Oak Ridge National Laboratory

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The Oak Ridge National Laboratory occupies approximately 1,160 hectares (2,900 acres) within the Oak Ridge Reservation in Melton and Bethel Valleys, approximately 16 kilometers (10 miles) southwest of downtown Oak Ridge, Tennessee. To view the Locality Map for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, see the Oak Ridge Associated Universities Program site summary.

FACILITY MISSION

Weapons research facilities were established at the site of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 1943 as part of the World War II Manhattan Project. The Laboratory's original mission was to produce and chemically separate the first gram quantities of plutonium as part of the national effort to produce the atomic bomb. As its role in the development of nuclear weapons decreased over time, the scope of its work expanded to include production of isotopes, fundamental research in a variety of sciences, research involving hazardous and radioactive materials, environmental research, and radioactive waste disposal.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is one of the country's largest multidisciplinary and multiprogram laboratories and research facilities. Its primary mission is to perform leading-edge nonweapons research and development. This includes conducting applied research and engineering development in support of Department of Energy programs in nuclear fusion and fission, energy conservation, fossil fuels, and other energy technologies, as well as performing basic scientific research in selected areas of the physical, life, and environmental sciences. Other missions include contributing to the national initiative to improve science and mathematics education. In addition to the primary mission, environmental management activities are ongoing at the site. Continuing environmental restoration activities assess the condition and contamination of sites and facilities to determine how the contamination can be contained or cleaned up.

Since its establishment in 1943, operations at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have produced facilities, soils and water contaminated with radionuclides, heavy metals, and chemicals. In December 1989, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory was placed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Priorities List as a part of the Oak Ridge Reservation. In January 1992, the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency Region IV, and the State of Tennessee signed a Federal Facilities Agreement that provided a framework for environmental restoration activities at the Laboratory. Presently, containment and cleanup are occurring according to priorities set by the evaluation of risk to the public and the environment. Facilities that the Laboratory no longer needs are being stabilized for future decommissioning and decontamination.

Waste management facilities operate onsite to either treat, store, or dispose of waste generated by ongoing operations and environmental cleanup, or to prepare waste for transfer offsite for treatment, storage, or disposal. Waste management follows the requirements of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Department of Energy Orders, and other federal and state laws. As required by the Federal Facility Compliance Act, the Oak Ridge Reservation submitted a Site Treatment Plan. The State of Tennessee issued a Unilateral Order for compliance with the schedules and milestones in the Site Treatment Plan for mixed waste.

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory is expected to remain an important national research and development facility well into the future. Although ultimate use of the site is unclear, long-term surveillance, maintenance, and institutional controls, which are expected to continue indefinitely, will limit future uses. The Department's Office of Energy Research is the landlord of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and this report assumes it will remain in that capacity for the life cycle of this estimate.

FUTURE USE

The Department of Energy has been developing strategic plans for the ultimate use of the Oak Ridge Reservation and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory through the Common Ground Process. This stakeholder-driven process will determine preferred land-use options for the Oak Ridge Reservation, so that cleanup operations will be based on the most likely and acceptable land uses. The Department of Energy's recommended land uses are used for planning facility use and reuse for the next 25 years. The 25-year period was chosen based on realistic land-use planning in projecting long-term use of Oak Ridge Reservation sites and facilities. The Department of Energy will revise land use at the Oak Ridge Reservation regularly to reflect recommended changes and new information. The land-use recommendations are the basis for cleanup actions that are effective in terms of cost and risk management while taking into account the preferences of the stakeholders. The Common Ground Report is scheduled for completion by the end of FY 1995. This report uses the same assumptions in the 25-year period for the rest of the life cycle covered by this report.

The proposed future land-use designations for Oak Ridge National Laboratory are: Industrial use, Controlled Access, and Open Space/Wildlife Management. These proposed land uses are illustrated in the Future Use Map, which can be found in the Oak Ridge Associated Universities site summary.

In some places, clean areas surround isolated areas of contamination. Cleanup efforts would return these areas to a level of contamination compatible with projected use for the surrounding area.

The Industrial use category applies to those areas that are currently in use or identified by the Laboratory for proposed facilities for research and development, operations, or support. These sites will remain under government control, with administrative and engineering controls to protect worker health and safety.

The existing inactive buried waste areas result from historic practices (for example, shallow land burial). Because of the complexity and expense of removing the legacy buried waste, this estimate assumes that most of it will remain in its current location indefinitely, until more effective technologies and alternative disposal locations are identified and available. Therefore, the future-use category designation will remain Controlled Access.

NUCLEAR MATERIAL AND FACILITY STABILIZATION

A total of 70 facilities at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and facilities that the Laboratory operates at the Y-12 Plant are scheduled to enter the Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization program. Nineteen of these facilities that were formerly used to produce radioactive isotopes for a variety of purposes, began the process of stabilization/deactivation in FY 1994. In FY 1996, an additional 31 facilities received a high threat score in the Surplus Facilities Inventory Assessment and were added to the program. They are currently in a pre-stabilization surveillance and maintenance phase. Although additional facilities may transfer to the Environmental Management program over time, the report only makes estimates for those facilities that are now or are projected to be surplused over the next five years. A total of seven scheduling transfer units have been identified for current surplus facilities.

These scheduling transfer units define projects that will accomplish stabilization and deactivation actions reducing environmental, health, and safety risks; consolidating and removing waste inventories; and reducing surveillance and maintenance costs as facilities are prepared for decommissioning. Although alternate uses are also pursued during the process, this report assumes that all of the facilities will be transferred to the Environmental Restoration program for decommissioning following completion of actions by the Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization program. This report also assumes that all Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization activities will be complete by FY 2018. Descriptions of these scheduling transfer units are provided below.

Scheduling Transfer Unit 1, or the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Isotopes project, includes 19 former isotope production facilities that contain contaminated hot cells, lab hoods, radioactive isotope inventories, radioactive waste, and active instrumentation and utilities systems. Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization activities associated with this scheduling transfer unit began in FY 1994 and are expected to be complete by FY 2000.

Scheduling Transfer Unit 2, or the Oak Ridge National Laboratory "High Rankers" project, includes 31 facilities that received a high threat score in the Surplus Facilities Inventory Assessment. Major facilities include the Tower Shielding Facility and reactor; the Bulk Shielding Reactor; the Integrated Processing Demonstration Facility; and the High Radiation Level Analytical Facility. The other 27 facilities are associated ancillary facilities. According to this baseline report, Energy Research completed stabilization actions in these facilities prior to their transfer to the Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization program. This estimate assumes that Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization activities associated with this scheduling transfer unit will begin in FY 1996 and will be completed by FY 2004.

Scheduling Transfer Unit 11, or the Oak Ridge National Laboratory "Medium Rankers" project, includes five facilities that received a medium threat score in the Surplus Facilities Inventory Assessment. These are Building 2017-East Research Service Satellite Shop; Building 3121-Cell Off-Gas Filter House; Building 3531-Greenhouse; Building 3597-Hot Garden Storage; and Building 7819-Interim Decontamination Building. This report assumes that Energy Research completed some stabilization actions in these facilities prior to their transfer to the Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization program. This report also assumes that Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization activities associated with this scheduling transfer unit will begin in FY 2003 and be will completed by FY 2011.

Scheduling Transfer Unit 12 includes the Biology Building, a 53,940-square meter (64,188-square yard) laboratory facility located at the Y-12 plant that has been used for biological research experiments. Contaminants include lead, polychlorinated biphenyls, and fixed alpha contamination. This estimate assumes that Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization activities associated with this scheduling transfer unit will begin in FY 2003 and will be completed by FY 2018.

Scheduling Transfer Unit 13, or the Oak Ridge National Laboratory at Y-12 "Medium Rankers" project, consists of seven fusion energy experiments in the 9201-3 facility, a 96 cyclotron in building 9204-2A, a curium handling glove box in building 9204-3, and four tanks associated with these previous operations. This report assumes that Energy Research completed some stabilization activities for all facilities. This report also assumes that Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization activities associated with this scheduling transfer unit will begin in FY 2003 and will be completed by FY 2009.

Scheduling Transfer Unit 14, or the Oak Ridge National Laboratory "Low Rankers 1" project, consists of nine facilities that received a low threat score in the Surplus Facilities Inventory Assessment. The facilities include three storage buildings, a stack, two tanks and three others. This report assumes that Energy Research completed some stabilization activities for all facilities. This report also assumes that Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization activities associated with this scheduling transfer unit will begin in FY 2004 and will be completed by FY 2010.

Scheduling Transfer Unit 15, or the Oak Ridge National Laboratory "Low Rankers 2" project, consists of four facilities that received a low threat score in the Surplus Facilities Inventory Assessment. It includes a hydrofracture facility, three other facilities, and Buildings 2000, 2001 and 2024. This report assumes that Energy Research completed some stabilization activities for all facilities. This report also assumes that Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization activities associated with this scheduling transfer unit will begin in FY 2005 and will be completed by FY 2014.

The scope of the site's Waste Management program includes all costs associated with treating, storing, and disposing of waste that leaves the areas of contamination. This estimate assumes that there will be no associated costs for program management/support for the Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. With the exception of Scheduling Transfer Unit 1, cost estimates for all scheduling transfer units were determined using parametric models. Cost estimates for Scheduling Transfer Unit 1 were extracted from the project baseline.

PRE-DEACTIVATION/STABILIZATION SURVEILLANCE AND MAINTENANCE

Pre-deactivation/stabilization surveillance and maintenance activities will focus on monitoring and repairing facilities. These activities will be reviewed and revised appropriate with intended future Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization program actions. Currently, these activities are only planned for Scheduling Transfer Unit 12.

STABILIZATION

Stabilization activities currently planned at Scheduling Transfer Unit 12 will focus on required corrections for asbestos, hazardous chemicals, and polychlorinated biphenyls. All stabilization activities at Scheduling Transfer Units 11, 13, and 15 will focus on high priority problems and limited decontamination and corrections for hazardous and mixed waste. This estimate assumes that stabilization activities for all applicable scheduling transfer units will be completed by FY 2010.

POST-STABILIZATION SURVEILLANCE AND MAINTENANCE

Post-stabilization surveillance and maintenance activities at Scheduling Transfer Units 2, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 will focus on required health checks, monitoring and repairing instrumentation, and maintaining the facilities until deactivation begins. Currently, post-stabilization surveillance and maintenance activities for 31 facilities at Scheduling Transfer Unit 2 are scheduled to begin in FY 1996. This estimate assumes that post-stabilization surveillance and maintenance activities at all applicable scheduling transfer units will be complete by FY 2012.

DEACTIVATION

Deactivation activities at Scheduling Transfer Unit 1 currently focus on removing radioactive isotope inventories and performing limited decontamination to reduce background levels, reducing or eliminating instrumentation and utilities, and removing waste and recyclable materials. This estimate assumes that deactivation activities at Scheduling Transfer Unit 1 will be completed by FY 1999. Current plans for deactivating Scheduling Transfer Unit 2 will focus on two priorities: (1) fuel removal from the Tower Shielding Reactor and the Bulk Shielding Reactor and its eventual transfer to the Savannah River Site; and (2) removal of the four 315 foot towers. All other deactivation activities at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory will include limited decontamination, instrumentation and utility consolidation or elimination, and waste and recyclable material removal. This estimate assumes that deactivation activities for all applicable scheduling transfer units will be completed by FY 2017 .

POST-DEACTIVATION SURVEILLANCE AND MAINTENANCE

Post-deactivation surveillance and maintenance will consist of required monitoring and maintenance of facilities for all scheduling transfer units until they are transferred to the Environmental Restoration decommissioning program. This estimate assumes that post-deactivation surveillance and maintenance for all applicable scheduling transfer units will be complete by FY 2018.

ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION

As a result of the 1992 Federal Facilities Agreement, the Environmental Restoration program has identified approximately 350 sites contaminated with radioactivity or hazardous chemicals. Because of the large number of contaminated sites and the complexity of the hydrologic conditions at Oak Ridge, these sites have been combined into 20 waste area groupings at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. These waste area groupings are generally defined by small watersheds containing contiguous and similar waste sites. In some cases, consolidation of individual sites is necessary because they are hydrologically inseparable. This allows perimeter monitoring of both ground water and surface water and the development of a response that protects human health and the environment.

Waste area groupings comprise one or more operable units. Several solid waste management units, such as storage areas for hazardous solid waste, can be combined into an single operable unit. Most of the these units are related to the fact that Laboratory operations manage both solid and liquid radioactive waste.

Of the 20 waste area groupings identified at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 13 have been identified as potential contaminant sources. Nine of these currently have active projects in the Environmental Restoration program, including Waste Area Groupings 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, and 13. The Laboratory's Ground-water program is also an active project. For the purpose of this report, waste area groupings at the Laboratory are consolidated according to geographical location. For instance, the Bethel Valley Area includes Waste Area Groupings 1 and 3; the Melton Valley Area includes Waste Area Groupings 2, and 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10; and the External Areas include Waste Area Groupings 11 and 13. The Ground-Water and Decommissioning programs are considered separate project areas. Except for Waste Area Grouping 2, all waste area groupings are sources of contaminants for other areas. As each of the contaminant-source waste area groupings is characterized, small operable units are identified and priorities are set for remediation.

For the most part, large volumes of radioactively contaminated soils and contaminated facilities to be decommissioned will be stabilized in place within the area of contamination. Remedial action waste to be managed outside the area of contamination include hazardous and mixed waste, some radioactive sludges in tanks and surface impoundments, radioactively contaminated soil hot spots that can be excavated, and some investigation-derived waste such as decontamination fluids and disposable personal protective equipment.

