III. Status of CERCLA Activities at Department of Energy Sites

This section of the report provides information on the DOE's progress in reaching IAGs; public comments regarding proposed IAGs; instances in which no IAG was reached; progress in conducting RI/FSs; progress in conducting remedial actions and response activities at NPL sites; and progress in conducting remedial action at non-NPL sites.

Identification of NPL and Non-NPL Sites

There are currently 23 DOE sites on the NPL. These sites are presented by state on Table III-1 . Table III-1 also includes information relating to when each site was placed on the NPL and the status of the IAG for the site. Figure I-1 shows the location of these facilities. The Hanford Site is presented as one site on the figure; however, four sites (Areas 100, 200, 300, and 1100) are listed separately on the NPL.

III.A. Progress in Reaching Interagency Agreements

The CERCLA Section 120(e)(2) requires that within 180 days after the EPA's review of an RI/FS, the Federal facility must enter into an IAG (i.e., an agreement between DOE and EPA) for the expeditious completion of all necessary remedial action. It is DOE policy, however, to enter into IAGs addressing both the RI/FS and the implementation of remedial action before the RI/FS is completed. IAGs are revised as necessary to incorporate new information, adjust schedules, and address changing conditions.

IAGs are known by different names at different sites. DOE has entered into the following types of IAGs addressing CERCLA remediation: FFAs, Federal Facility Consent Agreements, and a Tri-Party Agreement. The names of the IAGs used by the site are those cited in this report.

As shown on Table III-1, DOE has entered into IAGs at 20 of the 23 facilities on the NPL.

The three sites for which IAGs have not yet been concluded (Laboratory for Energy-Related Health Research, CA; Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, KY; and Pantex Plant, TX) were added to the NPL during fiscal year 1994 (FY 94). IAGs are currently being negotiated at these sites. DOE has not experienced any failure to conclude an IAG within 180 days after EPA review of an RI/FS.

III.B. Specific Cost Estimates and Budgetary Proposals to Support Environmental Restoration Activities Required by the IAG

The site summaries presented in Sections IV and V contain dollar amounts that support the environmental restoration activities that are being performed pursuant to CERCLA as specified in IAGs. Consequently, these dollar amounts do not represent the entire environmental restoration budget for the site.

The FY 95 amount in each summary box represents actual dollars spent in FY 95. The FY 96 dollars is the appropriated funding and the FY 97 is the request in the President's Budget.

III.C. Public Comments Regarding Proposed Interagency Agreements

During FY 95, no new IAGs were proposed. Consequently, there were no public comments regarding proposed IAGs.

Negotiations on Amendment 6 of the Hanford Tri-Party Agreement will be completed in FY 95 and the 45 day public comment period will end in FY 95. Public comments regarding the renegotiated agreement will be discussed in next year's CERCLA 120 report.

Discussions began in FY 93 between DOE and regulatory agencies regarding amendments to the IAG at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site. The public has been kept abreast of this activity, and a preliminary draft of the amended IAG was made available for informal public comment in FY 95. Negotiations on the amended IAG are expected to be completed in FY 96 and the 60-day public comment period is expected to end in FY 96.

III.D. Instances in Which No Interagency Agreement Was Reached

There is no instance where DOE has failed to reach an IAG within 180 days of the completion of EPA's review of an RI/FS. As mentioned earlier, the three NPL sites where DOE has not yet entered into IAGs—the Laboratory for Energy-Related Health Research (LEHR), CA; Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, KY; and Pantex Plant, TX—were placed on the NPL in FY 94. DOE expects to sign IAGs for these facilities before the RI/FSs for these facilities are completed.

III.E. Progress in Conducting Remedial Investigations/Feasibility Studies at NPL Sites

CERCLA Section 120(e)(1) specifies that RI/FS work must be initiated within 6 months after a site is listed on the NPL. RI/FS work was initiated within this statutory time frame at all 23 DOE facilities on the NPL.

Highlights of FY 95 RI/FS accomplishments are listed below.

Brookhaven National Laboratory - An RI/RA, an RI/FS Work Plan, a draft PP, and draft ROD were submitted to the EPA and State of New York. A groundwater removal action draft EE/CA and action memorandum were also submitted to EPA and the state.

Fernald Environmental Management Project - One RI Report, three draft RODs, two draft Remedial Design Work Plans, one FS/PP, one RI/FS/PP, and one RD/RA Work Plan were submitted. Two RI Reports, three RODs, two Remedial Design Work Plans, two FS/PPs, and one RD/RA Work Plan were approved. Three RODs were issued.

