Oak Ridge Reservation
Environmental Health Archives
Current as of 10FEB99
Compiled by
Captain John R. Stockwell, M.D., M.P.H.
U.S. Public Health Service
Oak Ridge Pollution — Environmental Update
c. 01JUIM91
Oak Ridge Reservation
Environmental Health Archives
(ORREHA)
Document Number

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Oak Ridge-Pollution	. * ....
Environmental Update. June 91
Environmental Update
A Report from the Department of Energy on Environmental Restoration (ER)
activities at the Oak Ridge Reservation
Issue Three
Contents in Brief
A new Agreement in Principle provides for
independent State oversight of Department of Energy
environmental monitoring (page 2).
• • •
An open house was held at DOETs Information Resource
Center, Oak Ridge (page 2).
• • •
A Record of Decision on a Y-l 2 Plant waste storage site
should be final this summer (page 3).
• • •
Field studies at East Fork Poplar Creek are continuing
(page 4).
« • •
A dam under construction at the White Oak Creek
Embayment will control downstream movement of
contaminated sediments into the Clinch River (page 5).
• • •
Phase I of Elza Gate Restoration Is Completed (page 6).
• • «
Health Studies Agreement Between DOE and
Tennessee Being Negotiated (page 7).
Work Progressing on Clinch River/Wa Us Bar Reservoir
Studies (page 8).
• • • •
A public meeting was held to receive citizen input on
the Federal Facilities Agreement (page 8}.
• • •
Moving Ahead in Waste Management (page 9).
Progress is being made with three new technologies at
the Oak Ridge Reservation.
• « •
Plans are being made to accelerate the investigation
along the CSX railroad tracks (page 10).
~ ~ •
The public plays an important role in the selection of
cleanup alternatives at East Fork Poplar Creek
(page 10).
• ~ •
OKAU South Campus Site Investigation Completed
(page 12).
From the Assistant Manager, DOE
Environmental Restoration and
Waste Management
Since publication of the last issue of Environmental
Update, several significant events have marked the
progress of environmental restoration in Oak Ridge. In
February, the Department of Energy's (DOE's)
Information Resource Center moved to larger, permanent
quarters at 105 Broadway in Oak Ridge (please see
page 2). More recently, DOE and the State of Tennessee
signed an agreement to provide for State oversight of
environmental, safety, and health activities at DOE's
Oak Ridge facilities (page 2).
We appreciate the time that
residents of the area have taken
to provide input into the
cleanup efforts. We hope that
you will also take time to
write to us (the address is listed
on page 6) to let us know
how we can improve our
communication efforts about
environmental restoration in
Oak Ridge. We'll answer
representative questions and address comments in future
issues of Update.
Working together, we will be able to identify the best
alternatives for environmental cleanup and begin to
implement them as quickly as possible.
Sincerely,
Bill Adams
|
Bill Adams
,gSR
n ¦ puS- Tennessee 37,.
Oafc

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2
D
JL-^c
Agreement in Principle:
State To Oversee DOE Environmental Monitoring Programs
OE and the State of Tennessee signed an
agreement on May 13 designed to assure the citizens of
Tennessee that their health, safety, and environment
are being protected.
A 5-year Agreement in Principle, signed by Gov. Ned
McWherter and Secretary of Energy James D. Watkins,
gives the State oversight of DOE's environmental
programs and emergency preparedness activities in
Oak Ridge and surrounding areas.
A number of similar agreements have already been
signed by other States. The agreements provide State
environmental regulators access to DOE sites so that
they can monitor facility operations and independently
assess DOE's efforts to comply with environmental
requirements. The Agreement was negotiated by DOE
and the State of Tennessee in 1990. DOE andTennessee
are also negotiating a Health Studies Agreement (see
page 7) to assess potential human health risks of past
and present DOE operations in Oak Ridge.
Under the Agreement in Principle, State of Tennessee
representatives will review DOE environmental
monitoring of surface water, fish and wildlife,
groundwater, and air quality both on and off the 36,000
acre Oak Ridge Reservation. State environmental
specialists will obtain and analyze separate samples to
provide an independent comparative analysis of DOE's
monitoring program. This information will help the
State to determine the impact of DOE operations on
surrounding communities and to assess compliance
with environmental laws and regulations.
State representatives will also review existing waste
minimization programs at the Oak Ridge National
Laboratory (ORNL), the Y-12 Plant, and the K-25 Site
and will survey air emission sources at these facilities
for future emission control.
About 90 full-time State employees will be located in
Oak Ridge to perform oversight activities. DOE will
provide $19.9 million to the State over the next 5 years
to allow the State to implement the Agreement.
The text of the Agreement is available at the Information
Resource Center, 105 Broadway, Oak Ridge.
		Information Resource
n
JL^FOE's Information Resource Center is now
located in the former Ridge Theater building, 105
Broadway, Oak Ridge (a block away from the Jackson
Square shopping area between Oak Ridge Sporting
Goods and Big Ed's Pizza). The telephone number is
(615)481-0695.
The public was welcomed to the Center's new location
at an open house February 26, with approximately 180
visitors in attendance. The Center will house all
documents that make up the Administrative Record,
which provides the basis for decisions related to
environmental cleanup at the Oak Ridge Reservation
and off-site locations.
At the open house, Administrative Record Coordinator
Lee Pendergraft demonstrated the database for the
Administrative Record that allows the staff to locate
reports of interest through "key word" computer
searches.
Center Holds Open House
About 500 documents, as well as exhibits and a variety
of informational materials, are currently available at the
Center. Many more will be added as the cleanup program
progresses. Besides the Administrative Record, the
Center houses files of news clippings related to the
cleanup program, fact sheets, background information
on the program, and previous copies of Environmental
Update.
Copies of requested documents can be made free of
charge for the public by the Center's staff. Staff members
are present to answer questions and handle requests for
information.
Information Resource Center hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday
and Thursday; and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. To be
included on the Center's mailing list for Environmental
Update and other publications, complete the form on