Several facilities no longer needed by the Office of Energy Research have been transferred to the Environmental Restoration program for surveillance and monitoring and decommissioning. In addition, this report assumes that the facilities identified in the Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization program section of the report will ultimately be transferred to the Environmental Restoration program for decommissioning. In most cases, the report also assumes that these facilities will be cleaned up for free release or demolished so that the area can be reused.

Although the Environmental Restoration program's primary mission is to remediate contaminated sites and decommission facilities, it may also be responsible for some of the associated costs for treatment, storage, and disposal for some of its activities. To manage the waste associated with environmental restoration activities, onsite and commercial options are evaluated. Evaluations are based on the activities conducted, the risk associated with those activities, and the cost of onsite versus commercial capability. In performing these option evaluations, the Environmental Restoration program, with the support of the Waste Management program, prepares waste management plans, and develops project specifications and waste management documentation.

If waste treatment, storage, and disposal is to be performed onsite, all associated activities and costs are included within the scope of the Waste Management program. Because offsite treatment, storage, and disposal costs can appear in either Environmental Restoration or Waste Management program estimates, each of the area discussions below will identify the organization that is responsible for associated costs.

Bethel Valley Area

The Bethel Valley Area includes both Waste Area Groupings 1 and 3. Waste Area Grouping 1, the Laboratory's main plant area, lies within the Bethel Valley portion of the White Oak Creek drainage basin. The total area of the basin is about 826 hectares (2,040 acres). Waste Area Grouping 3 is approximately 1 kilometer (0.6 mile) west of the main plant area.

ASSESSMENT

Waste Area Grouping 1 is divided into ten operable units and contains approximately half the remedial action sites identified to date. These operable units include: the Gunite and Associated Tanks, the Surface Impoundments, Core Hole 8, and Liquid Low-Level Radioactive Waste Tanks. Most of these sites were used to collect and store low-level waste in tanks, ponds, and waste treatment facilities; however, some also include landfills and spill and leak sites identified during the last 40 years. Contaminated ground water from some of these sites reaches White Oak Creek and its tributaries through seeps. The 12 Gunite Tanks, centrally located in Waste Area Grouping 1, received liquid radioactive waste from research activities conducted from 1943 through the late 1970s. These tanks contain an estimated 95 percent of the radioactivity inventory in Waste Area Grouping 1. Because this grouping hosts an operating multifunctional site with a large work force, remediation will be technically and logistically complex.

A Phase I Remedial Investigation on Waste Area Grouping 1 was completed in FY 1992. Instead of preparing a Feasibility Study for the entire grouping, assessment of each operable unit will proceed independently. This report assumes that some of the operable units will require additional Remedial Investigations (Phase II), while others will proceed directly to an alternatives evaluation and decision document. This report also assumes that Phase II investigations will be complete in FY 2030, and that ground-water assessments will continue until FY 2009. This baseline report assumes that assessments for Waste Area Grouping 1 will be completed by FY 2035.

Waste Area Grouping 3 includes Solid Waste Storage Area 3, a closed scrap-metal yard, and an active landfill. Solid Waste Storage Area 3 and the closed scrap-metal yard are inactive landfills known to contain radioactive solid waste and surplus materials generated at Oak Ridge from 1946 to 1979. The active landfill, opened in 1975, is used to dispose of uncontaminated construction materials and steam plant fly ash. Since Waste Area Grouping 3 is located along a drainage divide, most surface and ground water discharges into White Oak Creek, and Raccoon Creek. This baseline report assumes that a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study will be required and that assessment for Waste Area Grouping 3 will be completed by FY 2020.

This baseline report assumes that assessments for all Bethel Valley Area waste area groupings will be completed by FY 2035.

REMEDIAL ACTION

This report assumes that each of the ten operable units within Waste Area Grouping 1 has its own remediation process and schedule. Remedial actions have been completed successfully to mitigate the contaminant plume at Core Hole 8. Other remedial actions will be performed in the near future at the Gunite and Associated Tanks and the Surface Impoundments operable units. Final remediation of the ground water, pipelines, and storm drains in Waste Area Grouping 1 and sediments in White Oak Creek will be deferred until other contaminant sources and soil units have been remediated.

The Gunite and Associated Tanks area comprises three separate tank groups: South Tank Farm Waste Tanks, North Tank Farm Waste Tanks, and Building 3550 Laboratory Waste Tanks. At this operable unit, Phase II tank sludge sampling involves using a floating boom that deploys a clamshell sampling device to obtain sludge and debris samples anywhere on the tank bottom. The boom will also deploy a new underwater camera system that will videotape the conditions on the tank floor, walls, and dome. The floating boom successfully collected sludge and debris samples. Planning is under way to perform necessary maintenance work on the tank Cold Test Facility at Waste Area Grouping 5 for use on cold tests of sluicing and/or sampling equipment. Design packages have been issued for the site preparation and facility modifications required for two tanks in the North Tank Farm. Technical specifications have been issued for the modified light duty robotic utility arm intended for use in collecting samples and moving sluicing equipment around within the tank. The Waste Management and Technology Development programs are actively involved in the Gunite Tanks project, which will ensure that technologies and facilities necessary to remove and treat the waste are available when required. This estimate assumes that remedial action at this operable unit will be complete in FY 2010.

The Surface Impoundments Operable Unit consists of four surface impoundments located in the south central portion of the Bethel Valley Oak Ridge National Laboratory facilities complex. Remediation is being conducted as a Streamlined Approach for Environmental Restoration Pilot, which is one of only five such projects at Department of Energy sites across the United States. Principal radionuclide contaminants are strontium-90, cesium-137, and tritium. A bentonite blanket was installed in January 1995 to control the seepage from the impoundments to White Oak Creek. The draft of the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study includes a new alternative to build a consolidation cell on the operable unit to facilitate remediation of other Oak Ridge National Laboratory impoundments. As part of the Pilot initiative, preparations have been initiated for an independent commercial/industrial cost estimate for remediation of the surface impoundments, using the alternatives identified by the Feasibility Study.

In addition, effluent from certain impoundments and above- and below-grade collection sumps at the Laboratory is pumped to the Process Waste Treatment Plant, which the Waste Management program operates for treatment prior to release. The Surface Impoundments operable unit will also take the Equalization Basin and Process Waste Ponds out of service. These areas will require construction of additional surge capacity. The Process Waste Treatment Plant Surge Capacity Upgrade will provide improved surge capacity for the Process Waste Treatment Plant. The addition of a 3.8 million-liter (1 million-gallon) tank with transfer pumps and a jet mixer installed in a concrete dike will ensure this additional capacity. Significant construction progress continues, including principal completion of the 2.5 million-liter (650,000­gallon) concrete containment basin. This report assumes that construction and upgrades at the Process Waste Treatment Plant will be completed by FY 2002. This estimate assumes that the Waste Management program will perform this work. This baseline report assumes that remedial action at the Surface Impoundments Operable Unit will be completed by FY 2002.

Waste Area Grouping 1 ground-water activities focus on shallow ground water that discharges to surface streams within this grouping. The potential exists for contaminant migration from various sources within Waste Area Grouping 1 through both shallow and deeper ground water to off­waste area grouping receptors. This project is entering into a period of monitoring and characterization to identify contaminant sources and their migration pathways, with the objective of identifying potential locations for early actions. Analytical results from the first round of sampling suggest that contaminant concentrations are increasing, particularly in the western portion of the plant. This report assumes that remedial actions for ground water will be completed by FY 2010.

The Core Hole 8 plume of contaminated ground water was discovered during Phase I ground-water investigations. A system was designed to collect, transfer, and treat contaminated ground water from an underground stream before it entered the storm sewer system and discharged to surface water. From three catch drains, the ground water is pumped to the Process Waste Treatment Plant, which is operated by the Waste Management program, where contaminants are removed and the treated water is released. The pumping system became operational on March 31, 1995. This baseline report assumes that ground-water monitoring at the Core Hole 8 plume will be completed by FY 2006.

The inactive Liquid Low-Level Radioactive Waste Tanks Operable Unit includes tanks that are no longer in use and are classified as removed from service. Liquids and sludges remain in many of the tanks, with several tanks receiving in-leakage from ground water and rainwater. These tanks are physically located in Waste Area Groupings 1, 5, 8, and 9. A streamlined remediation approach has been used that combines the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act Site Investigation, Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study, and Proposed Plan documents into a single unified Proposed Plan for groups of inactive tanks termed batches. Field investigation activities began on four of the inactive low­level liquid waste tanks. After a health physics survey has been completed, each tank found to contain liquids (and its vault) will be sampled and videotaped to determine the condition of the tank and document the configuration. The Environmental Restoration program used existing environmental safety and health and other required documentation, which will result in a significant savings in the site investigation. Because the risk from these first four tanks has been determined to be within acceptable limits, there will be no Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act driver for this batch. The regulators have given verbal approval to proceed with removal or in­place stabilization of these tanks as a maintenance activity rather than a Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act activity. Removal, if required, will be coordinated with the Waste Management program.

The Liquid Low-Level Radioactive Waste Tanks Operable Unit also addresses tank systems included under Appendix F of the Federal Facilities Agreement. The stated objective of the Federal Facilities Agreement as it relates to the tank systems in Appendix F is to ensure structural integrity, containment, detection of releases, and source control pending final remedial action at the site. The Agreement requires the immediate removal of leaking low­level liquid waste tank systems from service. It also requires that low­level liquid waste tank systems that do not meet the design and performance requirements established for secondary containment and leak detection be either upgraded or replaced. A number of ongoing activities provide testing, maintenance, and upgrades to the Liquid Low­level Waste Tank systems. The final required remedial actions at this operable unit involve some source removal, but most of the contaminants will be contained in place. This baseline report assumes that remedial action at the Liquid Low-level Radioactive Waste Tanks will be completed by FY 2030.

This report assumes that the government and the private sector will continue to use the main plant area at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for active research and development operations. The remediated sites within Waste Area Grouping 1 will either be released to or restricted from these active research operations, depending on residual risks associated with contamination left in place. This baseline report assumes that remedial action at Waste Area Grouping 1 will be completed by FY 2035.

Waste Area Grouping 3 has been determined to pose low risk to human health and the environment, and no actions are planned for the immediate future. However, this estimate assumes that future remedial actions will involve containment of the waste in place and installation of a cap. Waste generated by environmental restoration activities at Waste Area Grouping 3 consists of uncontaminated construction materials and steam plant fly ash. This report assumes that this waste will remain in place. This baseline report assumes that remedial actions for Waste Area Grouping 3 will be completed by FY 2025.

This baseline report assumes that approximately 6,696 cubic meters (8,772 cubic yards) of solid low-level radioactive waste and 27,778 cubic meters (36,389 cubic yards) of solid low-level mixed waste (mostly soil), and 4,358 cubic meters (5,709 cubic yards) of sanitary waste generated at the Bethel Valley Area will be left in place. This report also assumes that approximately 127,615 cubic meters (167,176 cubic yards) of low-level radioactive liquids, ground water and wastewater generated by these activities will be transferred to the Waste Management program for treatment, storage and disposal, along with small quantities of hazardous waste, low-level waste solids (mostly paper/cloth), and sanitary waste liquids and solids.

This baseline report assumes that remedial actions for all Bethel Valley Area waste area groupings will be completed by FY 2035.

Melton Valley Area

The Melton Valley Area includes Waste Area Groupings 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. Waste Area Grouping 2 is located approximately 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) southwest of the main plant area. Waste Area Grouping 4 is located approximately 0.8 kilometers (0.5 mile) southwest of the Laboratory's main plant. Waste Area Grouping 5 and 10 are located approximately 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) south of the main plant area. Waste Area Grouping 6 is located north of White Oak Lake, approximately 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) south of the Laboratory's main plant. Waste Area Grouping 7 is approximately 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) south of the Laboratory's main plant area. Waste Area Grouping 8 is located approximately 1 kilometer (0.6 mile) south of the main plant. Waste Area Grouping 9 includes the area surrounding the Homogeneous Reactor Experiment, approximately 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) southwest of the main plant area.

ASSESSMENT

Waste Area Grouping 2 includes two sites. The first site consists of the area encompassed by the stream channels and floodplain areas of White Oak Creek and Melton Branch; the second site includes White Oak Lake, White Oak Lake Dam, and the White Oak Creek Embayment prior to confluence with the Clinch River. White Oak Creek, White Oak Lake, and its tributaries represent the major drainage system for Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the surrounding facilities.

White Oak Creek and its tributaries are located in both the Melton and Bethel Valleys. White Oak Creek flows into the Clinch River. White Oak Lake is formed by White Oak Lake Dam and is approximately 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) south of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory main complex. White Oak Lake is a surface impoundment that serves as a final settling basin for particle-reactive contaminants from Oak Ridge National Laboratory. White Oak Creek Embayment encompasses the area downstream of White Oak Lake Dam to the confluence of White Oak Creek with the Clinch River.

Contaminants of concern identified to date within Waste Area Grouping 2 are strontium­90; cesium­137; cobalt-60; thorium; uranium; transuranics; metals (mercury, zinc, and chromium); and some organic compounds (including polychlorinated biphenyls) located primarily in bottom sediments. These contaminants have migrated from sources within Waste Area Groupings 1 and 3 through 9. Consequently, Waste Area Grouping 2 is considered both an "integrator" and conduit for contaminants moving through the surface-water system to White Oak Creek and to offsite areas. Site­wide surface-water assessment activities and ground-water assessment activities continue. Strontium-90 and tritium analyses of all surface-water samples collected during FY 1994 have been assessed to evaluate the relative contributions to human health risks of discrete and nondiscrete sources throughout the waste area groupings, during both baseflow and stormflow conditions in wet and dry seasons. The data will provide guidance for future seep and tributary sampling efforts conducted in the surface-water program to evaluate changes in source strengths, as well as provide a basis for prioritizing corrective actions.

