1

DOE/ORO/2313

FY 2010

Progress

Cleanup

Annual Report

to the Oak Ridge Community

DOE/ORO/2365
2

This report was produced by 

Bechtel Jacobs Company LLC, 

DOE’s Environmental Management 

Contractor for the Oak Ridge Reservation.
1

Message from the Manager

Department of Energy Oak Ridge Office

To the Oak Ridge Community: 

Fiscal Year 2010 has been an extremely busy year for our Environmental Management (EM) program in Oak 

Ridge. We obligated all of the $755 million we received through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 

(ARRA), and we completed other projects critical to the environmental health of our community. The past year has 

been filled with notable successes, and we are excited for the coming year as we build on our recent achievements and 

prepare to face the challenges we encounter every year.

Needless to say, we spent much of our resources this year on the 36 EM projects funded through ARRA. This 

influx of funds has allowed us to get a jump start on the critical environmental cleanup work here, and we are 

noticing visible changes to the landscape of the Reservation. We are ridding parts of the Y-12 Complex and Oak 

Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) of unneeded facilities, allowing for access 

to soil contamination and clearing the way for future growth and development. 

At ORNL, Building 3026 and the east portion of the 2000 complex have 

been removed, and soon an additional 34 facilities will be demolished in areas 

across the Lab’s central campus. Additional funding is going to characterize 

contaminated soils and address known groundwater contamination sources, 

such as Tank W-1A and the SWSA 3 Burial Ground.

Y-12 and East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) have also benefited from 

EM’s ARRA funds. At Y-12, the last building on Engineering Row, Building 

9735, was demolished, and four of the seven buildings in the dilapidated 

Biology Complex are gone. At ETTP, work has begun on demolishing the 1.4 

million ft2 K-33 Building.

In addition to our ARRA projects, our base funded work continues as 

well. Demolition of the west wing of the K-25 Building is complete, and predemolition activities continue in the east wing and north tower. We are also in 

the midst of selecting the contractor who will complete significant portions of 

the environmental cleanup at ETTP.

Our Reindustrialization Program had notable achievements in FY 2010. 

The Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee has continued its 

effort to transform ETTP into a private sector industrial park. With this year’s construction of two new speculative 

buildings on transferred property, that vision is becoming more of a reality.

And most importantly, we have continued and strengthened our valuable relationships with all of our stakeholders 

and members of this wonderful community. We could not ask for a better partner than the people of Oak Ridge and 

the surrounding communities. The informed and educated input that you provide is truly appreciated, valued, and 

cannot be overstated. Specifically, I would like to thank the Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board for its continued 

advice and recommendations on our environmental cleanup activities. 

Due to the efforts of the dedicated employees from the Department of Energy and our contractors, we are successfully addressing vital projects while boosting employment and stimulating the regional economy. Though we’re 

extremely proud of the successes we have enjoyed this year, we have already turned our attention to the challenges we 

face moving forward. It is our promise that we will strive to stay intensely focused on accomplishing our work safely 

and will remain good stewards of the tax dollars we spend to do our work. Thank you again for your support. I look 

forward to another successful year.

Environmental Management

safety v performance v cleanup v closure

E

 M

1

Gerald Boyd
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Introduction.................................................................................................... 4

Commonly Used Terms............................................................................... 6

East Tennessee Technology Park.............................................. 7

K-25 Building West Wing Demolished ..................................................................................... 9 

ETTP Transformation Continues ............................................................................................10

Contaminated Surface Water, Groundwater at ETTP Addressed........................................12

Soil Remediation Activities Continue at K-770 Scrapyard, K-1070-B Burial Ground .....14

Reindustrialization Program Continues Effort to Privatize ETTP......................................15

Oak Ridge National Laboratory...................................................17

Bethel Valley Non-Reactor Facilities Cleanup Activities Progressing.................................19

Demolition Completed at 3026 C&D......................................................................................20

Tank W-1A Removal Under Way.............................................................................................22 

Six Facilities in the 2000 Complex Demolished in First Phase ............................................23

SWSA 1 Remediation at Bethel Valley Burial Grounds Completed....................................24

Design Being Prepared to Process Large U-233 Inventory at ORNL..................................25

Soils, Sediment to be Remediated............................................................................................26

Bethel Valley Groundwater Addressed....................................................................................27

Monitoring Wells Checking for Potential Off-Site Contamination.....................................28

Contents

Page 13 Page 21
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Y-12 National Security Complex .................................................29

UEFPC Remediation Under Way.............................................................................................30 

Scrap Removed from Old Salvage Yard...................................................................................31

ARRA-Funded Removal Actions Ongoing at Y-12 ...............................................................32

81-10 Area Being Characterized ..............................................................................................34 

Waste Management.........................................................................................35

TSCA Incinerator Permanently Shut Down After Operating 19 Years...............................36 

Generated Wastes Disposed at Oak Ridge Reservation Landfills........................................37

Waste Disposal Facilities Expand.............................................................................................38 

Alternative Reservation Disposal Sites Being Explored for Future Waste..........................40

TRU Waste Treatment Continues............................................................................................41

Millions of Gallons of Wastewater Treated at Reservation Facilities ..................................42

 

Public Involvement.........................................................................................43

Public Involvement Plan Updated............................................................................................44

ORSSAB Stays Busy with Various Activities, Recommendations........................................45

Public Involved in Various Decisions Affecting the Oak Ridge Reservation.....................49 

DOE Information Center..........................................................................................................50

Information Resources .............................................................................51

Commonly Used Acronyms................................................................52

Page 26 Page 49
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Introduction

Because of past waste disposal practices and unintentional releases, portions of land and facilities on 

the 33,750-acre DOE Oak Ridge Reservation are contaminated with radioactive elements, mercury, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, and industrial wastes. 

Several cleanup programs are under way to correct the 

contamination remaining from years of energy research 

and weapons production.

The Environmental Management (EM) Program is 

responsible for Reservation cleanup. 

The contaminated portions of the Reservation, as 

well as certain impacted areas off 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 (CERCLA). Efforts are under way 

EMWMF Cell 5 expansion activities

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.

In FY 2010 (October 1, 2009, to September 30, 

2010), cleanup efforts were under way at all three sites 

on the Reservation. At East Tennessee Technology Park 

(ETTP), the west wing of the massive K-25 Building was 

demolished and all debris removed. Work continued on 

preparing the rest of the building for demolition. This 

former gaseous diffusion building is the largest facility 

on the Reservation. Workers also prepared two additional gaseous diffusion buildings—the K-27 and K-33 

buildings—for demolition. 

Several other cleanup projects took place in FY 2010 

at ETTP, including remediation of contaminated ponds, 

demolition of various facilities, and soil remediation at 
5

contaminated disposal sites. DOE’s goal for ETTP 

is to transform the site into a private industrial 

park, and great strides were made in FY 2010 to 

achieve that goal. Several roads as well as the electrical distribution system were turned over to the 

City of Oak Ridge. Land parcels were also transferred, and two speculative buildings for prospective new private industry tenants were built.

At Oak Ridge National Laboratory, buildings 

that posed worker and environmental concerns 

were demolished, characterization efforts were 

initiated to identify soil and sediment contamination, and waste storage area remediation efforts 

were under way or completed.

At Y-12, legacy waste removal and demolition of facilities were top priorities. Much progress was also made on removal of scrap from the 

Old Salvage Yard in FY 2010. 

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.

ARRA was signed into law in February 2009. 

A direct response to the economic crisis, ARRA 

was designed to:

•	 create new jobs as well as save existing ones,

•	 spur economic activity and invest in longterm economic growth, and

•	 foster unprecedented levels of accountability

and transparency in government spending.

You can track the status of all ARRA funding, including the DOE Oak Ridge projects, on 

the Web site www.recovery.gov.

5

ARRA funding is being used by various projects across the Oak 

Ridge Reservation. All projects in this publication using ARRA 

funding are denoted with the symbol at left.

