Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

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The 331-hectare (134-acre) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory site is located on the western side of Berkeley Hills adjacent to the Berkeley Campus of the University of California. The site, which the University leases to the Department of Energy, is bordered on the north by single family residences and on the west by multifamily dwellings, student residence halls, and commercial buildings.

FACILITY MISSION

Since the early 1930s, the University of California has leased the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to the Department of Energy for a wide range of energy­related research activities, including research in nuclear and high­energy physics, accelerator research and development, materials research, and chemistry, geology, molecular biology, and biomedical research.

As part of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's energy research mission, the facility has developed and operated national experimental facilities, including: three large accelerators (the Bevatron, the Super Heavy Ion Linear Accelerator, and the 88­inch Cyclotron): several small accelerators, the National Center for Electron Microscopy, and the Human Genome Center. They also include a number of radiochemical laboratories, several large gamma irradiators, the National Tritium Labeling Facility; and the newly completed Advanced Light Source.

Investigation and restoration of environmental contamination is currently being conducted at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory under the Department of Energy's Environmental Management program. This program supports the Office of Energy Research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and is part of the Department's nationwide effort to identify and clean up contaminated areas at its facilities. Environmental restoration activities include site investigations and corrective measures undertaken in accordance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, federal, and state regulations. This report assumes corrective measures will be in place by July 2002. Waste management activities at the site include transport, limited treatment, storage and disposal of mixed radioactive, radioactive (including transuranic), and hazardous waste. Sources of waste are the Office of Energy Research activities and environmental restoration activities. There are no current or planned Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization activities conducted at the Laboratory.

The Office of Energy Research is the Department of Energy landlord for the Laboratory. This report assumes that this relationship will continue for the life cycle of this estimate. Therefore, the report does not anticipate that the Office of Environmental Management will cover costs associated with landlord activities such as site permitting, maintenance, and monitoring. The University of California owns the land and leases it to the Department.

FUTURE USE

The Oakland Operations Office and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory are actively participating with the local community, regulators, and other interested stakeholders in an effort to reach agreement on future-use scenarios. Monthly forums are held with stakeholders to discuss outstanding issues.

This estimate assumes that the future use of the facility will be Industrial: the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will continue to be used for energy-related research activities. In accordance with changing research requirements, some facilities will be decommissioned or converted for new missions.

ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION

The Environmental Restoration program mission is to identify areas of soil and ground-water contamination that may have resulted from past releases of materials to the environment; determine the sources and extent of contamination; develop and implement plans to remediate contaminated areas; and ensure that all activities comply with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act corrective action process and applicable federal, state, and local regulations.

The principal environmental concerns at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory involve soil and ground­water contamination from past operations. This report assumes that environmental restoration activities will include characterization of the nature and extent of contamination, interim actions to prevent the migration of known contaminants, and closure of the existing Hazardous Waste Handling Facility.

The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Hazardous Waste Handling Facility operates under the provisions of the Resource Conservation and Recover Act. On May 4, 1993, the California Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Toxic Substances Control issued a Part B permit to the Laboratory. The permit requires the Laboratory to investigate and address problems associated with past waste management practices at the Laboratory site. The Department of Toxic Substances Control completed a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Facility Assessment of the Laboratory in November 1992 and required the Laboratory to conduct a Facility Investigation. The objective of the Facility Investigation is to determine the extent and sources of contamination.

During the investigation phase, several Interim Corrective Measures have been accomplished to mitigate identified contamination and to prevent offsite migration. Corrective action measures initiated in compliance with a Regional Water Quality Control Board Order in October 1988, focused on the contamination detected in a network of hydraugers (horizontal drains installed to stabilize slopes). The site cleanup strategy will be finalized after investigations, corrective measures studies, and risk assessments are completed. This report assumes that remedial action will involve pumping and treating ground water, excavating contaminated soils and disposing of them offsite, and capping and monitoring.