Piezometer and well sampling are ongoing to supplement the ground-water data base. This data will supplement the ground-water data base in the area of potential offsite flux of contaminants and provide data to assess potential offsite receptors of human health risk.

Work in flood plain soil characterization, White Oak Lake bathymetry, erosion rates, and Intermediate Holding Pond radiological inventory has been completed. Constituent investigations on activities that are to be part of the Phase I Remedial Investigation Report will be used to evaluate the potential for offsite transport of contaminated sediment and for uptake of contamination by biota.

Hydrologic modeling of the White Oak Creek system and compilation of data for simulation of floods with 50­year return frequency estimates have been completed. This work was performed to quantify the potential of extreme storm events for transporting radioactively contaminated sediment into the Clinch River and potentially exposing the offsite public to unacceptable health risk. Collection of bimonthly seep and tributary transect samples for radionuclide analysis and sediment core sampling has been completed at the Intermediate Pond site.

Samples also were collected for three wet­season storms in support of the Waste Area Grouping 4 source characterization activity. Indicator analyses were run to identify samples for subsequent complete analysis for strontium­90, tritium, and gamma activity, which produced significant cost savings by avoiding excessive analyses. The results will establish baseline conditions against which post­construction fluxes will be measured to establish the efficiency of corrective actions.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IV approved the FY 1995 Remedial Investigation Work Plan. The final Phase I Remedial Investigation Report will be complete by FY 1996. This baseline report assumes that assessments for Waste Area Grouping 2 will be completed by FY 2015.

Waste Area Grouping 4 includes Solid Waste Storage Area 4, experimental pilot pits in Area 7811, and liquid low-level waste transfer lines connecting them to Solid Waste Storage Area 4. Waste Storage Area 4 was opened in 1951 for routine burial of solid low-level radioactive waste. From 1955 to 1963, when Oak Ridge was the Southeast Regional Burial Ground, Storage Area 4 received a wide variety of poorly characterized waste (including radioactive waste) consisting of paper, clothing, equipment, filters, animal carcasses, and laboratory waste. About half of the waste was received from 50 institutions, facilities, and locations other than Oak Ridge. The waste was placed in trenches, in shallow auger holes, and in ground piles for covering at a later date.

The major contaminants at Waste Area Grouping 4 are strontium-90, tritium, cesium-137, and a small amount of cobalt-60. This grouping is a major contributor of strontium-90 and tritium to the White Oak Creek, accounting for approximately 18 percent of the strontium-90 discharge observed at White Oak Dam over the past three years. Moreover, approximately 70 percent of the strontium-90 discharge from Waste Area Grouping 4 can be attributed to seepage from three discrete areas in which "bathtubbing" occurs in trenches. Bathtubbing occurs when waste trenches are flooded from the subsurface during storms or high ground-water conditions, water leaches contaminants out of the waste, and contaminated water seeps into the soil at the downgradient end of the trench.

A Phase I Site Investigation was conducted to confirm the location and behavior of bathtubbing trenches. Phase II Site Investigation activities, completed in June 1995, were added to further delineate the trench boundaries and decrease the total remediation cost. The investigation addressed the conceptual hydrologic model approved for the site. This baseline report assumes that assessments for Waste Area Grouping 4 will be completed by FY 2040.

Waste Area Grouping 5 consists of Solid Waste Storage Area 5 and the surrounding land. Solid Waste Storage Area 5 opened in 1959, when Solid Waste Storage Area 4 neared capacity, and closed in 1973. Although both the Old Hydrofracture Facility and the New Hydrofracture Facility are within this waste area grouping's boundaries, they are not included in its scope of work.

Solid Waste Storage Area 5 includes two distinct areas: Storage Area 5 North and Storage Area 5 South. Storage Area 5 North is used mainly for long-term storage of legacy transuranic waste and is currently an active waste management facility operated by the Waste Management program. Before 1970, transuranic waste was buried in unlined trenches and auger holes. After 1970, retrievable storage was required. Storage Area 5 South was used mainly for disposal of low-level radioactive waste. However, an unknown quantity of transuranic waste was buried in trenches and auger holes in the south area before of Solid Waste Storage Area 5 North was designated as the Transuranic Waste Storage Area.

Sixteen remediation sites are located within Waste Area Grouping 5, including low­level liquid waste transfer lines and leak sites, hydrofracture surface facilities, waste storage tanks, a sludge basin and a holding pond, and a shallow land burial ground containing radioactive and hazardous waste (Solid Waste Storage Area 5 South). The major contaminants in shallow ground water are strontium­90 and tritium.

Two separate projects have been completed. The Waste Area Grouping 5 Remedial Investigation collected, analyzed, and reported data for use in remediation planning. A second project was completed that collected and treated water from two contaminated seeps into Melton Branch that were contributing significant amounts of strontium­90 to White Oak Creek.

Work involving surface-water modeling at Waste Area Grouping 5, a data quality summary, and Baseline Risk Assessment were completed. The Remedial Investigation Report was issued to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on March 30, 1995. This baseline report assumes that assessments for Waste Area Grouping 5 will be completed by FY 2030.

Waste Area Grouping 6 includes Solid Waste Storage Area 6, the Emergency Waste Basin, and the Explosives Detonation Trench. Solid Waste Storage Area 6 is located north of White Oak Lake and State Highway 95 and is south of the Laboratory's main plant.

Waste burials started at Solid Waste Storage Area 6 in 1969, and were expanded to full-scale operation in 1973 when Solid Waste Storage Area 5 was closed. Approximately 7.6 hectares (19 acres) of this 27.2-hectare (68-acre) site have been used for waste disposal. Solid Waste Storage Area 6 has received low-level radioactive waste and chemical, biological, and mixed waste, including solvents, laboratory glassware and equipment, and protective clothing. Changes in disposal techniques occurred in 1986 and 1987. Disposal in unlined trenches was replaced with disposal of waste in approved containers, and criteria for waste acceptance were defined and implemented.

The Emergency Waste Basin was constructed in 1961 for emergency storage of liquid waste that could not be discharged into White Oak Creek. The basin has a capacity of 57 million liters (15 million gallons), but has not been used to date. Sampling of the basin's small drainage has shown the presence of some radioactivity; however, the source of this contamination is currently not known.

The Explosives Detonation Trench is located in the east central part of Solid Waste Storage Area 6. It was used to detonate explosives and shock­sensitive chemicals requiring disposal. Explosive waste was laid in the bottom of the trench and detonated with a small plastic explosive charge. No releases are believed to have occurred.

Ground-water monitoring stations have been constructed and baseline sampling of ground-water monitoring wells has been conducted. Sampling of all Waste Area Grouping 6 seeps and springs was completed and a plan for technical demonstration studies was presented to the regulators.

Comments have been received from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation on the Waste Area Grouping 6 Environmental Monitoring Plan, and responses have been incorporated. This baseline report assumes that assessments for Waste Area Grouping 6 will be completed by FY 1998.

The major sites in Waste Area Grouping 7 are seven pits and trenches used from 1951 to 1966 to dispose of liquid low-level waste. This waste area grouping also includes a decontamination facility, three leak sites, a storage area containing shielded transfer tanks and other equipment, and seven fuel wells used to dispose of acid solutions primarily containing enriched uranium from the homogeneous reactor experiment fuel.

In situ vitrification has been selected as the baseline closure technology for the waste pits and trenches at Waste Area Grouping 7. Pit 1 was selected for the demonstration because of its limited size of 900 cubic meters (1,179 cubic yards), and radionuclide inventory (87 curies of mixed fission products). With the exception of technology demonstration, the formal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act process on Waste Area Grouping 7 has not begun. This baseline report assumes that assessments for Waste Area Grouping 7 will be completed by FY 2025.

Waste Area Grouping 8 consists of the inactive Molten-Salt Reactor (included in the Decontamination section of this report) and the operating High Flux Isotope Reactor with associated tank and piping systems, six pipeline leak sites and an old transfer line, five surface impoundments, a spoils area, and waste storage facilities operated with a Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit.

Low-level liquid waste and process waste from the reactor facilities are collected in tanks and then pumped to the main plant area for storage and treatment. Surface water and ground water from Waste Area Grouping 8 discharge into Melton Branch. Waste Area Grouping 8 has not been investigated. However, this report assumes that it poses a low risk, and no action is planned in the immediate future. This baseline report assumes that assessments for Waste Area Grouping 8 will be completed by FY 2030.

Waste Area Grouping 9 is composed of four primary contaminated sites: the Homogeneous Reactor Experiment settling pond impoundment, two buried liquid low-level waste collection and evaporator tanks, a septic tank, and the Homogeneous Reactor Experiment parking lot. Although the Homogeneous Reactor Experiment building is located in Waste Area Grouping 9, it is not included within the scope of Waste Area Grouping 9 remediation estimate. Waste Area Grouping 9 has not been investigated. Radionuclide constituents, inventories, and waste volumes are known only for the Homogeneous Reactor Experiment settling pond impoundment. However, this report assumes that Waste Area Grouping 9 poses a lower risk than many other areas at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This baseline report assumes that assessments for Waste Area Grouping 9 will be completed by FY 2020.

Waste Area Grouping 10 consists of injection wells and subsurface grout sheets constructed for hydrofracturing experiments conducted in the late 1950s and l960s, followed by waste disposal operations until 1984. Although the facilities built for these experiments, the Old Hydrofracture Facility and the New Hydrofracture Facility, are located in Waste Area Grouping 5, they are included in the scope of this waste area grouping.

In 1959, grout consisting of diatomaceous earth and cement was experimentally injected into an underground shale formation to observe the fracture pattern created in the shale and to identify potential operating problems. The site of the second hydrofracture experiment is in Waste Area Grouping 8. This experiment was designed to duplicate and to scale actual disposal operation; however, radioactive tracers were used instead of actual waste. Bentonite, cement, and water tagged with cesium-137 were used in formulating the grout.

As part of the assessment, a conceptual model is in development based on a review of pressure, radiological, and specific conductance data compiled from the sampling of wells associated with the Old Hydrofracture Facility. Preliminary data indicate that three of these wells are under artesian pressure and may be providing a pathway for contaminated deep ground water to reach zones overlying the waste injection zone, approximately 275 meters (900 feet) below ground surface. Additional data will be collected from these wells to help estimate flow volumes rising in the Old Hydrofracture wells.

A Site Characterization Summary Report has been submitted to and commented on by the appropriate regulatory agencies for the Waste Area Grouping 10 wells that are associated with past waste disposal operations conducted at the New Hydrofracture Facility.

The Plugging and Abandonment Options Analysis Report for Old Hydrofracture Wells in Waste Area Grouping 10 has been completed. The report will become the basis of a general plugging and abandonment approach for most Waste Area Grouping 10 wells and a more focused strategy for the Old Hydrofracture Facility wells which were characterized in FY 1994. Wellhead tapping and sampling were initiated for 21 wells associated with the New Hydrofracture Facility. This baseline report assumes that assessments for Waste Area Grouping 10 will be completed by FY 2030.

This baseline report assumes that assessments for all Melton Valley Area waste area groupings will be completed by FY 2040.

REMEDIAL ACTION

Conclusions regarding restoring the main weirs in Waste Area Grouping 2 were as follows: the Department of Energy should proceed with conventional dredging and cleanup operations in Melton Branch and White Oak Creek as already proposed, and it should initiate the regulatory permitting and approval process.

Six seep sites have been upgraded, and flow measurement instrumentation has been installed in support of the Waste Area Grouping 4 engineering projects information center project. Samples from base flow and one storm were collected for analysis. The results will identify the sources that contribute the most to downstream strontium­90 fluxes, thus pinpointing source trenches for subsequent corrective action.

Interim corrective measures are likely to be implemented for soils and sediments in Waste Area Grouping 2; they have been contaminated primarily with cesium-137 and cobalt-60 from upgradient sources and have high priority for remediation. Unlike surface water or ground water, these soils and sediments are relatively stationary and do represent a significant potential source of particle-bound contaminants. Assumed interim corrective actions include a combination of stabilization (for example, capping or adding simple erosion barriers), removal, and soil solidification in-place vitrification. The White Oak Creek Embayment sediment-interaction dam was completed in FY 1992 as a time-critical removal action to prevent contaminated White Oak Creek Embayment sediment from being transported offsite and into the Clinch River. This report assumes that remedial actions for Waste Area Grouping 2 are scheduled between FY 2011 to FY 2020 based on priority. However, because surface water and ground water from all other waste area groupings feed into Waste Area Grouping 2, remedial activities could be staged to correspond to the remediation of the other waste area groupings. This report assumes that solid low-level waste will be generated during the hot sediment stabilization and the final remedial action. All waste generated from the interim and final remedial actions at Waste Area Grouping 2 are transferred to the Waste Management program for treatment, storage, and disposal. This baseline report assumes that remedial actions for Waste Area Grouping 2 will be completed by FY 2020.

The Department has changed the Waste Area Grouping 4 seeps collection and treatment project from a removal action to an interim remedial action. It has identified four source trenches that will be grouted to isolate strontium-90-containing waste from the shallow ground water. This report assumes that the final remediation will be containment of the contamination in place and treatment of the wastewater. This baseline report assumes that remedial actions at Waste Area Grouping 4 will be completed by FY 2035.

The Waste Area Grouping 5 Seep areas C and D collection and treatment systems, based on the use of hydrous silicate minerals (zeolite) to capture strontium, have been constructed. The Waste Area Grouping 5 Seeps C and D Post-Construction Report (D2) and a performance assessment for the removal action were submitted to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Seep C treatment system captured 81 millicuries of strontium­90 during the months of April and May, which resulted in a 21 percent average reduction at White Oak Dam. The Seep D treatment system captured 55.6 millicuries of strontium­90 during the months of April and May, which resulted in a 14 percent reduction at White Oak Dam.

