Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

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The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory is located on 29 hectares (72 acres) of property leased from Princeton University on Site C and Site D of the James Forrestal Campus, in Plainsboro Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey.

FACILITY MISSION

The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory has historically provided research and development for fusion energy programs sponsored by the Department of Energy and its predecessor agencies. Research at the Laboratory began in 1959 with construction of the Model C-Stellerator, which was later converted to a pulse-operated device.

Currently, activities at the site are devoted to the research and development of plasma fusion energy. The Laboratory has two large devices: the Princeton Beta Experiment-Modification and the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor. Facilities on the site consist of laboratories, maintenance shops, warehouses, transformer yards, storage buildings, administrative offices, educational facilities, and miscellaneous trailers.

The mission of the Environmental Management program is to reduce environmental, health, and safety risks from radioactive waste and contamination resulting from energy-related research conducted at the laboratory. The program also provides ongoing waste management support to the Department's Office of Energy Research.

There are no current or planned Nuclear Materials and Facility Stabilization projects at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. The Office of Energy Research is the landlord at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and this report assumes that this office will remain in that capacity for the duration of this estimate.

FUTURE USE

Environmental management activities at the site are currently scheduled to end in FY 2070. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory will continue to operate as a national laboratory for energy research. Therefore, future use of this facility will remain Industrial, with restricted access.

ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION

A Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act inventory of past releases disclosed that Site C and Site D will require remediation. The environmental medium of concern at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory is ground-water and soil contaminated with volatile organic compounds (petroleum, hydrocarbons, and solvents) resulting form past materials management practices and accidental spills.

The Environmental Restoration scope at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory includes costs associated with treatment, storage, and disposal of all waste generated. These costs are included within the scope of remedial action.

Site C and Site D

The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory conducts its operations on Site C and Site D of the James Forrestal Campus, owned by Princeton University. In response to the presence of volatile organic contamination in a nearby municipal water supply well and a potential regional ground-water contamination issue, Princeton University entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to investigate potential sources of contamination.

ASSESSMENT

The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory is conducting investigations of soil and ground water at six locations including, a hazardous waste accumulation area, a warehouse facility, a cooling tower, the RESA building, sludge drying beds, and the northeast storage area. Initial investigations have detected volatile organic compounds and metals in soil.

REMEDIAL ACTION

This report assumes that the remedial strategy for Site C and Site D will involve in situ soil treatment, excavation, ground-water containment, and monitoring. This report further assumes that 2,923 cubic meters (3,829 cubic yards) of metals-contaminated soil will be excavated and disposed of at a commercial facility permitted to accept hazardous waste. In situ treatment of approximately 265,000 cubic meters (347,150 cubic yards) of organics-contaminated soil will be accomplished using a soil vapor extraction technology. Ground-water contamination will be contained, treated, and monitored during and after the treatment and removal of contaminated soils. This report assumes that all remedial activities will be completed by FY 2025. However, surveillance and monitoring activities will continue through FY 2070. These costs are included in the direct program management support costs for the Environmental Restoration program.

Direct Program Management/Support

Program management at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory is limited to program planning, direct project management, and waste minimization activities. The Laboratory does not currently fund any grants or Agreements-In-Principle. These costs include long-term surveillance and monitoring through FY 2070.

WASTE MANAGEMENT

The Waste Management program at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory is limited to ongoing waste management support of the Office of Energy Research program research and development activities. Waste generated by the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory includes oils, solvents, polychlorinated biphenyls, heavy metals, and low-level waste. The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory does not treat or dispose of waste onsite. Hazardous waste is sent to commercial facilities, and radioactive waste is shipped to the Department's Hanford facility for disposal.

Peak waste management costs in FY 1997 reflect the decision by the Department of Energy's Energy Research program to retrofit the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor and to transfer the resulting waste to the Laboratory's Waste Management program for storage, handling, and disposal. The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory will also continue to ship all hazardous and radioactive waste to offsite facilities for treatment and/or disposal, as appropriate.

The Laboratory will construct a new Radioactive Waste Handling Facility to store pre-packaged radioactive waste generated during the shutdown and removal of the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor and follow-on experimental activities. The new facility will be approximately 593 square meters (5,800 square feet) and will have an expected useful life of 30 years. This estimate assumes that construction activities will be completed by FY 1996.