ETTP pond barrier repair

K-33 tie line isolation
66

RmA

ROD

FFA

EMWMF

CERCLA 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. Longterm 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
7

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 

site 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 currently the major activities at the site.

7

East Tennessee Technology Park

7
88
9

K-25 Building

West Wing

Demolished

The west wing of the K-25 Building has 

been demolished, and debris from the demolition has been removed from the site.

The K-25 Building, built during the Manhattan Project, occupied approximately 40 

acres and contained more than 3,000 stages 

of gaseous diffusion and associated auxiliary 

equipment. Each stage consists of a converter, 

two compressors, two compressor motors, and 

associated piping. 

Most of the demolition debris has been 

shipped to the Environmental Management 

Waste Management Facility (EMWMF), a Reservation disposal facility built near the Y-12 

National Security Complex to handle waste 

from CERCLA cleanup activities.

Pre-demolition activities continued in the 

east wing, including the removal of high-risk 

equipment. Workers also continued performing vent, purge, drain, and inspection activities; asbestos removal; and draining of lubrication oil and coolant from the process system in 

both the east and north wings.

Measures were previously taken to improve the safety of workers inside the facility, 

including the installation of nets and barriers 

to add protection from falling debris.

9
10

More than 220 facilities at ETTP have been demolished during the past several years as the site is being 

transformed to a private sector industrial park. Except 

for a select few, most buildings at the former gaseous 

diffusion plant are slated for demolition. 

The facilities that remain will be transferred to private sector organizations under the Reindustrialization 

Program. 

Reindustrialization

In FY 2010, two facilities and two land parcels at 

the former gaseous diffusion plant were transferred for 

private sector use, bringing the total transfers at the 

site to eleven facilities (which include some complexes 

of multiple small buildings) and seven land parcels. 

Two speculative buildings were constructed under the 

Reindustrialization Program near the K-1007 Building. 

Demolition Projects

In addition to demolishing the K-25 Building west 

wing, workers have been preparing two other gaseous 

diffusion buildings for demolition: K-27 and K-33. 

The K-27 Building is similar to the K-25 Building in 

terms of process and is approximately 900 ft long, 400 ft 

wide, and 58 ft in height. Pre-demolition work that has 

been completed includes removal of asbestos, hazardous material, and loose material, and draining of lubrication oil and coolant.

DOE has awarded a contract for the demolition of 

the K-33 Building. One of the last steps necessary before 

demolition begins—isolation of the tie line connecting 

that building to the K-31 Building—was completed.

Also in FY 2010, six low-risk/low-complexity facilities were demolished.

National Priorities List Boundary

Final data were collected in FY 2010 to characterize 

five parcels surrounding ETTP in order to determine if 

these parcels can be removed from the National Priorities List site boundary, which encompasses the contaminated sites on the Reservation. The entire Reservation 

was originally placed on the National Priorities List, but 

EPA has since clarified that listed sites are based on contaminated areas, not property boundaries.

ETTP Transformation Continues 

Workers complete the final steps in isolating the tie line that connected the K-33 Building to the K-31 Building
11

ETTP Cleanup At a Glance*

Facilities demolished 224 

UF6 cylinders removed 7,000 

Waste removed from site 1 million yd3 of waste

Total area remediated 2.11 million ft2

*Totals since cleanup operations began

East Tennessee Technology Park

=Demolished = Leased/transferred = Demolition ready
12

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

2010. 

Pond Restoration

Fish removal, recontouring, and revegetation 

were completed at the ETTP P1 Pond (located next to 

Building K-1007).

Fish removal was also conducted in two additional 

ETTP ponds located adjacent to Highway 58, with 

approximately 8.5 tons of fish recovered from all three. 

Removal of the fish was necessary because the species 

that were in the ponds would stir the contaminated 

sediment at the bottom of the ponds. 

The pond was restocked with fish species that are 

less likely to stir the pond sediment. Barriers were 

placed to prevent fish from migrating into the pond 

from Poplar Creek.

The fish barrier was damaged during FY 2010 after 

a severe weather event. Undesirable fish that reentered 

the pond were removed, and the fish barrier was 

repaired. 

Releases to Mitchell Branch

In FY 2010, DOE approved a non-time-critical 

Removal Action for a long-term solution to the release 

of hexavalent chromium into Mitchell Branch. The 

Removal Action Work Plan and conceptual design 

Contaminated Surface Water,

Groundwater at ETTP Addressed

Workers repair a fish barrier at the ETTP P1 Pond to prevent fish from migrating into the pond from Poplar Creek
13

were completed in FY 2010. DOE had previously 

approved a time-critical Action Memorandum to 

address releases of hexavalent chromium from an 

unknown source to Mitchell Branch in FY 2007. 

These releases were affecting the ambient 

water quality. In response, DOE completed a timecritical Removal Action to extract and dispose the 

contaminated groundwater.

Since completion of the Removal Actions, the 

concentration of chromium in Mitchell Branch has 

been reduced to ambient water quality. 

Groundwater Treatability Study

A two-phase groundwater treatability study at 

ETTP began in FY 2009 to support selection of a 

sitewide groundwater remedy. 

The purpose of the study was to determine 

the feasibility of in situ treatment technologies to 

restore the groundwater. Two in situ technologies 

have been identified as possibilities, and one or 

both may be suitable: thermal conductive heating 

and biological treatment. 

The purpose of the first phase of the study 

was to characterize and delineate suspected areas 

of solvent contamination. Seven boreholes were 

installed to depths of 110 to 160 feet below ground 

surface in FY 2009. 

In FY 2010, Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid 

(DNAPL) was detected in one of the boreholes in 

the vicinity of the former K-1401 Vapor Degreasing 

Tank. DNAPLs are a group of organic substances 

that are relatively insoluble in water and more 

dense than water. Seven additional boreholes were 

installed to further delineate the lateral extent of 

DNAPL contamination.

A workshop was held in September 2010 to 

review the data and select a technology for a Phase 

II Pilot Field Study. The workshop concluded that 

in situ thermal treatment may be appropriate for 

DNAPL treatment in the weathered bedrock zone, 

that in situ thermal or biological treatment may be 

appropriate for treatment of the unconsolidated 

zone, and that a waiver may be appropriate for the 

deep bedrock zone. The objective of the study is to 

determine if these technologies would be effective 

in reducing the mass of contamination in the 

groundwater and reducing the risk of exposure to 

human health and the environment.

A liner impregnated with indicator chemicals was inserted in boreholes to determine the presence of DNAPLs. The 

purple stain indicates that DNAPLs contacted the liner.

Workers scan drill corings to detect contaminants
14

The soil at ETTP is to be remediated to a level that 

protects a future industrial work force and the underlying groundwater. Records of Decision (RODs), which 

detail the selected cleanup methods, are in place that 

address soil, slabs, subsurface structures, and burial 

grounds for both zones. 

The Zone 1 Interim ROD was signed in November 

2002 and covers the 1,400-acre area surrounding ETTP 

outside the main plant perimeter. The Zone 2 ROD was 

signed in April 2005 and covers the 800 acres in the 

main plant area. 

Remediation of contaminated soil continued at the 

K-770 Scrapyard, and approximately 97,000 yd3 of soil 

has been shipped to EMWMF for disposal. Remediation 

of the K-770 Scrapyard was 99% complete at the end of 

FY 2010. 

Work was initiated in FY 2010 to prepare a Zone 1 

Final ROD that will address groundwater and ecological protection. Field work on that project will be initiated in FY 2011.

In Zone 2, work in Exposure Units (EUs) 31 and 32 

was completed, and remediation of the K-1070-B Burial 

Ground continued. EU 31 is in the center of ETTP and 

spans approximately 21 acres. A Phased Construction 

Completion Report (PCCR) was completed that documented the characterization of the EU, the remediation 

of the K-1035 slab and underlying soil, the removal of 

Soil Remediation Activities Continue 

at K-770, K-1070-B Burial Ground

Workers place straw on the remediated K-770 Scrapyard

A load of 

asbestoscontaminated 

soil from the 

K-770 Scrapyard 

is being covered 

in preparation 

for shipment to 

EMWMF

the K-1401 slab, and the backfilling of the K-1401 basement.

