SRS Citizens Advisory Board

Facility Disposition and Site Remediation Committee

Aiken Federal Building, Aiken, SC
10/14/03

The SRS Citizens Advisory Board (CAB) Facility Disposition and Site Remediation Committee (FD&SR) met on Tuesday, October 14, 6:00 PM, at the North Augusta Community Center, North Augusta, SC. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss and receive updates on Building 247-F Deactivation Plan, Site Deactivation and Demolition Update and Recommendation Review and Status.

Attendance was as follows:

Perry Holcomb, Chair, opened the meeting at 6:00 p.m. and welcomed those in attendance. Introductions followed. Mr. Holcomb took a moment to introduce Mr. Mark Ferri. Mr. Ferri stated that he was glad for the opportunity to address the committee. He had worked with CAB’s at many different locations and recognized the value such organizations could provide. Mr. Ferri stated that he is the president of a new company to join in the mix at SRS. His company name is CH2SRC and will be responsible for what was Facility Disposition Projects (FDP), 247-F, and Decontamination and Demolition projects.

Holcomb recognized Wade Waters, the chairman of the SRS CAB. Mr. Waters stated that he had a meeting with Assistant Secretary of Energy, Jesse Roberson. He was specifically interested in the path forward for the SRS CAB. During the conversation with the assistant secretary she stated that the CAB will remain in tact through FY04, however, she did indicate that within the next week she would be meeting with both Jeff Allison and Bob Pedde regarding a path forward after FY04.

FD&SR Committee meeting schedule review:
Paul Sauerborn explained the schedule that listed those items that the ER committee has seen to date and those items which it will be reviewing for the balance of 2003. Mr. Sauerborn stated that should anyone in the public have an item relevant to the ER committee scope to please notify him in order that he have those items reviewed and approved by the chairman of the FD&SR committee.

Site Decontamination and Demolition Update:
Dave Freeman stated the purpose of his presentation to be an Update on Decontamination and Demolition at the SRS and to describe the Historical Preservation Process. Mr. Freeman stated that between FY04 and FY06 approximately 225 individual facilities at SRS will be effected by D&D activities, and of that total 32 will be D&D’d in FY04.

Mr. Freeman stated that progress to date has been successful. In M-Area 4 facilities have been demolished with 17 remaining, and in T-Area 21 facilities have been demolished with 4 remaining.

Mr. Freeman stated that prior to D&D work commencing that there is a historical process associated with each facility. DOE defined a "Cold War National Register – eligible Historic District" composed of 220 buildings and structures related to SRS’s original production mission using certified historians (66 in the current contract scope) and received the State Historical Preservation Office’s (SHPO) agreement in April 2003. Lee Poe asked when would SHPO and the CAB receive the Cultural Resources Management Plan (CRMP) for review and comment. Mr. Freeman stated that the report in question would be delivered this week. A Programmatic Agreement (PA) and a CRMP are in the review and approval process between DOE, SHPO and the Advisory Council on Historical Preservation (the Council). Mr. Freeman stated that the CRMP is the overall management plan to meet the legal compliance requirements of federal historic preservation laws and regulations; e.g., National Historic Preservation Act. All requirements are identified in the CRMP and associated PA. The CRMP identifies the Site’s Cold War properties, the properties ‘that are eligible for the National Register, standards for evaluation, management of the properties, and mitigating actions. The SHPO monitors compliance with the CRMP. Mitigating actions are defined and executed in accordance with the PA and the CRMP. Mr. Poe asked what historical action was taken on each building in the TNX area before D&D activities started. Mr. Freeman stated that John Knox had that information and he would be glad to get that to Mr. Poe. In addition, Mr. Freeman indicated that the PA and CRMP would list all mitigating actions building by building with the exception of buildings constructed after 1990.

Mr. Freeman stated that the SRS is currently working with the SHPO and key stakeholders on the CRMP and the PA for SRS. Anticipated approval is on or before April 1, 2004. Mr. Freeman noted that approval is needed prior to D&D on historically eligible buildings outside the D, M, and T areas. Currently D&D work on historically eligible buildings is approved through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between DOE-SR and SHPO. The MOA directs mitigating actions to be completed prior to D&D for historically eligible buildings in the D, M, and T areas. Alice Doswell indicated the SRS would conduct public tours regarding historical activities on a yearly basis, assuming there are no security issues.