It is likely that the Department will pursue ground-water "Containment Zones" at specific site locations (under the Containment Zone Policy, certain contaminants may be allowed to be left in place provided certain regulatory requirements are met). Domestic use of ground water at these locations is highly unlikely. In the event that new issues develop over ground-water use, it may be necessary to reconsider this decision. The Containment Zone strategy will save significant tax dollars.

This report assumes that established regulatory standards, such as Maximum Contaminant Levels under the Safe Drinking Water Act and background levels found in the environment will be used as cleanup levels. However, final cleanup levels will be negotiated with the regulators upon completion of the site risk assessment.

The Environmental Restoration program funds waste management activities for restoration generated waste.

ASSESSMENT

The nature and extent of soil and ground-water contamination has not been fully characterized, and a site-wide public health and environmental risk assessment remains to be performed. In 1992, site assessment in 1992 identified 136 areas requiring further investigation. As areas are adequately characterized and/or cleaned up to acceptable levels, regulators approve closing them as complete. As of March, 1996, 85 areas have been completed, an additional 22 have been discovered during investigations, and 73 remaining areas require further investigation and/or cleanup. This report assumes that between five and ten areas will require clean up or monitoring once assessment activities are completed in 1997.

Potential contaminant sources include several sewer systems, above and underground storage tanks, contaminated fill material, an abandoned sump, and the National Tritium Labeling Facility. Contamination is generally localized adjacent to release sites. Seven plumes of ground-water contamination have been identified; six contain halogenated hydrocarbons, one is fuel-related, and one contains tritium. One ground-water plume threatening the site border has been contained on site via interim corrective pump and treat measures. There is no evidence of any offsite contamination. Extensive diesel contaminated soil has also been identified in the vicinity of Building 74. This report assumes that the remaining areas requiring investigation will have contamination patterns similar to what has been discovered.

The Department is using a phased approach in conducting the Facility Investigation. All Facility Investigation activities are scheduled for completion in FY 1997. The Resource Conservation Recovery Act Corrective Measures Study is scheduled to begin in FY 1996 and to be completed in FY 1999. Corrective Measures Design is scheduled to begin in FY 1997 and Corrective Measures Construction is scheduled to be completed in FY 2002.

Contamination at the Hazardous Waste Handling Facility is considered to be restricted to the actual Hazardous Waste Handling Facility structures and the shallow surface soil in the immediate vicinity. The contamination is not expected to have impacted ground water.

REMEDIAL ACTION

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act closure of the existing Hazardous Waste Handling Facility is scheduled for FY 1996 to FY 1998, following the completion of the new Hazardous Waste Handling Facility. The existing Hazardous Waste Handling Facility includes Buildings 75, 75A, and 69; the Corporation Yard; and the Building 77 coolant evaporator. It handles a variety of organic solvents, waste acids, oxidizers, corrosive liquids, waste oil, polychlorinated biphenyls, asbestos, metal sludge, mercury waste, waste coolant, and contaminated soils. This estimate assumes that no post-closure care will be required for the existing Hazardous Waste Handling Facility because all waste and contaminated materials will be removed.

Pollution control measures currently being implemented at the Laboratory site include the capture, treatment, and discharge of treated waste water to the sanitary sewer system. Treated waste water is monitored for compliance with East Bay Municipal Utility District discharge requirements. The Department issues a formal report to the District on an annual basis. Consistent compliance by the Laboratory facility has resulted in reducing the reporting period from every six months to once a year.

Several interim actions have been taken to prevent the migration of known contaminants from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory site. These actions include extracting and treating of ground water at several locations (to include the hydraugers near Building 51, the volatile organic compound plume near Building 37, and the Old Town Plume east of Building 46) and excavating of contaminated soils in source areas (to include the source at Building 7, in addition to fuel-related hydrocarbons and mercury contamination discovered at several different locations). To date 12.5 million liters (3.3 million gallons) of contaminated water have been extracted and treated, and 500 cubic meters (653 cubic yards) of contaminated soil have been removed. Future strategies include ground-water extraction and treatment, soil gas extraction, and soil removal. Waste generated as a result of environmental restoration activities is handled through the Waste Management program at the site.