EU 32 also is in the center of ETTP and spans approximately 18.4 acres. A PCCR was prepared that 

documented the characterization of the EU and the 

remediation of the K-1066-G Yard, which consisted of 

the removal of equipment and material that was stored 

there.

Through the end of FY 2010, approximately 93,000 

yd3 were excavated from the K-1070-B Burial Ground. 

Excavation of the trenches was initiated, and the 

groundwater collection, filtering, and transfer system 

to the Central Neutralization Facility was installed. 
15

With the property and infrastructure transfers 

and upgrades in FY 2010, the DOE Oak Ridge Office 

Reindustrialization Program marked a turning point in 

realizing DOE’s vision to transform ETTP into a private 

sector business/industrial park. 

Approximately 145 contiguous acres, with supporting infrastructure located along Highway 58 at the 

front portion of ETTP, are available for economic development. Additional land areas at ETTP are in various 

stages of the transfer process, and utility infrastructure 

improvements continue to support expansion of ETTP.

In FY 2010, the Reindustrialization Program transferred Land Parcels ED-8 and K-792 Switchyard Complex (including Buildings K-796-A and K-791-B) to 

the Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee 

(CROET). 

DOE has now transferred ownership of approximately 170 acres of land (see chart on next page) and 

Reindustrialization Program

Continues Effort to Privatize ETTP

Ribbon cutting ceremony, featuring DOE and Oak Ridge city officials, for the new speculative buildings at ETTP

332,000 in building square footage at ETTP. These transfers have been made via a provision in CERCLA that allows for transfer of property for economic development 

purposes.

DOE transferred the Phase I Electrical Distribution 

System in February 2010 and several site roadways to 

the City of Oak Ridge in May and June 2010. The Phase 

I portion of the electrical system included all direct 

off-site main plant power lines. The roadway transition 

included 1.3 miles of roads at the main site entry and 

arterial roadways to provide public access to privately 

owned buildings at ETTP.

CROET completed construction of two speculative 

buildings and upgraded the fire protection systems in 

the privately owned buildings at ETTP, while the City 

constructed a new power line from their substation to 

serve the speculative buildings and the ED-5 East and 

West land parcels. 
16

Workers install new 

landscaping at the 

ETTP main entrance

Status of property transfers at ETTP
17

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has become 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 the 

Melton Valley Area was used for reactors and waste management.

17
18

A worker collects a waste 

characterization sample from the 

2061 Smoke Stack, a non-reactor 

facility slated for demolition 18
19

Bethel Valley Non-Reactor Facilities

Cleanup Activities Progressing

Startup activities were in progress in FY 2010 for demolition and legacy material removal at some of the nonreactor facilities in Bethel Valley at ORNL. These contaminated facilities are no longer needed and are slated for 

demolition.

A total of 34 buildings have been identified for immediate demolition using ARRA 

funding. This work will also involve removal of excess items, referred to as legacy materials, in these facilities. Legacy materials are items that require minimal effort (such as 

unbolting or unplugging) to remove from the buildings. Removing these items will 

reduce risk, allow access to underlying soil that may be contaminated, and facilitate 

site modernization. Asbestos abatement activities are under way at several of these 

facilities.

Cleanup will also include demolition and legacy material removal of Building 

3038, Building 2026, and the Building 3026 C&D Hot Cells (a wooden structure surrounding these cells was removed in FY 2010—see article on next page).

Workers open a cooling water pump system in preparation for characterizing the waste in Building 3103, one of the 

34 non-reactor facilities to be demolished
20

Demolition was completed on the wooden superstructure of one of the highest hazard excess facilities 

at ORNL—the 3026 C&D Radioisotope Development 

Laboratory. This building, one of the original Manhattan Project facilities, had a footprint of approximately 

24,000 ft2 and contained several hot cells and associated 

pipes and ducts that were highly contaminated.

The wooden structure in which the hot cells were 

located had deteriorated significantly over the years due 

to age and roof leaks. A roof failure in 2007 damaged 

the fire suppression sprinkler system, requiring it to be 

deactivated. This deactivation presented potential fire 

hazards to nearby facilities and the potential for contaminant release if a fire occurred in the facility. 

DOE determined that the resulting risks warranted 

implementing a time-critical Removal Action to remove the 3026 C&D wooden structure and stabilize the 

hot cells. 

Demolition Completed at 3026 C&D

The activities required to prepare for final demolition of the wooden superstructure included removal of 

asbestos-containing materials (floor tile, transite, thermal insulation); removal of certain hazardous materials, such as lead shielding, light 

bulbs, mercury switches, 

and oils; and removal 

of hot cell piping and 

ductwork. Required 

pre-demolition abatements were completed 

in November 2009.

Demolition and stabilization were completed 

in February 2010. More than 

160 shipments of building debris, representing 1.7 million pounds of waste, were sent to EMWMF. An additional 25 yd3

 of waste was processed and dispositioned 
21

Remaining 

hot cells with 

polyurea 

coating

3026 facility before 

demolition

via alternative pathways. Of special note was that for 

personnel safety, a portion of the building had to be demolished with friable asbestos in place. This required 

the use of supersacks for debris packaging. 

As a final step in this phase of the 3026 C&D work, 

the entire remaining hot cell structures and building 

slab were coated with polyurea. The polyurea’s properties of fast reactivity and relative insensitivity to moisture make it useful for large surface area projects, such 

as secondary containment and manhole and tunnel 

coatings. With this final stabilization coating in place, 

the 3026 C&D area was transitioned on September 23, 

2010, to DOE’s contractor responsible for removing the 

hot cells for this next phase of work.
22

A groundwater plume of contamination emanates 

from contaminated soil surrounding Tank W-1A in the 

central portion of ORNL and migrates to a nearby creek. 

The principal plume contaminants are strontium-90 

and uranium isotopes. Since late 1994, DOE has been 

implementing various actions to minimize the release 

of groundwater contaminants into First Creek. Final 

remediation of Tank W-1A had been on hold pending 

funding, but in 2009 the project received ARRA funds.

Planned remediation includes excavating, packaging, and transporting waste for disposal, as well as removing, size-reducing, containerizing, and transporting 

the concrete pad and tank supports and tank shell to the 

Nevada National Security Site. The project has completed installation of a weather enclosure in FY 2010, and 

field work is expected to be completed in Fall 2011. 

Additionally, soil sampling and characterization 

along a Tank W-1A feed pipeline to delineate the extent, 

Tank W-1A Removal Under Way

type, and concentration of contamination north of the 

Tank W-1A site has been completed. The data are being 

evaluated to determine the scope of the soils in this area 

that will be removed. 

Workers erect a tent structure 

over the Tank W-1A area

Weather enclosure

 nearing completion
23

Six facilities in the 2000 Complex at ORNL have 

been demolished. The complex, located in the northwest corner of the ORNL central campus, includes eight 

facilities and structures totaling 58,000 ft2.

The facilities were constructed in the late 1940s to 

support various ORNL research projects. They include 

Buildings 2000, 2001, and 2024, and their ancillary support facilities 2019, 2034, 2087, 2088, and 2092. The facilities were in severe disrepair and had been vacant for 

approximately six years. 

The specific hazards encountered in this facility 

complex include the extremely poor physical condition 

of the structures, constant flaking of PCB-containing 

paint, extensive quantities of friable and non-friable asbestos in restricted attic areas, and radiologically contaminated ductwork and fume hoods. DOE determined 

that the resulting risks warranted implementing a timecritical Removal Action. The demolition project was divided into two phases.