Hanford Site (Areas 100, 200, 300, and 1100) - Nine PPs, ten FS Reports, one Phase 3 FS Report, one Phase 2 RI Report, and two Limited Field Investigation Reports were submitted. Three RODs were issued.

Idaho National Engineering Laboratory - RI/FS activities are complete or underway at all of the ten waste area groups (WAGs).

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory - Site 300 - Draft and final FSs for the General Services Area (GSA) OU 1 were submitted in FY 95. Te Final FS for OU 3 was submitted in FY 95.

Maywood Site - Comments on the PP were provided in September 1995, and it will be released for public comment in FY 96.

Monticello Mill Site - The Draft Final OU 3 RI/FS Work Plan, Field Sampling Plan, and Quality Assurance Project Plan were submitted for regulatory review in September 1995. Soil, sediment, surface water, groundwater, and biota sampling in support of the RI was completed in summer/fall 1995.

Mound Plant - OU 1 ROD was completed, and the design phase of the Miami-Erie canal removal action was initiated. The EPA approved the sale or lease of a 30-acre parcel of land. A plan was initiated to accelerate cleanup of the entire plant.

Oak Ridge Reservation - Submittal of one RI/FS, five PPs, and two RODs were accomplished in FY 95. One RI and RI/FS was completed in FY 95.

Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant - Two interim action RODs were approved. Two RI Reports and one RI addendum was completed.

Pantex Plant - In FY 95, the assessment phase for eight projects was completed.

Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site - Two RODs were completed and approved by regulatory agencies in FY 95. Two Final Phase I RI Reports and one Final FS Report were completed. Two IM/IRA decision documents were submitted.

Savannah River Site - Fifteen RFI/RI Plans, 13 RFI/RI and Baseline Risk Assessments, three RD/RA Work Plans, two Corrective Measures Studies/FS Reports, and 24 Site Evaluation Reports were submitted. Four remedial RODs were signed.

St. Louis Site - The FS was completed and submitted to EPA and the State of Missouri for review. EPA and DOE have agreed to postpone the submittal of the PP to accommodate recommendations from the St. Louis Citizens Task Force on a selected remedy.

Wayne Site - The PP for the site was developed, EPA Region II provided comments on the Plan in September 1995, and it will be released for public comment in FY 96.

Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project - The Site Groundwater Sampling Plan was completed in August 1995, and the joint Remedial Action Work Plan (prepared with the Department of the Army) for the Site Groundwater Operable Unit was completed in May 1995.

III.F. Progress in Conducting Remedial Actions at NPL Sites

CERCLA Section 120(e)(2) requires that substantial, continuous, physical, onsite remedial action commence at each facility not later than 15 months after completion of the RI/FS. During FY 95, several sites made significant progress in their remedial actions. Highlights of some of the activities that occurred in FY 95 are listed below.

Hanford Site (Areas 100, 200, 300, and 1100) - Cleanup was completed in the 1100 Area. More than 11 million gallons of groundwater have been treated and the past-practice disposal facility (the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility) started construction.

Idaho National Engineering Laboratory - Thirty No Further Action determinations were approved following the guidance as outlined in the FFA/Consent Order.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory - Livermore Site - Currently, five groundwater treatment facilities are operating, with hydraulic control of the western offsite plume established, including dramatic reductions in contaminant concentrations.

Maywood Site - Remedial action at five vicinity properties was completed in 1995.

Mound Site - Seven removal actions were completed. A 30-acre parcel was declared clean for other uses.

Monticello Mill Site - At the Mill Site OU 1, construction of the staging area, including decontamination facilities, haul roads, and the runoff retention pond, was completed; installation of surface water drainage control structures is near completion. At the Mill Site OU 2, remedial action began on three peripheral properties and was completed on one property in FY 95. In addition, there were six project starts and six project completions in FY 95.

Monticello Vicinity Properties - Remedial actions were completed for 81 Monticello Vicinity Properties in FY 95. Remedial actions on 375 vicinity properties out of a project total of 411 properties have been completed through FY 95.

Oak Ridge Reservation - Five interim actions were completed and two remedial actions proceeded to the construction phase.

Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site - During FY 95, sludge removal was completed at the OU 4 solar ponds. Design of a passive leachate collection system for the OU 7 present landfill was also completed.

Ross Complex - Cleanup of the Capacitor Test Job, initiated in January 1994, is now complete. Installation of a multilayer cap over the Fog Chamber Dump was completed in October 1994. Soil treatments for the contaminated soil excavated from the Wood Pole Storage Yard are continuing and are expected to be completed in FY 96. Cleanup of the substation capacitor yard, including the replacement of PCB equipment, was initiated and is expected to be completed early in FY 96. This PCB removal is the last of the remediation activities included in the RODs.

