1

OREM-16-2603

leanup Annual Report

to the 

Oak Ridge 

Regional 

Community

2016 CProgress
2

Cover photo taken by Alice Reed

at the ETTP P1 Pond.
1

Message from the EM Manager

Department of Energy Oak Ridge Office

To the Oak Ridge Regional Community:

	 The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management had another

banner year in 2016. The program achieved a feat never before realized

anywhere in the world, maintained our cleanup momentum, and

positioned the program for continued successin the yearsto come. Much

of our success is attributable to the strong support we receive from our

host city and counties and the engaged and involved citizens who call

East Tennessee home. Each year this report is prepared with you in mind,

and I am excited to share details about the tremendous progress we have

made.

Our program’s most notable accomplishment this year, and maybe

in the history of our program, was achieving Vision 2016 at the East

Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP). We successfully completed this

decade-long effort that included the demolition of all former gaseous

diffusion process buildings by the end of 2016. Throughout this process,

our employees removed 4.5 million square feet of footprint, eliminated

environmental hazards, and opened 300 acres of land that will be

available for future development. This historic accomplishment brings us

closer to completing ETTP’s transformation into a private-sector industrial park by 2020.

	 While visible changes are happening at ETTP, we are also working diligently to ensure we can transition from

our work at the former K-25 Site to large-scale cleanup at the Y-12 National Security Complex without interruption

by the mid-2020s. Despite that seemingly distant date, planning is already underway on two necessary major

capital asset projects that will allow for our seamless transition. The Outfall 200 Mercury Treatment Facility at

Y-12 will allow us to control releases during demolition and subsurface remediation of the West End Mercury

Area, and constructing additional onsite disposal capacity provides the safest and most cost-effective approach to

demolition debris disposal. We are working closely with our federal and state regulators and the community on

these two important projects and are encouraged by the progress we are making. 

In addition, we have initiated an effort to address the risk and instability associated with the large number of

excess contaminated facilities located at Y-12 and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. While we will not be able

to fully demolish these buildings for a number of years, allocating resources to make them safer is important, and

that will be a focus of our program not only in the short term, but in the years to come.

	 On a more personal note, I want to thank you for your support of the Oak Ridge environmental cleanup

program. I often say that Oak Ridge is the best community partner in the Department of Energy’s Environmental

Management complex, and time after time, you continue to reinforce that belief. Our partnerships with you,

coupled with your incredible support and advocacy, are some of the biggest contributors that paved the way

toward achieving our ambitious goals. Thank you for being part of the process and helping us to advance cleanup

and push us toward a clean, modernized Oak Ridge with a bright future. 

Environmental Management

safety v performance v cleanup v closure

E

 M

Sue Cange
2

Contents

Introduction..........................................................................................................................................4

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

K-27 demolition completed......................................................................................................................7

Electrical switch house coming down.......................................................................................................9

Building K-1037 deactivation begins ........................................................................................................9

Poplar Creek deactivation underway......................................................................................................10

Last converters leave ETTP .....................................................................................................................10

ETTP soil remediation efforts preparing site for future commercial usage............................................11

Historic preservation efforts continue....................................................................................................13

ETTP’s future takes shape.......................................................................................................................14

Oak Ridge National Laboratory.....................................................................................................15

Stabilization activities performed on contaminated ORNL facilities.......................................................16

MSRE waste items being dispositioned..................................................................................................17

U-233 processing prep continues...........................................................................................................17

Y-12 National Security Complex....................................................................................................18

Design work moves forward for mercury treatment facility at the Y-12 Complex .................................19

OREM researches mercury remediation technologies, conducts sampling ...........................................20

Alpha-4 process pipe, equipment removal begins.................................................................................21 

Biology Complex characterization begins...............................................................................................21

Waste Management.........................................................................................................................22

Most cleanup waste disposed onsite .....................................................................................................23 

New disposal facility location sought.....................................................................................................24

Millions of gallons of wastewater treated..............................................................................................24

Landfill space expanded .........................................................................................................................25

LGWO life cycle evaluation completed...................................................................................................25 

2

K-731

page 9

page 10
33

TRU waste being processed, stored .......................................................................................................26

TWPC sludge buildouts facility planned .................................................................................................27

Oak Ridge Reservation ....................................................................................................................28

Recommendations implemented from Reservation groundwater strategy report................................29

Review of remedial actions completed ..................................................................................................30

Public Involvement and Information...........................................................................................31

Public Involvement Plan update released ..............................................................................................32

Board focuses on outreach, advice on cleanup activities.......................................................................32

DOE Information Center.........................................................................................................................34

Information Resources ...................................................................................................................35

Internet Sites......................................................................................................................................35

Commonly Used Acronyms and Initialisms...............................................................................36

Commonly Used Terms....................................................................................................................37

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

Environmental Management contractor for the Oak Ridge Reservation.