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3
Record of Decision Expected Soon on United Nuclear Closure
[Editor'sNotc: 7'/ie Februa/y/ssue o/£/ie Environmental Update
reported on environmental studies related to the United
Nuclear Corporation waste storage site on Chestnut Ridge at
the Y-12 Plant. The site contains approximately 11,000
55-gallon drums of contaminated sludge, fixed in cement;
18,000 drums of contaminated soil; and 288 boxes of
contaminated scrap material. The waste was received in Oak
Ridge in the early 1980s from the decommissioning of the
United Nuclear uranium recovery facility in Rhode Island.]
The Record of Decision for the closure of the United
Nuclear Corporation disposal site at the Oak Ridge Y-12
Plant is expected to be completed this summer. This
document will contain a description of the selected
remedial technology and a summary of regulator and
public comments on the proposed Remedial Action Plan
issued earlier this year.
A public meeting was held in Oak Ridge in April to receive
citizen comments on the proposed Remedial Action Plan.
The public review period ended April 30.
In recent years, concern over the growing deterioration
of the drums and the potential for contaminants to
migrate away from the site prompted analysis of the
site's waste, soil, and groundwater. Contaminants at the
United Nuclear Corporation disposal site include nitrates
and strontium-90.
The proposed action plan calls for a multi-layer cap to
shield the site from rain to prevent contaminated runoff.
The cap, designed in accordance with the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requirements,
will cost approximately $1.47 million. The site will be

Acronyms In This Issue
CERCLA
Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Act
DOE:
Department of Energy
EPA:
Environmental Protection Agency
ORAU:
Oak Ridge Associated Universities
ORNL:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
PCBs:
Polychlorinated biphenyls
RCRA:
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
TSCA:
Toxic Subtances Control Act
Modified RCRA landfill cap: Consists of a combination
of drainage and impermeable materials installed over the
top of a landfill. The capping material acts as a barrier to
rainwater seeping from the surface. Construction materials
on top of the landfill act as a drain to channel the water
away from the material in the landfill, the underlying
soil, and groundwater. The cap is made up of synthetic
liners, sand, impermeable clay, top soil, and grass to
prevent erosion.
Record of Decision (or ROD): A public document that
explains which remedial alternative will be used. The
Record of Docision Ls based on information and technical
analysis generated during the Remedial Investigation/
Feasibility Study and includes consideration of public
comments and community concerns.
designed to direct surface drainage from the cap to further
ensure water will not penetrate through the cap.
Preparation of the Remedial Action Plan is one part of the
requirements of the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), as
amended. (A summary of the laws and regulations that
govern the cleanup program is provided in a fact sheet,
which can be ordered using the order form on page 15. A
fact sheet on the proposed United Nuclear Closure can
also be ordered.)
Following adoption of the Record of Decision, remedial
action at the site will begin. Documents pertaining to the
characterization of the site, the proposed Remedial Action
Plan, the responsiveness summary documenting DOE
response topublic comment, and other related documents
are available to the public at DOE's Information Resource
Center, 105 Broadway, Oak Ridge.
Area residents asked questions and made comments on the proposed
Remedial Action Plan for the closure of the United Nuclear Corporation

