning that accelerates the pace of cleanup, involves the regulators as partners with DOE in priority setting, and builds public understanding and support for the program through meaningful opportunities for involvement

Pursing other deep pockets: California's underground storage tank cleanup fund and insurance policies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Almanza, P.R.

1995-01-01

When faced with a potentially very expensive environmental cleanup, most companies and individuals try to do the only sensible thing, which is to find out if anyone else will pay the bill. This presentation will outline two avenues that may provide a substantial financial contribution to environmental cleanups: (a) California's Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Fund and (b) insurance policies. The Underground Storage Tank Cleanup Fund was established in 1989 to help eligible owners and operators of petroleum underground storage tanks (USTs) to: (a) get reimbursed for costs of unauthorized releases of petroleum from USTs; (b) get reimbursed for damages awarded to third parties as a result of unauthorized releases of petroleum from USTs; and (c) meet federal and state requirements that the UST owner and/or operator be able to pay for cleanup costs and damages to third parties caused by unauthorized releases of petroleum

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SCIENCE PROGRAM RESEARCH PROJECTS TO IMPROVE DECONTAMINATION AND DECOMMISIONING OF U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY FACILITIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phillips, Ann Marie

2003-01-01

This paper describes fourteen basic science projects aimed at solving decontamination and decommissioning (D and D) problems within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Funded by the Environmental Science Management Program (EMSP), these research projects address D and D problems where basic science is needed to expand knowledge and develop solutions to help DOE meet its cleanup milestones. EMSP uses directed solicitations targeted at identified Environmental Management (EM) needs to ensure that research results are directly applicable to DOE's EM problems. The program then helps transition the projects from basic to applied research by identifying end-users and coordinating proof-of-principle field tests. EMSP recently funded fourteen D and D research projects through the directed solicitation process. These research projects will be discussed, including description, current status, and potential impact. Through targeted research and proof-of-principle tests, it is hoped that EMSP's fourteen D and D basic research projects will directly impact and provide solutions to DOE's D and D problems

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SCIENCE PROGRAM RESEARCH PROJECTS TO IMPROVE DECONTAMINATION AND DECOMMISIONING OF U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY FACILITIES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Phillips, Ann Marie

2003-02-27

This paper describes fourteen basic science projects aimed at solving decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) problems within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Funded by the Environmental Science Management Program (EMSP), these research projects address D&D problems where basic science is needed to expand knowledge and develop solutions to help DOE meet its cleanup milestones. EMSP uses directed solicitations targeted at identified Environmental Management (EM) needs to ensure that research results are directly applicable to DOE's EM problems. The program then helps transition the projects from basic to applied research by identifying end-users and coordinating proof-of-principle field tests. EMSP recently funded fourteen D&D research projects through the directed solicitation process. These research projects will be discussed, including description, current status, and potential impact. Through targeted research and proof-of-principle tests, it is hoped that EMSP's fourteen D&D basic research projects will directly impact and provide solutions to DOE's D&D problems.

Environmental restoration program pollution prevention checklist guide for the evaluation of alternatives project phase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-09-01

Evaluation of alternative studies determine what decontamination and decommissioning (D ampersand D) alternatives are presented to regulators for facility and site cleanup. A key consideration in this process is the waste to be generated. Minimizing the volume and toxicity of this waste will ultimately contribute to the selection of the best clean-up option. The purpose of this checklist guide is to assist the user with incorporating pollution prevention/waste minimization (PP/WM) in all Evaluation of Alternatives (EV) phase projects of the Environmental Restoration (ER) Program. This guide will assist users with documenting PP/WM activities for technology transfer and reporting requirements. Automated computer screens will be created from the checklist data to help users implement and evaluate waste reduction. Users can then establish numerical performance measures to measure progress in planning, training, self-assessments, field implementation, documentation, and technology transfer. Cost savings result as users train and assess themselves, eliminating expensive process waste assessments and audit teams

Rocky Flats Cleanup Agreement implementation successes and challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shelton, D.C.

1997-01-01

On July 19, 1996 the US Department of Energy (DOE), State of Colorado (CDPHE), and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) entered into an agreement called the Rocky Flats Cleanup Agreement (RFCA) for the cleanup and closure of the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (RFETS or Rocky Flats). Major elements of the agreement include: an Integrated Site-Wide Baseline; up to twelve significant enforceable milestones per year; agreed upon soil and water action levels and standards for cleanup; open space as the likely foreseeable land use; the plutonium and TRU waste removed by 2015; streamlined regulatory process; agreement with the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) to coordinate activities; and a risk reduction focus. Successful implementation of RFCA requires a substantial effort by the parties to change their way of thinking about RFETS and meet the deliverables and commitments. Substantial progress toward Site closure through the implementation of RFCA has been accomplished in the short time since the signing, yet much remains to be done. Much can be learned from the Rocky Flats experience by other facilities in similar situations

Public involvement in cleanup - the Rocky Flats experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paukert, J.; Pennock, S.; Schassburger, R.

1992-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy's Rocky Flats Plant recently completed and implemented the Rocky Flats Plant Community Relations Plan for public involvement in environmental restoration of the site. The plan was developed in cooperation with the plant's regulators, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Colorado Department of Health. In addition, citizens near the plant played a significant role in shaping the document through extensive community interviews and public comment. The result of these cooperative efforts is a plan that meets and exceeds the applicable federal and state community relations requirements for a cleanup program. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has used the Rocky Flats Plant Community Relations Plants a model for similar plans at other federal facilities. Plan development, however, is only the starting point for an effective community relations effort. The Rocky Flats Plant and the public will face many challenges together as we implement the plan and build a partnership for addressing environmental cleanup issues. (author)

Oil spill cleanup for soft sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbott, J.A.; Tookey, D.J.

1993-01-01

A series of experimental trials are in progress to investigate the effectiveness and consequences of oil spill cleanup methods for areas of mud flats and salt marsh. Trials have shown that wheeled and tracked vehicles have limited utility. Field measurements of the load bearing capacity of the mud can show where such vehicles may be used. Lightweight hover craft provide a useful means of transport. Shallow-draft boats can have a useful transport role: whether such craft can be used depends on the local topography and tidal regime. The trials showed that practical problems associated with implementing low-pressure flushing operations (lack of water for flushing, recovery of the flushed oil) can be overcome - although the environmental effects have yet to be assessed. The use of straw matting as a sorbent material was also demonstrated. The objective of the first two phases of the project, reported here, was to select workable methods with a view to subsequently employing them in larger-scale trials. The environmental consequences of using the selected methods will be examined in the later trials

Environmental Management Science Program awards. Fiscal year 1997 annual progress report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simmons, A. [ed.; Benner, W.H.; DePaolo, D.J.; Faybishenko, B.; Majer, E.L.; Pallavicini, M.; Russo, R.E.; Shultz, P.G.; Wan, J.

1997-10-01

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory was awarded eight Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) research grants in Fiscal Year 1996. This report summarizes the progress of each grant in addressing significant DOE site cleanup issues after completion of the first year of research. The technical progress made to date in each of the research projects is described in greater detail in individual progress reports. The focus of the research projects covers a diversity of areas relevant to site cleanup, including bioremediation, health effects, characterization, and mixed waste. Some of the projects cut across a number of focus areas. Three of the projects are directed toward characterization and monitoring at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, as a test case for application to other sites.

Environmental Management Science Program awards. Fiscal year 1997 annual progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simmons, A.; Benner, W.H.; DePaolo, D.J.; Faybishenko, B.; Majer, E.L.; Pallavicini, M.; Russo, R.E.; Shultz, P.G.; Wan, J.

1997-10-01

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory was awarded eight Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) research grants in Fiscal Year 1996. This report summarizes the progress of each grant in addressing significant DOE site cleanup issues after completion of the first year of research. The technical progress made to date in each of the research projects is described in greater detail in individual progress reports. The focus of the research projects covers a diversity of areas relevant to site cleanup, including bioremediation, health effects, characterization, and mixed waste. Some of the projects cut across a number of focus areas. Three of the projects are directed toward characterization and monitoring at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, as a test case for application to other sites

Funding Site Cleanup at Closing Army Installations: A Stochastic Optimization Approach

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Ardic, Sureyya

2001-01-01

...) to help determine how to allocate limited yearly funding to installations for environmental cleanup, Considering environmental policies and yearly installation funding requests from 2002 to 2015...

Environmental monitoring for the DOE coolside and LIMB demonstration extension projects. Final report, May--August 1991

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

White, T.; Contos, L.; Adams, L. [Radian Corp., Research Triangle Park, NC (United States)

1992-03-01

The purpose of this document is to present environmental monitoring data collected during the US Department of Energy Limestone Injection Multistage Burner (DOE LIMB) Demonstration Project Extension at the Ohio Edison Edgewater Generating Station in Lorain, Ohio. The DOE project is an extension of the US Environmental Protection Agency`s (EPA`s) original LIMB Demonstration. The program is operated nuclear DOE`s Clean Coal Technology Program of ``emerging clean coal technologies`` under the categories of ``in boiler control of oxides of sulfur and nitrogen`` as well as ``post-combustion clean-up.`` The objective of the LIMB program is to demonstrate the sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) and nitrogen oxide (NO{sub x}) emission reduction capabilities of the LIMB system. The LIMB system is a retrofit technology to be used for existing coal-fired boilers equipped with electrostatic precipitators (ESPs).

Remediation activities at the Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walsh, T.J.; Danner, R.

1996-01-01

The Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP) is a United States Department of Energy (DOE) facility located in southwestern Ohio. The facility began manufacturing uranium products in the early 1950's and continued processing uranium ore concentrates until 1989. The facility used a variety of chemical and metallurgical processes to produce uranium metals for use at other DOE sites across the country. Since the facility manufactured uranium metals for over thirty years, various amounts of radiological contamination exists at the site. Because of the chemical and metallurgical processes employed at the site, some hazardous wastes as defined by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) were also generated at the site. In 1989. the FEMP was placed on the National Priorities List (NPL) requiring cleanup of the facility's radioactive and chemical contamination under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). This paper discusses the proposed remediation activities at the five Operable Units (OUs) designated at the FEMP. In addition, the paper also examines the ongoing CERCLA response actions and RCRA closure activities at the facility

Investigation of the feasibility of an international integrated demonstration: Joint demonstration of environmental cleanup technologies in Eastern Europe/former Soviet Union

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hagood, M.C.; Stein, S.L.; Brouns, T.M.; McCabe, G.H.

1993-01-01

Eastern Europe (EE) and the former Soviet Union (FSU) republics have areas that are contaminated with radioactive and hazardous constituents. The Westinghouse Hanford Company is exploring the feasibility of establishing a collaborative effort with various US agencies to establish an International Integrated Demonstration (IID). Westinghouse manages the waste management and cleanup programs at the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Hanford Site. The purpose of the IID would be to (1) facilitate assistance to EE/FSU cleanup efforts, (2) provide hands-on management and operational assistance to EE/FSU countries, (3) provide a basis for evaluating opportunities for and establishing future collaborations, and (4) evaluate the applicability of US technologies to both US and EE/FSU cleanup efforts. The DOE's Integrated Demonstration Programs are currently providing the conduit for development and demonstration and transfer and deployment of innovative technologies to meet DOE's cleanup need for hazardous and radioactive wastes. The Integrated Demonstrations are focused on all facets of environmental restoration including characterization, remediation, monitoring, site closure, regulatory compliance, and regulatory and public acceptance. Innovative technologies are being tested and demonstrated at host sites across the country to provide the necessary performance data needed to deploy these technologies. The IID concept would be to conduct an Integrated Demonstration at one or more EE/FSU host sites

Environmental Management Science Program Workshop. Proceedings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1998-07-01

The Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM), in partnership with the Office of Energy Research (ER), designed, developed, and implemented the Environmental Management Science Program as a basic research effort to fund the scientific and engineering understanding required to solve the most challenging technical problems facing the government's largest, most complex environmental cleanup program. The intent of the Environmental Management Science Program is to: (1) Provide scientific knowledge that will revolutionize technologies and cleanup approaches to significantly reduce future costs, schedules, and risks. (2) Bridge the gap between broad fundamental research that has wide-ranging applications such as that performed in the Department's Office of Energy Research and needs-driven applied technology development that is conducted in Environmental Management's Office of Science and Technology. (3) Focus the nation's science infrastructure on critical Department of Energy environmental problems. In an effort to share information regarding basic research efforts being funded by the Environmental Management Science Program and the Environmental Management/Energy Research Pilot Collaborative Research Program (Wolf-Broido Program), this CD includes summaries for each project. These project summaries, available in portable document format (PDF), were prepared in the spring of 1998 by the principal investigators and provide information about their most recent project activities and accomplishments.

Green Remediation Best Management Practices: Integrating Renewable Energy into Site Cleanup

Science.gov (United States)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Principles for Greener Cleanups outline the Agency's policy for evaluating and minimizing the environmental 'footprint' of activities undertaken when cleaning up a contaminated site.

Active-to-Passive Environmental Cleanup Transition Strategies - 13220

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaughan, Thomas F.; Aylward, Robert S.; Denham, Miles E.; Looney, Brian B.; Whitaker, Wade C.; Mills, Gary L.

2013-01-01

The Savannah River Site uses a graded approach to environmental cleanup. The selection of groundwater and vadose zone remediation technologies for a specific contamination area is based on the size, contaminant type, contaminant concentration, and configuration of the plume. These attributes are the result of the nature and mass of the source of contamination and the subsurface characteristics in the area of the plume. Many large plumes consist of several zones that are most efficiently addressed with separate complementary corrective action/remedial technologies. The highest concentrations of contaminants are found in the source zone. The most robust, high mass removal technologies are often best suited for remediation of the source zone. In the primary plume zone, active remedies, such as pump-and-treat, may be necessary to remove contaminants and exert hydraulic control of the plume. In the dilute fringe zone, contaminants are generally lower in concentration and can often be treated with passive techniques. A key determination in achieving an acceptable and cost-effective end state for a given waste unit is when to transition from an active treatment system to a more passive or natural approach (e.g., monitored natural attenuation or enhanced attenuation). This paper will discuss the considerations for such a transition as well as provide examples of successful transitions at the Savannah River Site. (authors)

Recycling entire DOE facilities: The National Conversion Pilot Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Floyd, D.R.

1996-01-01

The Mission of the National Conversion Pilot Project - to demonstrate, at the Rocky Flats Site, the feasibility of economic conversion of DOE Sites - is succeeding. Contaminated facilities worth $92 million are being cleaned and readied for reuse by commercial industry to manufacture products needed in the DOE cleanup and elsewhere. Former Rocky Flats workers have been hired, recultured, are conducting the cleanup and are expected to perform the future manufacturing by recycling DOE RSM and other metals requiring special environmental controls. Stakeholder sway over project activities is welcome and strong

Proceedings of the seventh annual gasification and gas stream cleanup systems contractors review meeting: Volume 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghate, M.R.; Markel, K.E. Jr.; Jarr, L.A.; Bossart, S.J. (eds.)

1987-08-01

On June 16 through 19, 1987, METC sponsored the Seventh Annual Gasification and Gas Stream Cleanup Systems Contractors Review Meeting which was held at the Sheraton Lakeview Conference Center in Morgantown, West Virginia. The primary purpose of the meeting was threefold: to review the technical progress and current status of the gasification and gas stream cleanup projects sponsored by the Department of Energy; to foster technology exchange among participating researchers and other technical communities; to facilitate interactive dialogues which would identify research needs that would make coal-based gasification systems more attractive economically and environmentally. More than 310 representatives of Government, academia, industry, and foreign energy research organizations attended the 4-day meeting. Fifty-three papers and thirty poster dsplays were presented summarizing recent developments in the gasification and gas stream cleanup programs. Volume II covers papers presented at sessions 5 and 6 on system for the production of synthesis gas, and on system for the production of power. All papers have been processed for inclusion in the Energy Data Base.

Preplanning of early cleanup. Annual report 1996

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

A pre-study 'Pre-planning of early cleanup after fallout of radioactive material' made by Studvik EcoSafe has pointed out the need and request for pre-planning of actions. Based on the pre-study this project was started with the goal to work out guidelines and checklists. Because of the common interest between the Nordic countries NKS is the organization responsible for the project. The results of the project will be a document pointing out what can be planned in advance, including guidelines and checklists, regarding early cleanup actions after a nuclear plant accident in or in the vicinity of the Nordic countries. In this work 'early' means the three first weeks after an accident. The project only deals with questions concerning external radiation. The document shall be usable by persons in charge of planning or decision makers on the appropriate level of organization for each country. The document shall principally be aimed towards persons without professional competence in the field of radiology. The result will be presented for a limited number of generalized environments and fallout situations: urban/suburban/rural (concentrating on urban/suburban); regional differences (in for example house types and constructing material); dry or wet deposition. Five housing environments, ten cleanup actions and wet or dry deposition are treated. For 66 combinations calculations are made and the results are documented as data sheets, each describing the beneficial effects, costs and disadvantages of application of a feasible method for cleaning in the early phase of a specific type of surface in one of five different urban or suburban environments. This data forms the foundation for the recommendations on guidelines, which are the ultimate goal of the EKO-5 project. (EG)

Action Memorandum for Decommissioning the Engineering Test Reactor Complex under the Idaho Cleanup Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A. B. Culp

2007-01-01

This Action Memorandum documents the selected alternative for decommissioning of the Engineering Test Reactor at the Idaho National Laboratory under the Idaho Cleanup Project. Since the missions of the Engineering Test Reactor Complex have been completed, an engineering evaluation/cost analysis that evaluated alternatives to accomplish the decommissioning of the Engineering Test Reactor Complex was prepared and released for public comment. The scope of this Action Memorandum is to encompass the final end state of the Complex and disposal of the Engineering Test Reactor vessel. The selected removal action includes removing and disposing of the vessel at the Idaho CERCLA Disposal Facility and demolishing the reactor building to ground surface

Development of a risk-based approach to Hanford Site cleanup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hesser, W.A.; Daling, P.M.; Baynes, P.A.

1995-06-01

In response to a request from Mr. Thomas Grumbly, Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management, the Hanford Site contractors developed a conceptual set of risk-based cleanup strategies that (1) protect the public, workers, and environment from unacceptable risks; (2) are executable technically; and (3) fit within an expected annual funding profile of 1.05 billion dollars. These strategies were developed because (1) the US Department of Energy and Hanford Site budgets are being reduced, (2) stakeholders are dissatisfied with the perceived rate of cleanup, (3) the US Congress and the US Department of Energy are increasingly focusing on risk and riskreduction activities, (4) the present strategy is not integrated across the Site and is inconsistent in its treatment of similar hazards, (5) the present cleanup strategy is not cost-effective from a risk-reduction or future land use perspective, and (6) the milestones and activities in the Tri-Party Agreement cannot be achieved with an anticipated funding of 1.05 billion dollars annually. The risk-based strategies described herein were developed through a systems analysis approach that (1) analyzed the cleanup mission; (2) identified cleanup objectives, including risk reduction, land use, and mortgage reduction; (3) analyzed the existing baseline cleanup strategy from a cost and risk perspective; (4) developed alternatives for accomplishing the cleanup mission; (5) compared those alternatives against cleanup objectives; and (6) produced conclusions and recommendations regarding the current strategy and potential risk-based strategies

Proceedings of Workshop on Uranium Production Environmental Restoration: An exchange between the United States and Germany

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-12-31

Scientists, engineers, elected officials, and industry regulators from the United, States and Germany met in Albuquerque, New Mexico, August 16--20, 1993, in the first joint international workshop to discuss uranium tailings remediation. Entitled ``Workshop on Uranium Production Environmental Restoration: An Exchange between the US and Germany,`` the meeting was hosted by the US Department of Energy`s (DOE) Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project. The goal of the workshop was to further understanding and communication on the uranium tailings cleanup projects in the US and Germany. Many communities around the world are faced with an environmental legacy -- enormous quantities of hazardous and low-level radioactive materials from the production of uranium used for energy and nuclear weapons. In 1978, the US Congress passed the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act. Title I of the law established a program to assess the tailings at inactive uranium processing sites and provide a means for joint federal and state funding of the cleanup efforts at sites where all or substantially all of the uranium was produced for sale to a federal agency. The UMTRA Project is responsible for the cleanup of 24 sites in 10 states. Germany is facing nearly identical uranium cleanup problems and has established a cleanup project. At the workshop, participants had an opportunity to interact with a broad cross section of the environmental restoration and waste disposal community, discuss common concerns and problems, and develop a broader understanding of the issues. Abstracts are catalogued individually for the data base.

Proceedings of Workshop on Uranium Production Environmental Restoration: An exchange between the United States and Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

Scientists, engineers, elected officials, and industry regulators from the United, States and Germany met in Albuquerque, New Mexico, August 16--20, 1993, in the first joint international workshop to discuss uranium tailings remediation. Entitled ''Workshop on Uranium Production Environmental Restoration: An Exchange between the US and Germany,'' the meeting was hosted by the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project. The goal of the workshop was to further understanding and communication on the uranium tailings cleanup projects in the US and Germany. Many communities around the world are faced with an environmental legacy -- enormous quantities of hazardous and low-level radioactive materials from the production of uranium used for energy and nuclear weapons. In 1978, the US Congress passed the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act. Title I of the law established a program to assess the tailings at inactive uranium processing sites and provide a means for joint federal and state funding of the cleanup efforts at sites where all or substantially all of the uranium was produced for sale to a federal agency. The UMTRA Project is responsible for the cleanup of 24 sites in 10 states. Germany is facing nearly identical uranium cleanup problems and has established a cleanup project. At the workshop, participants had an opportunity to interact with a broad cross section of the environmental restoration and waste disposal community, discuss common concerns and problems, and develop a broader understanding of the issues. Abstracts are catalogued individually for the data base

Community-based participatory research projects and policy engagement to protect environmental health on St Lawrence Island, Alaska

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pamela K. Miller

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Objectives . This article synthesizes discussion of collaborative research results, interventions and policy engagement for St Lawrence Island (SLI, Alaska, during the years 2000–2012. Methods . As part of on-going community-based participatory research (CBPR studies on SLI, 5 discrete exposure-assessment projects were conducted: (a a biomonitoring study of human blood serum; (b–d 3 investigations of levels of contaminants in environmental media at an abandoned military site at Northeast Cape – using sediment cores and plants, semi-permeable membrane devices and blackfish, respectively; and (e a study of traditional foods. Results . Blood serum in residents of SLI showed elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs with higher levels among those exposed to the military site at Northeast Cape, an important traditional subsistence-use area. Environmental studies at the military site demonstrated that the site is a continuing source of PCBs to a major watershed, and that clean-up operations at the military site generated PCB-contaminated dust on plants in the region. Important traditional foods eaten by the people of SLI showed elevated concentrations of PCBs, which are primarily derived from the long-range transport of persistent pollutants that are transported by atmospheric and marine currents from more southerly latitudes to the north. Interventions . An important task for all CBPR projects is to conduct intervention strategies as needed in response to research results. Because of the findings of the CBPR projects on SLI, the CBPR team and the people of the Island are actively engaging in interventions to ensure cleanup of the formerly used military sites; reform chemicals policy on a national level; and eliminate persistent pollutants internationally. The goal is to make the Island and other northern/Arctic communities safe for themselves and future generations. Conclusions . As part of the CBPR projects conducted from 2000 to 2012

Radioactive Waste and Clean-up: Introduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collard, G.

2007-01-01

The primary mission of the Radioactive Waste and Clean-up division is to propose, to develop and to evaluate solutions for a safe, acceptable and sustainable management of radioactive waste. The Radioactive Waste and Clean-up division programme consists in research, studies, development and demonstration aiming to realise the objective of Agenda 21 on sustainable development in the field of radioactive waste and rehabilitation on radioactively contaminated sites. Indeed, it participates in the realisation of an objective which is to ensure that radioactive wastes are safely managed, transported, stored and disposed of, with a view to protecting human health and the environment, within a wider framework of an interactive and integrated approach to radioactive waste management and safety. We believe that nuclear energy will be necessary for the sustainable development of mankind in the 21st century, but we well understand that it would not be maintained if it is not proven that within benefits of nuclear energy a better protection of the environment is included. Although the current waste management practices are both technically and from the environmental point of view adequate, efforts in relation of future power production and waste management technologies should be put on waste minimisation. Therefore, the new and innovative reactors, fuel cycle and waste management processes and installations should be designed so that the waste generation can be kept in minimum. In addition to the design, the installations should be operated so as to create less waste; consideration should be given e.g. to keeping water chemistry clean and other quality factors. SCK-CEN in general and the Radioactive Waste and Clean-up division in particular are present in international groups preparing the development of innovative nuclear reactors, as Generation 4 and INPRO. Because performance assessments are often black boxes for the public, demonstration is needed for the acceptation of

Radioactive Waste and Clean-up Division

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collard, G.

2001-01-01

The main objectives of the Radioactive Waste and Clean-up division of SCK-CEN are outlined. The division's programme consists of research, development and demonstration projects and aims to contribute to the objectives of Agenda 21 on sustainable development in the field of radioactive waste and rehabilitation of radioactively contaminated sites

Bioremediation case study: Fuel-contaminated soil cleanup in the Marshall Islands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Machanoff, R.

1992-01-01

Using microbes to degrade fuels in contaminated soils is becoming increasingly more attractive as an approach to environmental restoration. Removing contamination by traditional methods is costly, does not always eliminate the problem, and often just moves it somewhere else. Biodegradation of contaminants can often be accomplished in situ, resulting in the actual destruction of the contaminants by microbial conversion to harmless by-products. Bioremediation is not applicable to all forms of environmental contamination but has been demonstrated to be particularly effective on petroleum hydrocarbon based fuels. Bioremediation can offer a cost-effective means for site cleanup, particularly where challenging logistical considerations have to be factored into cleanup projects. Logistical considerations have made bioremediation the method of choice for the decontamination of fuel-containing soils on Kwajalein Island, Republic of the Marshall Islands. Kwajalein is located more than 2,100 miles west of Hawaii in the southernmost part of the North Pacific. The site of a major missile range of the Strategic Defense Command (SDC), Kwajalein has been the center of US defense activities for almost 50 years. The island is part of a typical coral atoll and is only 2.5 miles long and 0.5 miles wide. Mission-related activities over the past 5 decades have resulted in about 10% of the island being contaminated with diesel, gasoline, and jet fuels. SDC has executed an agreement with the Department of Energy for the Hazardous Waste Remedial Actions Program (HAZWRAP), a division of Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., to assist the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) in the management of the Base restoration activities on Kwajalein Atoll. HAZWRAP initiated sampling and feasibility studies to determine whether bioremediation was a viable choice for site cleanup at USAKA

Cancer incidence and thyroid disease among Estonian Chernobyl clean-up workers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Auvinen, A; Salomaa, S [eds.; Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Helsinki (Finland); Rahu, M; Veidebaum, T; Tekkel, M [eds.; Inst. of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Tallinn (Estonia); Hakulinen, T [ed.; Finnish Cancer Registry, Helsinki (Finland); Boice, Jr, J D [ed.; Int. Epidemiology Inst., MD (United States)

1998-09-01

The report describes the development and summarizes the results of the project Cancer incidence and thyroid disease among Estonian Chernobyl clean-up workers. One of the goals of the report is to give research protocols and questionnaires for researchers involved in other studies. Eight previously published articles are also included summarizing the results. The development of the collaboration work of the project is described in the introduction of the report. Epidemiological methods are described in an article complemented by the protocol and English version of the questionnaire administered to all cleanup workers, as well as the data collection form of the thyroid study. The results from biological biodosimetry using both glycophorin A and FISH methods have shown that the radiation doses received by the Chernobyl cleanup workers were relatively low. Thyroid nodularity was not associated with any radiation exposure characteristic in the thyroid screening study. Estonian Chernobyl cleanup workers were followed up for cancer incidence through the Estonian Cancer Registry. No cases of leukemia or thyroid cancer were observed by the end of 1993. It is too early to observe possible effect on other types of cancer. However, mortality from suicides was increased compared with general population. Further follow-up and the extension to other Baltic countries in the future will undoubtedly strengthen the study. There are also plans for future projects covering areas from psychosocial factors to radiation biology

Regulatory and management requirements for investigation-derived waste generated during environmental investigations and cleanups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clary, M.B.

1994-01-01

Environmental cleanup efforts often result in the generation of waste materials, such as soil samples, drill cuttings, decontamination water, drilling muds, personal protective equipment, and disposable sampling equipment. The management of associated with site characterization and remediation issues is a complicated issue at many CERCLA/RCRA facilities throughout the country, primarily because of the federal hazardous waste regulations. The hazardous waste regulations were intended to apply to the active generation of hazardous waste at industrial facilities and do not often make sense when applied to sites con by poor disposal practices of the past. In order to manage investigation derived waste in a more rational, logical manner, EPA issued guidance on the management of investigation-derived waste (IDW) at Superfund sites in January, 1992. The basic intent of the EPA guidance is to provide Superfund Site Managers with options for handling, managing, and disposing of IDW. The second part of this paper provides a detailed analysis of current IDW practices at various Department of Energy (DOE) facilities and Superfund sites across the nation. Some sites, particularly the DOE facilities, with more complicated on-going cleanup efforts have developed site-specific written procedures for managing IDW, often incorporating risk assessment. In come cases, these site-specific policies are going farther than the current EPA and Colorado policies in terms of conservatively managing IDW

Consolidating federal facility cleanup: Some pros and cons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raynes, D.B.; Boss, G.R.

1993-01-01

It has been suggested that Congress establish a permanent, full-time, independent national commission for radioactive waste management activities at DOE's Nuclear Weapons Complex. DOE regulates certain aspects of its treatment, storage, and disposal of radioactive waste by orders that are not promulgated by ''notice and comment'' or other procedures in the Administration Procedures Act. Because many agencies are not legally and technologically structured to handle their own cleanup problems, these activities might be conducted by one entity that can share information and staff among these agencies. There are rational arguments for both sides of this issue. Some of the advantages of such an organization include: focusing Congress's attention on an integrated federal facility cleanup instead of a fragmented, agency by agency approach, and an ability to prioritize cleanup decisions among agencies. Some significant obstacles include: reluctance by Congress and the executive branch to create any new bureaucracy at a time of budget deficits, and a loss of momentum from the progress already being made by the agencies. Given that more than $9 billion was proposed for FY 93 alone for federal facilities' cleanup programs and that decades will pass before all problems are addressed, it is appropriate to consider new approaches to environmental cleanup. This paper begins the dialogue about new ways to improve decision-making and government spending

Streamlined sample cleanup using combined dispersive solid-phase extraction and in-vial filtration for analysis of pesticides and environmental pollutants in shrimp

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Han, Lijun [College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing (China); Sapozhnikova, Yelena [U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, 600 East Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038 (United States); Lehotay, Steven J., E-mail: Steven.Lehotay@ars.usda.gov [U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Eastern Regional Research Center, 600 East Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA 19038 (United States)

2014-05-01

Highlights: • The first report that combines in-vial filtration and dispersive-SPE for sample cleanup. • The unique application of ammonium formate for salting-out partitioning in QuEChERS. • Evaluations of a new zirconium-based and a non-friable GCB sorbent for d-SPE cleanup. • A new analytical method for 59 pesticides and environmental pollutants in shrimp. Abstract: A new method of sample preparation was developed and is reported for the first time. The approach combines in-vial filtration with dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) in a fast and convenient cleanup of QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) extracts. The method was applied to simultaneous analysis of 42 diverse pesticides and 17 environmental contaminants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and flame retardants, in shrimp as the sample matrix. Final extracts were analyzed by both low-pressure gas chromatography – triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (LPGC-MS/MS), and high-performance liquid chromatography – triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) to provide a wide scope of analysis for targeted analytes. During method development, several different commercial sorbents for d-SPE were investigated and compared with respect to analyte recoveries. The method was validated at 10, 50, and 100 ng g⁻¹ spiking levels (10-fold lower for PCBs), and the results for nearly all analytes were between 70 and 115% recoveries with ≤17% relative standard deviations. The method was shown to be simple, fast, and effective for multi-application analysis of chemical residues in the representative food and environmental marker matrix.

Statistical methods for evaluating the attainment of cleanup standards

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gilbert, R.O.; Simpson, J.C.

1992-12-01

This document is the third volume in a series of volumes sponsored by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Statistical Policy Branch, that provide statistical methods for evaluating the attainment of cleanup Standards at Superfund sites. Volume 1 (USEPA 1989a) provides sampling designs and tests for evaluating attainment of risk-based standards for soils and solid media. Volume 2 (USEPA 1992) provides designs and tests for evaluating attainment of risk-based standards for groundwater. The purpose of this third volume is to provide statistical procedures for designing sampling programs and conducting statistical tests to determine whether pollution parameters in remediated soils and solid media at Superfund sites attain site-specific reference-based standards. This.document is written for individuals who may not have extensive training or experience with statistical methods. The intended audience includes EPA regional remedial project managers, Superfund-site potentially responsible parties, state environmental protection agencies, and contractors for these groups.

U Plant Geographic Zone Cleanup Prototype

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Romine, L.D.; Leary, K.D.; Lackey, M.B.; Robertson, J.R.

2006-01-01

The U Plant geographic zone (UPZ) occupies 0.83 square kilometers on the Hanford Site Central Plateau (200 Area). It encompasses the U Plant canyon (221-U Facility), ancillary facilities that supported the canyon, soil waste sites, and underground pipelines. The UPZ cleanup initiative coordinates the cleanup of the major facilities, ancillary facilities, waste sites, and contaminated pipelines (collectively identified as 'cleanup items') within the geographic zone. The UPZ was selected as a geographic cleanup zone prototype for resolving regulatory, technical, and stakeholder issues and demonstrating cleanup methods for several reasons: most of the area is inactive, sufficient characterization information is available to support decisions, cleanup of the high-risk waste sites will help protect the groundwater, and the zone contains a representative cross-section of the types of cleanup actions that will be required in other geographic zones. The UPZ cleanup demonstrates the first of 22 integrated zone cleanup actions on the Hanford Site Central Plateau to address threats to groundwater, the environment, and human health. The UPZ contains more than 100 individual cleanup items. Cleanup actions in the zone will be undertaken using multiple regulatory processes and decision documents. Cleanup actions will include building demolition, waste site and pipeline excavation, and the construction of multiple, large engineered barriers. In some cases, different cleanup actions may be taken at item locations that are immediately adjacent to each other. The cleanup planning and field activities for each cleanup item must be undertaken in a coordinated and cohesive manner to ensure effective execution of the UPZ cleanup initiative. The UPZ zone cleanup implementation plan (ZCIP) [1] was developed to address the need for a fundamental integration tool for UPZ cleanup. As UPZ cleanup planning and implementation moves forward, the ZCIP is intended to be a living document that will

Surface and subsurface cleanup protocol for radionuclides, Gunnison, Colorado, UMTRA project processing site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzales, D.

1993-12-01

Surface and subsurface soil cleanup protocols for the Gunnison, Colorado, processing site are summarized as follows: In accordance with EPA-promulgated land cleanup standards, in situ Ra-226 is to be cleaned up based on bulk concentrations not exceeding 5 and 15 pCi/g in 15-cm surface and subsurface depth increments, averaged over 100m 2 grid blocks, where the parent Ra-226 concentrations are greater than, or in secular equilibrium with, the Th-230 parent. In locations where Th-230 has differentially migrated in subsoil relative to Ra-226, a Th-230 clean up protocol has been developed. The cleanup of other radionuclides or nonradiological hazards that pose a significant threat to the public and the environment will be determined and implemented in accordance with pathway analysis to assess impacts and the implications of ALARA specified in 40 CFR Part 192 relative to supplemental standards

Evaluation of contaminated groundwater cleanup objectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arquiett, C.; Gerke, M.; Datskou, I.

1996-01-01

The US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Environmental Restoration Program will be responsible for remediating the approximately 230 contaminated groundwater sites across the DOE Complex. A major concern for remediation is choosing the appropriate cleanup objective. The cleanup objective chosen will influence the risk to the nearby public during and after remediation; risk to remedial and non-involved workers during remediation; and the cost of remediation. This paper discusses the trends shown in analyses currently being performed at Oak Ridge National Laboratories' (ORNL's) Center for Risk Management (CRM). To evaluate these trends, CRM is developing a database of contaminated sites. This paper examines several contaminated groundwater sites selected for assessment from CRM's data base. The sites in this sample represent potential types of contaminated groundwater sites commonly found at an installation within DOE. The baseline risk from these sites to various receptors is presented. Residual risk and risk during remediation is reported for different cleanup objectives. The cost associated with remediating to each of these objectives is also estimated for each of the representative sites. Finally, the general trends of impacts as a function of cleanup objective will be summarized. The sites examined include the Savannah River site, where there was substantial ground pollution from radionuclides, oil, coal stockpiles, and other forms of groundwater contamination. The effects of various types of groundwater contamination on various types of future user is described. 4 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs

The cleanup of Three Mile Island Unit 2: A technical history, 1979--1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holton, W.C.; Negin, C.A.; Owrutsky, S.L.

