1

DOE/ORO/2442

2012

Progress

Annual Report to the 

Oak Ridge Community
2

This report was produced by URS | CH2M Oak Ridge LLC, DOE’s 

Environmental Management contractor for the Oak Ridge Reservation.
1

Message from the EM Manager Department of Energy Oak Ridge Office

To the Oak Ridge Community: 

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management 

(EM) is, in many instances, approaching a new chapter of cleanup across the Oak Ridge 

Reservation. Many of Oak Ridge’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act projects 

are completed, and we are approaching the final phases of the site’s most recognizable, 

long-standing cleanup projects. Following the successes of FY 2012, we are excited 

about the future as we develop cleanup strategies for the years ahead. 

Some of our most notable success took place at the East Tennessee Technology 

Park (ETTP). We completed demolition on most of the K-25 Building’s east wing, and 

the north end of the building will be taken down in FY 2013. The north end is the only 

remaining portion of the 44-acre facility with the exception of a small section of the 

east wing. With the progress at K-25, we are moving closer to finishing one of the Department of Energy’s largest-ever cleanup projects. Additionally, employees completed 

removal of the K-33 Building and its slab. The 32-acre structure has been transformed 

into green space at ETTP, welcoming new development at the former uranium enrichment complex.

One of EM’s greatest achievements this year was the formal completion of a 

Memorandum of Agreement between federal, state, and local historic preservation 

groups that will preserve the contributions of the K-25 site to the World War II Manhattan Project. We, along with our federal, state, and 

local partners, worked for nearly a decade to complete this multiple-party agreement, which honors the site’s early workers and allows the 

EM program to continue cleanup at the site. 

At the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), EM continues moving forward with the Uranium-233 Disposition Project. Due to excellent federal oversight and innovative project management, we now have a plan that reduces the schedule by 10 years and the cost by $500 

million. EM also removed Tank W-1A, ORNL’s largest source of groundwater contamination, and excavated and disposed the 4,000-gallon 

waste storage tank and surrounding contaminated soil. Finally, EM removed four of Building 3026’s hot cells in ORNL’s central campus, and 

we continue processing transuranic waste at the site. 

At the Y-12 National Security Complex, EM is intently focused on mercury remediation. In FY 2012, engineers began projects that 

focused on mercury abatement through treatability studies, removing mercury tanks, cleaning storm drains, and designing treatment 

facilities that will reduce mercury migration into the East Fork of the Poplar Creek. 

Since arriving in Oak Ridge, I have been impressed by the level of stakeholder support and involvement. This is a tremendous asset that 

aids our program and community. In my time in Oak Ridge, area residents have displayed a shared commitment to protect and restore the 

environment for the betterment of the community and the advancement of the Department’s missions. We are extremely grateful for your 

involvement and feedback concerning our ongoing operations, and it is our hope that this continues as we strive to advance future missions 

in Oak Ridge. 

Environmental Management

safety v performance v cleanup v closure

E

 M

Mark Whitney
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Introduction........................................................................................................................................................................................4

East Tennessee Technology Park ................................................................................................................................................5

K-25 Building demolition continues...........................................................................................................................................................7 

DOE selects commemoration options for K-25.........................................................................................................................................10

K-27 Building being prepared for demolition...........................................................................................................................................11

K-33 Building demolition activities completed........................................................................................................................................12

Closure activities continue for TSCA Incinerator........................................................................................................................................13

Poplar Creek facilities characterized.........................................................................................................................................................14

Environmental contamination addressed at ETTP....................................................................................................................................15

ETTP cleanup at a glance..........................................................................................................................................................................16

Site changes continue as Reindustrialization Program transfers property to private sector......................................................................18

Oak Ridge National Laboratory.................................................................................................................................................19

Contaminated Tank W-1A and soil removed.............................................................................................................................................20

Isotope Row material removed................................................................................................................................................................21

Uranium-233 disposition plans considered..............................................................................................................................................21 

Upgrade of 4500 waste system under way...............................................................................................................................................22

Remediation of slab areas completed......................................................................................................................................................23

Workers prepare to demolish hot cell structures ......................................................................................................................................24

Bethel Valley groundwater addressed......................................................................................................................................................25

Several unneeded ORNL facilities demolished..........................................................................................................................................26

Y-12 National Security Complex................................................................................................................................................27

Old Salvage Yard soil characterized, disposed...........................................................................................................................................28 

Storm drain material disposal completed.................................................................................................................................................29

Alpha 5 characterization work performed................................................................................................................................................30

Mercury reduction, characterization, and planning efforts under way at Y-12.........................................................................................30

Beta 3 disposition work completed..........................................................................................................................................................32

Contents
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Waste Management.......................................................................................................................................................................33

Waste disposed at Oak Ridge Reservation landfills...................................................................................................................................34 

Planning under way for new on-site disposal facility...............................................................................................................................35

Uncontaminated Oak Ridge Reservation sites identified for removal from National Priorities List ...........................................................36 

Millions of gallons of wastewater treated ...............................................................................................................................................37

TWPC treating transuranic waste for disposal ..........................................................................................................................................38

 

Public Involvement........................................................................................................................................................................39

Stakeholder newsletter undergoes changes.............................................................................................................................................40

ORSSAB provides input to DOE’s EM activities...........................................................................................................................................41

DOE Information Center ...........................................................................................................................................................................45

Information Resources ................................................................................................................................................................46

Internet Sites....................................................................................................................................................................................46

Commonly Used Acronyms..........................................................................................................................................................47

Commonly Used Terms..................................................................................................................................................................48

Note: All projects in this publication using American Recovery 

and Reinvestment Act funding are denoted with this symbol. 
4

Introduction

The 33,750-acre DOE Oak Ridge Reservation has played key 

roles in our nation’s defense and energy research. However, past 

waste disposal practices and unintentional releases have left land 

and facilities contaminated. These contaminants include radioactive 

elements, mercury, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, and industrial wastes. 

The Environmental Management Program is responsible for 

cleaning up these sites, and numerous cleanup projects are under 

way at the Reservation’s three major facilities: East Tennessee 

Technology Park (ETTP), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and 

the Y-12 National Security Complex.

The contaminated portions of the Reservation are on the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency’s National Priorities List, a list of 

hazardous waste sites across the nation that are to be cleaned up 

under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, 

and Liability Act of 1980. Efforts are under way to delineate the contaminated areas of the Oak Ridge National Priorities List Site, which 

DOE is cleaning up under a Federal Facility Agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Tennessee.

Funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 

2009 (ARRA) has allowed more cleanup work to be performed on 

the Reservation and has created and retained jobs for the local area. 

DOE Oak Ridge received $1.36 billion under the Act, with a large 

portion of that amount—$755 million—going to EM projects. 

More than 30 cleanup projects across the Reservation have received 

ARRA funding. You can track the status of all ARRA funding, including the DOE Oak Ridge projects, on the Web at www.recovery.gov.

In FY 2012 (October 1, 2011, to September 30, 2012), the EM 

Program had many major achievements. At ETTP, workers completed demolition of most of the east wing of the massive K-25 Building 

and began preparing the K-27 building for demolition.

DOE’s goal for ETTP is to transform the site into a private industrial park. Great strides were made in FY 2012 to achieve that goal, 

including the transfer of several acres of land for industrial development. 

At ORNL, buildings that posed worker and environmental 

concerns were demolished, waste storage area remediation efforts 

were under way or completed, and excavation of Tank W-1A, the 

principal source of groundwater contamination at ORNL, was completed. The tank and surrounding soil were shipped for disposal.

At Y-12, legacy waste removal and demolition of facilities were 

top priorities. Soil remediation was completed on the Old Salvage 

Yard, while mercury reduction, characterization, and planning efforts were under way for the complex. 

4
5

The former K-25 Site began operations during World War II as part of the Manhattan Project. Its 

original mission was to produce enriched uranium for use in atomic weapons. The 2,200-acre 

plant was permanently shut down in 1987 and is undergoing cleanup for ultimate conversion 

to a private sector industrial park. Restoration of the environment, decontamination and 

decommissioning of facilities, and disposition of wastes are the major activities at the site.

5

East Tennessee Technology Park
66
7

K-25 Building demolition continues

Most of the K-25 Building’s east wing was demolished in FY 2012, and 

demolition was initiated on the facility’s north end. 

Besides the north end, the only other portion of the building left standing 

is the southernmost section of the east wing, which is contaminated with 

technetium-99, a slow-decaying radioactive metal. That section will require 

further neutralization before demolition.

. . . continued on next page

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The K-25 Building was a former gaseous diffusion facility 

built as part of the Manhattan Project to enrich uranium. The 

mile-long structure was shut down in the early 1960s. It was 

composed of three major sections—the east and west wings 

and the north end—aligned in a “U” shape. The north end 

forms the base of the “U” and is the smallest section.

