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THE OAK RIDGE ASSOCIATED UNIVERSITIES PROGRAM AND THE OAK RIDGE INSTITUTE FOR SCIENCE AND EDUCATION

The Oak Ridge Associated Universities Program and the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education consist of two primary sites, the South Campus Facility and the Freels Bend Area, located within the Oak Ridge Reservation. The South Campus Facility encompasses approximately 25 buildings and 52 hectares (130 acres) of pastureland, and is bounded by Bethel Valley Road, State Highway 62, Haw Ridge, and the Clinch River. This site also includes an area referred to as the Scarboro Operations Site. The Freels Bend Area is located approximately 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) southwest of the South Campus Facility. This area is also located within the Oak Ridge Reservation and is bounded on three sides by the Clinch River.

FACILITY MISSION

Oak Ridge Associated Universities was established in 1946. It is a private not-for-profit consortium of 82 colleges and universities whose mission is to provide and develop capabilities critical to the nation's technology infrastructure, particularly in the areas of energy, education, health, and the environment. The consortium provides its university members with access to federal research facilities and conducts research involving the use of various radionuclides and chemicals for the Department of Energy and other member institutions. Oak Ridge Associated Universities is also the managing and operating contractor for the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education. Because of past operations at the Oak Ridge Associated Universities facilities, various buildings and areas were contaminated with hazardous and radioactive waste. Environmental restoration of those sites is a part of the Department of Energy Environmental Management program in Oak Ridge. This work does not impact the mission of the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, which this report assumes will continue.

The South Campus Facility was originally established in 1945 to study accidental irradiation of cattle during testing of the first atomic bomb near Alamogordo, New Mexico. The scope of research soon included studies of the introduction and migration of radioisotopes in the food chain as well as various other agricultural problems. Currently, the area is used for office and laboratory space supporting various Oak Ridge Associated Universities programs. Access to the property is generally unrestricted; although signs are posted, no fences or barriers exist to prevent unauthorized entry. The primary environmental problem at the South Campus Facility is 926,100 liters (245,000 gallons) of trichloroethylene-contaminated ground water underlying the site.

The University of Tennessee Scarboro Operations Site, located at the South Campus Facility, of the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education once operated as a comparative animal research laboratory and an agricultural experiment station. The Scarboro Operations site was one of several government-owned facilities assigned to Oak Ridge Associated Universities and the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education in 1981. The majority of the buildings are currently used for office and laboratory space supporting various Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education programs. The principal environmental concerns involve radionuclide contamination at three inactive laboratory and testing facilities. This report assumes that Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization activities will be required for these sites, as well as decommissioning under the Environmental Restoration program.

The Freels Bend Area was used to support field research from the South Campus facility. It was a holding area for test animals being used to investigate the effects of irradiation at low dose rates and at variable dose rates. The test animals were subsequently observed over a period of time for exposure effects. The area includes three Animal Burial Sites (designated I, II, and III). Access to the 28 hectares (70 acres) of the Freels Bend Area is restricted and generally not open to the general public; although no fences or barriers surround the property, there is a locked gate at the access road. Because of the suspected presence of radionuclides, organic chemicals, and metals, the Department performed a preliminary assessment at Freels Bend in 1993. The assessment determined that no further investigation was required.

The costs associated with characterizing, containerizing, and shipping waste at this site are included within the scope of the Environmental Restoration program. Waste is shipped to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and costs associated with the treating, storing and disposing of that waste are included within the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Waste Management program estimate. All costs and activities associated with direct program management/support for the Oak Ridge Associated Universities Program and the Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education are included in the Oak Ridge Operations Office section of this report. The current landlord of these facilities is the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Research. This estimate assumes that the Energy Research program will remain in this capacity for the life cycle of this estimate.

FUTURE USE

The mission of the Oak Ridge Associated Universities and the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education continues to serve the needs of its member universities and the Department of Energy. The identified facilities are currently under Department of Energy control. This report assumes that ultimate use of the South Campus Facility will be Industrial. Oak Ridge has requested that the Freels Bend Area parcel be put under "self sufficiency;" however, the Department of Energy has not yet declared it as excess. This report assumes that the Department will ultimately release the Freels Bend Area for Open Space/Wildlife Management.

NUCLEAR MATERIAL AND FACILITY STABILIZATION

A total of six facilities declared surplus by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education are proposed for inclusion in the Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization program. These are grouped into one scheduling transfer unit. The program will accomplish stabilization and deactivation actions to reduce environmental, health, and safety risks; consolidate and remove waste inventories; and reduce surveillance and maintenance costs as facilities are prepared for decommissioning. Alternate uses for the facilities are also pursued during the process. Waste generated by these activities is assumed to be transferred to the Waste Management program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and costs associated with storage, treatment, and disposal are included in the Laboratory's Waste Management program estimates and schedules. This report assumes that stabilization activities are completed and post-deactivation surveillance and maintenance will not be required before the facilities are transferred to the Environmental Restoration program. A description of this scheduling transfer unit is provided below.