1990-09-01

The Electric Power Research Institute has sponsored a technical history project to ensure that the logic and consequences of decisions made during the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) cleanup are available for recovery from an accident involving damaged fuel and fission product release. The objectives of the history project are to identify the major questions and challenges facing management; describe the influencing factors and the options available; and present the final decisions and their consequences. This history of decision-making is intended to assist a project manager who must respond to a fuel damage accident, even if the scale is much smaller than TMI-2. The history has focused on decisions related to seven major aspects of the cleanup: cleanup management, postaccident stabilization, personnel protection, data acquisition, radioactive waste management, decontamination, and defueling. A detailed chronology and extensive bibliography accompany the text

Regulatory and institutional issues impending cleanup at US Department of Energy sites: Perspectives gained from an office of environmental restoration workshop

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fallon, W E; Gephart, J M; Gephart, R E; Quinn, R D; Stevenson, L A

1991-05-01

The US Department of Energy's (DOE) nuclear weapons and energy operations are conducted across a nation-wide industrial complex engaged in a variety of manufacturing, processing, testing, and research and development activities. The overall mission of DOE Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM) is to protect workers, the public, and the environment from waste materials generated by past, current, and future DOE activities and to bring the DOE complex into compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and agreements related to health, safety, and the environment. EM addresses this broad mandate through related and interdependent programs that include corrective actions, waste operations, environmental restoration, and technology development. The EM Office of Environmental Restoration (EM-40) recognizes the importance of implementing a complex-wide process to identify and resolve those issues that may impede progress towards site cleanup. As a first step in this process, FM-40 sponsored an exercise to identify and characterize major regulatory and institutional issues and to formulate integrated action steps towards their resolution. This report is the first product of that exercise. It is intended that the exercise described here will mark the beginning of an ongoing process of issue identification, tracking, and resolution that will benefit cleanup activities across the DOE complex.

Evaluation of a new carbon/zirconia-based sorbent for the cleanup of food extracts in multiclass analysis of pesticides and environmental contaminants

Science.gov (United States)

A novel carbon/zirconia based material, SupelTM QuE Verde (Verde), was evaluated in a filter-vial dispersive solid phase extraction (d-SPE) cleanup of QuEChERS extracts of pork, salmon, kale, and avocado for residual analysis of pesticides and environmental contaminants. Low pressure (LP) GC-MS/MS w...

In Situ Thermal NAPL Remediation at the Northeast Site Pinellas Environmental Restoration Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Juhlin, R.; Butherus, M.

2006-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is conducting thermal remediation to remove non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) from the subsurface at the Northeast Site that is part of the Pinellas Environmental Restoration Project. The Northeast Site is located on the Young - Rainey Science, Technology, and Research (STAR) Center in Largo, Florida. The STAR Center was formerly a DOE facility. The NAPL remediation was performed at Area A and is currently being performed at Area B at the Northeast Site. The remediation at Area A was completed in 2003 and covered an area of 900 m 2 (10,000 ft 2 ) and a depth of remediation that extended to 10.7 m (35 ft) below ground surface. Cleanup levels achieved were at or below maximum contaminant levels in almost all locations. The remediation project at Area B is ongoing and covers an area of 3,240 m 2 (36,000 ft 2 ), a volume of 41,300 m (54,000 yd 3), and a depth of remediation to 12 m (40 ft) below ground surface. In addition, a portion of the subsurface under an occupied building in Area B is included in the remediation. The cleanup levels achieved from this remediation will be available in the Area B Final Report that will be posted on the DOE Office of Legacy Management web site (www.lm.doe.gov/land/sites/fl/ pinellas/pinellas.htm) in January 2007. Electrical resistive heating and steam were the chosen remediation methods at both areas. Lessons learned from the Area A remediation were incorporated into the Area B remediation and could benefit managers of similar remediation projects. (authors)

The Approach to Cleanup at West Cumbria's Nuclear Sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Price, T.

2006-01-01

The cleanup of West Cumbria's nuclear sites is one of the most important and demanding managerial, technical and environmental challenges facing the UK over the next century. Considerable progress has already been made in cleaning up the Sellafield, Calder Hall, and Low-level Waste Repository (LLWR) sites but there remains significant challenge ahead. There are more than 200 nuclear facilities at the sites including redundant fuel storage ponds, redundant chemical plants and silos of solid waste and sludge. These legacy buildings exist alongside commercially operating reprocessing and fuel fabrication facilities. They are all linked together by a complex network of services including gas supplies, water supplies, waste disposal routes, and chemical supply routes. Many of the buildings requiring cleanup are very old and date back to the early years of the British nuclear industry. They were not designed with decommissioning in mind, and some require substantial improvement to provide a safe foundation from which to retrieve waste and decommission. The cleanup of these legacy facilities must be carefully balanced with the ongoing operations that provide services to commercial customers. Cleanup must be carried out safely and efficiently, without impacting upon commercial operations whose revenue is vital to funding the Cleanup organizations scope of work. This paper will introduce the cleanup approach at West Cumbria's Sellafield nuclear site. It will provide an overview of what is being done in preparation to meet the formidable but rewarding challenge ahead. (authors)

Reactor water clean-up device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Koji; Egashira, Yasuo; Shimada, Fumie; Igarashi, Noboru.

1983-01-01

Purpose: To save a low temperature reactor water clean-up system indispensable so far and significantly simplify the system by carrying out the reactor water clean-up solely in a high temperature reactor water clean-up system. Constitution: The reactor water clean-up device comprises a high temperature clean-up pump and a high temperature adsorption device for inorganic adsorbents. The high temperature adsorption device is filled with amphoteric ion adsorbing inorganic adsorbents, or amphoteric ion adsorbing inorganic adsorbents and anionic adsorbing inorganic adsorbents. The reactor water clean-up device introduces reactor water by the high temperature clean-up pump through a recycling system to the high temperature adsorption device for inorganic adsorbents. Since cations such as cobalt ions and anions such as chlorine ions in the reactor water are simultaneously removed in the device, a low temperature reactor water clean-up system which has been indispensable so far can be saved to realize the significant simplification for the entire system. (Seki, T.)

Environmental Management Integration Project/Mixed Waste Focus Area Partnership

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gombert, D.; Kristofferson, K.; Cole, L.

1999-01-01

On January 16, 1998, the Assistant Secretary for the Environmental Management (EM) Program at the Department of Energy, issued DOE-Idaho the Program Integration and Systems Engineering Guidance for Fiscal Year 1998, herein called Guidance, which directed that program integration tasks be performed for all EM program areas. This guidance directed the EM Integration team, as part of the Task 1, to develop baseline waste and material disposition maps which are owned by the site Project Baseline Summary (PBS) manager. With these baselines in place Task 2 gave direction to link Science and Technology activities to the waste and material stream supported by that technology. This linkage of EM Program needs with the OST activities supports the DOE goal of maximizing cleanup at DOE sites by 2006 and provides a defensible science and technology program. Additionally, this linkage is a valuable tool in the integration of the waste and material disposition efforts for the DOE complex

The environmental and molecular sciences laboratory project: Continuous evolution in leadership

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knutson, D.E.; McClusky, J.K.

1995-09-01

The United States is embarking on an environmental cleanup effort that dwarfs previous scientific enterprise. Using current best available technology, the projected costs of cleaning up the tens of abounds of toxic waste sites, including DOE sites, is estimated to exceed one trillion dollars. That level of expenditure contains no guarantee that the sites can be restored to their original condition, and no consensus on ''how clean is clean enough.'' ''Ultimately, the scientific challenge is to determine as accurately as possible each term in the path that links the source of the contaminant with the particular biological end points or health effects and to understand the mechanisms that connect them. However, the present state of scientific knowledge regarding the effects of exogenous chemicals on human biology is very limited. Understanding the connections at the molecular level is, at best, a blurred picture and often a black box.'' Long term environmental research at the molecular level is needed to resolve the concerns, and form the building blocks for a structure of cost effective process improvement and regulatory reform

The environmental and molecular sciences laboratory project: Continuous evolution in leadership

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knutson, D.E.; McClusky, J.K.

1995-09-01

The United States is embarking on an environmental cleanup effort that dwarfs previous scientific enterprise. Using current best available technology, the projected costs of cleaning up the tens of abounds of toxic waste sites, including DOE sites, is estimated to exceed one trillion dollars. That level of expenditure contains no guarantee that the sites can be restored to their original condition, and no consensus on ``how clean is clean enough.`` ``Ultimately, the scientific challenge is to determine as accurately as possible each term in the path that links the source of the contaminant with the particular biological end points or health effects and to understand the mechanisms that connect them. However, the present state of scientific knowledge regarding the effects of exogenous chemicals on human biology is very limited. Understanding the connections at the molecular level is, at best, a blurred picture and often a black box.`` Long term environmental research at the molecular level is needed to resolve the concerns, and form the building blocks for a structure of cost effective process improvement and regulatory reform.

Water Integration Project Science Strategies White Paper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alan K. Yonk

2003-01-01

This white paper has been prepared to document the approach to develop strategies to address Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) science and technology needs/uncertainties to support completion of INEEL Idaho Completion Project (Environmental Management [EM]) projects against the 2012 plan. Important Idaho Completion Project remediation and clean-up projects include the 2008 OU 10-08 Record of Decision, completion of EM by 2012, Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center Tanks, INEEL CERCLA Disposal Facility, and the Radioactive Waste Management Complex. The objective of this effort was to develop prioritized operational needs and uncertainties that would assist Operations in remediation and clean-up efforts at the INEEL and develop a proposed path forward for the development of science strategies to address these prioritized needs. Fifteen needs/uncertainties were selected to develop an initial approach to science strategies. For each of the 15 needs/uncertainties, a detailed definition was developed. This included extracting information from the past interviews with Operations personnel to provide a detailed description of the need/uncertainty. For each of the 15 prioritized research and development needs, a search was performed to identify the state of the associated knowledge. The knowledge search was performed primarily evaluating ongoing research. The ongoing research reviewed included Environmental Systems Research Analysis, Environmental Management Science Program, Laboratory Directed Research and Development, Inland Northwest Research Alliance, United States Geological Survey, and ongoing Operations supported projects. Results of the knowledge search are documented as part of this document

Water Integration Project Science Strategies White Paper

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alan K. Yonk

2003-09-01

This white paper has been prepared to document the approach to develop strategies to address Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) science and technology needs/uncertainties to support completion of INEEL Idaho Completion Project (Environmental Management [EM]) projects against the 2012 plan. Important Idaho Completion Project remediation and clean-up projects include the 2008 OU 10-08 Record of Decision, completion of EM by 2012, Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center Tanks, INEEL CERCLA Disposal Facility, and the Radioactive Waste Management Complex. The objective of this effort was to develop prioritized operational needs and uncertainties that would assist Operations in remediation and clean-up efforts at the INEEL and develop a proposed path forward for the development of science strategies to address these prioritized needs. Fifteen needs/uncertainties were selected to develop an initial approach to science strategies. For each of the 15 needs/uncertainties, a detailed definition was developed. This included extracting information from the past interviews with Operations personnel to provide a detailed description of the need/uncertainty. For each of the 15 prioritized research and development needs, a search was performed to identify the state of the associated knowledge. The knowledge search was performed primarily evaluating ongoing research. The ongoing research reviewed included Environmental Systems Research Analysis, Environmental Management Science Program, Laboratory Directed Research and Development, Inland Northwest Research Alliance, United States Geological Survey, and ongoing Operations supported projects. Results of the knowledge search are documented as part of this document.

A proposed framework for establishing integrated cost and performance criteria for environmental technologies. A summary report to the U.S. Department of Energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-05-01

Through an Interagency Agreement between the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Energy (DOE), EPA directed a project to establish a suite of standard cost and performance criteria to guide the evaluation of environmental cleanup technologies for DOE sites. Ideally, these criteria would be ''generic'' in that they could be used as a basis for evaluating any cleanup technology for any DOE site. To be most useful, however, these criteria would also reflect the interests of diverse decisionmakers who influence DOE technology evaluation. The project was conducted by the National Environmental Technology Applications Center (NETAC), a nonprofit organization specializing in the development and commercialization of new and innovative environmental technologies for national and international markets. To accomplish the project objective, NETAC (1) developed a data gathering questionnaire, (2) interviewed government and industry decisionmakers, (3) identified previous criteria development efforts, (4) conducted a workshop, (5) evaluated workshop discussions, and (6) applied its five years' experience in commercializing environmental technologies to analyze project findings. The project resulted in the development of a unique and comprehensive resource or tool to enhance communication among decisionmakers. This resource, a ''Proposed Framework for Establishing Integrated Cost and Performance Criteria for Evaluating Environmental Cleanup Technologies for DOE Sites,'' offers decisionmakers a first-time comprehensive assessment of major technology evaluation issues by a decisionmaker group

Ten-year cleanup of U.S. Department of Energy weapon sites: The changing roles for technology development in an era of privatization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taylor, L.H. [Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)

1996-12-31

In its beginning, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Environmental Management (EM) viewed private industry as lacking adequate technology know-how to meet demands of hazardous and radioactive waste problems at the DOE`s laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities. In November 1989, EM`s Office of Technology Development (recently renamed the Office of Science and Technology) embarked on a bold program of developing and demonstrating {open_quotes}innovative{close_quotes} waste cleanup technologies that would be safer, faster, more effective, and less expensive than the {open_quotes}baseline{close_quotes} commercial methods. This program has engaged DOE sites, national laboratories, and universities to produce preferred solutions to the problems of handling and treating DOE wastes. More recently, much of this work has shifted to joint efforts with private industry partners to accelerate the use of newly developed technologies and to enhance existing commercial methods. To date, the total funding allocation to the Office of Science and Technology program has been about $2.8 billion. If the technology applications` projects of the EM Offices of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management are included, the total funding is closer to $4 billion. Yet, the environmental industry generally has not been very receptive to EM`s innovative technology offerings. And, essentially the same can be said for DOE sites. According to the U.S. General Accounting Office in an August 1994 report, {open_quotes}Although DOE has spent a substantial amount to develop waste cleanup technologies, little new technology finds its way into the agency`s cleanup actions{close_quotes}. The DOE Baseline Environmental Management Report estimated cleanups of DOE`s Cold War legacy of wastes to require the considerable cost of $226 billion over a period of 75 years. 1 tab.

Waste Cleanup: Status and Implications of Compliance Agreements Between DOE and Its Regulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, G. L.; Swick, W. R.; Perry, T. C.; Kintner-Meyer, N.K.; Abraham, C. R.; Pollack, I. M.

2003-01-01

This paper discusses compliance agreements that affect the Department of Energy's (DOE) cleanup program. Compliance agreements are legally enforceable documents between DOE and its regulators, specifying cleanup activities and milestones that DOE has agreed to achieve. Over the years, these compliance agreements have been used to implement much of the cleanup activity at DOE sites, which is carried our primarily under two federal laws - the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended (CERCLA) and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 0f 1976, as amended (RCRA). Our objectives were to determine the types of compliance agreements in effect at DOE cleanup sites, DOE's progress in achieving the milestones contained in the agreements, whether the agreements allowed DOE to prioritize work across sites according to relative risk, and possible implications the agreements have on DOE's efforts to improve the cleanup program

US - Former Soviet Union environmental management activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-09-01

The Office of Environmental Management (EM) has been delegated the responsibility for US DOE's cleanup of nuclear weapons complex. The nature and the magnitude of the waste management and environmental remediation problem requires the identification of technologies and scientific expertise from domestic and foreign sources. This booklet makes comparisons and describes coordinated projects and workshops between the USA and the former Soviet Union

Improving Sampling, Analysis, and Data Management for Site Investigation and Cleanup

Science.gov (United States)

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) supports the adoption of streamlined approaches to sampling, analysis, and data management activities conducted during site assessment, characterization, and cleanup.

Rapid and effective sample cleanup based on graphene oxide-encapsulated core–shell magnetic microspheres for determination of fifteen trace environmental phenols in seafood by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pan, Sheng-Dong; Chen, Xiao-Hong [Key Laboratory of Health Risk Appraisal for Trace Toxic Chemicals of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010 (China); Ningbo Key Laboratory of Poison Research and Control, Ningbo Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Ningbo 315010 (China); Shen, Hao-Yu [Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315100 (China); Li, Xiao-Ping [Key Laboratory of Health Risk Appraisal for Trace Toxic Chemicals of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010 (China); Ningbo Key Laboratory of Poison Research and Control, Ningbo Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Ningbo 315010 (China); Cai, Mei-Qiang [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Zhao, Yong-Gang [Key Laboratory of Health Risk Appraisal for Trace Toxic Chemicals of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010 (China); Ningbo Key Laboratory of Poison Research and Control, Ningbo Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Ningbo 315010 (China); Jin, Mi-Cong, E-mail: jmcjc@163.com [Key Laboratory of Health Risk Appraisal for Trace Toxic Chemicals of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010 (China); Ningbo Key Laboratory of Poison Research and Control, Ningbo Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Ningbo 315010 (China)

2016-05-05

In this study, graphene oxide-encapsulated core–shell magnetic microspheres (GOE-CS-MM) were fabricated by a self-assemble approach between positive charged poly(diallyldimethylammonium) chloride (PDDA)-modified Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@SiO{sub 2} and negative charged GO sheets via electrostatic interaction. The as-prepared GOE-CS-MM was carefully characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), vibrating sample magnetometer analysis (VSM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and was used as a cleanup adsorbent in magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) for determination of 15 trace-level environmental phenols in seafood coupled to liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). The obtained results showed that the GOE-CS-MM exhibited excellent cleanup efficiency and could availably reduce the matrix effect. The cleanup mechanisms were investigated and referred to π–π stacking interaction and hydrogen bond between GOE-CS-MM and impurities in the extracts. Moreover, the extraction and cleanup conditions of GOE-CS-MM toward phenols were optimized in detail. Under the optimized conditions, the limits of detection (LODs) were found to be 0.003–0.06 μg kg{sup −1}, and satisfactory recovery values of 84.8–103.1% were obtained for the tested seafood samples. It was confirmed that the developed method is simple, fast, sensitive, and accurate for the determination of 15 trace environmental phenols in seafood samples. - Highlights: • Novel graphene oxide-encapsulated core-shell magnetic microspheres (GOE-CS-MM) were fabricated by a self-assemble approach. • The as-prepared material GOE-CS-MM exhibited excellent cleanup efficiency and could availably reduce the matrix effect. • The cleanup mechanisms refer to π–π stacking interaction and hydrogen bond. • The developed MSPE–LC–MS/MS method was simple, fast, sensitive and accurate.

Answers to frequently asked questions about cleanup activities at Three Mile Island, Unit 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-03-01

This question-and-answer report provides answers in nontechnical language to frequently asked questions about the status of cleanup activities at Three Mile Island, Unit 2. The answers update information first prepared in 1981, shortly after the cleanup got under way. Since then, a variety of important developments in the cleanup has occurred. The information in the report should be read in conjunction with NUREG 1060, a discussion of increased occupational exposure estimates for the cleanup. The questions and answers in this report cover purpose and community involvement, decontamination of water and reactor, fuel removal, radwaste transport, environmental impact, social and economic effects, worker exposures and safety, radiation monitoring, potential for accidents, and schedule and funding

Multimedia approach to estimating target cleanup levels for soils at hazardous waste sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, S.T.

1990-04-01

Contaminated soils at hazardous and nuclear waste sites pose a potential threat to human health via transport through environmental media and subsequent human intake. To minimize health risks, it is necessary to identify those risks and ensure that appropriate actions are taken to protect public health. The regulatory process may typically include identification of target cleanup levels and evaluation of the effectiveness of remedial alternatives and the corresponding reduction in risks at a site. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that exposure assessments be combined with toxicity information to quantify the health risk posed by a specific site. This recommendation then forms the basis for establishing target cleanup levels. An exposure assessment must first identify the chemical concentration in a specific medium (soil, water, air, or food), estimate the exposure potential based on human intake from that media, and then combined with health criteria to estimate the upperbound health risks for noncarcinogens and carcinogens. Estimation of target cleanup levels involves the use of these same principles but can occur in reverse order. The procedure starts from establishing a permissible health effect level and ends with an estimated target cleanup level through an exposure assessment process. 17 refs

Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) Project Execution Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LEROY, P.G.

2000-01-01

The Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) Project supports the Hanford Site Mission to cleanup the Site by providing safe, economic, environmentally sound management of Site spent nuclear fuel in a manner that reduces hazards by staging it to interim onsite storage and deactivates the 100 K Area facilities

Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) Project Execution Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LEROY, P.G.

2000-11-03

The Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) Project supports the Hanford Site Mission to cleanup the Site by providing safe, economic, environmentally sound management of Site spent nuclear fuel in a manner that reduces hazards by staging it to interim onsite storage and deactivates the 100 K Area facilities.

US - Former Soviet Union environmental management activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-09-01

The Office of Environmental Management (EM) has been delegated the responsibility for US DOE`s cleanup of nuclear weapons complex. The nature and the magnitude of the waste management and environmental remediation problem requires the identification of technologies and scientific expertise from domestic and foreign sources. This booklet makes comparisons and describes coordinated projects and workshops between the USA and the former Soviet Union.

HANDBOOK FOR CONDUCTING ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEWS RELATED TO TRIBAL AND INDIAN PARTICIPATION IN THE CONSTRUCTION, OPERATION AND CLEANUP OF THE NUCLEAR WEAPONS COMPLEX

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cristann Gibson; Mervyn L. Tano; Albert Wing

1999-08-31

There were three major projects undertaken at the outset of the DOE/EM 22 Cooperative Agreement back in September 1995. There was a project relating to Tribal oral histories. Another project of the Cooperative Agreement related to technology and Tribal values and needs. This project by analogy could apply to issues of technology, environmental cleanup and other indigenous peoples internationally. How can Indian Tribes participate in defining the need for technology development rather than merely learning to adapt themselves and their situations and values to technology developed by others with differing needs, values and economic resources? And the third project was the placement of a Tribal intern in EM-22.

Nevada Test Site Area 25. Radiological survey and cleanup project, 1974-1983. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKnight, R.K.; Rosenberry, C.E.; Orcutt, J.A.

1984-01-01

This report describes radiological survey, decontamination and decommissioning of the Nevada Test Site (NTS) Area 25 facilities and land areas incorporated in the Nuclear Rocket Development Station (NRDS). Buildings, facilities and support systems used after 1959 for nuclear reactor and engine testing were surveyed for the presence of radioactive contamination. The cleanup was part of the Surplus Facilities Management Program funded by the Department of Energy's Richland Operations Office. The radiological survey portion of the project encompassed portable instrument surveys and removable contamination surveys (swipe) for alpha and beta plus gamma radiation contamination of facilities, equipment and land areas. Soil sampling was also accomplished. The majority of Area 25 facilities and land areas have been returned to unrestricted use. Remaining radiologically contaminated areas are posted with warning signs and barricades. 12 figures

Williston Reservoir: Site preparation and post-flood cleanup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loose, J.A.

1990-01-01

Williston Reservoir is the second largest in Canada and ranks ninth on the world scale. It was formed by the construction of the W.A.C. Bennet Dam and is the most important hydroelectric storage reservoir and largest body of fresh water in British Columbia. Site preparation for the reservoir began in 1962, with pre-flood clearing involving salvage of merchantable timber, handfalling, machine downing, burning of slash and burial. Post-flood cleanup included timber salvage, bailing and burning debris, tractor piling and burning, crane piling in shallows, underwater cutting, and hand cutting during low drawdown. Various types of floating debris have presented problems for recreational use, log booming and transport, waterways and aviation. Protection of the spillway is accomplished with a floating boom upstream of the channel. Administration, funding, forest clearance, salvage methods, clearing standards, wood volumes, project costs, environmental concerns, and future priorities are discussed. 5 figs., 2 tabs

The TMI-2 clean-up project collection and databases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osif, B.A.; Conkling, T.W.

1996-01-01

A publicly accessible collection containing several thousand of the videotapes, photographs, slides and technical reports generated during the clean-up of the TMI-2 reactor has been established by the Pennsylvania State University Libraries. The collection is intended to serve as a technical resource for the nuclear industry as well as the interested public. Two Internet-searchable databases describing the videotapes and technical reports have been created. The development and use of these materials and databases are described in this paper. (orig.)

Buying time: Franchising hazardous and nuclear waste cleanup

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hale, D.R. [Dept. of Energy, Washington, DC (United States)

1997-05-01

This paper describes a private franchise approach to long-term custodial care, monitoring and eventual cleanup of hazardous and nuclear waste sites. The franchise concept could be applied to Superfund sites, decommissioning commercial reactors and safeguarding their wastes and to Department of Energy sites. Privatization would reduce costs by enforcing efficient operations and capital investments during the containment period, by providing incentives for successful innovation and by sustaining containment until the cleanup`s net benefits exceed its costs. The franchise system would also permit local governments and citizens to demand and pay for more risk reduction than provided by the federal government. In principle, they would have the option of taking over site management. The major political drawback of the idea is that it requires society to be explicit about what it is willing to pay for now to protect current and future generations. Hazardous waste sites are enduring legacies of energy development. Abandoned mines, closed refineries, underground storage tanks and nuclear facilities have often become threats to human health and water quality. The policy of the United States government is that such sites should quickly be made nonpolluting and safe for unrestricted use. That is, the policy of the United States is prompt cleanup. Orphaned commercial hazardous waste sites are addressed by the US Environmental Protection Agency`s Superfund program. 17 refs., 2 tabs.

High Temperature Syngas Cleanup Technology Scale-up and Demonstration Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gardner, Ben [Research Triangle Inst. (RTI), Research Triangle Park, NC (United States); Turk, Brian [Research Triangle Inst. (RTI), Research Triangle Park, NC (United States); Denton, David [Research Triangle Inst. (RTI), Research Triangle Park, NC (United States); Gupta, Raghubir [Research Triangle Inst. (RTI), Research Triangle Park, NC (United States)

2015-09-30

Gasification is a technology for clean energy conversion of diverse feedstocks into a wide variety of useful products such as chemicals, fertilizers, fuels, electric power, and hydrogen. Existing technologies can be employed to clean the syngas from gasification processes to meet the demands of such applications, but they are expensive to build and operate and consume a significant fraction of overall parasitic energy requirements, thus lowering overall process efficiency. RTI International has developed a warm syngas desulfurization process (WDP) utilizing a transport-bed reactor design and a proprietary attrition-resistant, high-capacity solid sorbent with excellent performance replicated at lab, bench, and pilot scales. Results indicated that WDP technology can improve both efficiency and cost of gasification plants. The WDP technology achieved ~99.9% removal of total sulfur (as either H₂S or COS) from coal-derived syngas at temperatures as high as 600°C and over a wide range of pressures (20-80 bar, pressure independent performance) and sulfur concentrations. Based on the success of these tests, RTI negotiated a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy for precommercial testing of this technology at Tampa Electric Company’s Polk Power Station IGCC facility in Tampa, Florida. The project scope also included a sweet water-gas-shift process for hydrogen enrichment and an activated amine process for 90+% total carbon capture. Because the activated amine process provides some additional non-selective sulfur removal, the integration of these processes was expected to reduce overall sulfur in the syngas to sub-ppmv concentrations, suitable for most syngas applications. The overall objective of this project was to mitigate the technical risks associated with the scale up and integration of the WDP and carbon dioxide capture technologies, enabling subsequent commercial-scale demonstration. The warm syngas cleanup pre-commercial test unit

Status of Environmental Management Initiatives to Accelerate the Reduction of Environmental Risks and Challenges Posed by the Legacy of the Cold War

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

Fifty years of nuclear weapons production and energy research in the United States during the Cold War generated large amounts of radioactive wastes, spent nuclear fuel (SNF), excess plutonium and uranium, thousands of contaminated facilities, and contaminated soil and groundwater. During most of that half century, the Nation did not have the environmental regulatory structure or nuclear waste cleanup technologies that exist today. The result was a legacy of nuclear waste that was stored and disposed of in ways now considered unacceptable. Cleaning up and ultimately disposing of these wastes is the responsibility of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). In 1989, DOE established the Office of Environmental Management (EM) to solve the large scale and technically challenging risks posed by the world's largest nuclear cleanup. This required EM to build a new nuclear cleanup infrastructure, assemble and train a technically specialized workforce, and develop the technologies and tools required to safely decontaminate, disassemble, stabilize, disposition, and remediate unique radiation hazards. The sites where nuclear activities produced legacy waste and contamination include the original Manhattan Project sites--Los Alamos, New Mexico; Hanford, Washington; and Oak Ridge, Tennessee--as well as major Cold War sites, such as Savannah River Site, South Carolina; the Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho; Rocky Flats Plant, Colorado; and Fernald, Ohio. Today EM has responsibility for nuclear cleanup activities at 21 sites covering more than two million acres in 13 states, and employs more than 30,000 Federal and contractor employees, including scientists, engineers and hazardous waste technicians. This cleanup poses unique, technically complex problems, which must be solved under the most hazardous of conditions, and which will require billions of dollars a year for several more decades. The EM program focus during its first 10 years was on managing the most urgent risks and

Status of Environmental Management Initiatives to Accelerate the Reduction of Environmental Risks and Challenges Posed by the Legacy of the Cold War

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2009-01-01

Fifty years of nuclear weapons production and energy research in the United States during the Cold War generated large amounts of radioactive wastes, spent nuclear fuel (SNF), excess plutonium and uranium, thousands of contaminated facilities, and contaminated soil and groundwater. During most of that half century, the Nation did not have the environmental regulatory structure or nuclear waste cleanup technologies that exist today. The result was a legacy of nuclear waste that was stored and disposed of in ways now considered unacceptable. Cleaning up and ultimately disposing of these wastes is the responsibility of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). In 1989, DOE established the Office of Environmental Management (EM) to solve the large scale and technically challenging risks posed by the world's largest nuclear cleanup. This required EM to build a new nuclear cleanup infrastructure, assemble and train a technically specialized workforce, and develop the technologies and tools required to safely decontaminate, disassemble, stabilize, disposition, and remediate unique radiation hazards. The sites where nuclear activities produced legacy waste and contamination include the original Manhattan Project sites--Los Alamos, New Mexico; Hanford, Washington; and Oak Ridge, Tennessee--as well as major Cold War sites, such as Savannah River Site, South Carolina; the Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho; Rocky Flats Plant, Colorado; and Fernald, Ohio. Today EM has responsibility for nuclear cleanup activities at 21 sites covering more than two million acres in 13 states, and employs more than 30,000 Federal and contractor employees, including scientists, engineers and hazardous waste technicians. This cleanup poses unique, technically complex problems, which must be solved under the most hazardous of conditions, and which will require billions of dollars a year for several more decades. The EM program focus during its first 10 years was on managing the most urgent risks and

DOE Office of Environmental Management, 2016 Year in Review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2016-12-01

2016 accomplishments and primary areas of focus for the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office of Environmental Management and EM sites are presented. For DOE EM, these include Focusing on the Field, Teaming with Cleanup Partners, Developing New Technology, and Maximizing Cleanup Dollars. Major 2016 achievements are highlighted for EM, Richland Operations Office, Office of River Protection, Savannah River Site, Oak Ridge, Idaho, Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, Los Alamos, Portsmouth, Paducah, West Valley Demonstration Project, and the Nevada National Security Site,

US DoE clean-up programme: an update

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whitfield, R.P.

1993-01-01

The Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM) was established in 1989, when the US DoE's priority changed from nuclear weapons production to environmental clean-up. Both the decreased need for nuclear weapons due to global changes and decreasing threats from the Cold War, and the increased emphasis on environmental stewardship contributed to this change. The Environmental Restoration (ER) programme within EM was tasked to ensure that risks to human health and the environment posed by the DoE's past operations at its nuclear facilities and sites are eliminated or reduced to prescribed, safe levels. This article is a progress report on the programme. (author)

Use of the environmental resource management and analysis system at the Fernald Environmental Management Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erjavec, J.L.

1992-01-01

In the past, hazardous waste site characterization and remediation using computer-based technologies has been a difficult and time-consuming process because of the need to analyze data using non-interfaced computer and software environments. The Environmental Resource Management and Analysis System (ERMA) was developed as an innovative approach to the management, analyses and depiction of data collected during a hazardous site remediation. A modular, multi-disciplined software package, ERMA integrates an environmental database management system with variety of Geographic Information System technologies. ERMA capabilities include spatial analysis, three-dimensional subsurface geologic interpretation and modeling, terrain modeling, and groundwater flow and contaminant transport modeling. ERMA's data management is provided through a set of user-modifiable, graphic interface tools that permit complex data queries, data modification and reporting. An ERMA prototype has been implemented at the Fernald Environmental Management Project (a Department of Energy cleanup site) using groundwater monitoring and elevation data collected over the last few years. ERMA has enabled the precision posting of data from the 853 groundwater monitoring wells at the site. Data from these wells have ben used to define the piezometric surface of the Great Miami Aquifer and correlate it with the uranium concentration contours of an identified groundwater plume. Using spatial query capabilities, radioactive sampling results from monitoring wells have been compared to contour maps defining the extent of the plume to determine the validity of those maps and the need for additional well locations

NHC's contribution to cleanup of the Hanford Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chauve, H.D.

1998-01-01

The one billion dollars per year Project Hanford Management Contract (PHMC), managed by Fluor Daniel Hanford, calls for cleanup of the Hanford Site for the Department of Energy. Project Hanford comprises four major subprojects, each managed by a different major contractor. Numatec Hanford Corporation (NHC) is a fifth major subcontractor which provides energy and technology to each of the Hanford projects. NHC draws on the experience and capabilities of its parent companies, COGEMA and SGN, and relies on local support from its sister Company in Richland, COGEMA Engineering Corporation, to bring the best commercial practices and new technology to the Project

Efforts to earn public support and confidence in Hanford site cleanup work

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, M.C.; Edwards, C.; Beers, A.A.

1991-01-01

Public involvement is needed for Hanford Site cleanup to succeed. If people do not know about, understand, and support cleanup, it will be more difficult and expensive. The Tri-Party Agreement (1) calls for public involvement in decisions about cleanup options and schedules. This paper defines what public involvement means and how the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology), US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and US Department of Energy (DOE) have conducted it. Experience and survey research have shown ways to improve our performance. While we have improved our conduct of public meetings, we must identify other ways to involve the public. Efforts continue to open decision making earlier in the decision process, to share information that is clear and understandable, and to open the channels of communication. We have made good progress. We have many opportunities to continue to improve. This paper describes some of the highlights and lessons learned in public involvement in Hanford Site cleanup

Effort to earn public support and confidence in Hanford Site cleanup work

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, M.C.; Edwards, C.; Beers, A.A.

1991-09-01

Public involvement is needed for Hanford Site cleanup to succeed. If people do not know about, understand, and support cleanup, it will be more difficult and expensive. The Tri-Party Agreement calls for public involvement in decisions about cleanup options and schedules. This paper defines what public involvement means and how the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology), US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and US Department of Energy (DOE) have conducted it. Experience and survey research have shown ways to improve our performance. While we have improved our conduct of public meetings, we must identify other ways to involve the public. Efforts continue to open decision making earlier in the decision process, to share information that is clear and understandable, and to open the channels of communication. We have made good progress. We have many opportunities to continue to improve. This paper describes some of the highlights and lessons learned in public involvement in Hanford Site cleanup. 4 refs

BUILDING TRIBAL CAPABILITIES IN ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Unknown

2000-03-01

The following activities were completed by the end of the quarter: (1) The CERT Executive Director invited a cross section of CERT member Tribes to participate in the project. By the end of the quarter, three Tribes had the invitation under active consideration, four Tribes expressed interest but wanted to see the detailed workplan prior to making a final decision and one Tribe, the Navajo Nation has accepted the invitation. (2) The CERT Board of Directors Executive Committee has endorsed two significant environmental policy priorities for consideration in the project. First, how does the federal Indian trust responsibility to land and natural resources as well as for the health, safety and political integrity of Indian Tribes affect the federal responsibility for facility cleanup and other statutory mandates under federal environmental statutes? And second, What are the protocols of government-to-government relations within a federal system of shared sovereignty and shared governmental responsibilities? And the corollaries to that question, What is the federal obligation for consultation with Tribes and how is that different and similar to consultation with states? And, What is the federal obligation to work cooperatively with Tribes and states in recognition of the three sovereigns of the American federal system? (3) The CERT consulted with political leaders and environmental staff of member and non-member Tribes. This consultation centered on three environmental policy priorities: issues concerning the intergovernmental interface between states, Tribes and federal government agencies and programs; Issues with the cleanup of federal facilities and activities that have damaged Tribal environmental resources; and issues concerning the DOE cleanup of federal facilities used in the production of nuclear weapons.

From Cleanup to Stewardship. A companion report to Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closure and background information to support the scoping process required for the 1998 PEIS Settlement Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None, None

1999-10-01

Long-term stewardship is expected to be needed at more than 100 DOE sites after DOE's Environmental Management program completes disposal, stabilization, and restoration operations to address waste and contamination resulting from nuclear research and nuclear weapons production conducted over the past 50 years. From Cleanup to stewardship provides background information on the Department of Energy (DOE) long-term stewardship obligations and activities. This document begins to examine the transition from cleanup to long-term stewardship, and it fulfills the Secretary's commitment to the President in the 1999 Performance Agreement to provide a companion report to the Department's Accelerating Cleanup: Paths to Closure report. It also provides background information to support the scoping process required for a study on long-term stewardship required by a 1998 Settlement Agreement.