The north end was once considered a candidate for 

preservation, but its deteriorated condition made that option 

too costly. DOE signed an agreement with historic preservation 

groups in FY 2012 allowing demolition of the north end in lieu 

of other means to commemorate the building’s history.

Pre-demolition activities continue to take place in 

the southern portion of the east wing, an area previously 

referred to as the technetium-99 area. These activities include 

characterization; vent, purge, drain, and inspection; foaming 

of equipment to stabilize contaminants in place; asbestos 

removal; and draining of lubrication oil and coolant. These 

activities are required to be completed prior to demolition.

Pre-demolition activities continue into 2013 in preparation 

for demolition, which will require the use of heavy machinery. 

As a cost-savings measure, UCOR has worked with other DOE 

sites to obtain excess heavy machinery. For example, in the 

second quarter of 2012, UCOR obtained an Ultra-High Reach 

excavator from the Hanford Site that will enable the project to 

eliminate costly rental fees. 

Also, in cooperation with Oak Ridge DOE EM and the 

DOE Savannah River Site, UCOR identified excess demolition 

equipment from the Savannah River Site and transported it to 

ETTP. These shipments included more than 44,000 individual 

items with an original purchase value of more than $2,450,000. 

This material was obtained at a total cost of less than $100,000.

Last section of the east 

wing’s non-technetium 

portion to be demolished
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Debris generated from the K-25 demolition project was shipped for disposal as it was generated, with most being disposed 

of at the Oak Ridge Reservation’s Environmental Management Waste Management Facility
1010

DOE selects commemoration options for K-25

DOE and local historic preservation agencies 

agreed upon commemorative measures that will preserve the historic contributions of Oak Ridge’s K-25 

site to the World War II Manhattan Project.

The K-25 complex contained more than 500 

buildings and 12,000 workers at its peak. The project’s enormous scale, which in 1945 included the 

world’s largest building, was necessary to produce a 

few grams of uranium-235 that were used to build the 

atomic bomb that ended the war with Japan. 

While preservation of the K-25 Building’s north 

end was once consideration, the building’s deteriorated condition made that option too costly. Instead, 

DOE will commemorate the site by implementing the 

following measures:

•	 Approximately 40 acres located inside the road that currently surrounds the original K-25 Building will be dedicated for commemoration and interpretation activities. The agreement calls for the construction of a three-story equipment building at the property’s 

southern end that will recreate a scale representation of the gaseous diffusion technology and contain authentic equipment used in 

the K-25 Building. The building will also house other equipment that was developed and/or used at the site. The project will include a 

viewing tower erected on the south end of the building’s footprint (near the Oak Ridge Fire Station) and 12 wayside exhibits that will 

tell portions of the K-25 story. 

•	 A K-25 History Center will be located nearby on the second level of the Fire Station, owned by the City of Oak Ridge. The History Center 

will provide space to exhibit equipment, artifacts, oral histories, photographs, and video. 

•	 DOE will provide a grant of $500,000 to the East Tennessee Preservation Association to help preserve the Alexander Inn, a historic 

structure in Oak Ridge where visiting scientists and dignitaries stayed. The grant will be used to purchase the property and stabilize 

the structure until the Inn can be transferred to a private developer.

Artist concept of viewing tower on the south end of the K-25 Building footprint

A three-story equipment 

room will be constructed 

that will recreate a scale 

version of the gaseous 

diffusion technology used 

in the K-25 Building
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In FY 2012, DOE and its EM contractor for Oak Ridge, URS | CH2M Oak Ridge 

LLC (UCOR) developed a plan to accelerate demolition of the K-27 Building. The 

building is in a severely deteriorated state, necessitating timely attention to ensure 

safe and efficient demolition. The K-27 Building is similar in structure to the K-25 

Building and is approximately 900 feet long, 400 feet wide, and 58 feet in height. 

 Pre-demolition work that has been 

initiated includes inventory management; collection of Non-Destructive Assay measurements of process pipe; vent, 

purge, drain, and inspection of process 

equipment; and the installation of safety 

controls. 

 Limited pre-demolition activities, 

including removal of high-hazard sodium 

fluoride traps, continued into FY 2013 in 

preparation for building demolition. 

K-27 Building being prepared for demolition

K-27 Building

A worker drills a hole in the process gas system piping in K-27 as part of the sampling process

Inside the K-27 Building
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Building K-33, one of the major uranium enrichment facilities 

at ETTP, has been demolished. The building was a partially 

decontaminated multi-story building that contained more 

than 1.4 million ft2

 of concrete and steel and spanned 32 acres. 

Constructed in 1954, the facility enriched uranium for defense and 

naval fleet purposes until 1985. 

As part of a Reindustrialization effort in 1997, most of 

the building’s decontamination was performed. BNFL Inc. was 

awarded a fixed-price contract to decontaminate Building K-33, 

along with two other uranium enrichment buildings: K-29 and 

K-31. The company dismantled, removed, and dispositioned more 

than 159,000 tons of material and equipment from the three 

buildings, which comprise more than 4.8 million ft2

 of floor space. 

All three buildings were originally to be cleaned up and 

converted to usable facilities for private industrial tenants. 

However, DOE later determined that Buildings K-29 and K-33 were 

not suitable for reindustrialization. Building K-29 was demolished 

in 2006. 

In 2010, DOE contracted with LATA/Sharp Remediation 

Services to demolish the K-33 Building. The demolition was 

completed, and the last waste was disposed ahead of schedule in 

September 2011. In FY 2012, LATA/Sharp Remediation Services 

removed the building’s 32-acre slab, excavated contaminated soil, 

backfilled and seeded the area, and disposed the waste ahead of 

schedule. Excavation of the slab and soil resulted in 125 yds3

 of soil 

and 61,300 tons of concrete disposed. 

K-33 Building demolition activities completed

At left: K-33 Building (foreground) before 

demolition. Below is the K-33 Building 

site after slab removal and seeding.
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Closure activities continue for TSCA Incinerator

The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Incinerator 

was shut down permanently on Dec. 2, 2009, after treating 

35.6 million pounds of liquid and solid waste over a 19-

year period. 

Closure activities were completed in December 2010, 

and the State of Tennessee granted permit termination on 

Sept. 21, 2012. 

During 2012, additional actions were taken to 

encapsulate remaining PCB and radioactive contamination 

to minimize water management actions and to reduce 

the cost of ongoing surveillance and maintenance. Other 

activities performed included cleaning, rinsing, and filling 

multiple sumps, and removing and disposing of the carbon 

vessels, which were part of the water management system. 

Upon completion of these activities, the facility will be 

under surveillance and maintenance until demolition.

Workers are filling a sump at the TSCA Incinerator

A carbon vessel is being removed from the incinerator
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Characterization of 22 structures in the Poplar Creek 

area at ETTP has been performed. 

The objectives of this project, funded by ARRA, were 

to complete deactivation in preparation for demolition 

and perform waste characterization of selected facilities 

to determine the appropriate disposal facility to which 

the demolition debris could be sent. 

The project began with a field investigation to 

evaluate the historical information and data that had 

been previously collected and then to determine where 

data gaps existed. Once the data gaps were identified, a 

characterization plan was prepared to describe how data 

would be collected. The collected data was then used to 

determine the proper disposal facility for each structure and 

to prepare the documentation required for the waste to be 

accepted. 

This characterization included investigations of building and equipment surface locations using a combination 

of field screening instrumentation and collection of samples 

for laboratory analysis. Data gathering techniques included 

intrusive sampling, in situ gamma spectroscopy measurements, and radiation scans and direct measurements. The 

intrusive smear, residue, and liquid samples collected were 

analyzed for radionuclides, metals, semi-volatile organics, 

volatile organics, and PCBs, among other potential contaminants of concern.

Poplar Creek facilities characterized

Workers perform sampling activities in the Poplar Creek area at ETTP
15

Remediation activities to reduce ETTP groundwater and surface water contamination continued in FY 2012.

Releases to Mitchell Branch

Operation of the Chromium Water Treatment System began in 

FY 2012. This system provides a long-term solution for hexavalent 

chromium being released into Mitchell Branch. The source of this 

contamination has not been identified. 

These releases affected the ambient water quality in Mitchell 

Branch, potentially affecting the water quality in Poplar Creek. In 

response to this concern, DOE completed a time-critical Removal 

Action to extract the contaminated groundwater and a non-timecritical Removal Action to install the Chromium Water Treatment 

System. Since completion of these Removal Actions, the concentration of chromium in Mitchell Branch has been reduced to compliant 

levels. 