Another early action will be taken to remove sludges from tanks at the Old Hydrofracture Facility, but no other remediation is currently planned at this time. This report assumes that the remedial approach for the remainder of Waste Area Grouping 5 will include constructing a large-area cap, and hydrologic isolation, such as cut off walls, to isolate contaminants at the Solid Waste Storage Area 5 from ground water. This report assumes that the final remediation will be containment of the contamination in place and treatment of the wastewater. The Waste Management program will be responsible for treating transuranic sludges from the tanks and low-level waste wastewater. This baseline report assumes that remedial actions for the remainder of Waste Area Grouping 5 will be completed in FY 2020.

Waste Area Grouping 6 has low priority for remediation because it contributes only about two percent of the risk resulting from all the contaminants discharged at White Oak Dam. The public rejected an earlier decision to construct a large cap to achieve hydrologic isolation of the buried waste. This waste area grouping will be monitored to track the total annual discharges of tritium and strontium-90.

Construction of the Tumulus I and II closure cap was completed in October 1994. In addition, well plugging and abandonment activities have been completed. A total of 636 wells have been plugged and abandoned. This baseline report assumes that No Further Action is required for Waste Area Grouping 6.

Early remedial actions for Waste Area Grouping 7 include demonstrating in situ soil vitrification and upgrading the existing cap and surface drainage to control contaminant migration from all pits and trenches. Remediation will include vitrification in waste pits, waste trenches, and auger holes drilled for the Homogeneous Reactor Experiment. Each site will then be backfilled, capped, and a French drain will be installed.

A bench-scale in situ vitrification test was completed in which an estimated 67.5 kilograms (150 pounds) of Oak Ridge National Laboratory soil were melted. Testing of the large-scale in situ vitrification equipment was completed in preparation for the equipment's shipment to Oak Ridge for the Pit 1 in situ vitrification demonstration.

Contaminated soils at the locations of underground pipeline leaks and decontamination facility soils will be excavated, consolidated in one place, and capped. The excavated areas will be backfilled with clean soil and revegetated. This baseline report assumes that remedial actions for Waste Area Grouping 7 will be completed by FY 2025.

The anticipated remedial approach for Waste Area Grouping 8 facilities calls for stabilization of contamination in place and capping the area as appropriate. Low-level liquid waste and process waste from the reactor facilities are collected in tanks and then pumped to the main plant area for storage and treatment at waste management facilities. This baseline report assumes that remedial actions for Waste Area Grouping 8 will be completed by FY 2030.

This report assumes that the technical approach for Waste Area Grouping 9 facilities will involve stabilizing contamination in place and capping the area as appropriate. Liquid low-level waste from the tanks will be transferred to the Waste Management program liquid low-level waste evaporator facilities located in the main plant area for volume reduction and concentrate storage. In addition, a cryogenics technology demonstration is planned for winter 1996-1997 by a consortium of Environmental Restoration and Technology Development programs, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This baseline report assumes that remedial actions for Waste Area Grouping 9 will be completed by FY 2025.

This report assumes that Waste Area Grouping 10 remedial action approach will involve limited plugging and abandoning injection wells, deep observation and monitoring wells, and deep boreholes that are not suitable for recompletion and use as ground-water monitoring wells. The civil survey of wells (with the exception of wells in the Seep C exclusion zone) has been completed. Borehole geophysical logging has also been completed. This baseline report assumes that remedial actions for Waste Area Grouping 10 will be completed by FY 2035.

This baseline report assumes that 30,167 cubic meters (39,519 cubic yards) of solid low-level radioactive waste (mostly soil) and 1,412 cubic meters (1,850 cubic yards) of low-level mixed soil, and 3,300 cubic meters (4,323 cubic yards) of sanitary waste generated by remedial actions at the Melton Valley Area will be left in place. This report also assumes that 2,890 cubic meters (3,786 cubic yards) of low-level mixed waste sludges will remain in the area of containment, and that 317,975 cubic meters (416,547 cubic yards) of low-level radioactive ground water will treated and released onsite.

This report further assumes that approximately 219,916 cubic meters (288,090 cubic yards) of low-level radioactive liquids, ground water and wastewater generated by remedial activities will be transferred to the Waste Management program for treatment, storage and disposal along with roughly 716 cubic meters (938 cubic yards) of solid low-level waste (mostly paper/cloth). This estimate also assumes that the Waste Management program will also receive approximately seven cubic meters of liquid (9.2 cubic yards), 28 cubic meters (36.7 cubic yards) of solid low-level mixed waste, 12 cubic meters (15.7 cubic yards) of liquid hazardous waste, eight cubic meters (10.5 cubic yards) of solid hazardous waste, 493 cubic meters (646 cubic yards) of transuranic sludges, 111,654 cubic meters (146,267 cubic yards) of sanitary liquids, ground water and wastewater, and 595 cubic meters (779 cubic yards) of solid sanitary waste.

This report assumes that remedial actions for all Melton Valley Area waste area groupings will be completed by FY 2035.

External Areas

The External Areas include Waste Area Groupings 11 and 13. These waste area groupings are not located on the Oak Ridge National Laboratory site, but they are located on the Oak Ridge Reservation. Waste Area Grouping 11 is located in the McNew Hollow area on the western edge of East Fork Ridge between State Highway 95 (White Wing Road) and the Oak Ridge Turnpike. Waste Area Grouping 13 is a 2.4-hectare (six-acre) area located approximately 100 meters (330 feet) north of Clinch River and 2.1 kilometers (1.3 miles) south of the intersection of Bethel Valley Road and Tennessee State Route 95.

ASSESSMENT

Waste Area Grouping 11 consists of the White Wing Scrap Yard, a largely wooded area of approximately 12 hectares (30 acres). The site was used to store contaminated materials from the three Oak Ridge plants. Materials from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory were mainly contaminated steel tanks; trucks; earth-moving equipment; assorted large pieces of steel, stainless steel, and aluminum; and reactor cell vessels removed during cleanup of Building 3019 at the Laboratory. Waste was stored above-ground. Much of the stored materials and contaminated soil was removed between 1966 and 1971; however, smaller quantities of contaminated debris (for example, scrap metal and concrete) remain at the site. Contaminants of concern identified to date are cesium-137, thorium-234, uranium-235, and polychlorinated biphenyls. Numerous radioactive areas, steel drums, and polychlorinated biphenyl-contaminated soil were identified at Waste Area Grouping 11 during surface radiological investigations conducted during 1989 and 1990. The amount of material or contaminated soil remaining in the area is not known. A geophysical survey has been completed. This baseline report assumes that assessments for Waste Area Grouping 11 will be completed by FY 2030.

Waste Area Grouping 13 contained eight cesium-137 test plots (Cesium-137 Contaminated Field) and an experimental area for the study of runoff (Cesium-137 Erosion/Runoff Study Area). As part of a nuclear weapons fallout experiment in 1968, Oak Ridge scientists dispersed cesium-137 fused in silica particles into four of the eight plots. Prior to remediation, about 5.2 curies of activity remained. Because the water table in this area is shallow (approximately 8 feet below the surface), it was determined that early action was needed because the cesium-137 could migrate offsite via ground water. This baseline report assumes that assessments for Waste Area Grouping 13 have been completed.

The report also assumes that assessments for the all External Areas waste area groupings will be completed by FY 2030.

REMEDIAL ACTION

At Waste Area Grouping 11, an interim action to remove contaminated surface debris was completed under an Interim Record of Decision in FY 1994. Approximately 450 cubic meters (589 cubic yards) of debris were removed. The Post-construction Report was submitted to the regulators, and regulatory approval was received for the revised report. This report assumes that a final remedial action involving the removal of organic debris, and capping of the site will be completed by FY 2040.

Remedial actions at Waste Area Grouping 13, which began in FY 1993 and were completed in FY 1994, included excavating soil to a depth of 1.1 to 1.2 meters (3.5 to 4 feet). This report assumes that No Further Action is required. Contaminated soils currently stored in silos in Waste Area Grouping 13 are within the scope of the Waste Management program.

This baseline report assumes that approximately 165 cubic meters (216 cubic yards) of low-level radioactive soil will be consolidated and remain in place at the External Areas. This report also assumes that approximately 50 cubic meters (66 cubic yards) of paper/cloth, 400 cubic meters (524 cubic yards) of low-level liquids/wastewater waste, and 15 cubic meters (20 cubic yards) of sanitary waste will be transferred to the Waste Management program for treatment and disposal.

This report assumes that remedial actions for the all External Areas waste area groupings will be completed by FY 2040.

Ground-Water Program

The Laboratory's ground-water program focuses on investigating the extent of contamination in deep ground water and pathways by which contaminants reach the deep ground water. It is divided into two operable units: Bethel Valley and Melton Valley. The program addresses contaminant transport by ground water between and beneath contaminant sources and migration potential of contamination related to hydrofracturing activities discussed in the Melton Valley Area (Waste Area Grouping 10) section of this report.

ASSESSMENT

Data will be analyzed to determine the potential for ground-water inflow or outflow beneath surface-watershed divides, the role of subsidence (karst) in providing contaminant routes, the effects of subsurface retardation processes on long-term contaminant migration, the depth of potential contaminant circulation, the long-term containment of hydrofracture contaminants at depth, and the point at which ground water leaves the Oak Ridge National Laboratory site. The ground-water assessment will provide data on the nature and extent of ground-water contamination and tools for evaluating future potential risks to onsite and offsite users of ground water.

A draft summary plan has been prepared for developing and installing a ground-water monitoring system for the hydrofracture grout sheets and west Melton Valley. The plan describes the design and installation of a ground-water monitoring system for the western portion of Melton Valley at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which will identify and quantify contaminants from waste disposal facilities that may migrate to the Clinch River or beyond. This report assumes that monitoring will include well sampling for various contaminants. It also assumes that all ground-water monitoring activities will be completed by FY 2030.

Decommissioning

The following area actions describe the decommissioning of the facilities currently within the scope of the Environmental Restoration program. Surveillance and monitoring is currently ongoing at those facilities to maintain them in a safe shutdown condition until they can be decommissioned. This includes monitoring contamination, maintaining fire protection systems, and maintaining the structural integrity of roofs and equipment.

Decommissioning of several buildings located at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant are also included within the scope of the Environmental Restoration program at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. These facilities, which previously supported activities at the Laboratory, include the Molten-Salt Corrosion Loop, the Coolant Salt Technology Facility, and a decontamination facility. This estimate assumes that decommissioning activities at these facilities will be completed by FY 2035.

The decommissioning of the facilities identified in the Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization program is also included in the Environmental Restoration program estimate. However, these estimates were prepared using a parametric model, and the details of the decommissioning activities are not known. 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 six scheduling transfer units that include over 75 areas and facilities will be added to the Environmental Restoration program through FY 2018.

MOLTEN SALT REACTOR EXPERIMENT FACILITY

The Molten Salt Reactor Experiment is located on Melton Valley Drive about 0.8 kilometers (one-half mile) south of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory main plant. The facility consists of several buildings including Building 7503, which contains the main reactor, reactor cells, radiator stack, the Blower House, and the Vent House. Other buildings on the site include a one-story office building (Building 7509), Substores (Building 7507), Field Service Shop (Building 7516), Diesel Generator House (Building 7555), plant cooling tower (Building 7513), the Off-Gas Filter House (Building 7511), blowers, and stack (Building 7512).

This 8-megawatt nuclear reactor was fueled with uranium fluoride and other salts that were heated until molten. The molten salt mixture was pumped to a graphite moderator core, where it achieved a critical geometry. The heat produced in the core maintained the molten state of the salt and provided additional thermal energy that could be converted to electricity. In addition, with certain choices of fuel salt, the neutrons produced by the nuclear reaction could be used to convert some of the nonfissionable salt mixture to fissionable material. This process is called nuclear breeding. During its initial campaign, the experiment was used to prove the feasibility of molten salt-fueled reactors. Between 1965 and 1969, the reactor was operated in a second campaign to demonstrate the molten salt breeder concept for commercial power generation.

The Molten Salt Reactor Experiment reactor building will be made available for reuse following entombment of reactor and drain tank cells. Auxiliary cells will be decontaminated for reuse. All other facilities will be dismantled and removed. This baseline report assumes that the decommissioning will generate asbestos debris, transuranic-contaminated metal, and transuranic-contaminated inorganic nonmetal debris. This report also assumes that all waste associated with these activities will be transferred to the Waste Management program. Entombed waste at the Molten Salt Reactor site will require periodic monitoring until FY 2020.

OLD HYDROFRACTURE FACILITY

The Old Hydrofracture Facility is located between White Oak Creek and Melton Branch, upstream of the confluence of these two small streams. Building 7852 includes a mixer cell, an injection pump cell for the head end of the injection pump, a wellhead cell, an engine pad (to the south), and a control room (to the north). The three cells have 12-inch thick concrete walls that are not lined (but are painted inside). Windows into the hot cells are of bullet proof glass, and a mirror is installed in the mixing cell. The roof of the mixing cell is fixed in place, but the roofs of the pump cell and well are removable. The mixing cell contains a mixer assembly (a 5-foot diameter vertical cylinder with conical bottom, 9 feet overall height, and a jet-type mixer attached at the bottom) and a grout mix "tub" (3 feet in diameter and 6.5 feet high) with its agitator. The tops of both of these vessels and the motor for the agitator are exposed to the elements because they extend through he roof of the mixing cell. The cell also contains valves and piping.

The pump cell contains minor equipment, including hoses and ladders. The well cell contains a small drum-sized tank (T-8), piping, valves, and the top of the injection well. The control room includes an elevated observation platform at the window in the north wall of the mixing cell; it also contains several instruments. A hoist, an air filter and blower, and three disconnected solids conveyors from the bins are located on the roof of Building 7852. In the ground outside the southwest corner of Building 7852 are the tops of two vertical buried pipes in which well tools were stored.