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4
Sampling Continues on Creek and Sewerline Beltway
under CERCLA, and as the first step towards obtaining
regulatory approval for final cleanup actions.
As explained in the February Environmental Update,
the Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study
required by CERCLA are now underway. The Remedial
Investigation sampling activities are being conducted
in two phases, Phase 1A and Phase IB. Phase 1A
sampling and analysis activities will explore the types
of contaminants present in surface water, groundwater,
soils, and sediment. The second phase of sampling,
Phase IB, is intended to describe the extent of
contamination, including the concentration of
(continued on page 11)
^-^ampling is continuing on East Fork Poplar Creek
and its floodplain, and will begin on the sewerline
beltway, to determine the type and extent of
contamination resulting from off-site releases from the
Y-12 Plant. Soil from the floodplain was used in
construction of the sewerline beltway. Mercury is the
major contaminant at these sites, although other heavy
metals, radionuclides, and organic compounds have
sometimes been detected.
The studies will provide information to be used in the
selection and development of appropriate cleanup
alternatives. Although numerous studies were
conducted between 1983 and 1989, new field studies
are being done to conform to more rigorous requirements
Workers recently took soil samples along Hinds Creek, an uncontaminated stream near Norris, for comparison with similar samples from East Fork
Poplar Creek. In the first photo, a backhoe pushes a pipe called a Shelby tube into the ground to collect undisturbed soil samples at two depth
intervals of 0 to 2B inches and 28 to 55 inches. The Shelby tubes are retrieved (second photo) and wrapped and capped at both ends to preserve
the sample. They are then labeled (third photo) to be transported to the laboratory for testing the physical and chemical properties of the soil. The

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5
Dam Under Construction To Control Contaminated Sediments
T
M he February issue of Environmental Update
described investigations underway to determine the
best method of preventing downstream movement of
contaminated sediments in White Oak Creek
Embayment. Design and construction of a sediment-
retention dam are now underway.
White Oak Creek is the primary surface water drainage
for ORNL. The Embayment, located between White Oak
Lake Dam and the Clinch River, is being evaluated as
part of the DOE environmental restoration program.
During characterization of the Embayment's sediments,
higher than expected levels of cesium-137 were found
near the top of the sediment layer. Immediate steps were
taken to determine the best method to prevent further
erosion of the sediments, which can wash into the Clinch
River. Contamination of the sediments is due to historic
discharges and leakage from hazardous waste burial
grounds at ORNL and not due to any recent discharges.
DOE has been working closely with Martin Marietta
Energy Systems, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), the Tennessee Valley Authority,
the Tennessee Department of Environment and
Conservation, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to
design a "coffer-cell" sediment-retention dam and meet
all required environmental regulations.
The structure uses interlocking sheets of piling driven
down into the bedrock, below the sediments. This will
help control further movement of the sediments
downstream. The upper layer of the dam is made of wire
and rock to filter the water flow. The dam is topped with
a 100-foot-wide concrete cap. Completion of the dam is
expected by December 1991.
The Administrative Record containing the documents
on which the White Oak Creek Embayment remedial
action is based is available for public review at
DOE's Information Resource Center, 105 Broadway,
Oak Ridge.
Samples are taken on a regular schedule to
monitor water quality at the point where
White Oak Creek Embayment empties into the
Clinch Hiver.
Core drillings were taken from the While Oak
Creek Embayment for use in determining the
structure of a suitable sediment control dam for

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6
Phase I of Elza Gate
Restoration is Completed
[Editor's Note: Elza Gate, a site at the east end of Oak Ridge now
known as the Melton Hill Industrial Park, was originally a
warehouse area for storage of high-grade uranium ore,
processing residues, and some electrical equipment during the
nation's early nuclear energy program. The work to clean up
the uranium, radium, thorium, andpolychlorinated biphcnyls
(PCBs] remaining there is part of DOE's Formerly Utilized Sites
Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). Cleanup at the Elza Gate
site will follow the same pattern of investigation as CERCLA
sites. See article in the February 1991 edition o/Environmental
Update for more information.]
DOE has completed the first phase of a project to remove
residual radioactive contamination from a building and
grounds at the Elza Gate Site in Oak Ridge.
The project followed a public review period this past
winter during which citizens had an opportunity to
provide input on theenginceringevaluation/costanalysis
for Phase I of the cleanup. Citizen comments were
reviewed and will be addressed in a responsiveness
summary. Project documents are available in the
Administrative Record at the Information Resource
Center, 105 Broadway, Oak Ridge.
Phase I of the project includes removal of contaminated
soil and concrete from an area called Pad 1, one of five
concrete pads on site. The contaminated soil and concrete
have been placed in a covered area and will be moved
to the Oak Ridge Reservation after a site has been
designated.
DOE is now preparing an engineering evaluation/cost
analysis, to be available in the summer of 1991, to
evaluate cleanup alternatives for the final phase of the
project. Alternatives will be studied for removing the
remaining contaminated rubble and soil on the site. The
public will be notified when the engineering evaluation/
cost analysis for the final phase becomes available for
public review and comment.
We Want To Hear From You
We at DOE would like to know—are we adequately communicating with you about DOE's environmental
restoration program in Oak Ridge?
Do you need information we are not providing? What are your suggestions for improving our
communication efforts? Do publications such as this Environmental Update answer your questions? Do
public meetings such as the formal and informal sessions held in Oak Ridge during the past year serve
as a satisfactory forum for your comments on our efforts? Have you visited the Information Resource
Center? Did it meet your needs?
Please let us know. Write to us with your questions and comments, and we'll address representative
concerns in our next issue.
You can write to us at this address:
Editor
Environmental Update
P.O. Box 2501