Groundwater Treatability Study

A groundwater treatability study was initiated in FY 2008 to 

evaluate the feasibility of in situ treatment of an ETTP groundwater 

plume contaminated with volatile organic compounds. 

In FY 2009, the contaminated groundwater plume was delineated by characterization of 14 boreholes at depths of 110 to 160 

feet. 

In FY 2011, the groundwater treatability study was delayed, 

and in FY 2012, the treatability study site was closed and the wells 

grouted to limit the spread of contamination until the treatability 

study is resumed. 

Zone 1

In FY 2012, a Final Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study 

(RI/FS) was prepared to support development of a final Zone 1 

Record of Decision. Activities included conducting groundwater, 

soils, surface water, and land use control workshops to review data 

and develop an alternative for the feasibility study. 

The first draft RI/FS was transmitted to the regulators in 

March 2012; regulator comments were received in August 2012. 

FY 2013 work includes transmittal of the second draft RI/FS, preparation of the Proposed Plan, a public meeting, and preparation of 

the initial draft of the Zone 1 Final Record of Decision.

K-1070-B Burial Ground 

Excavation of six trenches and two hot spots was completed 

at the K-1070-B Burial Ground, a 6-5 acre landfill located near the 

K-25 Building. It was used from the early 1950s to the mid-1970s 

to dispose of equipment, materials, parts, and drums. The debris 

and soil were excavated down to 10 ft below surface for protection 

of the groundwater. Approximately 100,200 yds3

 of soil and debris 

were excavated and shipped for disposal.

After excavation of the trenches and hot spots, the site was 

graded and contoured. A cover was placed on the burial ground 

that consisted of a combination of layers of riprap/concrete rubble, 

backfill, and topsoil for seeding. The project received more than 

4,100 dump truck loads of concrete rubble, rip-rap, backfill, and 

topsoil to provide the final cover for the burial ground.

Environmental contamination addressed at ETTP

K-1070-B

remediation

 activities
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ETTP cleanup at a glance*

Facilities demolished 374 

UF6

 cylinders removed 7,000 

Waste removed from site 1.77 million yds3

Area cleared for unrestricted use ** 1,400 acres

 *Totals since cleanup operations began

**Unrestricted industrial use down to 10 ft

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17

ETTP before

cleanup began

17
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The DOE Oak Ridge Reindustrialization Program continued 

the transformation of ETTP into a private sector business/industrial park in FY 2012.

With the transfer of Parcel ED-10 to the Community Reuse 

Organization of East Tennessee (CROET), an additional 13 acres 

in the central area of ETTP were made available for private use. 

Babcock Services purchased 2.5 acres of Parcel ED-10 and began 

construction of an 11,400 ft2 facility. The property will be used 

to manage, recover, and refurbish radioactively contaminated 

components from commercial nuclear power plants and is projected to create more than 100 jobs.

An additional 26.5 acres in the former Powerhouse Area 

along the Clinch River were made available via a lease to CROET 

for industrial development, increasing the total to 308 acres. 

Oak Ridge Forest Products is leasing a portion of this site from 

CROET in support of its operations to supply wood chips that fuel 

a biomass gasification plant at ORNL.

In Spring 2012, a 200 kW photovoltaic solar farm at the entrance to ETTP began generating enough electricity to power 22 

homes. The land for the solar farm was purchased from CROET 

by RSI, the developer and operator of the system. This project 

required collaboration with the Tennessee Valley Authority, DOE, 

UCOR, and the City of Oak Ridge. 

The new $35 million Carbon Fiber Technology Facility at 

Oak Ridge’s Horizon Center is nearing completion. This advanced 

materials facility will allow researchers to develop and demonstrate the commercial viability of low-cost carbon fiber products 

for several industry sectors. Long considered a desirable lightweight substitute for steel and other materials, use of carbon 

fiber has been limited due to its high production costs. The development of low-cost production methods is expected to create 

new possibilities for its use in a wide array of applications for 

building structures, industrial products, wind turbines, and others.

The DOE Oak Ridge Office hosted an Asset Revitalization 

Workshop in June 2012. The workshop brought together DOE 

officials, government contractors, and community stakeholders 

from across the nation to gain a better understanding of transitioning federal land and facilities for beneficial reuse. Asset 

Revitalization experts from Oak Ridge were able to share their 

many years of experience, successes, and lessons learned in 

implementing this unique program.

Workers install panels for the solar farm near the ETTP entrance 

Site changes continue as Reindustrialization

Program transfers property to private sector
19

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

19

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is becoming one of the world’s most modern campuses 

for scientific discovery in materials and chemical sciences, nuclear science, energy 

research, and super-computing. However, among all this modern infrastructure are large 

contaminated areas that resulted from past operations and waste disposal practices. The 

Environmental Management Program has divided ORNL into two major cleanup areas: 

Bethel Valley and Melton Valley. The Bethel Valley area includes reactors and the principal 

research facilities, and Melton Valley includes reactors and waste management areas.
20

Removal and disposal of a 4,000-gallon contaminated tank at 

ORNL was completed in FY 2012. Tank W-1A and its pipelines were 

the largest source of groundwater contamination at the site. The 

contaminated soil surrounding the vessel was also disposed.

The remediation process included excavating, packaging, and 

transporting contaminated soil for disposal, as well as removing, 

cutting up, containerizing, and transporting the concrete pad, tank 

supports, and tank shell for disposal. 

DOE’s cleanup contractor UCOR began excavating the tank in 

September 2011 and removed the tank in January 2012. It was 

then shipped to be cut up for disposal in February 2012. Soil and 

secondary waste shipments were completed in May 2012. 

Tank W-1A was commissioned in 1951 to collect and store 

liquid wastes from radiochemical separations and high-radiation 

analytical facilities at ORNL. During its operation, a transfer line to 

the tank was suspected of leaking near the tank intake, causing 

significant soil and groundwater contamination. It was emptied 

and removed from service in 1986 after high levels of contamination in the groundwater were discovered.

Over the years, attempts to move the project forward and remove the tank were largely unsuccessful. In 1995, a system was installed to pump and treat the groundwater plume that originated 

from the tank, helping to mitigate environmental impacts to the 

groundwater. That system continues to operate.

Materials from the remediation were disposed at the Environmental Management Waste Management Facility (EMWMF) and 

the Nevada National Security Site. Fifteen containers met the acceptance criteria for on-site disposal and were sent to EMWMF. A 

total of 333 containers were sent to the Nevada National Security 

Site in Department of Transportation approved containers.

Additional soil sampling and characterization, completed in 

2010, was performed along a Tank W-1A feed pipeline to delineate 

the extent, type, and concentration of contamination north of the 

Tank W-1A site. 

Based on the analytical data from the pipeline soil sampling, 

additional soil along the pipelines will require removal. A Remedial 

Action Work Plan to address the additional soil removal was submitted to the regulators in March 2012.

Contaminated Tank W-1A and soil removed

Removal of Tank 

W-1A at ORNL 

eliminated the 

main source of 

groundwater 

contamination at 

the site
21

Work was completed in FY 2012 on the removal 

of legacy materials from the Isotope Row area in the 

central portion of ORNL.

Historically, Isotope Row facilities served as radioisotope production laboratories and support facilities. Work completed in FY 2012 included the removal, 

packaging, and off-site disposal of lead shielding from 

the exterior of the hot cells in Buildings 3030 and 3031, 

and the packaging and disposal of shielded casks, carriers, and miscellaneous materials staged to the west 

of Building 3028. A completion report documenting 

the work performed was prepared, submitted, and approved in FY 2012.

Isotope Row

material removed

Workers remove lead bricks in 

the Building 3030 hot cell

Oak Ridge has a significant inventory of uranium-233 (U-233) 

stored in Building 3019A at ORNL. 

U-233 is a special nuclear material that requires strict safeguards and security controls to protect against access.

The U-233 Project was initiated to address safeguards and 

security requirements, eliminate safety and nuclear criticality concerns, and ship the material to an approved disposal site.

Treating the U-233 inventory as expeditiously as possible will 

reduce the substantial annual costs associated with safeguards 

and security requirements, eliminate the risk of a nuclear criticality 

event, and avoid the need for future facility upgrades to Building 

3019A to ensure safe storage of the inventory. DOE commissioned 

a review of alternatives for dispositioning the U-233 inventory. 

Phase I of the Alternatives Analysis, which screened and identified 

potential alternatives, was completed in January 2011. The Deputy 

Secretary of Energy endorsed the review recommendations in April 

2011, and the team began executing the two-part direct disposition campaign on Jan. 1, 2012.

By October 2012, 126 items were dispositioned to the Nevada 

National Security Site, and 10 items were safely and securely transferred to ORNL for programmatic re-use.