The Old Hydrofracture Facility will be totally dismantled and removed from the site. The decontamination and decommissioning scope does not include the injection well, five inactive low-level liquid radioactive waste tanks and valve pit, waste pits, or the retention pond, because they are a part of the Waste Area Grouping 5 remedial action. The Old Hydrofracture technical approach and schedule must be integrated with remedial action planned for Waste Area Grouping 5 and plugging and abandonment of the Old Hydrofracture injection well as part of Waste Area Grouping 10. This baseline report assumes that decommissioning will generate low-level metal debris, low-level inorganic nonmetal, asbestos debris and transuranic- contaminated metal debris. This report also assumes that decommissioning activities at this facility will be completed by FY 2045. It also assumes that all waste generated by these activities will be transferred to the Waste Management program.

HOMOGENEOUS REACTOR EXPERIMENT

The Homogeneous Reactor Experiment is located in Waste Area Grouping 9 on Melton Valley Drive. The Reactor was constructed in 1951 as the first aqueous experimental research reactor. The reactor facility consists of the main facility, Building 7500, and several adjacent structures. Two sets of reactor experiments were conducted in the facility, HRE-1 and HRE-2. The major components within the reactor cell are the reactor-vessel assembly, heat exchangers, dump and storage tanks, and pressurizers for the fuel and blanket systems. Other system components are pumps, radiolytic-gas combiners, condensate storage tanks, pneumatic valve assemblies, and cold trap. The cell also contains air-cooling equipment; the reactor thermal shield; a large quantity of structural steel; and auxiliary water, air, steam, electrical, refrigeration, instrument, and leak-detector lines and equipment.

Above-ground structures and ancillary facilities will be dismantled and removed for disposal. Below-grade structures will be entombed in place. This baseline report assumes that the decommissioning will generate asbestos debris. This estimate assumes that all waste generated by these activities will be transferred to the Waste Management program. Entombed waste at the Homogeneous Reactor Experiment will require periodic monitoring until FY 2020.

SHIELDED TRANSFER TANKS FACILITY

The Shielded Transfer Tanks are five obsolete cylindrical shipping casks that were used to transport high specific activity radioactive solutions by rail during the 1960s and early 1970s. The tanks are currently stored at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Four of the casks are Model II Shielded Transfer Tanks that measure approximately 84 inches in height by 78 inches in diameter, have a 1,895-liter (500-gallon) capacity stainless steel tank filled with approximately 1,516-liters (400 gallons) of Decalso ion-exchange medium (sodium aluminosilicate) encased in 3.5 inches of lead shielding that weighs approximately 17,460 kilograms (38,800 pounds) when filled. One of the casks is a Model III Shielded Transfer Tank, called the gun barrel tank because it was constructed from a surplus naval gun, which measures 102 inches in height by 72 inches in diameter, has a 1,137-liter (300-gallon) capacity stainless steel tank filled with approximately 758 liters (200 gallons) of Linde AW-500 ion-exchange resin encased inside the nine-inch thick walls of the gun barrel, which weighs approximately 18,900 kilograms (42,000 pounds) when fully loaded.

The Shielded Transfer Tanks will be flushed of residual inventory and decontaminated to permit contact dismantlement/waste segregation. This baseline report assumes that the decommissioning will generate low-level metal debris, low-level inorganic sludges and low-level mixed metal debris. This report also assumes that decommissioning activities at this facility will be completed by FY 2030. It further assumes that all waste generated by these activities will be transferred to the Waste Management program.

OAK RIDGE RESEARCH REACTOR

The Oak Ridge Research Reactor facility is located on Hillside Avenue between Third and Fifth streets at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It comprises three main buildings: the reactor building, the reactor primary-water pumphouse, and the reactor secondary-water pumphouse and cooling tower. Several small structures located throughout the area house ancillary components. They include the pool secondary pumphouse and cooling tower, the pressurized off-gas filter pit, the cell-ventilation filter pit, the heat-exchanger pit, and the primary-coolant bypass-valve pit.

The reactor building (3042) is a mill-type semi-airtight steel-framed structure covered with insulated metal panels. It covers an area 111 feet 8 inches long and 102 feet 10 inches wide. The floor level of the full basement is 20 feet below the first floor level. The building has a center bay area and two low-bay areas that run along each east-west side of the building. The building is windowless to eliminate glare on the pool surface and to maintain airtight integrity under emergency conditions. The basement floor space includes facilities for pool cooling, experiment cooling, and miscellaneous pumping operations. Also located in this space are the pool-water and reactor-water demineralizer units, pool fill and drain pumps, electric-power distribution center, auxiliary ventilating fans and air filter banks, subpile room, plug storage facility, and experimental work and storage areas.

Oak Ridge Research Experimental Facilities within Building 3042 will be dismantled and removed. The Oak Ridge Reactor Heat Exchangers will be dismantled for disposal. Underground piping will be stabilized in place. The Oak Ridge Reactor will be decontaminated and dismantled for complete removal. Below-grade structures will be stabilized in place. Above-ground ancillary facilities will be dismantled and removed; underground portions will be stabilized in place. This baseline report assumes that decommissioning will generate asbestos debris. This report also assumes that all waste generated by these activities will be transferred to the Waste Management program. Entombed waste at the reactor site will require periodic monitoring until FY 2045.

METAL RECOVERY FACILITY

The Metal Recovery Facility (Building 3505) is located in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory complex between Third Street and Fourth Street, south of Central Avenue. The Metal Recovery Facility was originally built in 1951 for the recovery of uranium from fuel and waste solutions with a modified PUREX process. During the initial processing (1952-1954), more than 100 metric tons (80 tons) of uranium were recovered, primarily from sludge in the adjacent gunite tanks. The facility was later found to be extremely useful for recovering uranium, plutonium, neptunium, americium and other miscellaneous materials from a variety of low-burnup reactor fuels and other special feed materials.

The Metal Recovery Facility is a one-story, steel-siding structure set on a concrete slab. It is constructed around seven above-grade processing cells (cells A-G) and a below-grade dissolver tank pit. A series of operating galleries surrounds the cells and pit. Personnel areas, including an office, locker room, and shop, are located on the south end of the building. Much of the existing building is the result of numerous building additions conducted throughout the operating life of the facility. Hence, the building is not a single unified structure, but rather a series of separate additions connected together to provide the necessary confinement and shielding for plant operations.

The cells form the major structural support for the north end of the building. Cells A-E were constructed of cured reinforced concrete; cells F and G were later additions made of solid-concrete-block construction. Extensions of cells B and C above the roof line are also composed of solid concrete block. The Cell A floor plan is approximately 19 feet by 21 feet by 17 feet high. Typical cell inner dimensions for cells B-G are 8 feet by 9 feet by 17 feet high with an additional 12-foot height provided for cells B and C. All of the process cells contain stainless steel floor liners and floor drains that discharge to the dissolver pit. An overhead stainless steel duct (exterior to the building) connects each of the cells to the laboratory gaseous-waste-treatment system with final exhaust out the main Oak Ridge National Laboratory stack. A decontamination and decommissioning program was completed in the mid-1980s that successfully removed all process equipment in the building. All in-cell equipment and services have been removed. Cell G has been decontaminated, and the concrete has been scrabbled to a low-contamination level.

The Metal Recovery Facility will be totally dismantled and removed from the site. The decontamination and decommissioning scope does not include the transfer canal, the dissolver pit, or tanks W-19 and 20. (These activities are included within the scope of Waste Area Grouping 1.) This baseline report assumes that decommissioning will generate low-level contaminated soils, low-level metal debris, low-level inorganic nonmetal, low-level organic debris, and transuranic-contaminated inorganic nonmetal debris. This report also assumes that decommissioning activities at this facility will be completed by FY 2030. It further assumes that all waste generated by these activities will be transferred to the Waste Management program.

FISSION PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT LABORATORY FACILITY CELLS

The Fission Product Development Laboratory, or Building 3517, is located on the Oak Ridge National Laboratory complex, south of the South Tank Farm between Third Street and Fourth Street. Building 3517 is a concrete-block and corrugated-aluminum-sided structure located in the Bethel Valley. The two main building levels consist of operating areas, service areas, offices, and other personnel access areas arranged around a large concrete cell block containing approximately 20 separate cells. A crane bay encloses the area over the tops of the cells. Four additional underground cells are located on the north side of the building.

Department of Energy Environmental Restoration and Waste Management programs at Headquarters in Washington, DC set the scope of this decontamination effort to include only process cells 4, 5, 6, and 7 and the service tunnel. As a result, this baseline is concerned only with equipment removal from and decontamination of those areas. Estimates for background radiation in these inactive process cells is in the range of 10-100 rad/hour with isolated hot spots of 100-1000 rad/hour in transfer lines or equipment. Cells 4 and 5 are stainless steel-lined process cells 9 feet wide, 12.5 feet long, and 12 feet deep. Cells 4 and 5 contain a variety of tanks, piping, samplers, services, and instrumentation. Cell ventilation is supplied by a 12-inch stainless steel duct, and solution lines penetrate the north side of the cell and terminate on the second level of the Fission Product Development Laboratory. Cell 4 was used to process strontium-90 feed materials. Cell 5 was used as a transfer station in the cesium-137 feed preparation and as a scavenge and sampling cell in the cesium-137 crystallization process. Cells 6 and 7 are stainless steel-lined process cells 9 feet wide, 12.5 feet long, and 12 feet deep. Cells 6 and 7 contain a variety of tanks, piping, samplers, services, and instrumentation. Cell ventilation is supplied by a 12-inch stainless steel duct, and solution lines penetrate the north side of the cell and terminate on the second level of the Fission Product Development Laboratory. Cell 6 was used as an evaporator cell to concentrate the mixed fission products from the feed product waste. Cell 7 was used for the initial crystallization in the scavenging of cesium-137 from the mixed fission products feed material. The service tunnel provides the services for Cells 1 through 8. The Fission Product Development Laboratory inactive cells will be stripped of process equipment and decontaminated for reuse. This report assumes that decommissioning activities at this facility will be completed by FY 2040.

OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY GRAPHITE REACTOR

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory Graphite Reactor, or Building 3001, and its ancillary facilities are centrally located on the north side of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory complex, south of Reactor Drive. The building is a stainless-steel-sided, steel-roofed, mill-type building, approximately 140 feet long, by 116 feet wide, by 70 feet high. Two-storied annexes on the east and west sides of the reactor building provide room for laboratories, offices, change rooms, and other facilities.

The Graphite Reactor contained an air-cooled, graphite-moderated and -reflected, heterogeneous, natural uranium unfueled reactor. The graphite pile has the approximate dimensions of a 24-foot cube; it sits inside a 7-foot thick composite concrete wall and is covered by a 7-foot thick concrete roof. The concrete foundation rests on bedrock, although the bedrock is not uniform under all sides of the reactor. The graphite pile rests on a pedestal that is approximately 2 feet and 6 inches higher than the ground floor of the reactor building. The pedestal is 14-feet thick, including the 4-foot thick bottom foundation mat. The moderator-reflector assembly is a 24-foot, by 24- foot, by 24-foot 4-inch high assembly composed of 4 square inch graphite blocks up to 50 inches long.

Suction fans in a remote fan house (Building 3003) located on top of the ridge north of 3001 pulled cooling air for the pile into the north side of the reactor building and circulated it through concrete duct work. The outlet duct originally went directly to the fan house (3003) where fans expelled it to a 200-foot high vent stack. Additional facilities located in the Graphite Reactor complex include the Stack (3018), the Filter House (300), and the Transfer Canal.

In 1966, the Graphite Reactor site was designated a Registered National Historic Landmark. Although correspondence concerning the registration does not require protecting specific pieces of equipment, the Atomic Energy Commission's instructions to the operating contractor states that the National Park Service expects "a reasonable effort to preserve on the site the principal structure and enough of its contents to enable the visitor to associate the site with the historical events that gave the landmark significance. This does not mean that the owner must retain all structures and equipment in their original condition or necessarily refrain from using the facility or site for other purposes so long as some appropriate evidence of the landmark remains."

The graphite reactor core will be entombed to permit continued existence of the reactor building as a national historic landmark. The visual appearance of the reactor loading face will be maintained. This estimate assumes that decommissioning will generate low-level contaminated soils, low-level metal debris, low-level inorganic nonmetal, low-level organic debris, asbestos debris, transuranic-contaminated metal and transuranic-contaminated inorganic nonmetal debris. This report also assumes that all waste generated by these activities will be transferred to the Waste Management program. Entombed waste at the Graphite Reactor will require periodic monitoring until FY 2040.

LOW-INTENSITY TEST REACTOR

The Low-Intensity Test Reactor facility has three buildings: the Low Intensity Test Reactor Building (3005), the Demineralized Water Building (3004), and the Low-Intensity Test Reactor Water-to-Air Heat Exchanger (3077).

This complex is located at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory between Third and Fifth Streets, just north of the Oak Ridge Research Reactor and the Graphite Reactor.

The 3-megawatt Low-Intensity Test Reactor was one of the early research reactors built with highly enriched fuel, with normal water as the coolant and moderator and beryllium as the reflector. In the center of the ground floor plan is the reactor-core vessel, and six horizontal radial beam tubes extend from the vessel tank through 3 to 3.4 meters (10 to 11 feet) of shielding to the laboratory rooms. Immediately surrounding the vessel tank is a layer of sand approximately 10.1 centimeters (4 inches) thick, supported by steel plate on the steel grill and confined close to the vessel tank by a 0.6-centimeter (0.25-inch) thick layer of borated plastic. An electronically controlled, gravity-driven fast acting shutdown system ensured safety by inserting shim rods into the reactor to shut it down. A high-speed, sensitive, automatic server system controlled the power level. The core used Materials Testing Reactor fuel elements and was in a vessel equipped with coolant water lines arranged to provide a downward flow through the core. The water was circulated, cooled, and cleaned continuously during reactor operation.

