Workers
have begun demolition at the Radioactive Materials Handling Facility
complex at the Energy Technology Engineering Center.
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. – Work crews have begun demolishing a set of Department of Energy-owned buildings at the Energy Technology Engineering Center (ETEC), a key step forward in cleanup at the former nuclear and liquid metals research site in southern California.
On
July 21, an ancillary guard station at the Radioactive Materials
Handling Facility (RMHF) complex was the first structure being torn down
under a recently signed agreement between DOE and the State of
California that allowed active cleanup to resume at ETEC after more than
10 years. This cleanup is among EM's 2020 priorities.
The agreement cleared the way for demolition
of the RMHF complex, 10 buildings constructed in 1959 on 1.5 acres and
used for the processing, packaging, and shipment of radioactive and
mixed hazardous wastes during site operations that ended in 1988.
Removing the RMHF facilities will reduce potential risk of release of
hazardous substances due to wildfires or erosion from severe storms.
“It
is a great feeling to see progress being made again at ETEC,” said ETEC
Federal Project Director John Jones. “We are committed to conducting
our work safely and efficiently.”
RMHF
demolition and removal of debris is expected to take approximately six
months. Activities are being conducted in adherence to safety practices
recommended to protect workers from exposure to the coronavirus. Debris
from the cleanup is being transported outside the State of California
for disposal at licensed commercial disposal facilities.
ETEC,
located in Area IV of the Santa Susana Field Laboratory in Ventura
County, served as a premier research facility from the 1950s until the
end of active operations. Since the 1980s, more than 200 structures on
the site have been demolished and removed. After completing RMHF
demolition, only eight DOE-owned structures will remain.
DOE
will continue to work with the state on the steps necessary to remove
the remaining DOE buildings at ETEC, and toward remediation of soils and
groundwater at the site.
Oak Ridge Completes Major Soil Remediation Project at K-25 Footprint
An
aerial view of the massive K-25 footprint spanning 44 acres at Oak
Ridge. Future plans call for transforming the footprint into a
commemorative site as part of the Manhattan Project National Historical
Park.
OAK RIDGE, Tenn.
– Workers recently finished removing contaminated soil under a section
of the former Building K-25 footprint in another major action to help EM reach its goal to complete cleanup at the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) this year.
ETTP,
the former Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, once contained five
massive uranium enrichment buildings, which included Building K-25,
along with hundreds of support facilities.
After conducting sampling and characterization, Oak Ridge’s
cleanup contractor UCOR identified areas in a section of the 44-acre
K-25 footprint where contaminated soil needed to be excavated and
removed. Workers have now completed that excavation — which began in
2018 — removing more than 90,000 cubic yards of soil. The site has been
backfilled and seeded.
“Completion
of this project reduces risk at ETTP, while helping position us to
achieve site cleanup this year,” said James Daffron, acting ETTP
portfolio federal project director for Oak Ridge’s EM program.
Workers
have completed an excavation of contaminated soil from the K-25
footprint, removing more than 90,000 cubic yards of soil.
Crews
finish backfilling and seeding a portion of the K-25 footprint. This is
the last step of the project, and it gets the area ready for its future
use to commemorate the site’s history.
The
K-25 Building was built in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project. At
that time, K-25 was the largest building in the world. It operated until
1964, producing enriched uranium for defense and commercial purposes.
The K-25 Building demolition project began in December 2008, and that work was completed on the mile-long, U-shaped structure in December 2013.
Tearing
down the 1.6-million-square-foot facility was EM’s largest ever
demolition project. Waste hauled from the site included 6,000
compressors, 3,000 converters, 187,000 cubic yards of steel, 3,800 miles
of electrical conductors, and 1.2 million cubic feet of asbestos
insulation. In total, more than 460,000 cubic yards of K-25 waste —
which could fill more than 33,000 dump trucks — was shipped for
disposal.
Completing
this soil remediation project eliminates risks at the site, and it will
also help facilitate future plans to transform the K-25 Building
footprint into a commemorative site as part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. The K-25 History Center
opened earlier this year adjacent to the footprint, and future plans
include a viewing tower, equipment building, and wayside exhibits.
EM’s goal for this year is to complete ETTP cleanup, known as Vision 2020, as the site transitions to a multi-use industrial park, national park, and conservation center.