Remaining radioactive and mixed waste, (estimated at 613 cubic meters [803 cubic yards]), which is stored in the existing Hazardous Waste Handling Facility, will be shipped to the Hanford facility in FY 1995. Closure of the Hazardous Waste Handling Facility will generate an estimated 50 cubic meters (66 cubic yards) of low-level waste, 10 cubic meters (13 cubic yards) in the form of concrete rubble, and 40 cubic meters (52 cubic yards) of contaminated soil. Rinsate from the closure of the Hazardous Waste Handling Facility will generate an estimated 870 drums or 181 cubic meters (237 cubic yards) of waste water. The hazardous waste from the Hazardous Waste Handling Facility closure will be disposed of at commercial offsite treatment, storage, and disposal facilities.

LONG-TERM SURVEILLANCE AND MONITORING

Current surveillance and monitoring efforts at the Laboratory include weekly sampling of water treatment systems, quarterly ground-water sampling of all site monitoring wells, and weekly sampling of gas measuring instrumentation to define the extent of certain types of contamination, ongoing development of new monitoring wells, and the performance of tracer tests designed to define contaminate flow paths.

A group of wells located inside the Laboratory site perimeter are included as part of the site-wide network of monitoring wells. The purpose of this well system is to ensure detection and prevention of off-site migration. To date, no offsite migration has occurred. It is estimated that monitoring and sampling efforts will continue until 2023 (approximately 20 years beyond final remediation).

Direct Program Management/Support

Program management tasks supporting environmental restoration at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory include personnel management; maintenance of site­wide environmental data; strategic planning; financial management; interaction with the Department of Energy, external regulatory agencies, and the public; permitting; monitoring of project progress; provision of a technical advisory board; and administrative support.

WASTE MANAGEMENT

Waste management activities include the transport, limited treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous, radioactive (including transuranic), and mixed radioactive waste. Current sources of waste include normal laboratory operations and environmental restoration interim actions that generate a small amount. Continued research operations will generate further waste. See the Site Map for the location of Waste Management program activities.

The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory operates a treatment and storage facility under a Resource Conservation Recovery Act Part B permit issued on May 4, 1993. The permit allows the facility to consolidate, neutralize, and solidify mixed radioactive waste, and allows temporary storage of hazardous and radioactive waste prior to disposal. The existing Hazardous Waste Handling Facility is scheduled for closure by FY 1998. A Hazardous Waste Handling Facility replacement is under construction and planned for completion in FY 1996.

Laboratory operations generate low­level and low­level mixed radioactive waste. The types of hazardous waste handled at the Laboratory include polychlorinated biphenyls, corrosive liquids, organic solvents, heavy metals, water­reactive chemicals, oxidizing agents, flammable liquids, strong acids, and asbestos. Mixed radioactive waste streams include lab­packed liquids and solids with acids, alkalines, reactives, oxidizers, organic liquids, induced lead and mercury waste, scintillation fluids, and contaminated debris.

Key facility compliance actions concern air emissions, wastewater, and sanitary sewer discharge. The Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy have negotiated a Federal Facility Compliance Agreement to bring the Laboratory into full compliance with federal and state laws governing air emissions by FY 1995. The Laboratory has an agreement in place with the East Bay Municipal Utility District regarding wastewater discharge compliance. Quarterly inspections and sampling are being conducted by the District.

Other near-term goals for waste management at the Laboratory include monitoring or removing inadequate underground storage tanks, and waste minimization activity that focuses on implementing recycling opportunities, toxicity reductions, materials substitution, and source process modifications.

Transuranic Waste

Transuranic and mixed transuranic waste is not routinely generated at the Laboratory. Small amounts are generated on a sporadic basis. If transuranic or mixed transuranic waste is generated as a result of the energy-related research at the Laboratory, it is identified and characterized at the point of generation.

The Laboratory does not have the capability to treat transuranic waste. It intends to have the transuranic waste pre-treated to a stable inert form to meet Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Waste Acceptance Criteria prior to disposal.