Scheduling Transfer Unit 3 consists of the isolation barn, isotope laboratory, the variable dose-rate irradiation facility, a large animal containment facility, and two concrete pads. This report assumes that stabilization activities have been completed for all facilities. Waste volumes for this scheduling transfer unit were generated using parametric models and are estimated to be 8 cubic meters (10.5 cubic yards) of low-level waste, 17 cubic meters (22 cubic yards) of hazardous waste, and 5 cubic meters (7 cubic yards) of transuranic waste. This report also assumes that all Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization activities will be completed by FY 1998.

DEACTIVATION

Deactivation activities at Scheduling Transfer Unit 3 will include decontamination, instrumentation and utility consolidation or elimination, and waste and recyclable material removal to meet Environmental Restoration program decommissioning criteria. This report assumes that deactivation activities be completed by FY 1998. This estimate further assumes that post-deactivation surveillance and maintenance will not be required prior to transferring this scheduling transfer unit to the Environmental Restoration program for decontamination and decommissioning in FY 1998.

ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION

Surveys conducted at various research facilities in the Oak Ridge area have indicated that some degree of both radionuclide and chemical contamination is present at the South Campus Facility and the Freels Bend Area. In 1989, the Environmental Protection Agency placed these facilities on the National Priorities List. Environmental Restoration program activities have been performed in accordance with the requirements and processes specified by the January 1992 Federal Facilities Agreement between the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency Region IV, and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

All waste management activities at the South Campus Facility and Freels Bend Area are included within the scope of the Environmental Restoration program, and all associated costs are integrated in the cost for remedial actions. This report assumes that all waste generated by this program will be sent to Waste Management program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory for storage, treatment, and disposal.

The South Campus Facility

A Remedial Investigation was conducted at the South Campus Facility in FY 1993. The areas investigated included the wastewater treatment plant, ponds, various laboratories, and animal containment facilities. The investigation identified the presence of a small ground-water plume of the chlorinated solvent trichloroethylene. This plume is present in the unconsolidated zone beneath the site but does not extend beyond the site boundary. No documented evidence is available as to the waste composition or quantity that may have been released to the environment at this location. The source of the chlorinated solvent is suspected to be an automobile shop operated at the location before Oak Ridge Associated Universities took over the site. Quarterly ground-water sampling has been conducted to monitor changes in water quality since the completion of the Remedial Investigation. In general, the levels of trichloroethylene in the ground water are degrading to vinyl chloride. Therefore, the remedial alternative chosen was No Further Action. No regular ground-water monitoring will be performed under this proposed alternative. However, additional sampling will be performed every two years to assess the rate of trichloroethylene degradation. The Record of Decision is expected to be approved in FY 1996. Under this approach, 928,550 liters (245,000 gallons) of trichloroethylene-contaminated ground water will remain in the area of contamination.

Freels Bend Area

At the Freels Bend Area, animals were irradiated at the Low-Dose-Rate Irradiation Facility and the Variable-Dose-Rate Irradiation Facility and then observed over a period of time to determine the effects of radiation. The animal carcasses were disposed of at three landfills at the site.

In FY 1993, the Department performed a Site Investigation at the area. The regions investigated included those associated with the irradiation facilities, animal burial locations, and three small surface impoundments used in the care of control herds. The initial survey indicated that contaminants of concern are radionuclides, organic chemicals, and metals. However, the magnitude and extent of contamination was limited and localized. The Department assumes that the source of the organic and trace metal contaminants is the decayed animal carcasses. The source for radionuclides, to the extent they are present, has not been determined. The findings of the investigation indicated No Further Action was needed, and a petition to the regulatory agencies proposing No Further Action at Animal Burial Sites I, II, and III and the Variable-Dose-Rate Irradiation Facility was submitted and approved in FY 1995. A maintenance action removed slightly contaminated water from former source containment chambers at the Low-Dose-Rate Irradiation Facility. Water was pumped out and treated at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The empty chambers were filled with grout. The petition to regulators proposing No Further Action at the Low-Dose-Rate Irradiation Facility, following the maintenance action, was submitted and approved in FY 1996. The responsibility for all of the Freels Bend Area has been returned to the Oak Ridge Associated Universities.