The Low-Intensity Test Reactor started operation as a 500-kilowatt training reactor and was modified three times to increase the power level to 3 megawatts to make it a more useful research tool. The instrumentation and controls had two major renovations, and individual components were periodically updated. The reactor building was also upgraded as stricter containment regulations were promulgated.

The Low-Intensity Test Reactor and associated structures will be totally dismantled and removed from the site. The decontamination and decommissioning scope does not include the backfilled waste impoundments. This report assumes that decommissioning will generate low-level contaminated soils, low-level metal debris, low-level inorganic nonmetal, low-level organic debris, transuranic-contaminated metal and transuranic-contaminated inorganic nonmetal debris. This report also assumes that all waste generated by these activities will be transferred to the Waste Management program.

FISSION PRODUCT PILOT PLANT

The Fission Product Pilot Plant is located in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory complex near the South Tank Farm. It was operated from 1948 to 1958 but is currently entombed within a poured-and-block concrete-shielded structure with 61- to 91-centimeters (24- to 36-inch) walls. The remains of the facility consist of the building and an adjacent hot cell, internally divided into two rooms with reinforced concrete walls originally 46-centimeters (18-inches) thick and a roof 61 centimeters (24 inches) thick. All the doors to the hot cell portion of the building are sealed with concrete block and mortary. Additional concrete block shielding 0.61 to 0.91 meters (2- to 3-feet) thick was added, bringing the total hot-cell wall thickness in most areas to about 1.1 to 1.4 meters (3.5 to 4.5 feet). The present overall outside dimensions of the shielded area are 3.8 by 6.7 meters (12 feet 8 inches by 22 feet).

In 1994, a limited remote characterization was performed to obtain information for planning for decontamination and decommissioning. General exposure rates in the north cell run from approximately 0.2 rem per hour at 0.3 meters (1 foot) from the access hole to 23 rem per hour at 2.4 meters (8 feet). General exposure rates in the south cell range from approximately 25 millirem per hour to 450 millirem per hour. In most areas of the building, exposure rates due to the floor are higher than those due to the walls. The cells contain piping, process vessels of various sizes, and instrumentation.

The Fission Product Pilot Plant will be totally dismantled and removed from the site. The decontamination and decommissioning schedule must coincide with the remediation schedule for the South Tank Farm.

HIGH-LEVEL CHEMICAL DEVELOPMENT LABORATORY

The High-Level Chemical Development Laboratory is located in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory complex on the south side of Building 4505. It was designed and operated as a laboratory and small-scale pilot plant for development studies of reactor-fuel processing, separation and recovery of transuranic materials, and separation of fission products from aqueous waste. Adequate containment and approval to handle multigram quantities of transuranic elements permitted this facility to demonstrate small-scale fuel processing.

The building is a doubly contained, multistory structure housing four hot cells. The front cell face is in the operating area, which contains building instrumentation and associated support equipment for the cells. The charging area is located behind the cell bank. A removable door at the rear of each cell provides access to the interior. Additional access was provided from the penthouse above the cells through an alpha-tight maintenance glovebox and a shielded manipulator cave. A 10-ton capacity gantry crane in the penthouse was used to station bottom-loading carriers over slug chutes accessing three of these cells.

Ventilation from the building and cells is routed through a below-grade filter pit located west of Building 4507, which contains a tank designated T-30 that was formerly used for storage of radioactive solutions from facility operations.

The High-Level Chemical Development Laboratory will be decommissioned by removing equipment, initial decontamination, and finally removing the building and all related structures. The decontamination and decommissioning scope does not include the T-30 tank. This baseline report assumes that decommissioning will generate low-level soils, low-level metal debris, low-level inorganic nonmetal debris, and transuranic-contaminated liquids. This report also assumes that decommissioning activities at this facility will be complete by FY 2040. It further assumes that all waste generated by these activities will be transferred to the Waste Management program.

SCHEDULING TRANSFER UNITS

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization program currently expects to complete post-deactivation activities at all scheduling transfer units by FY 2018. However, only Scheduling Transfer Units 1, 2, 11, 12, 14 and 15 are currently scheduled for transfer to the Laboratory's Environmental Restoration program. This estimate assumes that Scheduling Transfer Unit 13 will be transferred to and included within the scope for the Environmental Restoration program at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant. This report assumes that decommissioning activities at all applicable scheduling transfer units will be completed by FY 2025.

Scheduling Transfer Unit 1, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Isotopes project, is currently expected to be transferred to the Environmental Restoration program in FY 2001. This estimate assumes that decommissioning activities associated with this project will be completed by FY 2009.

Scheduling Transfer Unit 2, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory "High Rankers" project, is currently expected to be transferred to the Environmental Restoration program in FY 2005. This estimate assumes that decommissioning activities associated with this project will be completed by FY 2020.

Scheduling Transfer Unit 11, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory "Medium Rankers" project, is currently expected to be transferred to the Environmental Restoration program in FY 2011. This estimate assumes that decommissioning activities associated with this project will be completed by FY 2015.

Scheduling Transfer Unit 12, the Biology Building 9207 at the Y-12 Plant, is currently expected to be transferred to the Environmental Restoration program in FY 2018. This estimate assumes that decommissioning activities associated with this project will be completed by FY 2025.

Scheduling Transfer Unit 14, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory ALow Rankers 1" project, is currently expected to be transferred to the Environmental Restoration program in FY 2010. This estimate assumes that decommissioning activities associated with this project will be completed by FY 2025.

Scheduling Transfer Unit 15, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory ALow Rankers 2" project, is currently expected to be transferred to the Environmental Restoration program in FY 2014. This estimate assumes that decommissioning activities associated with this project will be completed by FY 2020.

This baseline report assumes that approximately 2,848 cubic meters (3,731 cubic yards) of metal, 1,659 cubic meters (2,173 cubic yards) of rubble/debris and 132 cubic meters (173 cubic yards) of other solids contaminated with low-level radioactive waste generated by decommissioning activities will be entombed in place. This report also assumes that approximately 869 cubic meters (1,138 cubic yards) of low-level mixed rubble, 391 cubic meters (512 cubic yards) of low-level mixed metal, and 125 cubic meters (164 cubic yards) of transuranic and transuranic mixed metals will also be entombed. This estimate assumes that the Environmental Restoration program will be responsible for removing and disposing of 928 cubic meters (1,216 cubic yards) of low-level radioactive metals and 12 cubic meters (15.7 cubic yards) of transuranic metals.

This report further assumes that the Environmental Restoration program will transfer approximately 124 cubic meters (162 cubic yards) of low-level contaminated asbestos, 1,830 cubic meters (2,397 cubic yards) of low-level radioactive liquids/wastewaters, 189 cubic meters (248 cubic yards) of low-level mixed radioactive liquids, 11 cubic meters (14.4 cubic yards) of transuranic liquids, 2,038 cubic meters (2,670 cubic yards) of low-level radioactive soil, 1,700 cubic meters (2,227 cubic yards) of low-level radioactive solids, 1,253 cubic meters (1,641 cubic yards) of low-level mixed radioactive solids, and 893 cubic meters (1,170 cubic yards) of transuranic solids to the Waste Management program.

Long-Term Surveillance and Monitoring

All costs associated with long-term surveillance and monitoring are included as one line item in this estimate. Long-term surveillance and monitoring activities will be required at the completion of the remedial actions at all Waste Area Groupings. Long-term surveillance and monitoring at Waste Area Grouping 6 will focus on estimating total annual discharges from flow paths at surface-water sites where monitoring gages are present, along the ungaged perimeter, and from shallow and deep ground-water systems. Future assessments at this Waste Area Grouping will be based on successive annual monitoring results. Resources will be directed to flow paths where the largest contaminant releases occur. Long-term surveillance and monitoring activities following remedial actions at Waste Area Groupings 8 and 9 will be required because contamination at these areas is being stabilized in place. Monitoring activities for these Waste Area Groupings will ensure that remedial action has contained contamination at these areas. Costs associated with monitoring surface and ground water for both these Waste Area Groupings are included within the scope of remedial action. All other activities will include sampling the existing wells and those wells to be constructed in the area. Monitoring will ensure that the remedial actions have accomplished the intended purpose of eliminating or containing the contamination. This report assumes that long-term surveillance and monitoring for all Waste Area Groupings will continue until FY 2045.

Direct Program Management/Support

Program management functions provide essential administration and oversight to the environmental restoration activities at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This support is focused on ensuring proper identification, characterization, remediation and revitalization of the contaminated sites. Business management accounts for a large portion of the program management. This includes the progress tracking, contract management, facility management, and financial management (budget preparation and control) for Oak Ridge National Laboratory Site projects. Project management personnel for the Lockheed Martin Energy System, Inc. and support groups provide project management support skills as well as coordination with the other sites in the Oak Ridge Operations Office and the Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation.

Federal employees oversee the contractors for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Environmental Restoration program. However, these costs are included in the Oak Ridge Operations Office section of this report, along with Integrating Contractor Central Operations Office support.

There has been a concentrated effort to reduce program management costs. Overlapping activities and management areas have been eliminated, and business systems that required extensive personnel hours have been replaced by electronic data bases and reporting systems.

WASTE MANAGEMENT

Waste management activities at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory encompass treatment, storage, disposal and related activities for multiple waste types generated by numerous Department of Energy programs, including the Offices of Energy Research, Nuclear Energy, Defense Programs, and Environmental Management (nuclear material and facility stabilization and environmental restoration activities). The objective of waste management activities at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is to provide support necessary for accepting and disposing of waste generators' missions. This is accomplished by maintaining and enhancing current capabilities to manage waste, emphasizing safe and compliant operations, reducing legacy waste inventory, overseeing implementation of pollution prevention programs (including waste minimization) and increasing efficiency in all phases of operations.

Waste generated at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory includes liquid, gaseous, and solid low-level waste; low-level mixed waste; transuranic and mixed transuranic wastes; hazardous waste; and sanitary waste. The Waste Management program also manages spent nuclear fuel for the Oak Ridge Reservation. Major waste generating activities include radioisotope production and processing; nuclear reactor operation; physical, chemical, and biological research; and operation of analytical laboratories.

Waste streams at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory have been prioritized considering risk of continued management, availability of treatment technology and capability, volume of waste in storage, volume of waste generated annually, and more generally, the ability to show tangible progress in meeting the objectives of the Federal Facility Compliance Act. In general order of priority, the waste streams at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory are (1) mixed waste liquids to be treated in the Toxic Substances Control Act Incinerator; (2) combustible solids also to be treated in the Incinerator; (3) explosive waste; (4) compressed gases; (5) aqueous liquids to be treated in existing facilities; (6) waste covered under existing treatment variances (that is, toxicity-characteristic waste); and (7) Toxic Substances Control Act Incinerator residues. Remaining waste streams, including contact- and remote-handled transuranic solids, inorganic solids and debris, no-radioactivity-added waste, and other waste targeted for treatment via the broad spectrum procurement and the transportable vitrification system, were assigned lower priorities and are not rank-ordered.

To manage this waste effectively, the Waste Management program will continue to operate treatment, storage, and disposal facilities. These facilities include onsite wastewater, radioactive gaseous and hazardous waste treatment facilities; storage pads, buildings, bunkers and trenches; and low-level disposal pads. The Waste Management program conducts requisite waste planning, characterization, certification, collection, transport, tracking, examination, and assay. This estimate assumes that waste management activities will continue at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory through the FY 2070.

Two major environmental compliance initiatives are currently under way for Oak Ridge National Laboratory waste management activities. First, low-level mixed and transuranic waste is being managed under the requirements of a September 1995 Order by the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation resulting from submission and negotiation on the modified Site Treatment Plan.

The second initiative implements the requirements of the 1992 Federal Facilities Agreement with the State of Tennessee and the Environmental Protection Agency as they pertain to active liquid low-level waste tank systems at the Laboratory. Additional regulatory drivers for waste management activities at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory include the Atomic Energy Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, equivalent state requirements, and Department of Energy Orders.

Transportation issues associated with all waste types are addressed prior to or during the National Environmental Policy Act planning process. Collection and transport activities include costs for waste transportation by waste type for onsite movement of waste and inter-site movement (that is, between the Y-12 Plant, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the K-25 Site). Treatment and/or disposal cost estimates, as applicable, include costs for shipment offsite for treatment and/or disposal.

The Waste Management Pollution Prevention program includes an organized, comprehensive, and continuous effort to systematically reduce the quantity and toxicity of all types of waste and environmental releases from Laboratory operations. The program is designed to encourage waste reduction technology development and to promote increased awareness of waste reduction among Laboratory employees.

In recognition of its commitment to pollution prevention, Oak Ridge Operations is piloting a chargeback program, which charges generators' fees based on type and quantity of waste generated. The funds accrued through the fee system will be set aside and made available for the implementation of waste minimization and pollution prevention projects. This incentive will allow sites to pinpoint the major sources of waste generation and focus attention and resources on minimizing future waste generation and associated costs.

Spent Nuclear Fuel

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory Spent Nuclear Fuel program provides safe, reliable, and efficient management and preparation for offsite shipment of spent nuclear fuel stored on the Oak Ridge Reservation. Currently, spent nuclear fuel is stored in underground retrievable dry storage units, above-grade buildings, hot cells, and wet storage basins. Onsite transportation of some of the spent nuclear fuel is feasible with current equipment; however, offsite transportation will require lease or procurement of shipping cask(s), which the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has licensed and certified. The responsibility of the Spent Nuclear Fuel program is to ensure safe storage and handling of the spent nuclear fuel now located on the Reservation until a facility is available for disposition of the fuel. This is accomplished by stabilizing the fuel as required for safe storage, replacing or modifying facilities that cannot meet current standards, providing additional capacity for storage of newly generated fuel, examining and characterizing spent nuclear fuel and accomplishing objectives in a compliant manner to protect the environment and the health and safety of workers and the public.