Phase II of the Alternatives Analysis, which provided a more 

detailed evaluation of processing options for the inventory unable 

to be directly dispositioned, was approved by DOE’s EM and Science 

Offices and endorsed by the Secretary of Energy in July 2012.

Uranium-233 disposition plans considered
22

The objective of the 4500 Area Gaseous Waste System 

Upgrades Project is to deactivate one of the five Cell Ventilation 

System branches and remove several facilities from the central hot 

off-gas system. 

The ventilation system branches and off-gas system are part 

of the Central Gaseous Waste System at ORNL that vent through the 

3039 Central Stack. The project will provide localized ventilation 

systems to the 4501, 4505, 4500N, and 4507 facilities; stabilize the 

hot cells in Building 4507; clean out filter pits 3106 and 4556; and 

stabilize hundreds of feet of deactivated underground ductwork. 

Demolition and removal of existing equipment and the 

fabrication and installation of the replacement ventilation system 

for the 4501, 4505, and 4500N facilities began in FY 2012 and will 

be completed during FY 2013. 

Design, fabrication, installation, and operation of the local 

ventilation system for Building 4507 was completed in FY 2012, 

along with stabilization of the 4507 hot cells. Characterization of 

the underground ductwork was completed and planning initiated 

for clean out of the 3106 filter pit. Clean out of the 4556 filter 

pit was initiated in FY 2012 and will be completed in FY 2013, 

along with clean out of the 3106 filter pit and stabilization of the 

underground ductwork once the remaining facilities are removed 

from the central systems.

Upgrade of 4500 waste system under way

At left, workers are installing a new exhaust duct 

on the Building 4507 hot cells, and above, workers 

are stabilizing a glovebox in the building.
23

During FY 2012, remedial actions were completed for 18 slabs 

and associated concrete structures, associated inactive process waste 

drains, and underlying soil following building demolition in the Bethel 

Valley area of ORNL. 

The slabs that were removed and disposed covered an area of 

approximately 2.4 acres, and these sites were restored to either open 

grassed areas or gravel lots—depending on the planned use of the 

area—to support ongoing ORNL research and operations. 

Waste from the removal of the slabs and associated structures was 

packaged and disposed. The inactive process waste pipelines were 

removed and disposed or backfilled in place, depending on the depth of 

the piping below ground. A completion report documenting the work 

performed was prepared, submitted, and approved in FY 2012.

Remediation of slab

areas completed

Pits beneath the Building 2000 

slab are being remediated

Workers are remediating the 

Building 2009 and 2010 slab areas
24

 Building 3026 C&D, one of the original buildings constructed 

in the 1940s to support the war effort, has been inactive since the 

1990s. Entries into the highly contaminated hot cells have been 

minimal. 

A Waste Handling Plan for the 3026 hot cells demolition and 

waste disposition was approved by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Tennessee Department of Environment and 

Conservation in FY 2011. The six structures that comprise Building 

3026 C&D were in various stages of characterization, planning, decontamination, and demolition in FY 2012. Two structures (3026C 

“Counting Room” and 3026C “Tritium Lab”) were decontaminated 

in FY 2011. Three additional structures (3026C “Cell Bank 1”, 3026C 

“Cell Bank 2”, and 3026D “Storage/Sorting Cell”) were decontaminated in FY 2012. This work included removal of internal equipment, the final step to make these structures ready for demolition. 

The four 3026C structures were also demolished and disposed of in 

FY 2012.

Preparation for demolition of the two remaining structures 

(3026D Storage/Sorting Cell and 3026D Cell A and B) is under way. 

In March 2011, higher levels of contamination than anticipated 

were found in the 3026D structures while performing initial characterization. The project’s revised technical approach for hot cell 

clean-out was approved in FY 2012, the Operational Readiness Review was completed in July 2012, and demolition will be completed 

in FY 2013. 

 

Workers prepare to demolish hot cell structures

Workers are preparing to remove shield plug from a hot cell in Building 3026D
25

Several activities were initiated in FY 2012 to address Bethel Valley groundwater, including the following:

7000 Area groundwater treatability study 

The 7000 Area covers the maintenance facilities on the east end of ORNL. A treatability study was initiated in 2010 to determine the 

feasibility of using bacteria to eliminate TCE in groundwater. In late December 2010 and early January 2011, a dilute solution of emulsified 

vegetable oil was injected into the TCE plume through four existing groundwater monitoring wells. Groundwater monitoring continued in 

2012, with a Treatability Study Report documenting the results.

The purpose of the injection was to provide a source of carbon to stimulate existing TCE-degrading microbes in the groundwater 

system. The post-injection monitoring of the field-scale amendment injections indicated that anaerobic reductive dechlorination can be 

successfully implemented at full scale at this site for treating TCE in groundwater. Monitoring of the wells will continue to document the 

degradation process.

Corehole 8 intercept extraction system

Surface water monitoring in First Creek in 2009-2010 indicated that 

strontium-90 in groundwater was bypassing the Corehole 8 intercept 

extraction system and surfacing at First Creek on the west side of the ORNL 

Central Campus. 

During FY 2011 and continuing into FY 2012, two new bedrock wells 

were installed to extract contaminated groundwater and send it to the 

onsite wastewater treatment system. As part of the project, older system 

components were replaced with new pumps, power supply, and pump 

control systems. The new wells and refurbished pumping system resumed 

operation in March 2012.

Monitoring in First Creek and wells associated with the plume 

subsequent to the system restart shows that plume containment has been again established. 

SWSA 3 exit pathway monitoring

Three new monitoring wells were installed west of Highway 95 along Raccoon Creek. The wells were installed to monitor a strontium-90 

plume that originates at the SWSA 3 landfill. 

Wells were installed at 20-, 50-, and 100-ft depths. Monitoring results show strontium-90 at concentrations below drinking water 

standards in the shallowest well in the area where seepage from SWSA 3 is known to enter the headwaters of Raccoon Creek. 

Monitoring of the new wells will continue, along with monitoring at SWSA 3 and Raccoon Creek, to measure the effectiveness of SWSA 

3 remedial actions completed in 2011 to decrease the groundwater contamination level.

Bethel Valley groundwater addressed

Off-site well monitoring

Corehole 8 intercept extraction system

Monitoring

wells along 

Racoon Creek
26

Legacy material removal and demolition activities were 

completed in FY 2012 at several ORNL facilities. These contaminated 

non-reactor facilities are surplus buildings, some dating from the 

original Manhattan Project, that were no longer needed. 

As part of the 34 Buildings D&D Project, legacy material was 

removed from more than 32,000 ft2 of facility space, and a total of 

115,600 ft2

 of building space was demolished and the demolition 

debris disposed. The 34 buildings, located in the busy central 

campus portion of ORNL, were safely and successfully demolished 

without impacting adjacent laboratory facilities. This project has 

eliminated the risk associated with these unused facilities and 

will allow re-use of the area to support ORNL’s ongoing and future 

research activities.

Several unneeded ORNL facilities demolished

Unnecessary structures that were 

demolished at ORNL include Building 

3504 (above), Building 3550 (left), 

and the 3085 tanks (below).
27

Y-12 National Security Complex

The Y-12 National Security Complex is a premier manufacturing facility dedicated 

to making our nation and the world a safer place. The Y-12 Complex helps ensure a 

safe and reliable U.S. nuclear weapons deterrent. The site also retrieves and stores 

nuclear materials, fuels the nation’s naval reactors, and performs complementary 

highly skilled, specialized manufacturing work for other government and privatesector entities. 

27
28

The excavated soil from the Old Salvage Yard at Y-12 was characterized, profiled, and disposed in FY 2012. Approximately 988 yds3 of 

contaminated soils and miscellaneous debris were disposed at EMWMF. Site restoration was completed for remediated and non-remediation areas.

Scrap removal in the Old Salvage Yard at Y-12, which began in 2010, was completed in 2011. Workers removed approximately 31,000 

yds3 of radioactively contaminated scrap metal in five large open piles, and 1,087 containers of radioactive scrap metal. Several large pieces 

of equipment and machinery were also included in the scope.

Scrap removal allowed access to 

subsurface soil, and the Old Salvage Yard 

Scrap Removal Project received additional funding from ARRA in August 2010 for 

soil characterization. 

Soil characterization data and 

groundwater modeling indicated soil 

remediation was required at the former 

Drum Deheader area. 

A remedial action was taken to 

remove contaminated soil that could 

contribute to future groundwater contamination. A 50-ft by 50-ft area was excavated to a depth of five feet to remove 

sufficient volatile organic compound 

concentration to mitigate the impact. The 

excavated area was then backfilled. 

Old Salvage Yard after scrap removal

Old Salvage Yard East before scrap removal

Old Salvage Yard soil characterized, disposed
29

Storm drain material disposal completed

Cleanup and repair of storm sewers in the West End Mercury 

Area was initiated in FY 2009. The initial phase, videotaping the 

storm sewer system, was completed and the videotape evaluated. 