UCOR

URS | CH2M

Oak Ridge LLC

33

page 16

page 25

page 29
4

Introduction

4

DOE works in partnership with regulatory 

officials, such as Dr. Shari Meghreblian, 

TDEC Deputy Commissioner, pictured right 

with OREM Manager Sue Cange and UCOR 

President and Project Manager Ken Rueter.

	 The completion of Vision 2016—the demolition of all gaseous

diffusion facilities at East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) by the

end of 2016—highlighted another successful fiscal year of cleanup

on the Oak Ridge Reservation. With the removal of Building K-27,

Oak Ridge achieved a first in world history. This demolition marked

the first-ever successful removal of a former uranium enrichment

complex’s processing buildings. It also brings ETTP closerto becoming

a private-sector industrial park, which is the U.S. Department of

Energy’s (DOE’s) goal for the site by 2020.

	 This milestone reflects the impressive progress DOE’s Oak Ridge

Office of Environmental Management (OREM) is making in cleaning

up legacy contamination at the Oak Ridge Reservation’s three major

facilities: ETTP, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and the Y-12

National Security Complex (Y-12).

The 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 with radioactive

elements, mercury, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and industrial wastes.

	 The contaminated portions of the Reservation are on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National

Priorities List (NPL), which includes hazardous waste sites across the nation that are to be cleaned up under the

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). Areas that require

cleanup or further action on the Oak Ridge Reservation have been clearly defined, and OREM is working to clean

those areas under a Federal Facility Agreement with the EPA and the Tennessee Department of Environment and

Conservation (TDEC).

	 Through close partnerships with regulators, contractors, unions, elected officials, and the public, OREM is

restoring environments, promoting economic development, and enabling vital missions in science, energy, and

national security.
5

5

The former K-25 Gaseous Diffusion Plant

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 shut down permanently in 1987 and is

undergoing cleanup for ultimate conversion to a private-sectorindustrial

park. Major activities at the site include environmental restoration,

facility deactivation and demolition, and waste disposition.

East Tennessee 

Technology Park

5
66 6
7

7

K-27 demolition

completed

Vision 2016 achieved

	 The final of five gaseous diffusion buildings at ETTP

was demolished in 2016, marking the first time in the

world that all of a former uraniumenrichment complex’s

processing buildings were successfully removed. It also

fulfilled DOE’s Vision 2016—the goal to demolish those

five buildings by the end of 2016.

	 OREM completed demolition of the four other

gaseous diffusion buildings from 2006 to 2015.

Together, the projects removed 4.5 million square feet

of deteriorating and contaminated facilities that posed

significant risks at the site.

	 Completing the K-27 project brings OREM one step

closer to its goal of finishing cleanup and converting

the site into a private-sector industrial park by 2020.

DOE cleanup contractor URS | CH2M Oak Ridge (UCOR)

completed the demolition project nine months ahead

of schedule and $2.8 million under budget.

“The completion of Vision 2016 sets a standard

for what is possible through a dedicated workforce and

strong partnerships,” said OREM Manager Sue Cange.

“Its completion eliminates environmental hazards and

makes 300 acres available for future development,

creatingopportunity formoreinnovationinacommunity

already known for it.”

	 Oak Ridge first made history in 1942 as the center

of operations for the Manhattan Project. K-25, a

gaseous diffusion facility on a 2,200-acre site, was built

to produce weapons-grade enriched uranium, which

would fuel one of two atomic bombs that would end

World War II.

	 By 1955, the K-25 complex had grown to include

gaseous diffusion buildings K-25, K-27, K-29, K-31,

and K-33. The five facilities comprised a multibuilding

production chain, and it was renamed the Oak Ridge

Gaseous Diffusion Plant. In the following years, the

plant produced highly enriched uranium for national

defense and commercial energy production.

Following shutdownof gaseousdiffusionequipment

at Oak Ridge in 1985, DOE began a major environmental

cleanup effort at the site in 1987. In 1996, the Oak

Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant was renamed the East

Tennessee Technology Park.