Six Facilities in the 2000 Complex 

Demolished in First Phase

In FY 2010, demolition of the first phase (2000 

Complex East) was completed. This phase consisted of 

the demolition of six buildings (2001, 2019, 2024, 2087, 

2088 and 2092) with a combined area of approximately 

35,000 ft2. Also in FY 2010, the contract was awarded, 

contractor mobilized, and hazardous material abatement commenced on the second and final phase (2000 

Complex West), which consists of the 2000 and 2034 

buildings with a combined area of 23,200 ft2. 

Fiscal Year 2010 Phase 1 demolition work resulted in 

278 shipments of building debris, representing 

more than 5700 yd3 of 

waste shipped to the 

Y-12 landfill and 75 

yd3 to EMWMF.

2000 Complex demolition activities
24

The Bethel Valley Burial Grounds Project includes 

capping of two solid waste storage areas: SWSA 1 in 

Central Bethel Valley and SWSA 3 in West Bethel Valley. 

Remediation of contaminated hot spots and placement 

of cover over disposal areas in the vicinity of the two 

SWSAs are also part of the project. 

The work in the vicinity of SWSA 1 was completed in 

October 2010. Capping of SWSA 1 involved placement 

of several layers of cap material to prevent migration of 

contaminants as a result of infiltration of water. SWSA 1 

is divided by a road that required reconstruction as part 

of the placement of the cap. 

Two disposal areas near SWSA 1—the Former Waste 

Pile Area and the Nonradioactive Wastewater Treatment 

Plant Debris Pile—were covered with additional soil and 

the area re-seeded during FY 2010. 

The work in the vicinity of SWSA 3 is ongoing. Workers have begun placing some of the miscellaneous debris 

recovered and generated during remedial action operations on SWSA 3. Workers have cleared vegetation in 

the area adjacent to SWSA 3 and the Closed Scrap Metal 

Area to construct the upgradient French drain. The areas 

SWSA 1 Remediation at Bethel Valley 

Burial Grounds Completed

around the adjacent Contractor’s Landfill East and West 

have been cleared, and placement of additional soil has 

also been initiated. Hot spots have been sampled, and 

the data are being evaluated. Ancillary activities include 

surveying, geophysical investigations, well investigations, well plugging and abandonment, and well installation. These ancillary activities have been completed in 

the vicinity of SWSA 1 and are ongoing in the vicinity of 

SWSA 3. 

Regulators have been notified of elements of the 

scope that varied significantly from what was prescribed 

in the Bethel Valley Record of Decision. These elements, 

detailed in a document called an “Explanation of Significant Differences,” include conducting characterization 

activities as pre-construction activities rather than as 

predesign or design activities, placing a RCRA-type cap 

over two large hot spots and a debris pile rather than excavating contaminated material, modifying the upgradient trench for effectiveness, and changing the future land 

use designation of certain areas from “Unrestricted” to 

“Recreational” because they will be under the RCRAtype cap. 

Placement of capping material at SWSA 1
25

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

currently stored in Building 3019A. 

U-233 is a special nuclear material 

that requires strict safeguards and 

security controls to protect against 

access. The U-233 Material Downblending and Disposition 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.

The U-233 Material Downblending and Disposition Project dismantled two facilities—Buildings 3136 

and 3074—in FY 2010 to allow for 

construction of an annex facility to 

Building 3019A at ORNL. The annex 

that is planned will be used to house 

drying and packaging operations. 

The dismantlement of the buildings was performed as a CERCLA 

Time-Critical Removal Action. 

Building 3136 was a wood framed 

structure with sheet metal siding. 

Constructed in 1984 and operated as 

a document storage facility the 600 

ft2 single story building was the first 

of two facilities to be dismantled. 

Building 3074 was constructed 

in 1951 and operated as the hot cell 

manipulators repair and maintenance shop. The 3,500 ft2

 single story facility contained asbestos material, lead-based paint, polychlorinated 

biphenyl-containing material, and 

radioactive contamination. Building debris meeting the definition of 

mixed low-level waste was sent to 

the Nevada National Security Site 

for disposal while the debris meeting 

the definition of low-level waste was 

disposed at Clive, Utah.

The last of the Time-Critical Removal Actions (3020 Stack) is yet to 

be characterized for disposal. The 

stack, which has operated since the 

1940s, is known to be radioactively 

contaminated and require disposal 

as a low-level waste. Asbestos-containing materials and PCB-containing materials may also be present. 

Prior to dismantlement, a replacement stack will be constructed to allow the 3020 stack to be taken out of 

Design Being Prepared to Process

Large U-233 Inventory at ORNL

3019 Complex

service. Due to expected funding reductions, the 3020 stack dismantlement activities have been placed on 

hold temporarily. 

 The U-233 Material Downblending and Disposition Project 

has experienced challenges during 

the design phase of the project. In 

2009, geological surveys of the area 

proposed for construction of the annex found voids in the rock formations requiring modifications to the 

structural design of the facility. In 

addition, hazard analyses of a thoron release during operations identified a potential for radiological dose 

impacts to on-site workers, which 

could result in design changes to the 

ventilation systems. 

These changes resulted in significant design modifications, causing 

delays in completing design. However, final design is expected to be 

completed in FY 2011.
26

The Bethel Valley Soils and Sediment Project will 

characterize, scope, and complete remediation of contaminated soils and sediments necessary to protect 

workers and groundwater in the area. 

The Remedial Action Work Plan for the project provides the approach that will be followed to characterize and evaluate soils and sediments, ensuring that the 

soil cleanup requirements for Bethel Valley are met. The 

Work Plan was approved by the regulators in early FY 

2010. The cleanup strategy includes a series of workshops, called Data Quality Objective (DQO) sessions, 

to identify sampling needs in specific portions of Bethel Valley. A number of core team DQO sessions have 

been conducted, and field assessment activities, which 

focused on portions of Bethel Valley west of the ORNL 

main campus, have been completed. These areas, which 

surround the SWSA 3 Burial Ground, have also been 

sampled, and analytical data results are being validated 

and assessed to determine if additional sampling will be 

necessary to scope any required soils remediation within 

these areas. 

These efforts have resulted in more than 487 acres of 

the Raccoon Creek area being identified as requiring no 

action. Additional DQO sessions and field characterization activities on the remaining areas will be continued 

in FY 2011. Sampling within the northwest corner of the 

central campus will be performed first to support excavation of the slabs and contaminated soils in the area.

Soils, Sediment to be Remediated

Field sampling in Bethel Valley
27

Several activities were initiated in FY 2010 to address 

Bethel Valley groundwater plumes, 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 FY 2010 to determine the feasibility of using bacteria 

to eliminate trichloroethylene in groundwater. 

The FY 2010 field activities included sampling of 

groundwater to determine the presence of naturally occurring dechlorinating microbes, analyzing groundwater 

to determine the degradation capacity of the indigenous 

microbes, and injecting dye into several wells to determine the groundwater transport characteristics. DOE 

will perform a pilot study at four wells in the 7000 area to 

determine if full-scale bioremediation is feasible. 

Corehole 8 Intercept Extraction System

Surface water monitoring in First Creek has indicated the Strontium-90 in groundwater is bypassing the 

Corehole 8 intercept extraction system and surfacing at 

First Creek on the west side of ORNL. A groundwater 

engineering study performed under the Bethel Valley 

ROD concluded that the Corehole 8 plume is moving 

along the bedrock deeper than the current interceptor 

extraction system components. The solution is to install 

deeper extraction wells to intercept the deep groundwater before it reaches First Creek. The Tank W-1A project 

is addressing the source of the Strontium-90 in the Corehole 8 plume.

A shallow Geoprobe groundwater sampling campaign was initiated in the summer of FY 2010 to determine the best location for new extraction wells. The 

driller started drilling these new wells. Three wells will 

be connected to the extraction system in FY 2011 and 

the system upgraded with larger pumps and controllers 

for the multiple extraction components. 