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7
Health Studies Agreement Being Negotiated
Between DOE and Tennessee
i B 3E and the State of Tennessee are negotiating
an agreement that will help protect Tennessee citizens'
health. Under the Agreement, technical and financial
support will be provided to the State for independent
health studies at the Oak Ridge Reservation.
The studies will evaluate the risks to human health
associated with past and present activities at the Oak
Ridge Reservation. The lead State agency named in the
Agreement is the Tennessee Department of Health,
Bureau of Health Services, Department of En vironmental
Epidemiology. Possible health effects of onsitc toxic
and radioactive materials will be studied at areas away
from the Oak Ridge Reservation. Independent research,
monitoring, and oversight arc important parts of the
studies.
Under the Agreement, DOE will provide financial grants
to the State for study activities. DOE will also provide
requested technical support to the State, as it is able.
' DOE must provide the State with copies of, or access to,
all reports, data, and other relevant information. The
Agreement will run through 1996 and maybe extended
or changed only if both DOE and the State decide to
change it. For example, the Agreement can be changed
if community issues arise about the effects of work
conducted on the Oak Ridge Reservation on public
health or the environment.
The Agreement has several parts and calls for:
•	assessing the feasibility of health studies on
surrounding populations. The assessment would
be based on a review of existing data for (a) possible
exposure to hazardous, toxic, and radioactive
substances resulting from operations on the Oak
Ridge Reservation site since its inception; (b) an
analysis of potential ways surrounding populations
may have been exposed; and (c) characteristics of
the population;
•	appointing a technical panel to develop a request
for proposals and recommend a contractor to
perform the feasibility assessment;
•	establishing a steering panel to oversee the
assessment, recommend further action, and provide
communication and liaison with the community;
•	establishing cancer and birth defect registries to
track community health;
•	providing information about DOE's occupational
medical program in Oak Ridge; and
•	providing an annual status report by the State to
DOE.
If the feasibility assessment points out a need for further
action, such as in-depth health studies, the steering
panel will select a second contractor to carry out the
studies. The estimated cost of implementing the
Agreement is approximately $12.5 million over a 5-year
period.
Additional information on DOE and State roles under
the Agreement can be obtained by contacting each
agency. The primary contact for the State is the Director
of Environmental Epidemiology, Dr. Sarah Sell, Cl-130
Cordell Hull Building, Nashville, TN, 37247-4912,
(615) 741-5683. DOE's primary contact is the Director
of the Office of Epidemiology and Health Surveillance,
Dr. Harry J. Pettengill, Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Health, EH-40, U.S. Department of Energy Headquarters,
Washington, DC 20585, (301) 353-7030.
Community involvement: Community members and
Oak Ridge Reservation workers will be represented on
the steering panel for the Feasibility Assessment The 12-
member panel will include three community members
and one worker representative. The remaining eight
members will include a DOE representative, a member of
the Tennessee Department of Health, one person from
the City of Oak Ridge Environmental Quality Advisory