Conceptual Design Report: Nevada Test Site Mixed Waste Disposal Facility Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

Environmental cleanup of contaminated nuclear weapons manufacturing and test sites generates radioactive waste that must be disposed. Site cleanup activities throughout the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) complex are projected to continue through 2050. Some of this waste is mixed waste (MW), containing both hazardous and radioactive components. In addition, there is a need for MW disposal from other mission activities. The Waste Management Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision designates the Nevada Test Site (NTS) as a regional MW disposal site. The NTS has a facility that is permitted to dispose of onsite- and offsite-generated MW until November 30, 2010. There is not a DOE waste management facility that is currently permitted to dispose of offsite-generated MW after 2010, jeopardizing the DOE environmental cleanup mission and other MW-generating mission-related activities. A mission needs document (CD-0) has been prepared for a newly permitted MW disposal facility at the NTS that would provide the needed capability to support DOE's environmental cleanup mission and other MW-generating mission-related activities. This report presents a conceptual engineering design for a MW facility that is fully compliant with Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and DOE O 435.1, 'Radioactive Waste Management'. The facility, which will be located within the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS) at the NTS, will provide an approximately 20,000-cubic yard waste disposal capacity. The facility will be licensed by the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP)

The Fernald Closure Project: Lessons Learned

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murphy, Cornelius M.; Carr, Dennis

2008-01-01

For nearly 37 years, the U.S. Department of Energy site at Fernald - near Cincinnati, Ohio - produced 230,000 metric tons (250,000 short tons) of high-purity, low-enriched uranium for the U.S. Defense Program, generating more than 5.4 million metric tons (6 million short tons) of liquid and solid waste as it carried out its Cold War mission. The facility was shut down in 1989 and clean up began in 1992, when Fluor won the contract to clean up the site. Cleaning up Fernald and returning it to the people of Ohio was a $4.4 billion mega environmental-remediation project that was completed in October 2006. Project evolved through four phases: - Conducting remedial-investigation studies to determine the extent of damage to the environment and groundwater at, and adjacent to, the production facilities; - Selecting cleanup criteria - final end states that had to be met that protect human health and the environment; - Selecting and implementing the remedial actions to meet the cleanup goals; - Executing the work in a safe, compliant and cost-effective manner. In the early stages of the project, there were strained relationships - in fact total distrust - between the local community and the DOE as a result of aquifer contamination and potential health effects to the workers and local residents. To engage citizens and interested stakeholders groups in the decision-making process, the DOE and Fluor developed a public-participation strategy to open the channels of communication with the various parties: site leadership, technical staff and regulators. This approach proved invaluable to the success of the project, which has become a model for future environmental remediation projects. This paper will summarize the history and shares lessons learned: the completion of the uranium-production mission to the implementation of the Records of Decision defining the cleanup standards and the remedies achieved. Lessons learned fall into ten categories: - Regulatory approach with end

Biotechnologies for Marine Oil Spill Cleanup: Indissoluble Ties with Microorganisms

KAUST Repository

Mapelli, Francesca; Scoma, Alberto; Michoud, Gregoire; Aulenta, Federico; Boon, Nico; Borin, Sara; Kalogerakis, Nicolas; Daffonchio, Daniele

2017-01-01

The ubiquitous exploitation of petroleum hydrocarbons (HCs) has been accompanied by accidental spills and chronic pollution in marine ecosystems, including the deep ocean. Physicochemical technologies are available for oil spill cleanup, but HCs must ultimately be mineralized by microorganisms. How environmental factors drive the assembly and activity of HC-degrading microbial communities remains unknown, limiting our capacity to integrate microorganism-based cleanup strategies with current physicochemical remediation technologies. In this review, we summarize recent findings about microbial physiology, metabolism and ecology and describe how microbes can be exploited to create improved biotechnological solutions to clean up marine surface and deep waters, sediments and beaches.

Biotechnologies for Marine Oil Spill Cleanup: Indissoluble Ties with Microorganisms

KAUST Repository

Mapelli, Francesca

2017-05-13

The ubiquitous exploitation of petroleum hydrocarbons (HCs) has been accompanied by accidental spills and chronic pollution in marine ecosystems, including the deep ocean. Physicochemical technologies are available for oil spill cleanup, but HCs must ultimately be mineralized by microorganisms. How environmental factors drive the assembly and activity of HC-degrading microbial communities remains unknown, limiting our capacity to integrate microorganism-based cleanup strategies with current physicochemical remediation technologies. In this review, we summarize recent findings about microbial physiology, metabolism and ecology and describe how microbes can be exploited to create improved biotechnological solutions to clean up marine surface and deep waters, sediments and beaches.

A general theory to explain the relatively high cost of environmental restoration at DOE facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sullivan, W.H.

1995-01-01

Environmental Restoration costs for Department of Energy (DOE) facilities have been the subject of much scrutiny and concern for several years. General opinion is that DOE clean-up costs are as much as three times higher than costs for similar clean-up projects in the private sector. Consequently, DOE Environmental Restoration professionals are continually under pressure to do more with less, which, ironically, can lead to additional inefficiencies in the system. This paper proposes a general theory as to why DOE costs are higher, explains the reasons why current conditions will make it difficult to realize any pervasive or significant decreases in clean-up costs, and presents some general changes that need to take place in the DOE system in order to bring about conditions that will allow more efficient clean-up to occur. The theory is based on a simple economic model that describes the balance between the resources spent for risk avoidance and the corresponding changes in overall productivity as a function of risk. The elementary concepts illustrated with the economic model, when refined and specifically applied, have the potential to become the catalyst for significant change-change that is absolutely necessary if we truly intend to conduct environmental clean-up with the same efficiencies as private industry

Restoration principles and criteria: Superfund programme policy for cleanup at radiation contaminated sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shapiro, M.

2000-01-01

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response is responsible for implementing two key US laws regulating waste management and cleanup: the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, CERCLA, nicknamed ''Superfund''. The purpose of the Superfund programme is to protect human health and the environment over the long term from releases or potential releases of hazardous substances from abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. The focus of this paper is on Superfund, including how radiation is addressed by the Superfund programme. This paper provides a brief overview of the approach used by EPA to conduct Superfund cleanups at contaminated sites, including those that are contaminated with radionuclides, to ensure protection of human health and the environment. The paper addresses how EPA Superfund determines if a site poses a risk to human health and the framework used to determine cleanup levels. The theme emphasized throughout the paper is that within the Superfund remediation framework, radioactive contamination is dealt with in the identical way as chemical contamination. (author)

Firms vie to offer DOE a prize-winning recipe for cleanup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Powers, M.B.

1994-01-01

Eager to get the most bang for its waste cleanup bucks, the US Department of Energy is conducting its own version of the Pillsbury bake-off. DOE is pitting two environmental contractors, Rust International Corp. and Lockheed Environmental Systems and Technologies Co., against each other to come up with the prize-winning recipe for cleaning up some nasty waste problems

Restoration principles and criteria: superfund program policy for cleanup at radiation contaminated sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walker, Stuart

2006-01-01

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation (OSRTI) is responsible for implementing the long-term (non-emergency) portion of a key U.S. law regulating cleanup: the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, CERCLA, nicknamed 'Superfund'. The purpose of the Superfund program is to protect human health and the environment over the long term from releases or potential releases of hazardous substances from abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. The focus of this paper is on Superfund, including how radiation is addressed by the Superfund program. This paper provides a brief overview of the approach used by EPA to conduct Superfund cleanups at contaminated sites, including those that are contaminated with radionuclides, to ensure protection of human health and the environment. The paper addresses how EPA Superfund determines if a site poses a risk to human health and the framework used to determine cleanup levels. The theme emphasized throughout the paper is that within the Superfund remediation framework, radioactive contamination is dealt with in a consistent manner as with chemical contamination, except to account for the technical differences between radionuclides and chemicals. This consistency is important since at every radioactively contaminated site being addressed under Superfund's primary program for long-term cleanup, the National Priorities List (NPL), chemical contamination is also present. (author)

78 FR 47007 - National Environmental Policy Act; Santa Susana Field Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-02

... project Web site address listed below. http://www.nasa.gov/agency/nepa/news/SSFL.html . ADDRESSES...; Santa Susana Field Laboratory AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). ACTION... Environmental Cleanup Activities for the NASA-administered portion of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory (SSFL...

Hanford Cleanup... Restore the Columbia River Corridor Transition the Central Plateau Prepare and Plan for the End State

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klein, Keith A.

2006-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State was established during World War II to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons as part of the top-secret Manhattan Project. In 1989, Hanford's mission changed to cleanup and closure; today the site is engaged in one of the world's largest and most aggressive programs to clean up radioactive and hazardous wastes. The size and complexity of Hanford's environmental problems are made even more challenging by the overlapping technical, political, regulatory, financial and cultural issues associated with the cleanup. The physical challenges at the Hanford Site are daunting. More than 50 million gallons of liquid radioactive waste in 177 underground storage tanks; 2,300 tons of spent nuclear fuel;12 tons of plutonium in various forms; 25 million cubic feet of buried or stored solid waste; 270 billion gallons of groundwater contaminated above drinking-water standards spread out over about 80 square miles; more than 1,700 waste sites; and approximately 500 contaminated facilities. With a workforce of approximately 7,000 and a budget of about $1.8 billion dollars this fiscal year, Hanford cleanup operations are expected to be complete by 2035, at a cost of $60 billion dollars. (authors)

FINDING SOLUTIONS AT THE WEST VALLEY DEMONSTRATION PROJECT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drake, John L.; Gramling, James M.; Houston, Helene M.

2003-01-01

The United States Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM) faces a number of sizeable challenges as it begins to transform its mission from managing risk to reducing and eliminating risk throughout the DOE Complex. One of the greatest challenges being addressed by DOE-EM as this transformation takes place is accelerating the deactivation and decommissioning of thousands of facilities within the DOE Complex that were once used to support nuclear-related programs and projects. These facilities are now unused and aging. Finding solutions to complete the cleanup of these aging facilities more safely, efficiently, and effectively while reducing costs is critical to successfully meeting DOE-EM's cleanup challenge. The Large-Scale Demonstration and Deployment Project (LSDDP) of Hot Cells at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) is a near-term project funded through the DOE's National Energy Technology Laboratory (DOE-NETL) for the specific purpose of identifying, evaluating, demonstrating, and deploying commercially available technologies that are capable of streamlining the cleanup of hot cells in unused facilities while improving worker safety. Two DOE project sites are participating in this LSDDP: the WVDP site in West Valley, New York and the Hanford River Corridor Project (RCP) site in Richland, Washington. The WVDP site serves as the host site for the project. Technologies considered for demonstration and potential deployment at both LSDDP sites are targeted for application in hot cells that require the use of remote and semi-remote techniques to conduct various cleanup-related activities because of high radiation or high contamination levels. These hot cells, the type of cleanup activities being conducted, and technologies selected for demonstration are the main topics discussed in this paper. The range of cleanup-related activities addressed include in-situ characterization, size-reduction, contamination control, decontamination, in

Environmental Restoration 1997 annual report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cosper, M.B.

1997-01-01

During 1997, the Environmental Restoration Program at the Savannah River Site achieved all of the ''Breakthrough Goals'' that were established with the regulatory agencies in 1995 to advance their cleanup efforts. Effective focus on field remediation was demonstrated by the allocation of 75% of program funding to remediation activities. The Remediation Phase is complete or has begun on sixty-nine waste sites that represent approximately 80% of the known environmental and health risk. The average time required for the assessment phase of active projects was reduced by 50%, from 49 to less than 24 months, which allows cleanup actions to start twice as fast as before. Breakthrough performance has tangible results. During 1997, all of the funding allocation was used effectively to accomplish environmental restoration scope worth over $123 million. That represents a validated cost efficiency of over 20% for the third straight year. Over half of the 500 contaminated acres at SRS have been cleaned up or are currently in the remediation phase. Almost 3 billion gallons of groundwater have been restored by removing over half a million pounds of organic solvents

Comparison study for the CCME reference method for determination of PHC in soil by using internal and external standard methods and by using silica gel column cleanup and in-situ silica gel cleanup methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Z.; Fingas, M.; Sigouin, L.; Yang, C.; Hollebone, B.

2003-01-01

The assessment, cleanup, and remediation of hydrocarbon contaminated sites is covered in the Reference Method for Canada-Wide Standard for Petroleum Hydrocarbons-Tier 1 Method. It replaces several analytical methods used in the past by some laboratories and jurisdictions in Canada. The authors conducted two comparative evaluations to validate the Tier 1 Analytical Method. The first compared the Internal and External Standard Methods, and the second compared the Silica Gel Column Cleanup Method with the In-situ Silica Gel Cleanup Method. The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) Tier 1 Method recommends and requires the External Standard Method to determine petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) in soil samples. The Internal Method is widely used to quantify various organic and inorganic pollutants in environmental samples. The Tier 1 Method offers two options for the same extract cleanup. They are: Option A - In-situ Silica Gel Cleanup, and Option B - Silica Gel Column Cleanup. Linearity, precision, and PHC quantification results were the parameters considered for diesel and motor oil solutions, for diesel spiked soil samples, and for motor oil spiked soil samples. It was concluded that both the External and Internal Standard Methods for gas chromatograph (GC) determination of PHC in soil possess their own advantages. The PHC results obtained using the In-Situ Silica Gel Cleanup Method were lower than those obtained with the Silica Gel Column Cleanup Methods. The more efficient and effective sample cleanup method proved to be the Silica Gel Column Method. 13 refs., 7 tabs., 7 figs

Fernald restoration: ecologists and engineers integrate restoration and cleanup

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woods, Eric; Homer, John

2002-07-15

As cleanup workers excavate pits and tear down buildings at the Fernald site in southwest Ohio, site ecologists are working side-by-side to create thriving wetlands and develop the early stages of forest, prairie, and savanna ecosystems to restore natural resources that were impacted by years of site operations. In 1998, the U.S. Department of Energy-Fernald Office (DOE-FN) and its cleanup contractor, Fluor Fernald, Inc., initiated several ecological restoration projects in perimeter areas of the site (e.g., areas not used for or impacted by uranium processing or waste management). The projects are part of Fernald's final land use plan to restore natural resources over 904 acres of the 1,050-acre site. Pete Yerace, the DOE-FN Natural Resource Trustee representative is working with the Fernald Natural Resource Trustees in an oversight role to resolve the state of Ohio's 1986 claim against DOE for injuries to natural resources. Fluor Fernald, Inc., and DOE-FN developed the ''Natural Resource Restoration Plan'', which outlines 15 major restoration projects for the site and will restore injured natural resources at the site. In general, Fernald's plan includes grading to maximize the formation of wetlands or expanded floodplain, amending soil where topsoil has been removed during excavation, and establishing native vegetation throughout the site. Today, with cleanup over 35 percent complete and site closure targeted for 2006, Fernald is entering a new phase of restoration that involves heavily remediated areas. By working closely with engineers and cleanup crews, site ecologists can take advantage of remediation fieldwork (e.g., convert an excavated depression into a wetland) and avoid unnecessary costs and duplication. This collaboration has also created opportunities for relatively simple and inexpensive restoration of areas that were discovered during ongoing remediation. To ensure the survival of the plant material in heavily

Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finch, S.M.; McMakin, A.H.

1991-04-01

The objective of the Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project is to estimate the radiation doses that populations could have received from nuclear operations at Hanford since 1944. The project is being managed and conducted by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) under the direction of an independent Technical Steering Panel (TSP). The project is divided into the following technical tasks. These tasks correspond to the path radionuclides followed, from released to impact on humans (dose estimates): source terms; environmental transport; environmental monitoring data; demographics, agriculture, food habits; and, environmental pathways and dose estimates

Educational understanding of pollution prevention in decontamination and decommissioning/environmental restoration activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Betsch, M.D.; Lewis, R.A.

1995-05-01

Demolishing outdated structures from the US Department of Energy Hanford Site in Washington, generates large quantities of waste which can be minimized. The Hanford cleanup is one of the world's largest and most complex environmental restoration efforts. Approximately 280 square miles of ground water and soil are contaminated; there are more than 80 surplus facilities, including nine shut-down nuclear reactors in various stages of decay; and there are 177 underground waste storage tanks containing highly radioactive waste. In all, 1,500 cleanup sites have been identified and the Environmental Restoration Contractor (ERC) is currently responsible for surveillance and maintenance of 170 structures. A two hour orientation training in pollution prevention was developed by the Westinghouse Hanford Company to provide all Decontamination and Decommissioning/Environmental Restoration (D ampersand D/ER) personnel with the knowledge to apply waste minimization principles during their cleanup activities. The ERC Team Pollution Prevention Workshop serves to communicate pollution prevention philosophies and influences the way D ampersand D/ER projects are conducted at the Hanford Site

Development of a risk-based approach to Hanford site cleanup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hesser, W.A.

1996-01-01

In response to a request from Mr. Thomas Grumbly, Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management, the Hanford Site contractors developed a set of risk-based cleanup strategies that (1) protect the public, workers, and environment from unacceptable risks; (2) are executable technically; and (3) fit within currently expected annual funding profiles. These strategies were developed because (1) the U.S. Department of Energy and Hanford Site budgets are being reduced, (2) stakeholders are dissatisfied with the perceived rate of cleanup, (3) the U.S. Congress and the U.S. Department of Energy are increasingly focusing on risk and risk-reduction activities, (4) the present strategy is not integrated across the Site and is inconsistent in its treatment of similar hazards, (5) the present cleanup strategy is not cost-effective from a risk-reduction or future land use perspective, and (6) the milestones and activities in the Tri-Party Agreement cannot be achieved with an anticipated funding of 1.05 billion dollars, or less, annually. This analysis produced a framework and a set of tools that are available for dealing with changes to anticipated funding levels, changes in risk cleanup standards, and Congressional initiatives and inquiries. The tools include land-supply curves, cost profiles, risk profiles, mortgage reduction curves, and minimum operations costs. This paper describes the methodology used to develop mortgage-based, risk-based, and land-based cleanup strategies and how those strategies differ in terms of the work to be performed, its sequence, and the resulting end states

Waste is a Terrible Thing to Mind: Perspectives on the Cleanup of the United States Nuclear Weapons Complex

Science.gov (United States)

Bodde, David

1997-03-01

For the 50 years of the Cold War, the United States nuclear arsenal was the cornerstone of our national security. These weapons were designed, manufactured, and armed with fissionable materials in an industrial complex that, at its peak, included about 16 major facilities and vast tracts of land in Nevada, Idaho, Washington, and South Carolina. Included among these are such well-known sites as the Savannah River Plant, the Hanford, Oak Ridge, and the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. The Cold War, that "long twilight struggle" in the evocative phrase of John Kennedy, left little time and few resources for understanding and managing the environmental consequences of nuclear weapons production. At the same time, perceptions of the special nature of the atom led to a concentration of governance in the Atomic Energy Commission and the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy. Thus, external feedback for the managers of the complex was heavily filtered. But the imperatives of the Cold War have waned, and our understanding of the implications for the environment and the health and safety of workers has grown. By 1995 the Department of Energy (DoE) had spent about 23 billion in identifying and characterizing its waste, managing it, and assessing the actions needed to clean up the 120 sites in 36 states. Yet the majority of the task appeared ahead. Estimates made in 1995 suggested a total cost ranging from 200-350 billion and a time to complete of 75 years. If these were true, the cleanup of the weapons complex would become the largest civil works project in the history of humankind. Over the past year or so, the DoE program has shifted its focus from studies to actual cleanup. A strategic plan has been proposed that would accomplish most of the needed work over ten years at a cost of about $85 billion. At the same time, the Department is proposing to transfer oversight to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the states. This Invited

The Use of the Hanford Onsite Packaging and Transportation Safety Program to Meet Cleanup Milestones Under the Hanford Site Cleanup 2015 Vision and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - 12403

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lavender, John C. [CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company, Richland, WA 99354 (United States); Edwards, W. Scott [Areva Federal Services, Richland, WA 99354 (United States); Macbeth, Paul J.; Self, Richard J. [U.S. Department of Energy Richland Operations Office, Richland, WA 99352 (United States); West, Lori D. [Materials and Energy Corporation, Richland, WA 99354 (United States)

2012-07-01

The Hanford Site presents unique challenges in meeting the U.S. Department of Energy Richland Operations Office (DOE-RL) 2015 Cleanup Vision. CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC), its subcontractors, and DOE-RL were challenged to retrieve, transport and remediate a wide range of waste materials. Through a collaborative effort by all Hanford Onsite Central Plateau Cleanup Team Members, disposition pathways for diverse and seemingly impossible to ship wastes were developed under a DOE Order 460.1C-compliant Hanford Onsite Transportation Safety Program. The team determined an effective method for transporting oversized compliant waste payloads to processing and disposition facilities. The use of the onsite TSD packaging authorizations proved to be vital to safely transporting these materials for processing and eventual final disposition. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) provided additional resources to expedite planning and execution of these important cleanup milestones. Through the innovative and creative use of the TSD, the Hanford Onsite Central Plateau Cleanup Team Members have developed and are executing an integrated project plan that enables the safe and compliant transport of a wide variety of difficult-to-transport waste items, accelerating previous cleanup schedules to meet cleanup milestones. (authors)

Innovative technologies for groundwater cleanup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yow, J.L. Jr.

1992-09-01

These notes provide a broad overview of current developments in innovative technologies for groundwater cleanup. In this context, groundwater cleanup technologies include site remediation methods that deal with contaminants in ground water or that may move from the vadose zone into ground water. This discussion attempts to emphasize approaches that may be able to achieve significant improvements in groundwater cleanup cost or effectiveness. However, since data for quantitative performance and cost comparisons of new cleanup methods are scarce, preliminary comparisons must be based on the scientific approach used by each method and on the site-specific technical challenges presented by each groundwater contamination situation. A large number of technical alternatives that are now in research, development, and testing can be categorized by the scientific phenomena that they employ and by the site contamination situations that they treat. After reviewing a representative selection of these technologies, one of the new technologies, the Microbial Filter method, is discussed in more detail to highlight a promising in situ groundwater cleanup technology that is now being readied for field testing

Innovative technologies for soil cleanup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yow, J.L. Jr.

1992-09-01

These notes provide a broad overview of current developments in innovative technologies for soil cleanup. In this context, soil cleanup technologies include site remediation methods that deal primarily with the vadose zone and with relatively shallow, near-surface contamination of soil or rock materials. This discussion attempts to emphasize approaches that may be able to achieve significant improvements in soil cleanup cost or effectiveness. However, since data for quantitative performance and cost comparisons of new cleanup methods are scarce, preliminary comparisons must be based on the scientific approach used by each method and on the sits-specific technical challenges presented by each sold contamination situation. A large number of technical alternatives that are now in research, development, and testing can be categorized by the scientific phenomena that they employ and by the site contamination situations that they treat. After cataloging a representative selection of these technologies, one of the new technologies, Dynamic Underground Stripping, is discussed in more detail to highlight a promising soil cleanup technology that is now being field tested

Environmental remediation: Addressing public concerns through effective community relations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, S.; Heywood, J.; Wood, M.B.; Arellano, M.; Pfister, S.

1998-01-01

The public's perception of risk drives their response to any potential environmental remediation project. Even if the actual environmental and health risks may be relatively low, public perception of high risk may doom the project to an uphill struggle characterized by heated public meetings, negative media coverage, reluctant regulators, project delays and increased costs. The ultimate Catch 22 in such a case is that the contamination remains in-place until the public drama is concluded. This paper explores the development and implementation of a Community Relations Plan for the clean up of a Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) site owned and operated by corporate predecessors of Arizona Public Service Company (APS) near the turn of the century. The unique challenges associated with this project were that the former MGP was located in downtown Phoenix at the site of a future federal courthouse. Although the MGP site had been under investigation for some time, the clean-up schedule was driven by a tight courthouse construction schedule. Compounding these challenges were the logistics associated with conducting a large-scale cleanup in a congested, highly visible downtown location. An effective Community Relations Plan can mean the difference between the success and failure of an environmental remediation project. Elements of an effective plan are: identifying key stakeholders and involving them in the project from the beginning; providing timely information and being open and honest about the potential environmental and health risks; involving your company's community relations and media staff; and educating affected company employees. The Community Relations Plan developed for this project was designed to alleviate public concern about potential risks (perceived or real) associated with the project by keeping key stakeholders informed of all activities well in advance

Environmental Restoration Program pollution prevention checklist guide for the feasibility study project phase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-09-01

Feasibility studies (FS) determine what remedial alternatives are presented to regulators for site cleanup. A key consideration in this process is the waste to be generated. Minimizing the volume and toxicity of this waste will ultimately contribute to the selection of the best remedial option. The purpose of this checklist guide is to assist the user in incorporating pollution prevention/waste minimization (PP/WM) in all FS phase projects of the Environmental Restoration (ER) Program. This guide will help users document PP/WM activities for technology transfer and reporting requirements. Automated computer screens will be created from the checklist data to assist users with implementing and evaluating waste reduction. Users can then establish numerical performance measures to measure progress in planning, training, self-assessments, field implementation, documentation, and technology transfer. Cost savings result as users train and assess themselves and perform preliminary waste assessments

Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finch, S.M.; McMakin, A.H.

1992-06-01

The objective of the Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project is to estimate the radiation doses that individuals and populations could have received from nuclear operations at Hanford since 1944. The project is being managed and conducted by the Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories under contract with the Centers for Disease Control. The independent Technical Steering Panel (TSP) provides technical direction. The project is divided into the following technical tasks. These tasks correspond to the path radionuclides followed, from release to impact on humans (dose estimates): source terms; environmental transport; environmental monitoring data; demography, food consumption, and agriculture; environmental pathways and dose estimates

The 100-C-7 Remediation Project. An Overview of One of DOE's Largest Remediation Projects - 13260

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Post, Thomas C.; Strom, Dean; Beulow, Laura

2013-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy Richland Operations Office (RL), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Washington Closure Hanford LLC (WCH) completed remediation of one of the largest waste sites in the U.S. Department of Energy complex. The waste site, 100-C-7, covers approximately 15 football fields and was excavated to a depth of 85 feet (groundwater). The project team removed a total of 2.3 million tons of clean and contaminated soil, concrete debris, and scrap metal. 100-C-7 lies in Hanford's 100 B/C Area, home to historic B and C Reactors. The waste site was excavated in two parts as 100-C-7 and 100-C-7:1. The pair of excavations appear like pit mines. Mining engineers were hired to design their tiered sides, with safety benches every 17 feet and service ramps which allowed equipment access to the bottom of the excavations. The overall cleanup project was conducted over a span of almost 10 years. A variety of site characterization, excavation, load-out and sampling methodologies were employed at various stages of remediation. Alternative technologies were screened and evaluated during the project. A new method for cost effectively treating soils was implemented - resulting in significant cost savings. Additional opportunities for minimizing waste streams and recycling were identified and effectively implemented by the project team. During the final phase of cleanup the project team applied lessons learned throughout the entire project to address the final, remaining source of chromium contamination. The C-7 cleanup now serves as a model for remediating extensive deep zone contamination sites at Hanford. (authors)

Coolant cleanup system for a nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shiina, Atsushi; Usui, Naoshi; Yamamoto, Michiyoshi; Osumi, Katsumi.

1983-01-01

Purpose: To maintain the electric conductivity of reactor water lower and to minimize the heat loss in the cleanup system by providing a low temperature cleanup system and a high temperature cleanup system together. Constitution: A low temperature cleanup system using ion exchange resins as filter aids and a high temperature cleanup system using inorganic ion exchange materials as filter aids are provided in combination. A part of the reactor water in a reactor pressure vessel is passed through a conductivity meter, one portion of which flows into the high temperature cleanup system having no heat exchanger and filled with inorganic ion exchange materials by way of a first flow rate control valve and the other portion of which flows into the low temperature cleanup system having heat exchangers and filled with the ion exchange materials by way of a second control valve. The first control valve is adjusted so as to flow, for example, about more than 15% of the feedwater flow rate to the high temperature cleanup system and the second control valve is adjusted with its valve opening degree depending on the indication of the conductivity meter so as to flow about 2 - 7 % of the feedwater flow rate into the low temperature cleanup system, to thereby control the electric conductivity to between 0.055 - 0.3 μS/cm. (Moriyama, K.)

A risk-based approach to cleanup: Problems and pitfalls

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anspaugh, L.

1995-10-01

This paper details information dealing with the meetings of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU). Topics discussed include: Radtest program to summarize all data on radiation doses resulting from nuclear weapons testing; current status of US cleanup strategies; development of new milestones for the project due to reduced budgets; health hazards; and risk reduction

Oiling and cleanup issues in wetlands, M/T Julie N spill, Portland, Maine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michel, J.; Lehmann, S.M.; Henry, C.B.Jr.

1998-01-01

The clean up and environmental assessment techniques which were used following the September 1996 oil spill from the M/T Julie N in Portland Harbor, Maine were reviewed and documented. The spill resulted in heavy oiling of wetland. Aerial photography, ground-truth surveys, transects and chemical sampling were conducted to try to assess the impact to wetlands and to decide on appropriate cleanup options. A range of cleanup methods were attempted including low-pressure flushing, shoreline cleaning agents, vegetation cutting, and natural recovery. 9 refs., 3 tabs., 1 fig

Fernald closure project - Lessons learned in the execution of this successful project, completed October 2006

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murphy, Cornelius; Reising, Johnny

2007-01-01

Available in abstract form only. Full text of publication follows: This paper explores the history and lessons learned on the United States' Department of Energy's (DoE's) Fernald Closure Project - from the completion of the uranium-production mission to the implementation of the Records of Decision defining the cleanup standards and the remedies that were achieved. Cleaning up Fernald and returning it to the people of Ohio was a $4.4 billion dollar mega environmental-remediation project that was completed in October 2006. During a period of nearly 37 years, Fernald produced 250,000 tons of high-purity, low-enriched uranium for the U.S. defense program, generating more than six million tons of liquid and solid waste as it carried out its Cold War mission. The facility was shut down in 1989 and clean up began in 1992, when Fluor won the contract to clean up the site. The project comprised four phases: 1. Determining the extent of damage to the environment and groundwater at, and adjacent to, the production facilities 2. Selecting cleanup criteria - final end states that had to be met to protect human health and the environment 3. Selecting and implementing the remedial actions that would meet the cleanup goals 4. Doing the work safely, compliantly and cost-effectively. In the project's early stages, there were strained relationships and total distrust between the local community and the DOE as a result of aquifer contamination and potential health effects to the workers and local residents. (authors)

Field guide for the protection and cleanup of oiled Arctic shorelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Owens, E.H.

1996-01-01

Practical suggestions for the protection, treatment and cleanup of oiled shorelines during summer and open-water conditions are described. This manual was developed as a field guide to be used during spill response operations for the rapid identification of shoreline response options. Special attention is given to techniques that are normally available and appropriate for shoreline types and coastal environmental setting that are typical of Arctic regions. The guide is divided into four main sections: (1) shoreline protection, (2) treatment strategy by shoreline type, (3) treatment or cleanup methods, and (4) response strategies for specific environments. The importance of the type and volume of oil spilled, and the environmental factors that should be taken into account in the event of a spill (time of year, weather, ice and wave conditions) are stressed. The presence of sensitive resources such as wildlife, fish stocks, plant communities and human-use activities are also considered. tabs., figs

Coolant clean-up system in nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuburaya, Hirobumi; Akita, Minoru; Shiraishi, Tadashi; Kinoshita, Shoichiro; Okura, Minoru; Tsuji, Akio.

1987-01-01

Purpose: To ensure a sufficient urging pressure at the inlet of a coolant clean-up system pump in a nuclear reactor and eliminate radioactive contaminations to the pump. Constitution: Coolant clean-up system (CUW) pump in a nuclear reactor is disposed to the downstream of a filtration desalter and, for compensating the insufficiency of the urging pressure at the pump inlet, the reactor water intake port to the clean-up system is disposed to the downstream of the after-heat removing pump and the heat exchanger. By compensating the net positive suction head (NPSH) of the clean-up system from the residual heat removing system, the problems of insufficient NPSH for the CUW pump upon reactor shut-down can be dissolved and, accordingly, the reactor clean-up system can be arranged in the order of the heat exchanger, clean-up device and pump. Thus, the CUW pump acts on reactor water after cleaned-up in the clean-up device to reduce the radioactivity contamination to the pump. (Kawakami, Y.)

The Western Environmental Technology Office (WETO) Butte, Montana

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-10-01

This document has been prepared to highlight the research, development, demonstration, testing and evaluation activities funded through the Western Environmental Technology Office (WETO) in Butte, Montana. Technologies and processes described have the potential to enhance DOE's cleanup and waste management efforts, as well as improve US industry's competitiveness in global environmental markets. This information has been assembled from recently produced Office of Technology Development (OTD) documents which highlight technology development activities within each of the OTD program elements. Projects include: Heavy metals contaminated soil project; In Situ remediation integrated program; Minimum additive waste stabilization program; Resource recovery project; Buried waste integrated demonstration; Mixed waste integrated program; Pollution prevention program; and Mine waste technology program

How public issues shape environmental restoration plans - experiences with Colorado UMTRA projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunt, B.; Monaghan, J.

1991-01-01

Federal environmental restoration plans are being significantly impacted by open-quotes grassrootsclose quotes public pressure and by community demands, some of which have little relation to the technical standards of remediation and which go well beyond authorizing legislation. These demands often represent significant additional project costs. A review of Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Program experiences in Colorado suggests that the more serious open-quotes grassrootsclose quotes issues associated with remediation rarely diminish and, in fact, will intensify over time. This presents program administrators with the dilemma of attempting to adhere to program mandates and keep projects within budget, while at the same time trying to be responsive to community concerns. Such high-profiled community debates have the ability to delay remediation and even jeopardize important projects. After prolonged public debate, when it becomes clear an issue will not dissipate, project officials may be forced to meet certain community demands. Often, this results in not only increased costs, but a loss of public confidence in clean-up efforts. Evidence also suggests, however, that when critical public issues can be identified and addressed before they become overly contentious, significant problems and controversy can be avoided; but, the situation is made difficult because project officials often lack the policy guidance to determine which, if any, community demands should be addressed and to what extent they should be met. The adoption of several key public policy principles by program administrators will provide a greater ability to address community demands in a timely and successful manner

All hazardous waste politics is local: Grass-roots advocacy and public participation in siting and cleanup decisions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lowry, R.C.

1998-12-31

The combined effects of federalism and interest group pluralism pose particularly difficult problems for hazardous waste siting and cleanup decisions. Most national environmental groups have only limited involvement in local hazardous waste politics, while local grass-roots advocates have very different interests and sometimes are pitted against one another. Both the Environmental protection Agency and the Department of energy recently have begun to use site-specific citizen advisory boards at cleanup sites. This approach appears to improve communications at some sites, but does not address the issues of ``not in my back yard`` politics and alleged inequitable exposure to hazardous wastes.

Cleanup of contaminated areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beone, G.; Carbone, A.I.; Zagaroli, M.

1989-01-01

The paper deals with the problem of contaminated areas cleanup, in order to eliminate every possible damage for man safety and environment and to site recovery for some utilization, The first step of cleanup operation is site characterization, that is followed by a pianificazion activity for a better definition of staff qualification, technology to be used, protection and prevention instruments for the risks due to contaminants handling. The second section describes the different remedial technologies for contaminated sites. Remedial technologies may be divided into on-site/off-site and in-situ treatments, according to whether materials (waste, soil, water) are moved to another location or not, respectively. Finally, it is outlined that contaminated areas cleanup is a typical multidisciplinary activity because very different competences are required. (author)

Saudis map $450 million gulf spill cleanup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1991-01-01

This paper reports on Saudi Arabia which has earmarked about $450 million to clean up Persian Gulf beaches polluted by history's worst oil spills, created during the Persian Gulf crisis. Details of the proposed cleanup measures were outlined by Saudi environmental officials at a seminar on the environment in Dubai, OPEC News Agency reported. The seminar was sponsored by the Gulf Area Oil Companies Mutual Aid Organization, an environmental cooperative agency set up by Persian Gulf governments. Meantime, a Saudi government report has outlined early efforts designed to contain the massive oil spills that hit the Saudi coast before oil could contaminate water intakes at the huge desalination plants serving Riyadh and cooling water facilities at Al Jubail

Alternative techniques for environmental project management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reeves, S.

1994-01-01

Beginning in the late 1970s and early 1980s, increased regulation and recognition of ground water as an important natural resource led industry to address subsurface contamination at many sites. This caused the industry's dependence on environmental consultants to increase drastically. Initially, the accepted practice for addressing environmental concerns was to rely upon consultants to determine appropriate work scope, budgets, procedures and regulatory interaction. While significant advances have been made in technology and consulting services, improvement in project management and cost containment have been limited. In order to effectively manage environmental projects, it is imperative that business risks and standardized project management practices be factored into environmental solutions. A standardized environmental project management program was developed and applied to projects at petroleum marketing facilities throughout the United States. Following development and implementation, detailed studies were conducted to measure the value of standardization in reducing costs and enhancing efficiencies. The results indicate significant improvement in both reducing project costs and in enhancing the efficiency of consultants

Cleanup protocols when encountering thorium-230 at U.S. DOE Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, M.L.; Hylko, J.M.; Cornish, R.E.

