4. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT
4.1 Introduction
Chapter 4 describes the existing environment at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site, the
Idaho Falls facilities, and the surrounding region. Only those areas that might be affected by the proposed
spent nuclear fuel program and environmental restoration and waste management alternatives are included.
This chapter provides the environmental conditions against which the potential environmental effects of the
various alternatives can be measured.
Chapter 4 summarizes the existing data and technical literature in each discipline, providing citations
to the supporting technical references listed in Chapter 9 that contain substantiating details.
4.2 Land Use
The INEL site encompasses 571,000 acres (230,000 hectares) within Butte, Bingham, Bonneville,
Jefferson, and Clark counties (see Figure 4.2-1). This section includes a brief description of existing land
uses at the INEL and in the surrounding region, and land use plans and policies applicable to the surrounding
area.
4.2.1 Existing and Planned Land Uses at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory
Categories of land use at the INEL site include facility operations, grazing, general open space, and
infrastructure, such as roads. Facility operations include industrial and support operations associated with
energy research and waste management activities (activities also conducted at the Idaho Falls facilities). Land
is also used for recreation and environmental research associated with the designation of the INEL as a
National Environmental Research Park. Much of the INEL site is open space that has not been designated for
specific uses. Some of this space serves as a buffer zone between INEL facilities and other land uses. About
2 percent of the total INEL site area (11,400 acres or 4600 hectares) is used for facilities and operations.
Public access to most facility areas is restricted. Approximately 6 percent of the INEL site, or 34,260 acres
(13,870 hectares), is devoted to public roads and utility rights-of-way that cross the site. Recreational uses
include public tours of general facility areas and the Experimental Breeder Reactor-I (a National Historic
Landmark) and controlled hunting, which is generally restricted to half a mile (0.8 kilometer) within the INEL
boundary. Between 300,000 and 350,000 acres (121,000 and 142,000 hectares) are used for cattle and sheep
grazing. A 900-acre (400-hectare) portion of this land, located at the junction of Idaho State Highways 28
and 33, is used by the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station as a winter feed lot for approximately 6,500 sheep.
Grazing is not allowed within 2 miles (3 kilometers) of any nuclear facility, and, to avoid the possibility of
milk contamination by long-lived radionuclides, dairy cattle are not permitted. Rights-of-way and grazing
permits are granted and administered by the U. S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management.
Selected land uses at the INEL and in the surrounding region are presented in Figure 4.2-2.
DOE land use plans and policies applicable to the INEL include the INEL Institutional Plan for FY
1994-1999 (DOE-ID 1993a) and the INEL Technical Site Information Report (Smith et al. 1993). The
Institutional Plan provides a general overview of INEL facilities, outlines strategic
Figure 4.2-1. Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site vicinity map. Figure 4.2-2. Selected land uses at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site and in the surrounding region.
program directions and major construction projects, and identifies specific technical programs and capital
equipment needs. The Technical Site Information Report presents a 20-year master plan for development
activities at the site. In general, it is expected that energy research and waste management activities would
continue in existing facility areas and, in some instances, expand into undeveloped site areas. These
documents also describe environmental restoration, waste management, and spent nuclear fuel activities.
Projected future land use scenarios for the next 25 to 50 years include outgrowth of current functional areas
and possible development of waterfowl production ponds within existing grazing areas.
The INEL site is located within the Medicine Lodge Resource Area (approximately 140,415 acres or
56,800 hectares in the eastern and southern portions of the INEL site) and the Big Butte Resource Area
(430,499 acres or 174,000 hectares in the central and western portions), both of which are administered by
the Bureau of Land Management (see Figure 4.2-1). Under Resource Management Plans, portions of these
resource areas are managed for grazing and wildlife habitat. No mineral exploration or development is
allowed on INEL land.
No onsite land use restrictions due to Native American treaty rights would exist for any of the
alternatives described in this Environmental Impact Statement. The INEL site does not lie within any of the
land boundaries established by the Fort Bridger Treaty. Furthermore, the entire INEL site is land occupied by
the U.S. Department of Energy, and therefore that provision in the Fort Bridger Treaty that allows the
Shoshone and Bannock Indians the right to hunt on the unoccupied lands of the United States does not
presently apply to any land upon which the INEL is located. Potential impacts of the alternatives upon Native
American and other cultural resources, and potential mitigation measures, are discussed in Chapter 5, Section
5.20 on Environmental Justice, and Section 5.4, Cultural Resources.
4.2.2 Existing and Planned Land Use in Surrounding Areas
Lands surrounding the INEL site are owned by the Federal government, the State of Idaho, and
private parties. Land uses on federally owned land consist of grazing, wildlife management, range land,
mineral and energy production, and recreation. State-owned lands are used for grazing, wildlife management,
and recreation. Privately owned lands are used primarily for grazing, crop production, and range land.
Small communities and towns located near the INEL boundaries include Mud Lake to the east; Arco,
Butte City, and Howe to the west; and Atomic City to the south. The larger communities of Idaho
Falls/Ammon, Rexburg, Blackfoot, and Pocatello/Chubbuck are located to the east and southeast of the INEL
site. The Fort Hall Indian Reservation is located southeast of the INEL site. Recreation and tourist
attractions in the region surrounding the INEL site include Craters of the Moon National Monument, Hell's
Half Acre Wilderness Study Area, Black Canyon Wilderness Study Area, Camas National Wildlife Refuge,
Market Lake State Wildlife Management Area, North Lake State Wildlife Management Area, Yellowstone
National Park, Targhee and Challis National Forests, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Sawtooth
Wilderness Area, Sawtooth National Forest, Grand Teton National Park, Jackson Hole recreation complex,
and the Snake River (see Figures 4.2-1 and 4.2-2).
Lands surrounding the INEL site are subject to Federal and State planning laws and regulations.
Planning for and use of Federal lands and their resources are governed by Federal rules and regulations that
require public involvement in their implementation. Land use planning in the State of Idaho is derived from
the Local Planning Act of 1975 (State of Idaho Code 1975). Since the State currently has no land use
planning agency, the Idaho legislature requires that each county adopt its own land use planning and zoning
guidelines. County plans that are applicable to lands bordering the INEL site include the Clark County
Planning and Zoning Ordinances and Interim Land Use Plan (Clark County 1994), the Bonneville County
Comprehensive Plan (Bonneville County 1976), the Bingham County Zoning Ordinance and Planning
Handbook (Bingham County 1986), the Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan (Jefferson County 1988), and
the Butte County Comprehensive Plan (Butte County 1976). Land use planning for INEL facilities located
within the Idaho Falls city limits is subject to Idaho Falls planning and zoning restrictions (City of Idaho Falls
1989, 1992).
All county plans and policies encourage development adjacent to previously developed areas in order
to minimize the need to extend infrastructure improvements and to avoid urban sprawl (DOE-ID 1993b).
Because the INEL is remotely located from most developed areas, INEL lands and adjacent areas are not
likely to experience residential and commercial development, and no new development is planned near the
INEL site (DOE-ID 1993b). However, recreational and agricultural uses are expected to increase in the
surrounding area in response to greater demand for recreational areas and the conversion of range land to crop
land (DOE-ID 1993b).
4.3 Socioeconomics
Socioeconomic resources assessed here are characterized in terms of employment, income,
population, housing, community services, and public finance. These resources are often interrelated in their
response to a particular action. Changes in employment, for example, may lead to population movements
into or out of a region, leading to changes in demand for housing and community services.
The region of influence for the socioeconomic analysis was determined to be a seven-county area
comprised of Bingham, Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Jefferson, Bannock, and Madison counties (see Appendix F,
Section F-1, Socioeconomics). Based on a survey of INEL personnel (DOE-ID 1991), over 97 percent of the
employees reside in this region of influence. The region of influence also includes the Fort Hall Indian
Reservation and Trust Lands (home of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes), located in Bannock, Bingham,
Caribou, and Power counties.
The following sections present a brief overview of existing and projected baseline conditions for each
socioeconomic characteristic.
4.3.1 Employment and Income
Historically, the regional economy has relied predominantly on natural resource use and extraction;
today, farming, ranching, and mining remain important components of the economy. Idaho Falls is the retail
and service center for the region of influence, and Pocatello has evolved into an important processing and
distribution center and site of higher education institutions. Agriculture and ranching, including buffalo
ranching, are important contributors to the economy of the Fort Hall Indian Reservation.
4.3.1.1 Employment.
The labor force in the region of influence has increased from 92,159 in
1980 to 104,654 in 1991 (see Table 4.3-1) at an average annual growth rate of approximately 1.2 percent. In
1991, the region of influence accounted for approximately 20 percent of the total State labor force of 504,000
(ISDE 1992). The labor force in the region of influence is expected to increase to 117,128 by 2004 (see
Table 4.3-2).
Table 4.3-1. Historical labor force and unemployment rates for counties and the region of influence surrounding the Idaho National Engineering
Laboratory.
1980 1985 1990 1991
Area Labor force Unemployment rate Labor force Unemployment rate Labor force Unemployment rate Labor force Unemployment rate
Bannock 32,064 7.2 33,763 7.8 30,493 6.4 30,635 6.3
Bingham 14,768 7.9 16,922 8.0 16,564 6.8 17,366 6.3
Bonneville 30,220 5.2 35,181 5.2 36,965 4.6 38,516 4.5
Butte 1,318 5.8 1,583 5.6 1,645 5.0 1,669 5.6
Clark 416 7.0 539 5.0 730 2.6 758 2.6
Jefferson 6,212 6.8 7,148 7.4 6,943 6.6 7,243 6.2
Madison 7,161 5.4 7,817 5.6 8,495 5.4 8,467 4.8
Region of 92,159 6.4 102,953 6.7 101,835 5.7 104,654 5.5
Influence
a. Source: ISDE (1986, 1991, 1992).
Table 4.3-2. Projected labor force, employment, and population in the region of influence surrounding the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory.
Category 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Labor force 108,667 109,607 110,547 111,487 112,427 113,367 114,308 115,248 116,188 117,128
Employment 101,450 102,328 103,205 104,083 104,960 105,838 106,716 107,593 108,471 109,348
Population 247,990 251,518 255,096 258,726 262,406 266,140 268,667 271,219 273,795 276,395
a. Source: ISDE (1992); SAIC (1994).
Unemployment rates varied considerably among the counties of the region of influence in 1991,
ranging from 2.6 percent in Clark County to 6.3 percent in Bannock and Bingham Counties (see Table 4.3-1).
Since 1980, the average annual unemployment rate for the region has ranged from 5.3 percent in 1989 to 8.3
percent in 1983. In 1991, the average annual unemployment rate for the region of influence was 5.5 percent
compared to the average State-wide rate of 6.2 percent.
Retail trade and educational services are the two largest employment sectors in the region,
respectively accounting for 17.6 and 11.4 percent of employment in 1989 (USBC 1992). In Bonneville
County, retail trade accounted for 17.9 percent of the total county employment of 32,016, while professional
and related services accounted for 16.8 percent. The largest employment sectors in other counties are
manufacturing in Bingham County; retail trade in Bannock and Jefferson Counties; agriculture, forestry, and
fishing in Butte and Clark Counties; and educational services in Madison County.
4.3.1.2 Income.
Between 1979 and 1989, real median household income increased in Butte,
Clark, Jefferson, and Madison counties and decreased in Bannock, Bingham, and Bonneville counties (USBC
1982, 1992). In 1989, median household income ranged from $23,000 in Madison County to $30,462 in
Bonneville County, compared to $25,257 for Idaho and $30,056 for the nation. Per capita income in 1989
was consistent with median income, with Bonneville County having the highest per capita income ($12,123)
and Madison County the lowest ($7,385). However, all counties had per capita income levels below that of
the United States of $14,420.
4.3.1.3 Idaho National Engineering Laboratory.
The INEL plays a substantial role in the
regional economy. During Fiscal Year 1990, the INEL directly employed approximately 11,100 personnel,
accounting for almost 12 percent of total regional employment. The population directly supported by INEL
employment was estimated to be approximately 38,000 persons, or 17 percent of the total regional
population. Major employment groups at the INEL are DOE-ID contractors, DOE-ID, Argonne National
Laboratory-West, and the Naval Reactors Facility (see Figure 4.3-1). In 1992, total direct INEL employment
was approximately 11,600 jobs (DOE-ID 1994). Projections indicate that the total number of jobs at the
INEL is expected to be 8,620 in Fiscal Year 1995 and 7,250 in Fiscal Year 2004 (Tellez 1995, DOE 1994a).
Figure 4.3-1. Historical and projected baseline employment at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (Tellez 1995, DOE-ID 1994).
Projected decreases in direct INEL employment are primarily related to contractor consolidation,
productivity improvements, and privatization, which account for 67 percent of projected job losses between
Fiscal Year 1994 and Fiscal Year 2004, and to reduced activities at the Naval Reactors Facility, which
accounts for 30 percent of projected job losses. Contract consolidation at DOE-ID resulted in the
consolidation of several contracts under one contract. The consolidation eliminated redundant activities
previously performed by each individual contractor and offered early retirement options or other options (for
example, voluntary separation) to current INEL contractor employees. Privatization of INEL activities may
shift employment from direct INEL employment to private companies.
For Fiscal Year 1990, the total budget for the INEL was $1,200 million. Financial planning
projections for the INEL indicate that funding levels are expected to decrease from $1,020 million in Fiscal
Year 1995 to $820 million in Fiscal Year 2004 (see Figure 4.3-2). These figures do not include funding for
projects associated with the alternatives analyzed in Section 5.3, Socioeconomics.
Figure 4.3-2. Historical and projected funding at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory by Assistant Secretary (Lloyd 1995).
The largest DOE-ID program is environmental restoration and waste management, with projected funding of
almost $557 million in Fiscal Year 1995 and $420 million in Fiscal Year 2004. Funding for environmental
restoration and waste management is expected to decrease by 25 percent between Fiscal Years 1995 and
2004, while funding for the INEL as a whole is expected to decrease by 20 percent. On average, an estimated
46 percent of total INEL expenditures (20 percent of nonpayroll expenditures and 97 percent of payroll
expenditures) would be spent within the region of influence.
Wages and salaries paid to INEL employees totaled nearly $477 million in Fiscal Year 1992. In
addition, $113.9 million of direct expenditures were made in the regional economy for goods and services.
Consistent with the projected decrease in employment over the period 1995 to 2005, payroll is also projected
to decline. Total INEL payroll is expected to decrease from $373 million in Fiscal Year 1995 to
approximately $314 million by Fiscal Year 2004 (in 1993 constant year dollars).
4.3.2 Population and Housing
Population and housing statistics for the region of influence surrounding the INEL are discussed in
the following sections.
4.3.2.1 Population.
From 1960 to 1990, population growth in the region of influence mirrored
State-wide growth. During this period, the region's population increased at an average annual rate of
approximately 1.3 percent, while the growth rate for the State was 1.4 percent. Between 1980 and 1990,
population growth in the region of influence approximately equaled that of the State, with an average growth
rate of 0.6 percent per year. The region of influence had a 1990 population of 219,713, which comprised 22
percent of the State's total population of 1,006,749. The most populous counties were Bannock and
Bonneville, which together contained over 60 percent of the seven-county total (Figure 4.3-3). Butte and
Clark were the least populous of the counties in the region of influence. The largest cities in the region of
influence were Pocatello and Idaho Falls, with 1990 populations of approximately 46,000 and 44,000,
respectively. In 1990, the Fort Hall Indian Reservation and Trust Lands contained 5,113 residents, with the
majority (52 percent) residing in Bingham County.
Figure 4.3-3. Historical and projected total population for the counties of the region of influence surrounding the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory from 1940 through 2004 (USBC 1982, 1992).
The population within an 80-kilometer (50-mile) circle centered at Argonne National Laboratory-
West (on the INEL site) has been characterized for the purposes of identifying whether any disproportionately
high and adverse impacts might exist to minority or low-income populations. The population within this
circle surrounding the INEL site is shown to be 7 percent minority and 14 percent low-income, based on U.S.
Bureau of Census information and the definitions and approach presented in Section 5.20, Environmental
Justice.
Population in the region of influence is projected to reach 276,395 persons by 2004 based on
population and employment trends (see Table 4.3-2). Over the period 1990 to 2004, the average annual
growth rate is projected to be 1.6 percent compared to a projected State-wide annual growth rate of 1.7
percent.
4.3.2.2 Housing.
Bonneville and Bannock counties (which respectively include the cities of Idaho
Falls and Pocatello) provided 67 percent of the 73,230 year-round housing units in the region of influence in
1990 (see Table 4.3-3). Of this number, approximately 70 percent were single-family units, 17 percent were
multifamily units, and 13 percent were mobile homes. Most of the multifamily units (75 percent) were
located in Bonneville and Bannock Counties. About 29 percent of the occupied housing units in the region
were rental units and 71 percent were homeowner units.
Table 4.3-3. Number of housing units, vacancy rates, median house value, and median monthly rent by
county and the region of influence surrounding the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory.
Homeowner housing units Rental units
Median monthly
Number of unitsVacancy ratesMedian value Number of Vacancy rates rent
County/region ($) units ($)
Bannock 16,447 2.4 53,300 7,467 10.3 294
Bingham 9,010 2.0 50,700 2,955 9.2 284
Bonneville 17,707 1.9 63,700 7,375 6.2 366
Butte 780 4.6 41,400 302 16.2 243
Clark 177 1.7 37,300 114 9.6 281
Jefferson 4,000 2.0 54,300 992 4.1 314
Madison 3,522 1.3 68,700 2,392 2.8 299
Region of
influence 51,674 2.1 (b) 21,556 4.6 (b)
a. Source: USBC (1992).
b. Not applicable.
The median value of owner-occupied housing units ranged from $37,300 in Clark County to $68,700
in Madison County, and median monthly rents ranged from $243 in Butte County to $366 in Bonneville
County. In 1990, there were 1,510 occupied housing units on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation and Trust
Lands (USBC 1992) and a vacancy rate of 14 percent.
4.3.3 Community Services and Public Finance
Selected community services and public finance statistics for the region of influence surrounding the
INEL are discussed in the following sections.
4.3.3.1 Community Services.
The following selected community services within the region of
influence are considered: public schools, law enforcement, fire protection, and hospital services. Pertinent
characteristics of these services for the region of influence are summarized in Table 4.3-4.
Seventeen public school districts and three non-public schools provide educational services for about
57,000 children within the region of influence. Of these students, about 6,500 are dependents of INEL-
related employees. During the 1990-1991 academic year, most public school districts spent an average of
$3,000 to $4,000 per student annually. Higher education in the region is provided by the University of Idaho,
Idaho State University, Brigham Young University - Ricks College, and the Eastern Idaho Technical College.