The storm sewers consist of more than 20,000 linear feet of 

pipe, which were inspected by a track-mounted video camera. 

An engineering study was completed in 2009 that documented 

the results of the camera survey and the extent of remediation 

required, as the pipes are a known mercury pathway to Upper East 

Fork Poplar Creek (UEFPC).

Cleaning and lining of storm sewers in UEFPC were completed 

in September 2011. More than 8,000 linear feet of storm sewer 

were cleaned, and approximately 1,200 linear feet were lined. 

Final closure documentation was submission of the D1 version of 

the Phased Construction Completion Report for the storm sewer 

remediation project to EPA and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) on Jan. 4, 2012. Their comments 

were received in March 2012. A revised D2 version of the Phased 

Construction Completion Report was submitted to the regulators 

in May 2012, and their approval was received in August 2012.

The cleanout project generated 518,000 gallons of wastewater, 

16,980 yd3

 of solid wastes, and 54 pounds of elemental mercury 

that were properly treated and disposed. 

Personnel prepare to insert a vacuum line into the storm sewer basin
30

Alpha 5 (Building 9201-5) is the largest building at Y-12, 

measuring 613,642 ft2

.

Previously completed work scope for the project included removal and disposal of legacy materials from the building (floors 

1 through 4). Legacy materials were defined as those being easily removed and involving minimal reconfiguration efforts (e.g., 

unbolting, unplugging, wire cutting, cold cutting). The building 

was organized into 82 units, and legacy material was present 

in 67 of the units located on four floors. The building was completely emptied of its legacy materials, and those materials were 

appropriately disposed at on-site and off-site facilities. Approximately 464,000 ft3

 of legacy waste was disposed.

In FY 2012, characterization of building materials and 

equipment that was physically connected to the building was 

completed. This effort was a critical necessary step in preparation 

for the eventual deactivation and decommissioning of the building. The final Characterization Report was completed in January 

2012.

Alpha 5 characterization work performed

Mercury reduction, characterization, and

planning efforts under way at Y-12

Exposure Unit 9

An 11.7-acre Exposure Unit (EU) 9 at the Y-12 

National Security Complex was addressed in FY 

2012. 

This project included characterization of the 

EU and development of a Remedial Design Report 

(RDR) that had an FFA milestone of Sept. 30, 2012. 

The characterization strategy followed the UEFPC 

Remedial Action Work Plan (RAWP) and included 

radiation walkover surveys and soil sampling and 

analyses. The goal was to identify contaminants 

exceeding industrial worker remediation limits 

and contaminants that were a threat to surface 

and groundwater below 2 feet. 

Characterization results were presented in a 

Technical Memorandum and indicated that a remedial action is required in the former 81-10 Area for protection of 

the industrial work force. The proposed remedial action is excavation of a 45-ft by 70-ft by 2-ft deep area with an estimated volume 

of 6,300 ft3

 of soil in the remedial action boundary. An RDR detailing 

the method of accomplishment, waste management, and waste 

disposition was prepared and submitted to EPA and TDEC ahead of 

the FFA milestone. 

Mercury Reduction Planning and Remediation Projects

The Mercury Reduction Project was initiated in FY 2012 to facilitate reduction and lessened mobility of mercury at Y-12. 

Subprojects under the Mercury Reduction Project included 

Outfall 200 Conceptual Design, Secondary Pathways, Free Mercury 

Recovery, Mercury Soils Treatability Study, and Disposal of Five 

Tanks. Physical actions on The Mercury Reduction Project began in 

May 2012. Efforts will continue into Fiscal Year 2013.

Workers prepare a soil sample for containerization at Exposure Unit 9 
31

Five Tank Remediation Project 

A tank removal project was initiated to remove five tanks used for 

mercury-related activities at Y-12. 

These tanks were removed from 

service in the 1980s. Characterization was completed along with the 

necessary documentation needed 

for disposal of these tanks. Based on 

characterization results, two tanks 

will be sent to the sanitary landfill at 

Y-12. Three tanks will be transported 

to Materials and Energy Corporation 

for residual removals of tank contents 

and size reduction of the tanks. After 

size reduction, the tank residuals and 

debris will be disposed. Disposal of 

each tank will take place in FY 2013.

Outfall 200 Conceptual Design Project

Outfall 200 is the major outfall at which mercury entrained 

with storm sewer effluents discharges into UEFPC. 

During FY 2012, a treatability study and conceptual design 

were begun to remove mercury and decrease discharge of mercury 

at Outfall 200. Samples were collected from Outfall 200 A6, Outfall 169, Outfall 163, and Outfall 150. Collected samples of storm 

water effluent and grit from the bottom of the storm sewers were 

analyzed for constituents of concern and subjected to treatability 

analysis for removal of suspended solids and mercury. A draft alternatives analysis was performed for an Outfall 200 treatment system, and a conceptual design based on the alternatives was started. 

The conceptual design is expected to be completed in FY 2013.

Mercury Removal Projects

Free mercury is free phase elemental mercury. The Mercury Recovery Project designed and installed innovative passive free mercury recovery traps at locations upstream 

of outfalls 150, 160, 163, and 169. The 

traps will collect free mercury, and Y-12 

personnel will remove that mercury from 

the traps. As part of the Free Mercury Recovery Project, Y-12 began collecting free 

mercury from storm sewer structures and 

removed approximately 20 pounds of 

mercury from the storm sewers since August 2012. Free Mercury Recovery Project 

completed design and began procurements for a decanting facility necessary 

to separate mercury from co-collected 

gravel and water, and potential amalgamation of collected free mercury for disposal purposes. 

Trapping and removing free mercury 

from the storm sewers will benefit UEFPC 

by removing free mercury from the storm 

Worker prepare the five tanks used for mercury-related activities for shipping

 A junction box floor is being prepared to receive a mercury trap
32

sewers before that mercury is discharged into UEFPC. 

Mercury Contaminated Soils 

Treatability Study

A treatability study for mercury-contaminated Y-12 soils started 

in FY 2012. The treatability study 

was initiated to define treatment 

options and available disposal options for Y-12 soils contaminated 

with mercury. Mercury-contaminated soil samples from EU-9 were 

shipped to three laboratories for 

treatment. In addition, the treatability study began identifying 

post-treatment disposal pathway 

and regulatory requirements for the 

soils. 

Each of the laboratories used a 

different treatment methodology for stabilizing mercury in the soil 

matrix to ensure the mercury could not leach out of the soil. If the 

study proves successful and is approved by the EPA and TDEC, treated soils may be disposed of in an environmentally sound method at 

a lower cost than is currently possible for disposal of untreated soils. 

A mercury-contaminated soils treatability study report will be produced that captures the results of all of these activities in FY 2013.

Secondary Pathways 

An evaluation of mercury pathways of direct discharge points 

and/or structural factors that mobilize soil movement was conducted in the immediate vicinity of Alpha 4 (9201-4), Alpha 5 (9201-5), 

and Beta 4 (9204-4). Drains that could potentially discharge to soils 

were inspected. 

Designs were completed to retrofit selected building drains 

with mercury collection devices prior to building drain discharge 

to the storm sewer system. Additionally, designs for installation of 

impervious surfaces and direct drainage to the storm sewer system 

were completed. 

Installation of impervious surfaces at Alpha 4 and Alpha 5 

will be completed in FY 2013. The impervious surfaces will prevent 

percolation of water through the mercury-contaminated soils and 

direct rain water to the storm sewer system.

The Beta 3 Legacy Material Disposition project work 

scope included completing the refurbishment of 36 glove 

boxes, 4 Plexiglas enclosures, and associated ventilation 

systems to maintain and ensure containment capability 

within the facility Actinide Lab area. 

Debris stored and accumulated within the glove 

boxes was characterized, removed, packaged, and 

disposed as either low-level radioactive waste, mixed 

low-level waste, or transuranic waste. Following removal 

of the debris, the Hazard Analysis for the facility was 

re-evaluated, resulting in a revised Hazard Assessment 

Document and lower hazard category, which will reduce 

the long-term surveillance and maintenance costs for 

the facility. A completion report documenting the work 

performed was prepared, submitted, and approved in FY 

2012.

Beta 3 disposition

work completed

Workers excavate prior to placement of a new storm sewer catch basin behind 9201-5
33

Waste Management

Wastes on the Oak Ridge Reservation are being disposed in a variety of ways. 

Much of the waste is going into the on-site Environmental Management Waste 

Management Facility. Wastewater is treated at the Central Neutralization 

Facility at ETTP and the Process Waste Treatment Complex at ORNL. 