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8
Work Progressing on Clinch
D_—-
contamination in the sediments of the Clinch River and
Watts Bar Reservoir as part of its comprehensive
environmental restoration program. Preliminary studies
on cesium and mercury contamination resulting from
past DOE operations and waste disposal activities were
released to the public last year, as were studies on
potential ecological and human health risks. These
studies indicate no imminent short-term risk to the
public as a result of this contamination.
Public meetings were held last summer in Roane and
Rhea counties to discuss the reports' findings and give
the public the opportunity to ask questions and seek
additional information regarding DOE's offsite
remedial actions.
Currently, Phase I of the Remedial Investigation (a
requirement of CERCLA) is near completion. DOE and
Martin Marietta Energy Systems are now summarizing
the Phase I results and preparing the Phase II sampling
and analysis plan. These summaries and Phase II plan are
due to EPA and the Tennessee Department of Environment
and Conservation by the end of December 1991.
River/Watts Bar Reservoir Studies
Public workshops will be held later this year to inform
the public of the Phase I investigation's findings and
discuss with the public the proposed sampling and
analysis plan for the second phase of the project.
Researchers are collecting sediment cores from area reservoirs to
analyze concentrations of metal, organic, and radionuclide
contaminants. Results of the analyses will help researchers determine
the nature and extent of off-site contamination both upstream and
downstream from the Oak Ridge Reservation.
A	Citizen Input Received
ea residents had an opportunity in February
to discuss and comment on an agreement among DOE,
EPA, and the State of Tennessee to help ensure that final
environmental cleanup remedies on the Oak Ridge
Reservation and surrounding property will protect public
health and welfare, as well as the environment.
i Federal Facilities Agreement
expressed at the meeting included agency responsibility,
cleanup of the Witherspoon site in South Knoxville,
coordination of agency roles to meet regulatory
requirements, and the planned process for selecting a
panel to conduct health studies on populations living
around DOE facilities in the State.
The Federal Facilities Agreement (FFA) will define the
procedures, schedules, and terms for interaction among
Federal and State agencies during cleanup activities on
the Oak Ridge Reservation. The Agreement will establish
a process for combining site investigations, technical
documents, and public participation. Agencies joining
in the Agreement are Region IV of the EPA, the State of
Tennessee, and DOE. EPA Region IV is based in
Atlanta, Georgia.
The Agreement was discussed at a public meeting on
February 5 at Pollard Auditorium in Oak Ridge, where
representatives from each of the three organizations
involved in the Agreement made presentations and
answered questions. Principal areas of public concern
Citizens also asked about the planned mechanisms for
public oversightand the role of public input in decisions
and in prioritizing cleanup activities. Other issues
included ways to ensure regulatory compliance and
enforcement and independent oversight and quality
control. Interest was expressed in the need to facilitate
cleanup to avoid further social impacts and delays in
program schedules.
The public comment period on the Agreement closed
on February 21,1991. Comments and response will be
incorporated into the final draft of the Agreement. The
draft Federal Facility Agreement is available for public
view at the Information Resource Center located at

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9
Moving Ahead in Waste Management
Dl	
issue of Environmental Update in managing the special
variety of waste generated on the Oak Ridge Reservation.
Since April 1, a one-of-a-kind incinerator located on the
K-25 Site has safely burned more than 412,000 pounds of
liquid wastes that are both radioactive and hazardous. At
the ORNL, a new technology to contain radioactive waste
by melting it into glass took place in May. In addition, DOE
has developed a plan to recycle or reuse more than 80,000
tons of radioacti vely contaminated scrap metal now stored
at several sites on the Oak Ridge Reservation.
Development of new technologies such as these plays a
critical role in DOE's efforts to minimize and manage
wastes generated during almost half-a-century of
weapons production, uranium enrichment, and energy
research in Oak Ridge.
TSCA Incinerator
The incinerator, which received an operating permit
from the State of Tennessee under the Toxic Substances
Control Act (TSCA), will eventually eliminate the 46
million pounds of radioactive PCBs and other hazardous
wastes stored at different sites on the Oak Ridge
Reservation. Before the incinerator obtained a permit to
operate, no other treatment method existed for these
types of wastes.
The goal is to burn 1 million pounds of liquid waste by
October 1991 and to incinerate waste at a rate of 2.5
million pounds per year thereafter. The incinerator
received a permit to operate after two years of upgrading
by DOE to increase safety and address environmental
concerns.
(continued on page 12)
During ORNL's onsite in situ vitrification testing (sec explanation on page 12), a large hood was placed over the simulated

