Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

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The Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is located on a 2,720-hectare (6,800-acre) tract in Batavia, Illinois, approximately 48 kilometers (30 miles) west of downtown Chicago.

FACILITY MISSION

The Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory began its mission as a single-program research and development facility for the Atomic Energy Commission in 1972, when the first accelerator at the laboratory began operations.

The Laboratory's current mission is to conduct research in high-energy physics under the direction of the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Research. This research includes acceleration and collision of subatomic particles and examining the products of these interactions. This process is accelerated via a series of five machines of increasing size and capability. After acceleration, protons may be extracted and sent to one of three fixed target areas or they may be kept in the accelerator and used in collisions with antiprotons traveling in the opposite direction. The information gained from these studies contributes to understanding the basic nature of matter and forces.

The Environmental Management program's sole mission at the Laboratory is to provide waste management support to the Office of Energy Research. There are no current or planned Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization or Environmental Restoration program activities at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The Office of Energy Research is the landlord at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, and this report assumes that it will remain in this capacity for the duration of this estimate.

FUTURE USE

The Fermi National Accelerator will continue to operate as a national high energy physics accelerator laboratory under the direction of the Office of Energy Research for the duration of this estimate. During this time, use of the facility will remain Industrial, with restricted access. At the completion of Department of Energy Operations, the Environmental Management Future Use Site Working Group projects that land use at the site will be as depicted in the map below.

WASTE MANAGEMENT

The Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory currently manages hazardous waste, and small amounts of low-level and low-level mixed waste. This waste is generated by the research and development operations of the Department's Energy Research program and ultimately is transferred to the Waste Management program for treatment, storage, and disposal. This estimate assumes that the Waste Management program at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory will continue to be responsible for the treatment, storage, and disposal costs for the Office of Energy Research-generated waste until FY 2070.

Low-Level Mixed Waste

This estimate assumes that Energy Research program activities will generate approximately seven cubic meters (nine cubic yards) of low-level mixed waste through FY 2002.

The Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory does not treat, store, or dispose of low-level mixed waste onsite. The Laboratory will continue to ship all low-level mixed waste to an appropriate commercial treatment and disposal facility.

Low-Level Waste

This estimate assumes that Energy Research program activities will generate approximately 3,561 cubic meters (4,665 cubic yards) of low-level waste through FY 2070.

The Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory will continue to ship low-level waste to the Department's Hanford facility in Washington State for disposal.

Hazardous Waste

The Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory generates hazardous waste, as defined by Resource Conservation and Recovery Act regulations, incident to accelerator operation and maintenance. In FY 1995, the Laboratory generated approximately 132 cubic meters (173 cubic yards) of hazardous waste. This estimate assumes that Energy Research program activities will generate approximately 6,444 cubic meters (8,442 cubic yards) of hazardous waste through FY 2070.

The Laboratory has a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit to operate an onsite hazardous waste storage facility. The permit was approved and issued by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Laboratory currently manages all Resource Conservation and Recovery Act hazardous waste onsite in satellite accumulation areas and the Hazardous Waste Storage Facility according to permit provisions prior to treatment and disposal at appropriate offsite commercial facilities.

Direct Program Management/Support

Program management at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory involves program planning, management of small projects, waste minimization activities, and ongoing waste management activities. Program management activities are not separated from routine operations. The Laboratory currently does not fund grants or Agreements-In-Principle.

DESCRIPTION OF PERSONNEL

Current Composition

The Department of Energy currently employs 14.5 Full-Time Equivalents to support Environmental Management program activities at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The Laboratory's work force consists of federal and contractor personnel. Employees include engineers, technicians, and managers. The table below indicates the current work force by labor category. The Laboratory contracts with a variety of engineering, consulting, and site investigation firms to perform environmental management activities.

* The Projections for Full-Time Equivalent employees are based on FY 1996 planning baselines (see Reader's Guide).

Site Management Structure

University Research Associates is the integrating contractor for the Environmental Management program activities at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory for the Department of Energy as well as the managing and operating contractor. University Research Associates integrates its own work activities, as well as those of the Department of Energy prime contractors for technical support, engineering, and construction, and their University Research Associates' subcontractors for site remedial investigative work. University Research Associates' current management and operations contract is scheduled to expire at the end of FY 1996.

Future Full-Time Equivalent Needs

This report assumes that the number of needed Full-Time Equivalents supporting Environmental Management program activities at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory will remain stable over the life cycle of this estimate.

FUNDING ESTIMATE

The following table presents estimated funding information for the Fermi National Accelerated Laboratory.

COMPARISON WITH PREVIOUS ESTIMATE

The costs for the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in the FY 1996 Baseline Environmental Management Report have doubled from those presented in the FY 1995 report. This increase is due to the Waste Management program national assumption that the duration of support to the Office of Energy Research will approximately double from 35 years to a 75 years. See the Comparison Table on the following page for additional life-cycle cost information.