33
34

Wastes disposed at Oak Ridge Reservation landfills

Much of the waste generated during FY 2012 cleanup activities was disposed at facilities on the Oak Ridge Reservation.

EMWMF, located in east Bear Creek Valley near the Y-12 

Complex, received 16,660 truckloads of waste, accounting for approximately 185,000 tons during FY 2012. This engineered landfill 

consists of six disposal cells and accepts low-level radioactive and 

hazardous waste that meets specific waste acceptance criteria. 

Waste types that qualify for disposal include soil, dried sludge 

and sediment, solidified wastes, stabilized waste, building debris, 

scrap equipment, and personal protective equipment.

EMWMF operations collected, analyzed, and dispositioned 

approximately 5.59 million gallons of leachate at the ORNL Liquid/

Gaseous Waste Operations Facility in FY 2012. No contact water required treatment in FY 2012. An additional 16.5 million gallons of 

contact water was collected, analyzed, and released to the storm 

water retention basin after determining that it met the release 

criteria. Operating practices also effectively controlled site erosion 

and sediment.

Projects that disposed of waste at EMWMF during FY 2012 include the K-25 Building Demolition Project; K-33 Building Demolition Project; ETTP Decontamination and Decommissioning Project, 

including the K-1070-B Burial Ground; Y-12 Old Salvage Yard; Alpha 

5; and several ORNL demolition projects.

DOE also operates solid waste disposal facilities called the Oak 

Ridge Reservation Landfills, which are located near the Y-12 Complex. 

The Oak Ridge Reservation Landfills are engineered facilities 

used for the disposal of sanitary, industrial, construction, and demolition waste. In FY 2012, approximately 44,351 yd3

 of industrial 

wastes and construction/demolition debris were disposed in the 

landfill. 

Operation of the Oak Ridge Reservation Landfills generated 

approximately 1.166 million gallons of leachate that was collected, 

monitored, and discharged into the Y-12 Complex sanitary sewer 

system. The Y-12 Complex sanitary sewer system discharges to the 

Oak Ridge sewer system under an industrial sewer user permit. 

Environmental Management Waste Management Facility
35

The existing on-site disposal facility for low-level, mixed, and 

classified waste, EMWMF, is predicted to reach capacity before all 

ORR cleanup waste has been generated and disposed. In order to 

evaluate alternatives for disposal of future cleanup waste, DOE 

issued a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study report in September 2012. Following regulator review and approval, the report 

will serve as the initial document supporting DOE’s selection of a 

preferred alternative for waste disposal post-EMWMF. Similar to 

a previous study completed for the EMWMF, the report analyzes 

three alternatives:

•	 The no action alternative provides a benchmark for comparison with the action alternatives. Under the no action alternative, no coordinated ORR-wide strategy to manage wastes 

generated by future CERCLA actions would be implemented.

•	 The on-site disposal alternative would provide consolidated 

disposal of most future-generated CERCLA waste in a newlyconstructed, engineered facility referred to as the Environmental Management Disposal Facility (EMDF). 

•	 Under the off-site disposal alternative, future CERCLA waste 

would be transported off-site for disposal in approved disposal 

facilities in Nevada and Utah, primarily by rail. 

The RI/FS report concludes that both the on-site and off-site 

disposal alternatives would be protective of human health and the 

environment long-term by disposal of waste in a landfill designed 

for site-specific conditions. 

The off-site disposal alternative could isolate the wastes more 

effectively due to the arid climate and fewer receptors at facilities in 

western states. While the on-site disposal alternative would require 

permanent commitment of additional ORR land for waste disposal 

and would impact environmental resources, it would be less costly 

and provide a greater level of certainty that long-term disposal capacity would be available. 

Planning under way for new on-site disposal facility

EMWMF is expected to reach full capacity before cleanup 

work is completed, necessitating a new on-site facility
36

The DOE Oak Ridge Reservation, which includes ETTP, the 

Y-12 Complex, and ORNL, is surrounded by approximately 20,100 

acres of mostly wooded parcels. These buffer parcels have littleto-no process-related history and are considered uncontaminated. 

However, with the listing of the Reservation on the National 

Priorities List (a listing of the country’s most contaminated sites) 

in 1989, the natural assumption was that all the property was 

contaminated. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has since 

clarified that NPL sites are not based on property boundaries, but 

rather the areas of contamination. 

Beginning in 2008, the DOE Oak Ridge Office initiated a process 

to achieve Federal Facility Agreement (FFA) party consensus that 

the buffer parcels require no further investigation and to modify 

the FFA appendices to better represent the known contaminated 

areas constituting the NPL site. Oak Ridge Associated Universities 

was contracted to complete the verification activities (initiated in 

the late 1990s as a footprint reduction project), including review 

of historical documents, sampling and analysis, risk analysis, and 

reporting of study results, with recommendations for no further 

investigation, where appropriate. 

The first Environmental Baseline Survey Report addressing five 

parcels around ETTP (approximately 4,600 acres) was submitted to 

the FFA parties in September 2011, and regulator comments were 

received in 2012. 

The second Environmental Baseline Survey Report addressing 

fourteen parcels around ORNL and the Y-12 Complex (approximately 

15,500 acres) was submitted to the FFA parties in September 2012. 

Based on the recommendations included in these reports, a 

total of 19,300 acres could be approved for no further investigation.

Uncontaminated Oak Ridge Reservation sites

identified for removal from National Priorities List

Environmental sampling helps identify which Reservation locations are not contaminated
37

The Central Neutralization Facility is ETTP’s primary wastewater treatment facility and has processed both hazardous and nonhazardous waste streams arising from multiple waste treatment 

facilities and remediation projects. 

The facility removes heavy metals and suspended solids from 

the wastewater, adjusts pH, and discharges the treated effluent into 

the Clinch River. Sludge from the treatment facility is processed, 

packaged, and disposed off-site. 

The Central Neutralization Facility continued to operate on day 

shift only as the incoming wastewater has been greatly reduced 

over the historic volumes. The hexavalent chromium-contaminated 

groundwater, which is extracted to prevent discharge into Mitchell 

Branch, was treated at CNF until the Chromium Water Treatment 

System became operational in 2012. The facility also continued to 

treat wastewaters generated at the TSCA Incinerator as part of the 

closure activities. In FY 2013, the Central Neutralization Facility will 

Millions of gallons of wastewater treated

be shut down and transitioned to long-term surveillance and maintenance. 

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) at the 

Y-12 Complex treated 134 million gallons of contaminated ground/

sump water at the Groundwater Treatment Facility, the Central Mercury Treatment System, Big Springs Water Treatment System, and 

the East End Volatile Organic Compounds Treatment System. 

 The Big Springs Water Treatment System treated 116 million gallons of mercury-contaminated groundwater. The East End Volatile 

Organic Compound Treatment System treated 12 million gallons of 

VOC-contaminated groundwater. 

The West End Treatment Facility and the Central Pollution 

Control Facility at the Y-12 Complex processed 955,020 gallons of 

wastewater primarily in support of NNSA operational activities. 

 The Central Pollution Control Facility also down-blended more 

than 64,020 gallons of enriched wastewaters using legacy and 

newly generated uranium oxides from on-site storage.

Chromium Water Treatment System
38

TWPC treating transuranic waste for disposal

Transuranic radioactive waste, or TRU, is one of several types 

of waste handled on the Oak Ridge Reservation. Transuranic waste 

contains man-made elements heavier than uranium, such as 

plutonium, hence the name “trans,” or “beyond,” uranium. 

TRU waste material is generally associated with the human 

manipulation of fissionable material dating back to the Manhattan 

Project and primarily consists of clothing, tools, rags, residues, soil, 

and debris. 

The TRU Waste Processing Center’s (TWPC) function is to 

characterize and package TRU waste for transportation and 

disposition at DOE’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New 

Mexico, which provides permanent isolation and disposal in 

underground salt caverns. Any mixed low-level waste or low-level 

waste processed from the TRU waste inventory is prepared for 

compliant disposal at the Nevada National Security Site.

Two waste streams, contact-handled (CH) TRU solids and 

remote-handled (RH) TRU solids, are being processed at the TWPC. 

During FY 2012, the TWPC processed 64 m3

 of the RH-TRU waste, 

reaching a total of 193 m3 of processed RH waste. The TWPC also 

processed 169 m3

 of CH-TRU waste, reaching a total of 1,263 m3 of 

processed CH waste. During FY 2012, the TWPC shipped a total of 7 

m3 of original RH-TRU inventory, reaching a total of 51 m3 disposed. 

The TWPC also shipped 109 m3 of original CH-TRU waste inventory 

to disposal facilities in FY 2012, reaching a total of 876 m3

 disposed.

Processing of the final waste stream, RH sludge, is scheduled to 

begin in 2018.

