V>EPA Site Activities Update United States _ Agencymen,al Prot0Ct,on Grants Mining District and Homestake Site, New Mexico January 2012 This Fact Sheet will tell you about: • E-mail addresses • Grants Mining District • Homestake Sampling Activities Completed • Where to get more information E-mail addresses To receive future mailings electronically in portable docu- ment format (PDF), contact Stephen Harper/U.S. EPA by e- mail at harper. stephen@,epa. gov and provide your name and e-mail address. Grants Mining District The Region 6 Five-Year Plan identifies 97 abandoned ura- nium mines. To date, 78 of the abandoned uranium mines have been assessed and 19 assessments are pending. Research into the operational histories of the mines led to issuance of CERCLA 104(e) letters to five potentially responsible parties (PRPs) and efforts to identify additional parties throughout the mining district will continue. Coordination in FY2011 culminated in (1) a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Interior for it to address 16 abandoned ura- nium mines (the preliminary assessments are already com- pleted) on the Bureau of Land Management properties, and (2) Region 6 concurrence on an order with US Forest Service for the responsible party to address the San Mateo Mine. Region 6 also advanced the work in the Grants Mining Dis- trict as follows: • Completed 451 exterior structure assessments, • Completed radon testing for 209 interior structures, • Sampled five private groundwater wells within the Am- brosia Lake sub-district as part of the ongoing effort to understand the impacts of legacy mining and milling. The analytical results were sent to the residents using those wells in February 2011. Two of the five wells sampled contained radiological contamination that exceeds drink- ing water standards, and the residents were advised to not use the water unless it was treated to remove the conta- minants, • Provided temporary relocation of a resident and farm animals at the Johnny M Mine, • Completed three separate action memos for removals at the Hogan Mine Site, the Sun Clan Road Site, and the Mount Taylor San Mateo Radiation Site, • Collected data from two mines owned and operated by the United Nuclear Corporation, • Completed the site investigation of the Jackpile Mine, evaluating for inclusion on the National Priorities List (NPL). • Continued consultation with the Pueblo of Laguna, and • Signed an action memo with Region 9 for General Elec- tric to remove tailings from Northeast Churchrock for disposal at the United Nuclear Corporation Superfund Site. Homestake Sampling Activities Completed Here is a list of sampling activities conducted by the Envi- ronmental Protection Agency (EPA) since September 2010. EPA is continuing to receive data from the laboratories, so the evaluation of the data is not complete. The EPA expects to complete the evaluation by April 2012. • Radon Sampling The EPA began a year-long radon sampling in September 2010 and completed it in November 2011. Four quarters of sampling were completed in homes, both indoors and outdoors, in the five subdivisions south of the Homestake site and in Bluewater Village. In addition, radon sam- pling was conducted at various locations on Homestake's property and north of the large tailings pile. During the year-long sampling effort, the EPA collected over 1500 radon samples. EPA has evaluated results from three quarters and the fourth quarter results are pending. Based on the results so far, 11 homes exceed the EPA guidance for indoor radon level of 4 pico curies per liter (pCi/L). The EPA has not determined the source of radon but is evaluating options to mitigate the affected homes. The homeowners have been notified of the results. • Radiation Scanning and Structures Assessment By June 2011, the EPA completed radiation scanning at 90 properties in the subdivisions south of the Homestake Site. Gamma radiation scanning was conducted around each home up to a maximum of one acre surface area throughout the yard using a 2x2 sodium iodide detector in conjunction with a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit. Composite soil samples were collected from each property for radiological and non-radiological analysis. Subsequently, assessment of the structures was con- ducted at 78 homes that met the criteria for indoor as- sessment. • Soil Sampling A total of 640 soil samples were collected from private properties at various locations on Homestake's property, including the irrigation areas. Soil samples were col- lected in an area south of the residences to evaluate background conditions. ------- • Water Sampling The EPA collected a total of 26 water samples from pri- vate properties as well as from the evaporation pond at the Homestake Site. Water samples were collected from animal feed tanks and garden hose discharge locations. • Vegetation Sampling A total of 10 samples of vegetables were collected from various gardens in the subdivisions. • Environmental Radiation Ground Scanning Survey The Environmental Radiation Ground Scanning (ERGS) System was used to scan an estimated 250 acres of land in order to identify those areas with readings that ex- ceeded the background count rate. The scanning was primarily conducted on Homestake's property south of the large tailings pile and irrigation areas. Where to get more information Sai Appaji Remedial Project Manager U.S. EPA Region 6 (6SF-RL) Tel: 214.665.3126, Fax: 214.665.6660 appaii.sairam@,epa.gov Lisa Price Grants Mining District Coordinator U.S. EPA Region 6 (6SF-TR) Tel: 214.665.6744 price.lisa@,epa.gov Stephen Harper Community Involvement Coordinator/SEE U.S. EPA Region 6 (6SF-VO) Tel: 214.665.2727 or 1.800.533.3508 (toll free) Fax: 214.665.6660 harper. stephen@,epa. gov Angelo Ortelli Ground Water Quality Bureau Superfund Oversight Section New Mexico Environment Department Tel: 505.476.2866, Fax: 505.827.2965 Site Repository New Mexico State University at Grants Campus Library 1500 Third Street Grants, NM 87020 505.287.6639 For press inquiries, please call, EPA Press Office, at 214.665.2200. You can find more information about the Region 6 Superfund program on EPA's Region 6 website: http.V/www. epa. sov/resion6/6sf/6sf.htm Para recibir una traduction en espanol de esta hoja de datos, comunicarse con la Agencia de Protection del Medio Ambien- te de los EEUU (la EPA) al numero de telefono 1.800.533.3508 (llamada gratis). On the web: http.V/www. epa. sov/earthlr6/6sf/newmexico/srants/nm_srants index.html vvEPA Uniled States Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 1445 Ross Ave, (6SF-VO) Dallas, TX 75202 ------- |