Savannah River Site - Five remedial actions were completed.

Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project - Construction was completed and testing initiated for a Pilot Sludge Processing Facility. Additionally, Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project completed acquisition of 2 million cubic yards of soil in the Soil Borrow Area from the State of Missouri in July 1995.

III.G. Progress in Conducting Removal and Interim Actions at NPL Sites

Response actions other than remedial action activities were taken during FY 95. These actions were primarily removal or interim actions designed to provide prompt or immediate response to actual or potential threats of a release of hazardous substances to the environment. Highlights of some of the activities that occurred in FY 95 are listed below.

Brookhaven National Laboratory - Six major removal actions are planned or are underway. In FY 95, 23 Cesspool removal actions were completed, the D-Tanks removal action was completed, 4 underground storage tanks were cut and packaged and the wastes were shipped offsite, and the landfill capping was initiated and is expected to be completed in early FY 96.

Fernald Environmental Management Project - Three removal actions were completed in FY 95. An additional eight removal actions have been planned or are underway.

Hanford Site (Areas 100, 200, 300, and 1100) - An EE/CA for the expedited construction of a barrier wall and the start of a pump and treat system at N-Springs was completed. In addition, the carbon tetrachloride vapor extraction system at 200-ZP-2 is now automated.

Idaho National Engineering Laboratory - Activities are continuing on five removal actions. Two interim actions were completed and activities continued on three other interim actions.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory - Site 300 - Two interim groundwater treatment facilities continued operations, and the Interim Soil Vapor Extraction Facility at Building 834 was restarted.

Maywood Site - Maywood Interim Storage Site Pile removal operations began in FY 95. Approximately 40 percent of the waste has been removed.

Oak Ridge Reservation - Two removal actions and five interim actions were completed.

Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant - The plant completed construction and began operation of two interim actions. Activities continued on one removal action and two interim actions from previous years.

Pantex Plant - Five removal actions were completed, well ahead of the Facility Action Plan requirement. Per priority number 1 in the Environmental Restoration Strategic Plan, a high-explosive-contaminated groundwater treatment system was installed in FY 95.

Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site - A groundwater collection and treatment IRA facility at OU 1 and a surface water collection and treatment IRA at OU 2 continued operation throughout FY 95. Work continued in FY 95 on Option B Offsite Water Projects to replace the drinking-water supply for the city of Broomfield, Colorado. Design of the system has been completed, and pipeline construction from the alternate water source is well underway. Ten Accelerated Actions were completed.

Ross Complex - Continued groundwater monitoring of OU B is planned for the next 3 years unless a review of conditions demonstrates that the groundwater quality is stable and additional monitoring is unnecessary.

Savannah River Site - Fifteen Interim Actions were completed.

St. Louis Site - Remedial action was performed at six residential vicinity properties in FY 95. An additional eight vicinity properties are scheduled for remedial action in FY 96.

Wayne Site - A non-time-critical removal action was initiated in FY 95 to dispose of contaminated material from the interim storage pile. The waste was disposed of at a commercial disposal facility in Utah.

Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project - The demolition of four more Chemical Plant buildings was completed in December 1994. The site completed excavation of 72,883 cubic yards in the Quarry Bulk Waste removal effort in September 1995, for a cumulative excavated volume of 116,000 cubic yards (approximately 96 percent of the total anticipated volume).

Additional information on cleanup initiatives undertaken at DOE NPL facilities is provided in the detailed narratives found in Section III of this report.

III.H. Progress in Performing Cleanup Activities at Facilities Not on the NPL

Many DOE facilities that are not listed on the NPL are conducting cleanup activities. Additional information on cleanup initiatives undertaken at facilities not listed on the NPL is provided in the detailed narratives found in Section V of this report. Highlights of some of the activities that occurred in FY 95 are presented below.

Nevada Test Site - A preliminary Risk Assessment and Draft Cost/Benefit Analysis for large areas of soils contaminated with plutonium from past activities were completed. One remediation (SAFER Closure of 5 Point Landfill), 22 Interim Actions (removal of 12 underground storage tanks and 10 septic tanks), four assessments, and one decommissioning (Junior Hot Cell) project were completed. Additional characterization and groundwater monitoring wells were installed as part of an effort to develop a regional groundwater model for predicting contaminant transport. The Underground Test Area RI/FS project regional groundwater modeling effort is scheduled for completion late in 1996.