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10
F
JLield
Plans Underway To Accelerate Investigation along Railroad Tracks
, ield work is expected to begin later this year to
determine the type and extent of contamination along
the CSX Transportation Group railroad tracks in Oak
Ridge. Cesium contamination was first detected in 1986
during a radiological survey, conducted by Oak Ridge
Associated Universities (ORAU) of a rail spur near the
Y-12 Plant. The contamination, which does not present
a threat to human health, is believed to be the result of
waste operations in Oak Ridge during the early 1960s.
In 1990, a team from ORNL coordinated a survey of the
tracks within the City of Oak Ridge limits. The team
found contamination by cesium-137 in sections of the
railroad bed east and west of Scarboro Road near the
Y-12 Plant and in a limited area in the warehouse
district of East Oak Ridge, about 4 miles from Y-12.
The process for evaluating data and determining proper
methods for cleanup of the railroad bed contamination
is similar to other activities under CERCLA. First, a
preliminary assessment is conducted to obtain
and review available information concerning the
suspected hazardous site and to assess whether further
investigation is needed. Second, if further investigation
is needed, a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study is
undertaken to determine the type and extent of
contamination, establish criteria for cleanup (i.e., how
clean is clean), identify alternatives for remedial action
and analyze the technology and costs of the altcrnat i ves.
The results of the preliminary assessment of the railroad
track areas, based on the radiological surveys conducted
by ORAU and ORNL, are summarized in a report issued
in December 1990 by ORNL. The assessment concludes
that present levels of human exposure from cesium-137
found near the tracks are within safe limits. Evaluation
of the safe limits was based on standards and guidelines
for limiting radiation exposures to the public that have
been developed by DOE, the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, and EPA. The acceptable annual effective
dose equivalents of exposure from all sources of radiation
(excluding natural background radiation and medical
practices) is 100 millirem (mrcm) per year. The ORNL
report states that the annual effective dose equivalents
to the public from all radioactive discharges from the
Oak Ridge Reservation currently are less than 10 mrem.
(A millirem is one-thousandth of a rem. A rem is a unit
to express a quantity of radiation dose to living tissue.
A radiation dose from a chest X-ray measures between
20 and 30 millirem.)
The results of tests for cesium-137 in the areas near the
railroad tracks showed that for members of the public,
(continued on page 13)
c
Public Plays Important Role in Selection of
Cleanup Alternatives at East Fork Poplar Creek
•ommunity input in selecting a remedy for
contamination at East Fork Poplar Creek, as at all
Oak Ridge Reservation sites, is required by
environmental law (CERCLA); more importantly, such
input will ensure that the affected community has apart
in selecting the most appropriate cleanup alternative.
DOE plans to involve community members in the process
of determining the best balance of trade-offs in selecting
a remedy. CERCLA regulations require that the balance
be based on the:
• long-term and short-term effectiveness of the
proposed cleanup alternative,
•	reduction of toxicity, mobility, or volume of
..contaminants through treatment,
•	ability to implement the cleanup alternative (i.e..
technical feasibility), and
•	cost.
Ten preliminary alternatives for cleaning up East Fork
Poplar Creek were presented at a public meeting in
December 1988. Members of the public can still bring
new alternatives forward for consideration. They can

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11
Sampling Continues on Creek and Sewerline Beltway
((ontinued from page 4)
contaminants at various locations, and to define the risk
associated with the different contaminants.
The first phase of sampling began in October 1990, and
all sampling is scheduled for completion in early 1992.
Over the past months, researchers have taken samples
from groundwater wells, from the floodplain soil, and
from the surface water and sediment of East Fork Poplar
Creek. For comparison, samples of soil, sediment, and
water have also been taken from Hinds Creek, an
uncontaminated stream near Norris.
Delays in obtaining laboratory results from Phase 1A
sampling have modified the schedule for succeeding
phases of the studies, as reported in the February issue
of Update. Preliminary results of Phase 1A sampling,
originally expected in early 1991, are now expected to
be available by the fall. DOE is currendy preparing the
Phase IB sampling plan and expects to be in the field
collecting additional samples this summer. Oak Ridge
residents may see some of these activities taking place
along the creek and its floodplain and along the sewerline
beltway. (Please see accompanying map.)
The report on the Remedial Investigation (RI), scheduled
for release in draft form in late 1992, will present the
results of all the field studies. The report will discuss the
types of contaminants and the extent of contamination
along the creek, the floodplain, and the sewerline
beltway. Analyses will be presented of the risks posed
by the contaminants to both human health and the
environment. The report on the Feasibility Study (FS),
to be released several months later, will discuss all the
cleanup alternatives being considered. The report will
examine the relative benefits of the cleanup alternatives
in terms of risk reduction, feasibility, cost, and
compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
The Feasibility Study report will also include analyses
usually provided in the Environmental Impact
Statement, required by the National Environmental
Policy AcL' The report is expected to be completed in
1993. [A more detailed explanation of the principal
laws and regulations guiding cleanup studies is provided
in a fact sheet that can be ordered using the form on
page 15.) These reports will form the basis for the
proposed Remedial Action Plan, in which DOE will
propose a preferred cleanup alternative to EPA.
Community preferences are an important consideration
in the selection of a preferred cleanup alternative. The
public's role in the selection process at this and other
locations being investigated under CERCLA is described
on page 10.
| Sewarlna Batlway]

East Folk
Poplar Creak
rva ™ ^°P^ar Creek begins near the Y-12 Plant and flows ivest through Oak Ridge to Poplar Creek near K-25. The sewerline follows the
Oak Ridge Turnpike to Emory Valley Road in East Oak Ridge.
A^totional studies are required to ensure that a comprehensive assessment is conducted of potential effects on the environment. For example,