-Contributor: Wayne McKinney
Hanford Waste Treatment Plant Continues Progress Toward Commissioning
RICHLAND, Wash. – Workers at Hanford’s Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant
(WTP) recently completed startup testing on another significant plant
system, the utility building that provides power to the plant’s Effluent Management Facility,
pictured above. The system is one of many going through commissioning
prior to starting low-activity tank waste treatment through the Direct-Feed Low-Activity Waste (DFLAW) approach. This development at WTP supports one of EM's 2020 priorities: complete DFLAW construction turn-over to commissioning.
-Contributor: George Rangel
SRS Achieves Analytical Laboratories Project Milestone Ahead of Schedule
AIKEN, S.C. – EM recently surpassed a project milestone to clean 20 gloveboxes and radiohoods in the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) Analytical Laboratory approximately two months early as part of the Savannah River Site’s (SRS) laboratory consolidation efforts.
Workers
have analyzed samples from radiochemical processing and radiological
environmental monitoring programs using gloveboxes and radiohoods for
over 55 years at several facilities across the site. Gloveboxes are
stainless-steel boxes with safety glass panels and fitted glove-port
openings to allow for safe handling of contaminated materials. They
shield and segregate workers from hazards. A radiohood contains a work
surface and ventilation hood, and is used for handling small quantities
of radioactive materials and corrosive chemicals.
“Completing
the cleanup of gloveboxes and radiohoods ahead of schedule is a great
accomplishment,” DOE F Area Program Manager Randy Clendenning said.
To
reduce costs and streamline capabilities, SRNL has begun a multi-year
project to relocate analytical services from SRNL laboratory facilities
located in SRS’s F Area to SRNL’s central facilities location.
“Safe
reduction in the operational footprint of F Area laboratories and
relocation of ongoing analytical methods have involved teaming by many
workgroups at Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) and SRNL,” said
Woodie Melton, director of the Analytical Laboratories
Section at SRNS, the site’s management and operations contractor. “When
complete, the consolidation of analytical work at SRNL will provide a
significant savings and allow the lab to better serve EM and National Nuclear Security Administration missions.”
Lee
Stevens, a transportation expert with Navarro Research and Engineering,
the lead environmental program services contractor for EM Nevada, uses
the Nevada National Security Site-based Hazardous Materials Notification
System to monitor and manage shipments from waste generators.
EM
Nevada uses the NNSS-based Hazardous Materials Notification System
(HAZTRAK) to monitor and manage such shipments. Applicable information
from HAZTRAK is also accessible to intergovernmental partners and the
general public on the NNSS website here.
EM
Nevada also recently worked with personnel from the Nevada Department
of Transportation (NDOT) to publish guidance that ensures NDOT route
approvals are consistent with agreements between DOE and Nevada
stakeholders.
Since
1999, more than 31,000 radioactive and classified waste shipments have
been safely transported to the NNSS. To learn more, click here for the EM Nevada waste transportation fact sheet.
-Contributors: Michelle French, Jesse Sleezer
Idaho Site Safely Ships Waste to Meet Regulatory Agreements
Fluor
Idaho Waste Disposal and Waste Generator Services Manager Bruno Zovi
inspects a pending shipment of mixed low-level waste prior to shipment
offsite.
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – DOE cleanup agreements with the state of Idaho require EM to ship nuclear waste for disposal, whether it’s newly generated or been stored at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site for decades.
“Our
responsibilities are diverse,” said Bruno Zovi, waste disposal and
waste generator services manager of Fluor Idaho, EM’s INL Site cleanup
contractor. “While the transuranic waste that’s shipped offsite is
crucially important to meeting the Idaho Settlement Agreement, there are
other wastes that must also leave the state of Idaho.”
In
the last 15 years, EM has completed 1,772 low-level and mixed low-level
waste shipments from the INL Site, including 40,115 containers with a
total volume of 25,204 cubic meters. “Most importantly, we’ve done it
safely and compliantly,” Zovi said.
EM
has shipped contaminated debris, soils, sludges, salts, and liquids to
seven treatment and disposal facilities across the U.S.
Fewer than 100 containers of mixed low-level debris waste remain to be shipped for disposal.