Decommissioning

The decommissioning of facilities identified in the Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization program is included within the scope of the Environmental Restoration program estimate. However, these estimates were prepared using a parametric model, and the details of decommissioning activities are not defined. As facilities are transferred from the Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization program, they will be assessed, and plans for decommissioning will be formulated. This estimate assumes that a total of one scheduling transfer unit, or four facilities and two concrete pads, will be added to the Environmental Restoration program in FY 1998.

Scheduling Transfer Unit 3 is currently expected to be transferred to the Environmental Restoration program in FY 1998. This estimate assumes that assessments will be completed by FY 2002 and that decommissioning activities associated with this project will be completed by FY 2002.

Long-Term Surveillance and Monitoring

All costs associated with long-term surveillance and monitoring are included as one line item in this estimate. No regular ground-water monitoring will be performed at the South Campus Facility under the proposed No Further Action alternative. However, this estimate assumes that additional sampling will be performed every two years until FY 2025 to assess the rate of trichloroethylene degradation. Costs for long-term surveillance and monitoring are included in this estimate for five years following the completion of remedial action activities. This report assumes that, at that time, the responsibility will be returned to the Oak Ridge Associated Universities Program and the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education. During the surveillance and maintenance, approximately 431 cubic meters (565 cubic yards) of paper and cloth waste will be generated, of which 49 cubic meters (64 cubic yards) is hazardous waste; 65 cubic meters (85 cubic yards) is mixed low-level radioactive waste and 317 cubic meters (415 cubic yards) is sanitary waste. This waste will be sent to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Waste Management program for disposal.

DESCRIPTION OF PERSONNEL

Current Composition

The Department of Energy employs Full-Time Equivalents in Oak Ridge to help coordinate with the rest of the Operations Office. The employees of Lockheed Martin Energy Systems are engineers, scientists, technicians, managers, construction crafts personnel, operators, laborers and general workers, administrative professionals, general administrators, and managers. Because there are no waste operations facilities at the Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Energy sites, the only operators are those involved in remediation. The Department of Energy contracts to Jacobs Engineering and Foster Wheeler, both of which predominantly employ scientists and engineers, and MK-Ferguson, the construction contractor. Lockheed Martin subcontracts to a variety of engineering, consulting, and site investigation firms, including several small disadvantaged businesses under the Small Business Administration "8a" set aside program. This estimate assumes that the assessment work and the deactivation of the facilities will be completed by FY 1997. Technicians and personnel involved with surveillance and maintenance will perform the work. All federal Full-Time Equivalents are included in the Oak Ridge Operations Office section of this report. The table below presents the contractor work force by skill mix.

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

Site Management Structure

Oak Ridge Associated Universities is a private not-for-profit consortium that manages and operates the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education and performs other activities for the Department of Energy. The Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Inc. Environmental Restoration Division is managing and integrating environmental management activities to remediate the facilities. The company integrates its own work activities as well as those of the Department of Energy prime contractors for technical support, engineering and construction, and their own subcontractors for site remedial investigation work.

The Department has recently extended the Lockheed Martin managing and operating contract for an additional two years, through March 1998. The new performance-based contract includes objective performance measures, greater use of incentive contract provisions, and increased accountability. Under the new contract, Lockheed Martin's earnings will be based on a combination of performance metrics, cost reductions, incentive projects, and award fees. The new contract is expected to result in significant streamlining and reduction of costly and excessive administrative activities for both Lockheed Martin and the Department of Energy. As a part of contractual reform, Lockheed Martin has committed to incentive contracting. An increasing number of the Lockheed Martin-managed activities will be task order contracts. The primary features of these task order projects are as follows: contracting companies function as a team, the Department of Energy and the team negotiate terms of the project; the team collects an incentive fee for finishing under budget, but absorbs a percentage of any cost overrun; the Department of Energy shares the risk of cost overruns; and streamlined bid specifications simplify the process and reduce cost estimates.

Future Full-Time Equivalent Needs

This estimate assumes that the number of needed Full-Time Equivalents supported by the Environmental Management program will increase when work restarts in FY 2001, with most of the remediation work occurring in FY 2011 to FY 2020. During that timeframe, personnel will be predominantly construction workers and engineers working on the remedial action. Following FY 2020, the work will revert to long-term surveillance and maintenance work done by technicians and general workers.

FUNDING ESTIMATE

The following tables present estimated funding information for the Oak Ridge Associated Universities Program and the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education.

COMPARISON WITH PREVIOUS ESTIMATE

The FY 1996 life-cycle estimate for the Oak Ridge Associated Universities increased by approximately 26 percent ($5 million), after taking FY 1995 expenditures into account. Most of this increase is due to the addition of the decommissioning of the six surplus facilities. These facilities include the isolation barn, the isotope laboratory, the Variable-Dose-Rate Irradiation Facility, a large animal containment facility, and two concrete pads.