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. Strontium-90 in the groundwater 

has been shown to flow both to the west, under Highway 

95, surfacing in the Raccoon Creek headwaters, and to 

the east, surfacing in a tributary flowing to First Creek 

within the ORNL campus. Wells were installed in the 

shallow water table, at 50 feet and 100 feet depths. Information about these wells will be published in the SWSA 

3 Remedial Action Report at the conclusion of the capping activities. 

Bethel Valley Groundwater Addressed

Workers are installing 

one of three new 

monitoring wells along 

Raccoon Creek
28

DOE has completed installation of monitoring wells opposite the Oak Ridge Reservation side of the Clinch River 

to monitor for potential ORNL site-related contaminants. 

The Melton Valley Off-site Monitoring Well project installed 16 new monitoring wells that are constructed to 

depths equivalent to monitoring zones on the DOE side of the river. The new wells were drilled to depths from 250 

to 650 feet deep. Geophysical 

logging and in situ permeability testing was conducted 

on each of the wells. Two of 

the proposed well sites adjacent to the river utilized 

previously operated drinking 

water wells to install multiple 

zoned wells in the open borehole. 

The driller demobilized 

and the well sites were restored in August 2010. Field 

work was completed with 

repairs to Jones Road and 

Upper Jones Road. The new 

wells are now included in the 

Melton Valley monitoring 

network and incorporated 

into the recently proposed 

Melton Valley Monitoring 

Plan. The 16 new wells and 5 

nearby residential wells will 

be sampled quarterly with 

initial results published in the 

FY 2011 Remedial Effectiveness Report. 

Monitoring Wells Checking for

Potential Off-Site Contamination

Well drilling at Melton Valley
29

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 work for other 

government and private-sector entities. 

29
30

 Remediation of the Upper East Fork Poplar Creek Watershed is being conducted in two 

stages under Records of Decision using a phased approach. Phase 1 addresses remediation 

of mercury-contaminated soil, sediment, and groundwater discharges that contribute 

contamination to surface water. 

The initial project of the Phase 1 Record of Decision, construction of the Big 

Springs Water Treatment System, was completed in 2006. The system has been fully 

operational since September 2006, removing mercury from local spring and sump 

waters that discharge to Upper East Fork Poplar Creek.

With ARRA funding, cleanup and repair of storm sewers in the West End Mercury Area (historic mercury use area) was initiated in FY 2009. The initial phase, videotaping the storm sewer system, has been completed and the videotape has been 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. 

A Remedial Design Report was prepared during 2010 that specifies the method of accomplishment for storm 

sewer remediation and was approved by the Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Tennessee. Sewer 

remediation is scheduled to start in FY 2011.

UEFPC Remediation Under Way

At left, Y-12 Environmental Compliance personnel 

perform field analysis following the collection of 

a mercury sample. Below, EM and subcontractor 

staff review video assessment data for the West End 

Mercury Area.
31

Scrap Removed from Old Salvage Yard

At the end of FY 2010, a total of 15.7 million pounds of scrap had been removed from the Old Salvage Yard, located at the west end of the Y-12 National Security Complex within and outside the high-security boundary. Of that 

amount, 8.7 million pounds were shipped to EMWMF and 7 million pounds to the Nevada National Security Site.

The 7-acre site, established in the early 1970s, was used for storing scrap metal and liquid hazardous wastes from Y-12 operations until 1999. 

The cleanup project will remove approximately 23,700 cubic meters of potentially radioactively contaminated scrap metal in piles and approximately 1,100 containers (B-24 and B-25) of radioactive scrap metal. The Old Salvage Yard received 

scrap into open piles until 1995, when new procedures required that all scrap metal 

be placed inside containers. 

The primary contaminants of concern in the scrap yard include uranium and 

thorium. Forklifts, an abandoned crane, and other equipment are also being removed. 

In addition to the material removal and disposition, the Old Salvage Yard Scrap 

Removal Project received additional ARRA funding in August 2010 for soil characterization. Based on the results of 

that characterization, Y-12 anticipates remediating those soils to the extent required by regulators. 

Old Savage Yard West

Old Salvage Yard East

Additional photo to 

come

Workers cut materials for samples
32

ARRA funding was used in FY 2010 to expedite removal of legacy wastes and 

building demolition at the Y-12 National Security Complex. 

Building 9206 Filter House Removal

The Building 9206 Filter House Removal Project at Y-12 National Security Complex is 

unlike other ARRA-funded deactivation and demolition projects. Only a section of the building will be demolished 

rather than the complete structure. This project will also deactivate the recovery furnace exhaust system.

Deactivating the recovery furnace exhaust system reduces exposure from potential release of radiological and 

hazardous materials in out-of-service equipment. Deactivation also eliminates the need for daily monitoring of the 

process systems. As of September 2010, the 

Building 9206 Filter House Project was 70 

percent complete and the team had removed 

and disposed a total of 41 m3 of waste.

Building 9735 Demolition

Demolition of Building 9735, the last 

building to be removed from Engineering 

Row, was completed in July 2010. Demolition of Engineering Row reduced the Y-12 

facility by 92,690 ft2. The other six buildings 

that once comprised Engineering Row were 

demolished in 2008.

The project involved complete deactivation and demolition of the building as well 

as the disposition of 2,964 m3 of material 

and waste to the Y-12 Sanitary and Industrial Waste Landfills and approximately 8 m3

to the Nevada National Security Site. In addition to eliminating safety risks, this project 

allowed Y-12 to add an employee parking 

area. 

Alpha 5 Legacy Material

Disposition Project

Alpha 5 (Building 9201-5) is the largest 

building at Y-12, measuring 613,642 ft2. The 

Alpha 5 Legacy Material Disposition Project is tasked with removing and disposing 

legacy materials from the building as well as 

characterizing the building materials to prepare for eventual deactivation and demolition by the EM Program. 

Y-12 reached the first project milestone 

in March with the completion of the fourth 

ARRA-Funded Removal

Actions Ongoing at Y-12

Radiological control technicians and material handlers check 

Alpha 5 containers before disposal
33

floor cleanup. The second floor was also cleared, and total material removal on that floor was 7,082 m3. The building 

is scheduled to be emptied completely by September 30, 2011.

Beta 4 Legacy Material Disposition Project

The Beta 4 Legacy Material Disposition Project comprises removal and disposal of legacy materials from the 

second floor of Building 9204-4, also known as Beta 4, to prepare for deactivation and demolition of the facility as 

part of the site transformation plan. Beta 4 is a large, three-story building that features a flat roof and is supported 

by a cast-concrete foundation.

Disposition plans for Beta 4 waste were accelerated with ARRA funding. Results of these efforts are improved 

site safety and security, reduced operating costs, and reduced environmental risk to site personnel and to the immediate and surrounding areas. The Beta 4 project was 96% complete at the end of FY 2010.

Biology Complex and 

Building 9769 Deactivation

and Demolition Project

The Biology Complex and Building 9769 

Deactivation and Demolition Project comprises four of the seven buildings in the Biology Complex, which are being deactivated 

and demolished. Buildings 9211, 9220, 9224, 

and 9769 are being razed, and approximately 

28,324 m3 of waste are being shipped off site.

The Biology Complex project is part 

of Y-12’s ongoing footprint reduction 

effort, designed to minimize maintenance 

and security costs. The project eliminates 

135,812 ft2 of unused building space and 

the risk associated with the deteriorated 

facilities. These buildings have been vacant 

since late 2003. All four of these buildings 

were demolished.

Biology Complex demolition

Hazardous material abatement in Building 9220, part of the 

Biology Complex
34

Building 81-10 at the Y-12 Complex once housed 

a mercury retort furnace for recovering mercury from 

contaminated equipment, sludges, soils, and other 

wastes. Contaminated materials were also stored at the 

site and, during its operational period, thousands of 

pounds of mercury were spilled and lost to the environment in the 81-10 area.

In 1995, workers removed the building structure 

to the foundation as well as the furnace and remaining drums of mercury-contaminated soil. In 1998, the 

Building 81-10 sump and Basin 9822 were remediated.