TWPC crew members work on cask waste on a table that allows for immediate groundwater separation from wastes. 
39

Public Involvement

The public is involved in all cleanup decisions made by DOE. To keep the public informed, DOE provides information to the public through a variety of 

outlets, including fact sheets, public notices in newspapers, meetings, the 

monthly Public Involvement News newsletter, and other publications.

39
40

For almost two decades, Oak Ridge stakeholders have learned about the latest public involvement and other environmental 

management activities through the monthly newsletter, Public Involvement News. In FY 2012, major changes were made to the newsletter 

that has made it more efficient to produce and more informative to readers.

Instead of being distributed by hard copy, Public Involvement News has become an electronic publication. DOE worked with UCOR, 

which produces the newsletter, to develop a plan for converting the publication. Elimination of printing and mailing costs saves about 

$24,000 of taxpayers’ money each year.

Because the publication is electronic, concerns about including color photographs, which would have increased printing costs, were 

eliminated. Now the newsletter provides monthly visual updates of cleanup work in addition to written articles.

Notices were included in the final issues of the hard copy version to let readers know how to get on the mailing list for the newsletter, 

which is also available on the Web.

If you would like to be added to the distribution list, please send an email to wayne.mckinney@ettp.doe.gov and place in the subject 

line “Add to PIN distribution.” You may view the newsletter on-line at www.ucor.com/public_involvement_news.html.

Stakeholder newsletter undergoes changes 

40
41

White Paper Explaining Oak Ridge’s Environmental Cleanup Challenges 

In FY 2012, ORSSAB developed a white paper for the EM 

Program that outlined the complexities of cleaning up the contamination and hazardous waste on the ORR. The white paper, 

entitled ‘Balancing Environmental Management Challenges with 

the Complexity of the Oak Ridge Reservation,’ summarizes the issue succinctly for non-professionals and a wider audience beyond 

the Oak Ridge community. 

Some of the main reasons Oak Ridge was chosen as a Manhattan Project site—water supply, topography, nearby population centers for workforce—now present unique challenges for 

remediation and cleanup when coupled with other factors such as 

high rainfall and complex geology. The paper specifically discusses 

waste types, disposal methods, remediation technologies, geology, rainfall, hydrology, and nearby dense population centers. The 

paper concludes that these combined factors make the ORR the 

most complex cleanup site in the DOE complex.

ORSSAB provided the white paper to DOE to illustrate the 

unique technical and environmental challenges to consider during 

budgetary discussions. In addition, ORSSAB recommended that 

the white paper be used, as needed, by DOE in its efforts to keep 

the public informed of the cleanup challenges and progress at Oak 

Ridge. 

In its response to the paper, DOE said the paper “provides a 

concise assessment of the challenges associated with the environmental management mission of Oak Ridge. Concepts captured by 

the paper align with the rationale being advanced by Oak Ridge 

EM representatives for completion of ORR cleanup.”

ORSSAB provides input to DOE’s EM activities 

The Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board (ORSSAB) is a federally appointed citizens’ panel 

that provides independent advice and recommendations to DOE Oak Ridge Office’s EM Program. 

The board is composed of up to 22 members, who are chosen to reflect the diverse occupations, 

perspectives, and interests of people living near the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR).

Since 1995, ORSSAB has actively provided input to the DOE Oak Ridge EM Program on cleanup operations and stewardship of remediated areas and permanent waste disposal sites. The 

board continued that tradition in FY 2012. All of ORSSAB’s activities can be viewed by accessing 

the board’s website at www.oakridge.doe.gov/em/ssab/ .

Following are some of the board’s major contributions and activities for FY 2012.

Community Outreach

In FY 2012, ORSSAB achieved numerous successes engaging 

the public concerning Oak Ridge’s EM mission. Through monthly 

public board and committee meetings and various activities coordinated by its Public Outreach Committee, the board strives to 

provide meaningful opportunities for dialogue between EM and 

the surrounding communities.

A key accomplishment was the development of five new infomercials. These 30- and 60-second television spots were created 

to air as public service announcements on local channels, serve as 

introductory materials for the monthly meeting broadcast DVDs, 

and provide new content on the board’s Facebook and YouTube 

sites. The videos invite public participation and inform the public 

about ORSSAB’s work and EM activities on the ORR. The launch of 

the board’s Facebook and YouTube sites was an important addition 

to the outreach program. The sites provide a plethora of materials and information on the numerous ways the public can become 

involved with the board and the DOE Oak Ridge EM program.

A new interactive display for the ORSSAB exhibit was installed 

at the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge in 

2012. This colorful touch-screen kiosk focuses on waste management activities and challenges for the EM program and features 

five programs designed to engage the public: Building the Weapons Complex, Categorizing Nuclear Waste, The Lifespan of Nuclear 

Waste, Waste Management Challenges, and Transporting Radioactive Waste. The kiosk complements an already robust exhibit of 

touch-screen kiosks, displays, and posters that tell the Oak Ridge 

cleanup program story.
42

In addition to these activities, the board maintained an aggressive public outreach effort throughout the year that included 

participation in the Oak Ridge Earth Day festival, an ongoing 

program of advertisements and cable television broadcasts, and 

publication of the ORSSAB annual report and quarterly Advocate 

newsletters.

Recommendation on Fiscal 2014 DOE Oak Ridge EM Budget 

Request

Each year, the DOE’s Oak Ridge Office of EM develops a cleanup 

budget request to DOE EM Headquarters for the upcoming fiscal 

years, and Oak Ridge’s EM program always requests input from 

ORSSAB on these budget exercises.

In February 2012, members of ORSSAB’s EM Budget & Prioritization Committee learned of the DOE Oak Ridge EM Program’s nearterm cleanup goals:

•	 Continue demolition of Buildings K-25 and K-27 at East Tennessee Technology Park

•	 Remove half of the uranium-233 inventory at Oak Ridge 

National Laboratory and make final decisions on remaining 

nuclear material

•	 Continue processing transuranic debris and prepare for sludge 

processing

•	 Continue to identify ways to address mercury releases at Y-12 

National Security Complex, including characterizing potential 

sources and preparing facilities for decontamination and decommissioning

•	 Reduce risk posed by nuclear materials by removing excess 

materials, addressing sources of groundwater contamination, 

and demolishing facilities in and around the Oak 

Ridge National Laboratory Central Campus. 

In March, the committee met again with EPA 

and TDEC officials. They informed the committee 

that their agencies basically agree with DOE’s primary cleanup goals.

After reviewing DOE’s explanation for its priorities and hearing EPA’s and TDEC’s concurrence 

on those priorities, the committee drafted a recommendation on the budget request, which was 

passed by the board at its April meeting.

In its recommendation, the board said the 

cleanup strategies outlined by DOE could only be 

achieved with an FY 2014 funding of at least $420 

million. It said that anything less would achieve 

little and could result in penalties from EPA and 

TDEC for missed milestones. The board said it understood the climate of tight budgets, but it encouraged DOE to consider the effects of reducing risk to the Oak 

Ridge environment and the long-term cost savings by providing 

additional funding for the FY 2014 budget and subsequent allocations. 

The board said funding levels of $470 million to $500 million 

would allow DOE Oak Ridge to address mercury contamination in 

East Fork Poplar Creek and disposal of uranium-233 from Oak Ridge 

National Laboratory more quickly.

Recommendation to Automate Stewardship Verification 

Process for the Remediation Effectiveness Report

Each year, the DOE Oak Ridge Water Resources Restoration 

Program (WRRP) prepares the Remediation Effectiveness Report 

(RER) for the ORR. The RER is a document required by the Oak Ridge 

Federal Facility Agreement to assess the progress of remedial actions toward goals stated in CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act) decision documents 

and compares pre- and post-remedial conditions at cleaned up 

sites. 

At the June 2011 Stewardship Committee meeting, representatives of WRRP explained the steps involved in documenting 

the stewardship requirements for remediated areas with residual 

contamination. The process is a time-consuming, labor-intensive 

endeavor that requires input from multiple companies and organizations.

Currently, about 180 check sheets must be completed by facility managers across the ORR and compiled for the annual RER. As 

more sites on the reservation are remediated and incorporate stewardship requirements, the amount of documentation will increase 

ORSSAB’s new interactive display at the American Museum of Science and Energy
43

significantly. Because of the amount of documentation required 

to track CERCLA-required stewardship activities, the Stewardship 

Committee drafted a recommendation, which the board approved 

at its October 2011 meeting, suggesting that DOE explore ways to 

automate the stewardship tracking process. 

ORSSAB recommended that DOE pursue a solution for managing long-term stewardship information on the ORR. Without such 

a system, the process could become overwhelming using current 

methods. 