Law enforcement services in the region are provided by 7 county sheriff's offices, 12 city police
departments, and the Idaho State Police. There was a total of 426 sworn officers and 100 other law
enforcement personnel in 1991, over 59 percent of which served Bannock and Bonneville counties.
There are 18 fire districts in the region of influence, which operate a total of 30 fire stations staffed
by 179 paid and 313 volunteer firefighters. Bingham, Bonneville, Butte, Clark, and Jefferson counties, which
surround the INEL, have developed emergency plans to be implemented in the event of a radiological or
hazardous materials emergency. The emergency plans include memoranda of understanding with DOE,
procedures for notification and response, listings of emergency equipment and facilities, evacuation routes,
and training programs.
Table 4.3-4. Summary of public services available in the region of influence surrounding the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory.
Public service Bannock Bingham Bonneville Butte Clark Jefferson Madison
Schools
Number of public school districts 2 5 3 1 1 3 2
Total enrollment 15,455 11,311 17,896 765 166 5,339 5,967
Number of INEL-related students (excluding 485 1,532 4,040 301 5 134 47
military
Health Care Delivery
Number of hospitals 3 2 1 1 0 0 1
Number of licensed beds 309 238 311 4 0 0 52
Law Enforcement
Number of sworn law enforcement officers 151 65 143 4 2 18 43
Total personnel per 1,000 population 2.5 2.0 2.2 1.3 6.3 1.6 1.9
Fire Protection
Number of fire stations 9 7 6 2 1 4 1
Number of firefighters 166 96 121 15 7 63 24
Number of firefighting vehicles 37 25 24 3 1 11 6
Municipal Solid Waste Disposal
Number of landfills meeting U.S. 1b 3c 1 2 0 1 0
Environment
Protection Agency regulations
Expected lifespan in years 30 3-6 50 30 0 2 0
a. Sources: IDE (1991), IDHW (circa 1990), IDLE (1991), Kouris (1992a), and Kouris (1992b).
b. Fort Hall Mine Landfill is being redesigned to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards.
c. Aberdeen Landfill may close due to noncompliance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards.
Eight hospitals serve the region of influence with a total of over 900 licensed beds and a capacity of
nearly 128,000 patient days. Occupancy rates range from 22.0 to 61.7 percent in the region (IDHW circa
1990). Regional ambulance services are provided by county governments and the Blackfoot, Dubois, Idaho
Falls, and Pocatello fire departments. A private ambulance company serves residents in Butte County. The
region of influence is also served by four quick response units, two medical helicopters, and two clinics
specializing in emergency medical services (Hardinger 1990, U.S. West Direct 1992).
Municipal solid waste generated in the region is transported to county landfills. In 1992, twelve
landfills served the region of influence. Four county landfills (one each in Bannock, Clark, Jefferson, and
Madison counties) are being closed before reaching their planned capacity due to noncompliance with new
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards (CFR 1991). New municipal landfills that meet new U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency standards will replace the closed county landfills.
4.3.3.2 Public Finance.
In Fiscal Year 1991, total county revenues for the region of influence
amounted to approximately $90 million excluding Bonneville County (see Table 4.3-5), mostly from taxes
and intergovernmental transfers. In 1991, the total assessed value of taxable property in the region of
influence was about $4.47 billion. In addition to property tax revenues, local governments (cities and
counties) also receive revenue from sales tax disbursements and revenue-sharing programs. Approximately
60 to 85 percent of the total revenues received by each county is derived from these two sources.
Although DOE is a Federal agency and exempt from paying State or local taxes, INEL employees
and contractors are not. In 1992, INEL employees paid an estimated $59.6 million in Federal withholding tax
and $23.5 million in State withholding tax.
In 1991, the major categories of county government expenditures were as follows: general
government services, 27 percent; road maintenance, 18 percent; public safety, 16 percent; health and welfare
programs, 16 percent; sanitation and public works, 9 percent; debt service, 3 percent; trust remittances, 2
percent; and other expenditures, 9 percent.
Table 4.3-5. Total revenues and expenditures by county in the region of influence surrounding the Idaho
National Engineering Laboratory for Fiscal Year 1991.
Total revenues Total expenditures
County ($) ($)
Bannock 16,232,274 14,216,708
Bingham 11,434,200 10,708,011
Bonnevilleb 50,186,650 51,850,100
Butte 1,417,684 1,397,012
Clark 1,236,849 1,086,379
Jefferson 4,408,236 4,566,074
Madison 5,249,432 5,662,080
Seven-county region 90,165,325 89,446,364
a. Sources: Ghan (1992), Bingham County (circa 1992), McFadden (circa 1992), Swager & Swager
(1992a), Swager & Swager (1992b), Draney, Searle, and Associates (1992), Schwendiman & Sutton
(1992).
b. Bonneville County's financial statements and total revenue data include special accounts for schools,
cities, cemeteries, fire districts, ambulance districts, and other special accounts not found in other county
budgets. The majority of intergovernmental revenue is used to fund these accounts.
4.4 Cultural Resources
This section discusses all cultural resources at the INEL, including prehistoric and historic
archaeological sites, historic sites and structures, and traditional resources that are of cultural or religious
importance to local Native Americans. Paleontological localities on the INEL site are also discussed.
4.4.1 Archaeological Sites and Historic Structures
As summarized in the INEL Draft Management Plan for Cultural Resources (Miller 1992), the INEL
contains a rich and varied inventory of cultural resources. This includes fossil localities that provide an
important paleoecological context for the region and the numerous prehistoric archaeological sites that are
preserved within it. These latter sites, including campsites, lithic workshops, cairns, and hunting blinds,
among others, are also an important part of the INEL inventory. These sites provide information about the
activities of aboriginal hunting and gathering groups who inhabited the area for approximately 12,000 years.
Archaeological sites, pictographs, caves, and many other features of the INEL landscape are also important to
contemporary Native American groups for historical, religious, and traditional reasons. Historic sites
document use of the area during the late 1800s and 1900s. These include the abandoned town of
Powell/Pioneer, a northern spur of the Oregon Trail known as Goodale's Cutoff, many small homesteads,
irrigation canals, sheep/cattle camps, and stage/wagon trails. Finally, important information on the historical
development of nuclear science in America is also preserved in the many scientific and technical facilities
constructed within the INEL boundaries.
As of June 1994, more than 100 cultural resource surveys have been conducted over approximately 4
percent of the area within the INEL site. During the course of these surveys, most of which have been
conducted near major facility areas, 1,506 archaeological resources have been identified, including 688
prehistoric sites, 38 historic sites, 753 prehistoric isolates, and 27 historic isolates (Miller 1992, Gilbert and
Ringe 1993). Until formal significance evaluations (archaeological testing and historic records searches) are
completed, all of the cultural sites in this inventory are considered to be potentially eligible for nomination to
the National Register of Historic Places. However, all of the isolates have been categorized as unlikely to
meet eligibility requirements (Yohe 1993).
Due to the relatively high density of prehistoric sites on the INEL site and the need to allow for
consideration of these resources during Federal undertakings, a preliminary study, which resulted in the
development of a predictive model, has been completed. This study identified areas where densities of sites
are apparently highest and the potential impacts to significant archaeological resources, as well as the costs of
compliance, will likely increase correspondingly (Ringe 1993). This information is intended to provide some
guidance for INEL project managers in selecting appropriate areas for new construction. However, it does
not take the place of inventories that are required by the National Historic Preservation Act in advance of all
ground-disturbing projects (NHPA 1966). The predictive model was constructed using a multivariate
technique on environmental variables associated with areas containing sites and areas with no sites. This
model shows that prehistoric cultural resources appear to be concentrated in association with certain definable
physical features of the land. In this context, very high densities of resources are likely to be found along the
Big Lost River and Birch Creek, atop buttes, and within craters and caves. The Lemhi Mountains, the Lake
Terreton basin, and a 1.75-mile- (2,800-meter-) wide zone along the edge of local lava fields probably
contain a fairly high density of sites. Within the extensive flows of basaltic lava and along the low foothills
of the Lemhi Mountains, site density is classified as moderate. The lowest density of prehistoric resources
probably occurs within the floodplain of the Big Lost River and the alluvial fans emerging from the Birch
Creek Valley, within the sinks, and within the recent Cerro Grande lava flow. However, a classification of
low or medium density does not eliminate the possibility that significant resources exist within those areas.
Although this model has not been tested, it is useful as a planning guide for defining those areas most likely
to contain archaeological resources based on past surveys.
Although no systematic inventory of historically significant facilities associated with the creation and
operation of the INEL has been completed, a preliminary study indicated that all INEL facilities will require
evaluation (Braun et al. 1993). The Experimental Breeder Reactor-I is a National Historic Landmark listed in
the National Register of Historic Places. To date, however, few of the other properties have been formally
evaluated for eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places. However, Memoranda of Agreement
between DOE, the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office, and the National Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation establish that certain structures located at Test Area North (DOE 1993a) and Auxiliary Reactor
Area (DOE 1993b) are eligible for nomination. These memoranda outline specific techniques for preserving
the historic value of the areas in conformance with the requirements of the Historic American Building
Survey and the Historic American Engineering Record. Other facilities on the INEL site are likely to require
similar efforts if scheduled for major modification, demolition, or abandonment.
4.4.2 Native American Cultural Resources
Because Native American people hold the land sacred, in their terms the entire INEL reserve is
culturally important. Cultural resources, to the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, include all forms of traditional
lifeways and usages of all natural resources. This includes not only prehistoric archaeological sites, which are
important in a religious or cultural heritage context, but also features of the natural landscape and air, plant,
water, or animal resources that have special significance. These resources may be affected by changes in the
visual environment (construction, ground disturbance, or introduction of a foreign element into the setting),
dust particles, or by contamination. Geographically, the INEL site is included within a large territory once
inhabited by and still of importance to the Shoshone-Bannock. Plant resources used by the Shoshone-
Bannock that are located on or near the INEL site are listed in Table 4.4-1. Areas significant to the
Shoshone-Bannock would include the buttes, wetlands, sinks, grasslands, juniper woodlands, Birch Creek,
and the Big Lost River.
Five Federal laws prompt consultation between Federal agencies and Native American tribes: the
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA 1970), the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended
(NHPA 1966), the American Indian Religious Freedom Act (AIRFA 1978), the Archaeological Resources
Protection Act (ARPA 1979), and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA
1990). In accordance with these directives and in consideration of DOE's written Native American policy
(DOE 1990, 1992), DOE at the INEL has committed to additional interaction and exchange of information
with the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the nearby Fort Hall Indian Reservation and is developing procedures
for consultation and coordination. This relationship is outlined in a formal Working Agreement between the
Shoshone-Bannock and DOE (DOE-ID 1992). In addition, the Cultural Resources Management Plan for the
INEL (Miller 1992) and the curation agreement for permanent storage of archaeological materials are planned
for completion by June 1996. The Cultural Resources Management Plan would define procedures for
involving the Shoshone-Bannock during the planning stages of project development. The curation
Table 4.4-1. Plants used by the Shoshone-Bannock that are located on or near the Idaho National
Engineering Laboratory site.
Plant family Type of use Location on INEL site Abundance
Desert parsley Medicine, food Scattered Common
Milkweed Food, tools Roadsides Scattered, uncommon
Sagebrush Medicine, tools Throughout Common, abundant
Balsamroot Food, medicine Around buttes Common but scattered
Thistle Food Scattered throughout Common but scattered
Gumweed Medicine Disturbed areas Common
Sunflower Medicine, food Roadside Common
Dandelion Food, medicine Throughout Common
Beggar's ticks Food Disturbed areas throughout Common, abundant
Tansymustard Food, medicine Disturbed areas Common
Cactus Food Throughout Common, abundant
Honeysuckle Food, tools Big Southern Butte Common on butte
Goosefoot Food Throughout Common, abundant
Russian thistleFood Disturbed areas throughout Common, abundant
Dogwood Food, medicine, tools Webb Springs, Birch Creek Common where found
Juniper Medicine, tools, food Throughout Common to abundant
Gooseberry Food Scattered throughout Common
Mentha arvensisMedicine Big Lost River Uncommon
Wild onion Food, medicine, dye Throughout Common
Calochortus sppFood Buttes Common
Fireweed Food Throughout Common
Pine Food, tools, medicine Big Southern Butte Common on butte
Douglas fir Medicine Big Southern Butte Common on butte
Plantain Medicine, food Throughout Uncommon
Wildrye Food, tools Throughout Common, abundant
Indian ricegrasFood Throughout Common, abundant
Bluegrass Food, medicine Throughout Common, abundant
Serviceberry Food, tools, medicine Buttes Common where found
Chokecherry Food, medicine, tools, Buttes Common where found
fuel
Wood's rose Food, smoking, Big Lost River, Big Southern Common, abundant
medicine, ritual Butte
Red raspberry Food, medicine Big Southern Butte Uncommon
Willow Medicine Throughout in moist areas Common
Coyote tobacco Smoking, medicine Big Lost River, Webb Springs Uncommon
Cattail Food, tools Sinks, outflow from facilities Uncommon
a. Source: Anderson et al. (1995).
agreement would provide for the repatriation of burial goods in accordance with the Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Act.
4.4.3 Paleontological Resources
There are 31 known fossil localities at the INEL site, and available information suggests that the
region has relatively abundant and varied paleontological resources. Preliminary analyses suggest that these
materials are most likely to be found in association with archaeological sites; in areas of basalt flows; in
deposits of the Big Lost River, Little Lost River, and Birch Creek; in deposits of Lake Terreton and playas; in
some wind and sand deposits; and in sedimentary interbeds or lava tubes within local lava flows (Miller
1992: Table 3-1).
4.5 Aesthetic and Scenic Resources
This section describes the visual character of the INEL site and briefly discusses scenic areas
in the vicinity of the INEL. An additional description of visual impacts to ofisite areas is contained
in Section 4.7, Air Resources.
4.5.1 Visual Character of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Site
The INEL site is bordered on the north and west by the Bitterroot, Lemhi, and Lost River
mountain ranges. Volcanic buttes near the southern boundary of the INEL can be seen from most
locations on the site and the Fort Hall Indian Reservation. Most of the INEL site consists of open,
undeveloped land, predominantly covered by large sagebrush and grasslands (see Section 4.9,
Ecological Resources). Pasture and irrigated farmland border much of the INEL site (see Section
4.2, Land Use).
Nine facility areas are located on the INEL site. Although the INEL has a master plan, no
specific visual resource standards have been established. The generally low density INEL facilities
look like commercial/industrial complexes and are dispersed throughout the INEL site. The structures
range in height from 10 feet (3 meters) to approximately 100 feet (30 meters), with a few stacks and
towers that reach up to 250 feet (76 meters). Although many INEL facilities are visible from
highways, most facilities are located over half a mile (0.8 kilometers) from public roads. The facility
closest to a public road (0.4 mile or 0.6 kilometer) is the Water Reactor Research Test Facility (about
60 feet or 18 meters in height), located off State Highway 33. This section of Highway 33 is used
primarily by the INEL workforce at Test Area North.
About 90 miles (144 kilometers) of paved public highway run through the INEL site. U.S.
Highway 20 runs east and west across the southern portion, and has one rest stop within the INEL
boundaries. This is the highway most heavily used by the INEL workforce. It is a direct route from
the Idaho Falls area to Boise, Idaho, and recreational areas such as Sun Valley and Craters of the
Moon National Monument. The Experimental Breeder Reactor-I, just off Highway 20, is a National
Historic Landmark. It had 14,000 visitors in 1992 (Braun 1993) but was closed temporarily for
repairs in 1993. U.S. Highway 26 runs southeast and northwest, intersecting Highway 20 near the
Central Facilities Area. State Highways 22, 28, and 33 cross the northeastern part of the INEL site.
4.5.2 Scenic Areas
The Craters of the Moon National Monument is located about 15 miles southwest of the INEL
site's western boundary. The seasonal visual range from Craters of the Moon is from 81 to 97 miles
(130 to 156 kilometers) (Notar 1993). The Monument is located in a designated Wilderness Area, for
which Class I (very high) air quality standards, or minimal degradation, must be maintained, as
defined by the Clean Air Act (CFR 1977, 1990). Under the Clean Air Act, air quality is defined to
include visibility and scenic view considerations.
Lands adjacent to the INEL site, under Bureau of Land Management jurisdiction, are
designated as Visual Resource Management Class II areas (BLM 1984, 1986). This designation urges
preservation and retention of the existing character of the landscape. Lands within INEL site
boundaries are designated as Class III and IV, the most lenient classes in terrns of modification. The
Bureau of Land Management is considering the Black Canyon Wilderness Study Area, located
adjacent to the INEL, for Wilderness Area designation (BLM 1986), which, if approved, would result
in an upgrade of its Visual Resource Management class from Class II to Class I.
Features of the natural landscape have special significance to the Shoshone-Bannock tribes.
The visual environment of the INEL site is within the visual range of the Fort Hall Indian
Reservation.
4.6 Geology
This section describes the geological, seismic, and volcanic characteristics of the INEL site and
surrounding region.
4.6.1 General Geology
The INEL site is located on the Eastern Snake River Plain (Figure 4.6-1). The Plain forms a broad,
northeast-trending, crescent-shaped trough with low relief, comprised primarily of basaltic lava flows. These
flows at the surface range in age from 1.2 million to 2,100 years. The Plain features thin, discontinuous,
interbedded deposits of wind-blown loess and sand; water-borne alluvial fan, lacustrine, and flood-plain
alluvial sediments; and rhyolitic domes formed 1,200,000 to 300,000 years ago (Kuntz et al. 1990) (Figure
4.6-2). The Plain is bounded on the north and south by the north-to-northwest-trending mountains and
valleys of the Basin and Range Province, comprised of folded and faulted rocks that are more than 70 million
years old. The Plain is bounded on the northeast by the Yellowstone Plateau. The major episode of Basin
and Range faulting began 20 to 30 million years ago and continues today, most recently associated with the
October 28, 1983, Borah Peak earthquake [Ms 7.3; 0.022 to 0.078g at the INEL site (Jackson 1985)], which
occurred along the Lost River fault, approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) from INEL site facilities, and
the 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake (Ms 7.5), approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles) from the INEL site
(Figure 4.6-1).
The northeast-trending volcanic terrain of the Plain has a markedly different geologic history and
tectonic pattern compared to the older folded and faulted terrain of the northwest-trending Basin and Range.
The northwest-trending Basin and Range faults have not been observed to extend across the Plain. Four
northwest-trending volcanic rift zones are known to lie across the Plain at or near the INEL site; they have
been attributed to basaltic eruptions that occurred 4 million to 2,100 years ago (Bowman 1995, Hackett and
Smith 1992, Kuntz et al. 1990).
The seismic characteristics of the Plain and the adjacent Basin and Range Province also are different.