A field investigation of contaminated soils was conducted at the 81-10 area to address data gaps identified 

by previous studies. The primary objectives were to define the nature and extent of mercury contamination in 

site soils and to determine whether this contamination is 

a source to Upper East Fork Poplar Creek.

Thirty-one borehole locations were investigated 

using a combination of field screening instrumentation and soil sampling for laboratory analysis. X-ray 

81-10 Area Being Characterized

fluorescence measurements were collected on every foot 

of each extracted core. 

Soil samples were analyzed, among other things, for 

radionuclides, metals, semivolatile organics, volatile organics, and polychlorinated biphenyls. 

Where found, mercury contamination is relatively 

shallow. Exceptions are noted along the northern edge of 

the former furnace footprint where visible mercury was 

observed in two boreholes. However, results from this 

investigation coupled with previous investigations in the 

area leads to the conclusion that this mercury contamination is not significantly impacting the Upper East Fork 

Poplar Creek.

Soil sampling at the 81-10 area, a known mercury-use area at the Y-12 National Security Complex
35

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. 

35
36

The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Incinerator, located at 

ETTP, was shut down permanently on December 2, 2009, after treating 

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

The TSCA Incinerator was a one-of-a-kind thermal treatment unit. 

It played a key role in treating radioactive PCB and hazardous wastes 

(mixed wastes) from the Oak Ridge Reservation, as well as other facilities across the DOE complex, thus facilitating compliance with regulatory and site closure milestones. 

Closure activities at the Incinerator will continue through FY 2011 

to remove residual waste such as sludge, ash, and scrubber packing material. 

The Incinerator is named after a law passed in 1976 that provides 

EPA with authority to require reporting, record-keeping and testing 

requirements, and restrictions relating to chemical substances and/or 

mixtures.

TSCA Incinerator Permanently Shut 

Down After Operating 19 Years
37

Much of the waste generated during FY 2010 cleanup activities was disposed at facilities on the Oak Ridge 

Reservation.

EMWMF, located in Bear Creek Valley west of the 

Y-12 Complex, is an engineered landfill that accepts 

waste generated from cleanup activities on the Oak 

Ridge Reservation. It currently consists of four active 

disposal cells, with a fifth cell awaiting final regulatory 

approval for use and a sixth cell under construction at 

the end of FY 2010 (see article on next page). 

EMWMF accepts low-level radioactive and hazardous wastes that meet specific waste acceptance criteria 

developed in accordance with agreements with state and 

federal regulators. 

Waste types that qualify for disposal include soil, 

dried sludge and sediment, solidified wastes, stabilized 

waste, building debris, scrap equipment, and personal 

protective equipment.

During FY 2010, EMWMF operations collected, analyzed, and dispositioned approximately 4.8 million gallons of leachate and 1.3 million gallons of contact water 

at the ORNL Liquid/Gaseous Waste Operations Facility. 

An additional 10 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 sediments.

EMWMF received approximately 22,700 truckloads 

of waste accounting for approximately 262,000 tons 

during FY 2010. Projects that have disposed of waste at 

EMWMF during the year include the following:

•	 K-25 Building Demolition Project, including waste 

generated from the west wing demolition; 

•	 ETTP Decontamination and Decommissioning 

Project, including K-770 Scrapyard, K-1070-B Burial Ground, and K-1036/K-1058 demolition debris;

•	 Y-12 Old Salvage Yard Project, Alpha 5 Project, and 

Biology Project; and

•	 ORNL Building 3026 and 2000 Complex.

DOE also operates the Oak Ridge Reservation Landfills (ORRL), which are solid waste disposal facilities located south the Y-12 Complex on Chestnut Ridge. 

The ORRL are engineered facilities used for the disposal of sanitary, industrial, construction, and demolition waste. In FY 2010, approximately 139,000 yd3

 of 

industrial wastes, construction/demolition wastes, and 

spoil materials waste were disposed in the ORRL. 

Operation of the ORRL generated approximately 1.48 million gallons of leachate that was collected,

 monitored, and discharged to the Y-12 National 

Security Complex sanitary sewer system, which

discharges to the Oak Ridge sewer system 

under an industrial sewer user permit. 

Generated Wastes Disposed at 

Oak Ridge Reservation Landfills

Waste disposal at EMWMF
38

Waste Disposal Facilities Expand

Construction of the ARRA-funded EMWMF expansion was completed ahead of schedule and under 

budget in May 2010. The addition of Cell 5 brings the 

capacity of EMWMF up to 1,650,000 yd3. The extra capacity is well-timed as waste disposal operations started 

in Cell 4 during 2010 and the total airspace consumed is 

approaching 900,000 yd3. 

A sixth cell is being added and will bring the total 

facility capacity to 2,180,000 yd3. Construction of Cell 6 

started in May with major excavation and earth-moving 

to construct the perimeter cell berms. All earthwork, 

the geologic buffer layer, the low permeability clay liner, 

and the secondary geomembrane liner were completed 

ahead of schedule. 

Other major accomplishments included setting the 

two new 30,000-gal leachate storage tanks on their foundations at the new leachate tank farm and installing the 

leachate manholes and lift station for Cell 6. 

At the end of FY 2010, workers were focused on 

completing the in-cell liner components (primary geomembrane, leachate collection layer, and protective 

cover), completing all leachate piping, erecting four 

above-ground tanks to store contact water, and installing security lighting, instrumentation, and controls for 

the new components. The Cell 6 construction effort is 

scheduled to conclude in April 

2011.

Construction of the 

ARRA-funded expansion at the Oak Ridge 

Reservation Landfills, located near the 

Y-12 Complex, started 

in April 2010. When 

completed, Area 4 at Industrial Landfill V will add 

385,000 yd3 of capacity.

A new Truck Receiving Station will enhance the 

safety and productivity of operations by providing permanent steel platforms for performing the required load 

inspections instead of having to use ladders. Also, a 

leachate header was installed at Industrial Landfill IV to 

pump leachate into the City of Oak Ridge sewer system 

for disposal. 

Liner placement on EMWMF Cell 5

38
39

Above, workers are 

finishing the concrete 

placed around the

Cell 5 leachate headers. 

The concrete stabilizes 

the leachate pipes as they 

exit Cell 5 and go through 

the berm to the leachate 

manhole. At right, 

schedule delays caused 

by extremely wet weather 

had workers using every 

available hour of daylight 

to recover the schedule. 
40

EMWMF began operations in 2002 to provide onsite waste disposal capacity from remediation of the 

Oak Ridge Reservation. Although it is being expanded 

to its maximum capacity, EMWMF will not be able to 

handle all of the waste expected to be generated from 

Reservation cleanup activities. 

Further expansion at EMWMF is constrained by 

physical limitations of the site. Therefore, DOE is considering other locations to build a new disposal facility. 

DOE began evaluating disposal alternatives in FY 2010 

for future Reservation cleanup waste.

Similar to the CERCLA process that was completed 

for the existing EMWMF, DOE will evaluate the following alternatives detailed in a Focused Feasibility Study:

•	 No action

•	 On-site disposal (constructing and operating a new 

disposal facility on the Reservation)

•	 Off-site disposal (shipping to an off-site facility)

The on-site disposal alternative includes consideration of options for siting a new facility in the East 

Bear Creek Valley area or in two other candidate areas 

(White Wing Scrap Yard and West Bear Creek Valley). 

New CERCLA disposal facility candidate locations

Alternative Reservation Disposal 

Sites Being Explored for Future Waste
41

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’s) 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.

Currently, two waste streams, contact-handled 

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

was provided to the TWPC to accelerate the project 

scope. This increase in funding allowed for early startup 

of a second shift at the site, resulting in an increase in

TRU Waste Treatment Continues

 CH-TRU and RH-TRU production that will be realized 

during the next few years.