Automating these processes provides a more streamlined 

system for annual verification for the RER. It also allows for data 

summary reports to be generated and could be linked to the DOE 

geographic information system web site providing anyone online 

access to details of the long-term stewardship components on the 

reservation.

DOE is implementing such a system, called the Land Use Manager, which will be available for use in the next RER. It could also 

be used as a model at other DOE sites around the country. 

The ‘Wild West Tour’

With all of the cleanup activities under way on the ORR, a lot 

of waste is generated for disposal. Much of it stays in Oak Ridge in 

approved waste disposal facilities on the reservation. But some of it 

contains high contamination levels that must be disposed at facilities out west built especially for higher activity material. 

During ORSSAB meetings, discussions often involve talk about 

waste being ‘shipped out west,’ but that has little meaning unless 

the locations are actually seen. In March 2012, several board members traveled to locations where Oak Ridge’s higher activity waste 

is disposed. 

The group visited the Nevada National Security Site, which accepts low-level and mixed low-level waste. While in Nevada, the 

travelers were guests at the Nevada Site Specific Advisory Board 

meeting, where the discussion centered on receiving uranium-233 

waste, some of which originates from Oak Ridge, and on safe 

transfer of waste to the site. The ‘wild west’ tour finished with a 

visit 2,150 feet underground at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near 

Carlsbad, N.M. They saw how contact-handled and remote-hanSeveral ORSSAB members visited the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico in March 2012. Their hosts took them more than 2,000 

feet underground in an ancient salt bed to show them how transuranic wastes are permanently disposed.
44

dled transuranic waste is stored in caverns, or drifts, mined from 

an ancient salt bed. Oak Ridge sends both contact- and remotehandled waste to Carlsbad. 

Groundwater Researcher

For some time, ORSSAB’s EM Committee has been working 

to identify an independent researcher to study groundwater flow 

through fractured rock on the ORR. Understanding how groundwater flows would be useful in understanding how contamination on 

the reservation can make its way into groundwater and where the 

contamination may migrate.

Dan Goode, with the U.S. Geological Survey, a possible candidate to do the work, was invited to spend two days in Oak Ridge in 

August to become better acquainted with the ORR and its geologic 

characteristics. Goode, along with several members of the EM Committee and representatives of EPA and TDEC, visited several locations on and off the reservation.

Discussions among ORSSAB, DOE, EPA, and TDEC continue on a 

path forward for groundwater flow study.

ORSSAB EM Committee Chair Bob Hatcher, left, points out 

some geologic features to Dan Goode, U.S. Geological Survey. 

Dr. Hatcher is a Distinguished Scientist and Professor in the 

Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of 

Tennessee-Knoxville. Dr. Goode was invited to spend two days in 

Oak Ridge in August to become better acquainted with the ORR 

and its geologic characteristics.

ORSSAB members, pictured from left, front row: Fay Martin; Bob Hatcher; David Martin, Chair; and Dave Adler, DOE 

Liaison; second row: Robert Stansfield; Jan Hart; Alfreda Cook; Lisa Hagy; third row: Greg Paulus, Scott Stout, Corkie Staley; 

Connie Jones, EPA Liaison; Scott McKinney; fourth row: Donald Mei; Chuck Jensen, Secretary; Ross Landenberger, student 

representative; Tom Valunas; back row: John Owsley, TDEC Liaison; Jennifer Kasten; Melyssa Noe, DOE Federal Coordinator; 

Sam Yahr, student representative; Howard Holmes; Dave Hemelright, Vice Chair. 
45

The DOE Information Center is a one-stop information facility 

that maintains a collection of more than 46,000 documents involving 

environmental activities in Oak Ridge. 

The Center hosts various meetings, including the ORSSAB meetings, relevant to cleanup activities in Oak Ridge. Staff are available 

Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., to assist with your information needs. A web site is available for users to search for information 

at the Center. Go to www.oakridge.doe.gov and click on “Public Activities.” Select the “Online Catalog” to begin the search.

FY 2012 Stats

Average number of visitors per month 139

Number of public meetings held 81

Total citizen inquiries 877

Total number of documents at the center 46,355

 Total number of documents on-line 33,566

Visit the DOE Information Center on the Web at www.

oakridge.doe.gov/info_cntr

DOE Information Center

Phone: 865-241-4780

The DOE Information Center is located the Office of Scientific and 

Technical Information, Building 1916 – T1,

1 Science.Gov Way, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

DOE Information Center staff, seated from left, are Eva Butler 

and Michelle McMillan; standing, Wanda Joyce 
46

DOE Information Center

Office of Scientific and Technical Information

 Building 1916 – T1, 1 Science.Gov Way

Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830

Phone: (865) 241-4780

Fax: (865) 574-3521

E-mail: DOEIC@oro.doe.gov

Hours 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday – Friday

DOE Public Affairs Office

(865) 576-0885

DOE-ORO Public Information Line

1-800-382-6938

Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board

(865) 241-4583, (865) 241-4584

1-800-382-6938

Tennessee Department of Environment

and Conservation

(865) 481-0995

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Region IV

1-800-241-1754

Agency for Toxic Substances and

Disease Registry

1-888-422-8737

DOE Main Web Site www.energy.gov

DOE-ORO Home Page www.oakridge.doe.gov

DOE-ORO Environmental Management Program www.oakridge.doe.gov/external 

 (Click on “Programs,” then select 

“Environmental Management”)

Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board www.oakridge.doe.gov/em/ssab

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry www.atsdr.cdc.gov

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov/region4/

Tennessee Department of Environment www.state.tn.us/environment/

and Conservation

DOE Information Center www.oakridge.doe.gov/info_cntr

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act www.recovery.gov 

 www.energy.gov/recovery

Information Resources

Internet Sites
47

ARRA American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

CERCLA Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980

CH Contact-handled

CROET Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee

DOE U.S. Department of Energy

EM Environmental Management

EMWMF Environmental Management Waste Management Facility

EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

ETTP East Tennessee Technology Park

EU Exposure Unit 

FFS Focused Feasibility Study

FY Fiscal year

NNSA National Nuclear Security Administration

NPL National Priorities List

ORNL Oak Ridge National Laboratory

ORSSAB Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board

RDR Remedial Design Report

RER Remediation Effectiveness Report

RH Remote-handled

RI/FS Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study

ROD Record of Decision

SWSA Solid Waste Storage Area

TDEC Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation

TRU Transuranic

TSCA Toxic Substances Control Act

TWPC Transuranic Waste Processing Center

UEFPC Upper East Fork Poplar Creek

VOC Volatile organic compound

Commonly Used Acronyms
48

CERCLA: The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 established prohibitions and requirements 

concerning closed and abandoned hazardous waste sites, provided for liability of persons responsible for hazardous waste releases at these 

sites, and established a trust fund to provide cleanup when no responsible party could be identified. The law authorizes two kinds of response actions: short-term removals, where actions may be taken to address releases or threatened releases requiring prompt response, 

and long-term remedial actions, which permanently and significantly reduce the dangers associated with releases or threats of releases. 

Long-term actions can be conducted at sites on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) National Priorities List, a listing of the nation’s 

most hazardous waste sites. The Oak Ridge Reservation was added to that list in 1989. 

Environmental Management Waste Management Facility: The Record of Decision for the Disposal of Oak Ridge Reservation 

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 Waste, Oak Ridge, Tennessee was issued in 1999 to 

construct a dedicated disposal facility on the Reservation to receive low-level radioactive waste, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act 

hazardous waste, Toxic Substances Control Act waste, and mixed wastes generated from cleanup programs conducted under CERCLA. While 

the ROD did not establish a formal name for this facility, it has been designated as the Environmental Management Waste Management 

Facility.

Federal Facility Agreement: Cleanup activities are performed in accordance with state and federal laws, and CERCLA requires an interagency agreement to facilitate the interaction between state and federal entities (for the DOE Oak Ridge Office, that would be DOE, EPA, and 

the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation). The Federal Facility Agreement for Oak Ridge was initiated in January 1992 

to satisfy the interagency agreement requirement.

Record of Decision: Under the CERCLA process, a Record of Decision formally documents the selection of a preferred cleanup method at 

Superfund sites after a series of steps, including a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study. After a preferred cleanup alternative is selected, 

it is presented to the public for comment in a Proposed Plan. EPA, the state, and the lead agency then select a remedy and document it in 

the Record of Decision.

Removal Actions: Some cleanup activities on the Oak Ridge Reservation are conducted as Removal Actions under CERCLA. These actions 

provide an important method for moving sites more quickly through the CERCLA process. When a site presents a relatively time-sensitive, 

non-complex problem that can and should be addressed, a Removal Action would be warranted.

Commonly Used Terms
49
50

For more information, please contact the DOE Public Affairs Office

at (865) 576-0885 or 1-800-382-6938.