Earthquakes and active faulting are associated with Basin and Range tectonic activity. The Plain has
historically experienced few and small earthquakes (King et al. 1987, Pelton et al. 1990, WCC 1992, Jackson
et al. 1993).
Figure 4.6-1. Geologic features in the region of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site. Figure 4.6-2. Lithologic logs of deep drill holes on the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site (Doherty 1979a,b; Doherty et al. 1979, Hackett and Smith 1992). (To convert from feet to meters, multiply by
0.3048.)
A typical soil association occurring on a lava flow on the INEL site consists of three to four soil
series differentiated from one another largely on the basis of soil depth. The INEL site landscapes are
covered with a thin-to-thick blanket of eolian sediments, which are deposited in episodes associated with
climatic cycles. The thickness of eolian sediments on the INEL site is generally less than 2.1 meters (7 feet)
and commonly between 0.3 to 0.9 meters (1 to 3 feet). Most soils formed in eolian deposits containing a
layer of secondary carbonates, which ranges from powdery to cemented.
4.6.2 Natural Resources
A geothermal exploration well was drilled at the INEL site to a depth of 3,147 meters (10,320 feet)
in 1979. A temperature of 142yC (288yF) was measured, but no commercial quantities of geothermal fluids
were identified (Mitchell et al. 1980). Mineral resources include several quarries or pits within the INEL site
boundary to supply sand, gravel, pumice, silt, clay, and aggregate for road construction and maintenance, new
facility construction and maintenance, waste burial activities, and ornamental landscaping cinders. During
the course of excavation, the gravel pits may be studied to characterize the local surficial geology of the INEL
site. Outside the INEL site boundary, mineral resources include sand, gravel, pumice, phosphate, and base
and precious metals (Strowd et al. 1981, Mitchell et al. 1981). The geologic history of the Plain makes the
potential for petroleum production at the INEL site very low.
4.6.3 Seismic Hazards
The distribution of earthquakes at and near the INEL site from 1884 to 1989 clearly shows that the
Plain has a remarkably low rate of seismicity, whereas the surrounding Basin and Range has a fairly high rate
of seismicity (Figure 4.6-3, WCC 1992). The mechanism for faulting and generation of earthquakes in the
Basin and Range is attributed to northeast-southwest directed crustal extension.
Several investigators have suggested hypotheses for the low rate of seismic activity within the Plain
compared to the Centennial Tectonic Belt (Stickney and Bartholomew 1987) and Intermountain Seismic Belt
(Smith and Arabasz 1991):
Figure 4.6-3. Historical earthquakes in the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory region with magnitudes greater than 2.5 (1884 to 1989) (WCC 1992).
- Smith and Sbar (1974) and Brott et al. (1981) suggested that high crustal temperatures
beneath the Plain and adjacent region inside the seismic parabola (Figure 4.6-1) resulted in
ductile deformation (aseismic creep), in contrast to the brittle deformation (rock fracture)
that occurs in the Basin and Range.
- Anders et al. (1989) suggested that the Plain and the adjacent region inside the seismic
parabola (Figure 4.6-1) have increased integrated lithospheric strength. They proposed that
the presence of mid-crustal mafic intrusive rock strengthens the crust so that it is too strong
to fracture (see also Smith and Arabasz 1991).
- Parsons and Thompson (1991) proposed that magmatic dike injection suppresses normal
faulting and associated seismicity by altering the local tectonic stress field. As dikes are
injected in volcanic rift zones, they push apart the surrounding rocks and decrease
differential stress, thereby preventing earthquakes from occurring.
- Recently, Anders and Sleep (1992) proposed that introduction of mantle-derived magma into
the midcrust beneath the Plain has decreased faulting and earthquakes by lowering the rate
of deformation.
The markedly different late-Tertiary and Quaternary tectonic and seismic histories of the Plain and
Basin and Range Province reflect the dissimilar deformational processes acting in each region. Both regions
are being subjected to the same extensional stress field (Weaver et al. 1979, Zoback and Zoback 1989, Pierce
and Morgan 1992, Jackson et al. 1993); however, crustal deformation within the Plain occurs through dike
injection and, in the Basin and Range, through large-scale normal faulting (Rodgers et al. 1990, Parsons and
Thompson 1991, Hackett and Smith 1992).
Major seismic hazards include the effects from ground shaking and surface deformation (surface
faulting, tilting). Other potential seismic hazards (for example, avalanches, landslides, mudslides, soil
settlement, and soil liquefaction) are not likely to occur at the INEL site because the local geologic conditions
are not conducive to them. Based on the seismic history and the geologic conditions, earthquakes greater than
magnitude 5.5 (and associated strong ground shaking and surface fault rupture) are not likely to be generated
within the Plain. However, moderate to strong ground shaking can affect the INEL site from earthquakes in
the Basin and Range. Patterns of seismicity and locations of mapped faults are used to assess potential
sources of future earthquakes and to estimate levels of ground motion at the INEL site. The sources and
maximum magnitudes of earthquakes that could produce the maximum levels of ground motions at all INEL
site facilities include (WCC 1990, 1992):
- A moment magnitude 7.0 earthquake at the southern end of the Lemhi fault along the Howe
and Fallert Springs segments
- A moment magnitude 7.0 earthquake at the southern end of the Lost River fault along the
Arco segment
- A moment magnitude 5.5 earthquake associated with dike injection in either the Arco or
Lava Ridge-Hell's Half Acre Volcanic Rift Zones and the Axial Volcanic Zone
- A "random" moment magnitude 5.5 earthquake occurring within the Eastern Snake River
Plain.
An example of the relationship of the peak ground acceleration on the INEL site to the annual
frequency of occurrence of seismic events for various seismic hazards in the region, including the above four
events, is illustrated in Figure 4.6-4 (WCFS 1993). The curves were developed specifically for the site of the
Idaho Chemical Processing Plant in the south-central INEL site and do not directly apply to other INEL site
areas. Ground motion contributions from seismic sources not shown on Figure 4.6-4 (that is, Intermountain
Seismic Belt, Idaho Batholith, and Yellowstone Region) are significantly smaller because of their distant
locations or lower maximum magnitudes. The INEL site-specific seismic hazard study (WCFS 1993) will
provide curves similar to Figure 4.6-4 for other INEL site areas. INEL site seismic design basis events are
determined by the INEL Natural Phenomena Committee and incorporated into the INEL Architectural and
Engineering Standards based on studies (WCC 1990). Section 5.14, Facility Accidents, presents the
potential impacts of postulated seismic events.
Figure 4.6-4. Contribution of the various seismic sources to the mean peak ground acceleration at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (WCFS 1993).
4.6.4 Volcanic Hazards
Volcanic hazards at the INEL site can come from sources inside or outside the Plain's boundaries.
Volcanic hazards include the effects of lava flows, ground deformation (fissures, uplift, subsidence), volcanic
earthquakes (associated with magmatic processes as distinct from earthquakes associated with tectonics), and
ash flows or airborne ash deposits (Bowman 1995). Most of the basalt volcanic activity occurred from 4
million to 2,100 years ago in the INEL site area. The most recent and closest volcanic eruption occurred
2,100 years ago at the Craters of the Moon National Monument 25 kilometers (15 miles) southwest of the
INEL site (Kuntz et al. 1992). The rhyolite domes along the Axial Volcanic Zone formed between 1.2 and
0.3 million years ago and have a recurrence interval of about 200,000 years. Therefore, the probability of
future dome formation affecting INEL site facilities is very low.
Catastrophic Yellowstone eruptions have occurred three times in the past 2 million years, but the
INEL site lies more than 160 kilometers (70 miles) from the Yellowstone Caldera rim, and high-altitude
winds would not disperse Yellowstone ash in the direction of the INEL site. For these reasons of infrequency,
great distance, and unfavorable dispersal, pyroclastic flows or ash fallout from future Yellowstone eruptions
are not expected to impact the INEL site.
Basaltic lava flows and eruptions from fissures or vents have been considered in this Environmental
Impact Statement. Based on a probability analysis of the volcanic history in and near the southcentral INEL
site area, the Volcanism Working Group (VWG 1990) estimated that the conditional probability that basaltic
volcanism would affect a south-central INEL site location is less than 2.5 y 10-5 per year (once per 40,000
years or longer), where the hazard associated with Axial Volcanic Zone volcanism is greatest. The
probability of volcanic impact on INEL site facilities farther north, where both silicic and basaltic volcanism
have been older and less frequent, is estimated to be less than 10-6 per year (once every million years or
longer). The statistics of 116 measured INEL-area lava flow lengths and areas were used to define the two
lava flow hazard zones (Figure 4.6-5). The mean lava flow length plus one standard deviation from the mean
corresponds to 14 kilometers (8.7 miles). The hazard for a particular site within or near a volcanic zone is
much lower, typically by an order of magnitude or more, and must be assessed on a site-specific basis
(Bowman 1995). Section 5.14, Facility Accidents, presents the effects of a hypothetical lava flow that covers
the INEL Radioactive Waste Management Complex (RWMC).
Figure 4.6-5. Map of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, showing locations of volcanic rift zones and lava flow hazard zones.
4.7 Air Resources
This section describes the air resources of the INEL site and the surrounding area. The
discussion includes the climatology and meteorology of the region, a summary of applicable
regulations, descriptions of radiological and nonradiological air contaminant emissions, and a
characterization of existing and projected levels of air pollutants. The analysis includes both existing
facilities and those that were expected (at the time the analysis was performed) to be operational
before June 1, 1995. Additional detail and background information on the material presented in this
section is presented in Appendix F, Section F-3, Air Resources, of Volume 2 of this EIS.
4.7.1 Climate and Meteorology
The Eastern Snake River Plain climate exhibits low relative humidity, wide daily temperature
swings, and large variations in annual precipitation. Average seasonal temperatures measured onsite
range from -7.30C (Celsius) [(18.8~F (Fahrenheit)] in winter to 18.20C (64.8~F) in summer, with an
annual average temperature of about 5.60C (42~F). Temperature extremes range from a summertime
maximum of 39.40C (103~F) to a wintertime minimum of 450C (490F). Large year-to-year
variations in average monthly and seasonal temperatures are common, as are large variations in
temperature in different locations. Annual precipitation is light, averaging 22.1 centimeters
(8.71 inches), with monthly extremes of zero to 12.8 centimeters (5 inches). The maximum 24-hour
precipitation rate is 4.6 centimeters (1.8 inches). The greatest short-term precipitation rates are
primarily attributable to thunderstorms, which occur approximately two or three days per month
during the summer. The average annual snowfall is 70.1 centimeters (27.6 inches), with extremes of
151.6 centimeters (59.7 inches) and 17.3 centimeters (6.8 inches). Relative humidity ranges from an
average minimum of 27 percent to a maximum of 79 percent on an annual basis.
The INEL site is in the belt of prevailing westerlies; however, these winds are normally
channeled by the mountain ranges bordering the Eastern Snake River Plain into a southwest wind.
Most offsite locations experience the predominant southwest/northeast wind flow of the Eastern Snake
River Plain, although subtle terrain features near some locations cause considerable variations from
this flow regime. An illustration of annual wind flow is provided by the wind roses in Figure 4.7-1.
These wind roses show the frequency of wind direction (in other words, the direction from which the
Figure 4.7-1. Annual average wind direction and speed at metereological monitoring stations on the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site.
wind blows) and speed at three meteorological monitoring sites on the INEL site for the period 1988
to 1992. The highest hourly average near-ground wind speed measured onsite is 22.8 meters per
second (51 miles per hour) from the west-southwest, with a maximum instantaneous gust of
34.9 meters per second (78 miles per hour) (Clawson et al. 1989). Other than thunderstorms, severe
weather is uncommon. Five funnel clouds (tornadoes nOt touching the ground) and no tornadoes have
been reported onsite from 1950 to 1988. Visibility in the region is good because of the low moisture
content of the alr and minimal sources of visibility-reducing pollutants. At Craters of the Moon
Wilderness Area [approximately 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) southwest of the INEL site], the seasonal
visual range is from 130 to 156 kilometers (81 to 97 miles) (Notar 1993).
Air pollutant dispersion is a result of the processes of transport and diffusion of airborne
contaminants in the atmosphere. Transport is the movement of a pollutant in the wind field, while
diffusion refers to the process whereby a pollutant plume is diluted by turbulent eddies. Vertical
diffusion of pollutants may be restricted or enhanced by the temperature gradient of the atmosphere
(that is, the change in temperature with altitude). Lapse conditions, which tend to enhance vertical
diffusion, occur slightly less than 50 percent of the time. Conversely, thermal stratification or
inversion conditions, which inhibit vertical diffusion, occur slightly more than 50 percent of the time.
The height to which the pollutants can freely diffuse is known as the mixing depth, while the layer of
air from the ground up to the mixing depth is known as the mixed layer. Estimates of the monthly
average depth of the mixed layer range from 120 meters (400 feet) in December to 900 meters
(3,000 feet) in July. Nocturnal (nighttime) inversions form at approximately sunset and dissipate
about one to two hours after sunrise. These inversions are often ground-based, meaning that the
temperature increases with height from the ground (Clawson et al. 1989).
4.7.2 Standards and Regulations
Air quality regulations have been established to protect the public from potential harmful
effects of air pollution. These regulations (a) designate acceptable levels of pollution in ambient air,
(b) establish limits on radiation doses to members of the public, (c) establish limits on air pollutant
emissions and resulting deterioration of air quality due to vehicular and other anthropogenic sources,
(d) require air permits to regulate (control) emissions from stationary (nonvehicular) sources of air
pollution, and (e) designate prohibitory rules, such as rules that prohibit open burning. The Federal
Clean Air Act (and amendments) provides the framework to protect the nation's air resources and
public health and welfare. In Idaho, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State of
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Division of Environmental Quality, are jointly responsible
for establishing and implementing programs that meet the requirements of the Federal Clean Air Act.
INEL site activities are subject to air quality regulations and standards established under the Clean Air
Act and by the State of Idaho (IDHW 1994) and to internal policies and requirements of DOE. Air
quality standards and programs applicable to INEL site operations are summarized in Figure 4.7-2
and described in further detail in Appendix F, Section F-3, Air Resources, of Volume 2 of this EIS.
4.7.3 Radiological Air Ouality
The population of the Eastern Snake River Plain is exposed to environmental radiation from
both natural and manmade sources. This section summarizes the sources and levels of radiation
exposure in this geographical region, including sources of airborne radionuclide emissions from the
INEL site. Estimates of radioactivity levels and radiological doses from current INEL site operations,
including anticipated increases to the baseline (increases from facilities expected to become
operational by June 1, 1995), are provided and discussed.
4.7.3.1 Sources of Radioactivity.
The major source of radiation exposure in the Eastern
Snake River Plain is natural background radiation. Sources of radioactivity related to INEL site
operations contribute a small amount of additional exposure.
Background radiation includes sources such as cosmic rays; radioactivity naturally present in
soil, rocks, and the human body; and airborne radionuclides of natural origin (such as radon).
Radioactivity still remaining in the environment as a result of atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons
also contributes to the background radiation level, although in very small amounts. The natural
background dose for residents of the Eastern Snake River Plain is estimated at 351 millirem per year,
with more than half (about 200 millirem per year) caused by the inhalation of radioactive particles
formed by the decay of radon (Hoff et al. 1992, NCRP 1987).
INEL site operations can result in releasing radioactivity to air either directly (such as through
stacks or vents) or indirectly (such as by resuspension of radioactivity on contaminated grounds).
Concentrations of radionuclides in direct releases are monitored or estimated based on knowledge of
Figure 4.7-2. Overview of Federal, State, and U.S. Department of Energy programs for air quality management. the materials used and activities performed. Indirect releases are estimated using engineering
calculations that relate surface contamination levels to expected airborne concentrations.
Emissions from INEL site facilities include the noble gases (argon, krypton, and xenon) and
iodine; particulate fission products, such as ruthenium, Strontium, and cesium; radionuclides formed
by neutron activation, such as tritium (hydrogen-3), carbon-14, and cobalt-60; and heavy elements,
such as uranium, thorium, and plutonium, and their decay products. Historically, the radionuclide
with the highest emission rate is the noble gas krypton-83, which is released mainly by chemical
reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel and processing of high-level waste at the Idaho Chemical
Processing Plant (ICPP). Activities at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant also release relatively
small amounts of iodine-I 29, an isotope of concern because of its long half-life (16 mlllion years) and
biological properties. (Iodine isotopes taken into the body tend to accumulate in the thyroid gland.)
Reactor operations release mainly noble gas isotopes with short half-lives, including argon-41 and
isotopes of xenon (mainly xenon-131m, -133, -135, and -138). Other activities at the INEL site,
including waste management operations, result in very low levels of airborne radionuclide emissions.
Table 4.7-1 provides a summary of the principal types of airborne radioactivity emitted from existing
INEL site facilities, plus estimated emissions from projects expected at the time the analysis was
performed to become operational before June 1, 1993. For all existing facilities except the Idaho
Chemical Processing Plant, these estimates are based on emissions data for 1991. Emission rates for
the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant are based on actual 1993 emissions data, scaled upward to
reflect operation of the New Waste Calcining Facility (a high-level waste processing operation) at
maximum permitted levels. Thus, the radiological emissions are representative of a baseline year that
includes processing of high-level waste, but not spent nuclear fuel processing.
4.7.3.2 Existing Radiological CondlUons.
Monitoring and assessment activities are
conducted to characterize existing radiological conditions at the INEL site and surrounding
environment. Results of these activities show that exposures resulting from airborne radionuclide
emissions are well within applicable standards and are a small fraction of the dose from background
sources. These results are discussed separately below for onsite and offsite environments.
a. Fuel reprocessing at the INEL site ceased in April 1992, and baseline emission rates do not include
contributions from reprocessing. Rather, Processing-related emissions are assessed in Section 5.7, Air
Resources, as potential impacts associated with possible future spent nuclear fluid management activities.
Table 4.7-1 Summary of airborne radionuclide emissions (in curies) from facility areas at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site.(a)
4.7.3.2.1 Onsite Doses-An indication of onsite radiological conditions is obtained
by comparing measured concentrations with those from INEL site boundary communities and distant
locations. Results from onsite and boundary community locations include contributions from
background conditions and INEL site emissions, while distant locations represent background
conditions beyond the influence of INEL site emissions. These data show that 1991 average airborne
radioactivity and radiation exposure levels within and around the INEL site were no different than
those at distant stations. The average annual dose (as measured by thermoluminescent dosimeters
during 1991) was 127 millirem for distant locations and 125 millirem for boundary community
locations (Hoff et al. 1992).