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12
Moving Ahead in Waste Management
(continued from page 9)
In Situ Vitrification
A new technology that converts old radioactive waste
sites into glass by melting in place the contents of the
burial pits and trenches was demonstrated on actual
radioactive waste material during a test at ORNL in
May. The demonstration was funded through the DOE
Office of Technology Development.
Called in situ vitrification, the technique uses electricity
to melt the waste burial sites at very high temperatures,
up to 1400 degrees Celsius (2552 degrees Fahrenheit).
When the molten mass cools, it forms a glass similar to
the volcanic glass obsidian. Sealed inside this glass, the
radioactive material is immobilized so that it cannot
escape into the surrounding earth or be carried away
by water.
A 20-ton block of glass was formed during the
demonstration at ORNL, which melted sludge
contaminated with cesium-137 and strontium-90. The
technology retained 99.99 percent of the radioactive
material present in the sludge.
If the technology continues to prove successful, it will
be used to seal almost 100,000 curies of strontium-90
and cesium-137 stored in seven trenches at ORNL
between 1951 and 1966.
Recycle, Reuse
Scrap metal contaminated with low levels of radioactivity
has accumulated for 40 years in controlled outdoor storage
areas at several sites on the Oak Ridge Reservation. DOE
has recently developed a plan to decontaminate the metal
so that it can be used for a variety of purposes both within
and outside the DOE plants.
The small amount of metal that cannot be completely
decontaminated can be used inside the DOE plants in
areas where radioactivity is already present, such as for
shielding devices and containers used to collect
radioactive materials.
Recycling the 80,000 tons of scrap metal can significantly
minimize the amount of waste stored on the Oak Ridge
Reservation, as well as conserve valuable natural
resources used in the production of new metal.
0RAU South Campus Site
Investigation Completed
^^^)il, water, and sediment samples from the South
Campus Facility of ORAU have been sent for laboratory
tests following a site investigation in May to identify
any sources of contamination at the site. (See the
February 1991 issue of the Environmental Update for a
history of the South Campus.) A report on results of
the site investigation should be available this
September.
Public Plays Important Role in Selection of
Cleanup Alternatives at East Fork Poplar Creek
(continued from page 10)
also provide input to the evaluation of existing
alternatives or those that may develop as the technical
work advances. All alternatives will be evaluated during
the next 2 years as sampling efforts are completed and
feasibility studies are undertaken.
Because of the complexity of the alternatives and the data
required to choose the best remedy, DOE will provide the
public with current and easy-to-read information about
the results of testing along the creek as soon as the
information is available. Upcoming issues of the
Environmental Update will include information on the
process for selecting alternatives and ways the public can
get involved in these discussions.
As the technical work on screening and analyzing
alternatives proceeds over the next 18 months, a
workshop, or series of workshops, will be scheduled for
the public. The workshops will provide general
information to help answer questions about the selection
process for remedies and potential alternatives. The
workshops will provide an opportunity for community
members to share their ideas and discuss specific

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13
Plans Underway To Accelerate Investigation along Railroad Tracks
(continued from page 10)
is estimated to be less than 2 mrem per year. The dose
for railroad workers during routine activities is estimated
to be less than 4 mrem per year. Even though present
exposure levels are well within established safety limits,
the preliminary assessment report proposes that doses
from exposure to concentrations of remaining cesium-
137 be reduced to the lowest possible level. These
proposed limits are subject to approval by EPA.
This summer, a Draft Remedial Investigation WorkPlan
will be submitted for review to EPA and the State of
Tennessee. After comments are incorporated on the
draft work plan, field work will begin to further study
the levels of cesium-137 contamination in the affected
areas. Field work to collect soil samples will better
explain how potential sources and pathways of the
contamination may affect people and the environment.
The field work will also collect sediment samples from
drainage pathways along the affected areas.
Data collected from field work are used to prepare the
Feasibility Study report, also subject to EPA approval.
The report will form the basis for the proposed Remedial
Action Plan, in which DOE will propose a preferred
cleanup option. The public will have opportunities to
be involved in this process, as explained in the article
on the public's role in selection of cleanup alternatives
at East Fork Poplar Creek (page 10).
The complete text of the ORNL report, Preliminary
Assessment of Radiation Doses to the Public from "7Cs
Contamination Along Railroad Tracks in Oak Ridge, is
available at the DOE Information Resource Center,
105 Broadway, Oak Ridge. Future reports will also be
available for public inspection as they become
available.
OA*. RIDGE TURNrKE
/,
/
sour*
¦EAR CREEK RO
o ORAL! 6CX/TW CAJJTU8
•ETHEL Vt*0_LEY RO
The CSX Transportation Group railroad tracks run east from the Y-12 Plant through Oak Ridge to the warehouse district. Shaded sections