GENERATION AND HANDLING

The total spent nuclear fuel inventory at the Laboratory consists of approximately 0.93 metric tons of initial heavy metal. However, the High Flux Isotope Reactor is discharging additional spent nuclear fuel at the rate of about 120 kilograms (264.6 pounds) of heavy metal per year. This estimate assumes that an additional amount of approximately 1.1 metric tons (1 ton) of initial heavy metal will be added to the spent nuclear fuel inventory from this source by FY 2000, if spent fuel from the High Flux Isotope Reactor is not transferred to the Savannah River Site for consolidated storage.

TREATMENT

Although no facilities currently exist on the Oak Ridge Reservation for treatment of spent nuclear fuel for offsite shipment, this estimate assumes that facilities at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, such as Building 3525, will be used to examine and repackage spent nuclear fuel.

STORAGE

Thirteen facilities are currently used to store spent nuclear fuel on the Oak Ridge Reservation. These facilities include the High Flux Isotope Reactor pool, Building 7900; Bulk Shielding Reactor pool, Building 3010; Molten Salt Reactor Experiment, Building 7503; the Tower Shielding Reactor, and Buildings 7823A, 7827, 7829, 7920, and 3525. The total amount of heavy metal stored at these facilities is 933 kilograms (2,060 pounds).

Improvements to current spent nuclear fuel storage facilities are also being implemented, so that spent fuel can be consolidated into fewer storage facilities. This will result in reduced surveillance and maintenance costs and quicker deactivation of facilities now used for spent nuclear fuel storage. In addition, other dry storage facilities will be modified to protect health and the environment, resolving identified vulnerabilities. However, this estimate assumes that the Oak Ridge Reservation, in accordance with the Record of Decision for the Programmatic Spent Nuclear Fuel Management Environmental Impact Statement, will ship spent nuclear fuel to the Savannah River Site in FY 1996 and FY 1997, and to the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory in FY 2000 and FY 2001 for long-term storage. The report assumes that the spent nuclear fuel destined for the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory will be repackaged during FY 1996 and FY 1997 and stored in upgraded onsite dry storage facilities until shipment to that site.

DISPOSAL

All disposal costs for the Oak Ridge spent nuclear fuel inventory are accounted for at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory and the Savannah River Site. In effect, the strategy for disposition of spent nuclear fuel for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is offsite shipment in accordance with the Record of Decision. This report assumes that decommissioning of onsite spent nuclear fuel storage facilities will be completed by FY 2060.

All disposal costs for Oak Ridge's spent nuclear fuel inventory are accounted for at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory and the Savannah River Site. This estimate assumes that decommissioning of onsite spent nuclear fuel storage facilities will be completed by FY 2070.

Transuranic Mixed and Transuranic Waste

The transuranic mixed waste on the Oak Ridge Reservation is all located at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This waste is divided into three primary waste streams, remote-handled transuranic sludges, contact-handled transuranic solids, and remote-handled transuranic solids. These waste streams are managed according to the requirements of September 1995 State Order and modified Site Treatment Plan, which specifies treatment technologies and schedules for the treatment of all transuranic mixed waste.

Long-range plans call for transuranic waste to be repackaged and certified to meet the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant waste acceptance criteria and to be shipped to that facility for ultimate disposal. Remote-handled transuranic sludges were ranked as one of the highest priority waste streams at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory because of the long-term risk associated with continued storage and because of the need to ensure that remote-handled transuranic waste is available and ready for shipment in accordance with the National Transuranic program and the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant waste shipping and acceptance schedules. This estimate assumes that treatment of the transuranic waste will rely on a combination of private sector treatment and use of existing facilities to accelerate treatment schedules and reduce costs. Existing facilities would provide locations for the private sector to set up and operate treatment capability.

GENERATION AND HANDLING

The primary generators of transuranic mixed waste at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory are the Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management (environmental restoration activities) and the Nuclear Energy program. Waste generated by these activities include contact-handled transuranic solids and debris, and remote-handled transuranic sludges, solids and debris.

Buildings 7920 and 7930, known collectively as the Radiochemical Engineering Development Center, were constructed in the mid-1960s. These facilities provide for the protection, storage and distribution of radioactive heavy elements, and are the principal source of both stored and newly generated transuranic-contaminated wastes at the Laboratory. The Center accounts for greater than 99 percent of the radioactivity in liquid low-level and transuranic waste. Transuranic-contaminated sludges currently generated at the Laboratory are primarily the result of operations at these facilities.

This baseline report assumes that a total of 2,400 cubic meters (3,144 cubic yards) of solid transuranic waste will transfer to the Waste Management program over the life cycle of this estimate. This report assumes that environmental restoration and nuclear material and facility stabilization activities will generate approximately 1,400 cubic meters (1,834 cubic yards) of solid transuranic waste through FY 2045. The annual generation rate will vary with the project schedules.

This report also assumes that Nuclear Energy activities will generate approximately 1,000 cubic meters (1,310 cubic yards) of solid transuranic waste, with an annual generation rate of roughly 15 cubic meters (19.7 cubic yards) until FY 2060.

TREATMENT

The 1995 State Order and modified Site Treatment Plan govern the treatment of transuranic mixed waste at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, both remote-handled transuranic sludges and contact- and remote-handled transuranic solids. The Order includes five primary requirements: (1) that remote-handled transuranic sludge treatment begin by June 30, 2002; (2) that shipments of stabilized remote-handled transuranic sludge to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant begin by September 30, 2002; (3) that processing of contact- and remote-handled transuranic solids begin by October 1, 2014; (4) that shipment of processed contact- and remote-handled transuranic solids to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant begin by March 31, 2015; and (5) that shipment of stabilized sludges and processed contact- and remote-handled solids to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant be completed by September 30, 2023.

The Site Treatment Plan outlines a treatment strategy for transuranic mixed waste that relies on a combination of approaches. These approaches include: (1) treatment in existing facilities, (2) private sector treatment, (3) disposal in lieu of treatment for waste with treatment variances, (4) limited development of new onsite facilities, and (5) treatment at other Department of Energy facilities, if required.

The compliance strategy for the remote-handled transuranic sludges is to stabilize them and ship the final waste form to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad, New Mexico. Compliance with the land disposal restrictions treatment standards for the transuranic mixed waste will be met by using the no-migration variance approach. Transuranic mixed waste will be processed to meet only the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant waste acceptance criteria. Under this strategy, the Department of Energy will continue interim storage of transuranic mixed waste, continue preparation of waste for shipment, and then transport and dispose of the waste in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

STORAGE

The Waste Management program has a significant volume of stored transuranic waste, the majority of which is contained in 0.2- cubic meter (55-gallon) stainless steel drums (contact-handled) and large diameter concrete casks and tanks (remote-handled solids and sludges, respectively). Contact-handled transuranic waste is stored in below-ground concrete block facilities and above-ground buildings, while remote-handled transuranic waste is stored in both bunkers and earthen trenches and as sludge in below-grade tanks. Storage of inventoried and newly generated transuranic and transuranic mixed waste will continue until treatment and disposal facilities are available.

DISPOSAL

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is the planned disposal site for transuranic wastes from Oak Ridge. The Waste Management program plans to be ready to send the first shipment of transuranic waste in FY 2002 and complete shipments by FY 2023. All disposal costs for transuranic and transuranic mixed waste are included in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant program estimate. The costs included in this estimate are for managing transuranic and transuranic mixed waste, and include retrieval, characterization, treatment, and packaging to meet the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant waste acceptance criteria.

Low-Level Mixed Waste

Low-level mixed waste stored and generated at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is managed according to the terms and conditions in the September 1995 State Order and modified Site Treatment Plan. This Order specifies treatment technologies and schedules for the treatment of all low-level mixed waste based on information the Department of Energy provided in the Site Treatment Plan.

GENERATION AND HANDLING

The primary generator of low-level mixed waste at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management (environmental restoration, and nuclear material and facility stabilization activities); however, Energy Research program activities also generate some low-level mixed waste at the Laboratory. This estimate assumes that the generator is responsible for characterization and certification, classification, packaging, collection, transport and tracking.

This baseline report assumes that a total of 3,700 cubic meters (4,847 cubic yards) of solid low-level mixed waste will transfer to the Waste Management program over the life cycle of this estimate. This report assumes that environmental restoration and nuclear material and facility stabilization activities will generate approximately 1,500 cubic meters (1,965 cubic yards) of solid low-level mixed waste through FY 2045. The annual generation rate will vary with the project schedules.

This report also assumes that Energy Research activities will generate approximately 2,200 cubic meters (2,882 cubic yards) of solid low-level mixed waste, with an annual generation rate of roughly 25 cubic meters (32.8 cubic yards) until FY 2060. All applicable treatment and storage facilities described below will be maintained and upgraded to allow them to remain active until FY 2060.

TREATMENT

The current treatment strategy for low-level mixed waste at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory relies on a combination of approaches: (1) treatment in existing facilities, (2) private sector treatment, (3) disposal in lieu of treatment for waste with treatment variances, (4) development of limited new onsite facilities, and (5) treatment at other Department of Energy facilities, if required.

The September 1995 State Order and the modified Site Treatment Plan govern this low-level mixed waste treatment strategy. The Site Treatment Plan delineates how the Department will treat the sites' low-level mixed waste or how it will develop technologies when they do not exist or need to be modified. For some waste streams, plans and schedules are provided for characterizing waste for treatment, for undertaking technology assessments, and for providing the required plans and schedules for developing capacities and technologies. The Site Treatment Plan applies to all mixed waste streams on the Oak Ridge Reservation. The Site Treatment Plan fulfills the requirements of the Federal Facility Compliance Act; establishes an enforceable framework from which the Department will develop methods to treat all land disposal-restricted mixed waste currently in storage and generated/received during the term of the Site Treatment Plan; allows compliant storage of waste pending treatment and disposal; and fulfills the requirement for a treatment methods plan, which the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, Region IV agreed to in the June 1992 Federal Facility Compliance Agreement.

The Site Treatment Plan calls for treatment of the following mixed waste generated and/or stored at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory by FY 2008 or earlier: mixed waste liquids, combustible solids, explosive waste, compressed gases, aqueous liquids, and waste covered under existing variances. Schedules for treating the remaining mixed waste streams are extended to approximately FY 2020.

Treatment options use existing or modified onsite facilities and private sector capabilities to treat the waste streams for which technology exists. Five technology-based waste groups have been identified: incineration, stabilization, neutralization, precipitation, and chemical oxidation. Aqueous waste streams will be treated in existing onsite wastewater treatment facilities and may require some nominal pre-treatment, supplemental characterization, and/or additional handling/bulking. Neutralization will be used to treat corrosive waste. Precipitation will be used to treat aqueous waste containing metals. Chemical oxidation will be used to treat cyanide-bearing waste. Incineration is the required treatment technology for approximately 40 waste streams on the Oak Ridge Reservation, including bulked organic liquids, organically contaminated aqueous waste, scintillation fluids, organic homogeneous solids, and organic debris. Stabilization will be accomplished primarily through the use of private sector capabilities. Several large and small volume sludge streams are targeted for treatment through the private sector, with treatment technology to be determined by the private sector.

STORAGE

The Building 7654 Long-term Hazardous Waste Storage Facility is used to store low-level mixed waste, the majority of which comprises bulk scintillation fluids, scintillation vials, and others. The 208-liter (55-gallon) drums contain the majority of mixed waste transported to Building 7654. Containers smaller than 114 liters (30 gallons) are either combined with compatible waste or lab-packed. The maximum inventory in storage at any time is 300 drums; total capacity is 62,535 liters (16,500 gallons). Double-stacking of drums is employed to maintain adequate aisle space. Pallets are placed between the double layers of drums.

Waste stored at the Building 7507, Mixed Waste Storage Facility, is similar to that stored in Building 7654; it consists of scintillation counting vials containing organic and inorganic mixtures contaminated with low levels of radioactivity. Toluene and xylene are regular constituents of the mixtures. Other stored waste includes organic waste, carcinogenic waste, mercury-contaminated solid waste, waste oils, waste solvents, and other process waste. The total capacity of the pad is 83,380 liters (22,000 gallons), or 400 208-liter (55-gallon) drums.

Waste currently stored in the Building 7823 Mixed Waste Storage Facility includes mixed waste oils, solvents, and other process waste. This is a single-level, semi-underground building with a concrete floor. The facility will hold approximately 1,100 0.2- cubic meter (55-gallon) drums. Tank 7830a located near the New Hydrofracture Facility inside Building 7830a provides storage for mixed waste oils contaminated with spent solvents, metals, and radiological constituents. The tank has a nominal capacity of 18,950 liters (5,000 gallons). Some waste generated at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is transferred to the K-25 Site for storage before it is sent to disposal.

DISPOSAL

The current strategy for disposing of mixed waste treatment residues is to dispose of all waste at Envirocare of Utah. The option of an onsite disposal capability for legacy waste is currently being evaluated in concert with the Environmental Restoration program. Evaluation continues on the feasibility of a low-level mixed and a low-level legacy waste disposal unit located on the Oak Ridge Reservation and regulated under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.

Commercial disposal is the planned option for low-level mixed waste treatment residues and low-level mixed waste with treatment variances that meet treatment standards. The feasibility of a legacy low-level mixed and a low-level waste disposal unit is being evaluated in collaboration with the Environmental Restoration program.