	 With the fulfillment of Vision 2016, OREM will

continue its cleanup of ETTP and assist in transferring

the land to the private sector.

7
8

Elected officials, union leaders, DOE officials, and other stakeholders 

celebrated the completion of Vision 2016 on August 30, 2016, when 

the final portion of K-27 was demolished. Pictured are Sen. Lamar 

Alexander and Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (top), and Assistant Secretary 

for Environmental Management Monica Regalbuto (bottom), who 

were among the dignitaries to witness completion of Vision 2016.

Employees who helped make Vision 2016 a reality were 

honored at a celebration luncheon.

K-27 before demolition 8
9 

Building K-1037 deactivation begins

UCOR began deactivation work in Building

K-1037 in FY 2016. Deactivation is the initial step

that prepares the facility for eventual demolition.

The facility is one of the highest remaining

cleanup priorities at the site. Currently, the facility

contains the barrier material from the site’s

former enrichment operations. This material was

a key component of the gaseous diffusion process

when workers separated the uranium-235 and

uranium-238 isotopes.

K-1037 was once a warehouse that was later

converted into a facility that produced the porous

barrier material used in the separation process.

Work during FY 2016 included asbestos

abatement, universal hazardous waste disposal,

chemical removal, and radiological surveys.

Workers also achieved electrical and mechanical

“cold and dark” by removing all hazardous energy sources. Crews have also installed temporary power to facilitate

deactivation activities, and OREM is scheduled to begin demolition in 2018.

K-1037

	 UCOR began demolition

on Building K-731 immediately

after crews took down the final

pieces of K-27. This marks the

first post Vision 2016 demolition

project, and it moves OREM

closer to Vision 2020—the goal

to complete cleanup of ETTP by

the end of calendar year 2020.

K-731 is a former switch house

that provided essential electrical

power levels to the uranium

enrichment facilities for more

than 40 years.

Demolition of the aboveground portion of the building

was nearing completion at the end of fiscal year (FY) 2016. Additional work associated with removing

pedestals and equipment in the basement area continued into FY 2017.

The K-731 Switch House was originally constructed in 1944 to provide electrical power to the K-27

Process Building. K-731 was extended in 1949 to provide electricity to the K-29 Process Building. K-731

consists of a two-story brick and concrete structure with three floors, including the below-grade basement.

Electrical switch house coming down

K-731
10

	 At the end of FY 2016, OREM had completed 40 percent of the deactivation required in the Poplar Creek area of

ETTP. The deactivation process involves disconnecting utilities to the facilities, removing certain components, and

performing other steps necessary to prepare the buildings for demolition. The 27 Poplar Creek facilities supported

operations at the site and included storage buildings that housed process equipment, water pump houses, and

sandblasting/painting buildings.

Deactivation and demolition of the tie lines in the Poplar Creek area was 45 percent complete at the end of

FY 2016. These tie lines connected the K-27 and K-31 gaseous diffusion buildings and carried enriched uranium

from one building to another as the uranium moved through the enrichment process. Workers have been injecting

foam into these linesto stabilize the contaminantsso they will meet the criteria necessary for disposal in the onsite

Environmental Management Waste Management Facility (EMWMF).

Poplar Creek deactivation underway

Last converters

leave ETTP

	 The final remaining converters at

ETTP were shipped to the Nevada National

Security Site for disposition in 2016. The

converters were part of the gaseous

diffusion process used to enrich uranium

at the site. The five gaseous diffusion

buildings at the site once housed almost

5,000 converters.
10 1111

	 UCOR’s soil remediation efforts at ETTP are helping

to prepare the site for future commercial industrial

use. ETTP is divided into two cleanup regions: Zone 1,

a 1,400-acre area outside the main plant, and Zone 2,

the 800-acre area that comprises the main plant area.

The areasin these zones are divided into exposure units

(EUs) that range in size. 

Zone 1

	 The interim Record of Decision (ROD), which

documents the cleanup method for the site, required

OREM to remove groundwater contamination and

remediate soil to a depth suitable of protecting an

industrial workforce (10 feet). As part of this interim

ROD, in FY 2016, employees conducted an evaluation

of all 10 acres in the K-1065 former waste storage area

and determined that no cleanup was required. This

outcome makes the area available for industrial use.