A small amount of transuranic waste (approximately four drums) is stored at Building 75A. This waste will continue to be stored at the Laboratory until a decision concerning nondefense transuranic waste is made. This report assumes that seven cubic meters (9 cubic yards) of transuranic waste will be disposed over the life cycle. All costs for transportation and disposal of transuranic waste are included in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant cost estimates. Costs for characterizing and packaging transuranic waste are included in the Lawrence Berkeley estimate.

Low-Level Mixed Waste

Laboratory researchers generate 13 different mixed low-level waste streams. This waste is generated predominately by laboratory waste, scintillation counting solutions, and shielding materials. The waste streams are grouped by physical and chemical categories, which include organic liquids, aqueous liquids, organic debris, laboratory packs, liquid mercury, and elemental lead. Mixed waste is identified, characterized, and labeled at the point of generation. It is then moved to the Hazardous Waste Handling Facility for final packaging before transport offsite. Waste characterization is based on generator knowledge. The generator is responsible for providing all information, including any necessary or required chemical analysis to adequately characterize mixed waste.

The Laboratory is currently evaluating treatment options for all of the mixed waste in storage. The Laboratory's Site Treatment Plan has identified the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory as the preferred treatment site for their low-level mixed waste, and currently has pre-treatment capabilities at Building 75 where they perform consolidation, solidification, and neutralization. This is the assumed treatment option for this cost estimate.

The Laboratory's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Part B Permit allows for nine mixed waste storage units. These storage units can accommodate 30,200 lites (8,000 gallons) of mixed waste and are all located in the Hazardous Waste Handling Facility. This report assumes the Laboratory will ship all mixed low-level waste to the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory and that the life-cycle disposal volume is 130 cubic meters (170 cubic yards).

Low-Level Waste

Various programs at the Laboratory generate low-level waste. The waste streams vary in composition and amount. The low-level waste generated includes miscellaneous debris, equipment, laboratory trash, and scintillation fluids. This waste is primarily contaminated with tritium and carbon-14. The low-level waste generation rate is approximately 14 cubic meters (18 cubic yards) per year. Low-level waste is identified and characterized at the point of generation. Waste characterization must show that the waste meets the waste acceptance criteria of the designated disposal site.

The Laboratory has limited treatment options for low-level waste. In most cases, the waste is packaged and sent offsite for disposal. The Laboratory has the capability to solidify liquid low-level waste to meet the disposal site's acceptance criteria. The Laboratory stores low-level waste onsite in Building 75A, which is part of the Hazardous Waste Handling Facility. The low-level waste is stored in approximately 100 0.2-cubic meter (55-gallon) drums for two to three years while awaiting shipment for disposal. The laboratory has no waste disposal facility onsite. All low-level waste is being sent to the Department of Energy low-level disposal facility at Hanford via a commercially licensed transporter. This report assumes Energy Research activities will generate 3,131 cubic meters (4,102 cubic yards) of low-level waste over the life cycle.

Hazardous Waste

Research activities at the Laboratory generate approximately 900 different waste streams, with a total annual volume of up to 150 cubic meters (197 cubic yards). These waste streams are typically generated in very small quantities. However, such a large variety of waste streams is difficult to manage. Typical waste streams generated are organic liquids, inorganic liquids, contaminated soils, laboratory chemicals, asbestos, paints, polychlorinated biphenyl-contaminated materials, batteries, and various gases.

Waste characterization is performed at the point of generation, based on generator knowledge or analytical results. The generator stores his waste in a satellite accumulation until the container is filled or the time limit is reached. At that time, the waste is either moved to a 90-day waste accumulation area or directly to the Hazardous Waste Handling Facility.

The Laboratory's liquid waste is lab-packed in the Hazardous Waste Handling Facility and bulk waste is stored in 0.2-cubic meter (55-gallon) drums. The Laboratory Part B permit provides for neutralization and consolidation at the Hazardous Waste Handling Facility. These activities are performed when necessary. The Laboratory is permitted for one-year storage. The average daily inventory of waste at the facility is below the permitted capacity of 63,786 liters (16,830 gallons). The Laboratory typically ships waste to an offsite commercial disposal facility once a week.