1995-01-01

The passage of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act (UMTRCA) of 1978, established the regulatory framework, under which the US EPA charged with developing standards for the cleanup and disposal of tailings at 24 designated inactive uranium processing sites located in 10 states. 40 CFR 192.12 requires that the concentration of Ra-226 in land averaged over any area of 100 square meters shall not exceed the background level by more than 5 pCi/g, averaged over the first 15 cm of soil below the surface, 15 pCi/g, averaged over 15-cm-thick layers of soils more than 15 cm below the surface. However, Th-230 is not specifically addressed by the EPA in 40 CFR 192.12, which naturally decays with a half-life of 77,000 years to form Ra-226. Consequently, the cleanup of the initial Ra-226 contamination according to the standards will not necessarily mitigate against the eventual ingrowth of residual Ra-226 with time, due to the radioactive decay of residual Th-230. Therefore, to direct the excavation of residual Th-230, four generic protocols are being used at Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project sites, as follows: Determining the allowable remaining concentration of Th-230 in surface and subsurface soils; Encountering Th-230 contamination in the unsaturated subsurface soil; Encountering Th-230 contamination in the saturated zone; and Verification sampling. The four generic protocols, developed in conjunction with the supplemental standards provision, ensure protection of the general public by reducing exposures to levels that are As Low As Reasonably Achievable, while considering practical measures necessary to excavate Th-230 under conditions encountered at the UMTRA Project site

Superfund at work: Hazardous waste cleanup efforts nationwide, spring 1993 (Radium Chemical Site profile, Queens, New York)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

The Radium Chemical hazardous waste site in Queens, New York was contaminated with radium, posing a grave potential threat to the community. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) used the Superfund program to design a long-term cleanup for the site using input from citizens and the business community. Superfund staff: Mobilized a quick cleanup action to remove 10,000 small containers of radium; Developed a streamlined approach to long-term cleanup; Secured the site to reduce the possibility of radiation exposure to the local residents; Cooperated with the community to design a well-organized emergency response plan; and Educated local citizens about site hazards, incorporating community concerns into the cleanup process. The Radium Chemical site is a clear example of EPA's effective management and problem-solving strategies at Superfund sites

Technical support for the EPA cleanup rule on radioactively contaminated sites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hull, H.B.; Newman, A.; Wolbarst, A.B. [Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (United States)] [and others

1995-12-31

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is developing a radiation site cleanup regulation for the protection of the public from radionuclide contamination at sites that are to be cleaned up and released for public use. The regulation will apply to sites under the control of Federal agencies, and to sites licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) or NRC Agreement States. The agency is therefore conducting a comprehensive technical analysis aimed at developing information that will be used to support the rule. This presentation describes the regulation and the approach developed to determine how radiological health impacts and volumes of soil requiring remediation vary as functions of the possible cleanup dose or risk level.

The 100-C-7 Remediation Project. An Overview of One of DOE's Largest Remediation Projects - 13260

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Post, Thomas C. [U.S. Department of Energy Richland Operations Office, Richland, WA 99352 (United States); Strom, Dean [Washington Closure Hanford LLC, 2620 Fermi Avenue, Richland, WA 99354 (United States); Beulow, Laura [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 309 Bradley Boulevard, Suite 115, Richland, WA 99352 (United States)

2013-07-01

The U.S. Department of Energy Richland Operations Office (RL), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Washington Closure Hanford LLC (WCH) completed remediation of one of the largest waste sites in the U.S. Department of Energy complex. The waste site, 100-C-7, covers approximately 15 football fields and was excavated to a depth of 85 feet (groundwater). The project team removed a total of 2.3 million tons of clean and contaminated soil, concrete debris, and scrap metal. 100-C-7 lies in Hanford's 100 B/C Area, home to historic B and C Reactors. The waste site was excavated in two parts as 100-C-7 and 100-C-7:1. The pair of excavations appear like pit mines. Mining engineers were hired to design their tiered sides, with safety benches every 17 feet and service ramps which allowed equipment access to the bottom of the excavations. The overall cleanup project was conducted over a span of almost 10 years. A variety of site characterization, excavation, load-out and sampling methodologies were employed at various stages of remediation. Alternative technologies were screened and evaluated during the project. A new method for cost effectively treating soils was implemented - resulting in significant cost savings. Additional opportunities for minimizing waste streams and recycling were identified and effectively implemented by the project team. During the final phase of cleanup the project team applied lessons learned throughout the entire project to address the final, remaining source of chromium contamination. The C-7 cleanup now serves as a model for remediating extensive deep zone contamination sites at Hanford. (authors)

Project Execution Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

Created in 1989 to address over 50 years of environmental liabilities arising out of nuclear weapons production and testing in the United States since World War II, the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Environmental Management (EM) Programs decade-long effort to reduce the costs of those environmental liabilities, collectively known as DOE's ''environmental mortgage,'' includes past as well as future cleanup costs associated with environmental contamination, hazardous and radioactive materials and wastes, contaminated buildings and facilities, and their associated risks. Tasked with the bulk of these cleanup efforts, the U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office's (DOE/NV's), Nevada Environmental Restoration Project (NV ERP) is attempting to complete applicable corrective actions at inactive contaminated sites and facilities managed by DOE/NV, while at the same time protecting human health and the environment. Regulated under the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order, the objectives of the NV ERP are to identify the nature and extent of the contamination, determine its potential risk to the public and the environment, and to perform the necessary corrective actions in compliance with this and other state and federal regulations, guidelines, and requirements. Associated with this vast effort are approximately 2,000 sites both on and off of the Nevada Test Site (NTS) that were used primarily for nuclear testing and are addressed in the NV ERP. This includes sites that were underground areas where tests were actually conducted, contaminated surface soils resulting from aboveground testing activities, and sites that supported other related testing hardware paraphenalia and/or NTS real estate properties (e.g., underground storage tanks, leachfields, landfills, contaminated waste areas, injection wells, muckpiles, and ponds). To assist in this effort, a NV ERP Team was assembled which is composed of organizations from both the public and private

Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cannon, S.D.; Finch, S.M.

1992-10-01

The objective of the Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction (HEDR) Project is to estimate the radiation doses that individuals and populations could have received from nuclear operations at Hanford since 1944. The independent Technical Steering Panel (TSP) provides technical direction. The project is divided into the following technical tasks. These tasks correspond to the path radionuclides followed from release to impact on humans (dose estimates):Source Terms, Environmental Transport, Environmental Monitoring Data, Demography, Food Consumption, and Agriculture, and Environmental Pathways and Dose Estimates

National conversion pilot project: A creative approach to recyling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gandee, K.R.; Taylor, R.A.; Cornils, K.N.

1995-01-01

As a result of the Bush-Yeltsin summit in 1991, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has undergone a significant downsizing of its defense mission. In July 1992, the Rocky Flats site in Colorado was the first DOE site to be closed. Its mission was changed from defense to environmental cleanup and economic development. Recognizing the need to assist displaced workers and affected communities and to conduct cost-effective cleanup of DOE sites, Congress initiated two legislative provisions in the 1994 National Defense Authorization Act that required DOE to (a) provide local impact assistance to communities that are affected by the defense downsizing and (b) conduct at least One waste recycling project within the 1994 fiscal year. At the Rocky Flats site, the National Conversion Pilot Project represents an innovative approach in which both Congressional requirements are achieved simultaneously, and the strategy for meeting these requirements was developed through the active participation of all stakeholders of the project

The Positive Impacts Of American Reinvestment And Recovery Act (ARRA) Funding To The Waste Management Program On Hanford's Plateau Remediation Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blackford, L.T.

2010-01-01

In April 2009, the Department of Energy (DOE) Richland Operations Office (RL) was allocated $1.6 billion (B) in ARRA funding to be applied to cleanup projects at the Hanford Site. DOE-RL selected projects to receive ARRA funding based on 3-criteria: creating/saving jobs, reducing the footprint of the Hanford Site, and reducing life-cycle costs for cleanup. They further selected projects that were currently covered under regulatory documents and existing prime contracts, which allowed work to proceed quickly. CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC) is a prime contractor to the DOE focused on the environmental cleanup of the DOE Hanford Site Central Plateau. CHPRC was slated to receive $1.36B in ARRA funding. As of January, 2010, CHPRC has awarded over $200 million (M) in subcontracts (64% to small businesses), created more that 1,100 jobs, and touched more than 2,300 lives - all in support of long-term objectives for remediation of the Central Plateau, on or ahead of schedule. ARRA funding is being used to accelerate and augment cleanup activities already underway under the baseline Plateau Remediation Contract (PRC). This paper details challenges and accomplishments using ARRA funding to meet DOE-RL objectives of creating/saving jobs, expediting cleanup, and reducing lifecycle costs for cleanup during the first months of implementation.

Partnerships in cleanup at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hula, G.A.

1995-01-01

Environmental Restoration activities at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) are currently being conducted under a Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order (FFA/CO). The FFA/CO was signed by the US Department of Energy-Idaho Operations Office (DOE-ID), the Environmental Protection Agency-Region 10 (EPA), and the state of Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW) in December 1991. The INEL FFA/CO has been successfully implemented due to the coordination, integration and communication among the DOE-ID, IDHW and EPA Project and WAG Managers. Successful implementation of this Tri-party Agreement hinges on one key concept: ownership of the agreement, including the routine and unexpected problems and conflicting schedules typically associated with three separate agencies. Other factors, such as (1) open and frequent communication, (2) trust among all players, (3) ''giving'' in order to ''get,'' (4) clear, concise documentation surrounding key decisions during implementation and (5) little turnover among the implementers of the Agreement, i.e., good institutional knowledge, will enhance implementation of the Agreement, but without ownership, successful implementation of the agreement may be jeopardized. This sense of ownership, as well as a sound professional working relationship between the Project and WAG Managers from each agency, has resulted in avoidance of the need for invoking the formal ''dispute resolution'' process outlined in the INEL Agreement. This facilitates timely decision-making (10 Record of Decisions have been signed to date at the INEL) which has quickly progressed the program from an ''assessment'' phase to a ''cleanup'' phase

Examples of Department of Energy Successes for Remediation of Contaminated Groundwater: Permeable Reactive Barrier and Dynamic Underground Stripping ASTD Projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purdy, C.; Gerdes, K.; Aljayoushi, J.; Kaback, D.; Ivory, T.

2002-01-01

Since 1998, the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Environmental Management has funded the Accelerated Site Technology Deployment (ASTD) Program to expedite deployment of alternative technologies that can save time and money for the environmental cleanup at DOE sites across the nation. The ASTD program has accelerated more than one hundred deployments of new technologies under 76 projects that focus on a broad spectrum of EM problems. More than 25 environmental restoration projects have been initiated to solve the following types of problems: characterization of the subsurface using chemical, radiological, geophysical, and statistical methods; treatment of groundwater contaminated with DNAPLs, metals, or radionuclides; and other projects such as landfill covers, purge water management systems, and treatment of explosives-contaminated soils. One of the major goals of the ASTD Program is to deploy a new technology or process at multiple DOE sites. ASTD projects are encouraged to identify subsequent deployments at other sites. Some of the projects that have successfully deployed technologies at multiple sites focusing on cleanup of contaminated groundwater include: Permeable Reactive Barriers (Monticello, Rocky Flats, and Kansas City), treating uranium and organics in groundwater; and Dynamic Underground Stripping (Portsmouth, and Savannah River), thermally treating DNAPL source zones. Each year more and more new technologies and approaches are being used at DOE sites due to the ASTD program. DOE sites are sharing their successes and communicating lessons learned so that the new technologies can replace the baseline or standard approaches at DOE sites, thus expediting cleanup and saving money

Involving stakeholders in evaluating environmental restoration technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCabe, G.H.; Serie, P.J.

1993-02-01

Involving citizens, interest groups, and regulators in environmental restoration and waste management programs is a challenge for government agencies and the organizations that support them. To be effective, such involvement activities must identify all individuals and groups who have a stake in the cleanup. Their participation must be early, substantive, and meaningful. Stockholders must be able to see how their input was considered and used, and feel that a good- faith effort was made to reconcile conflicting objectives. The Integrated Demonstration for Cleanup of Volatile Organic Compounds at Arid Sites (VOC-Arid ID) is a Department of Energy Office of Technology Development project located at Hanford. Along with technical evaluation of innovative cleanup technologies, the program is conducting an institutional assessment of regulatory and public acceptance of new technologies. Through a series of interviews and workshops, and use of a computerized information management tool, stakeholders are having a voice in the evaluation. Public and regulatory reaction has been positive

A new direction for prioritizing federal agency cleanups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCrillis, L.

1995-01-01

Departments and agencies of the federal government manage a vast array of activities at 27,000 facilities. Due to the nature of such activities, federal facilities could be contaminated with hazardous substances. It is estimated that the federal government ultimately will be responsible for or have a significant role in the cleanup of up to 500,000 sites. Although federal facilities comprise only a small percentage of the community regulated under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), federal facilities owned or operated by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Defense (DOD) are usually larger and more complex than their private industrial counterparts. Federal facilities routinely have a larger number of sites on their facilities with varying degrees of risk. At present, the approaches for allocating resources for environmental restoration of federal facilities, for incorporating stakeholder concerns in the allocation, and for obtaining funding from Congress vary greatly from one agency to another. In light of these concerns, the federal government recognizes the need to evaluate the current resource allocation system for funding remediation projects and to establish a broader-based publicly supported priority-setting method. This paper outlines a possible new direction and summarizes the conclusions reached in a handful of forums created to address the issue of priority setting

Fixed-bed gasifier and cleanup system engineering summary report through Test Run No. 100

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pater, K. Jr.; Headley, L.; Kovach, J.; Stopek, D.

1984-06-01

The state-of-the-art of high-pressure, fixed-bed gasification has been advanced by the many refinements developed over the last 5 years. A novel full-flow gas cleanup system has been installed and tested to clean coal-derived gases. This report summarizes the results of tests conducted on the gasifier and cleanup system from its inception through 1982. Selected process summary data are presented along with results from complementary programs in the areas of environmental research, process simulation, analytical methods development, and component testing. 20 references, 32 figures, 42 tables.

Recycling Facilities - Land Recycling Cleanup Locations

Data.gov (United States)

NSGIC Education | GIS Inventory — Land Recycling Cleanup Location Land Recycling Cleanup Locations (LRCL) are divided into one or more sub-facilities categorized as media: Air, Contained Release or...

Documenting cost and performance for environmental remediation projects: Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-08-08

The purpose of this DOE guide is to facilitate the use of consistent procedures to document cost and performance information for projects involving the remediation of media contaminated with hazardous and radioactive wastes. It provides remedial action project managers with a standardized set of data to document completed remediation projects. Standardized reporting of data will broaden the utility of the information, increase confidence in the effectiveness of future remedial technologies, and enhance the organization, storage and retrieval of relevant information for future cleanup projects. The foundation for this guide was laid down by the Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable (FRTR) in their publication, Guide to Documenting Cost and Performance for Remediation Projects, EPA-542-B- 95-002. Member agencies of the FRTR include the US EPA, the US DOD, the US DOE, and the US DOI. All the member agencies are involved in site remediation projects and anticipate following the guidance provided in the above reference. Therefore, there is much to be gained for DOE to be consistent with the other member agencies as it will be easier to compare projects across different agencies and also to learn from the experiences of a wider spectrum of prior completed projects.

Environmental Assessment Lakeview Geothermal Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Treis, Tania [Southern Oregon Economic Development Department, Medford, OR (United States)

2012-04-30

The Town of Lakeview is proposing to construct and operate a geothermal direct use district heating system in Lakeview, Oregon. The proposed project would be in Lake County, Oregon, within the Lakeview Known Geothermal Resources Area (KGRA). The proposed project includes the following elements: Drilling, testing, and completion of a new production well and geothermal water injection well; construction and operation of a geothermal production fluid pipeline from the well pad to various Town buildings (i.e., local schools, hospital, and Lake County Industrial Park) and back to a geothermal water injection well. This EA describes the proposed project, the alternatives considered, and presents the environmental analysis pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. The project would not result in adverse effects to the environment with the implementation of environmental protection measures.

Richland Environmental Restoration Project Baseline Multi Year Work Plan Volume 1 Richland Environmental Restoration Project Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wintczak, T.M.

2001-01-01

The purpose of this project specification is to provide an overall scoping and document for the Environmental Restoration project, and to provide a link between the overall Hanford Site scope and the ER project. The purpose of this project specification is to provide an overall scoping document for the ER Project, and to provide a link between the overall Hanford Site scope and the ER Project. Additionally, this specification provides an integrated and consolidated source of information for the Richland ER Project. It identifies the ER Project vision, mission, and goals, as well as the operational history of the Hanford Site, along with environmental setting and hazards. This ER Project Specification is part of the overall ER Project baseline

Major weapon system environmental life-cycle cost estimating for Conservation, Cleanup, Compliance and Pollution Prevention (C3P2)

Science.gov (United States)

Hammond, Wesley; Thurston, Marland; Hood, Christopher

1995-01-01

The Titan 4 Space Launch Vehicle Program is one of many major weapon system programs that have modified acquisition plans and operational procedures to meet new, stringent environmental rules and regulations. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Defense (DOD) mandate to reduce the use of ozone depleting chemicals (ODC's) is just one of the regulatory changes that has affected the program. In the last few years, public environmental awareness, coupled with stricter environmental regulations, has created the need for DOD to produce environmental life-cycle cost estimates (ELCCE) for every major weapon system acquisition program. The environmental impact of the weapon system must be assessed and budgeted, considering all costs, from cradle to grave. The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) has proposed that organizations consider Conservation, Cleanup, Compliance and Pollution Prevention (C(sup 3)P(sup 2)) issues associated with each acquisition program to assess life-cycle impacts and costs. The Air Force selected the Titan 4 system as the pilot program for estimating life-cycle environmental costs. The estimating task required participants to develop an ELCCE methodology, collect data to test the methodology and produce a credible cost estimate within the DOD C(sup 3)P(sup 2) definition. The estimating methodology included using the Program Office weapon system description and work breakdown structure together with operational site and manufacturing plant visits to identify environmental cost drivers. The results of the Titan IV ELCCE process are discussed and expanded to demonstrate how they can be applied to satisfy any life-cycle environmental cost estimating requirement.

233S Decommissioning Project Environmental Control Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zoric, J.P.

2000-01-01

This Environmental Control Plan is for the 233S Decommissioning activities conducted under the removal action report for the 233S Decontamination and Demolition Project. The purpose of this ECP is to identify environmental requirements for the 233S project. The ECP is a compilation of existing environmental permit conditions, regulatory requirements, and environmental requirements applicable to the specific project or functional activity

Environmental impacts of wind-energy projects

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Committee on Environmental Impacts of Wind Energy Projects; National Research Council; Division on Earth and Life Studies; National Research Council

2007-01-01

.... Environmental Impacts of Wind-Energy Projects offers an analysis of the environmental benefits and drawbacks of wind energy, along with an evaluation guide to aid decision-making about projects...

Cleanup and treatment (CAT) test: a land-area decontamination project utilizing a vacuum method of soil removal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orcutt, J.A.

1982-08-01

Areas 11 and 13 of the Nevada Test Site (NTS) are contaminated with varying concentrations of Pu-239, 240 and Am-241. An investigation of a vacuum method of soil removal, the Cleanup and Treatment (CAT) test, was conducted over a 3-month period in the plutonium safety shot or Plutonium Valley portion of Area 11. Soil in Plutonium Valley is of the Aridisol Order. The surface 0 to 10 cm is a gravelly loam, and is strongly alkaline (pH 8.8). A large truck-mounted vacuum unit, rather than conventional earth-moving equipment, was used as the primary soil collection unit. Effectiveness of the vacuum method of soil removal was evaluated in relation to conventional earthmoving procedures, particularly in terms of volume reduction of removed soil achieved over conventional techniques. Radiological safety considerations associated with use of the vacuum unit were evaluated in relation to their impact on a full-scale land decontamination program. Environmental and operational impacts of devegetation with retention of root crowns or root systems were investigated. It is concluded that the CAT test was successful under difficult environmental conditions

Accelerated Clean-up of the United States Department of Energy, Mound Nuclear Weapons Facility in Miamisburg, Ohio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lehew, J.G.; Bradford, J.D.; Cabbil, C.C.

2006-01-01

CH2M HILL is executing a performance-based contract with the United States Department of Energy to accelerate the safe closure of the nuclear facilities at the former Mound plant in Miamisburg, Ohio. The contract started in January 2003 with a target completion date of March 31, 2006. Our accelerated baseline targets completion of the project 2 years ahead of the previous baseline schedule, by spring 2006, and for $200 million less than previous estimates. This unique decommissioning and remediation project is located within the City of Miamisburg proper and is designed for transfer of the property to the Miamisburg Mound Community Improvement Corporation for industrial reuse. The project is being performed with the Miamisburg Mound Community Improvement Corporation and their tenants co-located on the site creating significant logistical, safety and stakeholder challenges. The project is also being performed in conjunction with the United States Department of Energy, United States Environmental Protection Agency, and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency under the Mound 2000 regulatory cleanup process. The project is currently over 95% complete. To achieve cleanup and closure of the Mound site, CH2M HILL's scope includes: - Demolition of 64 nuclear, radiological and commercial facilities - Preparation for Transfer of 9 facilities (including a Category 2 nuclear facility) to the Miamisburg Mound Community Improvement Corporation for industrial reuse - Removal of all above ground utility structures and components, and preparation for transfer of 9 utility systems to Miamisburg Mound Community Improvement Corporation - Investigation, remediation, closure, and documentation of all known Potential Release Sites contaminated with radiological and chemical contamination (73 identified in original contract) - Storage, characterization, processing, packaging and shipment of all waste and excess nuclear materials - Preparation for Transfer of the 306 acre site to the

Biological effects of three different shoreline cleanup methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mattsson, J.; Lethinen, C.; Linden, O.

1981-06-01

In order to simulate a real oil spill the shore of a small island in the Baltic proper was treated with a weathered crude oil. The aim of the study was to investigate and compare environmental impact of some shoreline cleanup techniques as well as the effectiveness of these methods. Hot water was the quickest cleanup method, whereas cleaning with a solvent took twice as much time and mechanical recovery three and a half time as much. The hot water treatment resulted in the smallest amounts of oil left in the soil compared to the two other methods, where two to three times as much was left. The oil content in sedimenting material and in mussels was highest outside the area cleaned with hot water. The oil content in mussel tissues increased 75 times after cleaning and the sediment contained about twice as much oil as outside the other areas. The vegetation on all four oiled areas was considerably reduced and the soil fauna was completely eliminated. Since no animals were found on the four oiled areas, not even on the untreated area, it appeared to be the oil itself that caused this effect. The number of animals caught with pitfall traps decreased after oiling and cleanup to between 10-40 % of the original amount. The results from the investigation of the fauna in the Cladophora-belt do not indicate any effects so far.

A simple cleanup method for the isolation of nitrate from natural water samples for O isotopes analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haberhauer, G.; Blochberger, K.

1999-09-01

The analysis of O-isotopic composition of nitrate has many potential applications in studies of environmental processes. O-isotope nitrate analysis require sample free of other oxygen-containing compounds. More than 100 % of non-NO 3 - oxygen relative to NO 3 - oxygen can still be found in forest soil water samples after cleanup if improper cleanup strategies, e.g., adsorption onto activated carbon, are used. Such non-NO 3 - oxygen compounds will bias O-isotropic data. Therefore, an efficient cleanup method was developed to isolate nitrate from natural water samples. In a multistep cleanup procedure using adsorption onto water-insoluble poly(vinylpyrrolidone), removal of almost all other oxygen-containing compounds, such as fulvic acids, and isolation of nitrate was achieved. The method supplied samples free of non-NO 3 - oxygen which can be directly combusted to CO 2 for subsequent O-isotope analysis. (author)

Legal aspects of the clean-up and reclamation of the manufactured gas plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joldzic, V. [Belgrade University, Belgrade (Yugoslavia). Inst. for Criminology and Sociological Research

1995-12-31

The laws associated with the cleanup of manufactured gas plants in Yugoslavia is described. These comprise the Environmental Protection Act; the Law about Space Planning and Organizing; Building Law; and Agricultural Land Use Law. Joint remedial action in the Danube Basin is discussed. 13 refs.

Fast-Track Cleanup at Closing DoD Installations

Science.gov (United States)

The Fast-Track Cleanup program strives to make parcels available for reuse as quickly as possible by the transfer of uncontaminated or remediated parcels, the lease of contaminated parcels where cleanup is underway, or the 'early transfer' of contaminated property undergoing cleanup.

Enhancing aquifer cleanup with reinjection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isherwood, W.F.; Ziagos, J.; Rice, D. Jr.; Krauter, P.; Nichols, E.

1992-09-01

Injection of water or steam, with or without chemical surfactants, is a common petroleum industry technique to enhance product recovery. In the geothermal industry, reinjection (reinjection is used to mean the injection of ground water that was previously injected) of heat- depleted subsurface fluids is commonly used to maintain reservoir pressure, thus prolonging field productivity. The use reinjection in ground-water remediation projects allows for the application of both traditional production field management and a variety of additional enhancements to the cleanup process. Development of the ideas in this paper was stimulated by an initial suggestion by Dr. Jacob Bear (personal discussions, 1990--1991) that reinjected water might be heated to aid the desorption process

Summary of Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) Potential Impacts Related to Hanford Cleanup and the Tri-Party Agreement (TPA)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

IWATATE, D.F.

2000-07-14

This white paper provides an initial assessment of the potential impacts of the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) regulations (and proposed revisions) on the Hanford site cleanup and addresses concerns that MTCA might impose inappropriate or unachievable clean-up levels and drive clean-up costs higher. The white paper and supporting documentation (Appendices A and B) provide DOE with a concise and up-to-date review of potential MTCA impacts to cost and schedule for the Hanford site activities. MTCA, Chapter 70.105D RCW, is the State of Washington's risk based law governing clean-up of contaminated sites and is implemented by The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) under the MTCA Clean-up Regulations, Chapter 173-340 WAC. Hanford cleanup is subject to the MTCA requirements as Applicable, Relevant and Appropriate Requirements (ARARs) for those areas of Hanford being managed under the authority of the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), and the state Dangerous Waste Regulations. MTCA provides Ecology with authority to implement site clean-up actions under both the federal RCRA and CERCLA regulations as well as the state regulations. Most of the Hanford clean-up actions are being implemented under the CERCLA program, however, there is a trend is toward increased use of MTCA procedures and standards. The application of MTCA to the Hanford clean-up has been an evolving process with some of the Hanford clean-up actions considering MTCA standards as an ARAR and using MTCA procedures for remedy selection. The increased use and application of MTCA standards and procedures could potentially impact both cost and schedule for the Hanford cleanup.

Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McMakin, A.H.; Cannon, S.D.; Finch, S.M.

1992-07-01

The objective of the Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction (HEDR) Project is to estimate the radiation doses that individuals and populations could have received from nuclear operations at Hanford since 1944. The TSP consists of experts in environmental pathways, epidemiology, surface-water transport, ground-water transport, statistics, demography, agriculture, meteorology, nuclear engineering, radiation dosimetry, and cultural anthropology. Included are appointed technical members representing the states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, a representative of Native American tribes, and an individual representing the public. The project is divided into the following technical tasks. These tasks correspond to the path radionuclides followed from release to impact on humans (dose estimates): Source terms, environmental transport, environmental monitoring data, demography, food consumption, and agriculture, and environmental pathways and dose estimates. Progress is discussed

Coolant clean-up and recycle systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, Takao.

1979-01-01

Purpose: To increase the service life of mechanical seals in a shaft sealing device, eliminate leakages and improve the safety by providing a recycle pump for feeding coolants to a coolant clean-up device upon reactor shut-down and adapting the pump treat only low temperature and low pressure coolants. Constitution: The system is adapted to partially take out coolants from the pipeways of a recycling pump upon normal operation and feed them to a clean-up device. Upon reactor shut-down, the recycle pump is stopped and coolants are extracted by the recycle pump for shut-down into the clean-up device. Since the coolants are not fed to the clean-up device by the recycle pump during normal operation as conducted so far, high temperature and high pressure coolants are not directly fed to the recycle pump, thereby enabling to avoid mechanical problems in the pump. (Kamimura, M.)

Sorters for soil cleanup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bramlitt, E.T.; Johnson, N.R.; Tomicich, M.J.

1991-01-01

A soil sorter is a system with conveyor, radiation detectors, and a gate. The system activates the gate based on radiation measurements to sort soil to either clean or contaminated paths. Automatic soil sorters have been perfected for use in the cleanup of plutonium contaminated soil at Johnston Atoll. The cleanup processes soil through a plant which mines plutonium to make soil clean. Sorters at various locations in the plant effectively reduce the volume of soil for mining and they aid in assuring clean soil meets guidelines

The public visits a nuclear waste site: Survey results from the West Valley Demonstration Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffman, W.D.

1987-01-01

This paper discusses the results of the 1986 survey taken at the West Valley Demonstration Project Open House where a major nuclear waste cleanup is in progress. Over 1400 people were polled on what they think is most effective in educating the public on nuclear waste. A demographic analysis describes the population attending the event and their major interests in the project. Responses to attitudinal questions are examined to evaluate the importance of radioactive waste cleanup as an environmental issue and a fiscal responsibility. Additionally, nuclear power is evaluated on its public perception as an energy resource. The purpose of the study is to find out who visits a nuclear waste site and why, and to measure their attitudes on nuclear issues

Estimating the Cold War mortgage: The 1995 Baseline Environmental Management report. Executive summary, March 1995

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

This is the first annual report on the activities and potential costs required to address the waste, contamination, and surplus nuclear facilities that are the responsibility of DOE's Environmental Management program. Of the Base Case life-cycle cost estimate of $230 billion from 1995 to 2070, 49% is waste management, 28% environmental restoration, 10% nuclear material and facility stabilization, 5% technology development, and 8% other. The top 5 sites account for 70% of the costs: Hanford 21%, Savannah River Site 21%, Rocky Flats 10%, Oak Ridge 10%, and Idaho Laboratory 8%. Assumptions include significant productivity increases, meeting current compliance requirements, and use of existing technologies. Excluded were: cleanup where no feasible cleanup technology exists (eg, nuclear explosion sites and most contaminated groundwater), cleanup of currently active facilities, naval nuclear propulsion facilities (handled by US Navy), and first 5 years of program ($23 billion). Of the alternative cases evaluated, land use has the biggest potential cost impact. Total projected environmental costs are comparable to total U.S. nuclear weapons production costs. The makeup of Volumes I and II (the latter being site summaries) are outlined briefly

Safety analysis factors for environmental restoration and decontamination and decommissioning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ellingson, D.R.

1993-04-01

Environmental restoration (ER) and facility decontamination/decommissioning (D ampersand D) operations can be grouped into two general categories. ''Nonstationary cleanup'' or simply ''cleanup'' activities are where the operation must relocate to the site of new contaminated material at the completion of each task (i.e., the operation moves to the contaminated material). ''Stationary production'' or simply ''production'' activities are where the contaminated material is moved to a centralized location (i.e., the contaminated material is moved to the operation) for analysis, sorting, treatment, storage, and disposal. This paper addresses the issue of nonstationary cleanup design. The following are the specific assigned action items: Collect and compile a list of special safety-related ER/D ampersand D design factors, especially ones that don't follow DOE Order 6430.1A requirements. Develop proposal of what makes sense to recommend to designers; especially consider recommendations for short-term projects. Present proposal at the January meeting. To achieve the action items, applicable US Department of Energy (DOE) design requirements, and cleanup operations and differences from production activities are reviewed and summarized; basic safety requirements influencing design are summarized; and finally, approaches, considerations, and methods for safe, cost-effective design of cleanup activities are discussed

TRANSITION & CLOSEOUT OF THE FERNALD CLOSURE PROJECT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

BILSON, H.E.

2007-02-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) and Fluor Fernald have completed the majority of the cleanup of the Fernald Site. The over 1000 acre complex for processing uranium has been demolished and soil contamination has been remediated. With acres of wetlands and prairies replacing the buildings and waste pits. At the end of the project the focus shifted to developing demonstrating the completion of the project and the contract, as well as ensuring a smooth transition of the facility from the DOE's Environmental Management (EM) Program to the DOE's Legacy Management (LM) Program.

The Environmental Management Project Manager's Handbook for improved project definition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-02-01

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is committed to providing high quality products that satisfy customer needs and are the associated with this goal, DOE personnel must possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities to ensure successful job performance. In addition, there must be recognition that the greatest obstacle to proper project performance is inadequate project definition. Without strong project definition, DOE environmental management efforts are vulnerable to fragmented solutions, duplication of effort, and wastes resources. The primary means of ensuring environmental management projects meet cost and schedule milestones is through a structured and graded approach to project definition, which is the focus of this handbook

Hanford Site Cleanup Challenges and Opportunities for Science and Technology - A Strategic Assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, W.; Reichmuth, B.; Wood, T.; Glasper, M.; Hanson, J.

2002-01-01

In November 2000, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Richland Operations Office (RL) initiated an effort to produce a single, strategic perspective of RL Site closure challenges and potential Science and Technology (S and T) opportunities. This assessment was requested by DOE Headquarters (HQ), Office of Science and Technology, EM-50, as a means to provide a site level perspective on S and T priorities in the context of the Hanford 2012 Vision. The objectives were to evaluate the entire cleanup lifecycle (estimated at over $24 billion through 2046), to identify where the greatest uncertainties exist, and where investments in S and T can provide the maximum benefit. The assessment identified and described the eleven strategic closure challenges associated with the cleanup of the Hanford Site. The assessment was completed in the spring of 2001 and provided to DOE-HQ and the Hanford Site Technology Coordination Group (STCG) for review and input. It is the first step in developing a Site-level S and T strategy for RL. To realize the full benefits of this assessment, RL and Site contractors will work with the Hanford STCG to ensure: identified challenges and opportunities are reflected in project baselines; detailed S and T program-level road maps reflecting both near- and long-term investments are prepared using this assessment as a starting point; and integrated S and T priorities are incorporated into Environmental Management (EM) Focus Areas, Environmental Management Science Program (EMSP) and other research and development (R and D) programs to meet near-term and longer-range challenges. Hanford is now poised to begin the detailed planning and road mapping necessary to ensure that the integrated Site level S and T priorities are incorporated into the national DOE S and T program and formally incorporated into the relevant project baselines. DOE-HQ's response to this effort has been very positive and similar efforts are likely to be undertaken at other sites

Moderator clean-up system in a heavy water reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sasada, Yasuhiro; Hamamura, Kenji.

1983-01-01

Purpose: To decrease the fluctuation of the poison concentration in heavy water moderator due to a heavy water clean-up system. Constitution: To a calandria tank filled with heavy water as poison-containing moderators, are connected both end of a pipeway through which heavy water flows and to which a clean-up device is provided. Strongly basic resin is filled within the clean-up device and a cooler is disposed to a pipeway at the upstream of the clean-up device. In this structure, the temperature of heavy water at the inlet of the clean-up device at a constant level between the temperature at the exit of the cooler and the lowest temperature for the moderator to thereby decrease the fluctuation in the poison concentration in the heavy water moderator due to the heavy water clean-up device. (Moriyama, K.)

Fulfilling information needs of environmental groups: the current West Valley experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffman, W.D.

1986-01-01

This paper addresses the justification for environmental group communications and the options available in formatting such a dialogue. The West Valley program is explained including realized and potential project benefits. The environmental communications program in place at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) was instituted in the throes of a challenging scenario. The site had just been chosen by the US Department of Energy (DOE) to demonstrate the cleanup of high-level nuclear wastes with a relatively new technology. The former nuclear fuel reprocessing operator had maintained a closed door communications policy. Consequently, the initial reaction of environmental groups to the project was one of suspicion and fear. The WVDP information exchange involves regularly bringing persons to the site, many of whom are antinuclear and initially skeptical of the project. Many have indicated their early concern about the site has been alleviated; furthermore, they are impressed with the purpose of the project and its commitment to safety

Fulfilling information needs of environmental groups: the current West Valley experience

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoffman, W.D.

1986-07-15

This paper addresses the justification for environmental group communications and the options available in formatting such a dialogue. The West Valley program is explained including realized and potential project benefits. The environmental communications program in place at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) was instituted in the throes of a challenging scenario. The site had just been chosen by the US Department of Energy (DOE) to demonstrate the cleanup of high-level nuclear wastes with a relatively new technology. The former nuclear fuel reprocessing operator had maintained a closed door communications policy. Consequently, the initial reaction of environmental groups to the project was one of suspicion and fear. The WVDP information exchange involves regularly bringing persons to the site, many of whom are antinuclear and initially skeptical of the project. Many have indicated their early concern about the site has been alleviated; furthermore, they are impressed with the purpose of the project and its commitment to safety.

Development and Use of Life-Cycle Analysis Capabilities To Evaluate, Select, and Implement Plans to Accelerate Hanford Site Cleanup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shay, Michael R.; Johnson, Wayne L.; Frey, Jeffrey A.

2004-01-01

Over the past year the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has made significant progress in developing and executing plans to transform and accelerate cleanup of the Hanford Site. Notable progress has been in the cleanup of the River Corridor, including the relocation of spent nuclear fuel to the Central Plateau, and the stabilization of plutonium materials. However, difficult work still remains. DOE has already accelerated the completion of the Environmental Management (EM) cleanup mission from 2070 to 2035 and believes its completion can be achieved even sooner by reducing excess conservatism, substantively changing technical strategy and management approach, and making new front-end investments. Work is well under way in the detailed planning, analyses and decision making required to implement and support the execution of the accelerated cleanup program at Hanford. Various cleanup, contract, and regulatory approaches are being explored. DOE has instituted a process that allows DOE to efficiently explore and test alternative cleanup approaches using a life-cycle model. This paper provides a means to share the planning approach and the life-cycle modeling and analysis tools used with other sites and interested parties. This paper will be of particular interest to analysts performing similar planning and evaluations at other sites as well as provide insight into the current status of Hanford's cleanup program and DOE's plans for the future

Risk newsboy: approach for addressing uncertainty in developing action levels and cleanup limits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooke, Roger; MacDonell, Margaret

2007-01-01

Site cleanup decisions involve developing action levels and residual limits for key contaminants, to assure health protection during the cleanup period and into the long term. Uncertainty is inherent in the toxicity information used to define these levels, based on incomplete scientific knowledge regarding dose-response relationships across various hazards and exposures at environmentally relevant levels. This problem can be addressed by applying principles used to manage uncertainty in operations research, as illustrated by the newsboy dilemma. Each day a newsboy must balance the risk of buying more papers than he can sell against the risk of not buying enough. Setting action levels and cleanup limits involves a similar concept of balancing and distributing risks and benefits in the face of uncertainty. The newsboy approach can be applied to develop health-based target concentrations for both radiological and chemical contaminants, with stakeholder input being crucial to assessing 'regret' levels. Associated tools include structured expert judgment elicitation to quantify uncertainty in the dose-response relationship, and mathematical techniques such as probabilistic inversion and iterative proportional fitting. (authors)

Environmental projects. Volume 5, part 1: Study of subsurface contamination. Part 2: Guide to implement environmental compliance programs

Science.gov (United States)

Bengelsdorf, I.