As sludges and soils are treated to meet criteria for disposal at treatment and disposal facilities, the volume of waste sometimes increases. This is due to absorbent, inert material added to absorb liquids present in the waste.
As sludges and soils are treated to meet criteria for disposal at treatment and disposal facilities, the volume of waste sometimes increases. This is due to absorbent, inert material added to absorb liquids present in the waste.
If
no liquids are found and all other conditions are acceptable, the waste
is packaged, sent for final characterization and certification, and
prepared for shipment and disposal. The site’s waste management project
is preparing to ship several hundred containers of non-transuranic waste
that will be generated from the ongoing sludge repackaging project.
Employees
implemented the use of multi-layered, mixed low-level waste disposal
bags that have eliminated the need for offsite treatment prior to
shipment to an offsite waste repository, resulting in a cost savings of
approximately $10 million since 2014.
-Contributor: Erik Simpson
Creativity Leads SRS to Complete Equipment Test During COVID-19 Pandemic
A
factory acceptance test for a Savannah River Remediation equipment
procurement was completed remotely instead of in-person at the
manufacturer’s site due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
AIKEN, S.C. – EM and its liquid waste contractor at the Savannah River Site (SRS) used creativity to complete a critical equipment test recently while adhering to COVID-19 guidelines.
The
Savannah River Remediation (SRR) tank closure team needed to complete a
factory acceptance test for a water addition pump skid being procured
to supply water for Tank 27 salt dissolution. The tests, which help
identify issues with new equipment and correct them prior to shipment,
are a significant step in the procurement process at SRS.
Water
additions are necessary for salt dissolution, allowing the salt waste
to be transferred from the tank for processing and immobilization. Tank
27 salt dissolution is key to the site’s liquid waste program and will
feed multiple salt batches when the Salt Waste Processing Facility comes
online.
After
bulk salt dissolution is completed, Tank 27 will be available for
continued use as a hub or blend tank to support salt waste processing
and eventual closure of F Tank Farm.
The
tests are typically conducted at the manufacturer’s site prior to
delivery and installation at SRS. However, SRR tank closure staff
couldn’t travel for the onsite inspection at the manufacturer due to
restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Instead,
the team held video calls on their smartphones to conduct a group
surveillance of the skid equipment. SRR Project Manager Sam Rollings
said the test was completed satisfactorily.
“Thanks
to the team’s adaptability and willingness to work together, we were
able to complete this critical step in the procurement and keep the
delivery on schedule for this important piece of equipment,” Rollings
said.
-Contributor: Colleen Hart
SRS Landscape Central to National Partnership’s Fight to Eradicate Rabies
Patrick Ryan, a technician at Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, collects biological samples from a sedated raccoon.
AIKEN, S.C. – Since 2017, the wild lands of the Savannah River Site (SRS) have served as a front line in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) fight to eradicate rabies in the nation.
Researchers at the University of Georgia’s (UGA) Savannah River Ecology Laboratory
(SREL) have been conducting studies focused on the elimination of
rabies in raccoons in partnership with the National Rabies Management
Program operated by USDA’s Animal Plant Health and Inspection Service
(APHIS). The research is intended to determine the most efficient method
for vaccinating the raccoon population to support the goal of
preventing the spread of wildlife rabies.
Olin
“Gene” Rhodes, director of SREL and a wildlife ecologist, said the
site’s 310-square-mile landscape and its diverse habitats,
characteristic of the southeast U.S., are ideal for conducting the
research.
“Rabies
is classified as a zoonotic disease because it is transmitted from
animals to humans. If not quickly treated, it is fatal to humans, and it
is a significant issue in the southeastern U.S.,” Rhodes said. “Large
areas of federally owned land like the SRS are excellent locations for
critical research on zoonotic diseases as they are home to large
populations of animals that commonly carry the variants of the rabies
virus in the southeastern U.S., like raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats.”
According
to APHIS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, raccoons
are the dominant carrier and species of concern for rabies in the
region.
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EM Update | Vol. 12, Issue 18 | July 21, 2020
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Crews Resume Environmental Cleanup at ETEC |
Before-and-after photos of cleanup of two areas in the F Area Analytical Laboratory facilities at the Savannah River Site.