Low-Level Waste

All low-level waste generated at the Laboratory is collected in satellite accumulation areas and is then transferred to a central staging area for packaging and certification for shipment and disposal. This report assumes that Energy Research program activities will generate approximately 8,037 cubic meters (10,528 cubic yards) of low-level waste through FY 2070.

The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory does not treat, store, or dispose of low-level waste onsite. All low-level waste is shipped by Department of Transportation-approved carriers to the Department of Energy's Hanford facility for final disposal.

Hazardous Waste

All hazardous waste generated at the Laboratory is collected in satellite accumulation areas and is then transferred to a central staging area for packaging and certification for shipment and disposal. This report assumes that Energy Research program activities will generate approximately 4,950 cubic meters (6,485 cubic yards) of hazardous waste through FY 2070.

The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory does not treat, store, or dispose of hazardous waste onsite. All hazardous waste is brokered and disposed of by appropriate commercial facilities.

Direct Program Management/Support

Program management through technical integration and contract-management functions provides essential technical support, administrative integration, and oversight to the Environmental Management program. This support ensures a consistent and integrated waste management strategy across the Chicago Operations office installations. It includes business management, technical programs, technical oversight, senior management, community relations, and Environmental Management integration.

Business management accounts for the greatest portion of program management. This includes progress tracking, contract management, facility management, and financial management (budget preparation and control) procedures and programmatic guidance, including integrating and reconciling plans and budgets with Area offices and the nationwide Environmental Management program.

Also included in program management are the senior management personnel for the Environmental Management programs and the support groups that provide community relations and program integration support. These personnel provide an integrated environmental management program for Chicago Operations Office installations and necessary support activities such as strategic planning, personnel management and training, stakeholder support/public participation, advisory boards, and administrative support.

DESCRIPTION OF PERSONNEL

Current Composition

Currently, the Department of Energy employs 23 Full-Time Equivalents to support Environmental Management program activities at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. The Laboratory's work force consists of federal and contractor personnel. They include engineers, managers, laborers, and general workers. The Laboratory contracts with a variety of engineering, consulting, and site investigation firms to perform environmental management activities. The following table presents the federal and contractor skill mix at the laboratory.

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

Site Management Structure

Princeton University is the managing and operating contractor for Environmental Management activities at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. The Department of Energy's Princeton Area Office has the direct line responsibility for managing the contract with the Laboratory. The Chicago Operations Office is responsible for program management and integration of all installations within the Chicago Operations Office program. Princeton University's current management and operations contract is scheduled to expire in FY 1997.

Future Full-Time Equivalent Needs

This report assumes that the number of Full-Time Equivalents supported by the Environmental Management program will remain stable but increase during peak periods of activity. During peak periods, the personnel will be predominantly construction workers and engineers working on the remedial action and retrofitting of the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor.

FUNDING ESTIMATE

The following table present estimated funding information for the Princeton Physics Laboratory.

COMPARISON WITH PREVIOUS ESTIMATE

The life-cycle cost estimate for the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory in the FY 1996 Baseline Environment Management Report has more than doubled the estimate presented in the FY 1995 report. The main reason for this increase is that the duration of Waste Management program support to the Office of Energy Research has more than doubled; from 35 years in the FY 1995 report (complete in FY 2030) to 75 years in the FY 1996 report (complete in FY 2070). Environmental Restoration program activities have also been extended to FY 2070 in the FY 1996 report in contrast to the FY 1995 report when they were assumed to be completed by FY 2030.

Comparison Table

Activity	FY 1995 Life Cycle	FY 1995 Only 1	FY 1996 Life Cycle	Change in Dollars	Change in Percent
	Thousands of Dollars
Nuclear Mat. & Fac. Stab.	-	-	-	-	-
Environmental Restoration	12,756	-	58,994	46,238	362
Waste Management	130,992	7,005	262,229	138,242	111
Landlord	-	-	-	-	-
Program Management 2	14,538	487	-	-	-
Site Total	158,287	7,492	321,223	170,428	113
1 The FY 1995 life-cycle and annual costs are provided to determine the corrected FY 1995 cost. 2 Program Management was reported in an independent cost table last year, but is reported as a line item in the relevant program (Nuclear Material and Facility Stabilization, Environmental Restoration, and Waste Management) activity cost estimate tables for the FY 1996 Baseline Report.