1988-01-01

In support of the national goal for the preservation of the environment and the protection of human health and safety, NASA, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex have adopted the position that their operating installations shall maintain a high level of compliance in regard to regulations concerning environmental hazards. An investigation carried out by Engineering Science, Inc. focused on possible underground contamination that may have resulted from leaks and/or spills from storage facilities at the Goldstone Communications Complex. It also involved the cleanup of a non-hazardous waste dumpsite at the Mojave Base Site at the Goldstone complex. The report also includes details of the management duties and responsibilities needed to maintain compliance with environmental laws and regulations.

Environmental biotechnology for waste treatment, environmental science research, Volume 41

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saylor, G.S.; Fox, R.; Blackburn, J.W.

1991-01-01

This book contains the proceedings of the symposium entitled [open quotes]Environmental Biotechnology: Moving from the Flask to the Field[close quotes] held in October 17th through 19th, 1990, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Environmental biotechnology involves the use of microorganisms and their processes for the clean-up of environmental contamination, specific examples of which include ground-water treatment, treatment of leachates, and clean-up of contaminated soils, sludges, and sediments. In comparison with other technologies, environmental biotechnology (or bioremediation) has the advantages of affecting mineralization of toxic compounds to innocuous end-products, being energy-effective with processes able to take place at a moderate temperature and pressure, safety, and economy and is, therefore, perceived to hold great potential for environmental clean-up. Bioremediation treatment technologies for contaminated soils and groundwater can take the form of: (1) solid-phase biotreatment; (2) slurry-phase treatment; (3) in situ treatment; and (4) combination biological and physical/chemical treatment. The goal of the symposium was to pressure technical accomplishments at the laboratory and field-scale levels, future technical directions and economic, public and regulatory concerns in environmental biotechnology. The book is divided into five major sections on Current Perceptions, Field-Scale Studies, Technical Issues and Concerns in Implementation, Nontechnical Issues and Concerns in Implementation, International Activities, and ends with a critical review of the symposium.

Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project monthly report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finch, S.M.

1990-12-01

The objective of the Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project is to estimate the radiation doses that populations could have been have received from nuclear operations at Hanford since 1944. The project is being managed and conducted by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) under the direction of an independent Technical Steering Panel (TSP). The project is divided into the following technical tasks. These tasks correspond to the path radionuclides followed, from release to impact on humans (dose estimates): source terms; environmental transport; environmental monitoring data; demographics, agriculture, food habits; and environmental pathways and dose estimates. 3 figs., 3 tabs

Environmental standards and project construction: A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mason, P.F.; Thornberry, H.L.

1991-01-01

In the past decade, changes have occurred in the area of environmental regulation. This paper identifies the typical environmental standards applicable to project construction, recent environmental regulatory issues and trends, and identifies new environmental issues which must be considered in project construction. These include (1) handling hazardous chemicals in the workplace, (2) construction at formerly utilized sites, (3) disposal of debris, construction materials and hazardous waste, and (4) training and experience of construction personnel in environmental issues

The cleanup of releases of radioactive materials from commercial low-level radioactive waste disposal sites: Whose jurisdiction?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartnett, C.

1994-01-01

There exists an overlap between the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Recovery Act (open-quotes CERCLAclose quotes) and the Atomic Energy Act (open-quotes AEAclose quotes) regarding the cleanup of releases of radioactive materials from commercial low-level radioactive waste sites. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (open-quotes NRCclose quotes) and Agreement States have jurisdiction under the AEA, and the Environmental Protection Agency (open-quotes EPAclose quotes) has jurisdiction pursuant to CERCLA. This overlapping jurisdiction has the effect of imposing CERCLA liability on parties who have complied with AEA regulations. However, CERCLA was not intended to preempt existing legislation. This is evidenced by the federally permitted release exemption, which explicitly exempts releases from CERCLA liability pursuant to an AEA license. With little guidance as to the applicability of this exemption, it is uncertain whether CERCLA's liability is broad enough to supersede the Atomic Energy Act. It is the purpose of this paper to discuss the overlapping jurisdiction for the cleanup of releases of radioactive materials from commercial low-level radioactive waste disposal sites with particular emphasis on the cleanup at the Maxey Flats, West Valley and Sheffield sites

Hazards ahead: Managing cleanup worker health and safety at the nuclear weapons complex. Background paper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-02-01

Cold War nuclear weapons production has left a legacy of environmental contamination that is unprecented in scope and complexity. The Department of Energy has begun cleaning up pollution at the Nuclear Weapons Complex (NWC)--an expensive, decades-long task that will require a workforce numbering tens of thousands of scientists, technicians, and laborers. Protecting their health and safety must be a major goal of the cleanup effort. Achieving the goal will require DOE to successfully confront significant technical and managerial challenges, but it also poses a unique opportunity to advance state-of-the-art occupational health and safety technologies and practices. The report provides an evaluation of environmental restoration and waste management at the DOE Nuclear Weapons Complex. It examines risks workers might face in cleaning up contamination at the complex and evaluates the effectiveness of DOE's occupational safety and health programs for cleanup workers

Eye pathologies of Chernobyl clean-up workers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eglite, A.; Ozola, G.; Curbakova, E.

1998-01-01

Diseases of the nervous system and sense organs have become the most significant pathologies of Chernobyl clean-up workers during the last four years. The aim of this work was to evaluate the incidence of eye disorders among Chernobyl clean-up workers to provide more information for health specialists. During the last 10 years, the most common eye pathology has been angiopathia retinae, followed by myopia and cataracta. Statistical analyses showed that the clean-up workers have higher risk to develop angiopathia retinae than the control group. (author)

Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project monthly report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finch, S.M.

1991-10-01

The objective of the Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project is to estimate the radiation doeses that individuals and populations could have received from nuclear operations at Hanford since 1944. The project is divided into the following technical tasks. These tasks correspond to the path radionuclides followed, from release to impact on humans (dose estimates): Source terms; environmental transport; environmental monitoring data; demographics, agriculture, food habits; environmental pathways and dose estimates

Providing an integrated waste management strategy and operation focused on project end states at the Hanford site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blackford, L.

2009-01-01

CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company (CHPRC) is the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) contractor responsible for the safe, environmental cleanup of the Central Plateau of the Hanford Site. The 586-square-mile Hanford Site is located along the Columbia River in southeastern Washington State. A plutonium production complex with nine nuclear reactors and associated processing facilities, Hanford played a pivotal role in the nation's defense for more than 40 years, beginning in the 1940's with the Manhattan Project. Today, under the direction of the DOE, Hanford is engaged in the world's largest environmental cleanup project. The Plateau Remediation Contract (PRC) is a 10-year project paving the way for closure of the Hanford Site through demolition of the Plutonium Finishing Plant; remediation of six burial grounds and 11 groundwater systems; treatment of 43.8 meters of sludge; and disposition of 8,200 meters of transuranic waste, 800 spent nuclear material containers, 2,100 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel, and two reactors. The $4.5 billion project, funded through the U.S. DOE Office of Environmental Management, focuses equally on reducing risks to workers, the public, and the environment and on protecting the Columbia River. The DOE, which operates the Hanford Site, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the State of Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) signed a comprehensive cleanup and compliance agreement on May 15, 1989. The Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order, or Tri-Party Agreement (TPA), is an agreement for achieving compliance with the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) remedial action provisions and with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) treatment, storage, and disposal (TSD) unit regulations and corrective action provisions . More specifically, the Tri-Party Agreement does the following: 1) defines and ranks CERCLA and RCRA cleanup commitments; 2) establishes

Restoration projects for decontamination of facilities from chemical, biological and radiological contamination after terrorist actions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fingas, M.; Volchek, K.; Lumley, T.; Thouin, G.; Harrison, S.; Kuang, W. [Environment Canada, Ottawa, ON (Canada). Emergencies Science and Technology Division, Environmental Technology Centre, Science and Technology Branch; Payette, P.; Laframboise, D.; Best, M. [Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON (Canada); Krishnan, J.; Wagener, S.; Bernard, K.; Majcher, M. [Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB (Canada); Cousins, T.; Jones, T. [Defence Research and Development Canada, Ottawa, ON (Canada); Velicogna, D.; Hornof, M.; Punt, M. [SAIC Canada, Ottawa, ON (Canada)

2006-07-01

This paper reviewed studies that identified better decontamination methods for chemical, biological and radiological/nuclear (CBRN) attacks. In particular, it reviewed aspects of 3 projects in which procedures were tested and validated for site restoration. Cleanup targets or standards for decontaminating buildings and materials after a CBRN attack were also developed. The projects were based on physicochemical and toxicological knowledge of potential terrorist agents and selected surface matrices. The projects also involved modeling and assessing environmental and health risks. The first multi-agent project involved gathering information on known procedures for restoration of areas including interiors and exteriors of buildings, contents, parking lots, lawn, and vehicles. Air inside the building was included. The efficacy of some of the proposed concepts was tested. Results included the determination of appropriate surrogates for anthrax and tests of liquid and gaseous biocides on the surrogates. The development of new contamination procedures using peroxyacetic acid were also discussed. The second project involved decontamination tests on CBRN using specially-constructed buildings at the Counter-terrorism Technology Centre at Defence Research and Development Canada in Suffield. The buildings will be contaminated with chemical and biological agents and with short-lived radionuclides. They will be decontaminated using the best-performing technologies known. Information collected will include fate of the contaminant and decontamination products, effectiveness of the restoration methods, cost and duration of cleanup and logistical problems. The third project is aimed at developing cleanup standards for decontaminating buildings and construction materials after a chemical or biological attack. It will create as many as 12 algorithms for the development of 50 standards which will help cleanup personnel and first-responders to gauge whether proposed methods can achieve

A computer program for deriving soil cleanup criteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, C.

1990-01-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a new order, DOE Order 5400.5, for Radiation Protection of the Public and the Environment. In this order, the DOE sets forth radiological protection guidelines for the cleanup of residual radioactive materials. Radionuclide concentrations and radioactivity levels have been established that are acceptable if a site is to be used without radiological restrictions. The guidelines can be categorized as either generic (site independent), that is, taken from existing radiation protection standards, or site specific, that is, derived from the basic dose limit using site-specific data and models. The generic guidelines for soil concentrations of 226 Ra, 228 Ra, 230 Th, and 232 Th adopted in DOE Order 5400.5 are generally consistent with US Environmental Protection Agency standards in Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 192. Procedures and data for deriving site-specific guidelines for other radionuclides in soil have been coded in a microcomputer program called RESRAD. The RESRAD code has been used by the DOE and its contractors to calculate postremediation doses and cleanup guidelines. The RESRAD code is a useful, easy to run, and very user-friendly tool

Statistical aspects of the cleanup of Enewetak Atoll

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giacomini, J.J.; Miller, F.L. Jr.

1981-01-01

The Desert Research Institute participated in the Enewetak Atoll Radiological Cleanup by providing data-base management and statistical analysis support for the Department of Energy team. The data-base management responsibilities included both design and implementation of a system for recording (in machine-retrievable form) all radiological measurements made during the cleanup, excluding personnel dosimetry. Statistical analyses were performed throughout the cleanup and were used to guide excavation activities

Completion of the uranium mill tailings remedial project and cleanup of the former mill site at Grand Junction, Colorado

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rael, G.J.; Cox, S.W.; Artiglia, E.W.

2000-01-01

The United States Department of Energy's Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Surface Project has successfully completed the cleanup of 22 former uranium mill sites, more than 5400 vicinity properties, and has constructed 18 entombment cells. The Project has recently received the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission's approval and certification for the last two disposal sites, with these sites being placed under the general license for long term custodial care of residual radioactive material. The UMTRA site located at Grand Junction, Colorado is a good example of the technical, political, economic, and public relations challenges that were overcome in achieving success. The UMTRA Team discussed, negotiated, planned, and eventually acted on this uranium mill tailings problem and brought the project to a successful conclusion for the community. From the early 1940s through the 1970s, uranium ore was mined in significant quantities under United States federal contracts for the government's national defence programmes, i.e. the Manhattan Engineering District and Atomic Energy Commission programmes. The problem started as the need for uranium decreased in the late 1960s, resulting in mills shutting down, leaving behind large quantities of process waste tailings and contaminated mill buildings. The former Climax Uranium Company mill site in Grand Junction was one of the largest of these sites. (author)

Mechanism involved in trichloroethylene-induced liver cancer: Importance to environmental cleanup. 1998 annual progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bull, R.J.; Miller, J.H.; Sasser, L.B.; Schultz, I.R.; Thrall, B.D.

1998-01-01

'The objective of this project is to develop critical data for changing risk-based clean-up standards for trichloroethylene (TCE). The project is organized around two interrelated tasks: Task 1 addresses the tumorigenic and dosimetry issues for the metabolites of TCE that produce liver cancer in mice, dichloroacetate (DCA) and trichloroacetate (TCA). Early work had suggested that TCA was primarily responsible for TCE-induced liver tumors, but several, more mechanistic observations suggest that DCA may play a prominent role. This task is aimed at determining the basis for the selection hypothesis and seeks to prove that this mode of action is responsible for TCE-induced tumors. This project will supply the basic dose-response data from which low-dose extrapolations would be made. Task 2 seeks specific evidence that TCA and DCA are capable of promoting the growth of spontaneously initiated cells from mouse liver, in vitro. The data provide the clearest evidence that both metabolites act by a mechanism of selection rather than mutation. These data are necessary to select between a linear (i.e. no threshold) and non-linear low-dose extrapolation model. As of May of 1998, this research has identified two plausible modes of action by which TCE produces liver tumors in mice. These modes of action do not require the compounds to be mutagenic. The bulk of the experimental evidence suggests that neither TCE nor the two hepatocarcinogenic metabolites of TCE are mutagenic. The results from the colony formation assay clearly establish that both of these metabolites cause colony growth from initiated cells that occur spontaneously in the liver of B 6 C 3 F 1 mice, although the phenotypes of the colonies differ in the same manner as tumors differ, in vivo. In the case of DCA, a second mechanism may occur at a lower dose involving the release of insulin. This observation is timely as it was recently reported that occupational exposures to trichloroethylene results in 2 to 4-fold

NRC plan for cleanup operations at Three Mile Island Unit 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lo, R.; Snyder, B.

1982-02-01

This NRC Plan, which defines NRC's functional role in cleanup operations at Three Mile Island Unit 2 and outlines NRC's regulatory responsibilities in fulfilling this role, is the first revision to the initial plan issued in July 1980 (NUREG-0698). Since 1980, a number of policy developments have occurred which will have an impact on the course of cleanup operations. This revision reflects these developments in the area of NRC's review and approval process with regard to cleanup operations as well as NRC's interface with the Department of Energy's involvement in the cleanup and waste disposal. This revision is also intended to update the cleanup schedule by presenting the cleanup progress that has taken place and NRC's role in ongoing and future cleanup activities

Environmental cost of using poor decision metrics to prioritize environmental projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Pannell, David J; Gibson, Fiona L

2016-04-01

Conservation decision makers commonly use project-scoring metrics that are inconsistent with theory on optimal ranking of projects. As a result, there may often be a loss of environmental benefits. We estimated the magnitudes of these losses for various metrics that deviate from theory in ways that are common in practice. These metrics included cases where relevant variables were omitted from the benefits metric, project costs were omitted, and benefits were calculated using a faulty functional form. We estimated distributions of parameters from 129 environmental projects from Australia, New Zealand, and Italy for which detailed analyses had been completed previously. The cost of using poor prioritization metrics (in terms of lost environmental values) was often high--up to 80% in the scenarios we examined. The cost in percentage terms was greater when the budget was smaller. The most costly errors were omitting information about environmental values (up to 31% loss of environmental values), omitting project costs (up to 35% loss), omitting the effectiveness of management actions (up to 9% loss), and using a weighted-additive decision metric for variables that should be multiplied (up to 23% loss). The latter 3 are errors that occur commonly in real-world decision metrics, in combination often reducing potential benefits from conservation investments by 30-50%. Uncertainty about parameter values also reduced the benefits from investments in conservation projects but often not by as much as faulty prioritization metrics. © 2016 Society for Conservation Biology.

Management systems for environmental restoration projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harbert, R.R.

1990-01-01

This paper reports that the success fo large environmental restoration projects depends on sound management systems to guide the team of organizations and individuals responsible for the project. Public concern about and scrutiny of these environmental projects increase the stakes for those involved in the management of projects. The Department of Energy (DOE) Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) uses a system approach to performing and improving the work necessary to meet FUSRAP objectives. This approach to preforming and improving the work necessary to meet FUSRAP objectives. This approach is based upon management criteria embodied in DOE cost and schedule control system and the quality assurance requirements. The project team used complementary criteria to develop a system of related parts and processes working together to accomplish the goals of the project

Providing science-based solutions to environmental challenges

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2003-07-01

The various research efforts supported by the Environmental Research Advisory Council (ERAC) are briefly reviewed in this document. The studies were peer-reviewed, performed by scientists from academia, government and consultants. The list included in this document is comprised of ERAC projects currently being funded, as well as those that were completed in 2002. The projects were divided into three distinct categories: air, soil and groundwater, and ecological projects. Two projects came under the umbrella of air projects, namely flaring performance, and neuro behavioural effects of hydrogen sulphide on humans. In the soil and groundwater category, there were five projects: (1) environmentally-acceptable endpoints for residual petroleum hydrocarbons in soil, (2) framework foundation for tier 2 soil contact cleanup standards for petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC)-contaminated sites, (3) remediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated sites by monitored natural attenuation, (4) parkland natural region inventory and Geographical Information System (GIS) mapping, and (5) plant uptake of process chemicals and petroleum hydrocarbons. The ecological projects category discussed three projects: caribou range recovery project, ecology and management of crested wheat grass invasion in northern mixed prairie, and foothills model forest grizzly bear study.

Providing science-based solutions to environmental challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

The various research efforts supported by the Environmental Research Advisory Council (ERAC) are briefly reviewed in this document. The studies were peer-reviewed, performed by scientists from academia, government and consultants. The list included in this document is comprised of ERAC projects currently being funded, as well as those that were completed in 2002. The projects were divided into three distinct categories: air, soil and groundwater, and ecological projects. Two projects came under the umbrella of air projects, namely flaring performance, and neuro behavioural effects of hydrogen sulphide on humans. In the soil and groundwater category, there were five projects: (1) environmentally-acceptable endpoints for residual petroleum hydrocarbons in soil, (2) framework foundation for tier 2 soil contact cleanup standards for petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC)-contaminated sites, (3) remediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated sites by monitored natural attenuation, (4) parkland natural region inventory and Geographical Information System (GIS) mapping, and (5) plant uptake of process chemicals and petroleum hydrocarbons. The ecological projects category discussed three projects: caribou range recovery project, ecology and management of crested wheat grass invasion in northern mixed prairie, and foothills model forest grizzly bear study

Reliability of reactor plant water cleanup pumps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pearson, J.L.

1979-01-01

Carolina Power and Light Company's Brunswick 2 nuclear plant experienced a high reactor water cleanup pump-failure rate until inlet temperature and flow were reduced and mechanical modifications were implemented. Failures have been zero for about one year, and water cleanup efficiency has increased

A life-cycle model approach to multimedia waste reduction measuring performance for environmental cleanup projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phifer, B.E. Jr.; George, S.M.

1993-01-01

The Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. (Energy Systems), Environmental Restoration (ER) Program adopted a Pollution Prevention Program in March 1991. The program's mission is to minimize waste and prevent pollution in remedial investigations (RIs), feasibility studies, decontamination and decommissioning, and surveillance and maintenance site program activities. Mission success will result in volume and/or toxicity reduction of generated waste. The ER Program waste generation rates are projected to steadily increase through the year 2005 for all waste categories. Standard production units utilized to measure waste minimization apply to production/manufacturing facilities. Since ER inherited contaminated waste from previous production processes, no historical production data can be applied. Therefore, a more accurate measure for pollution prevention was identified as a need for the ER Program. The Energy Systems ER Program adopted a life-cycle model approach and implemented the concept of numerically scoring their waste generators to measure the effectiveness of pollution prevention/waste minimization programs and elected to develop a numerical scoring system (NSS) to accomplish these measurements. The prototype NSS, a computerized, user-friendly information management database system, was designed to be utilized in each phase of the ER Program. The NSS was designed to measure a generator's success in incorporating pollution prevention in their work plans and reducing investigation-derived waste (IDW) during RIs. Energy Systems is producing a fully developed NSS and actually scoring the generators of IDW at six ER Program sites. Once RI waste generators are scored utilizing the NSS, the numerical scores are distributed into six performance categories: training, self-assessment, field implementation, documentation, technology transfer, and planning

Fernald incident underscores DOE cleanup woes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lobsenz, G.

1994-01-01

Miscalculations and poor safety planning led to a large release of deadly gas during an error-plagued effort to plug a leaking uranium hexafluoride canister discovered lying in a scrap heap at the Energy Department's Fernald plant last year, according to a DOE investigative report. Investigators with DOE's Office of Environment, Safety and Health said serious injury was avoided only because the wind happened to blow the toxic cloud of hydrogen fluoride gas away from inadequately protected Fernald workers watching the July 1993 canister-plugging operation at the Ohio plant. The investigators said the 25-minute canister repair effort - captured on videotape - was marked by poor planning by the Fernald Environmental Restoration Management Corp. (FERMCO), a Fluor Daniel subsidiary hired by DOE for its cleanup expertise

Bioavailability: implications for science/cleanup policy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Denit, Jeffery; Planicka, J. Gregory

1998-12-01

This paper examines the role of bioavailability in risk assessment and cleanup decisions. Bioavailability refers to how chemicals ''behave'' and their ''availability'' to interact with living organisms. Bioavailability has significant implications for exposure risks, cleanup goals, and site costs. Risk to human health and the environment is directly tied to the bioavailability of the chemicals of concern.

Superfund at work: Hazardous waste cleanup efforts nationwide, fall 1992. (CIBA-GEIGY Corporation, McIntosh, Alabama)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

On March 31, 1992, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reached an agreement with Ciba-Geigy Corporation in McIntosh, Alabama to clean up soil and ground water contaminated by DDT, herbicides, and chemicals. The agreement is one of the largest private party settlements in Superfund history, valued at approximately $120 million. EPA activities at the site included: conducting preliminary contamination investigations jointly with the Alabama Environmental Health Administration, beginning in 1979; designing a multi-phased cleanup that is responsive to the complex nature of the contamination and reduces potential risk to the local population and environment; and awarding a grant to a community group to help them participate in cleanup decisions. Ciba-Geigy, like EPA, has made consistent efforts to build and maintain good relations with the community. These efforts demonstrate the increasing trend toward cooperation between industries, local communities, and EPA at Superfund sites

Methodology and data used for estimating the complex-wide impacts of alternative environmental restoration clean-up goals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shay, M.R.; Short, S.M.; Stiles, D.L.

1994-03-01

This paper describes the methodologies and data used for estimating the complex-wide impacts of alternative strategies for conducting remediation of all DOE sites and facilities, but does not address issues relating to Waste Management capabilities. Clean-up strategies and their corresponding goals for contaminated media may be driven by concentration-based regulatory standards, land-use standards (e.g., residential, industrial, wild life reserve, or totally restricted), risk-based standards, or other standards determined through stakeholder input. Strategies implemented to achieve these goals usually require the deployment of (a) clean-up technologies to destroy, remove, or contain the contaminants of concern; (b) institutional controls to prevent potential receptors from coming into contact with the contaminants; or (c) a combination of the above

The Estonian study of Chernobyl cleanup workers. I. Introduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahu, Mati

1999-01-01

The most comprehensive epidemiological project ever performed in Estonia - The Estonian Study of Chernobyl Cleanup Workers - was the joint effort of researchers from Estonia, Finland and USA. Until September 1999, the results of this study were published in English only. To familiarize the readership of 'Eesti Arst' with the major study findings, the abridged versions of four original papers from 'Radiation Research' are presented in the current issue of the journal. For the Estonian epidemiologists, the work under this project that consists of eight sub projects was a real challenge. In the course of the study, skills were developed in writing a study protocol, preparing a questionnaire, progress reporting, documenting the structure of databases, record linkage, and problem solving. It was an exciting experience to work with top scientists like William Bigbee, John Boice, Timo Hakulinen, Ronald Jensen and Gayle Littlefield. (author)

Packaging development needs to support environmental restoration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hummer, J.H.; Kuklinski, J.L.

1993-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy is bringing its facilities into compliance with present environmental protection regulations. At the Hanford Site, this includes cleanup of its vast nuclear and chemical wastes. Cleanup will involve extensive collecting, consolidating, and processing of radioactive and other hazardous wastes. The Hanford Site was established by the Federal government in 1943 to produce plutonium. Natural uranium was fabricated into fuel slugs, inserted into nuclear reactors, and converted into plutonium. The irradiated slugs were then sent through plutonium extraction facilities. Process waste was discharged to the ground, stored on-site, or shipped off-site for disposal. Activities grew to include nine production reactors, five coal-fired power plants, nuclear fuel fabrication, other support facilities including underground waste storage tanks, and numerous chemical and waste processing plants. Cleanup activities will require extensive transport of radioactive and other hazardous materials. Packaging developments and research are required in the following areas to enhance environmental cleanup; (1) Packaging for Large Contaminated and Activated Components. (2) Bulk Packaging for Contaminated Solids. (3) Bulk Packaging for Contaminated Liquids. (4) Environmental Samples. (J.P.N.)

Identifying environmental safety and health requirements for the Fernald Environmental Restoration Management Corporation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beckman, W.H.; Cossel, S.C.; Alhadeff, N.; Lindamood, S.B.; Beers, J.A.

1994-01-01

This presentation will describe the Fernald Environmental Restoration Management Corporation's (FERMCO) Standards/Requirements Identification Documents (S/RlDs) Program, the unique process used to implement it, and the status of the program. We will also discuss the lessons learned as the program was implemented. The Department of Energy (DOE) established the Fernald site to produce uranium metals for the nation's defense programs in 1953. In 1989, DOE suspended production and, in 1991, the mission of the site was formally changed to one of environmental cleanup and restoration. The site was renamed the Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP). FERMCO's mission is to provide safe, early, and least-cost final clean-up of the site in compliance with all regulations and commitments. DOE has managed nuclear facilities primarily through its oversight of Management and Operating contractors. Comprehensive nuclear industry standards were absent when most DOE sites were first established, Management and Operating contractors had to apply existing non-nuclear industry standards and, in many cases, formulate new technical standards. Because it was satisfied with the operation of its facilities, DOE did not incorporate modern practices and standards as they became available. In March 1990, the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board issued Recommendation 90-2, which called for DOE to identify relevant standards and requirements, conduct adequacy assessments of requirements in protecting environmental, public, and worker health and safety, and determine the extent to which the requirements are being implemented. The Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Office of DOE embraced the recommendation for facilities under its control. Strict accountability requirements made it essential that FERMCO and DOE clearly identify applicable requirements necessary, determine the requirements' adequacy, and assess FERMCO's level of compliance

Environmental Assessment of Ground Water Compliance at the Naturita, Colorado, UMTRA Project Site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2003-04-23

This Environmental Assessment addresses the environmental effects of a proposed action and the no action alternative to comply with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ground water standards at the Naturita, Colorado, Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project site. In 1998, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) completed surface cleanup at the site and encapsulated the tailings in a disposal cell 15 miles northwest near the former town of Uravan, Colorado. Ground water contaminants of potential concern at the Naturita site are uranium and vanadium. Uranium concentrations exceed the maximum concentration limit (MCL) of 0.044 milligram per liter (mg/L). Vanadium has no MCL; however, vanadium concentrations exceed the EPA Region III residential risk-based concentration of 0.33 mg/L (EPA 2002). The proposed compliance strategy for uranium and vanadium at the Naturita site is no further remediation in conjunction with the application of alternate concentration limits. Institutional controls with ground water and surface water monitoring will be implemented for these constituents as part of the compliance strategy. This compliance strategy will be protective of human health and the environment. The proposed monitoring program will begin upon regulatory concurrence with the Ground Water Compliance Action Plan (DOE 2002a). Monitoring will consist of verifying that institutional controls remain in place, collecting ground water samples to verify that concentrations of uranium and vanadium are decreasing, and collecting surface water samples to verify that contaminant concentrations do not exceed a regulatory limit or risk-based concentration. If these criteria are not met, DOE would reevaluate the proposed action and determine the need for further National Environmental Policy Act documentation. No comments were received from the public during the public comment period. Two public meetings were held during this period. Minutes of these meetings are included as

Environmental Assessment of Ground Water Compliance at the Naturita, Colorado, UMTRA Project Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

This Environmental Assessment addresses the environmental effects of a proposed action and the no action alternative to comply with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ground water standards at the Naturita, Colorado, Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project site. In 1998, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) completed surface cleanup at the site and encapsulated the tailings in a disposal cell 15 miles northwest near the former town of Uravan, Colorado. Ground water contaminants of potential concern at the Naturita site are uranium and vanadium. Uranium concentrations exceed the maximum concentration limit (MCL) of 0.044 milligram per liter (mg/L). Vanadium has no MCL; however, vanadium concentrations exceed the EPA Region III residential risk-based concentration of 0.33 mg/L (EPA 2002). The proposed compliance strategy for uranium and vanadium at the Naturita site is no further remediation in conjunction with the application of alternate concentration limits. Institutional controls with ground water and surface water monitoring will be implemented for these constituents as part of the compliance strategy. This compliance strategy will be protective of human health and the environment. The proposed monitoring program will begin upon regulatory concurrence with the Ground Water Compliance Action Plan (DOE 2002a). Monitoring will consist of verifying that institutional controls remain in place, collecting ground water samples to verify that concentrations of uranium and vanadium are decreasing, and collecting surface water samples to verify that contaminant concentrations do not exceed a regulatory limit or risk-based concentration. If these criteria are not met, DOE would reevaluate the proposed action and determine the need for further National Environmental Policy Act documentation. No comments were received from the public during the public comment period. Two public meetings were held during this period. Minutes of these meetings are included as

Integrating information for better environmental decisions.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

MacDonell, M.; Morgan, K.; Newland, L.; Environmental Assessment; Texas Christian Univ.

2002-01-01

As more is learned about the complex nature and extent of environmental impacts from progressive human disturbance, scientists, policy analysts, decision makers, educators, and communicators are increasingly joining forces to develop strategies for preserving and protecting the environment. The Eco-Informa Foundation is an educational scientific organization dedicated to promoting the collaborative development and sharing of scientific information. The Foundation participated in a recent international conference on environmental informatics through a special symposium on integrating information for better environmental decisions. Presentations focused on four general themes: (1) remote sensing and data interpretation, including through new knowledge management tools; (2) risk assessment and communication, including for radioactively contaminated facilities, introduced biological hazards, and food safety; (3) community involvement in cleanup projects; and (4) environmental education. The general context for related issues, methods and applications, and results and recommendations from those discussions are highlighted here.

Final report: survey and removal of radioactive surface contamination at environmental restoration sites, Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico. Volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lambert, K.A.; Mitchell, M.M.; Jean, D.; Brown, C.; Byrd, C.S.

1997-09-01

This report describes the survey and removal of radioactive surface contamination at Sandia's Environmental Restoration (ER) sites. Radiological characterization was performed as a prerequisite to beginning the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective action process. The removal of radioactive surface contamination was performed in order to reduce potential impacts to human health and the environment. The predominant radiological contaminant of concern was depleted uranium (DU). Between October 1993 and November 1996 scanning surface radiation surveys, using gamma scintillometers, were conducted at 65 sites covering approximately 908 acres. A total of 9,518 radiation anomalies were detected at 38 sites. Cleanup activities were conducted between October 1994 and November 1996. A total of 9,122 anomalies were removed and 2,072 waste drums were generated. The majority of anomalies not removed were associated with a site that has subsurface contamination beyond the scope of this project. Verification soil samples (1,008 total samples) were collected from anomalies during cleanup activities and confirm that the soil concentration achieved in the field were far below the target cleanup level of 230 pCi/g of U-238 (the primary constituent of DU) in the soil. Cleanup was completed at 21 sites and no further radiological action is required. Seventeen sites were not completed since cleanup activities wee precluded by ongoing site activity or were beyond the original project scope

Final report: survey and removal of radioactive surface contamination at environmental restoration sites, Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico. Volume 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lambert, K.A.; Mitchell, M.M. [Brown and Root Environmental, Albuquerque, NM (United States); Jean, D. [MDM/Lamb, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (United States); Brown, C. [Environmental Dimensions, Inc., Albuquerque, NM 87109 (United States); Byrd, C.S. [Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)

1997-09-01

This report describes the survey and removal of radioactive surface contamination at Sandia`s Environmental Restoration (ER) sites. Radiological characterization was performed as a prerequisite to beginning the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective action process. The removal of radioactive surface contamination was performed in order to reduce potential impacts to human health and the environment. The predominant radiological contaminant of concern was depleted uranium (DU). Between October 1993 and November 1996 scanning surface radiation surveys, using gamma scintillometers, were conducted at 65 sites covering approximately 908 acres. A total of 9,518 radiation anomalies were detected at 38 sites. Cleanup activities were conducted between October 1994 and November 1996. A total of 9,122 anomalies were removed and 2,072 waste drums were generated. The majority of anomalies not removed were associated with a site that has subsurface contamination beyond the scope of this project. Verification soil samples (1,008 total samples) were collected from anomalies during cleanup activities and confirm that the soil concentration achieved in the field were far below the target cleanup level of 230 pCi/g of U-238 (the primary constituent of DU) in the soil. Cleanup was completed at 21 sites and no further radiological action is required. Seventeen sites were not completed since cleanup activities wee precluded by ongoing site activity or were beyond the original project scope.

Summary of proposed approach for deriving cleanup guidelines for radionuclides in soil at Brookhaven National Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meinhold, A.F.; Morris, S.C.; Dionne, B.; Moskowitz, P.D.

1996-11-01

Past activities at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) resulted in soil and groundwater contamination. As a result, BNL was designated a Superfund site under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). BNL`s Office of Environmental Restoration (OER) is overseeing environmental restoration activities at the Laboratory, carried out under an Interagency Agreement (IAG) with the United States Department of Energy (DOE), the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). The objective of this paper is to propose a standard approach to deriving risk-based cleanup guidelines for radionuclides in soil at BNL.

Summary of proposed approach for deriving cleanup guidelines for radionuclides in soil at Brookhaven National Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meinhold, A.F.; Morris, S.C.; Dionne, B.; Moskowitz, P.D.

1996-11-01

Past activities at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) resulted in soil and groundwater contamination. As a result, BNL was designated a Superfund site under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). BNL's Office of Environmental Restoration (OER) is overseeing environmental restoration activities at the Laboratory, carried out under an Interagency Agreement (IAG) with the United States Department of Energy (DOE), the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). The objective of this paper is to propose a standard approach to deriving risk-based cleanup guidelines for radionuclides in soil at BNL

Landlord project multi-year program plan, fiscal year 1999, WBS 1.5

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dallas, M.D.

1998-09-22

The MYWP technical baseline describes the work to be accomplished by the Project and the technical standards which govern that work. The mission of Landlord Project is to provide more maintenance replacement of general infrastructure facilities and systems to facilitate the Hanford Site cleanup mission. Also, once an infrastructure facility or system is no longer needed the Landlord Project transitions the facility to final closure/removal through excess, salvage or demolition. Landlord Project activities will be performed in an environmentally sound, safe, economical, prudent, and reliable manner. The Landlord Project consists of the following facilities systems: steam, water, liquid sanitary waste, electrical distribution, telecommunication, sanitary landfill, emergency services, general purpose offices, general purpose shops, general purpose warehouses, environmental supports facilities, roads, railroad, and the site land. The objectives for general infrastructure support are reflected in two specific areas, (1) Core Infrastructure Maintenance, and (2) Infrastructure Risk Mitigation.

Environmental Restoration Project - Systems Engineering Management Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, T.D.

1998-06-01

This Environmental Restoration (ER) Project Systems Engineering Management Plan (SEMP) describes relevant Environmental Restoration Contractor (ERC) management processes and shows how they implement systems engineering. The objective of this SEMP is to explain and demonstrate how systems engineering is being approached and implemented in the ER Project. The application of systems engineering appropriate to the general nature and scope of the project is summarized in Section 2.0. The basic ER Project management approach is described in Section 3.0. The interrelation and integration of project practices and systems engineering are outlined in Section 4.0. Integration with sitewide systems engineering under the Project Hanford Management Contract is described in Section 5.0

Design and operational experience with a portable tritium cleanup system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maienschein, J.L.; Wilson, S.W.; Garcia, F.