Air dispersion models were applied to assess the radiation dose to workers at major INEL site
facility areas as a result of cumulative emissions from existing facilities and those expected to become
operational before June 1, 1995 (Leonard 1993, 1994). Results of this assessment indicate that the
maximum dose at any onsite area is currently about 0.2 millirem per year. This dose could increase
to about 4 millirem per year if the maximum projected operation of the Portable Water Treatment
Unit at the Power Burst Facility Area is included; however, that operation is temporary (one to two
years) and is not representative of a permanent increase in the baseline. If only permanent facility
emissions are considered, the baseline worker dose could increase to 0.32 millirem per year. The
actual and projected doses are a very small fraction of the DOE-established occupational dose limit
(5,000 millirem per year) and are below the National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air
Pollutants (NESHAP) dose limit of 10 millirem per year. The National Emissions Standard for
Hazardous Air Pollutants limit, established under the Clean Air Act, applies to the highest exposed
member of the public (not to workers) but is the most restrictive limit for airborne releases and serves
as a useful comparison for these results.
4.7.3.2.2 Offsite Doses-The offsite population may receive a radiation dose as a
result of radiological conditions directly attributable to INEL site operations. The dose associated
with baseline radiological emissions (existing facilities and those expected at the time the analysis was
performed to become operational before June 1, 1995) is assessed for a maximally exposed individual
and for the population within 80 kilometers (50 miles). The maximally exposed individual is a
hypothetical person whose habits and proximity to the INEL site are such that the person would
receive the highest dose projected to result from sitewide radiological emissions. The dose calculated
for the maximally exposed individual~as a result of current and projected sitewide emissions is about
0.05 millirem, which is well below both the National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air
Pollutants dose limit (10 millirem per year) and the dose received from background sources
(351 millirem per year). Figure 4.7-3 illustrates a comparison of these dose rates. As evident in this
figure, the 10-millirem dose limit is a very small fraction of the background level and provides a high
degree of protection.
Figure 4.7-3. Comparison of radiation dose to the maximally exposed individual (due to current and projected radiological emissions at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site) to the National
Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants dose limit and the dose from background sources.
The collective dose to the surrounding population as a result of INEL site emissions, assessed
using 1990 U.S. Census Bureau data for the total population residing within a circular area with an
5O-kilometer (50-mile) radius extending from each facility, is about 0.3 person-rem. The population
dose is distributed over a population of about 120,000, resulting in an average individual dose of well
below 0.001 millirem. The population dose of 0.3 person-rem is very small when compared with the
dose received by the same population from background sources (over 40,000 person-rem). For future
years, the baseline population dose is projected to increase (even though baseline emission rates do
not rise) by an amount corresponding to the growth of the surrounding population.
4.7.3.3 Summary of Radiological Conditions.
Radioactivity and radiation levels
resulting from INEL site emissions are very low, well within applicable standards, and negligible
when compared to doses received from natural background sources. This applies both to onsite
conditions to which INEL site workers or visitors may be exposed, and offsite locations where the
general population resides. Health risks associated with maximum potential exposure levels in the
onsite and offsite environments are described in Section 4.12, Health and Safety.
4.7.4 Nonradiological Conditions
Persons in the Eastern Snake River Plain are exposed to sources of air pollutants, such as
agricultural and industrial activities, residential woodburning, wind-blown dust, and automobile
exhaust. Many of the activities at the INEL also emit air pollutants. The types of pollutants that are
assessed here include (a) the criteria pollutants regulated under the National and State Ambient Air
Quality Standards and (b)other types of pollutants with potentially toxic properties called toxic (or
hazardous) air pollutants. Criteria pollutants include nitrogen dioxide, sulfiir dioxide, carbon
monoxide, lead, ozone, and respirable particulate matter (particles less than 10 micrometers in
diameter, which are small enough to pass easily into the lower respiratory tract), for which National
Ambient Air Quality Standards have been established. Total suspended particulate matter is also
designated by the State of Idaho as a criteria pollutant. Volatile organic compounds are assessed as
precursors leading to the development of ozone. Toxic air pollutants include cancer~ausing agents,
such as arsenic, benzene, carbon tetrachloride, and formaldehyde, as well as materials with noncancer
health hazards, such as fluorides, ammonia, and hydrochloric and suiftiric acids.
4.7.4.1 Sources of Air Emissions.
The types of nonradiological emissions from INEL
facilities and activities are similar to those of other major industrial complexes the size of the INEL.
Combustion sources such as boilers and emergency generators emit both criteria and toxic air
pollutants. Sources such as chemical processing operations, waste management activities (other than
combustion), and research laboratories emit primarily toxic air pollutants. A total of 26 toxic air
pollutants have been identified that are emitted from existing INEL facilities in quantities exceeding
the screening level established by the State of Idaho. Cflie health hazard associated with toxic air
pollutants emitted in lesser quantities is considered low enough by the State of Idaho not to require
detailed assessment.) Waste management, construction, and related activities (such as excavation)
also generate fligitive particulate matter.
a. Ozone is formed by iaactions of oxides of nitrogen and oxygen in the presence of sunlight. Volatile organic
hydrocarbons, sometimes called precursor organics, contribute to the formation of ozone. Oxides of nitrogen
and volatile organic hydrocarbons are, therefore, regulated as precursors to ozone formation.
Baseline emission rates for existing facilities have been characterized for two separate cases.
The actual emtssions case represents the collective emission rates of nonradiological pollutants
experienced by INEL facilities during 1991 for criteria pollutants and 1989 for toxic air pollutants.
These are the most recent years for which complete data are available. In contrast to this actual case,
emissions have also been estimated for a hypothetical maximum year. This is appropriate because
many facilities that are governed by conditions imposed by operating permits (such as maximum
hours of operation or emission rates) typically operate at levels well below those allowed by the
permit. It is conceivable that emission rates of currently operated facilities could increase greatly and
still remain within the bounds of permitted conditions. The maximum emissions case has, therefore,
been characterized. This baseline case represents a scenario in which all permitted sources at the
INEL are assumed to operate in such a manner that they emit specific pollutants to the maximum
extent allowed by operating permits or applicable regulations. The baseline also includes projected
increases (that is, emissions from projects expected at the time the analysis was performed to become
operational before June 1, 1995.) A summary of criteria and toxic air pollutant emission rates for the
actual and maximum emissions cases, including projected increases, is provided in Table 4.7-2.
4.7.4.2 Existing Conditions.
For most of the pollutants included in this assessment
(including all toxic air pollutants), insufficient monitoring data exist to allow a meaningful description
of existing air quality. Rather, the characterization of existing nonradiological conditions relies on an
extensive program of air dispersion modeling. The modeling program applied for this purpose
utilized computer codes, methods, and assumptions that are considered acceptable by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Idaho for regulatory compliance purposes. In
general, the Industrial Source Complex-2 (ISC-2) model was used for assessment of criteria pollutants
and selected toxic air pollutants; the Fugitive Dust Model (FDM) was used to assess impacts due to
fugitive dust emissions; and the simpler SCREEN model was used to assess other toxic air
contaminants. The SCREEN model incorporates methods and data that tend to overestimate impacts,
and it is useful for idenflfying cases that require additional, more refined (ISC-2) assessment. The
methodology applied in these assessments is described in detail in Appendix F, Section F-3, Air
Resources, of Volume 2 of this EIS. The remainder of this section describes the results of the air
dispersion modeling effort in terms of air quality conditions associated with the actual and maximum
baseline cases. In particular, assessment results are presented for concentrations of pollutants in air
within and around the INEL site.
Table 4.7-2 Annual average and maximum hourly emission rates of nonradiological air pollutants for the actual and maximum baseline cases at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory.
4.7.4.2.1 Onsite Conditions-The existing conditions have been assessed for each
facility area as a result of cumulative emissions from sources located within that area as well as other
areas of the INEL site. Except for public roads, criteria pollutant levels are not assessed for onsite
locations because standards for these pollutants apply only to ambient air locations (that is, locations
to which the general public has access). Toxic air pollutants, however, are assessed because of
potential exposure of workers to these haaardous substances. Typically, the dominant contributors to
pollutant levels at each of these areas are sources within that area. Onsite levels of specific toxics are
compared to occupational exposure limits set for these substances by either the occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) or the American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists.
(The lower of the two limits is used.)
Results of the onsite assessment for both the actual and maximum emissions are presented in
Table 4.7-3. For most of the toxics, the estimated onsite concentrations of toxic air pollutants are
well below levels established for protection of workers. The maximum short-term benzene
concentration (that is, the highest level predicted to occur over an eight-hour period) slightly exceeds
the standard at the highest predicted location within the Central Facilities Area. These levels result
primarily from emissions associated with petroleum fuel storage, handling, and combustion. All other
toxic pollutant levels at onsite locations are well within the most restrictive occupational exposure
limits.
4.7.4.2.2 Offsite Conditions-Estimated maximum offsite pollutant concentrations
were calculated for locations along the INEL site boundary and for public roads within the site
boundary. These are considered ambient air locations because the public has general access.
Pollutant levels were also calculated for Craters of the Moon Wilderness Area. The results for
criteria pollutants are presented in Table 4.7-4 and indicate that all concentrations are well within the
ambient air quality standards for both the actual and maximum emissions cases. For the maximum
emissions baseline, the highest sulfur dioxide concentration (over a 3-hour period) at the site
boundary is about 13 percent of the standard, while the highest 24-hour particulate mafler level is
about 33 percent of the standard. Levels of all other pollutants are below 12 percent of applicable
standards. The highest offsite levels are estimated to occur at the boundary south and
south-southwest of the Central Facilities Area. Somewhat higher results were obtained for public
roads traversing the site, with 24-hour particulate matter at 53 percent of the standard and 3- and
Table 4.7-3 Highest predicted concentrations of toxic air pollutants at onsite locations for the maximum baseline case at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site, including anticipated
increases to the baseline.
Table 4.7-4 Ambient air concentrations of criteria pollutants for the maximum baseline scenario at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site, including anticipated increases to the baseline.
24-hour sulfur dioxide at 45 and 37 percent of the standard, respectively. Values at the Craters of the
Moon Wilderness Area were below 10 percent of applicable standards in all cases. It should be noted
that actual emissions from INEL site facilities are much lower than those assumed for the maximum
scenario, so there is a wide margin of protection inherent in these results. Figure 4.74 illustrates the
difference in actual and maximum emissions for criteria and toxic air pollutants.
Concentrations of criteria pollutants from certain sources are also compared to Prevention of
Significant Deterioration (PSD) regulations, which have been established to ensure that air quality
remains good in those areas where ambient air quality standards are not exceeded. (See Section
F-3.3. 1.2 for a description of these regulations.) These Prevention of Significant Deterioration
increments are allowable increases over baseline conditions from sources that have become
operational after certain baseline dates. Increments have been established by Federal and State
Figure 4.7-4. Comparison of actual emission rates for criteria and toxic pollutants at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site with the rates assumed for the maximum emissions scenario.
regulations for sulfur dioxide, total suspended particulates, and nitrogen dioxide, and by Federal
regulations for respirable particulate matter. Separate increments are established for pristine areas,
such as national parks or wilderness areas (termed Class I areas) and for the nation as a whole (Class
II areas). Craters of the Moon Wilderness Area is the Class I area nearest the INEL site. The
amount of increment consumed by existing sources subject to Prevention of Significant Deterioration
regulation has been assessed (Raudsep et al. 1995). These results are presented in Tables 4.7-S and
4.7-6 for Class I and II areas, respectively. for all increment consummg sources projected as of May
1, 1994. The amount of increment consumed for Prevention of Significant Deterioration sources
operatmg at maximum allowable emission rates is less than 10 percent of the allowable increment- for
all annual evaluations but somewhat higher for short-term assessments. The maximum increment
consumed at Craters of the Moon is 53 percent of the 3-hour sulfur dioxide level and, in Class II
areas, 43 percent of the 24-hour level for respirable particulate matter.
Concentrations of toxic air pollutants are compared to the ambient air standards recently
promulgated for new sources by the State of Idaho Rules for Control of Air Pollution in Idaho
(IDHW 1994). These standards are increments that apply only to new or modified sources and not to
existing emissions. Nevertheless, these increments are useful as reference levels for comparing
current conditions with recommendations for ensuring public health protection in association with new
sources of emissions. Thus, the discussion that follows refers to these increments as reference levels.
Annual average concentrations of carcinogenic toxics are assessed for offsite locations (site boundary
and Craters of the Moon Wilderness Area), while levels of noncarcinogenic toxics are assessed for
locations along public roads as well as offsite locations.
Maximum offsite concentrations of carcinogenic toxics, which are summarized in Table 4.74,
are observed to occur at the site boundary due south of the Central Facilities Area. All carcinogenic
air pollutant levels are below the reference levels. Noncarcinogenic air pollutant levels are
summarized in Table 4.7-8. For site boundary locations, these levels are all well below the reference
levels (1 percent or less). Levels at some public road locations, which are closer to emissions
sources, are higher than site boundary locations, but still well below the reference levels. All
pollutant levels estimated for Craters of the Moon Wilderness Area are much less than 1 percent of
the reference levels suitable for comparison.
Table 4.7-5 Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) increment consumption at the Craters of the Moon Wilderness (Class I) Area by exisiting sources subject to Prevention of Significant
Deterioration regulation.(a)
Table 4.7-6 Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) increment consumption at Class II areas at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site by existing sources subject to Prevention of
Significant Deterioration regulation.(a)
Table 4.7-7 Highest predicted concentrations of carcinogenic air pollutants at site boundary locations for the maximum baseline case at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site, including
anticipated increases to the baseline.
Table 4.7-8 Highest predicted concentrations of noncarcinogenic toxic air pollutants at site boundaries and public road locations at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site, including
anticipated increases to the baseline.
4.7.4.3 Summary of Nonradiological Air Quality.
The baseline conditions of
nonradiological air quality on and around the INEL site have been estimated for actual and maximum
emissions scenarios. The air quality is good and within applicable guidelines. The area around the
INEL site is in attainment or unclassified for all National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Levels of
criteria pollutants are well within the ambient air quality standards for both scenarios. For toxic
emissions, all INEL site boundary and public road levels are below reference levels appropriate for
comparison. Within the INEL site, a very localized and slight exceedance occurs for levels of
benzene at the Central Facilities Area. All other toxic pollutant levels at onsite locations are well
below applicable limits. Health risks associated with maximum potential exposure levels in the onsite
and offsite environments are described in Section 4.12, Health and Safety, of Volume 2 of this EIS.
4.8 Water Resources
This section describes existing regional and INEL site hydrologic conditions and discusses existing
water quality for surface and subsurface water, water use, and water rights. The subsurface water section also
describes the saturated zone below the water table and the vadose zone (or unsaturated zone and perched
water bodies) located between the land surface and the water table. Technical support for this section is
provided in Appendix F, Section F-2, Geology and Water, of Volume 2 of this EIS.
4.8.1 Surface Water
Other than intermittent streams and surface water bodies and manmade percolation, infiltration, and
evaporation ponds, there is little surface water at the INEL site. The following sections discuss regional
drainage conditions, local runoff, flood plains, and surface water quality. Figure 4.8-1 supports discussions
in this section.
4.8.1.1 Regional Drainage.
The INEL site is located in the Mud Lake-Lost River Basin, a
closed drainage basin that includes three main tributaries-the Big and Little Lost Rivers and Birch Creek.
These surface water features drain mountain watersheds located directly west and north of the INEL site.
However, most of the surface water flow is diverted for irrigation before it reaches site boundaries
(Barraclough et al. 1981), resulting in little or no surface water flow for periods of up to several years in
duration within the boundaries of the INEL site (Pittman et al. 1988).
The Big Lost River drains approximately 376,000 hectares (1,450 square miles) of land before
reaching the INEL site. Approximately 48 kilometers (30 miles) upstream of Arco, Idaho, Mackay Dam
controls and regulates river flow, which continues southeast past the towns of Moore and Arco and onto the
Eastern Snake River Plain. The river channel then crosses the southwestern boundary of the INEL site, where
surface water flow can be controlled by the INEL Diversion Dam. During heavy runoff events, surface water
is diverted to a series of natural depressions, designated as spreading areas. The purpose of the diversion
system is to prevent flooding of downstream facilities and ice jams from developing in the channel. The Big
Lost River continues northeasterly across the INEL site to an area of natural infiltration basins (playas or
sinks) near Test Area North. Surface
Figure 4.8-1. Locations of selected Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site facilities shown with the predicted inundation area for the probable maximum flood-induced overtopping failure of the Mackay Dam
(Bennett 1990).
water from the Big Lost River does not usually reach the western boundary of the INEL site; however, during
an unusually wet year, flow can continue as far north as the Birch Creek Playa (Playa 4). Because most of the
INEL is located in a closed basin, surface water rarely, if ever, flows off the site.
Birch Creek drains an area of approximately 194,000 hectares (750 square miles). In the summer,
upstream of the INEL site, surface water from Birch Creek is diverted for irrigation and hydropower
production. In the winter, water flow crosses the northwest corner of the INEL site, entering a manmade
channel constructed 6.4 kilometers (4 miles) north of Test Area North, where it then infiltrates into channel
gravels, recharging the aquifer (Bishop 1993).
The Little Lost River drains an area of approximately 183,000 hectares (705 square miles).
Streamflow is diverted for irrigation use north of Howe. Surface water from the Little Lost River has not
reached the INEL site in recent times; however, during high stream flow years, water from the Little Lost
River has reached the INEL site, where it then infiltrated into the subsurface (EG&G Idaho 1984).
4.8.1.2 Local Runoff.
Surface water generated from local precipitation will flow into
topographic depressions (lower elevations than the surrounding terrain) on the INEL site. This surface water
either evaporates or infiltrates into the ground. Ponding of the runoff in a few low areas may increase
subsurface moisture content, enhancing migration of localized contaminants in the unsaturated zone
(Wilhelmson et al. 1993).
Localized flooding can occur at the INEL site when the ground is frozen and runoff from melting
snow is combined with heavy spring rains. The Radioactive Waste Management Complex was flooded in
1962, 1969, and 1982 by local runoff from rapid spring thaws; and Test Area North was flooded in 1969 due
to rapid snowmelt (Koslow and Van Haaften 1986). After the flooding events, the addition of dikes,
diversion channels, settling basins, and sump pumps at the Subsurface Disposal Area at the Radioactive
Waste Management Complex and Test Area North have alleviated snowmelt flooding at these facilities
(Dames & Moore 1992, Koslow and Van Haaften 1986).