Low-Level Waste

Low-level waste generated and managed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory consists primarily of mixed fission products with small quantities of naturally occurring and accelerator-produced radioactive material generated and managed as low-level waste. The strategy for managing low-level waste consists of collection and onsite treatment for radioactive wastewater and gaseous waste; implementation of activities to comply with Federal Facility Agreement requirements applicable to Oak Ridge National Laboratory liquid waste systems; and a combination of onsite storage, private sector treatment and onsite or offsite disposal for solid low-level waste. Waste stream-specific characteristics (for example, radionuclide content and concentration and waste matrix) dictate the combination of options to be employed for solid low-level waste management.

The current strategy for managing Oak Ridge National Laboratory solid low-level waste includes: minimized generation through segregation, process control or reuse/recycle; continued onsite disposal at the Laboratory for waste certified as meeting onsite disposal performance assessment requirements; use of commercial vendors where cost effective for waste volume reduction and treatment prior to long-term storage or disposal; storage on the Oak Ridge National Laboratory for waste not certified to meet onsite disposal performance objectives while awaiting offsite disposal; and use of offsite disposal for stored inventory and future generation.

GENERATION AND HANDLING

The primary generator of low-level waste at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Research; however, environmental restoration and nuclear material and facility stabilization activities also generate some low-level waste at the Laboratory. This estimate assumes that all costs associated with the characterization and certification, classification, packaging, collection, transport and tracking of low-level waste are the responsibility of the generator.

This baseline report assumes that a total of 100,000 cubic meters (131,000 cubic yards) of solid low-level waste will transfer to the Waste Management program over the life cycle of this estimate. This report assumes that environmental restoration and nuclear material and facility stabilization activities will generate approximately 5,900 cubic meters (1,572 cubic yards) of solid low-level waste through FY 2045. The annual generation rate will vary with the project schedules.

This report also assumes that Energy Research activities will generate approximately 94,100 cubic meters (123,271 cubic yards) of solid low-level waste, with an annual generation rate of roughly 1,200 cubic meters (1,572 cubic yards) until FY 2060. All applicable storage facilities described below will be maintained and upgraded to allow them to remain active until FY 2060.

TREATMENT

The liquid low-level waste system at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory consists of collection tanks and piping, evaporator facilities, evaporator storage tanks, and Melton Valley storage tanks. The waste accumulated in the collection tanks is transferred via underground piping to the Liquid Low-Level Waste Evaporator Facility where it is concentrated to an average volume reduction factor of 30:1. The concentrated waste is then transferred to one of several storage tanks, and the evaporator condensate is transferred to the Process Waste Treatment Plant for further treatment. Portions of the liquid low-level waste system require upgrading or replacement to meet requirements of the Oak Ridge Federal Facilities Agreement. Projects have been implemented to provide underground tank and pipeline replacement at key locations across Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Upgrades are scheduled to be completed by FY 2005.

The second liquid radioactive waste treatment system at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the Process Waste System. The processing steps include softening, clarification, filtration, and ion exchange. The concentrated radioactive material resulting from the regeneration of the Process Waste Treatment Plant ion exchange columns is evaporated and transferred to the Liquid Low-Level Waste System. Waste management operates a radioactive gaseous waste system that provides negative pressure containment, filtration, scrubbing and monitored discharge for radioactively contaminated ventilation collected from hot cells and process vessels.

Offsite commercial treatment facilities reduce the volume of a portion of Oak Ridge National Laboratory's contact-handled solid low-level radioactive waste. Commercial services are available for supercompaction, incineration, and metal melting. Commercial vendors treat ion exchange resins and periodically solidify liquid low-level radioactive waste concentrates at the Laboratory. Additional treatment facilities are not currently planned for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

STORAGE

In 1986, the Waste Management program began interim storage of some contact-handled solid low-level waste at the Oak Ridge K-25 Site because of the limited disposal capacity remaining in Solid Waste Storage Area 6. To date, approximately 2,500 drums of solid low-level waste and 125 boxes from Oak Ridge National Laboratory are being stored at the K-25 Site. The Waste Management program has constructed several portable storage facilities for onsite interim storage of the low-activity waste streams, which include contaminated soils, process wastewater sludge, biological waste, and very low-activity waste. This estimate assumes that the Waste Management program will be responsible for storage of these low-activity waste streams until new disposal facilities on the Oak Ridge Reservation are available, or offsite disposal is accessed.

The Waste Management program is also storing remote-handled solid low-level waste that does not meet the waste acceptance criteria for onsite disposal facilities. Remote-handled low-level waste is stored in above- and below-grade storage facilities. Above-grade concrete cask storage areas are used to store solidified supernatants from the liquid low-level waste evaporator concentrate storage tanks. Below-grade storage wells are used to store irradiated hardware, sealed radiation sources, and other solid low-level waste that does not meet the onsite disposal waste acceptance criteria. Cask storage areas are used to store irradiated hardware that is too large for the below-grade storage wells.

DISPOSAL

The current strategy for disposal at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory varies according to isotopic content and radionuclide concentration of the waste and the specific disposal facility and technology. The strategy to ensure disposal capability for all low-level waste generated at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory relies on a combination of onsite and offsite facilities. Onsite disposal of low-level waste is primarily limited to mixed fission product waste generated at the Laboratory. This waste is currently being disposed of at the Interim Waste Management Facility (an above-ground engineered disposal facility) which began operations in FY 1991. This report assumes that at current and projected generation rates, by using aggressive volume reduction technologies, this facility will reach full capacity by FY 2008. Although plans for a disposal facility are currently being pursued, this report assumes that the long-range disposal strategy for low-level waste will be offsite disposal at the Nevada Test Site.

Hazardous Waste

The strategy for managing hazardous waste at Oak Ridge National Laboratory consists of reducing waste generation; obtaining no-added-radioactivity determinations to dispose of current inventories and newly generated waste as hazardous using commercial sector capabilities; and continued treatment in existing onsite facilities.

GENERATION AND HANDLING

The primary generator of hazardous waste at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management (environmental restoration and nuclear material and facility stabilization activities); however, Energy Research program activities also generate some hazardous waste at the Laboratory. This estimate assumes that all costs associated with the characterization and certification, classification, packaging, collection, transport and tracking of low-level waste are the responsibility of the generator.

This baseline report assumes that a total of 360 cubic meters (472 cubic yards) of solid low-level waste will transfer to the Waste Management program over the life cycle of this estimate. This report assumes that environmental restoration and nuclear material and facility stabilization activities will generate approximately 300 cubic meters (393 cubic yards) of solid low-level waste through FY 2045. The annual generation rate will vary with the project schedules.

This report also assumes that Energy Research activities will generate approximately 60 cubic meters (78.6 cubic yards) of solid low-level waste, with an annual generation rate of approximately 0.8 cubic meters (1.05 cubic yards) until FY 2060.

TREATMENT

The Nonradiological Wastewater Treatment Plant is operated under Section 402 of the Clean Water Act and is exempt from Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit requirements for treatment, storage, and disposal facilities. In the past, bulk nonnitrate acids were neutralized at the Nonradiological Wastewater Treatment Plant and discharged to White Oak Creek via the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. The Nonradiological Wastewater Treatment Plant is planned for use in the future for corrosives in storage. Many generators now neutralize corrosives to prevent generation of hazardous waste. Other products, such as antifreeze and nonhazardous scintillation fluids, are currently being treated at the Sanitary Wastewater Treatment Plant. These items were previously sent to hazardous waste operators and disposed of offsite. However, onsite treatment represents a significant savings over disposal costs.

Although limited, essential onsite hazardous waste treatment capability exists at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Explosive, shock-sensitive and reactive waste is treated at the Chemical Detonation Facility. Commercial offsite treatment with disposal is planned for the remaining waste.

STORAGE

Storage facilities at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are used to store: (1) bulk waste chemicals that have been packaged and labeled in accordance with Department of Transportation requirements; (2) small containers of laboratory chemicals and related wastes; and (3) polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated biphenyl-contaminated liquids and solids. Waste is characterized as ignitable, corrosive, extraction procedure toxic, oxidizers, poisons, and polychlorinated biphenyls or polychlorinated biphenyl-contaminated.

DISPOSAL

No onsite hazardous waste disposal capability exists at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Hazardous waste will be disposed of in conjunction with commercial treatment contracts.

Sanitary Waste

The strategy for managing sanitary waste at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory constitutes the use of both onsite and offsite commercial facilities including the Anderson County Landfill and the Y-12 Sanitary Landfill. Waste recycle opportunities will also continue to be pursued to reduce the quantity of waste requiring disposal and to extend the life of the disposal facilities. The Waste Management program has no current or planned activities associated with the storage of solid sanitary and industrial waste at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

GENERATION AND HANDLING

The primary generator of sanitary waste at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is the Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management (environmental restoration activities); however, Energy Research program activities also generate some sanitary waste at the Laboratory.

This baseline report assumes that a total of 158,000 cubic meters (206,980 cubic yards) of sanitary waste will transfer to the Waste Management program over the life cycle of this estimate. This report assumes that environmental restoration and nuclear material and facility stabilization activities will generate approximately 115,000 cubic meters (150,650 cubic yards) of sanitary waste (mostly liquid) through FY 2045. The annual generation rate will vary with the project schedules.

This report also assumes that Energy Research activities will generate approximately 43,000 cubic meters (56,330 cubic yards) of solid low-level waste, with an annual generation rate of roughly 1,700 cubic meters (2,227 cubic yards) until FY 2021.

DISPOSAL

Industrial solid waste and construction demolition debris generated at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and waste containing less than 35 picocuries per gram of radioactivity (total uranium) are transported and disposed of at the Y-12 Industrial Landfills in accordance with the state operating permit. At current generation rates, the existing landfill has a life expectancy of greater than 50 years. All sanitary and industrial liquid waste is discharged to White Oak Creek per the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit requirements.

Offsite disposal is limited to specific waste streams that are generated in areas known to be noncontaminated. This waste is disposed of in the Anderson County Landfill.

Direct Program Management/Support

Direct program support activities for the Waste Management program encompass activities that are necessary for, but are not directly a part of, treatment, storage, disposal, or related operations. Program support activities include Department of Energy and Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Inc. program management; oversight of pollution prevention programs; general safety, health and environmental compliance oversight; utilities for general support facilities; taxes; and procurement for general support activities; and establishment and maintenance of waste tracking systems. The level of general program support is proportional to treatment, storage, disposal, and related activities and reduces or increases as treatment, storage, disposal, and related activities decrease or increase.

DESCRIPTION OF PERSONNEL

Current Composition

The employees working for 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 several waste operations facilities at the Laboratory, there are more operators than at other facilities. This work force is expected to remain relatively stable over the next several years. In addition, the Department of Energy contracts to Jacobs Engineering and Foster Wheeler, both of whom predominantly employ scientists and engineers, and MK-Ferguson, the construction contractor, who employs construction crafts personnel, operators, and engineers. 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. The federal Full-Time-Equivalents who provide support and oversee the Environmental Management work at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory are included in the Oak Ridge Operations Office section of this report. The following table 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

Lockheed Martin Energy Systems is the integrating contractor for the Environmental Management activities at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the Department of Energy. The company integrates its own work activities as well as those of Department of Energy prime contractors for technical support, engineering and construction, and its own subcontractors for site remedial investigation work. Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation was recently formed to contract as the managing and operation contractor of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the Department of Energy. Lockheed Martin Energy Systems is entering into a Memorandum of Understanding with Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation that will indicate the cooperation and roles and responsibilities between the two contractual entities.

The Lockheed Martin Energy Systems contract has recently been extended for an additional two years, through March 1998. In that contract, Lockheed Martin has committed to incentive contracting as a part of contract reform. 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 risk of cost overruns; and streamlined bid specifications simplify the process and reduce cost estimates.

Future Full-Time Equivalent Needs

According to this estimate, the mix of Full-Time Equivalents supported by Environmental Management for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory will remain fairly stable. Remedial action and waste management activities will continue to support Environmental Restoration. However, as the decommissioning of facilities and larger scale remediation begins, and the buildings are cleaned and demolished, heavy equipment operators, laborers, health and safety personnel, and decontamination personnel will be needed.

FUNDING ESTIMATE

The following tables present estimated funding information for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

COMPARISON WITH PREVIOUS ESTIMATE

The FY 1996 life-cycle cost estimate for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is 17 percent ($1.8 billion) lower than the FY 1995 estimate. Most of this reduction is the result of lower estimated costs for the Waste Management and Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization programs.

As with the FY 1995 Baseline Environmental Management Report, parametric models were used to project life-cycle costs for most Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization program activities. The baseline cost estimate was used for the Isotopes Facility Deactivation Project. This resulted in a 25 percent lower life-cycle cost estimate. Also, the FY 1995 Baseline Environmental Management Report contained some facilities that are currently in the Environmental Restoration baseline estimate. These facilities have been deleted from the FY 1996 Nuclear Materials and Facility Stabilization program estimate.

The FY 1996 Baseline Environmental Management Report estimate for Environmental Restoration program activities did not change substantially from the FY 1995 report. This report reflects essentially the same scope for activities, with the exception of decommissioning of facilities identified by the Nuclear Materials and Facility Stabilization program. This provided an additional 70 facilities to the program. In addition, the direct program management/support costs were included within the scope of the program estimate.

The 1996 Baseline Environmental Management Report estimates for Waste Management program activities at Oak Ridge National Laboratory now include: proportionate shares of centralized mixed waste program costs (previously all reported under K-25 Site, reflecting how funds are managed); decommissioning costs for currently operating and planned Waste Management-owned facilities; revised methods of treatment for transuranic and mixed transuranic waste; increased use of offsite facilities for low-level and low-level mixed waste disposal; and reduced waste projections from the Environmental Restoration and Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization programs. Collectively, these changes reduced the estimated costs for the Waste Management program by approximately 10 percent.