1991-06-01

We built a portable tritium cleanup system to scavenge tritium from contaminated gases in any tritium-containing system in the LLNL Tritium Facility. The cleanup system uses standard catalytic oxidation of tritium to water followed by water removal with a molecular sieve dryer. The cleanup unit, complete with instrumentation, is contained in a portable cart that is rolled into place and connected to the apparatus to be cleaned. The cleanup systems is effective, low-tech, simple, and reliable. The nominal flow rate of the system is 30 liters/minute, and the decontamination factor is > 1000. In this paper we will show design information on our portable cleanup system, and will discuss our operational experience with it over the past several years

Louisiana's statewide beach cleanup

Science.gov (United States)

Lindstedt, Dianne M.; Holmes, Joseph C.

1989-01-01

Litter along Lousiana's beaches has become a well-recognized problem. In September 1987, Louisiana's first statewide beach cleanup attracted about 3300 volunteers who filled 16,000 bags with trash collected along 15 beaches. An estimated 800,173 items were gathered. Forty percent of the items were made of plastic and 11% were of polystyrene. Of all the litter collected, 37% was beverage-related. Litter from the oil and gas, commercial fishing, and maritime shipping industries was found, as well as that left by recreational users. Although beach cleanups temporarily rid Louisiana beaches of litter, the real value of the effort is in public participation and education. Civic groups, school children, and individuals have benefited by increasing their awareness of the problems of trash disposal.

Health complaints among subjects involved in oil cleanup operations during oil spillage from a Greek tanker "Tasman Spirit".

Science.gov (United States)

Meo, Sultan Ayoub; Al-Drees, Abdul Majeed; Rasheed, Shahzad; Meo, Imran Mu; Al-Saadi, Muslim M; Ghani, Hamza A; Alkandari, Jasem Ramadan

2009-01-01

Oil spillage in the sea water is a disaster for marine life and humans in the vicinity. The study aimed at investigating health complaints among subjects involved in oil cleanup operations during a spillage from a Greek oil tanker "Tasman Spirit". The project was conducted under the supervision of the Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study concerned the respiratory and general health complaints in 50 apparently healthy, non-smoking male workers exposed to crude oil during oil cleanup operations. The exposed group was matched with a similar number of male, non-smoking controls. The health complaints were evaluated based on a comprehensive interview. The subjects involved in oil cleanup operations had significantly higher rates of health complaints including cough (38%), runny nose (36%), eye irritation/redness (32%), sore throat (28%), headache (28%), nausea (24%) and general illness (18%), compared to their matched controls. Air pollution due to crude oil spillage into sea water may cause respiratory and general health complaints in workers involved in oil cleanup operations.

Technology development and transfer in environmental management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katz, J.; Karnovitz, A.; Yarbrough, M.

1994-01-01

Federal efforts to develop and employ the innovative technologies needed to clean up contaminated facilities would greatly benefit from a greater degree of interaction and integration with the energies and resources of the private sector. Yet there are numerous institutional, economic, and regulatory obstacles to the transfer and commercialization of environmental restoration and waste management technologies. These obstacles discourage private sector involvement and investment in Federal efforts to develop and use innovative technologies. A further effect is to impede market development even where private sector interest is high. Lowering these market barriers will facilitate the commercialization of innovative environmental cleanup technologies and expedite the cleanup of contaminated Federal and private facilities. This paper identifies the major barriers to transfer and commercialization of innovative technologies and suggests possible strategies to overcome them. Emphasis is placed on issues particularly relevant to the Department of Energy's Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM) program, but which are applicable to other Federal agencies confronting complex environmental cleanup problems

Diabetes mellitus morbidity in Chernobyl clean-up workers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tolstaya, E.V.; Ermakova, D.P.; Glinskaya, T.N.

2016-01-01

Acute and total diabetes mellitus morbidity in Chernobyl clean-up workers was examined during 1995-2014 period. During all the period of investigations levels of acute and total morbidity were higher in clean-up workers, than in total Belarusian population. (authors)

Strategic planning model for achieving stakeholder involvement in environmental at DOE weapons complex sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weber, G.

1994-01-01

Within today's reality a public manager often needs to develop cooperative relationships among a number of individual, program, and organizational stakeholders to accomplish particular projects, programs, or policies. A DOE site manager charged with accomplishing environmental restoration and conversion at former weapons production sites is no exception. Important reasons for this include the technical and political complexity of the clean-up problem; limits on the funding, authority, and other resources available to DOE; authority, responsibilities, and interests of other stakeholders; and the ever present potential for conflict among stakeholders, and power of any one to hinder, if not halt, the clean-up process if conflicts aren't managed and cooperative relationships established and maintained

Risky business: Assessing cleanup plans for waste sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blaylock, B.

1995-01-01

ORNL was chosen to perform human health and ecological risk assessments for DOE because of its risk assessment expertise. The U.S. Department of Energy's many production and research sites contain radioactive and hazardous wastes. These waste sites pose potential risks to the health and safety of remediation and waste management workers and the public. The risks, however, vary from site to site. Some sites undoubtedly present larger risks than others and should be cleaned up first. However, before the cleanup begins, DOE is required by law to prepare an environmental impact statement on any actions that may significantly affect the environment-even actions that would clean it up

Cleanup procedures at the Nevada Test Site and at other radioactively contaminated sites including representative costs of cleanup and treatment of contaminated areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Talmage, S.S.; Chilton, B.D.

1987-09-01

This review summarizes available information on cleanup procedures at the Nevada Test Site and at other radioactively contaminated sites. Radionuclide distribution and inventory, size of the contaminated areas, equipment, and cleanup procedures and results are included. Information about the cost of cleanup and treatment for contaminated land is presented. Selected measures that could be useful in estimating the costs of cleaning up radioactively contaminated areas are described. 76 refs., 16 tabs

Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project 1993 Environmental Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-10-01

This annual report documents the Uranium Mill Tailing Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project environmental monitoring and protection program. The UMTRA Project routinely monitors radiation, radioactive residual materials, and hazardous constituents at associated former uranium tailings processing sites and disposal sites. At the end of 1993, surface remedial action was complete at 10 of the 24 designated UMTRA Project processing sites. In 1993 the UMTRA Project office revised the UMTRA Project Environmental Protection Implementation Plan, as required by the US DOE. Because the UMTRA Project sites are in different stages of remedial action, the breadth of the UMTRA environmental protection program differs from site to site. In general, sites actively undergoing surface remedial action have the most comprehensive environmental programs for sampling media. At sites where surface remedial action is complete and at sites where remedial action has not yet begun, the environmental program consists primarily of surface water and ground water monitoring to support site characterization, baseline risk assessments, or disposal site performance assessments.

Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project 1993 Environmental Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-10-01

This annual report documents the Uranium Mill Tailing Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project environmental monitoring and protection program. The UMTRA Project routinely monitors radiation, radioactive residual materials, and hazardous constituents at associated former uranium tailings processing sites and disposal sites. At the end of 1993, surface remedial action was complete at 10 of the 24 designated UMTRA Project processing sites. In 1993 the UMTRA Project office revised the UMTRA Project Environmental Protection Implementation Plan, as required by the US DOE. Because the UMTRA Project sites are in different stages of remedial action, the breadth of the UMTRA environmental protection program differs from site to site. In general, sites actively undergoing surface remedial action have the most comprehensive environmental programs for sampling media. At sites where surface remedial action is complete and at sites where remedial action has not yet begun, the environmental program consists primarily of surface water and ground water monitoring to support site characterization, baseline risk assessments, or disposal site performance assessments

Development of international criteria for the cleanup of contaminated areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hedemann-Jensen, P.; Barraclough, I.; Meck, R.; Gnugnoli, G.; Stegnar, P.

1999-01-01

IAEA TECDOC-987, Application of radiation protection principles to the cleanup of contaminated areas, provides a coherent framework and consistent guidance needed for approaches to cleanup that encompass the entire range of contamination situations. A major goal of cleanup is usually to re-establish that the environment can acceptably support habitation and use. Difficult situations include chronic exposures due to radioactivity associated with the discovery of contamination from a previously discontinued practice and post-accident situations. and post-accident situations. The concepts of justification, optimization, and limitation can be applied to cleanup from 'trivial' to 'intolerable' situations by taking into account not only radiological risk, but the entire range of social values including the ability of the society to feed and shelter itself and to sustain a productive economy. TECDOC-987 proposes six ranges, or bands, of doses that correspond to trivial, acceptable, tolerable - clean-up unlikely (unless constrained), tolerable - clean-up likely, unacceptable, and intolerable risks. Remedial actions may vary from 'none' to elaborate decontamination or restricted or prohibited use. (author)

Environmental cleanup privatization, products and services directory, January 1997. Second edition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

The US Department of Energy has undertaken an ambitious ''Ten Year Plan'' for the Weapons Complex, an initiative to complete cleanup at most nuclear sites within a decade. This Second Edition of the Directory is designed to facilitate privatization which is key to the success of the Plan. The Directory is patterned after the telephone Yellow Pages. Like the Yellow Pages, it provides the user with points of contact for inquiring further into the capabilities of the listed companies. This edition retains the original format of three major sections under the broad headings: Treatment, Characterization, and Extraction/Deliver/Materials Handling. Within each section, companies are listed alphabetically. Also, ''company name'' and ''process type'' indices are provided at the beginning of each section to allow the user quick access to listings of particular interest

Environmental cleanup privatization, products and services directory, January 1997. Second edition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-01-01

The US Department of Energy has undertaken an ambitious ``Ten Year Plan`` for the Weapons Complex, an initiative to complete cleanup at most nuclear sites within a decade. This Second Edition of the Directory is designed to facilitate privatization which is key to the success of the Plan. The Directory is patterned after the telephone Yellow Pages. Like the Yellow Pages, it provides the user with points of contact for inquiring further into the capabilities of the listed companies. This edition retains the original format of three major sections under the broad headings: Treatment, Characterization, and Extraction/Deliver/Materials Handling. Within each section, companies are listed alphabetically. Also, ``company name`` and ``process type`` indices are provided at the beginning of each section to allow the user quick access to listings of particular interest.

Do environmental projects promote gender equity?

Science.gov (United States)

Joekes, S

1995-02-01

In the 1980s, governments and development agencies began to recognize the need to consider gender issues in their environmental and natural resource management programs. First came the understanding that women play a vital role in the management of natural resources and often have a strong traditional and contemporary knowledge of their environment. To exclude them would damage the efficacy of any project. Next, donor agencies came to view women, in their roles as environmental managers, as vulnerable victims of and contributors to environmental degradation. When awareness grew of examples of women successfully fighting to conserve local resources, women were considered important local assets to be used in efforts toward better environmental management. New environmental projects began by asking whether the protected resource was used by men or women in order to target the crucial people. For example, when planning to preserve forests, it is useful to recognize that men typically use wood for construction and fencing, while women use it for cooking fires. It has become increasingly common for women to participate in water and sanitation committees. But good intentions have often been subverted. Community level management of environmental projects does not guarantee female participation. Sometimes involving women means that women do all the physical labor without receiving their fair share of the benefits. In areas where women's property rights are restricted, women will have little authority in resource management. Legal reforms are needed, but they must be complemented at the local level by collective action.

A decision-making process on cleanup of contaminated surface soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yasuda, Hiroshi

1996-01-01

This study presents principles for determining derived intervention levels (DILs) for surface soil cleanup. The people concerned were divided into major three groups: residents, responsible parties, and cleanup workers; it was considered that each group has different interests. The DILs for soil cleanup were determined from the viewpoints of these three groups: safety of residence, advantages of the countermeasures, and safety of cleanup activities, respectively. An example process for determination of the DILs in accordance with the principles was also presented for a site contaminated by 137 Cs. This decision-making frame is expected to be applicable to other contaminants. (author)

JPRS Report. Environmental Issues

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

1991-01-01

... Spieces, Forest COnservation, Toxic Waste, Wildlife, Chernobyl Trial, Industrial, International Environmental,Hydroelectric plants, Fire Extinguished, Cleanup, Chemical Pollution, Ecological Disaster...

Environmental Cleanup Best Management Practices: Effective Use of the Project Life Cycle Conceptual Site Model

Science.gov (United States)

This fact sheet is the first in a series of documents that address conceptual site models (CSMs). This fact sheet summarizes how environmental practitioners can use CSMs to achieve, communicate, and maintain stakeholder consensus.

Application of EnviroTRADE information system for the cleanup of the former Soviet Union (FSU) site at Komarom Base, Hungary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matalucci, R.V.; Harrington, M.W.; Harlan, C.P.; Kuperberg, J.M.; Biczo, I.L.

1994-01-01

During a NATO Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) held in Visegrad, Hungary, June 21-23, 1994, portions of contamination data from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) site at Komarom, Hungary were used to demonstrate the international EnviroTRADE Information System as a tool to assist with the identification of alternative cleanup measures for contaminated sites. The NATO ARW was organized and conducted by the joint Florida State University and the Technical University of Budapest, Center for Hungarian-American Environmental Research, Studies, and Exchanges (CHAERSE). The purpose of the workshop was to develop a strategy for the identification and selection of appropriate low-cost and innovative site remediation technologies and approaches for a typical abandoned FSU site. The EnviroTRADE information system is a graphical, photographical, and textual environmental management tool under development by the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) as a part of the cleanup program of the nuclear weapons complex. EnviroTRADE provides a single, powerful, multi-purpose, multi-user, multi-media, and interactive computer information system for worldwide environmental restoration and waste management (ER/WM). Graphical, photographic, and textual data from the Komarom FSU site were entered into EnviroTRADE. These data were used to make comparative evaluations of site characterization and remediation technologies that might be used to clean up primarily hydrocarbon contamination in the groundwater and soil. Available Hydrogeological and geological features, contaminated soil profiles, and topographical maps were included in the information profiles. Although EnviroTRADE is currently only partially populated (approximately 350 technologies for cleanup are included in the database), the utility of the information system to evaluate possible options for cleanup of the Komarom site has been demonstrated

Sitewide risk perspectives for the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olinger, S.J.

1998-05-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has recently finalized a closure plan (originally called the Ten Year Plan) for closure and environmental cleanup of previous nuclear weapons facilities. The DOE Rocky Flats Field Office has established priorities for risk reduction work to Support closure activities, as well as addressing those hazards associated with storage and management of radioactive materials and hazardous chemicals. To provide information for future National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) or other regulatory assessments of specific risk reduction projects identified in the Closure Plan, a risk assessment of normal operations and potential accidents was recently prepared to provide an updated baseline of the cumulative impacts to the worker, public and environment due to the Site's operations, activities, and environmental conditions in light of the Site's change in mission, and of future closure projects. This paper summarizes the risk assessment approach, results, and conclusions

Cost Estimating Handbook for Environmental Restoration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

Environmental restoration (ER) projects have presented the DOE and cost estimators with a number of properties that are not comparable to the normal estimating climate within DOE. These properties include: An entirely new set of specialized expressions and terminology. A higher than normal exposure to cost and schedule risk, as compared to most other DOE projects, due to changing regulations, public involvement, resource shortages, and scope of work. A higher than normal percentage of indirect costs to the total estimated cost due primarily to record keeping, special training, liability, and indemnification. More than one estimate for a project, particularly in the assessment phase, in order to provide input into the evaluation of alternatives for the cleanup action. While some aspects of existing guidance for cost estimators will be applicable to environmental restoration projects, some components of the present guidelines will have to be modified to reflect the unique elements of these projects. The purpose of this Handbook is to assist cost estimators in the preparation of environmental restoration estimates for Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (EM) projects undertaken by DOE. The DOE has, in recent years, seen a significant increase in the number, size, and frequency of environmental restoration projects that must be costed by the various DOE offices. The coming years will show the EM program to be the largest non-weapons program undertaken by DOE. These projects create new and unique estimating requirements since historical cost and estimating precedents are meager at best. It is anticipated that this Handbook will enhance the quality of cost data within DOE in several ways by providing: The basis for accurate, consistent, and traceable baselines. Sound methodologies, guidelines, and estimating formats. Sources of cost data/databases and estimating tools and techniques available at DOE cost professionals

Negotiating NORM cleanup and land use limits: Practical use of dose assessment and cost benefit analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanchard, A.D.H.

1997-01-01

Oil companies are presently faced with complex and costly environmental decisions, especially concerning NORM cleanup and disposal. Strict cleanup limits and disposal restrictions are established, in theory, to protect public health and environment. While public health is directly measured in terms of dose (mrem/yr), most NORM regulations adopt soil concentration limits to ensure future public health is maintained. These derived soil limits create the potential for unnecessary burden to operators without additional health benefit to society. Operators may use a dose assessment to show direct compliance with dose limits, negotiating less restrictive cleanup levels and land use limits. This paper discusses why a dose assessment is useful to Oilfield operators, NORM exposure scenarios and pathways, assessment advantages, variables and recommendations and one recent dose assessment application. Finally, a cost benefit analysis tool for regulatory negotiations will be presented allowing comparison of Oilfield NORM health benefit costs to that of other industries. One use for this tool--resulting in the savings of approximately $100,000--will be discussed

Impact of occupational issues on DOE's environmental restoration program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siegel, M.R.; Lesperance, A.M.; Smith, D.

1992-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is in the midst of a 30-yr, multi-billion-dollar environmental restoration program for most of the facilities included in its nuclear weapons complex. Long-term planning efforts are under way to identify strategies and approaches for carrying out this extraordinarily complicated task. The DOE has already entered into interagency agreements with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and states for many of its environmental restoration sites. These agreements set legally enforceable deadlines for cleanup activities at these sites. In addition, DOE has made other commitments to Congress and the public regarding its environmental restoration schedule. Thousands of workers will be directly involved in environmental restoration activities at DOE sites. Cleanup activity will be carried out in environments involving potential exposure to highly toxic chemical substances and radionuclides. It is inevitable that occupational safety and health (OSH) issues will become both critical and highly visible to DOE. The OSH issues associated with cleanup activities will likely attract the attention of workers, unions, the media, regulators, and the public. This paper reviews three case studies describing OSH activities in DOE's environmental restoration program. These case studies will help alert DOE officials to ways that various OSH issues should be considered when planning environmental restoration activities. This activity is being coordinated with other DOE work to identify occupational requirements that are applicable to DOE cleanup work

NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) Environmental Products

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, K. D.; Smith, D. C.

2011-12-01

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are jointly acquiring the next-generation civilian weather and environmental satellite system: the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). The Joint Polar Satellite System will contribute the afternoon orbit component and ground processing system of the restructured National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). As such, the Joint Polar Satellite System replaces the current Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) managed by NOAA and the ground processing component of both POES and the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) replacement, known as the Defense Weather Satellite System (DWSS), managed by the Department of Defense (DoD). The Joint Polar Satellite System satellite will carry a suite of sensors designed to collect meteorological, oceanographic, climatological, and solar-geophysical observations of the earth, atmosphere, and space. The ground processing system for the Joint Polar Satellite System is known as the Common Ground System (JPSS CGS), and consists of a Command, Control, and Communications Segment (C3S) and the Interface Data Processing Segment (IDPS). Both are developed by Raytheon Intelligence and Information Systems (IIS). The Interface Data Processing Segment will process Joint Polar Satellite System and Defense Weather Satellite System satellite data to provide environmental data products (aka, Environmental Data Records or EDRs) to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Department of Defense processing centers operated by the United States government. The Interface Data Processing Segment will process Environmental Data Records beginning with the NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) and continue through the lifetime of the Joint Polar Satellite System and Defense Weather Satellite System programs. Under the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental

Blue Bahia: an environmental sanitation project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azcona, Miguel Angel L.; Neuvirth, Bruno

1996-01-01

The paper presents actions developed to incorporate some aspects of environmental sanitation to the basic sanitation project, natural resources assessing, identification of the environmental degradation sources - in addition to those caused by lack of basic sanitation, and common action between public and private sectors

Cleanup Verification Package for the 118-F-3, Minor Construction Burial Ground

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Appel, M.J.

2007-01-01

This cleanup verification package documents completion of remedial action for the 118-F-3, Minor Construction Burial Ground waste site. This site was an open field covered with cobbles, with no vegetation growing on the surface. The site received irradiated reactor parts that were removed during conversion of the 105-F Reactor from the Liquid 3X to the Ball 3X Project safety systems and received mostly vertical safety rod thimbles and step plugs

UMTRA Surface Project management action process document. Final report: Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-04-01

A critical mission of the US Department of Energy (DOE) is the planning, implementation, and completion of environmental restoration (ER) programs at facilities that were operated by or in support of the former Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) from the late 1940s into the 1970s. Among these facilities are the 24 former uranium mill sites designed in the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act (UMTRCA) of 1978 (42 USC section 7901 et seq.) Title 1 of the UMTRCA authorized the DOE to undertake remedial actions at these designated sites and associated vicinity properties (VP), which contain uranium mill tailings and other residual radioactive materials (RRM) derived from the processing sites. Title 2 of the UMTRCA addresses uranium mill sites that were licensed at the time the UMTRCA was enacted. Cleanup of these Title 2 sites is the responsibility of the licensees. The cleanup of the Title 1 sites has been split into two separate projects: the Surface Project, which deals with the mill buildings, tailings, and contaminated soils at the sites and VPs; and the Ground Water Project, which is limited to the contaminated ground water at the sites. This management action process (MAP) document discusses the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Surface Project only; a separate MAP document has been prepared for the UMTRA Ground Water Project

Mission Need Statement: Idaho Spent Fuel Facility Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barbara Beller

2007-09-01

Approval is requested based on the information in this Mission Need Statement for The Department of Energy, Idaho Operations Office (DOE-ID) to develop a project in support of the mission established by the Office of Environmental Management to "complete the safe cleanup of the environmental legacy brought about from five decades of nuclear weapons development and government-sponsored nuclear energy research". DOE-ID requests approval to develop the Idaho Spent Fuel Facility Project that is required to implement the Department of Energy's decision for final disposition of spent nuclear fuel in the Geologic Repository at Yucca Mountain. The capability that is required to prepare Spent Nuclear Fuel for transportation and disposal outside the State of Idaho includes characterization, conditioning, packaging, onsite interim storage, and shipping cask loading to complete shipments by January 1,2035. These capabilities do not currently exist in Idaho.

Richland Environmental Restoration Project management action process document

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-04-01

This document is the prescribed means for providing direct input to the US Department of Energy Headquarters regarding the status, accomplishments, strategy, and issues of the Richland Environmental Restoration Project. The project mission, organizational interfaces, and operational history of the Hanford Site are provided. Remediation strategies are analyzed in detail. The document includes a status of Richland Environmental Restoration project activities and accomplishments, and it presents current cost summaries, schedules, and technical baselines.

Richland Environmental Restoration Project management action process document

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-04-01

This document is the prescribed means for providing direct input to the US Department of Energy Headquarters regarding the status, accomplishments, strategy, and issues of the Richland Environmental Restoration Project. The project mission, organizational interfaces, and operational history of the Hanford Site are provided. Remediation strategies are analyzed in detail. The document includes a status of Richland Environmental Restoration project activities and accomplishments, and it presents current cost summaries, schedules, and technical baselines

Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project monthly report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McMakin, A.H., Cannon, S.D.; Finch, S.M.

1992-09-01

The objective of the Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction MDR) Project is to estimate the radiation doses that individuals and populations could have received from nuclear operations at Hanford since 1944. The TSP consists of experts in envirorunental pathways. epidemiology, surface-water transport, ground-water transport, statistics, demography, agriculture, meteorology, nuclear engineering. radiation dosimetry. and cultural anthropology. Included are appointed members representing the states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, a representative of Native American tribes, and an individual representing the public. The project is divided into the following technical tasks. These tasks correspond to the path radionuclides followed from release to impact on humans (dose estimates): Source Terms; Environmental Transport; Environmental Monitoring Data Demography, Food Consumption, and Agriculture; and Environmental Pathways and Dose Estimates

The Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project: Overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haerer, H.A.; Freshley, M.D.; Gilbert, R.O.; Morgan, L.G.; Napier, B.A.; Rhoads, R.E.; Woodruff, R.K.

1990-01-01

In 1988, researchers began a multiyear effort to estimate radiation doses that people could have received since 1944 at the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site. The study was prompted by increasing concern about potential health effects to the public from more than 40 yr of nuclear activities. We will provide an overview of the Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project and its technical approach. The work has required development of new methods and tools for dealing with unique technical and communication challenges. Scientists are using a probabilistic, rather than the more typical deterministic, approach to generate dose distributions rather than single-point estimates. Uncertainties in input parameters are reflected in dose results. Sensitivity analyses are used to optimize project resources and define the project's scope. An independent technical steering panel directs and approves the work in a public forum. Dose estimates are based on review and analysis of historical data related to operations, effluents, and monitoring; determination of important radionuclides; and reconstruction of source terms, environmental conditions that affected transport, concentrations in environmental media, and human elements, such as population distribution, agricultural practices, food consumption patterns, and lifestyles. A companion paper in this volume, The Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project: Technical Approach, describes the computational framework for the work

The environmental cost in the mining projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaviria Rivera Antonio

1992-01-01

To evaluate and calculate the mining project, Environmental costs, besides the proper variables concerning the project. It is necessary to incorporate the distinct interrelations among the mining operation with the local and regional biophysics and. socio-economic environments existing in the project's area of influence

Environmental restoration project configuration control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hutterman, L.L.

1991-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the approach that Westinghouse Idaho Nuclear Company, Inc. (WINCO) is using for the implementation of the configuration control requirements for a major system acquisition under the guidance of US Department of Energy (DOE) Order 4700.1, open-quotes Project Management System,close quotes for environmental restoration. The two major features of the WINCO environmental restoration approach relate to (1) the product and (2) the maintenance of the baseline for many sites in different phases at the same time. Historically, a project has typically produced a product. Environmental restoration in some ways produces no typical project product. Essentially, what is produced and what configuration control management is exercised on is one of the following: (1) the development of clean dirt, (2) the documentation to support clean dirt, or (3) the track record of each of the sites. It is the latter approach that this paper deals with. This approach is unique in that there are four baselines [cost, schedule, scope, and technical (the track record product)] rather than the typical three. This is essential in configuration management due to the lack of a uniquely identifiable product for each site. Essentially, the philosophy behind the four-part configuration controls allows the technical baseline to fulfill the function typically met by the identifiable product

Planning for cleanup of large areas contaminated as a result of a nuclear accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

The cleanup of large areas of contaminated as a result of an accident at a nuclear facility could cost hundreds of millions of dollars and cause inconvenience to the public. Such a cleanup programme would be undertaken only if the detriment to health and social life resulting from cleanup activities would be less than that resulting from further exposures. All reasonable means should, however, be used to minimize the costs and detriment to humans of such a cleanup. For such a cleanup to be carried out safely, efficiently and as quickly as possible under adverse conditions requires: Good preliminary and final planning; A cleanup team having a well defined management structure and well trained personnel; and Suitable cleanup methods and equipment and cleanup criteria. 35 refs, 8 figs, 5 tabs

Determination of total and isotopic uranium by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry at the Fernald Environmental Management Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, F.L.; Bolin, R.N.; Feller, M.T.; Danahy, R.J.

1995-01-01

At the Fernald Environmental Management Project (FEMP) in southwestern Ohio, ICP-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), with sample introduction by peristaltic pumping, is used to determine total and isotopic uranium (U-234, U-235, U-236 and U-238) in soil samples. These analyses are conducted in support of the environmental cleanup of the FEMP site. Various aspects of the sample preparation and instrumental analysis will be discussed. Initial sample preparation consists of oven drying to determine moisture content, and grinding and rolling to homogenize the sample. This is followed by a nitric/hydrofluoric acid digestion to bring the uranium in the sample into solution. Bismuth is added to the sample prior to digestion to monitor for losses. The total uranium (U-238) content of this solution and the U 235 /U 238 ratio are measured on the first pass through the ICP-MS. To determine the concentration of the less abundant U 234 and U 236 isotopes, the digestate is further concentrated by using Eichrom TRU-Spec extraction columns before the second pass through the ICP-MS. Quality controls for both the sample preparation and instrumental protocols will also be discussed. Finally, an explanation of the calculations used to report the data in either weight percent or activity units will be given

Economic impact of accelerated cleanup on regions surrounding the US DOE's major nuclear weapons sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greenberg, M.; Solitare, L.; Frisch, M.; Lowrie, K.

1999-01-01

The regional economic impacts of the US Department of Energy's accelerated environmental cleanup plan are estimated for the major nuclear weapons sites in Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington. The analysis shows that the impact falls heavily on the three relatively rural regions around the Savannah River (SC), Hanford (WA), and Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (ID) sites. A less aggressive phase-down of environmental management funds and separate funds to invest in education and infrastructure in the regions helps buffer the impacts on jobs, personal income, and gross regional product. Policy options open to the federal and state and local governments are discussed

Discussion on the post-project assessment of environmental impact for nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shang Zhaorong

2013-01-01

The paper introduces the background of post-project assessment of environmental impact in the world and focuses on the characteristic of environmental impact assessment for Chinese nuclear facilities construction projects, analyzes the necessity, principle and contents of post-project assessment of environmental impact on current Chinese nuclear facilities operation. It is considered that to start the post-project assessment of environmental impact, perfect the post-project assessment mechanism, introduce the post-project assessment into environmental impact assessment system are just at the night time. (author)

Assessing Environmental Impact Indicators in Road Construction Projects in Developing Countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed Marzouk

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Environmental pollution is considered to be one of the main concerns in the construction industry. Environmental pollution has become a major challenge to construction projects due to the huge amount of pollution caused by construction projects. There are different types of environmental impact indicators, such as the greenhouse gas (GHG footprint, eutrophication potential (EP, acidification potential (AP, human health (HH particulate, ozone depletion, and smog. Each of these environmental impact indicators can be linked to different phases of the construction projects. The overall environmental impact indicators can be divided into direct, indirect, and operational emissions. This paper presents a Building Information Modeling (BIM-based methodology for the assessment of environmental impacts in road construction projects. The model takes into account the overall life cycle of the road construction project, which is divided into: manufacturing phase, transportation phase, construction phase, maintenance phase, operational phase, recycling phase, and deconstruction phase. A case study is presented to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed model. The proposed model solves a major problem for road construction project teams who want to assess the environmental impact indicators associated with their project prior to the start of the execution of their projects.

Historical Waste Retrieval and Clean-up Operations at Nuclear facility no.56, at the Cadarache Nuclear Research Centre

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santucci, C.

2008-01-01

Among the different activities of the CEA research centre in Cadarache, located in the south of France, one of the most important involves cleaning, cleansing dismantling, decommissioning, and recovery of legacy wastes. This presentation will give an overview of the waste retrieval project from the historical interim storage facility called INB 56. The project is divided into three different sub-projects: the historical unpacked waste retrieval, the historical canister retrieval and the draining and clean-up of the spent fuel pools. All the described operations are conducted in accordance with the ALARA principle and the optimization of the waste categorization. The overall project, including the complete clean-up of the facility and its de-licensing, is due to end by 2020. The aim of this document is to outline the general ongoing historical waste retrieval operations and future projects on the INB 56 at the Cadarache research centre. In the final analysis, it can be seen that most of the waste is to be sent to the new CEDRA facility. Nevertheless one major goal of this project is to optimize the waste categorization and therefore to send the canisters to the ANDRA LLW site whenever possible. Two means will allow us to reach this goal: - The sorting out of un-packed waste in order to constitute a LLW canister - A wide range of measurements (gamma spectrometry, neutron measurement, tomography) in order to assess the exact nature of the contents in the historical canisters. Taking waste treatment and conditioning into account well in advance is a factor of prime importance that must be managed early in the elaboration of the decommissioning scenario. Precise knowledge of the physical and radiological inventories is of the utmost importance in defining the best waste pathway. Overall operations on the facility are due to end by 2020 including complete clean-up of the facility and its de-licensing

Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project monthly report, August 1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McMakin, A.H.; Cannon, S.D.; Finch, S.M.

1992-01-01

The objective of the Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction (HEDR) Project is to estimate the radiation doses that individuals and populations could have received from nuclear operations at Hanford since 1944. The project is divided into the following technical tasks. These tasks correspond to the path radionuclides followed from release to impact on humans (dose estimates): source terms; environmental transport; environmental monitoring data; demography; food consumption; and agriculture; and environmental pathway and dose estimates

Klickitat Cogeneration Project: Final environmental assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-09-01

To meet BPA's contractual obligation to supply electrical power to its customers, BPA proposes to acquire power generated by Klickitat Cogeneration Project. BPA has prepared an environmental assessment evaluating the proposed project. Based on the EA analysis, BPA's proposed action is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for the following reasons: (1)it will not have a significant impact land use, upland vegetation, wetlands, water quality, geology, soils, public health and safety, visual quality, historical and cultural resources, recreation and socioeconomics, and (2) impacts to fisheries, wildlife resources, air quality, and noise will be temporary, minor, or sufficiently offset by mitigation. Therefore, the preparation of an environmental impact statement is not required and BPA is issuing this FONSI (Finding of No Significant Impact)

Klickitat Cogeneration Project : Final Environmental Assessment.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

United States. Bonneville Power Administration; Klickitat Energy Partners

1994-09-01

To meet BPA`s contractual obligation to supply electrical power to its customers, BPA proposes to acquire power generated by Klickitat Cogeneration Project. BPA has prepared an environmental assessment evaluating the proposed project. Based on the EA analysis, BPA`s proposed action is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 for the following reasons: (1)it will not have a significant impact land use, upland vegetation, wetlands, water quality, geology, soils, public health and safety, visual quality, historical and cultural resources, recreation and socioeconomics, and (2) impacts to fisheries, wildlife resources, air quality, and noise will be temporary, minor, or sufficiently offset by mitigation. Therefore, the preparation of an environmental impact statement is not required and BPA is issuing this FONSI (Finding of No Significant Impact).

Environmental Biosciences Program Quarterly Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lawrence C. Mohr, M.D.

2008-01-31

In May 2002, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) signed Assistance Instrument Number DE-FC09-02CH11109 with the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) to support the Environmental Biosciences Program (EBP). This funding instrument replaces DOE Assistance Instrument Number DE-FC02-98CH10902. EBP is an integrated, multidisciplinary scientific research program, employing a range of research initiatives to identify, study and resolve environmental health risks. These initiatives are consistent with the MUSC role as a comprehensive state-supported health sciences institution and with the nation's need for new and better approaches to the solution of a complex and expansive array of environment-related health problems. The intrinsic capabilities of a comprehensive health sciences institution enable MUSC to be a national resource for the scientific investigation of environmental health issues. EBPs success as a nationally prominent research program is due, in part, to its ability to task-organize scientific expertise from multiple disciplines in addressing these complex problems Current research projects have focused EBP talent and resources on providing the scientific basis for risk-based standards, risk-based decision making and the accelerated clean-up of widespread environmental hazards. These hazards include trichloroethylene and low-dose ionizing radiation. Work on the trichloroethylene research projects has been slowed as a result of funding uncertainties. The impact of these funding uncertainties has been discussed with the DOE. Plans for restructuring the performance schedule of the trichloroethylene projects have been submitted to the department. A project is also being conducted in the use of geographical information system technology to analyze population health risks related to environmental hazards as a tool for risk-based decision-making.

Poplar Island Environmental Restoration Project Nekton Data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Poplar Island Environmental Restoration Project (PIERP) is a large scale 1,800 acres restoration project located in mid Chesapeake Bay. Fishery collections are...

Achieving Accelerated Cleanup of Cesium Contaminated Stream at the Savannah River Site; Collaboration between Stakeholders, Regulators, and the Federal Government - 13182

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bergren, Chris; Flora, Mary; Socha, Ron; Burch, Joseph [Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, LLC, Bldg. 730-4B, Aiken, SC 29808 (United States); Freeman, Candice; Hennessey, Brian [United States Department of Energy, Bldg. 730-B, Aiken, SC 29808 (United States)

2013-07-01

The Savannah River Site (SRS) is a 310-square-mile United States Department of Energy (US DOE) nuclear facility located along the Savannah River near Aiken, South Carolina that contains six primary stream/river systems. The Lower Three Runs Stream (LTR) is one of the primary streams within the site that is located in the southeast portion of the Savannah River Site and is a large black water stream system that originates in the northeast portion of SRS and follows a southerly direction before it enters the Savannah River. During reactor operations, secondary reactor cooling water, storm sewer discharges, and miscellaneous wastewater was discharged and contaminated a 36 kilometer stretch of Lower Three Runs Stream that narrows providing a limited buffer of US DOE property along the stream and flood plain. Based on data collected during 2009 and 2010 under Recover Act Funding, the stream was determined to be contaminated with cesium-137 at levels that exceeded acceptable risk based limits. As efficiencies were realized within the SRS Recovery Act Program, funding was made available to design, permit and execute remediation of the LTR. This accelerated Project allowed for the remediation of 36 kilometers of LTR in only nine months from inception to completion, contributing significantly to the Foot Print Reduction of SRS. The scope consisted of excavation and disposal of more than 2064 cubic meters of contaminated soil, and installing 11 kilometers of fence and 2,000 signs at 1000 locations. Confirmatory sampling and analysis, and radiological surveying were performed demonstrating that soil concentrations met the cleanup goals. The project completed with a very good safety record considering the harsh conditions including, excessive rain in the early stages of the project, high summer temperatures, swampy terrain, snakes, wild boar, insects and dense vegetation. The regulatory approval process was compressed by over 75% and required significant efforts from SRS

Achieving Accelerated Cleanup of Cesium Contaminated Stream at the Savannah River Site; Collaboration between Stakeholders, Regulators, and the Federal Government - 13182

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergren, Chris; Flora, Mary; Socha, Ron; Burch, Joseph; Freeman, Candice; Hennessey, Brian

2013-01-01

The Savannah River Site (SRS) is a 310-square-mile United States Department of Energy (US DOE) nuclear facility located along the Savannah River near Aiken, South Carolina that contains six primary stream/river systems. The Lower Three Runs Stream (LTR) is one of the primary streams within the site that is located in the southeast portion of the Savannah River Site and is a large black water stream system that originates in the northeast portion of SRS and follows a southerly direction before it enters the Savannah River. During reactor operations, secondary reactor cooling water, storm sewer discharges, and miscellaneous wastewater was discharged and contaminated a 36 kilometer stretch of Lower Three Runs Stream that narrows providing a limited buffer of US DOE property along the stream and flood plain. Based on data collected during 2009 and 2010 under Recover Act Funding, the stream was determined to be contaminated with cesium-137 at levels that exceeded acceptable risk based limits. As efficiencies were realized within the SRS Recovery Act Program, funding was made available to design, permit and execute remediation of the LTR. This accelerated Project allowed for the remediation of 36 kilometers of LTR in only nine months from inception to completion, contributing significantly to the Foot Print Reduction of SRS. The scope consisted of excavation and disposal of more than 2064 cubic meters of contaminated soil, and installing 11 kilometers of fence and 2,000 signs at 1000 locations. Confirmatory sampling and analysis, and radiological surveying were performed demonstrating that soil concentrations met the cleanup goals. The project completed with a very good safety record considering the harsh conditions including, excessive rain in the early stages of the project, high summer temperatures, swampy terrain, snakes, wild boar, insects and dense vegetation. The regulatory approval process was compressed by over 75% and required significant efforts from SRS

Cleanup Verification Package for the 118-B-6, 108-B Solid Waste Burial Ground

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Proctor, M.L.