F
Area is home to the decommissioned F Canyon chemical processing
facility and 235-F Plutonium Finishing Facility, which is currently
undergoing deactivation activities.
“Our
goal is to eventually move all personnel and capabilities out of F Area
and to put all facilities located there in surveillance and maintenance
until they are decommissioned,” said FH Lab Lay-up and Deactivation
Senior Project Manager Anatia Whittenburg.
Since
fiscal year (FY) 2018, the F Area Team has taken 10 laboratories no
longer used out of service in the F Area analytical facilities,
Whittenburg said.
“We
are expected to complete activities to take four additional labs out of
service this fiscal year,” said Whittenburg. “In addition to this work,
a number of gloveboxes and radiohoods are no longer in use in operating
labs and the team has been working to clean out those units, which will
allow us to accelerate deactivation activities next year.”
The
SRNS deactivation team is also removing and discarding unneeded
equipment. The deactivation of the F Area analytical facilities moves F
Area closer to being put in surveillance and maintenance mode, which
lowers the cost of operational activities.
The
colocation of SRNL capabilities is scheduled to continue through fiscal
FY2021 until deactivation of the F Area Analytical Laboratories can
begin. The site plans to begin those deactivation activities in FY2021
and complete them in FY2023.
-Contributor: Lindsey MonBarren
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How EM Nevada’s Route Monitoring Ensures Safety of Waste Shipments
LAS VEGAS - A 5.8-magnitude earthquake centered near Lone Pine, California recently prompted rapid notifications from the EM Nevada Program to waste generators shipping classified and low-level, and mixed low-level radioactive waste to the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS).
That
swift reaction to ever-changing road conditions in the region is a
routine occurrence that demonstrates the EM Nevada Program’s commitment
to the safe transportation of waste for the protection of the public, workers, and the environment.
Following
the earthquake, Lee Stevens, a transportation expert with Navarro
Research and Engineering, the lead environmental program services
contractor for EM Nevada, immediately relayed key information concerning
regional road conditions and closures to waste generators with
shipments en route to the NNSS. His quick thinking and proactive
communication helped ensure the safety of drivers and their loads,
minimized rerouting or shipping delays, and facilitated continuous
situational awareness for DOE staff supporting NNSS waste management
operations.
“EM
Nevada is doing great work to keep waste generators across the DOE
complex aware of road and weather conditions on routes to the NNSS,” EM
Nevada Program Manager Rob Boehlecke said. “Lee’s rapid response on June
24 not only helped to ensure the safety of drivers and their cargo, but
also demonstrated that EM Nevada is ready, willing, and able to respond
decisively to a more significant event if the need arises.”
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A female Virginia opossum shelters in a tree stump at the Savannah River Site.
Guha
Dharmarajan, an assistant research scientist at SREL, supervises
graduate students working on the project. He said inoculating raccoon
populations in southeastern states requires overcoming an obstacle:
opossums.
Opossums,
non-carriers of the virus, can be found in the same habitats as the
raccoons — bottomland swamps, isolated wetlands, and upland pine. As a
result, they often consume the bait intended for raccoons, according to
Dharmarajan.
“We
are using capture-recapture methods and remote camera surveillance to
determine how densities of raccoons and opossums differ among common
southeastern habitat types, like those found on the SRS. Using this
data, we can improve the efficacy of USDA’s baiting strategy in the
region,” he said.
A
major component of the research is the cost-effective approach of
distributing oral placebo baits in the habitats to determine the
percentage of baits eaten by the raccoons as well as the percentage
taken by non-target species such as opossums. The results will provide
guidance to USDA on the most efficient method to distribute oral
vaccines to ensure a high rate of inoculation in the species.
Rhodes
said ensuring the health of wild species is vital to ensuring human
health, particularly in the case of zoonotic diseases. He also said
research data that may be used to combat the spread of the disease is
critical to the environmental stewardship goals of DOE and other federal
agencies that are large landholders in the U.S.
Through
its cooperative agreement with the DOE, UGA has been able to develop
facilities, expertise, and capabilities to use the SRS as a testing
ground for research focused on solving large-scale issues critical to
human health and the control of zoonotic disease in the U.S.
-Contributors: David Bernasconi, Vicky Sutton-Jackson
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