During FY 2010, the TWPC processed 41.5 m3 of 

the RH-TRU waste, reaching a total of 65 m3 of processed RH waste. The TWPC also processed 283.7 m3

 of 

CH-TRU waste, reaching a total of 813 m3 of processed 

CH-TRU waste. 

The TWPC has shipped 

a total of 33 m3 of original RH-TRU inventory 

and 580 m3 of original 

CH-TRU waste inventory to disposal facilities. It also completed 

significant RH hot cell 

processing improvements.

During FY 2010, the Central Characterization Project, working with the assistance of TWPC personnel, continued the development 

of documentation required for certification of TRU 

waste for shipment to WIPP. 

Processing of the final waste stream, RH sludge, is 

scheduled to begin in 2013.

Transuranic Waste Processing Center
42

The Central Neutralization Facility, located at ETTP, 

treated 9.5 million gallons of wastewater in FY 2010. The 

facility is ETTP’s primary wastewater treatment facility 

and processes 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 treated, packaged, and disposed offsite. 

With the shutdown of the TSCA Incinerator, the 

Central Neutralization Facility operated at a reduced capacity on day shift only instead of the previous 24/7 operation. The main waste stream is the hexavalent chromium-contaminated groundwater collected from Mitchell 

Branch. The facility also continued to treat wastewaters 

generated at the TSCA Incinerator to support the closure 

activities. It will be shut down in FY 2011 for decommissioning after establishing a smaller chromated water 

treatment unit that will sit within the existing Central 

Neutralization Facility footprint. 

At ORNL, approximately 120 million gallons of 

wastewater were treated and released at the Process 

Waste Treatment Complex. In addition, the liquid lowlevel waste evaporator at ORNL treated 120,800 gallons 

of such waste. A total of 2.2 billion m3 of gaseous waste 

was treated at the ORNL 3039 Stack Facility.

These waste treatment activities supported both 

EM and Office of Science mission activities in a safe and 

compliant manner during FY 2010.

The National Nuclear Security Administration 

(NNSA) at the Y-12 Complex treated 116.5 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 (VOC) Treatment System. 

The Big Springs Water 

Treatment System treated 104 

million gallons of mercurycontaminated groundwater. The 

East End Volatile Organic Compound Treatment System treated 11 million gallons of VOCcontaminated groundwater. The 

West End Treatment Facility 

and the Central Pollution Control Facility at the Y-12 Complex 

processed 1.2 million gallons of 

wastewater primarily in support 

of NNSA operational activities. 

The Central Pollution Control Facility also down-blended 

more than 37,000 gallons of enriched wastewaters using legacy 

and newly generated uranium 

oxides from on-site storage.

Millions of Gallons of Wastewater 

Treated at Reservation Facilities 

Central Neutralization Facility control room
43

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.

43
44

Public Involvement Plan Updated

DOE has updated the Public Involvement Plan for 

CERCLA Activities on the Oak Ridge Reservation. This 

document describes public involvement opportunities in 

DOE EM activities performed under CERCLA. 

The document is updated every three years to reflect the status of the cleanup decision-making process 

and to detail the continued avenues for public participation. It is forwarded to EPA and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation for review after 

the initial update, and comments from these agencies 

are incorporated into the final document. The Tennessee 

Department of Environment and Conservation had no 

comments on the document. Comments from EPA were 

being addressed at the end of FY 2010.

The public is entitled to participate in DOE decisionmaking processes, and DOE encourages such participation. 

Effective public involvement and good community 

relations rest on a foundation of positive relationships. 

DOE managers and staff build and nurture such relationships, and this plan details the methods by which 

public input is incorporated into the decision-making.
45

Museum Kiosk

In April 2010, ORSSAB debuted a new three-sided 

kiosk for its exhibit at the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge.

The kiosk features three touch-screen monitors 

that lead visitors through key aspects of the DOE EM 

program: site cleanup activities, history, and long-term 

stewardship. Each monitor allows museum visitors to 

explore these three aspects in depth with detailed programs and videos.

ORSSAB Stays Busy With Various 

Activities, Recommendations

The Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board (ORSSAB) is a federally 

appointed citizens’ panel that provides independent advice and recommendations to the DOE Oak Ridge EM Program. The board was formed in 

1995 and is composed of up to 20 members, chosen to reflect the diversity 

of gender, race, occupation, views, and interests of persons living near the 

DOE Oak Ridge Reservation. Members are appointed by DOE and serve 

voluntarily, without compensation. ORSSAB continued its mission during 

FY 2010 with a number of activities. Information about ORSSAB activities 

can be found on a quarterly basis in its Advocate newsletter, which also features articles on current EM projects and includes information on how the 

public can learn about the EM Program and provide comment on its activities. To subscribe to the Advocate, see www.oakridge.doe.gov/em/ssab.

Located on the second floor of the museum, the 

ORSSAB exhibit was first installed in February 2005. 

The exhibit features a variety of displays and posters to 

tell the story of the Oak Ridge EM program. 

Featured is a scale model of EMWMF, which provides visitors an idea of the magnitude of the cleanup 

effort on the Oak Ridge Reservation. A smaller touchscreen kiosk takes visitors on an interactive journey 

through the cleanup process at the Gunite Tanks, one 

of the highly successful remediation 

projects at ORNL. Suspended over 

the exhibit is one of the remotely 

controlled planes that used infrared 

photography to survey waste disposal sites on the reservation. 

A variety of colorful posters inform visitors about cleanup program topics, including an overview 

of the EM program, the challenges 

the program faces in Oak Ridge, 

and reindustrialization of ETTP. A 

poster explaining what ORSSAB is 

and what it does is featured prominently, and another explains how 

the remotely controlled airplane 

overhead was used by the cleanup 

program.

The museum is located at 300 

South Tulane Ave. in Oak Ridge. Information is available at www.amse.

org.

ORSSAB’s Museum Kiosk
46

EM SSAB Chairs Meeting

On April 28–29, 2010, ORSSAB hosted the SSAB 

chairs meeting at the DoubleTree Hotel in Oak Ridge. 

The chairs of the SSABs from across the DOE complex 

meet twice a year to hear presentations and discuss EM 

projects and policy, share ideas and concerns among 

sites, and identify and work on common issues.

The day before the meeting began, many of the 

participants went on a day-long tour of the Oak Ridge 

Reservation. They were treated to two talks by ORSSAB 

member Steve Stow—one on the history of the Graphite 

Reactor and the other on the role of Oak Ridge during 

the Manhattan Project. That evening they gathered at 

the American Museum of Science and Energy for a reception and tour of the museum.

On the first day of the meeting, DOE Assistant Secretary for EM, Inés Triay, provided an update on the EM 

program. Other topics on the agenda included a round 

robin presentation from the chairs outlining issues specific to their sites, a detailed presentation on how EM 

develops its budget and prioritizes projects, and a discussion of waste disposition issues. The second day of 

the meeting was dedicated to stewardship issues, including a background overview, stewardship at closed and 

ongoing mission sites, and next steps for stewardship. 

Support, Public Outreach for EM Projects 

During FY 2010, ORSSAB was actively involved in 

providing a public forum for major projects that had 

significant impact on the Oak Ridge EM program this 

year and that will continue to have ramifications for 

years to come. Through presentations at the ORSSAB 

board and committee meetings, the public was able to 

received detailed briefings on a variety of topics, such as: 

•	 Groundwater treatability study under way at ETTP

•	 Engineering study to remove fuel salt from the Molten Salt Reactor

•	 Transuranic Waste Processing Facility

•	 Building 3019/U-233 Project

•	 Corehole 8/Tank W-1A Removal Project

•	 ARRA projects

CERCLA Five-Year Review Visits

Every five years, the DOE Oak Ridge Office and 

Bechtel Jacobs Company prepare a comprehensive report that evaluates how well environmental cleanup 

EM SSAB Chairs Meeting
47

remedies are working. The report, known 

as the CERCLA Five-Year Review, provides 

DOE, EPA, TDEC, and the public with information on the effectiveness of remediation 

efforts and details any new information that 

questions the protectiveness of the efforts.