The Dames & Moore study (1992) evaluated the design of these flow systems for minimizing the
potential for flood waters to come into contact with stored wastes and to ensure that flood-induced erosion did
not expose buried or covered-up radioactive waste materials (Dames & Moore 1992, DOE 1990). Peak
flows, water surface elevations, and velocities for the 100-, 500-, and 1,000-year floods, the one-half
probable maximum flood, and the probable maximum flood were estimated at key locations along the
Radioactive Waste Management Complex Main and East Channel flow systems. This analysis indicated that
the existing Adams Boulevard culvert would be overtopped by the one-half probable maximum flood and
probable maximum flood events, allowing for potential erosion in the vicinity. Field inspection of dikes,
railroad embankments, and culverts indicated that these structures may not be able to withstand a severe flood
event, for which their failure would result in higher flood peaks at downstream locations. Evaluation of the
impacts of any potential overtopping breaches was beyond the scope of the study.
4.8.1.3 Flood Plains.
Intermittent surface water flow and the INEL Diversion Dam (constructed
in 1958 and enlarged in 1984) have effectively prevented flooding from the Big Lost River onto the INEL
site. However, flooding from the Big Lost River might occur onsite if high water in the Mackay Dam or the
Big Lost River were coupled with a dam failure. Koslow and Van Haaften (1986) examined the
consequences of a Mackay Dam failure during a seismic event, structural failure coincident with the 100- and
500-year recurrence interval floods, and during a probable maximum flood (hypothetical flood that is
considered to be the most severe event possible). The results from all dam failures studied indicate flooding
would occur outside the banks of the Big Lost River from Mackay Dam to Test Area North, except within
Box Canyon (Figure 4.8-1). The water velocity on the INEL site would range from 0.18 to 0.91 meters per
second (0.6 to 3.0 feet per second), with water depths outside the banks of the Big Lost River ranging from
0.61 to 1.22 meters (2 to 4 feet) (Koslow and Van Haaften 1986). Because of the low velocity and shallow
depth of the water, flooding would not pose a threat of structural damage to facilities.
An updated 100-year floodplain map for the Big Lost River is currently being developed by INEL
personnel and is expected to be completed in 1996. The projects identified in Appendix C, Information
Supporting the Alternatives, of Volume 2 of this EIS would be located using the most currently available
floodplain information. Pending completion of the updated 100-year floodplain map, it is assumed that the
area encompassed by the probable maximum flood is greater than that for the 100-year flood. As discussed
above, the impact to INEL facilities from the probable maximum flood would be small.
4.8.1.4 Surface Water Quality.
Water quality in the Big and Little Lost Rivers and Birch Creek
is similar and has not varied a great deal over the period of record. Measured physical, chemical, and
radioactive parameters have not exceeded applicable drinking water quality standards (USGS 1982-1993).
Chemical composition is determined primarily by the carbonate mineral composition of the rocks in
surrounding mountain ranges northwest of the INEL site and by the chemical composition of irrigation water
return flow to the surface water (Robertson et al. 1974).
INEL site activities do not directly affect the quality of surface water outside the INEL site because
surface water does not flow directly offsite (Hoff et al. 1990). Discharges from INEL site facilities are made
to manmade seepage and evaporation basins, rather than to natural surface water bodies in accordance with
the Clean Water Act. However, water from the Big Lost River System, as well as seepage from wastewater
disposal facilities (in other words, percolation and evaporation ponds and septic tank systems) and storm
water injection wells, does infiltrate into the Snake River Plain Aquifer (Robertson et al. 1974, Wood and
Low 1988, Bennett 1990). These areas are inspected, monitored, and sampled as stipulated in the INEL
Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program (DOE-ID 1993a).
4.8.2 Subsurface Water
Subsurface water at the INEL site occurs in the Snake River Plain Aquifer and the vadose zone. This
section describes regional and local hydrogeologic conditions and subsurface water quality. Generally, the
term groundwater refers to water in the saturated zone that enters freely into wells under confined and
unconfined conditions (Driscoll 1986). Subsurface water in the vadose zone, or unsaturated zone, is referred
to as vadose water. (See Section 4.8.2.5.3, Perched Water Quality, for a description of vadose zone
hydrology.)
4.8.2.1 Regional Hydrogeology.
The INEL site overlies the Snake River Plain Aquifer, the
largest aquifer in Idaho (Figure 4.8-2). This aquifer underlies the Eastern Snake River Plain and covers an
area of approximately 2,490,000 hectares (9,611 square miles). Groundwater in the aquifer generally flows
to the south and southwest. Water storage in the aquifer is estimated at 2.5 y 1012 cubic meters (2 billion
acre-feet), which is approximately the same as the volume of water contained in Lake Erie (Robertson et al.
1974). Irrigation wells can yield as much as
Figure 4.8-2. Location of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site, Eastern Snake River Plain, and generalized groundwater flow direction of the Snake River Plain Aquifer (Barraclough et al. 1981).
26.5 cubic meters per minute (7,000 gallons per minute) of water (Garabedian 1992). The Snake River Plain
Aquifer is among the most productive aquifers in the nation.
The drainage basin recharging the Snake River Plain Aquifer covers an area of approximately
9,060,000 hectares (35,000 square miles). The aquifer is recharged by infiltration of irrigation water,
seepage from stream channels and canals, underflow from tributary stream valleys extending into the
watershed, and direct infiltration from precipitation (Garabedian 1992). Most recharge occurs in surface
water-irrigated areas and along the northeastern margins of the plain. Groundwater is primarily discharged
from the aquifer through springs that flow into the Snake River and pumping for irrigation. Major springs
and seepages that flow from the aquifer are located near the American Falls Reservoir (southwest of
Pocatello), the Thousand Springs area between Milner Dam and King Hill (near Twin Falls), and between
Lorenzo and Louisville, along the Snake River.
4.8.2.2 Local Hydrogeology.
The INEL site covers about 230,000 hectares (890 square miles)
of the north-central portion of the Snake River Plain Aquifer. Depth to groundwater from the land surface at
the INEL site ranges from approximately 61 meters (200 feet) in the north to over 274 meters (900 feet) in
the south (Pittman et al. 1988). Groundwater flow is generally toward the south-southwest, and the upper
surface is primarily unconfined (not overlain by impermeable soil or bedrock). However, the aquifer behaves
as if it were partially confined because of localized geologic conditions (Whitehead 1987). The occurrence
and movement of groundwater in the aquifer is dependent on the geologic setting and the recharge and
discharge of water within that setting. Most of the aquifer is comprised primarily of numerous relatively thin,
basaltic flows with interbedded sediments extending to depths of 1,067 meters (3,500 feet) below the land
surface (Bishop 1993). A majority of the groundwater migrates horizontally through fractured interflow
zones (broken and rubble zones) that occur at various depths. Water also migrates vertically along joints and
the interfingering edges of interflow zones (Garabedian 1986). Sedimentary interbeds may restrict the
vertical movement of groundwater.
The rate water moves through the ground depends on the hydraulic gradient (change in elevation and
pressure with distance in a given direction) of the aquifer, the effective porosity (percentage of void spaces),
and hydraulic conductivity (capacity of a porous media to transport water) of the sediments and basalt. The
upper 61 to 244 meters (200 to 800 feet) of the basalts have a markedly higher hydraulic conductivity than
rocks below 458 meters (1,500 feet). Therefore, the base of the aquifer is considered to range from 244 to
458 meters (800 to 1,500 feet) below land surface. Estimated flow rates within the aquifer range from 1.5 to
6.1 meters per day (5 to 20 feet per day) (Barraclough et al. 1981).
The ability to transmit water (transmissivity) and the ability to store water (storativity) are important
physical properties of the aquifer. In general, the hydraulic characteristics of the aquifer allow water to be
readily transmitted, particularly in the upper portions. The variability in how the aquifer transmits and stores
water increases the difficulty in aquifer investigations and modeling.
Near the INEL site, the aquifer is recharged by irrigation return and precipitation in the mountains to
the west and north. Most of the inflow to the aquifer results from underflow of groundwater along alluvial-
filled valleys adjacent to the Eastern Snake River Plain and secondarily from adjacent surface water drainages
(that is, Big and Little Lost Rivers and Birch Creek). Recharge at the INEL site is also related to the amount
of precipitation, particularly snowfall, for a given year (Barraclough et al. 1981).
4.8.2.3 Vadose Zone Hydrology.
The vadose zone (unsaturated zone) extends from the land
surface down to the regional water table. Within the vadose zone, the geologic materials are occupied
partially by water and partially by air. Subsurface water occurring in the vadose zone is referred to as vadose
water. This complex zone at the INEL site consists of surface sediments (primarily clay and silt, with some
sand and gravel) and numerous relatively thin, basaltic flows, with some sedimentary interbeds. Thick
surficial deposits are found in the northern part of the INEL site, which thin southward where basalt is
exposed at the surface.
The vadose zone protects the groundwater by filtering out many contaminants through adsorption,
buffering dissolved chemical wastes, and slowing the transport of contaminated liquids to the aquifer. The
vadose zone also protects the aquifer by slowing the migration of large volumes of liquid or dissolved
contaminants released to the environment through spills or migration from disposal pits or ponds, allowing
natural decay processes to occur.
Travel times for water through the vadose zone are important for understanding contaminant
movement. The flow rates in the vadose zone are directly dependent on the extent of fracturing and clay
coatings on the fractures, the percentage of sediments versus basalt, and the moisture content of vadose zone
material. Flow increases under wetter conditions and slows under dryer conditions. For example, under
unsaturated flow conditions near the Radioactive Waste Management Complex, an investigation into water
movement in surface sediments found that infiltration ranged from 0.36 to 1.1 centimeters per year (0.14 to
0.43 inches per year) (Cecil et al. 1992). However, under nearly saturated conditions in surface sediments,
standing water at land surface in the same area moved vertically 2.1 meters (6.9 feet) in less than 24 hours
(Kaminsky 1991). Under saturated conditions and matrix flow, over 100 days were required for saturation of
a 50-centimeter- (20-inch)-long basalt rock from the Radioactive Waste Management Complex (Bishop
1991).
4.8.2.4 Perched Water.
Locally, saturated conditions may exist within the vadose zone above
the water table and are called perched water. Perched water occurs when water migrates vertically and
laterally from the surface until it encounters an impermeable layer of dense basalt or fine sedimentary
material (Bishop 1993). Perched water may spread laterally, sometimes hundreds of meters, and then move
over the edges of the impermeable layer and continue downward. Several perched water bodies can form
between the land surface and the water table.
In general, the formation of perched water bodies slows the downward migration of fluids that
infiltrate into the vadose zone from the surface. The largest occurrence of perched water at the INEL site is
generally related to the presence of disposal ponds or other surface water bodies but can also be related to
vadose zone disposal wells. These bodies have been detected at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant, Test
Reactor Area, Test Area North, and Radioactive Waste Management Complex (Bishop 1993). For example,
a field study performed in 1986 at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant showed that perched water occurs in
three areas at possibly three depth zones. These bodies are located at depths ranging from approximately 9
meters (30 feet) to 98 meters (322 feet) below ground surface and extend laterally as much as 1,097 meters
(3,600 feet) (Bishop 1993). In general, the chemical concentrations, shape, and size of these bodies have
fluctuated over time in response to the volume of water discharged to the infiltration ponds.
4.8.2.5 Subsurface Water Quality.
Subsurface water quality is affected by natural water
chemistry and contaminants originating at the INEL site. Monitoring programs are conducted under the
INEL Groundwater Protection Management Program (Case et al. 1990). Under this program, the INEL
Groundwater Monitoring Plan (Sehlke and Bickford 1993) was established to fulfill the groundwater
monitoring requirements of DOE Order 5400.1, "General Environmental Protection Program" (DOE 1990).
As specified in the plan, samples are collected from surface water, perched water, and aquifer wells to
identify contaminants and contaminant migration to and within the aquifer.
4.8.2.5.1 Natural Water Chemistry-The natural groundwater chemistry of the Snake
River Plain Aquifer beneath the INEL site is determined by several factors. These factors include the
weathering reactions that occur as water interacts with minerals in the aquifer and the chemical composition
of (a) groundwater originating outside of the INEL site, (b) precipitation falling directly on the land surface,
and (c) streams, rivers, and runoff infiltrating into the aquifer (Wood and Low 1986, 1988). The chemistry
of the groundwater is different, depending on the source areas. For example, groundwater from the northwest
contains calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate leached from sedimentary rocks; and groundwater from the
east contains sodium, fluorine, and silicate resulting from contact with volcanic rocks (Robertson et al. 1974).
The natural chemistry affects the mobility of contaminants introduced into the subsurface from INEL
site activities. Many dissolved contaminants are adsorbed (or attached) to the surface of rocks and minerals
in the subsurface, thereby retarding the movement of contaminants in the aquifer and inhibiting further
migration of contamination. However, many naturally occurring chemicals compete with contaminants for
adsorption sites on the rocks and minerals or react with contaminants to reduce their attraction to the rock and
mineral surfaces.
4.8.2.5.2 Groundwater Quality-Previous waste discharges to unlined ponds and
injection wells have introduced radionuclides, nonradioactive metals, inorganic salts, and organic compounds
into the subsurface. Solid low-level and transuranic wastes have also been disposed of in several pits at the
Subsurface Disposal Area within the Radioactive Waste Management Complex since 1952. (Transuranic
waste disposal at the Complex was discontinued in 1970; however, disposal of low-level waste is projected to
continue until 2020.) Table 4.8-1 summarizes highest detected concentrations of contaminants observed in
the aquifer between 1985 and 1992, concentrations near the INEL site boundary, existing U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency maximum contaminant levels, and DOE Derived Concentration Guides. The following
paragraphs discuss each category of contaminants and comparisons of observed concentrations to maximum
contaminant levels. Trends in groundwater quality are discussed in Section 5.8, Water Resources.
Table 4.8-1. Summary of highest detected contaminant concentrations in groundwater within the Idaho
National Engineering Laboratory site (1985 to 1992).
Highest detected recent Recent boundary concentration Current Derived
concentrationa (year) (year) maximum contaminant concentration
Parameter level (MCL) guide (DCG)
Radionuclides in picocuries per liter
Americium-241 0.91b (1990) < detection limitc (1988) 15d,e 30f
Cesium-137 2,050b (1992) < detection limitc (1986) 200g 3,000f
Cobalt-60 890b (1987) < detection limitc (1987) 100g 10,000f
Iodine-129 3.6b (1987) 0.00083-Backgroundh (1992) 1g 500f
Plutonium-238 1.28b (1990) < detection limitc (1988) 15d,e 40f
Plutonium-239/240 1.08b (1990) < detection limitc (1988) 15d,e 30f
Strontium-90 640b (1992) < detection limitc (1988) 8g,i 1,000f
Tritium 48,000b (1988) Backgroundj (1988) 20,000e,g 2,000,000f
Nonradioactive metals in milligrams per liter
Cadmium 0.0073b (1992) Backgroundc (1988) 0.005d Not applicable
Chromium (total) 0.21b (1988) Backgroundc (1988) 0.1d Not applicable
Lead 0.009b (1987) Backgroundc (1987) 0.015g,k Not applicable
Mercury 0.0004b (1987) Backgroundc (1987) 0.002d Not applicable
Inorganic salts in milligrams per liter
Chloride 200b (1991) - 250d Not applicable
Nitrate 5.4b (as N) (1988) Backgroundl (1988) 10 (as N)d Not applicable
Sulfate 140m (1985) Backgroundl (1985) 250d Not applicable
Organic compounds in milligrams per liter
Carbon tetrachloride 0.0066b (1993)
4.8.2.5.3 Perched Water Quality-Wastewater discharges from INEL site operations
have infiltrated into the vadose zone and created locally perched water beneath the INEL site. Elevated
concentrations of the following contaminants have been detected in samples collected from the following
locations: tritium, cesium-137, cobalt-60, chromium, and sulfate concentrations in deep perched water near
the Test Reactor Area; tritium in shallow perched water and carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, 1,1,1-
trichloroethane, tricholorethylene, tetrachloroethylene, and 1,1,-dichloroethylene in deep perched water near
the Radioactive Waste Management Complex; and strontium-90 in perched water near the Idaho Chemical
Processing Plant (Bishop 1993). In general, the chemical concentrations, shape, and size of these bodies have
fluctuated over time in response to the volume of water discharged to the infiltration ponds. Potential
concentrations of contaminants in all perched water bodies have not yet been measured. Trends in perched
water quality are discussed in Section 5.8, Water Resources.
4.8.3 Water Use and Rights
Surface water is not withdrawn at the INEL site. The three surface water features at or near the
INEL site (Big and Little Lost Rivers and Birch Creek) have the following designated uses: agricultural
water supply, cold-water biota, salmonid spawning, and primary and secondary contact recreation. However,
surface water is not used for any of these designations within the INEL site boundaries. In addition, waters in
the Big Lost River and Birch Creek have been designated for domestic water supply and as special resource
waters.
Groundwater use on the Snake River Plain includes irrigation, food processing, aquaculture, and
domestic, rural, public, and livestock supply. Water use for the upper Snake River drainage basin and Snake
River Plain Aquifer was 16.4 y 109 cubic meters per year (4.3 y 1012 gallons per year) during 1985, which
was over 50 percent of the water used in Idaho and approximately 7 percent of agricultural withdrawals in the
nation. Most of the water withdrawn from the eastern Snake River Plain [1.8 y 109 cubic meters per year (4.7
y 1011 gallons per year)] is used for agriculture. The aquifer is the source of all water used at the INEL site.
INEL site activities withdraw water at an average rate of 7.4 y 106 cubic meters per year (1.9 y 109 gallons
per year) (DOE-ID 1993b, c). However, the baseline annual withdrawal rate dropped to 6.5 y 106 cubic
meters (1.7 y 109 gallons) in 1995. The average annual withdrawal is equal to approximately 0.4 percent of
the water consumed from the Snake River Plain Aquifer, or 53 percent of the maximum annual yield of a
typical irrigation well, if pumped 365 days a year. Of the quantity of water pumped from the aquifer, a
substantial portion is discharged to the surface or subsurface and eventually returned to the aquifer (DOE-ID
1993b, c).
As designated by the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C, Section 1427), a sole-source aquifer is
defined as one that supplies 50 percent of the drinking water consumed in the area overlying the aquifer.
Sole-source aquifer areas have no alternative source or combination of sources that could physically, legally,
and economically supply all who obtain their drinking water from the aquifer. Because groundwater supplies
100 percent of the drinking water consumed within the eastern Snake River Plain (Gaia Northwest 1988) and
an alternative drinking water source or combination of sources is not available, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency designated the Snake River Plain Aquifer a sole-source aquifer in 1991 (FR 1991).
DOE holds a Federal Reserved Water Right for the INEL site, which permits a water pumping
capacity of 2.3 cubic meters per second (80 cubic feet per second) and a maximum water consumption of 43
million cubic meters per year (11.4 y 109 gallons per year) for drinking, process water, and noncontact
cooling. Because it is a Federal Reserved Water Right, the INEL site's priority on water rights dates back to
its establishment in 1950. The legal and administrative framework for the water rights adjudication process
is currently being evaluated for the State of Idaho.