2006-01-01

This cleanup verification package documents completion of remedial action for the 118-B-6, 108-B Solid Waste Burial Ground. The 118-B-6 site consisted of 2 concrete pipes buried vertically in the ground and capped by a concrete pad with steel lids. The site was used for the disposal of wastes from the 'metal line' of the P-10 Tritium Separation Project.

Information to help reduce environmental impacts from freshwater oil spills

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fritz, D.E.; Steen, A.E.

1995-01-01

The American Petroleum Institute (API) has been working since 1990 to provide information to help the response community minimize the impact of spills to pared jointly with the US inland freshwater. Projects have included a manual, pre National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to give guidance on the cleanup techniques that will minimize environmental impacts on spills in freshwater habitats. Nearing completion are a literature review and annotated bibliography of the environmental and human health effects of oil spilled in freshwater habitats. The use of chemical treating agents for freshwater spill applications is being studied with input from other industry and government groups. A project has begun, with funding from API, the Louisiana Applied Oil Spill Research and Development Program, NOAA, the Marine Spill Response Corporation (MSRC), and the US Department of Energy, to evaluate in situ burning of oil spilled in marshes

Evaluation Of The Risk Of Financing Projects Of Environmental Protection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela Cornelia PICIU

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The research project approaches multidimensionally the financing of environmental protection from the perspective of directing, correlating and consolidating the financial flows circumscribed to the regeneration of an economy affected by environmental deterioration due to the very activities defining the economic mechanisms and circuits. The purpose of the project is to identify, by scientific, methodological and empirical analysis of the concepts, principles and arguments imposed by the economic theory, the risks of financing the projects of environmental projects and to evaluate their effects because their neglecting, individual approach or erroneous dimensioning might have unfavourable and unforeseen consequences in terms of the efficiency of the environmental strategies and policies. The objective of the study is the reveal the interdependency and interaction between the flows and circuits financing the environmental projects, showing the necessity for punctual, distributive, correlative and multiplicative financing of the environmental protection. This must be done from an expanded and prospective spatial and temporal vision by a compositional approach of the risk for environmental investments within the complex network of the social, economic and financial risks generated by the global system of the human praxis focused on the binomial of the human-environment interdependence.

Technology for the oil spills clean-up which provides preliminary accumulation of sorbents into the area of emergence and localization oil spills

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.L.Soroka

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The implementation of measures for the prevention and spill of dangerous goods is an important aspect of sustainable development of railway transport. oil spills accident are the most dangerous. They are accompanied by significant pollution of all environmental objects. Studying and development of oil localization and clean-up technologies of such accidents is an important problem of environmental protection to modern conditions of railway transport development. The purpose: to improve the effectiveness of traditional methods of oil spill elimination and the development of new clean-up technologies adapted to the real conditions of the railway transport of Ukraine. Methods: To achieve the research purposes was used analysis of material flows, typical for places emergence and localization of the oil spill on the railways. Results: Analysis of standard technological scheme for the oil spills eliminations has shown that the most difficult task of effective clean-up surfaces is the timely delivery of oil sorbents and special equipment to the area spill containment. The general effectiveness of the elimination activities specifies the time from the beginning contact of dangerous goods with environmental objects to the absorption it into the structure of sorbent . Us was developed the technological scheme of oil spill elimination. This scheme provide a permanent and fast access to the sorbents into the oil spill localization area. It was proposed to device that allows you to transport the sorbent into sorption booms directly on the tank for transportation of petroleum products. Conclusions: Preventative accumulation of sorbents to the oil spill elimination into the localization area provides the organizational and operational simplicity of all stages of clean-up technology. Technical and economic assessment shows that the proposed technology is effective, technologically feasible and economically competitive.

PROGRESS & CHALLENGES IN CLEANUP OF HANFORDS TANK WASTES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

HEWITT, W.M.; SCHEPENS, R.

2006-01-23

The River Protection Project (RPP), which is managed by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of River Protection (ORP), is highly complex from technical, regulatory, legal, political, and logistical perspectives and is the largest ongoing environmental cleanup project in the world. Over the past three years, ORP has made significant advances in its planning and execution of the cleanup of the Hartford tank wastes. The 149 single-shell tanks (SSTs), 28 double-shell tanks (DSTs), and 60 miscellaneous underground storage tanks (MUSTs) at Hanford contain approximately 200,000 m{sup 3} (53 million gallons) of mixed radioactive wastes, some of which dates back to the first days of the Manhattan Project. The plan for treating and disposing of the waste stored in large underground tanks is to: (1) retrieve the waste, (2) treat the waste to separate it into high-level (sludge) and low-activity (supernatant) fractions, (3) remove key radionuclides (e.g., Cs-137, Sr-90, actinides) from the low-activity fraction to the maximum extent technically and economically practical, (4) immobilize both the high-level and low-activity waste fractions by vitrification, (5) interim store the high-level waste fraction for ultimate disposal off-site at the federal HLW repository, (6) dispose the low-activity fraction on-site in the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF), and (7) close the waste management areas consisting of tanks, ancillary equipment, soils, and facilities. Design and construction of the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP), the cornerstone of the RPP, has progressed substantially despite challenges arising from new seismic information for the WTP site. We have looked closely at the waste and aligned our treatment and disposal approaches with the waste characteristics. For example, approximately 11,000 m{sup 3} (2-3 million gallons) of metal sludges in twenty tanks were not created during spent nuclear fuel reprocessing and have low fission product concentrations. We

NRC plan for cleanup operations at Three Mile Island Unit 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lo, R.; Snyder, B.J.

1980-07-01

The NRC plan defines the functional role of the NRC in cleanup operations at Three Mile Island Unit 2 to assure that agency regulatory responsibilities and objectives will be fulfilled. The plan outlines NRC functions in TMI-2 cleanup operations in the following areas: (1) the functional relationship of NRC to other government agencies, the public, and the licensee to coordinate activities, (2) the functional roles of these organizations in cleanup operations, (3) the NRC review and decision-making procedure for the licensee's proposed cleanup operation, (4) the NRC/licensee estimated schedule of major actions, and (5) NRC's functional role in overseeing implementation of approved licensee activities

They all like it hot: faster cleanup of contaminated soil and groundwater

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Newmark, R., LLNL

1998-03-01

Clean up a greasy kitchen spill with cold water and the going is slow. Us hot water instead and progress improves markedly. So it makes sense that cleanup of greasy underground contaminants such as gasoline might go faster if hot water or steam were somehow added to the process. The Environmental Protection Agency named hundreds of sites to the Superfund list - sites that have been contaminated with petroleum products or petroleum products or solvents. Elsewhere across the country, thousands of properties not identified on federal cleanup lists are contaminated as well. Given that under current regulations, underground accumulations of solvent and hydrocarbon contaminants (the most serious cause of groundwater pollution) must be cleaned up, finding a rapid and effective method of removing them is imperative. In the early 1990`s, in collaboration with the School of Engineering at the University of California at Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore developed dynamic underground stripping. This method for treating underground contaminants with heat is much faster and more effective than traditional treatment methods.

Environmental auditing for oil drilling projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zambrano Solarte, Hugo Ibsen; Olaya Amaya, Alfredo

2003-01-01

The enforcement of legal regulations on the environment requires some mechanisms related to preservation and conservation of natural resources, as well as paleontological and archaeological wealth, in order to allow their use without endangering their integrity. This article reviews legal regulations, activities and performance indicators, which should be taken into account by Environmental Auditors in oil projects. Additionally, a Plan for Environmental management is analyzed with its main components and procedures for performing the environmental auditing

Historical research in the Hanford site waste cleanup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerber, Michele S.

1992-01-01

This paper will acquaint the audience with role of historical research in the Hanford Site waste cleanup - the largest waste cleanup endeavor ever undertaken in human history. There were no comparable predecessors to this massive waste remediation effort, but the Hanford historical record can provide a partial road map and guide. It can be, and is, a useful tool in meeting the goal of a successful, cost-effective, safe and technologically exemplary waste cleanup. The Hanford historical record is rich and complex. Yet, it poses difficult challenges, in that no central and complete repository or data base exists, records contain obscure code words and code numbers, and the measurement systems and terminology used in the records change many times over the years. Still, these records are useful to the current waste cleanup in technical ways, and in ways that extend beyond a strictly scientific aspect. Study and presentations of Hanford Site history contribute to the huge educational and outreach tasks of helping the Site's work force deal with 'culture change' and become motivated for the cleanup work that is ahead, and of helping the public and the regulators to place the events at Hanford in the context of WWII and the Cold War. This paper traces historical waste practices and policies as they changed over the years at the Hanford Site, and acquaints the audience with the generation of the major waste streams of concern in Hanford Site cleanup today. It presents original, primary-source research into the waste history of the Hanford Site. The earliest, 1940s knowledge base, assumptions and calculations about radioactive and chemical discharges, as discussed in the memos, correspondence and reports of the original Hanford Site (then Hanford Engineer Works) builders and operators, are reviewed. The growth of knowledge, research efforts, and subsequent changes in Site waste disposal policies and practices are traced. Examples of the strengths and limitations of the

A model of the environmental impacts of hydropower projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kemppainen, T.; Haemaelaeinen, I.

1992-01-01

The aim was to create a model of the effects of hydropower modernization and extension projects in Finland. To illustrate the effects of hydropower projects a checklist in the form of matrice was constructed. In this matrice all issues that could be significant in future hydropower projects were collected. Stable physical environmental changes are the starting-point for this matrice. The temporary change of hydropower constructions have also been under consideration. These are mainly environmental changes during construction. In chapter two the effects of hydropower modernization and extension projects physical environmental changes were examined. In chapter three the matrice was applied to some example cases. The cases were chosen to represent future hydropower projects. In addition these example cases represent urban areas, rural areas and uninhabited areas. The example cases were the extension of Tainionkoski hydropower plant at Vuoksi river, the modernization of Aeetsae power plant at Kokemaeenjoki river, the modernization of Stadsfors power plant at Lapuanjoki river in the centre of Uusikaarlepyy town and the construction of Kaitfors power plant at Perhonjoki river. Conclusions from usability of the model can be drawn on the ground of the example cases. The purpose of the model is to produce a checklist of estimated environmental effects in hydropower project of various kinds. Examination of issues within the model depends on local circumstances. Endangered animal and plant species, for example, can be studied and estimated only if endangered animal and plant species exist in the area of hydropower plant. Furthermore, the direction and extent of environmental effects depend on the local circumstances. The model is mainly a checklist of environmental effects caused by hydropower plant projects

Guidebook on environmental impact assessment for in situ leach mining projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-05-01

Assessment of the potential environmental impact of an in situ leach (ISL) project is the first step in the permission and licensing process. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) serves as the basis for preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which in turn identifies the potential environmental and socioeconomic impact of a proposed project and outlines measures to mitigate the impact. The EIS review process serves to inform the public about a proposed project as well as provide regulatory agencies with assurance that ISL technology will comply with environmental standards, and that project sites can be rehabilitated to pre-mining use. This publication provides a step-by-step description of project parameters that must be addressed in conducting an EIA and preparing an EIS. It also includes EIA/EIS case histories for current operations in Australia, the Czech Republic, Kazakhstan and the United States of America. The publication will be useful to companies considering development of ISL projects and to regulatory personnel who are responsible for writing environmental regulations and licensing ISL projects

Overview of the Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shipler, D.B.; Napier, B.A.; Ikenberry, T.A.

1992-04-01

The objective of the Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction (HEDR) Project is to estimate the radiation doses that specific and representative individuals and populations may have received as a result of releases of radioactive materials from historical operations at the Hanford Site. These dose estimates would account for the uncertainties of information regarding facilities operations, environmental monitoring, demography, food consumption and lifestyles, and the variability of natural phenomena. Other objectives of the HEDR Project include: supporting the Hanford Thyroid Disease Study (HTDS), declassifying Hanford-generated information and making it available to the public, performing high-quality, credible science, and conducting the project in an open, public forum. The project is briefly described

Worldwide analysis of marine oil spill cleanup cost factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Etkin, D.S.

2000-01-01

The many factors that influence oil spill response costs were discussed with particular emphasis on how spill responses differ around the world because of differing cultural values, socio-economic factors and labor costs. This paper presented an analysis of marine oil spill cleanup costs based on the country, proximity to shoreline, spill size, oil type, degree of shoreline oiling and cleanup methodology. The objective was to determine how each factor impacts per-unit cleanup costs. Near-shore spills and in-port spills were found to be 4-5 times more expensive to clean than offshore spills. Responses to spills of heavy fuels also cost 10 times more than for lighter crudes and diesel. Spill responses for spills under 30 tonnes are 10 times more costly than on a per-unit basis, for spills of 300 tonnes. A newly developed modelling technique that can be used on different types of marine spills was described. It is based on updated cost data acquired from case studies of more than 300 spills in 40 countries. The model determines a per-unit cleanup cost estimation by taking into consideration oil type, location, spill size, cleanup methodology, and shoreline oiling. It was concluded that the actual spill costs are totally dependent on the actual circumstances of the spill. 13 refs., 10 tabs., 3 figs

Cleanup Verification Package for the 107-D5 Trench

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corpuz, F.M.; Fancher, J.D.; Blumenkranz, D.B.

1998-03-01

This document presents the results of remedial action objectives performed at the 107-D5 Sludge Trench, located at the 100-DR-1 Operable Unit in the 100 Area of the Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State. The 107-D5 Sludge Trench is also identified in the Hanford Waste Information Data System as Waste Site 100-D-4 (site code). The selected remedial action was (1) excavation of the site to the extent required to meet specified soil cleanup levels, (2) disposal of contaminated excavation materials at the Environmental Restoration and Disposal Facility at the 200 Area of the Hanford Site, and (3) backfilling the site with clean soil to adjacent grade elevations

Sectored Clean-up Work Plan for Housekeeping Category Waste Sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nacht, S. J.

2000-01-01

The Sectored Clean-up Work Plan (SCWP) replaces the Housekeeping Category Corrective Action Unit Work Plan and provides a strategy to be used for conducting housekeeping activities using a sectored clean-up approach. This work plan provides a process by which one or more existing housekeeping category Corrective Action Sites (CASS) from the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order and/or non-FFACO designated waste site(s) are grouped into a sector for simultaneous remediation and cleanup. This increases effectiveness and efficiencies in labor, materials, equipment, cost, and time. This plan is an effort by the U.S. Department of Energy to expedite work in a more organized and efficient approach. The objectives of this plan are to: Group housekeeping FFACO CASS and non-FFACO housekeeping sites into sectors and remediate during the same field visit; Provide consistent documentation on FFACO CAS and non-FFACO clean-up activities; Perform similar activities under one approved document; Remediate areas inside the Deactivation and Decommissioning facilities and compounds in a campaign-style remediation; and Increase efficiencies and cost-effectiveness, accelerate cleanups, reduce mobilization, demobilization, and remediation costs

Use of decision analysis techniques to determine Hanford cleanup priorities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fassbender, L.; Gregory, R.; Winterfeldt, D. von; John, R.

1992-01-01

In January 1991, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Richland Field Office, Westinghouse Hanford Company, and the Pacific Northwest Laboratory initiated the Hanford Integrated Planning Process (HIPP) to ensure that technically sound and publicly acceptable decisions are made that support the environmental cleanup mission at Hanford. One of the HIPP's key roles is to develop an understanding of the science and technology (S and T) requirements to support the cleanup mission. This includes conducting an annual systematic assessment of the S and T needs at Hanford to support a comprehensive technology development program and a complementary scientific research program. Basic to success is a planning and assessment methodology that is defensible from a technical perspective and acceptable to the various Hanford stakeholders. Decision analysis techniques were used to help identify and prioritize problems and S and T needs at Hanford. The approach used structured elicitations to bring many Hanford stakeholders into the process. Decision analysis, which is based on the axioms and methods of utility and probability theory, is especially useful in problems characterized by uncertainties and multiple objectives. Decision analysis addresses uncertainties by laying out a logical sequence of decisions, events, and consequences and by quantifying event and consequence probabilities on the basis of expert judgments

Integrating TOM into environmental projects, Angela B. Quinlan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caldwell, J.A.

1992-01-01

Responsible and cost-effective waste management and environmental restoration are best achieved when the principles and procedures of Total Quality Management are made an integral part of the process. By describing three case histories, we explore and explain techniques for using TQM in environmental projects. Key aspects considered include: quality measurement systems; establishing and maintaining standard operating procedures; management and technical peer review; the use of Quality Improvement Teams; Roadmapping (a new procedure that the US Department of Energy is incorporating into environmental restoration programs); and the role of audit teams in document production. The three case histories covered include: The Department of Energy's Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project on which Roadmapping and Quality Improvement Teams have led to significant changes in procedures; the EPA ARCS program on which adoption of project management Standard Operating Procedures enhanced cost and schedule control; the Jacobs Engineering TQM program that emphasizes performance measurement and management and project technical peer review

Development of a new chemical technology for cleanup of VVER steam generators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smykov, V.B.; Yermolaev, N.P.; Ivanov, V.N.

2002-01-01

As shows the maintenance experience of SG's, the long-time maintenance them without chemical cleanup on secondary-side results in accumulation of considerable amounts of depositions of oxides of iron with a high content of copper on outside of tubes. The deposit accumulation creates conditions for concentrating of salts which promote corrosion and, then, the loosing of inter-contour tightness. Therefore the experts do not have any doubts in necessity of chemical cleanups and the chemical cleanups were carried out at some NPP's with VVER during last years. However it is possible to say, that these cleanups were carried out not by the best mode - the same main reagents had been used in order to dissolve the copper and iron oxides. For example, all cleanups at Balakovo NPP in 1996-1997 years had the common deficiency - even during 5. final stage of process the copper prolongs to be washed. By our opinion, the reasons of it are the poor scientific and technical justification of this process. Therefore at various NPP's with VVER cleanups realize by various techniques. The process of chemical cleanup, close to offered in the present work, was repeated many times utilized at BN-600 Belojarsk NPP and at BN-350 Shevtchenko NPP. The purposes of the present work are: 1. Research the behaviours of physicochemical processes during dissolution of components of depositions and their mixtures with use of the various formulas; 2. Analysis of the carried out chemical cleanups of PGV-1000M at an example of Balakovo NPP; 3. Development of a new process of SG's cleanup on the base of experimental researches and analysis; 4. Check of this process on the samples of full-scale depositions from SG Balakovo NPP. (authors)

Military Base Realignments and Closures: DOD Has Improved Environmental Cleanup Reporting but Should Obtain and Share More Information

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-01

million), and BRAC planning and compliance funding ($19.2 million) in fiscal year 2015 for cleanup at BRAC installations. 20DOD’s financial statement...Closures: Impact of Terminating, Relocating, or Outsourcing the Services of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. GAO-08-20. Washington, D.C

A simplified model of natural and mechanical removal to estimate cleanup equipment efficiency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lehr, W.

2001-01-01

Oil spill response organizations rely on modelling to make decisions in offshore response operations. Models are used to test different cleanup strategies and to measure the expected cost of cleanup and the reduction in environmental impact. The oil spill response community has traditionally used the concept of worst case scenario in developing contingency plans for spill response. However, there are many drawbacks to this approach. The Hazardous Materials Response Division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Cooperation with the U.S. Navy Supervisor of Salvage and Diving has developed a Trajectory Analysis Planner (TAP) which will give planners the tool to try out different cleanup strategies and equipment configurations based upon historical wind and current conditions instead of worst-case scenarios. The spill trajectory model is a classic example in oil spill modelling that uses advanced non-linear three-dimensional hydrodynamical sub-models to estimate surface currents under conditions where oceanographic initial conditions are not accurately known and forecasts of wind stress are unreliable. In order to get better answers, it is often necessary to refine input values rather than increasing the sophistication of the hydrodynamics. This paper described another spill example where the level of complexity of the algorithms needs to be evaluated with regard to the reliability of the input, the sensitivity of the answers to input and model parameters, and the comparative reliability of other algorithms in the model. 9 refs., 1 fig

From Pushing Paper to Pushing Dirt - Canada's Largest LLRW Cleanup Gets Underway - 13111

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veen, Walter van; Lawrence, Dave

2013-01-01

The Port Hope Project is the larger of the two projects in the Port Hope Area Initiative (PHAI), Canada's largest low level radioactive waste (LLRW) cleanup. With a budget of approximately $1 billion, the Port Hope Project includes a broad and complex range of remedial elements from a state of the art water treatment plant, an engineered waste management facility, municipal solid waste removal, remediation of 18 major sites within the Municipality of Port Hope (MPH), sediment dredging and dewatering, an investigation of 4,800 properties (many of these homes) to identify LLRW and remediation of approximately 450 of these properties. This paper discusses the status of the Port Hope Project in terms of designs completed and regulatory approvals received, and sets out the scope and schedule for the remaining studies, engineering designs and remediation contracts. (authors)

Spent fuel pool cleanup and stabilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, R.L.

1987-06-01

Each of the plutonium production reactors at Hanford had a large water-filled spent fuel pool to provide interim storage of irradiated fuel while awaiting shipment to the separation facilities. After cessation of reactor operations the fuel was removed from the pools and the water levels were drawn down to a 5- to 10-foot depth. The pools were maintained with the water to provide shielding and radiological control. What appeared to be a straightforward project to process the water, remove the sediments from the basin, and stabilize the contamination on the floors and walls became a very complex and time consuming operation. The sediment characteristics varied from pool to pool, the ion exchange system required modification, areas of hard-pack sediments were discovered on the floors, special arrangements to handle and package high dose rate items for shipment were required, and contract problems ensued with the subcontractor. The original schedule to complete the project from preliminary engineering to final stabilization of the pools was 15 months. The actual time required was about 25 months. The original cost estimate to perform the work was $2,651,000. The actual cost of the project was $5,120,000, which included $150,000 for payment of claims to the subcontractor. This paper summarizes the experiences associated with the cleanup and radiological stabilization of the 100-B, -C, -D, and -DR spent fuel pools, and discusses a number of lessons learned items

Cleanup around an old waste site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vandergaast, G.; Moffett, D.; Lawrence, B.E.

1988-01-01

42,500 m 3 of contaminated soil were removed from off-site areas around an old, low-level radioactive waste site near Port Hope, Ontario. The cleanup was done by means of conventional excavation equipment to criteria developed by Eldorado specific to the land use around the company's waste management facility. These cleanup criteria were based on exposure analyses carried out for critical receptors in two different scenarios. The excavated soils, involving eight different landowners, were placed on the original burial area of the waste management facility. Measures were also undertaken to stabilize the soils brought on-site and to ensure that there would be no subsequent recontamination of the off-site areas

Hot gas cleanup test facility for gasification and pressurized combustion. Quarterly technical progress report, July 1--September 30, 1992

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-12-31

The objective of this project is to evaluate hot gas particle control technologies using coal-derived gas streams. This will entail the design, construction, installation, and use of a flexible test facility which can operate under realistic gasification and combustion conditions. The major particulate control device issues to be addressed include the integration of the particulate control devices into coal utilization systems, on-line cleaning techniques, chemical and thermal degradation of components, fatigue or structural failures, blinding, collection efficiency as a function of particle size, and scale-up of particulate control systems to commercial size. The conceptual design of the facility was extended to include a within scope, phased expansion of the existing Hot Gas Cleanup Test Facility Cooperative Agreement to also address systems integration issues of hot particulate removal in advanced coal-based power generation systems. This expansion included the consideration of the following modules at the test facility in addition to the existing Transport Reactor gas source and Hot Gas Cleanup Units: Carbonizer/Pressurized Circulating Fluidized Bed Gas Source; hot Gas Cleanup Units to mate to all gas streams; and Combustion Gas Turbine. Fuel Cell and associated gas treatment. This expansion to the Hot Gas Cleanup Test Facility is herein referred to as the Power Systems Development Facility (PSDF).

An analysis of the CERCLA response program and the RCRA corrective action program in determining cleanup strategies for federal facilities which have been proposed for listing on the National Priorities List

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baker, P.; Vinson, R.

1994-01-01

This document was prepared as an issue paper for the Department of Energy to serve in the decision-making process for environmental restoration activities. The paper compares cleanup requirements under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and those currently proposed under Subpart S of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The history and regulatory framework for both laws is discussed, and the process for environmental restoration actions under both regulatory programs is compared and contrasted. Contaminants regulated under CERCLA and RCRA differ significantly in that radioactive contaminants are subject to Environmental Protection Agency jurisdiction only under CERCLA. The DOE has the jurisdiction to implement radioactive waste management and cleanup levels under the Atomic Energy Act (AEA) at nuclear weapons facilities. For sites with significant amounts of contaminants which are radioactive only, cleanup under RCRA can present significant advantages, since the DOE can then manage restoration activities under its own authority. There are, conversely several significant advantages for a remedial action being conducted at a CERCLA site recognized on the National Priorities List (NPL). Other provisions in the CERCLA remediation and the RCRA corrective action process offer both advantages and disadvantages related to DOE environmental restoration programs. This paper presents a discussion of significant issues which should be considered in such negotiations

Providing support for day-to-day monitoring of shoreline cleanup operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lamarche, A.; Tarpley, J.

1997-01-01

Experiences gained during the 'Cape Mohican' incident in October 1996, in San Francisco Bay, were recounted and proposed as a potential example of day-to-day monitoring, evaluation and reporting of shoreline cleanup effort. During this cleanup a set of communications procedures, progress reports and maps were developed which should be equally useful in other similar situations. The cartographic representations were specially highlighted as they focused on ways to provide a clear picture of the short term modifications in oiling conditions of the affected shoreline. The most important lesson learned from this oil spill was the importance of having personnel and equipment sufficiently matched to the task in order to evaluate oil conditions, produce cleanup recommendations, execute and communicate the status of the cleanup effort as fast, and as efficiently and effectively as possible. It was clearly demonstrated that unless the decision process is streamlined and supported with the best, most up-to-date information, the efforts of the cleanup team would be seriously undermined. 8 refs., 2 tabs., 6 figs

Olympic Dam project: assessment of the environmental impact

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-11-01

The assessment report on the Environmental Impact Statement produced for the Olympic Dam project is intended to provide the South Australian Government with a comprehensive evaluation of the potential impact of the proposal and to make recommendations concerning the project to be negotiated with the Joint Venturers prior to approval of the EIS. The project involves the mining, processing and sale of products from the copper-uranium ore body at Olympic Dam on the Roxby Downs Station, South Australia. The report includes a description of the proposal, a description of the environment likely to be affected, a discussion of the potential impacts on that environment, a discussion of the adequacy of information presented in the EIS and a discussion of the acceptability of the environmental impacts. The Department has concluded that the pre-design proposal is acceptable on environmental grounds

SIHTI 2. Energy and environmental technology. Yearbook 1995. Project presentations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korhonen, M.; Thun, R.

1997-01-01

Detrimental impacts of various energy production forms, their prevention and costs to enterprises and to the society are studied in the National Research Programme on Energy and Environmental Technology - SIHTI 2. For this evaluation work databases on Finland's energy production, fuels and boilers and emissions of various production forms are needed. This is one of the main subtasks of the SIHTI Programme. Development of methods and tools required for environmental decision making and for the assessment of environmental costs and testing of their usability and reliability are equally important. Emission measurements are a problem field that continuously sets new challenges. In addition to energy production and its environmental impacts, environmental issues of the woodprocessing industries form another important research field of SIHTI 2 programme. A common aim of both fields is to reduce emissions of detrimental substances, to recycle raw materials, and to minimise and reuse wastes. Research and development projects are being carried out by a number of universities of different fields of science and technology, by research organisations and enterprises, and many projects are realised in close co-operation. In 1995, the programme comprised 28 R and D projects by universities and 22 enterprise-led projects. Results of these projects are presented in this yearbook. Part of the research projects continued from the preceding year and part were new projects continuing in 1996

Impact of financial institution environmental guidelines on international power generation projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macak, J.J. III; Schott, G.A.

1995-01-01

Where financing is concerned, two major players for US based international power projects are The World Bank and the Export-Import Bank of the US (Ex-Im Bank). The concern for environmental protection is a global issue, yet many countries still have no enforceable environmental regulations for power generation facilities. In the past, many projects were developed with little or no environmental controls. However, designing a power generation project to meet The World Bank environmental guidelines is now generally regarded as standard practice for independent power projects in the developing world (Price et al, 1994). The World Bank standards are mandatory for projects financed by The World Bank, through the International Finance Corporation (IFC), or associated programs like the Expanded Cofinancing Program of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD). The Ex-Im Bank has recently established new environmental procedures and guidelines that went into effect on February 1, 1995. In order to avoid a competitive disadvantage for US exporters and still provide a means for global environmental protection, Ex-Im Bank has taken a leadership role in encouraging the adoption of common environmental procedures and standards by leading export credit agencies around the world. Until such procedures are established, Ex-Im Bank is seeking to establish common lines in specific cases with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on environmental standards for appropriate projects (Ex-Im, 1994)

Cleanup of contaminated areas; La bonifica di aree contaminate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beone, G; Carbone, A I; Zagaroli, M [ENEA - Dipartimento Protezione Ambientale e Salute dell' Uomo, Centro Ricerche Energia, Casaccia (Italy)

1989-01-15

The paper deals with the problem of contaminated areas cleanup, in order to eliminate every possible damage for man safety and environment and to site recovery for some utilization, The first step of cleanup operation is site characterization, that is followed by a pianificazion activity for a better definition of staff qualification, technology to be used, protection and prevention instruments for the risks due to contaminants handling. The second section describes the different remedial technologies for contaminated sites. Remedial technologies may be divided into on-site/off-site and in-situ treatments, according to whether materials (waste, soil, water) are moved to another location or not, respectively. Finally, it is outlined that contaminated areas cleanup is a typical multidisciplinary activity because very different competences are required. (author)

Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction Project, Quarterly report, September--November 1993

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cannon, S.D.; Finch, S.M.

1993-01-01

The objective of the Hanford Environmental Dose Reconstruction (HEDR) Project is to estimate the radiation doses that individuals and populations could have received from nuclear operations at Hanford since 1944. The project is divided into the following technical tasks. These tasks correspond to the path radionuclides followed from release to impact on humans (dose estimates); Source Terms, Environmental Transport, Environmental Monitoring Data, Demography, Food Consumption, and Agriculture, and Environmental Pathways and Dose Estimates

Answers to frequently asked questions about cleanup activities at Three Mile Island, Unit 2. Public information report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-09-01

The document presents answers to frequently asked questions about plans for cleanup and decontamination activities at Three Mile Island, Unit 2. Answers to the questions asked are based on information in the NRC 'Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement related to decontamination and disposal of radioactive wastes resulting from March 28, 1979, accident, Three Mile Island Nuclear Station, Unit 2' NUREG-0683

The United States Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management's Progress and Challenges in Environmental Remediation and Decommissioning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szilagyi, A.; Collazo, Y.

2008-01-01

The United States Department of Energy Environmental Management Program (EM) is responsible for managing the world largest environmental cleanup program comprised of unparalleled scope, complexity, diversity of facilities and contaminants and technical challenges. Established in 1989, EM mission is the safe and successful cleanup of the Cold War legacy brought about from five decades of nuclear weapons development and government-sponsored nuclear energy research. Within this mission, EM is responsible for radioactive liquid wastes, spent nuclear fuel, nuclear materials, solid radioactive waste, contaminated soils and groundwater and contaminated facilities located in 14 States, on over 2,000,000 acres of land and over 4500 facilities requiring decommissioning. Since 1989 EM has, and continues to evolve into a true project management oriented organization with world-class engineering and technology capabilities, and as the National Academy of Public Administration has concluded, a with the changes underway, EM is on a solid path to becoming a high performing organization. Not only has EM grown and matured as a functional organization, but it has also achieved some remarkable on the ground accomplishments in environmental remediation, deactivation and decommissioning and waste management/nuclear material stabilization. These accomplishments have been made within a context of having to work with some of the most dangerous substances known to humanity; of having to perform first of a kind tasks in highly hazardous environments; and of having to design, construct and operate first of a kind technology and facilities to solve problems that once seemed unsolvable. In addition, EM accomplishments have been made with the highest priority and focus given to safety and risk reduction. In October 2006, and with a life cycle cost of $6.7 Billion, cleanup/D and D was completed at the 800+ facility 6200 acre former nuclear weapons complex at Rocky Flats (Denver, Colorado). Today

Environmental Biosciences First Quarter Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lawrence C. Mohr, M.D.

2003-09-30

In May 2002, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) signed Assistance Instrument Number DE-FC09-02CH11109 with the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) to support the Environmental Biosciences Program (EBP). This funding instrument replaces DOE Assistance Instrument Number DE-FC02-98CH10902. EBP is an integrated, multidisciplinary scientific research program, employing a range of research initiatives to identify, study and resolve environmental health risk issues. These initiatives are consistent with the Medical University's role as a comprehensive state-supported health sciences institution and the nation's need for new and better approaches to the solution of a complex and expansive array of environment-related health problems. The intrinsic capabilities of a comprehensive health sciences institution enable the Medical University to be a national resource for the scientific investigation of environmental health issues. EBP's success in convening worldwide scientific expertise is due in part to the inherent credibility the Medical University brings to the process of addressing these complex issues. Current research projects have focused EBP talent and resources on providing the scientific basis for risk-based standards, risk-based decision making and the accelerated clean-up of widespread environmental hazards. These hazards include trichloroethylene (TCE), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), asbestos and low-dose ionizing radiation. A project is also being conducted in the use of geographical information system technology to analyze population health risks related to environmental hazards as a tool for risk-based decision-making.

Conversion projects program plan WBS 7.4.9. Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-09-01

The mission of Conversion Projects (CP) is to transfer physical, intellectual, human and fiscal resources that advance the Hanford cleanup mission, support new missions, and that may inherently also benefit the economic transition of the region. This implements Function 6.0 of the Hanford Cleanup Technical Baseline

Environmental management plan (EMP) for Melamchi water supply project, Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Khadka, Ram B; Khanal, Anil B

2008-11-01

More than 1.5 million people live in the Kathmandu valley. The valley is facing an extreme shortage of water supply. At the same time the demand is escalating rapidly. To address this issue of scarcity of water, the government of Nepal has proposed a project of inter-basin transfer of water from Melamchi River located 40 km north-east of the Kathmandu valley. The project will cover two districts and three municipalities and will potentially have significant impacts on the environment. In accordance with the Environmental Protection Regulation of Nepal (1997), the Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP) has undergone an EIA during the feasibility study stage of the proposed project. The recommendations contained in the EIA were integrated into the project design for implementation in 2006. This paper summarizes the background of MWSP, the environmental concerns described in the EIA and the status of Environmental Management Plan (EMP) developed to address environmental compliance and other issues involving participation and support of the local people. This paper also provides some lessons to learn on the modalities of addressing the demands and grievances of the local people concerning environmental management.

Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project Environmental Protection Implementation Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vollmer, A.T.

1993-10-01

The Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project Environmental Protection Implementation Plan (EPIP) has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the US Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5400.1. The UMTRA EPIP covers the time period of November 9, 1993, through November 8, 1994. It will be updated annually. Its purpose is to provide management direction to ensure that the UMTRA Project is operated and managed in a manner that will protect, maintain, and where necessary, restore environmental quality, minimize potential threats to public health and the environment, and comply with environmental regulations and DOE policies. Contents of this report are: (1) general description of the UMTRA project environmental protection program; (2) notifications; (3) planning and reporting; (4) special programs; (5) environmental monitoring programs; (6) quality assurance and data verification; and (7) references

Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project Environmental Protection Implementation Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vollmer, A.T.

1993-10-01

The Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project Environmental Protection Implementation Plan (EPIP) has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the US Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5400.1. The UMTRA EPIP covers the time period of November 9, 1993, through November 8, 1994. It will be updated annually. Its purpose is to provide management direction to ensure that the UMTRA Project is operated and managed in a manner that will protect, maintain, and where necessary, restore environmental quality, minimize potential threats to public health and the environment, and comply with environmental regulations and DOE policies. Contents of this report are: (1) general description of the UMTRA project environmental protection program; (2) notifications; (3) planning and reporting; (4) special programs; (5) environmental monitoring programs; (6) quality assurance and data verification; and (7) references.