Mr. Freeman identified some typical mitigating actions as follows:

• Field walkdowns
• Identification of historically significant processes and collection and preservation of artifacts
• Black and white photography of the exterior and interior of buildings and structures
• Historical write ups and documentation of the processes including interviews
• A final package of all selected information prescribed by the historical is submitted to SHPO for review and comment

Mr. Freeman concluded his presentation with the facilities mitigation status:

• T&D – mitigating actions complete (12 facilities were eligible)
• M – mitigating actions at 95% complete (6 facilities were eligible)
• F – Awaiting approval for the PA (13 facilities are eligible), 1 approved for D&D
• Remaining areas (A, C, E, L, K, N, P, R) awaiting approval of the PA (35 facilities are eligible)

Mr. Holcomb asked if the same protocols were being used at other DOE sites as they are here at SRS. Mr. Freeman said that each site sets forth its own sets of protocols.

Project 247-F Deactivation:
Brenda Lewis outlined the building 247-F deactivation project to be the following:

• Deactivation of 247-F and 247-7F to remove residual hazards
• Decommissioning of 247-F, 247-7F, 248F, 247-41F, 247-42F, and 701-9F to a clean slab
• Disposition of 501 empty shipping containers

Ms. Lewis explained that the purpose of the 247-F building was for converting uranium feedstock into useable fuel in support of the Navy’s nuclear propulsion program. The building was constructed from 1982 to 1985 on 6.5 acres and is a sub-fenced portion of F-Area. The main process building is a two-story building of standard steel construction, with a reinforced concrete section that houses the 247-F vault approximately 98,000 square feet of building.

Ms. Lewis explained the history of the building as follows:

• Operated from 1985 to 1989
• Safe shutdown from 1989 to 1990
• Initial deactivation and surveillance and maintenance entries from 1991 to 1997
• Periodic surveillance and maintenance entries from 1997 to 2002
• Project 247F assumed ownership in 2003

Ms. Lewis identified the facility status and planning as follows:

• 247-F is a radiological facility
  -no utilities (e.g. power, water, steam, sewage, communications, fire system, HVAC)
  -temporary string and pedestal lighting
  -rain intrusion
  -visible mold fungal colonies and musky odor
  -residual uranium hold-up remains

Murray Riley asked if there were a need to re-check materials within the 247-F facility. Ms. Lewis stated that everything ahs been checked, re-checked and all lines had been assayed by non-destructive techniques to quantify the remaining uranium.

The schedule and estimate development based on zone execution strategy.

• Building divided into 100 logical zones based on (radiological hazard and uranium fissile material content)
• Developed radiological zones deactivation sequence
• Zones outside process core segregated due to lower contamination
• Decommissioning/Demolition contract for remaining facility
• Projected waste volume for Deactivation and Decommissioning with quarterly updates provided to solid waste disposal facility

Ms. Lewis pointed out the there will be significant waste being generated from this effort, and all will be disposed of on-site, with the exception of 1,900 cubic feet of hazardous/mixed waste.

Ms. Lewis stated that the project has a projected budget of $62,579,000 with a projected completion on FY06. In an effort to minimize risk and avoid excessive project costs, the following actions will take place:

• Use existing non-destructive assay measurement for:

-material control and accountability
-low level waste characterization
-basis for safety documentation
• Low level waste disposal based on:

-container type based on U-235 limit, work practices, and contamination limits
• Transportation to solid waste disposal facility
• Naval reactor approval for:

-disposal of naval reactor equipment in solid waste disposal facility
• Developing implementation for enhanced property protection area around 247-F

Mr. Holcomb inquired as to the initial cost of constructing 247-F. Ms. Lewis responded that the initial construction job ran approximately $200,000,000.

Ms. Lewis stated that the current status and path forward for the project is as follows:

• DOE concurrence with disposition of facility as surplus to government’s needs:

-no national registry of historical preservation designation
-247-F and 247-42F disposal via burial due to contamination issues
-247-8F, 247-41F, 247-42F, and 701-9F screened as excess with no interest shown

• Disconnect fire water, domestic water, and deionized water to 247-F
• Removed ceiling tiles and installing temporary lights
• Established change room area
• Performed asbestos and PCB sampling except for administration building
• Finalized mold strategy
  -air sampling
  -encapsulation
  -dust masks
  
• Removed demonstration glove box and disposed of in slit trench
• Final planning in progress to start deactivation of zones 20 and 29 in October 2003

Trish McCracken asked about the waste to be generated and its disposal path. Ms. Lewis stated that the material would be delivered to the SRS solid waste facility, with little waste being sent off-site.

Recommendation Status update: Mr. Holcomb provided recommendation updates as follows:

Rec. 154 Open
Rec. 161 Open
Rec. 167 Open
Rec. 168 Open

Mr. Holcomb adjourned the meeting at 8:00 p.m.

Meeting handouts may be obtained by calling 1-800-249-8155.