4.9 Ecological Resources
This section describes the biotic resources on the INEL site, which are typical of the Great Basin and
Columbia Plateau. Threatened and endangered species, wetlands, and the extent of human-caused
radionuclides in plants and animals are discussed. Because the existing major facility areas are expected to
be affected most by the proposed actions, the biotic resources in those areas are emphasized. However,
because other resources (for example, more mobile species like pronghorn) could be affected, biotic resources
for the entire INEL site also are briefly described.
4.9.1 Flora
Vegetation on the INEL site is primarily of shrub-steppe vegetation and is a small fraction of the 45
million hectares (111.2 million acres) of this vegetation type found in the Intermountain West. The 15
vegetation associations identified on the INEL site range from primarily shadscale-steppe vegetation at lower
altitudes through sagebrush- and grass-dominated communities to juniper woodlands along the foothills of
the nearby mountains and buttes (Rope et al. 1993, Kramber et al. 1992, Anderson 1991). These
associations can be grouped into six types: juniper woodland, native grassland, shrub-steppe, lava, modified,
and wetland vegetation types (Figure 4.9-1). Over 90 percent of the INEL is covered by shrub-steppe
vegetation, which is dominated by big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), saltbush (Atriplex spp.), and
rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus spp.). Grasses include cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), Indian ricegrass
(Oryzopsis hymenoides), wheatgrasses, (Agropyron spp.), and squirreltail (Sitanion hysterix). Herbaceous
plants include phlox (Phlox spp.), wild onion (Allium), milkvetch (Astragalus spp.), Russian thistle (Salsola
kali), and various mustards. Additional detailed information on plant communities is described in Rope et al.
(1993).
Disturbed areas (grazing not included) cover only 1.3 percent of the INEL site. Disturbed areas
frequently are dominated by introduced annuals, including Russian thistle and cheatgrass. These species
usually provide less food and cover for wildlife compared to perennial native species and are competitive with
perennial native species. Therefore, these disturbed areas serve as a source of seeds that may increase the
potential for the increased establishment of Russian thistle and cheatgrass into the surrounding undisturbed
areas. Vegetation adjacent to each facility is generally similar to the vegetation types mapped in Figure 4.9-1.
Vegetation within each facility area is primarily disturbed
Figure 4.9-1. Approximate distribution of vegetation map at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site.
or landscaped. Species diversity on the INEL is similar to diversity on like-sized areas and physiognomy in
the Intermountain west. The diversity on the INEL is heavily influenced by the shrub-steppe vegetation
covering over 90 percent of the INEL. Diversity is lower on disturbed and modified areas and higher on areas
of greater moisture content.
4.9.2 Fauna
The INEL site supports animal communities typical of shrub-steppe vegetation and habitats. Over
270 vertebrate species have been observed, including 46 mammal, 204 bird, 10 reptile, 2 amphibian, and 9
fish species (Arthur et al. 1984, Reynolds et al. 1986). Common species include small mammals (mice,
ground squirrels, rabbits, and hares), elk, songbirds (sage sparrow, western meadowlark), sage grouse,
lizards, and snakes (rattlesnakes). Migratory species, including pronghorn, waterfowl, and raptors, use the
INEL site for part of the year. (Some pronghorn remain on the site year round.) Predators observed on the
INEL site include bobcats, mountain lions, and coyotes. Trout and salmon species have been observed in the
Big Lost River when it has flowed on to the INEL site. Additional information on fauna is provided in Rope
et al. (1993). Baseline train and wildlife collisions are discussed in 4.11.4 (Accidents) of Volume 2 of this
Environmental Impact Statement.
4.9.3 Threatened, Endangered, and Sensitive Species
Federal- and State-protected, candidate, and sensitive species were identified using State and Federal
regulatory agency lists (Lobdell 1992, 1995), the Idaho Department of Fish and Game Conservation Data
Center list, and information from INEL site surveys.
Two Federal endangered and nine Federal Category 2 candidate animal species were identified as
potentially occurring on the INEL site (Table 4.9-1). Federal endangered peregrine falcons have been
observed within the boundary of the INEL infrequently only in winter and for only brief periods. Federal
endangered bald eagles are observed each winter near or on the INEL, but only in the remote areas of the
INEL about 32 kilometers (20 miles) north of the Test Area North and on the INEL site near Howe. Neither
of these areas is close to proposed activities. The Federal candidate Category 2 ferruginous hawk nests and is
observed primarily near juniper woodlands. This habitat is remote from facilities. The Federal candidate
Category 2 white-faced ibis is an infrequent migrant
Table 4.9-1. Threatened and endangered species, species of special concern, and sensitive species that may be found on the Idaho National Engineering
Laboratory site.
Name Statusa Comments
Birds Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) C2, SSC, FS, BLM The ferruginous hawk nests on and migrates through the INEL. This species is
Burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) C2, BLM found throughout the INEL but is observed more frequently in juniper woodlands.
Ferruginous hawk (Buteo regalis) C2, BLM Peregrine falcons have been observed rarely in the winter and not observed at all
Swainson's hawk (Buteo swainsoni) BLM during other seasons. The last sighting was in 1993 (Morris 1993a). It is not known
Great egret (Casmerodius albus) SSC to nest on the INEL and is not commonly observed near facilities (Reynolds 1993a).
Merlin (Falco columbarius) SSC, BLM The bald eagle is a winter resident and is locally common in the far north end and on
Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) E the western edge of the INEL near Howe (Reynolds 1993b). It is not known to nest on
Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) BLM the INEL and is not commonly observed near facilities (Reynolds 1993a). The
Common loon (Gavia immer) SSC, FS white-faced ibis uses aquatic, riparian, nearby upland habitats, and some man-made
Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocophalus) E ponds, but it is an uncommon migrant at the INEL. The long-billed curlew is known
Long-billed curlew (Numenius americanus) SPS, BLM to nest on the north end of the INEL near agricultural lands. The northern goshawk is
American white pelican (Pelicanus erythrorhynchos) SSC a casual migrant through the INEL.
White-faced ibis (Plegadis chihi) C2
Mammals Merriam's shrew (Sorex merrami) SPS The pygmy rabbit is common on the INEL, but its distribution is patchy (Reynolds et
Pygmy rabbit [Brachylagus (Sylvilagus) idahoensis] C2, BLM, SSC al. 1986). Roosts and hibernation caves for Townsend's big-eared bat occur on the
California myotis (Myotis californicus) SSC INEL. About six caves are known to be used by the species. All are over 7
Fringed myotis (Myotis thysanodes) SSC kilometers (3 miles) from facilities. Brood caves may also exist on the site but have
Western pipistrelle (Pipistrellus hesperus) SSC, BLM not been located.
Townsend's western big-eared bat (Plecotus townsendii) C2, SSC, FS, BLM
Long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis) C2
Small-footed myotis (Myotis subulatus) C2
Plant Lemhi milkvetch (Astragalus aquilonius) BLM, FS, INPS-S The species identified as sensitive, rare, or unique are uncommon on the INEL
Painted milkvetch (Astragalus ceramicus var. apus) 3c, INPS-M because they require unique microhabitat conditions. The plant species are distant
Winged-seed evening primrose (Camissonia pterosperma) BLM, INPS-S from disturbed facilities.
Nipple cactus (Coryphantha missouriensis) INPS-M
Sepal-tooth dodder (Cuscuta denticulata) INPS-1
Spreading gilia [Ipomopsis (Gilia) polycladon] BLM, INPS-2
King's bladderpod (Lesquerella kingii var. cobrensis) INPS-M
Tree-like oxytheca (Oxytheca dendroidea) INPS-S
Insects Idaho pointheaded grasshopper (Acrolophitus punchellus) C2, BLM Occurs just north of the INEL.
________________________
BLM = Bureau of Land Management monitored.
a. Key: C2 = Federal category 2 species. FS = U.S. Forest Service monitored.
3c = No longer considered for Federal listing. INPS-S = Idaho Native Plant Society sensitive.
E = Federal and State endangered species. INPS-M = Idaho Native Plant Society monitoried
SSC = State species of special concern. INPS-1 = Idaho Native Plant Society State Priority 1
SPS = State protected species INPS-2 = Idaho Native Plant Society State Priority 2
that uses aquatic and upland areas. The Federal candidate Category 2 burrowing owl is an infrequent migrant
that uses grassland and shrub-steppe habitat. Caves used by the Townsend's big-eared bat are several miles
from proposed activities, and a survey of bat species is currently under way.
Two State-protected species (Merriam's shrew and the long-billed curlew) potentially occur on the
INEL site. Ten animal species listed by the State as species of special concern occur on the INEL site. None
of the Federal- or State-listed animal species have been observed near any of the facilities where proposed
actions would occur (Rope et al. 1993, Reynolds 1993a). No Federal- or State-listed plant species were
identified as potentially occurring on the INEL site. Eight plant species identified by other Federal agencies
and the Idaho Native Plant Society as sensitive, rare, or unique are known to occur on the INEL site (Lobdell
1995).
4.9.4 Wetlands
Aquatic habitats on the INEL site are limited to scattered wet areas, artificial ponds, and intermittent
waters. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory maps show over 130 potential
wetlands; these maps and a subsequent survey (Hampton et al. 1995) indicate these potential wetlands cover
more than 1,180 hectares (2,900 acres) of the INEL site. Over 70 percent of the potential wetlands are found
near the Big Lost River and its spreading areas and playas, the Birch Creek Playa, and in an area north of and
in the general vicinity of Argonne National Laboratory-West. The rest are scattered throughout the INEL
site. In 1994, the INEL began evaluating the potential wetlands to determine which areas meet the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers definition of jurisdictional wetlands (COE 1987). In addition, the functional use and
importance of the potential wetlands is being evaluated. As of December 1994, at least one area at the Big
Lost River sinks was found to meet the criteria for jurisdictional wetland delineation.
Approximately 20 potential wetlands listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are near facilities
and are mostly man-made (for example, industrial waste and sewage treatment ponds, borrow pits, and gravel
pits) and, therefore, may not be considered regulated jurisdictional wetlands (Figure 4.9-1). There is one area
north of the Test Reactor Area under evaluation as a jurisdictional wetland. Other potential wetlands include
portions of the Big Lost River channel near the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant and the Birch Creek Playa
containing Test Area North facilities. Limited riparian (riverbank) communities with mature trees are found
along the Big Lost River (Reynolds 1993a), reflecting the intermittent flow in the river (1986 and 1993 were
the last two years with flow reported on the site). The scattered artificial ponds, potential wetlands, and
intermittent waters serve as water sources to many wildlife species including bats, song birds, and mammals.
Some artificial ponds are not fenced (for example, ponds at Argonne National Laboratory-West) and are used
by pronghorn.
4.9.5 Radioecology
Potential radiological effects on plants and animals are measured at the population, community, or
ecosystem level. However, for threatened and endangered species, harm to individuals is important.
Radionuclides are found above background levels in individuals belonging to some plant and animal species
on and surrounding the INEL site (Morris 1993b). Measurable effects of radionuclides on plants and
animals, however, have only been observed in individuals on areas adjacent to INEL facilities, and not at the
population, community, or ecosystem levels. The following is information on doses, concentrations, and
effects reported for animals on the INEL site.
Halford and Markham (1984) and Arthur et al. (1986) studied maximally exposed small mammals at
the Test Reactor Area radioactive waste percolation pond and at the Subsurface Disposal Area at the
Radioactive Waste Management Complex. These studies concluded that the small mammals received doses
similar to those shown to reduce life expectancies in other small mammals at other locations. Statistically
significant differences in several physiological parameters were found between deer mice inhabiting the Test
Reactor Area radioactive waste percolation pond, the Subsurface Disposal Area, and control areas (Evenson
1981). However, radiation exposures were too small to cause cellular changes in the mice. A comparison
between barn swallow nestlings exposed to sediments from the Test Reactor Area pond and control birds
revealed a statistically significant difference in growth rates (Millard et al. 1990). However, this difference
could not definitely be attributed to exposure. All studies reported that doses to individual organisms were
too low to cause any effects at the population level. Doses and exposures to animals from 1992 at both the
Subsurface Disposal Area and the Test Reactor Area are probably lower than the doses reported in the above
studies because 0.6 meter (2 feet) of additional soil cover the contaminated pits and trenches (Wilhelmsen
and Wright 1992), and the percolation pond is now less attractive to animals (Morris 1993c).
Elevated radionuclide concentrations have been observed in some individual animals and plants
outside the boundaries of INEL facilities and off the INEL site. Iodine-129 concentrations in vegetation and
in rabbit thyroids have been reported in excess of background up to 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) from the Idaho
Chemical Processing Plant fence (Markham 1974). Iodine-129 has also been detected above background in
pronghorn tissue collected on the INEL site (Markham 1974) and from pronghorn collected as far away as
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Monida Pass (Markham et al. 1982). In a study of raptor
nesting, Craig et al. (1979) concluded that detectable radionuclide levels would only be observed within 3.5
kilometers (2.2 miles) from the Radioactive Waste Management Complex. In these examples, the dose from
internal consumption of radionuclides was less than is thought to be required for observable effects to occur
to individual animals (IAEA 1992). Also, on the basis of limited data and the infrequent and few bald eagles
and ferruginous hawks observed near contaminated areas, these species probably are not consuming harmful
concentrations of radioactive contaminants in their prey (Morris 1993c). A similar conclusion can be made
for peregrine falcons because they have rarely been seen on or near the INEL site, and have never been seen
near contaminated INEL ponds.
4.10 Noise
Existing INEL-related noises of public significance stem from buses, trucks, private vehicles,
helicopters, and freight trains that transport people and materials to and from the INEL site and DOE's Idaho
Falls facilities. During the normal work week, most of the 4,000 to 5,000 employees who work at the INEL
site are transported daily to the site from surrounding communities and back again over approximately 300
bus routes. About 300 to 500 private vehicles also travel to and from the INEL site each day. Noise
measurements taken along U.S. Highway 20 about 15 meters (50 feet) from the roadway during a peak
commuting period indicate that the sound level from traffic ranges from 64 to 86 decibels (dBA) (Abbott et
al. 1990), with the primary source coming from buses (71 to 81 dBA). Although few people reside within 15
meters (50 feet) of the roadway, the results indicate that INEL traffic noise may be objectionable to members
of the public residing near principal highways or busy bus routes.
Public exposure to aircraft noise is also due in part to INEL-related activities. Air cargo and
business travel of INEL personnel via commercial air transport represents a substantial portion of all such
travel in and out of regional airports. Onsite INEL security patrol and surveillance flights do not adversely
affect individuals offsite because of the INEL site's remoteness. However, INEL helicopter flights that
originate or terminate in Idaho Falls do expose members of the public to the unique noises produced by these
aircraft. Because the number of flights per day is limited and most flights occur during daylight hours when
people are not sleeping, public exposure to aircraft nuisance noise is not considered to be great.
Normally, no more than one train per day and usually fewer than one train per week services the
INEL via the Scoville spur. Rail transport noises originate from diesel engines, wheel/track contact, and
whistle-warnings at rail crossings. Even with only one or two exposures to these sources per day, individuals
residing near the railroad tracks find the noises mildly objectionable.
The noise level at the INEL ranges from 10 dBA for the rustling of grass to 115 dBA, the upper
limit for unprotected hearing exposure established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA), from the combined sources of industrial operations, construction activities, and vehicular traffic,
including aircraft. The playas and remote lava flows of the INEL site have relatively low ambient noise levels
of about 35 to 40 dBA. Onsite, in accordance with INEL procedures, industrial hygiene practices assure
hearing protection for workers. Noise limits for the workplace are established to protect workers in
accordance with OSHA standards (CFR 1992). Site workers are required by OSHA to wear ear protection
devices when exposed to noise levels above 85 dBA on an eight-hour time-weighted average. Shredding and
painting operations at the Central Facilities Area produced the highest noise levels measured at the INEL at
104 dBA and 99 dBA, respectively. The computer room measured 88 dBA, and the snack bar measured 60
dBA. The noise generated at the INEL site is not propagated at detectable levels offsite, since all public areas
are at least 8 kilometers (5 miles) away from site facility areas.
Previous studies of the effects of noise on wildlife indicate that even very high intermittent noise
levels at the INEL (over 100 dBA) would have no deleterious effect on wildlife productivity (Leonard 1993).
4.11 Traffic and Transportation
Roads are the primary access to and from the INEL site. Commercial shipments are transported by
truck and plane, some bulk materials are transported by train, and waste is transported by truck and train.
This section discusses the existing traffic volumes, transportation routes, transportation accidents, and waste
and materials transportation. Also discussed are the historical waste and materials transportation and
baseline radiological exposures from waste and materials transportation. The information in this section has
been summarized from Lehto (1993).
4.11.1 Roadways
4.11.1.1 Infrastructure-Regional and Site Systems.
The existing regional highway
system is shown in Figure 4.11-1. Two interstate highways serve the regional area. Interstate 15, a north-
south route that connects several cities along the Snake River, is approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) east
of the INEL site. Interstate 86 intersects Interstate 15 approximately 64 kilometers (40 miles) south of the
INEL site and provides a primary linkage from Interstate 15 to points west. Interstate 15 and U.S. Highway
91 are the primary access routes to the Shoshone Bannock reservation. U.S. Highways 20 and 26 are the
main access routes to the southern portion of the INEL site. Idaho State Routes 22, 28, and 33 pass through
the northern portion of the INEL site, with State Route 33 providing access to the northern INEL site
facilities. Table 4.11-1 shows the baseline (1991) traffic for several of these access routes. The level of
service of these segments currently is designated "free flow," which is defined as "operation of vehicles is
virtually unaffected by the presence of other vehicles."
An onsite road system of approximately 140 kilometers (87 miles) of paved surface has been
developed, including about 29 kilometers (18 miles) of service roads that are closed to the public. Most of
the roads are adequate for the current level of normal transportation activity and could handle some increased
traffic volume. The onsite road system at the INEL undergoes continuous maintenance.
4.11.1.2 Infrastructure-Idaho Falls.
Approximately 4,000 DOE and DOE contractor
personnel administer and support INEL work through offices in Idaho Falls. DOE shuttle vans
Figure 4.11-1. Transportation routes in the vicinity of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. Table 4.11-1. Baseline traffic for selected highway segments in the vicinity of the Idaho National
Engineering Laboratory site.