All hazardous waste received at the Hazardous Waste Handling Facility is sent for offsite disposal at a commercial facility by a certified commercial transporter. This report assumes Energy Research activities will generate 15,000 cubic meters (19,650 cubic yards).

Sanitary Waste

The Laboratory releases industrial and sanitary wastewater to the local sewer system operated by East Bay Municipal Utility District under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. Treated wastewater is monitored for compliance and a formal report is issued to the District on an annual basis.

Direct Program Management/Support

Program management tasks supporting Waste Management at the Laboratory include facility management; personnel management and training; administrative support; document, guidance, and procedure preparation and revision; database and waste-tracking management; liaison with Department of Energy and external regulatory agencies; audits; contractor oversight; budget preparation and control; and waste minimization planning.

DESCRIPTION OF PERSONNEL

Current Composition

The Laboratory Environmental Management Program is a multidisciplinary work force consisting of professionals, technicians, laborers, and craft workers. The table below presents the federal and contractor work force skill mix required to conduct the environmental management activities at the Laboratory.

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

Site Management Structure

The Oakland Operations Office is the field organization responsible for implementing the of Management Plans at the Laboratory. The University of California operates the Laboratory for the Department of Energy, Energy Research Program. The University is the management and operating contractor under a five-year contract, which ends on September 30, 1997, and is responsible for environmental restoration and waste management activities. Energy Research also performs site management activities.

Future Full-Time Equivalent Needs

Since Energy Research's mission is expected to continue for the foreseeable future, the Full-Time Equivalent Environmental Management needs are expected to remain fairly constant.

FUNDING ESTIMATE

The following table presents estimated funding information for the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

COMPARISON WITH PREVIOUS ESTIMATE

The estimated life-cycle costs for the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory increased to $533 million from $288 million in 1995. This represents a 95 percent increase, after taking the 1995 expenditure into account.

Differences in the 1995 and 1996 estimates reflect significant changes in the scope and schedule of activities at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. In the 1996 Baseline Report, program management costs are allocated across the programs. In the 1995 Report, Program Management costs were presented as a stand-alone section. This year these costs are presented as a line item within the cost tables for each respective program.

There are a number of changes in estimated cost and duration of Environmental Restoration activities (which increased to $54 million from $31 million in 1995, a 96 percent increase, after accounting for the 1995 expenditure). The Bevelac facility, although inactive since 1993 and owned by Energy Research, will be redirected for future use in energy research activities instead of being decommissioned. Assessment life-cycle costs are 13 percent lower in the 1996 Baseline Report because the University of California at Davis has assumed more responsibility for cleanup efforts. Estimated remediation costs increased from $23 million in 1995 to $38 million in 1996 because of a better estimate of the scope of required remedial action activities based on more complete assessment. Environmental Restoration program management costs increased from $9 million in 1995 to $12 million in 1996. This increase is attributed to a change in overhead rate and more complete cost estimating methods.

As a result of the national assumption that all Waste Management support of non-Environmental Management Department of Energy programs will continue until FY 2070, Waste Management support to the Office of Energy Research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has been extended. The 1996 estimated life cycle cost for waste management increased to $479 million from $208 million in 1995, a 142 percent increase after accounting for the 1995 expenditure. Hazardous waste management costs decreased from $125 million in the 1995 Baseline Report to $101 million in the 1996 Report because of enhanced waste minimization efforts in several hazardous waste streams. Low-level waste management costs increased from $25 million in 1995 to $44 million in 1996. Low-level mixed waste costs increased from $45 million in 1995 to $56 million in 1996 because of the increased duration of the Waste Management program. Support costs increased dramatically from $49 million in 1995 to $277 million in 1996. These increases are attributed to extending the Waste Management program at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Transuranic waste management costs were inadvertently excluded from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's 1995 cost estimate.