Before the final report is published, DOE 

and Bechtel Jacobs Company provide opportunities for EPA and TDEC personnel and 

members of the public to visit the remediated sites. Briefings are provided by DOE and 

Bechtel Jacobs Company concerning what was 

done and how well remedies are working. Visits began in July and continued through September 2010. Two ORSSAB members went on 

several of the trips, and their observations will 

be valuable in any subsequent recommendation ORSSAB may make on the Five-Year Review when it is published in 2011. 

This is the third Five-Year Review for the 

Oak Ridge Reservation. When the report is 

published, a public meeting will be held to 

provide citizens with an overview of the results. ORSSAB co-hosted with DOE the last 

public meeting in 2006.

Recommendations 

In FY 2010, the board generated twelve 

local recommendations on cleanup-related 

issues. ORSSAB also worked with the chairs 

of the other seven SSABs that comprise the 

national EM SSAB to draft joint recommendations to DOE on two important topics: the 

2012 baseline budget and inclusion of option 

periods in all future DOE requests for proposals for prime contracts. Following are summaries of three key recommendations. Complete 

text of all recommendations is available at 

www.oakridge.doe.gov/em/ssab/recc.htm.

Recommendation for a National Stewardship 

Workshop—In 1999 ORSSAB hosted a national stewardship workshop that was attended by more than 100 

stakeholders from across the country who were interested in stewardship. Long-term stewardship responsibility for closure sites is now in the hands of the DOE 

Office of Legacy Management. Responsibility for stewardship at sites with ongoing missions when cleanup 

is finished is not completely clear, and the issues from 

the 1999 workshop remain unresolved. As a result, 

ORSSAB recommended that DOE sponsor another national workshop.

In response to the recommendation, DOE noted 

that the Office of Legacy Management was already planning a conference on stewardship at closed mission sites 

in November 2010. With ORSSAB’s recommendation, 

the conference was expanded to include a discussion of 

stewardship at ongoing mission sites, and a stakeholder 

panel on the topic was added to the agenda.

Recommendations the Long-term Stewardship 

Implementation Plan—As far back as 1998, the End 

Use Working Group, organized through ORSSAB, recommended that DOE develop a stewardship implementation plan for the Oak Ridge Reservation. In 2003, 

ORSSAB submitted a draft strategic plan for long-term 

ORSSAB member David Martin, foreground, gets an explanation 

of some of the finer points of the White Oak Creek Embayment 

during one of the site visits performed recently in preparation for 

the CERCLA Five-Year Review.
48

stewardship to DOE and in 2004 provided DOE with 

an annotated outline for a stewardship implementation 

plan that would carry out the strategic plan. Although 

work on the plan was begin work right away, work was 

suspended when it was suggested by DOE that a stewardship directive, signed by the DOE Oak Ridge manager, was needed to execute the plan.

Work then began to draft a directive, with ORSSAB 

input. The process had to go through a number of DOE 

Oak Ridge offices, and about the time it was ready to 

be signed DOE Oak Ridge suspended the use of directives. In April 2009, the ORSSAB Stewardship Committee asked that work resume on the implementation plan. 

In November 2009, Bechtel Jacobs Company submitted 

a draft plan. The Stewardship Committee reviewed the 

plan and determined that it was ready for DOE to approve and employ. 

During a period of more than 10 years, ORSSAB, 

through its Stewardship Committee, maintained continual pressure on DOE to follow through with its commitment to develop a stewardship implementation plan, 

which was finally delivered late in 2009.

Recommendation on a Phased Approach for Addressing Off-Site Contamination in Melton Valley—

Since the late 1940s, radioactive and chemical waste 

from operations at ORNL and other sites had been disposed in waste repositories and in deep geologic strata 

in Melton Valley in the western part of the DOE Oak 

Ridge Reservation. Even though major steps have been 

taken to hold the waste in check, low levels of strontium 

and high pH readings have been observed in a line of 

picket wells on the western boundary of Melton Valley. 

High pH levels have also been noted in wells on private 

property across the Clinch River from the DOE reservation. Some ORSSAB members who are experts in geology suspect the high pH levels can be traced to the alkaline condition of wastes that have been injected in deep 

geologic strata in a process known as hydrofracture. In 

fact, ORSSAB had previously addressed the issue with 

a recommendation that the FY 2011 budget include 

money to investigate the hydrofracture sites for possible 

contaminant migration. 

DOE’s response to the recommendation on the 

budget request, was that its priority was to determine if 

contamination was leaving the reservation and moving 

off-site. DOE is currently drilling monitoring wells on 

private property on the west side of the Clinch River. 

ORSSAB felt the response did not go far enough in determining the origin of contaminants. It then recommended a phased approach for addressing off-site contamination. The first step would be to develop a data set 

for groundwater chemistry. The second step would be 

an analysis to better understand groundwater transport 

systems in Melton Valley. The third step would be to determine the need for additional wells, how many might 

be needed, and how much it would cost. Only after the 

phases were concluded would there be discussion of additional monitoring wells. 

ORSSAB’s suggestion for a phased approach could 

result in a cost-savings for taxpayers if sampling and 

analyses indicate no need for additional monitoring or 

treatment wells. 

ORSSAB members
49

Comments were solicited on a variety of significant Oak Ridge Reservation Office documents and plans in FY 

2010 for CERCLA and non-CERCLA activities. Issues to which the public provided input include the following:

•	 Environmental Assessment for the U-233 Material Downblending and Disposition Project at ORNL

•	 Draft Sitewide Environmental Impact Statement for the Oak Ridge Y-12 National Security Complex

•	 Notice of Wetlands Involvement pertaining to a three-story parking structure and parking lot to be built in the

east campus region of ORNL

•	 Environmental Assessment that evaluates the potential impact of transferring 1,600 acres of DOE property

located at ETTP and surrounding area to private industry

•	 Hazardous waste permit modification that would increase permitted storage for ORNL Building 7860A and

three TRU Processing Center units

•	 Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis for the reduction of hexavalent chromium releases into Mitchell Branch

at ETTP

•	 Covenant Deferral Request to transfer Parcel 10 at ETTP to Heritage Center LLC

•	 Covenant Deferral Request to transfer Parcel 9 at ETTP to Heritage Center LLC

•	 Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis for the deactivation and demolition of buildings at the Y-12 Complex

To keep the public informed about comment periods and other matters related to cleanup activities on the Oak 

Ridge Reservation, DOE publishes a monthly newsletter called Public Involvement News. DOE also keeps the public 

informed by publishing notices in local newspapers and conducting public meetings.

Public Involved in Various Decisions

Affecting the Oak Ridge Reservation
50

DOE 

Information 

Center

The DOE Information Center, located at 

475 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge, Tenn., is 

a one-stop information facility that maintains 

a collection of more than 40,000 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 2010 Stats

Average number of visitors per month 142

Number of public meetings held 127

Total citizen inquiries 2,098

Total number of documents at Center 45,234

 v Total number of documents on-line 12,268

Phone: 865-241-4780

475 Oak Ridge Turnpike

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

Visit the DOE Information Center on the 

Web at www.oakridge.doe.gov/info_cntr

DOE Information Center staff, from left: Eva Butler, 

Julia Beach, and Wanda Joyce
51

DOE Information Center

475 Oak Ridge Turnpike

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

Internet Sites

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
52

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

DNAPLs Dense, non-aqueous phase liquids

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

FY Fiscal year

NNSA National Nuclear Security Administration

ORNL Oak Ridge National Laboratory

ORRL Oak Ridge Reservation Landfills

ORSSAB Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board

PCB Polychlorinated biphenyl

PCCR Phased Construction Completion Report

RH Remote-handled

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

WIPP Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico

Commonly Used Acronyms
53

For more information, please contact the DOE Public Affairs Office

at (865) 576-0885 or 1-800-382-6938. 
54