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14
E
Fact Sheets Available
act sheets, which provide information about the
Oak Ridge Environmental Restoration Program, are
available to the public without charge. These fact
sheets can be obtainedby writing: Editor, Environmental
Update, P.O. Box 2501, Oak Ridge, TN 37831. Current
information also can be obtained from the Information
Resource Center, located at 105 Broadway in Oak Ridge,
near the intersection of Broadway and Georgia Avenue.
Following is a list of the fact sheets available on the Oak
Ridge Environmental Restoration Program. Copies of
past and current issues of the Environmental Update are
also available.
The Environmental Restoration Program for East Fork
Poplar Creek, OER-0016, map, chart, 3 pages.
Background is provided for the cleanup of East Fork Poplar
Creek in Oak Ridge. Mercury has been found to be a major
contaminant
Federal Facility Agreement, OER-0007, 2 pages.
The terms for cooperation between the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), the former Tennessee Department
of Health and Environment (TDHE), and the Department of
Energy (DOE) during cleanup activities at the Oak Ridge
Reservation are defined in a Federal Facility Agreement.
Purposes of the agreement are outlined and the priorities
discussed.
Acronyms Commonly Used in the Oak Ridge Environmental
Restoration Program, OER-0002, 7 pages.
A partial listing of acronyms and abbreviations that are
commonly used in environmental restoration at the Oak Ridge
Reservation is provided.
Community Relations in the Environmental Restoration
Program, OER-0004, 3 pages.
A brief history of the Oak Ridge Reservation program for
community relations is presented along with a description of
opportunities for public involvement.
En vironmentalRestoration at the ORNL Plant: An Overview,
OER-0012, 2 pages.
Background information on environmental restoration at the
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), located on the Oak
Ridge Reservation, is provided. ORNL has a variety of
restoration sites and contaminants resulting from nearly 50
years of diverse activities.
Environmental Restoration at the Oak Ridge Reservation,
OER-0005, 3 pages.
The Oak Ridge environmental cleanup will address several
major facilities and the areas surrounding them. Summaries
of these facilities, their waste sites, and the primary types of
contaminants under investigation are reviewed.
Environmental Restoration at the K-25 Site: An Overview,
OER-0014, 2 pages.
Background information is provided on environmental
restoration at the K-25 Site, located on the Oak Ridge
Reservation. A major focus is the closure and decontamination
of uranium separation facilities.
Environmental Restoration at the Y-12 Plant: An Overview,
OER-0013, 2 pages.
Background information on environmental restoration at the
Y-12 Plant, located on the Oak Ridge Reservation, is provided.
The facility supports the development of special nuclear
materials for military applications.
Glossary of Environmental Remediation, OER-0003,7 pages.
Terms used often to describe environmental restoration and
waste management activities at the Oak Ridge Reservation in
Tennessee are defined.
Off-Site Programs: Clinch River/Watts Bar Reservoir, OER-
0015, 2 pages.
Radioactive elements, heavy metals, and organic compounds
from the Oak Ridge Reservation have washed downstream
into the Clinch River and the Watts Barr Reservoir for nearly
50 years. The nature and extent of this contamination is being
studied to determine ecological and human risk and to identify
potential treatments.
Principal Laws and Regulations Affecting the Cleanup
Program, OER-0006, 3 pages.
A summary is provided of the laws and regulations that apply
to the cleanup program on the Oak Ridge Reservation.
Proposed Remedial Action Plan for the United Nuclear
Corporation (UNC) Waste Storage Site at the Y-12 Plant.
OER-0021, 2 pages.
The type of waste stored at the UNC site and DOE'S choice of
alternative for containing the waste are described.
Site-Specific Plan for the Oak Ridge Reservation, OER-0017,
2 pages.
As part of its commitment to environmental responsibility,
DOE developed a 5-year plan, a segment of which required a
site-specific plan for the DOE Oak Ridge Reservation. The
plan's components are discussed and opportunities for public

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15

To order Fact Sheets or to add your name to the
Environmental Update mailing list, return this
completed form to Information Resource Center
personnel or mail to:

Editor, Environmental Update
P.O. Box 2501
Oak Ridge, TN 37831
Fact Sheet Titles
No. of Copies
~	Acronyms, OER-0002	
~	Community Relations in the Environmental Restoration Program,
OER-0004	
~	Environmental Restoration at ORNL, OER-0012	
~	Environmental Restoration at ORR, OER-0005	
~	Environmental Restoration at K-25, OER-0014	
~	Environmental Restoration at Y-12, OER-0013	
~	East Fork Poplar Creek, OER-0016	
~	Federal Facility Agreement, OER-0007	
~	Glossary, OER-0003 	
~	Off-Site Programs (Clinch River/Watts Bar), OER-0015 	
~	Principal Laws and Regulations, OER-0006	
~	Proposed United Nuclear Remedial Action Plan, OER-0021 	
~	Site-Specific Plan for ORR, OER-0017	
Environmental Update
~	Environmental Update (September 1990), OER-0001 	
~	Environmental Update (February 1991), OER-0018	
~ Yes, I would like to be added to the mailing list for the Environmental
Update. (Please print legibly.)
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Editor, Environmental Update
P.O. Box2501

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