Project Rio Blanco: site restoration. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-01-01

Project Rio Blanco was a joint Government-industry experiment using nuclear explosives to stimulate the flow of natural gas from low permeability formations which could not be economically produced through conventional methods. The project consisted of the simultaneous detonation of three nuclear explosives on May 17, 1973, in a 7,000 foot well in northwestern Colorado. Gas production testing and project evaluation continued through June 1976. The site cleanup and restoration planning phase began in December 1975 and was concluded with the issuance of an operational plan, Project Rio Blanco Site Cleanup and Restoration Plan, NVO-173, in May 1976. Actual site restoration activities were conducted during the period from July to November 1976. The activities throughout the restoration period are summarized and the final site status, including the disposition of all project facilities and the status of all project related wells after plug and abandonment and recompletion work are described

PROGRESS and CHALLENGES IN CLEANUP OF HANFORDS TANK WASTES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

HEWITT, W.M.; SCHEPENS, R.

2006-01-01

The River Protection Project (RPP), which is managed by the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of River Protection (ORP), is highly complex from technical, regulatory, legal, political, and logistical perspectives and is the largest ongoing environmental cleanup project in the world. Over the past three years, ORP has made significant advances in its planning and execution of the cleanup of the Hartford tank wastes. The 149 single-shell tanks (SSTs), 28 double-shell tanks (DSTs), and 60 miscellaneous underground storage tanks (MUSTs) at Hanford contain approximately 200,000 m 3 (53 million gallons) of mixed radioactive wastes, some of which dates back to the first days of the Manhattan Project. The plan for treating and disposing of the waste stored in large underground tanks is to: (1) retrieve the waste, (2) treat the waste to separate it into high-level (sludge) and low-activity (supernatant) fractions, (3) remove key radionuclides (e.g., Cs-137, Sr-90, actinides) from the low-activity fraction to the maximum extent technically and economically practical, (4) immobilize both the high-level and low-activity waste fractions by vitrification, (5) interim store the high-level waste fraction for ultimate disposal off-site at the federal HLW repository, (6) dispose the low-activity fraction on-site in the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF), and (7) close the waste management areas consisting of tanks, ancillary equipment, soils, and facilities. Design and construction of the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP), the cornerstone of the RPP, has progressed substantially despite challenges arising from new seismic information for the WTP site. We have looked closely at the waste and aligned our treatment and disposal approaches with the waste characteristics. For example, approximately 11,000 m 3 (2-3 million gallons) of metal sludges in twenty tanks were not created during spent nuclear fuel reprocessing and have low fission product concentrations. We plan to

Oil spill cleanup in severe weather and open ocean conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kowalski, T.

1993-01-01

Most serious oil spills occur in open water under severe weather conditions. At first the oil stays on the surface, where it is spread by winds and water currents. The action of the waves then mixes the oil into the water column. With time the light elements of crude oil evaporate. The remaining residue is of very low commercial value, but of significant environmental impact. The oil spill can move either out to sea or inshore, where it ends up on the beaches. Normal procedures are to let outbound oil disperse by evaporation and mixing into the water column, and to let the inbound oil collect on the beaches, where the cleanup operations are concentrated. The reason for this is that there is no capability to clean the surface of the water in wave conditions-present-day oil skimmers are ineffective in waves approaching 4 ft in height. It would be simpler, more effective and environmentally more beneficial to skim the oil right at the spill location. This paper describes a method to do this. In the case of an oil spill in open water and high wave conditions, it is proposed to reduce the height of the ocean waves by the use of floating breakwaters to provide a relatively calm area. In such protected areas existing oil skimmers can be used to recover valuable oil and clean up the spill long before it hits the beaches. A floating breakwater developed at the University of Rhode Island by the author can be of great benefit in oil spill cleanup for open ocean conditions. This breakwater is constructed from scrap automobile tires. It is built in units of 20 tires each, which are easily transportable and can be connected together at the spill site to form any desired configuration

Projects: viable alternatives in the Environmental Education?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcos Jose Terossi

2011-11-01

Full Text Available In this article we are going to develop the reflection about the projects, its genesis, its use in education and environmental education.To this end, we will promote the discussion about the so-called "method of projects" and "projects pedagogy", with a comparison between them and outlining the approach that we consider most appropriate to EA, its limits and possibilities within the critical perspective, manufacturing and emancipatory education.

HISPANIC ENVIRONMENTAL AND WASTE MANAGEMENT OUTREACH PROJECT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sebastian Puente

1998-01-01

The Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM) in cooperation with the Self Reliance Foundation (SRF) is conducting the Hispanic Environmental and Waste Management Outreach Project (HEWMO) to increase science and environmental literacy, specifically that related to nuclear engineering and waste management in the nuclear industry, among the US Hispanic population. The project will encourage Hispanic youth and young adults to pursue careers through the regular presentation of Spanish-speaking scientists and engineers and other role models, as well as career information on nationally broadcast radio programs reaching youth and parents. This project will encourage making science, mathematics, and technology a conscious part of the everyday life experiences of Hispanic youth and families. The SRF in collaboration with the Hispanic Radio Network (HRN) produces and broadcasts radio programs to address the topics and meet the objectives as outlined in the Environmental Literacy Plan and DOE-EM Communications Plan in this document. The SRF has in place a toll-free ''800'' number Information and Resource Referral (I and RR) service that national radio program listeners can call to obtain information and resource referrals as well as give their reactions to the radio programs that will air. HRN uses this feature to put listeners in touch with local organizations and resources that can provide them with further information and assistance on the related program topics

HISPANIC ENVIRONMENTAL AND WASTE MANAGEMENT OUTREACH PROJECT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sebastian Puente

1998-07-25

The Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (DOE-EM) in cooperation with the Self Reliance Foundation (SRF) is conducting the Hispanic Environmental and Waste Management Outreach Project (HEWMO) to increase science and environmental literacy, specifically that related to nuclear engineering and waste management in the nuclear industry, among the US Hispanic population. The project will encourage Hispanic youth and young adults to pursue careers through the regular presentation of Spanish-speaking scientists and engineers and other role models, as well as career information on nationally broadcast radio programs reaching youth and parents. This project will encourage making science, mathematics, and technology a conscious part of the everyday life experiences of Hispanic youth and families. The SRF in collaboration with the Hispanic Radio Network (HRN) produces and broadcasts radio programs to address the topics and meet the objectives as outlined in the Environmental Literacy Plan and DOE-EM Communications Plan in this document. The SRF has in place a toll-free ''800'' number Information and Resource Referral (I and RR) service that national radio program listeners can call to obtain information and resource referrals as well as give their reactions to the radio programs that will air. HRN uses this feature to put listeners in touch with local organizations and resources that can provide them with further information and assistance on the related program topics.

Environmental guidance regulatory bulletin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-12-01

On September 22,1993, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published [58 Federal Register (FR) 492001 the final OffSite Rule, which defines criteria for approving facilities for receiving waste from response actions taken under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). The off-site requirements apply to the off-site management of hazardous substances, pollutants, and contaminants, as defined under CERCLA, that are generated from remedial and removal actions funded or authorized, at least in part, by CERCLA. CERCLA-authorized cleanups include those taken under lead-agency authority, Section 106 Consent Orders, Consent Agreements, Consent Degrees, and Records of Decision (RODs). EPA requires that remedial actions at Federal facilities taken under Sections 104, 106, or 120 of CERCLA comply with the Off-Site Rule for all cleanups enacted through DOE's lead-agency authority

Hellsgate Winter Range: Wildlife Mitigation Project. Final Environmental Assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-03-01

BPA proposes to fund the Hellsgate Winter Range: Wildlife Mitigation Project (Project) in a cooperative effort with the Colville Confederated Tribes and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). The Project is intended to mitigate for wildlife and wildlife habitat adversely affected by the construction of Grand Coulee and Chief Joseph Dams and their reservoirs. The Project would allow the sponsors to secure land and conduct wildlife habitat improvement and long-term management activities within the boundaries of the Colville Indian Reservation. BPA has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) (DOE/EA-0940) evaluating the potential environmental effects of the proposed Project (Alternative B) and No Action (Alternative A). Protection and re-establishment of riparian and upland habitat on the Colville Indian Reservation, under Alternative B, would not have a significant adverse environmental impact because: (1) there would be only limited, mostly short-term adverse impacts on soils, water quality, air quality, vegetation, and wildlife (including no effect on endangered species); and (2) there would be no adverse effect on water quantity, cultural resources, or land use. Based on the analysis in the EA, BPA has determined that the proposed action is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment, within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. Therefore, the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not required and BPA is issuing this FONSI

Streamlined sample cleanup using combined dispersive solid-phase extraction and in-vial filtration for analysis of pesticides and environmental pollutants in shrimp.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Lijun; Sapozhnikova, Yelena; Lehotay, Steven J

2014-05-27

A new method of sample preparation was developed and is reported for the first time. The approach combines in-vial filtration with dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) in a fast and convenient cleanup of QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) extracts. The method was applied to simultaneous analysis of 42 diverse pesticides and 17 environmental contaminants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and flame retardants, in shrimp as the sample matrix. Final extracts were analyzed by both low-pressure gas chromatography - triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (LPGC-MS/MS), and high-performance liquid chromatography - triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) to provide a wide scope of analysis for targeted analytes. During method development, several different commercial sorbents for d-SPE were investigated and compared with respect to analyte recoveries. The method was validated at 10, 50, and 100 ng g(-1) spiking levels (10-fold lower for PCBs), and the results for nearly all analytes were between 70 and 115% recoveries with ≤17% relative standard deviations. The method was shown to be simple, fast, and effective for multi-application analysis of chemical residues in the representative food and environmental marker matrix. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Environmental Control Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

Research carried out in the Environmental Control Project of the 'Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura' (CENA), Piracicaba , Sao Paulo State, Brazil, is described. Such research comprises: determination of ions and metals in waters from different sources; survey of the mineralogical composition of Amazon Basin rivers; development of specific methodologies for the determination of minerals in studies of mineral nutrition of plants and animal nutrition; development of methodologies for the determination of wood sample density, a nuclear method being developed to be applied to field conditions; study of the water flux mouvement within wood. (M.A.) [pt

Savannah River Site Environmental Report for 1998

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arnett, M

1999-06-09

The mission at the Savannah River Site (SRS) is focused primarily on support of the national defense, nonproliferation, and environmental cleanup. SRS-through its prime operating contractor, Westinghouse Savannah River Company-continues to maintain a comprehensive environmental monitoring program.

Savannah River Site Environmental Report for 1998

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnett, M.

1999-01-01

The mission at the Savannah River Site (SRS) is focused primarily on support of the national defense, nonproliferation, and environmental cleanup. SRS-through its prime operating contractor, Westinghouse Savannah River Company-continues to maintain a comprehensive environmental monitoring program

Remediation of uranium contaminated sites: clean-up activities in Serbia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raicevic, S.; Raicevic, J. . E-mail address of corresponding author: raich@beotel.yu; Raicevic, S.)

2005-01-01

One of the serious environmental problems in Serbia represent sites contaminated with depleted uranium (DU) during past war activities. According to UNEP reports and our findings there are two types of contamination: (i) localized points of high, concentrated contamination where DU penetrators enter the soil, and (ii) low level of widespread DU contamination, which indicates that during the conflict DU dust was dispersed into the environment. Remediation of these sites is an urgent need because they represent a permanent threat to the population living in this area. Here we give a brief description of approaches commonly used in remediation of DU contaminated sites, and an overview of current clean-up activities performed in Serbia. (author)

Cleanup standards and pathways analysis methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devgun, J.S.

1993-01-01

Remediation of a radioactively contaminated site requires that certain regulatory criteria be met before the site can be released for unrestricted future use. Since the ultimate objective of remediation is to protect the public health and safety, residual radioactivity levels remaining at a site after cleanup must be below certain preset limits or meet acceptable dose or risk criteria. Release of a decontaminated site requires proof that the radiological data obtained from the site meet the regulatory criteria for such a release. Typically release criteria consist of a composite of acceptance limits that depend on the radionuclides, the media in which they are present, and federal and local regulations. In recent years, the US Department of Energy (DOE) has developed a pathways analysis model to determine site-specific soil activity concentration guidelines for radionuclides that do not have established generic acceptance limits. The DOE pathways analysis computer code (developed by Argonne National Laboratory for the DOE) is called RESRAD (Gilbert et al. 1989). Similar efforts have been initiated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to develop and use dose-related criteria based on genetic pathways analyses rather than simplistic numerical limits on residual radioactivity. The focus of this paper is radionuclide contaminated soil. Cleanup standards are reviewed, pathways analysis methods are described, and an example is presented in which RESRAD was used to derive cleanup guidelines

Myelodysplastic syndromes in Chernobyl clean-up workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Gluzman, Daniil F; Sklyarenko, Lilia M; Koval, Stella V; Rodionova, Nataliia K; Zavelevich, Michael P; Ivanivskaya, Tetiana S; Poludnenko, Liudmyla Yu; Ukrainskaya, Nataliia I

2015-10-01

The studies of the recent decades posed the question of the association between radiation exposure and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). This association has been proved in secondary MDS originating upon exposure to chemotherapeutics and/or radiation therapy. The long-term study in Japanese atomic (A)-bomb survivors demonstrated the significant linear dose-response for MDS confirming the link between radiation exposure and this form of hematopoietic malignancies. All these findings provide the strong basis for studying MDS in the persons exposed to radiation following the Chernobyl disaster, especially those in the cohort of Chernobyl clean-up workers of 1986-1987. The data on MDS among Chernobyl clean-up workers (1986-1987) diagnosed in 1996-2012 at the reference laboratory of RE Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology and Radiobiology are summarized. MDS cases were diagnosed in 23 persons (21 males and 2 females) having been exposed to radiation as clean-up workers of 1986-1987. Refractory anemia (RA) has been detected in 13, refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts (RARS)-in 2, and refractory anemia with excess blasts (RAEB)-in 8 patients. The median age of those MDS patients was 62.0 years. In addition, 5 cases of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) were recorded in the group of Chernobyl clean-up workers with the median time of 14.8 years from 1986-1987 to diagnosis. The association between radiation exposure and MDS is discussed. The suggested life-long risk for myelodysplastic syndromes among A-bomb survivors in Japan highlights the importance of the continuing follow-up studies in the affected populations in the post-Chernobyl period.

The use of laser therapy in complex treatment of ulcer diseases in participants of Chernobyl accident clean-up

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simonova, L.Yi.; Rozdyil's'kij, S.Yi.; Kulyinyich, G.V.; Fertman, V.Z.; Krapivnij, O.O.; Abramova, L.P.; Byilogurova, L.V.; Levchenko, A.P.

2001-01-01

The study involved 59 male patients with relapsing duodenal ulcer who had participated in Chernobyl accident clean-up. Laser therapy was administrated daily on the projection of the zone of the ulcer and acupuncture zones. The obtained results allow to conclude that transcutaneous laser therapy is an effective method of treatment of ulcer disease

Electrical resistance tomography used in environmental restoration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramirez, A.L.; Daily, W.; LaBrecque, D.

1992-04-01

We are developing a new imaging technique, Electrical Resistance Tomography (ERT), to map subsurface liquids as flow occurs during natural or clean-up processes; ERT can also be used to map geologic structure. Natural processes (such as surface water infiltrating the vadose zone) and clean-up processes (such as air injection in the saturated zone, steam injection, emplacement of subsurface barriers) can create changes in a soil's electrical properties that are readily measured. We use these measurements to calculate tomographs that show the spatial distribution of the subsurface resistivities. The information derived from ERT can be used by remediation projects to: monitor the effectiveness of clean-up processes, characterize hydrologic processes affecting contaminant transport, select appropriate clean-up alternatives, demonstrate regulatory compliance, and to verify the installation and performance of subsurface barriers

In-situ gamma-analysis support for Phase I, Middlesex cleanup project, Middlesex, New Jersey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reiman, R.T.

1983-07-01

At the request of the Department of Energy, the Energy Measurements Group of EG and G participated in the Remedial Action program for the former Middlesex Sampling Plant and associated properties at Middlesex, New Jersey from July to November 1980. EG and G provided real time analysis of the radiological character of the soil of each property included in the Phase I cleanup before, during, and after decontamination. The method used for the analysis was in situ gamma spectroscopy employing a high purity germanium detector. This report describes the in situ system and displays the results of the in situ measurements before and after decontamination of the properties surveyed during Phase I

Willow Creek Wildlife Mitigation Project. Final environmental assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-04-01

Today's notice announces BPA's proposal to fund land acquisition or acquisition of a conservation easement and a wildlife management plan to protect and enhance wildlife habitat at the Willow Creek Natural Area in Eugene, Oregon. This action would provide partial mitigation for wildlife and wildlife habitat lost by the development of Federal hydroelectric projects in the Willamette River Basin. The project is consistent with BPA's obligations under provisions of the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act of 1980 as outlined by the Northwest Power Planning Council's 1994 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program. BPA has prepared an environmental assessment (DOE/EA-1023) evaluating the proposed project. Based on the analysis in the EA, BPA has determined that the proposed action is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment, within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. Therefore, the preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) is not required and BPA is issuing this FONSI

Environmental management compliance reengineering project, FY 1997 report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

VanVliet, J.A.; Davis, J.N.

1997-09-01

Through an integrated reengineering effort, the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) is successfully implementing process improvements that will permit safe and compliant operations to continue during the next 5 years, even though $80 million was removed from the Environmental Management (EM) program budget. A 2-year analysis, design, and implementation project will reengineer compliance-related activities and reduce operating costs by approximately $17 million per year from Fiscal Year (FY) 1998 through 2002, while continuing to meet the INEEL''s environment, safety, and health requirements and milestone commitments. Compliance reengineer''s focus is improving processes, not avoiding full compliance with environmental, safety, and health laws. In FY 1997, compliance reengineering used a three-phase approach to analyze, design, and implement the changes that would decrease operating costs. Implementation for seven specific improvement projects was completed in FY 1997, while five projects will complete implementation in FY 1998. During FY 1998, the three-phase process will be repeated to continue reengineering the INEEL

Environmental management compliance reengineering project, FY 1997 report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

VanVliet, J.A.; Davis, J.N.

1997-09-01

Through an integrated reengineering effort, the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) is successfully implementing process improvements that will permit safe and compliant operations to continue during the next 5 years, even though $80 million was removed from the Environmental Management (EM) program budget. A 2-year analysis, design, and implementation project will reengineer compliance-related activities and reduce operating costs by approximately $17 million per year from Fiscal Year (FY) 1998 through 2002, while continuing to meet the INEEL`s environment, safety, and health requirements and milestone commitments. Compliance reengineer`s focus is improving processes, not avoiding full compliance with environmental, safety, and health laws. In FY 1997, compliance reengineering used a three-phase approach to analyze, design, and implement the changes that would decrease operating costs. Implementation for seven specific improvement projects was completed in FY 1997, while five projects will complete implementation in FY 1998. During FY 1998, the three-phase process will be repeated to continue reengineering the INEEL.

Retroactive insurance may fund TMI-2 cleanup

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1981-01-01

A Pennsylvania task force recommended that nuclear utilities insure their plants with a mandatory national property insurance program. The proposed Nuclear Powerplant Property Damage Insurance Act of 1981 will cover the cleanup costs of onsite damage in excess of $350 million for a single accident ($50 million when private insurance is added on) and a ceiling of two billion dollars. Participation in the insurance pool would be in conjunction with licensing and would permit no grandfathering. Total payout for Three Mile Island-2 would cover 75% of the cleanup costs, the remainder to be apportioned among other parties. The insurance pool will have a $750 million goal supported by utility premiums

Green Remediation Best Management Practices: Mining Sites

Science.gov (United States)

This fact sheet describes best management practices (BMPs) that can be used to reduce the environmental footprint of cleanup activities associated with common project components, cleanup phases, and implementation of remediation technologies.

BPA/PGE transmission support project: Final environmental assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-12-01

This Mitigation Action Plan describes the mitigation measures identified in the BPA/PGE Transmission Support Project Environmental Assessment. These measures commit to actions that will reduce the environmental impacts that could occur by constructing, operating and maintaining the transmission line and related facilities. They have been developed in coordination with environmental specialists, design and construction engineers and maintenance personnel. The measures will be written into the construction specifications for the project, which is expected to be constructed by contract personnel. Unless noted in the plan, the construction inspector or the line foreman would be responsible for carrying out the mitigation; environmental staff would also monitor the area for mitigation effectiveness. The right-of-way would be cleared in 1997 or 1998, and construction would begin in the spring of 1998 and be completed later that fall

Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project 1994 environmental report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-08-01

This annual report documents the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project environmental monitoring and protection program. The UMTRA Project routinely monitors radiation, radioactive residual materials, and hazardous constituents at associated former uranium tailings processing sites and disposal sites. At the end of 1994, surface remedial action was complete at 14 of the 24 designated UMTRA Project processing sites: Canonsburg, Pennsylvania; Durango, Colorado; Grand Junction, Colorado; Green River Utah, Lakeview, Oregon; Lowman, Idaho; Mexican Hat, Utah; Riverton, Wyoming; Salt Lake City, Utah; Falls City, Texas; Shiprock, New Mexico; Spook, Wyoming, Tuba City, Arizona; and Monument Valley, Arizona. Surface remedial action was ongoing at 5 sites: Ambrosia Lake, New Mexico; Naturita, Colorado; Gunnison, Colorado; and Rifle, Colorado (2 sites). Remedial action has not begun at the 5 remaining UMTRA Project sites that are in the planning stage. Belfield and Bowman, North Dakota; Maybell, Colorado; and Slick Rock, Colorado (2 sites). The ground water compliance phase of the UMTRA Project started in 1991. Because the UMTRA Project sites are.` different stages of remedial action, the breadth of the UMTRA environmental protection program differs from site to site. In general, sites actively undergoing surface remedial action have the most comprehensive environmental programs for sampling media. At sites where surface remedial action is complete and at sites where remedial action has not yet begun, the environmental program consists primarily of surface water and ground water monitoring to support site characterization, baseline risk assessments, or disposal site performance assessments.

Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project 1994 environmental report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-08-01

This annual report documents the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project environmental monitoring and protection program. The UMTRA Project routinely monitors radiation, radioactive residual materials, and hazardous constituents at associated former uranium tailings processing sites and disposal sites. At the end of 1994, surface remedial action was complete at 14 of the 24 designated UMTRA Project processing sites: Canonsburg, Pennsylvania; Durango, Colorado; Grand Junction, Colorado; Green River Utah, Lakeview, Oregon; Lowman, Idaho; Mexican Hat, Utah; Riverton, Wyoming; Salt Lake City, Utah; Falls City, Texas; Shiprock, New Mexico; Spook, Wyoming, Tuba City, Arizona; and Monument Valley, Arizona. Surface remedial action was ongoing at 5 sites: Ambrosia Lake, New Mexico; Naturita, Colorado; Gunnison, Colorado; and Rifle, Colorado (2 sites). Remedial action has not begun at the 5 remaining UMTRA Project sites that are in the planning stage. Belfield and Bowman, North Dakota; Maybell, Colorado; and Slick Rock, Colorado (2 sites). The ground water compliance phase of the UMTRA Project started in 1991. Because the UMTRA Project sites are.' different stages of remedial action, the breadth of the UMTRA environmental protection program differs from site to site. In general, sites actively undergoing surface remedial action have the most comprehensive environmental programs for sampling media. At sites where surface remedial action is complete and at sites where remedial action has not yet begun, the environmental program consists primarily of surface water and ground water monitoring to support site characterization, baseline risk assessments, or disposal site performance assessments

Superfund: right-to-know and hazardous waste site cleanup. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Commerce, Transportation, and Tourism of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, Ninety-Ninth Congress, First Session, December 20, 1985

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1985-01-01

Representatives of local and state offices and the congressional representative of St. Paul, Minnesota testified at a field hearing on the Superfund program. The focus of the hearing was on community right-to-know aspects and the cleanup of hazardous materials that were abandoned on federal sites. At issue was environmental problems at the 38 priority sites listed for Minnesota and the lack of information on health effects after over 20 years of environmental study of toxic substances. The proposed legislation would subject federal facilities and sites to the same standards, cleanup schedules, and oversite as private sites. A new enforcement bill would encourage citizen suits to force cleanup. Military arsenals that contribute to water and soil pollution were of particular concern. Witnesses discussed the need for a national right-to-know law so that businesses would not be tempted to relocate to avoid Minnesota's environmental policy. The hearing record covers the testimony of seven witnesses.

Response planning and environmental risk analysis, state of Alaska

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gundlach, E.R.; Marben, G.M.

1993-01-01

Under the sponsorship of the Alaska Dept. of Environmental Conservation (ADEC), a multitasked study was undertaken to determine the relative risk of noncrude oil transport (including marine and freshwater), the status of spill response capability in the state, and the need and most appropriate locations for siting spill response deposits. The project used multidisciplinary transport and environmental data analyzed in a geographic information system (GIS) to enable various scenarios and data changes to be easily visualized. The evaluation concerned (a) designation of significant environmental risk areas, (b) environmentally sensitive areas and fish and wildlife likely to be affected, (c) the level of response capability appropriate for protecting the environment, (d) the adequacy of current capabilities for noncrude vessels, (e) the feasibility of establishing one or more response cooperatives for use by multiple carriers, and (f) other steps that could be taken to reduce the risk of a spill and facilitate control and cleanup

International environmental issues and requirements for new power projects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Newman, J.R. [Golder Associates Inc., Gainesville, FL (United States); Maltby, J.H. [Golder Associates Inc., Washington, DC (United States)

1997-12-31

The purpose of this presentation was to discuss the emerging role of financial entities in determining environmental requirements for international power projects. The paper outlines the following: emerging conditions; examples of announced privatization energy projects by country; types of government and international financial entity sources; problems for IPPs; similarity and differences between the World Bank and the USEPA; comparison of the international standards and regulations for power plants; recent trends/issues involving international power project approval; and recommendations for understanding/expediting the financial entities` environmental approval process and how to expedite this process.

Non-radiation risk factors for leukemia: A case-control study among chornobyl cleanup workers in Ukraine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gudzenko, N.; Hatch, M.; Bazyka, D.; Dyagil, I.; Reiss, R.F.; Brenner, A.; Chumak, V.; Babkina, N.; Zablotska, L.B.; Mabuchi, K.

2015-01-01

Background: Occupational and environmental exposure to chemicals such as benzene has been linked to increased risk of leukemia. Cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption have also been found to affect leukemia risk. Previous analyses in a large cohort of Chornobyl clean-up workers in Ukraine found significant radiation-related increased risk for all leukemia types. We investigated the potential for additional effects of occupational and lifestyle factors on leukemia risk in this radiation-exposed cohort. Methods: In a case-control study of chronic lymphocytic and other leukemias among Chornobyl cleanup workers, we collected data on a range of non-radiation exposures. We evaluated these and other potential risk factors in analyses adjusting for estimated bone marrow radiation dose. We calculated Odds Ratios and 95% Confidence Intervals in relation to lifestyle factors and occupational hazards. Results: After adjusting for radiation, we found no clear association of leukemia risk with smoking or alcohol but identified a two-fold elevated risk for non-CLL leukemia with occupational exposure to petroleum (OR=2.28; 95% Confidence Interval 1.13, 6.79). Risks were particularly high for myeloid leukemias. No associations with risk factors other than radiation were found for chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Conclusions: These data – the first from a working population in Ukraine – add to evidence from several previous reports of excess leukemia morbidity in groups exposed environmentally or occupationally to petroleum or its products. - Highlights: • A unique population – a cohort of 110,645 Chernobyl clean-up workers from Ukraine. • Followed 1986–2006 for leukemia, interviewed about non-radiation risk factors. • Petroleum exposure increased risk for non-CLL leukemias, particularly CML. • No risk factor other than radiation was found for CLL.

Non-radiation risk factors for leukemia: A case-control study among chornobyl cleanup workers in Ukraine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gudzenko, N., E-mail: gudznat@gmail.com [National Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Kyiv (Ukraine); Hatch, M., E-mail: hatchm@mail.nih.gov [Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD (United States); Bazyka, D., E-mail: Bazyka@yahoo.com [National Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Kyiv (Ukraine); Dyagil, I., E-mail: leuk@ukr.net [National Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Kyiv (Ukraine); Reiss, R.F., E-mail: rfr1@columbia.edu [Department of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY (United States); Brenner, A., E-mail: brennera@mail.nih.gov [Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD (United States); Chumak, V., E-mail: Chumak.vadim@gmail.com [National Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Kyiv (Ukraine); Babkina, N., E-mail: natalie.babkina@gmail.com [National Research Center for Radiation Medicine, Kyiv (Ukraine); Zablotska, L.B., E-mail: lydia.zablotska@ucsf.edu [Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA (United States); Mabuchi, K., E-mail: mabuchik@mail.nih.gov [Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD (United States)

2015-10-15

Background: Occupational and environmental exposure to chemicals such as benzene has been linked to increased risk of leukemia. Cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption have also been found to affect leukemia risk. Previous analyses in a large cohort of Chornobyl clean-up workers in Ukraine found significant radiation-related increased risk for all leukemia types. We investigated the potential for additional effects of occupational and lifestyle factors on leukemia risk in this radiation-exposed cohort. Methods: In a case-control study of chronic lymphocytic and other leukemias among Chornobyl cleanup workers, we collected data on a range of non-radiation exposures. We evaluated these and other potential risk factors in analyses adjusting for estimated bone marrow radiation dose. We calculated Odds Ratios and 95% Confidence Intervals in relation to lifestyle factors and occupational hazards. Results: After adjusting for radiation, we found no clear association of leukemia risk with smoking or alcohol but identified a two-fold elevated risk for non-CLL leukemia with occupational exposure to petroleum (OR=2.28; 95% Confidence Interval 1.13, 6.79). Risks were particularly high for myeloid leukemias. No associations with risk factors other than radiation were found for chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Conclusions: These data – the first from a working population in Ukraine – add to evidence from several previous reports of excess leukemia morbidity in groups exposed environmentally or occupationally to petroleum or its products. - Highlights: • A unique population – a cohort of 110,645 Chernobyl clean-up workers from Ukraine. • Followed 1986–2006 for leukemia, interviewed about non-radiation risk factors. • Petroleum exposure increased risk for non-CLL leukemias, particularly CML. • No risk factor other than radiation was found for CLL.

Integrating Project-Based Service-Learning into an Advanced Environmental Chemistry Course

Science.gov (United States)

Draper, Alison J.

2004-02-01

In an advanced environmental chemistry course, the inclusion of semester-long scientific service projects successfully integrated the research process with course content. Each project involved a unique community-based environmental analysis in which students assessed an aspect of environmental health. The projects were due in small pieces at even intervals, and students worked independently or in pairs. Initially, students wrote a project proposal in which they chose and justified a project. Following a literature review of their topic, they drafted sampling and analysis plans using methods in the literature. Samples were collected and analyzed, and all students assembled scientific posters describing the results of their study. In the last week of the semester, the class traveled to a regional professional meeting to present the posters. In all, students found the experience valuable. They learned to be professional environmental chemists and learned the value of the discipline to community health. Students not only learned about their own project in depth, but they were inspired to learn textbook material, not for an exam, but because it helped them understand their own project. Finally, having a community to answer to at the end of the project motivated students to do careful work.

Biocomplementation of SVE to achieve clean-up goals in soils contaminated with toluene and xylene.

Science.gov (United States)

Soares, António Alves; Pinho, Maria Teresa; Albergaria, José Tomás; Domingues, Valentina; da Conceição Alvim-Ferraz, Maria; Delerue-Matos, Cristina

2013-10-01

Soil vapor extraction (SVE) and bioremediation (BR) are two of the most common soil remediation technologies. Their application is widespread; however, both present limitations, namely related to the efficiencies of SVE on organic soils and to the remediation times of some BR processes. This work aimed to study the combination of these two technologies in order to verify the achievement of the legal clean-up goals in soil remediation projects involving seven different simulated soils separately contaminated with toluene and xylene. The remediations consisted of the application of SVE followed by biostimulation. The results show that the combination of these two technologies is effective and manages to achieve the clean-up goals imposed by the Spanish Legislation. Under the experimental conditions used in this work, SVE is sufficient for the remediation of soils, contaminated separately with toluene and xylene, with organic matter contents (OMC) below 4 %. In soils with higher OMC, the use of BR, as a complementary technology, and when the concentration of contaminant in the gas phase of the soil reaches values near 1 mg/L, allows the achievement of the clean-up goals. The OMC was a key parameter because it hindered SVE due to adsorption phenomena but enhanced the BR process because it acted as a microorganism and nutrient source.

The United States Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management's Progress and Challenges in Environmental Remediation and Decommissioning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szilagyi, A.; Collazo, Y. [US Dept. of Energy, Charles Negin, Project Enhancement Corporation (United States)

2008-07-01

The United States Department of Energy Environmental Management Program (EM) is responsible for managing the world largest environmental cleanup program comprised of unparalleled scope, complexity, diversity of facilities and contaminants and technical challenges. Established in 1989, EM mission is the safe and successful cleanup of the Cold War legacy brought about from five decades of nuclear weapons development and government-sponsored nuclear energy research. Within this mission, EM is responsible for radioactive liquid wastes, spent nuclear fuel, nuclear materials, solid radioactive waste, contaminated soils and groundwater and contaminated facilities located in 14 States, on over 2,000,000 acres of land and over 4500 facilities requiring decommissioning. Since 1989 EM has, and continues to evolve into a true project management oriented organization with world-class engineering and technology capabilities, and as the National Academy of Public Administration has concluded, a with the changes underway, EM is on a solid path to becoming a high performing organization. Not only has EM grown and matured as a functional organization, but it has also achieved some remarkable on the ground accomplishments in environmental remediation, deactivation and decommissioning and waste management/nuclear material stabilization. These accomplishments have been made within a context of having to work with some of the most dangerous substances known to humanity; of having to perform first of a kind tasks in highly hazardous environments; and of having to design, construct and operate first of a kind technology and facilities to solve problems that once seemed unsolvable. In addition, EM accomplishments have been made with the highest priority and focus given to safety and risk reduction. In October 2006, and with a life cycle cost of $6.7 Billion, cleanup/D and D was completed at the 800+ facility 6200 acre former nuclear weapons complex at Rocky Flats (Denver, Colorado). Today

West Valley Demonstration Project Annual Site Environmental Report Calendar Year 2004

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

West Valley Nuclear Services Company (WVNSCO) and URS Group, Inc.

2005-09-30

Annual Site Environmental Report for the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) for Calendar Year 2004. The report summarizes the environmental protection program at the West Valley Demonstration Project for CY 2004.

West Valley Demonstration Project Annual Site Environmental Report Calendar Year 2004

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

Annual Site Environmental Report for the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) for Calendar Year 2004. The report summarizes the environmental protection program at the West Valley Demonstration Project for CY 2004

Biomass gasification hot gas cleanup for power generation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wiant, B.C.; Bachovchin, D.M. [Westinghouse Electric Corp., Orlando, FL (United States); Carty, R.H.; Onischak, M. [Institute of Gas Technology, Chicago, IL (United States); Horazak, D.A. [Gilbert/Commonwealth, Reading, PA (United States); Ruel, R.H. [The Pacific International Center for High Technology Research, Honolulu, HI (United States)

1993-12-31

In support of the US Department of Energy`s Biomass Power Program, a Westinghouse Electric led team consisting of the Institute of Gas Technology (IGT), Gilbert/Commonwealth (G/C), and the Pacific International Center for High Technology Research (PICHTR), is conducting a 30 month research and development program. The program will provide validation of hot gas cleanup technology with a pressurized fluidized bed, air-blown, biomass gasifier for operation of a gas turbine. This paper discusses the gasification and hot gas cleanup processes, scope of work and approach, and the program`s status.

Environmental Biosciences Quarterly Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lawrence C. Mohr, M.D.

2007-01-31

In May 2002, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) signed Assistance Instrument Number DE-FC09-02CH11109 with the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) to support the Environmental Biosciences Program (EBP). This funding instrument replaces DOE Assistance Instrument Number DE-FC02-98CH10902. EBP is an integrated, multidisciplinary scientific research program, employing a range of research initiatives to identify, study and resolve environmental health risks. These initiatives are consistent with the MUSC role as a comprehensive state-supported health sciences institution and with the nation's need for new and better approaches to the solution of a complex and expansive array of environment-related health problems. The intrinsic capabilities of a comprehensive health sciences institution enable MUSC to be a national resource for the scientific investigation of environmental health issues. EBPs success as a nationally prominent research program is due, in part, to its ability to task-organize scientific expertise from multiple disciplines in addressing these complex problems. Current research projects have focused EBP talent and resources on providing the scientific basis for risk-based standards, risk-based decision making and the accelerated clean-up of widespread environmental hazards. These hazards include trichloroethylene and low-dose ionizing radiation. Work on the trichloroethylene research projects has been slowed as a result of funding uncertainties. The impact of these funding uncertainties has been discussed with the DOE. Plans for restructuring the performance schedule of the trichloroethylene projects have been submitted to the department. A project is also being conducted in the use of geographical information system technology to analyze population health risks related to environmental hazards as a tool for risk-based decision-making. Questions, comments or requests for further information concerning the activities under this

Environmental Assessment for decontamination and dismantlement, Pinellas Plant