Route Average daily traffic Peak hourly trafficb
U.S. Highway 20-Idaho Falls to INEL 2,290 344
U.S. Highway 20/26-INEL to Arco 1,500 225
U.S. Highway 26-Blackfoot to INEL 1,190 179
State Route 33-west from Mud Lake 530 80
Interstate 15-Blackfoot to Idaho Falls 9,180 1,380
a. Source: 1991 Rural Traffic Flow Map, State of Idaho.
b. Estimated as 15 percent of average daily traffic.
provide hourly transport between in-town facilities. Currently, one of the busiest intersections is at Science
Center Drive and Fremont Avenue, which serves the Willow Creek Building, Engineering Research Office
Building, INEL Electronic Technology Center, and DOE office buildings. The intersection is congested
during peak weekday hours, but it is designed for the current traffic.
4.11.1.3 Transit Modes.
Four major modes of transit use the regional highways, community
streets, and INEL site roads to transport people and commodities: DOE buses and shuttle vans, DOE motor
pool vehicles, commercial vehicles, and personal vehicles. Table 4.11-2 summarizes the baseline miles for
INEL-related traffic.
4.11.2 Railroads
Union Pacific Railroad lines in southeastern Idaho are shown on Figure 4.11-1. Idaho Falls receives
railroad freight service from Butte, Montana, to the north, and from Pocatello and Salt Lake City to the south.
The Union Pacific Railroad's Blackfoot-to-Arco Branch, which crosses the southern portion of INEL,
provides rail service to the INEL site. This branch connects with a DOE spur line at the Scoville Siding, then
links with developed areas within the INEL. Rail shipments to and from the INEL site usually are limited to
bulk commodities, spent nuclear fuel, and radioactive waste. Table 4.11-3 shows the rail shipments for
Fiscal Years 1988 through 1992.
Table 4.11-2. Baseline annual vehicle miles traveled for traffic related to the Idaho National Engineering
Laboratory site.
Mode of travel and transportation Vehicle miles traveledb
DOE buses 6,068,200
Other DOE vehicles 9,183,100
Personal vehicles on highways to INEL 7,500,000
Commercial vehicles 905,900
TOTAL 23,657,200
a. Source: Lehto (1993).
b. To convert from miles to kilometers, multiply by 1.609.
Table 4.11-3. Loaded rail shipments to and from the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site (1988 to
1992).
Fiscal year Inbound Outbound
1988 63 44
1989 43 19
1990 34 3
1991 18 0
1992 23 0
a. Sources: DOE Shipment Mobility/Accountability Collection System database; Volume 1 of this EIS
(Appendix D, Attachment A, Transportation of Naval Spent Nuclear Fuel).
4.11.3 Airports and Air Traffic
Airlines provides Idaho Falls with jet aircraft passenger and cargo service. Horizon and Skywest
provide commuter service to both the Idaho Falls and Pocatello airports. In addition, local charter service is
available in Idaho Falls, and private aircraft use the major airport and numerous other fields in the area. The
total number of landings at the Idaho Falls airports for 1991 and 1992 were 5,367 and 5,598, respectively.
The Idaho Falls and Pocatello airports collectively record nearly 7,500 landings annually.
Non-DOE air traffic over the INEL site is limited to altitudes greater than 305 meters (1,000 feet)
over buildings and populated areas, and non-DOE aircraft are not permitted to use the site. The primary air
traffic at the INEL site is DOE helicopters, which are used for security and very rare emergency purposes.
Specific operations stations and duties are designated for these helicopters.
4.11.4 Accidents
For the years 1987 through 1992, the average motor vehicle accident rate was 0.94 accidents per
million kilometers (1.5 accidents per million miles) for INEL vehicles, which compares with an accident rate
of 1.5 accidents per million kilometers (2.4 accidents per million miles) for all DOE complex vehicles and 8
accidents per million kilometers (12.8 accidents per million miles) nationwide for all motor vehicles (Lehto
1993). There are no recorded air accidents associated with the INEL.
Collisions between wildlife and trains or motor vehicles are an impact from any human activities
involving transportation of materials or humans. In years with high snow accumulation, collisions between
wildlife and trains increase. Wildlife, such as antelope, often bed down on the train tracks and use the tracks
for migration routes when snow is abundant. Train collisions with wildlife can involve large numbers of
animals and have a significant impact on the local population. For example, one large documented
train/antelope accident near Aberdeen, Idaho, in the winter of 1976 resulted in a total population loss of 160
antelope (Compton 1994). While this accident was not related to INEL operations, it illustrates the potential
impacts of such collisions. Accidents involving motor vehicles and wildlife generally involve individual
animals, and may occur during any season.
4.11.5 Transportation of Waste and Materials
Hazardous, radioactive, industrial, commercial, and recyclable wastes are transported on the INEL
site. Numerous regulations and requirements govern transportation of hazardous and radioactive materials
(Lehto 1993). Hazardous materials include commercial chemical products and hazardous wastes that are
nonradioactive and are regulated and controlled based on their chemical toxicity. Four main categories of
radioactive materials are associated with environmental restoration and waste management activities: spent
nuclear fuel, transuranic wastes, mixed low-level wastes, and low-level wastes. High-level wastes are stored
at the INEL, but shipments of high-level wastes are not planned within the timeframe of this EIS.
4.11.5.1 Baseline Radiological Doses from Waste and Materials Transportation.
To
establish a baseline of radiological doses from incident-free, onsite waste and materials transportation at the
INEL that is not related to the shipments for the alternatives evaluated in this EIS, six years of data (1987
through 1992, inclusive) were used. Results are presented in
Table 4.11-4 in terms of the collective doses and cancer fatalities for 1995 to 2005. The baseline includes no
offsite shipments; offsite shipments are addressed in the analyses of alternatives in Chapter 5.
Table 4.11-4. Cumulative doses and fatalities from incident-free onsite shipments at the Idaho National
Engineering Laboratory site for 1995 to 2005.
Estimated Estimated Estimated
collective dose cancer nonradiological
(person-rem) fatalities fatalitiesb
Occupational 6.6 0.0026 0
General population 0.14 0.000070 0
________________________
a. Source: Maheras (1993).
b. There are no nonradiological accident-free fatalities for onsite shipments. These fatalities are only
applicable to urban areas, and the INEL site is a rural area.
4.12 Health and Safety
The purpose of this section is to present the potential health effects to workers and the public as a
result of current operations at the INEL. For the purpose of this assessment, current operations include all
existing facilities and those projects that were expected to be completed by June 1, 1995.
This section provides estimates of health impacts from releases of radioactive and nonradioactive
contaminants to the atmosphere and groundwater. This section also summarizes historical health and safety
data and INEL programs designed to protect workers. A detailed explanation of the health effects
methodology is contained in Appendix F, Section F-4, Health and Safety, of this EIS.
4.12.1 Public Health and Safety
Health risks from air emissions are estimated by modeling worst-case emission scenarios. These
emissions have been estimated for a baseline case. This baseline case represents a scenario where all
permitted sources at the INEL are assumed to operate in such a manner that they emit specific pollutants to
the maximum extent allowed by operating permits or applicable regulations. Further information on these
baseline atmospheric emissions is found in Section 4.7, Air Resources. These modeled emissions are used to
postulate maximum potential exposure levels in the onsite and offsite environments. Health effects
calculated using this type of information provide an extremely conservative "worst-case" estimate of potential
health effects.
Health effects estimates from groundwater contaminants were calculated using the highest reported
drinking water supply system concentrations or, in the case of public exposure, the highest reported offsite
groundwater concentrations. These concentration estimates are based on those discussed in Section 4.8,
Water Resources, of this EIS.
4.12.1.1 Health Effects Resulting from Atmospheric Releases.
For routine airborne
releases from facilities, health effects were assessed for the following three categories of exposed individuals:
(a) maximally exposed individual located at the site boundary, (b) population within 80 kilometers (50 miles)
of the operating facilities, and (c) maximally exposed onsite worker.
4.12.1.1.1 Radiological Health Risk-The human health risk associated with
radiological air emissions is assessed based on risk factors contained in 1990 Recommendations of the
International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP 1991). The measure of impact used for
evaluating potential radiation exposures is risk of fatal cancers. Population effects are reported as collective
radiation dose (in person-rem) and the estimated number of fatal cancers in the affected population. The
maximum individual effects are reported as individual radiation dose (in millirem) and the estimated lifetime
probability of fatal cancer.
For the calculation of health effects from exposure to airborne radionuclides, the modeled annual
doses provided in Section 4.7, Air Resources, of this EIS, were multiplied by the appropriate risk factors
from ICRP (1991). The risk, from one year of exposure, is expressed as the increased lifetime chance of
developing fatal cancer. A detailed explanation of the health effects methodology is contained in Appendix F,
Section F-4, Health and Safety, of this EIS.
Tables 4.12-1 and 4.12-2 provide summaries of the annual dose, risk factor, and estimated increased
lifetime risk of developing fatal cancer based on the annual exposure. These data are presented for the
maximally exposed onsite worker, maximally exposed individual near the site boundary, and surrounding
population for the year 1995.
Table 4.12-1. Lifetime excess fatal cancer risk due to annual exposure to routine airborne releases at the
Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site.
Maximally exposed individual Annual dose Risk factor Risk
(millirem) (risk/millirem) (excess fatal cancer)
Onsite worker 3.2 y 10-1 4.0 y 10-7 1.3 y 10-7
Offsite individual (public) 5.0 y 10-2 5.0 y 10-7 2.5 y 10-8
Table 4.12-2. Increased population risk of developing excess fatal cancers due to routine airborne releases at
the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site.
Year Population dose Risk factor Risk
(person-rem) (risk/person-rem) (number of fatal cancers)
1995a 3.0 y 10-1 5.0 y 10-4 1.5 y 10-4
a. The population dose and cancer risk for 1995 is based on data provided in Section 4.7 of this EIS.
The offsite individual annual dose of 0.05 millirem corresponds to a lifetime increased fatal cancer
risk of approximately 1 in 40 million. The worker dose of 0.32 millirem corresponds to a lifetime increased
fatal cancer risk of approximately 1 in 7 million.
Table 4.12-2 provides summaries of the dose, risk factor, and estimated increased lifetime risk of
developing fatal cancer based on the annual exposure to the surrounding population for the year 1995. The
surrounding population consists of approximately 120,000 people within a
80-kilometer (50-mile) radius of the individual INEL sources. The total baseline collective population dose
of 0.30 person-rem corresponds to approximately 0.0002 fatal cancers occurring within the population over
the next 70 years.
4.12.1.1.2 Nonradiological Health Risk-For nonoccupational exposures, data
concerning the toxicity of carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic constituents were obtained from dose-response
values approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These values include slope factors and unit
risks for evaluating cancer risks, reference doses and reference concentrations for evaluating exposure to
noncarcinogens, and primary National Ambient Air Quality Standards for evaluating criteria pollutants. For
evaluating occupational exposures, the applicable occupational standards were used.
For the evaluation of occupational health effects, the modeled chemical concentration was compared
with the applicable occupational standard. The comparison was made by calculating a hazard quotient. The
hazard quotient is the ratio between the calculated concentration in air and the applicable standard. If the
hazard quotient is less than 1, then no adverse health effects are expected.
Table 4.12-3 presents hazard quotients for onsite toxic air pollutants. The noncarcinogenic hazard
index (summed hazard quotients) for each facility is less than 1. This indicates that no adverse health effects
are projected as a result of noncarcinogenic emissions.
Table 4.12-4 provides the hazard quotients for onsite carcinogens. These modeled concentrations are
not representative of average workplace concentrations, but reflect the maximum potential concentrations that
could occur. In all cases, with the exception of benzene, the hazard quotients for individual chemicals are less
than 1.
Table 4.12-3. Hazard quotients for highest predicted concentrations of noncarcinogenic toxic air pollutants
at Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site locations for the maximum baseline case.
Toxic air Location of Baseline Occupational Hazard
pollutant maximum concentration exposure limitb quotient
concentrationa (-g/m3) (-g/m3)
Ammonia ICPP 9.7 y 102 1.7 y 104 0.06
Cyclopentane CFA 1.1 y 103 1.7 y 106 <0.01
Hydrochloric acid CFA 1.1 y 102 7.0 y 103 0.02
Mercury ICPP 3.0 y 100 5.0 y 101 0.06
Naphthalene CFA 2.3 y 103 5.0 y 104 0.05
Nitric acid ICPP 7.7 y 102 5.0 y 103 0.15
Phosphorus TAN 5.5 y 101 1.0 y 102 0.55
Potassium hydroxideANL-W 1.4 y 101 2.0 y 103 <0.01
Styrene PBF 3.5 y 102 2.1 y 105 <0.01
Toluene CFA 2.5 y 104 1.9 y 105 0.13
Trimethylbenzene CFA 1.3 y 104 1.2 y 105 0.11
Trivalent chromium TAN 6.3 y 100 5.0 y 102 0.01
a. ANL-W = Argonne National Laboratory-West; ICPP = Idaho Chemical Processing Plant; CFA = Central Facilities Area; TRA =
Test Reactor Area; RWMC = Radioactive Waste Management Complex; TAN = Test Area North.
b. Occupational exposure limits are eight-hour time-weighted averages established by the American Conference of Governmental
Industrial Hygienists or Occupational Safety and Health Administration; the lower (most restrictive) of the two limits is used.
Carcinogenic Effects. For carcinogenic effects to the public, risks are estimated as the
incremental probability of an individual developing cancer over a lifetime as a result of exposure to the
potential carcinogen (that is, incremental or excess individual lifetime cancer risk).
Values for slope factors and unit risks were taken from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's
Integrated Risk Information System database (EPA 1994). If the information was not available in this
database, other sources were used, primarily the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Health Effects
Assessment Summary Tables (EPA 1993).
Table 4.12-4. Hazard quotients for highest predicted concentrations of carcinogenic air pollutants at Idaho
National Engineering Laboratory site locations for the maximum baseline case.
Toxic air pollutant Location of Baseline Occupational Hazard
maximum concentration exposure limit quotient
concentrationa (-g/m3) (-g/m3)
Acetaldehyde ANL-W 1.1 y 102 1.8 y 105 <0.01
Arsenic CFA 2.8 y 10-1 1.0 y 101 0.03
Benzene CFA 3.1 y 103 3.0 y 103 1.03
Butadiene TRA 3.8 y 103 2.2 y 104 0.17
Carbon tetrachlorideRWMC 2.5 y 102 1.3 y 104 0.02
Chloroform RWMC 1.7 y 101 9.8 y 103 <0.01
Formaldehyde ANL-W 5.7 y 101 9.0 y 102 0.06
Hexavalent chromium ICPP/TAN 2.4 y 100 5.0 y 101 0.05
Hydrazine TRA 1.8 y 10-3 1.0 y 102 <0.01
Methylene chloride CFA/ICPP 3.2 y 100 1.7 y 105 <0.01
Nickel CFA 4.1 y 101 1.0 y 102 0.41
Perchloroethylene CFA 4.3 y 102 1.7 y 105 <0.01
Trichloroethylene RWMC 4.0 y 101 2.7 y 105 <0.01
a. ANL-W = Argonne National Laboratory-West; ICPP = Idaho Chemical Processing Plant; CFA = Central Facilities Area; TRA =
Test Reactor Area; RWMC = Radioactive Waste Management Complex; TAN = Test Area North.
For carcinogenicity, the probability of an individual developing cancer over a lifetime is estimated by
multiplying the slope factor (milligram per kilogram-day) for the substance by the chronic (70-year average)
daily intake. Hence, the slope factor converts estimated daily intakes averaged over a lifetime of exposure
directly to incremental risk of an individual developing cancer. This risk is considered a conservative
estimate because the upper bound estimate for the slope factor is used, with the "true" risk likely being less.
Noncarcinogenic Effects. Noncarcinogenic effects are presented using the method
described in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund, Volume
I, Human Health Evaluation Manual (Part A) (EPA 1989). This approach presents noncarcinogenic effects
in terms of a hazard quotient, which is the ratio between the calculated concentrations in air or drinking water
and the reference dose or reference concentration, respectively. Doses or concentrations for each chemical
and exposure pathway are compared with the route-specific reference dose or reference concentration. If the
hazard quotient is less than 1, then no adverse health effects are expected. For onsite toxic pollutants, the
applicable standard, instead of the reference concentration, was used to calculate hazard quotients.
For criteria pollutants (ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter,
and lead) that are regulated through the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, the potential for health
effects was based on a hazard quotient given by the ratio of calculated air concentration to the appropriate
regulatory limit.
Table 4.12-5 provides hazard quotients based on maximum noncarcinogenic concentrations at INEL
site boundary and public highway locations. The locations of these modeled concentrations are dependent on
different points and times of release, so that no single individual could be exposed to all of these chemicals at
once. Therefore, these chemical hazard quotients are evaluated separately and not summed. For the
individual chemicals, all hazard quotients are less than 1. This indicates that no adverse health effects are
projected as a result of noncarcinogenic emissions.
Table 4.12-6 provides an estimate of the excess cancer risk for 70-year exposure to the maximum
baseline offsite carcinogenic concentrations. Like the data in Table 4.12-5, the locations of these modeled
concentrations are dependent on different points and times of release so the risks are not summed. The
results of this assessment indicate that the offsite lifetime excess cancer risk ranges from 7.2 y 10-7 (about 1
occurrence in 1.4 million) to 1.6 y 10-9 (about 1 occurrence in 625 million).
Table 4.12-7 presents hazard quotients for maximum baseline offsite criteria air pollutants. The
hazard quotient for each chemical at the various locations is less than 1. This indicates that no adverse health
effects are projected as a result of criteria pollutant emissions. Because
the locations of these modeled concentrations are dependent on point and time of release, the hazard quotients
are not summed.
Table 4.12-5. Hazard quotients for highest predicted noncarcinogenic toxic air pollutant concentrations at
the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory-eight-hour site boundary and
public road exposures.
Toxic air pollutant Location Maximum Reference Hazard
concentration concentration quotient
(-g/m3) (-g/m3)
Ammonia Public road 6.0 y 100 1.8 y 102 0.03
Site boundary 4.1 y 10-1 <0.01
Cyclopentane Public road 2.7 y 100 1.7 y 104 <0.01
Site boundary 3.9 y 10-2 <0.01
Hydrochloric acid Public road 9.8 y 10-1 7.5 y 100 0.13
Site boundary 9.7 y 10-2 0.01
Mercury Public road 4.2 y 10-2 1.0 y 100 0.04
Site boundary 1.3 y 10-2 0.01
Naphthalene Public road 1.8 y 101 5.0 y 102 0.04
Site boundary 1.9 y 10-3 <0.01
Nitric acid Public road 6.4 y 10-1 5.0 y 101 0.01
Site boundary 2.6 y 10-1 <0.01
Phosphorus Public road 3.0 y 10-1 1.0 y 100 0.30
Site boundary 8.9 y 10-3 <0.01
Potassium hydroxide Public road 2.0 y 10-1 2.0 y 101 0.01
Site boundary 2.0 y 10-1 0.01
Propionaldehyde Public road 3.0 y 10-1 4.3 y 100 0.07
Site boundary 6.4 y 10-3 <0.01
Styrene Public road 1.3 y 100 1.0 y 103 <0.01
Site boundary 2.4 y 10-4 <0.01
Toluene Public road 3.7 y 102 3.8 y 103 0.10
Site boundary 6.2 y 10-2 <0.01
Trimethylbenzene Public road 1.0 y 102 1.2 y 103 0.08
Site boundary 1.0 y 10-2 <0.01
Trivalent chromium Public road 3.6 y 10-2 5.0 y 100 <0.01
Site boundary 2.2 y 10-3 <0.01
Table 4.12-6. Excess cancer risk based on 70-year exposure to the highest predicted concentrations of
carcinogenic air pollutants at Idaho National Engineering Laboratory site boundary locations.
Toxic air pollutant Baseline Unit risk Risk
concentration (risk per -g/m3) (excess cancers)
(-g/m3)
Acetaldehyde 1.1 y 10-2 2.2 y 10-6 2.4 y 10-8
Arsenic 9.0 y 10-5 4.3 y 10-3 3.9 y 10-7
Benzene 2.9 y 10-2 8.3 y 10-6 2.4 y 10-7
Butadiene 1.0 y 10-3 2.8 y 10-4 2.8 y 10-7
Carbon tetrachloride 6.0 y 10-3 1.5 y 10-5 9.0 y 10-8
Chloroform 4.0 y 10-4 2.3 y 10-5 9.2 y 10-9
Formaldehyde 1.2 y 10-2 1.3 y 10-5 1.6 y 10-7
Hexavalent chromium 6.0 y 10-5 1.2 y 10-2 7.2 y 10-7
Hydrazine 1.0 y 10-6 4.9 y 10-3 4.9 y 10-9
Methylene chloride 6.0 y 10-3 4.7 y 10-7 2.8 y 10-9
Nickel 2.7 y 10-3 2.4 y 10-4 6.5 y 10-7
Perchloroethylene 1.1 y 10-1 4.8 y 10-7 5.3 y 10-8
Trichloroethylene 9.7 y 10-4 1.7 y 10-6 1.6 y 10-9
4.12.1.2 Health Effects Resulting from Groundwater Releases.
This section summarizes
potential health effects to both onsite and offsite populations from radionuclides and carcinogenic and
noncarcinogenic chemicals in water. More detailed information on concentrations of these pollutants is
contained in Section 4.8, Water Resources, of this EIS. A discussion of health effects calculations is
contained in Appendix F, Section F-4, Health and Safety, of this EIS. To calculate health effects from
radionuclide concentrations in water, the total quantity of radionuclide ingested must be converted to an
effective dose equivalent and then the appropriate risk factor applied. This is accomplished by multiplying
the concentration of radionuclide in the drinking water (microcuries per liter) by the consumption rate (liters
per day) and by the consumption period (days) to obtain the quantity of radionuclide ingested. This ingested
quantity (microcuries) is then multiplied by the appropriate dose conversion factor (millirems per microcurie)
to obtain the dose that is then multiplied by the appropriate risk factor.
Table 4.12-7. Hazard quotients for ambient air concentrations of criteria pollutants for the maximum baseline scenario at Idaho National Engineering
Laboratory site.
Pollutant Averaging Baseline concentration (-g/m3) Applicable Hazard quotientb
time standarda
(-g/m3)
Site boundary Public roads Craters of the Site boundary Public roads Craters of the
Moon Moon
Carbon monoxide 1-hour 600 1,200 170 40,000 0.015 0.03 0.004
8-hour 180 340 35 10,000 0.018 0.034 0.004
Nitrogen dioxide Annual 5 9 1 100 0.046 0.094 0.008
Lead Quarterly 0.0008 0.002 0.0002 1.5 0.001 0.001 0.0001
Particulate matter24-hour 17 31 8 150 0.11 0.21 0.055
Annual 1 3 0.3 50 0.026 0.052 0.006
Particulate matter24-hour 50 80e 10 150 0.33 0.53 0.07
Annual 2 5e 1 50 0.04 0.10 0.02
Sulfur dioxide 24-hour 100 230 39 365 0.27 0.63 0.11
3-hour 240 520 88 1,300 0.18 0.40 0.068
Annual 2 4 1 80 0.026 0.054 0.01
a. National Ambient Air Quality Standards; all standards are primary except for 3-hour sulfur dioxide, which is secondary.
b. Hazard quotients were calculated by dividing the baseline concentrations (before rounding) by the applicable standards.
c. Particulate matter from stationary emission points; all particulate matter is assumed to consist of respirable particles
less than 10 microns in diameter (that is, PM-10). The State of Idaho also has a standard for total suspended particulates,
but the Federal standard for PM-10 is more restrictive.
d. Cumulative contributions from stationary point fugitive emission sources such as vehicle travel on paved and unpaved roads,
and landfill and concrete batch plant operation.
e. Does not include fugitive emissions caused by vehicle traffic.
Dose conversion factors were obtained from Federal Guidance Report No. 11, Limiting Values of
Radionuclide Intake and Air Concentration and Dose Conversion Factors for Inhalation, Submersion, and
Ingestion (EPA 1988). These dose conversion factors were used to convert a quantity of intake to an
effective dose equivalent for the subsequent application of the appropriate risk factor obtained in ICRP
(1991). Table 4.12-8 lists the exposure-to-dose conversion factors.
4.12.1.2.1 Potential Health Effects to the Onsite Population-Estimates of
potential health effects for onsite workers were made assessing drinking water sampling data reported by
Anderson and Peterson-Wright (1993). The highest average radionuclide concentration in any INEL site
drinking water distribution system occurred at the Central Facilities Area. The radionuclide measured was
tritium, at a concentration of 16,470 picocuries per liter. This level is below regulatory limits and is projected
to decrease because of changes in facility procedures, dilution in the aquifer, and the radioactive decay of
tritium. Consumption of this water for 50 years would result in an estimated dose equivalent of 14 millirem,
with a corresponding estimated fatal cancer risk of about 1 occurrence in 180,000.
No chemical carcinogens were detected in a drinking water distribution system in excess of
maximum contaminant levels. This would indicate an excess incidence of cancer risk of less than 1
occurrence in 1 million.
For all reported noncarcinogenic chemical contaminants, the calculated hazard quotient (that is, the
ratio of contaminant to reference dose) was less than 1. This indicates that no adverse health effects are
expected as a result of these contaminants.
Table 4.12-8. Exposure-to-dose conversion factors for selected radionuclides.
Isotope Dose conversion factor
(millirem per microcurie)
Tritium 6.40 y 10-2
Iodine-129 2.76 y 102
Strontium-90 1.42 y 102
4.12.1.2.2 Potential Health Effects to the Offsite Population-For the offsite
population, health effects were estimated using an iodine-129 concentration of 0.00083 picocuries per liter,
measured at the INEL site boundary in 1992 (Mann 1994). Consumption of this water for the lifetime of an
individual would result in an estimated dose equivalent of 0.012 millirem, with a corresponding estimated
fatal cancer risk of about 1 occurrence in 170 million.
4.12.2 Occupational Health and Safety
This section summarizes historical health and safety data and INEL programs designed to protect
workers. The radiation doses and nonradiological hazards presented here are based on monitoring results and
reported injuries. For routine workplace hazards, the health risk is presented as reported injuries, illness, and
fatalities in the workforce. For occupational exposure to ionizing radiation, health effects assessments are
based on actual exposure measurements. In addition, there is a potential for small increments of radiation
dose and exposure to toxic materials from atmospheric and groundwater releases on the INEL site.
Information on these potential impacts is presented above in Section 4.12.1.
4.12.2.1 Radiological Exposure and Health Effects.
Radiological protection programs for
INEL occupational workers are based on requirements in DOE orders and on guidance in DOE and INEL
radiological control manuals.
Workers at the INEL may be exposed either internally or externally to radiation. The largest fraction
of dose received by INEL workers is from external radiation. All personnel who could receive annual
external radiation exposures greater than 100 millirem are assigned a thermoluminescent dosimeter that is
worn at all times during work on the INEL site. The dosimeter measures the amount and type of external
radiation dose the worker receives. Internal radiation doses constitute a small fraction of the occupational
dose at the INEL. All instances of measurable internal radioactivity are investigated to determine the cause
and assess the potential for additional internal dose to the workforce.
Between 1987 and 1991, out of an average of 10,980 workers per year, about 6,000 individuals were
monitored annually at the INEL for radiation exposure. Of those monitored, about 32 percent received
measurable radiation doses. For those five years, the average occupational dose to individuals with
measurable doses was about 0.16 rem, giving an average collective dose of about 300 rem. The resulting
number of expected excess fatal cancers would be less than 1 for each year of operation (about 0.12 fatal
cancers).
4.12.2.2 Nonradiological Exposure and Health Effects to the Onsite Population.
At
the INEL, occupational nonradiological health and safety programs are composed of industrial hygiene
programs and occupational safety programs. Industrial hygiene programs address such subjects as toxic
chemicals and physical agents, carcinogens, noise, biological hazards, lasers, asbestos, ergonomic factors,
and surplus materials. Occupational safety programs address such subjects as machine safety, hoisting and
rigging, electrical safety, building codes, welding safety, and compressed gas cylinders.
The monitoring and sampling programs established by industrial hygienists provide data to
characterize the more common toxic chemicals, such as asbestos, beryllium, cadmium, lead, welding fumes,
oxides of nitrogen, hydrogen fluoride, and acids. Through industrial hygiene surveys and job hazard analyses
to evaluate workplace hazards, measures are imposed to control exposures within permissible exposure
limits.
The DOE recordkeeping and reporting system is aimed at accurately measuring the safety
performance of DOE and DOE contractors. Total injury and illness incidence rates at the INEL varied from
an annual average of 1.8 to 4.9 per 200,000 work hours from 1987 to 1991. There were 1,337 total
recordable injury and illness cases at the INEL from 1987 to 1991 for an average of 8,385 employees per
year working a total of 79,654,000 hours. Of the 1,337 cases at the INEL, 114 (8.5 percent) were classified
as occupational illnesses (55-repeated trauma disorders; 34-skin diseases or disorders; 13-respiratory
condition because of toxic agents; 6-all other illnesses; 4-disorders because of physical agents; and
2-dust diseases of the lungs). Total injury and illness rates for INEL workers are comparable to those for
DOE and its contractors, which averaged 3.4 per 200,000 work hours from 1988 to 1992 (DOE 1993). For
comparison, rates in private industry across the United States were 8.5 per 200,000 work hours for 1983 to
1992 (NSC 1993).
Only one fatal accident occurred at the INEL over the period from 1987 to 1991. A worker at the
Idaho Chemical Processing Plant was killed in a pedestrian-forklift accident in 1991.
The motor vehicle accident rate at the INEL (for government vehicles) for 1987 to 1991 averaged 1.4
accidents (over $500 loss) per 1 million miles.
Only two reportable losses over $1,000 caused by fire occurred from 1987 to 1991: $25,000
damage in 1989 and $63,000 in 1991. A total of 20 reportable nonfire property damage losses (over $1,000)
occurred from 1987 to 1991. The total value of the loss from these 20 cases was $1,292,000. In 1988, seven
cases accounted for a loss of $1,026,000 and represented 80 percent of the five-year total.
4.13 Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Services
This section discusses water, electricity, and fliel capacities and consumption, wastewater
disposal, and security and emergency protection at INEL facilities.
4.13.1 Water Consumption
The water supply for the INEL site is provided by a system of about 30 wells, with pumps
and storage tanks, administered by DOE. Idaho Falls facilities are provided water by the City of
Idaho Falls water supply system, which includes about 16 wells. Because of the distance between site
facility areas, the water supply systems for each facility are independent of each other.
DOE holds a Federal Reserved Water Right for the INEL site. Under this agreement, INEL
has claim to 2.3 cubic meters per second (36,000 gallons per minute) of groundwater, not to exceed
43 million cubic meters (11.4 billion gallons) per year. The average INEL site water consumption
from 1987 through 1991 was 7.36 million cubic meters (1.94 billion gallons) per year, calculated
based on the cumulative volumes of water withdrawn from the wells. Shutdown of the AIW and SSG
training facilities at the Naval Reactors Facility, which use about 1.0 million cubic meters
(265 million gallons) per year, should result in a projected 1995 baseline usage of about 6.4 million
cubic meters (1.7 billion gallons) per year. The average water consumption of Idaho Falls facilities is
estimated to be 300,000 cubic meters (79 million gallons) per year. The total pumping rate from the
aquifer is not measured and would depend on the number of pumps operating. There is a slight
possibility that the pumping rate of 2.3 cubic meters per second (36,000 gallons per minute) could be
exceeded for very short periods, such as during recovery from an extended power outage when many
pumps would be running to refill depleted storage tanks.
4.13.2 Electricity Consumption
Commercial electrical power is supplied to the INEL site from the Antelope substation
through two feeders to the federally owned Scoville substation. The Scoville substation supplies
electrical power directly to the INEL site electrical power distribution system. The present contract
to supply electrical power to the INEL site is with Idaho Power Company and provides for Idaho
Power Company to furnish "up to 45,000 kilowatts monthly" at 13.8 kilovolts (IPC/DOE 1986).
Electric power supplied by Idaho Power is generated by hydroelectric generators located along the
Snake River in southern Idaho and by the Bridger and Valmy coal-fired thermal electric generation
plants located in southwestern Wyoming and northern Nevada.
Rated capacity of the INEL site power transmission loop line is 124 megavolt-amperes Peak
demand on the system from 1990 through 1993 was about 40 megavolt-amperes, and the average
usage was about 217,000 megawatt-hours per year. This usage rate would be expected to decrease by
about 4 percent by 1995 due to shutdown of the AiW and S5G facilities. Addition of the new
substation for the Radioactive Waste Management Complex is expected to be completed in 1996 and
is accounted for in the impact analysis of the power usage for the Radioactive Waste Management
Complex facilities included in Section 5.13, Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Services.
INEL facilities in Idaho Falls receive electric power from the City of Idaho Falls, which
operates four hydroelectric power generation plants on the Snake River along with substation and
distribution facilities. Supplemental power is supplied to the City of Idaho Falls by the Bonneville
Power Administration, which operates hydroelectric plants on the Columbia River system. In 1993,
Idaho Falls facilities used 31,500 megawatt-hours of electricity.
4.13.3 Fuel Consumption
Fuels consumed at the INEL site include several liquid petroleum fuels, coal, and propane
gas. All fuels are transported to the site for storage and use. Natural gas is the only reported fliel
consumed at the INEL Idaho Falls facilities; this fuel is provided by the Intermountain Gas Company
through a system of underground lines.
The average annual fuel consumption at the INEL site from 1990 through 1992 is: heating
oil, 10,578,000 liters (2,795,000 gallons); diesel fuel, 5,690,000 liters (1,500,000 gallons); propane
gas, 568,000 liters (150,000 gallons); gasoline, 2,107,000 liters (557,000 gallons); jet fuel,
276,600 liters (73,100 gallons); and kerosene, 128,000 liters (33,800 gallons). About 8,200 metric
tons (9,000 tons) of coal are also used at the INEL site. Fuel storage is provided for each facility,
and fuel inventories are restocked as necessary. No fossil fuel shortage has ever occurred at the
INEL site.
4.13.4 Wastewater Disposal
Wastewater systems at the smaller onsite facility areas consist primarily of septic tanks, drain
fields, and lagoons. The larger facility areas, such as the Central Facilities Area, Idaho Chemical
Processing Plant, and Test Reactor Area, have wastewater treatment facilities. Idaho Falls facilities
are serviced by the City of Idaho Falls wastewater treatment system.
Average annual wastewater discharge volume at the INEL site for 1989 through 1991 was
537 million liters (142 million gallons). Wastewater from Idaho Falls facilities is not metered but is
estimated to be 300 million liters (79 million gallons) per year. The difference between water
pumped and estimated wastewater discharge is caused mainly by evaporation from ponds and cooling
towers, irrigation of landscaped areas, and discharge of unmetered wastewater.
4.13.5 Security and Emergency Protection
This section describes the fire protection/fire prevention, security, and emergency
preparedness resources for the INEL site and the surrounding INEL areas. The discussion includes
the Fire Department for the area, the Safeguards and Security Division, and the Emergency
Preparedness Organization.
4.13.5.1 Idaho National Engineedng Laboratory Fire Department
The contractor-operated Fire Department staffs and operates three fire stations on the INEL site that
support the entire INEL site.
These stations are located on the north end at Test Area North, at
Argonne National Laboratory-West, and at the Central Facilities Area. Each station has a minimum
of one engine company capable of supporting any fire emergency in their assigned area. The Fire
Department has a staff of 44 fire fighters and 11 support personnel and operates with a minimum
critical staff of 7 fire fighters at any one time. Besides providing fire fighting services, the Fire
Department provides the INEL site ambulance, emergency medical technician (EMT), and hazardous
material response services. The Fire Department has mutual aid agreements with other firefighting
entities, such as the Bureau of Land Management and the Cities of Idaho Falls, Blackfoot, and Arco.
Through these agreements, DOE facilities within the City of Idaho Falls are served by the Idaho Falls
Fire Department.
4.13.5.2 Department of Energy and Idaho National Engineering Laboratory
Emergency Preparedness.
Each DOE INEL contractor administers and staffs its own emergency
preparedness program under the direction and supervision of DOE. All contractor programs for
emergency control and response are compatible. The Warning Communications Center, with
oversight from DOE, is the communication and overall control center for support to the on-scene
commanders in charge of the emergency response. The DOE emergency preparednes5 system
includes mutual aid agreements with all regional county and major city fire departments, police, and
medical facilities. Through the agreement, DOE facilities within the City of Idaho Falls are serviced
by the Idaho Falls emergency preparedness organizations.
4.13.5.3 Department of Energy and Idaho National Engineering Laboratory
Security DOE has oversight responsibility for safeguards and security at the INEL.
The security
program is divided into three categories: security operations, personnel security, and safeguards.
Security operations provides for asset protection (classified matter, special nuclear material, facilities,
and personnel) and technical security (computer and information). The INEL protective force, staffed
by the INEL prime contractor, Lockheed Idaho Technologies Company, is administered under this
category. Personnel security processes personnel security clearances. Safeguards is responsible for
the management and accountability of special nuclear materials. The INEL protective force,
consisting of approximately 200 armed guards and approximately 350 support personnel, provides the
onsite personnel that administer the programs. Each smaller INEL contractor also has a safeguards
and security staff, subdivided in a similar manner, to manage the security associated with their
specific facilities. Contractor safeguards and security staffs range in size from about 5 to 60 persons,
depending on the size and complexity of their associated facilities. Each staff works in combination
with the INEL protective forces.