	 OREM prepared a Remedial Investigation/

Feasibility Study (RI/FS) to evaluate the nature and

extent of contamination affecting groundwater, surface

water, and ecology. Based on the RI/FS, the Zone 1 Final

ETTP soil remediation efforts preparing 

site for future commercial usage

EPA officials 

visit ETTP to 

view EU 2-28 

Soils Proposed Plan and Final Soil ROD were prepared

to address ecological protection and land use controls,

and OREM held a public meeting to solicit comments.

Upcoming work includes addressing EPA and TDEC

comments and finalizing the Final Soil ROD.

Zone 2

	 The Zone 2 ROD divided the zone into 7 geographic

areas and 44 EUs that range in size from 6 to 38 acres.

	 In FY 2016, OREM completed remediation of

EU Zone 2-28 and confirmation sampling. EPA and

TDEC approved concurrence forms documenting the

completion. The area is located in what is commonly

referred to as the administrative section of ETTP, which

generally housed offices and laboratories, and it was

recommended for unrestricted industrial use.

OREM also evaluated the characterization data of

the Building K-25 and K-31 footprints. They determined

that remediation is required in the K-25 footprint but

no action is required in the K-31 footprint. The 40-

acre Building K-25 footprint is dedicated for historical

commemoration and interpretation activities. The
12

characterization data are also being used to evaluate

potential end states that can preserve the slab.

	 OREM continued its characterization of the

remainder of Zone 2, and it remediated contaminated

soil in EU Zone 2-28 and EU Zone 2-41. These two

remedial actionsresulted in the disposal of 5,850 cubic

yards of soil and debris to EMWMF and the Nevada

National Security Site. No further remedial actions are

required for these two areas.

Sitewide ROD

	 OREM is performing a groundwater treatability

study that will help determine the effectiveness of

different treatment technologies that will assist in

identifying and selecting ETTP’s final groundwater

remedy. Phase 1 of the study, which included the

characterization of a groundwater contamination

source in the K-1401 area, was completed in 2011. The

study resumed in FY 2016 and involved characterization

to support the design of a pilot scale in situ thermal

treatment study in the K-1401 area.

	 The work plan was updated and approved by the

regulators, and OREM initiated planning activities.

Sitewide groundwater and surface water data are

being evaluated in conjunction with the treatability

study activitiesthatsupport the preparation of CERCLA

documentation leading to a final sitewide ROD.

Upcoming work includes the design characterization

field activities, data evaluation, and planning for the

pilot scale thermal demonstration.

Tc-99 Groundwater Investigation

	 OREM completed the shallow groundwater

investigation concerning the potential migration of

technetium-99 (Tc-99) near the K-25 Building slab.

This slow-decaying radioactive isotope was used

in the gaseous diffusion process while the plant

was operational. Through this investigation, OREM

concluded that the migration of Tc-99 outside of

sanitary sewer and storm drain pipes in subsurface

utility corridors has been limited; however, 21 locations

will be retained for future groundwater monitoring.

The former K-31 site is now a grassy field. No further remedial actions are required at the site.
13

	 National historic preservation initiatives at ETTP

progressed during FY 2016 with the launch of the K-25

virtual museum website. The website shares oral histories

from the site’s former workers, and it recounts the history of

the world’s first gaseous diffusion plant and the hundreds of

facilities and structures that followed.

Congress appropriated approximately $6 million in

FY 2016 for K-25 historic preservation activities. This funding

is helping OREM meet its commitment to plan and construct

a History Center and Equipment Building for visitors. By the end of the fiscal year, design of the facilities was

approaching 90 percent completion.

	 These facilities will allow visitors to explore the rich history of this Manhattan Project site. The K-25 History

Center’s exhibits and displays will feature building equipment replicas, period artifacts, and workers’ oral histories.

Additionally, a cross section of K-25’s gaseous diffusion cascade will be recreated in the Equipment Building. Once

inside, visitors will be able to experience the size and magnitude of the site’s signature facility from the Viewing

Tower. National Park Service-style exhibits will provide additional information about the site, its people, and its

missions.

In November 2015, the footprint of the former K-25 Building and other historic facilities at Y-12 and ORNL

became part of a larger preservation effort through the establishment of the Manhattan Project National

Historical Park.

Historic preservation efforts continue

Artist’s 

rendering 

of viewing 

tower

www.k-25virtualmuseum.org

13
14

Oak Ridge’s Reindustrialization program commemorated its 20th anniversary in 2016 as the model DOE asset

reuse program. Those 20 years have seen the development and expansion of an industrial business park where

facilities once supported a gaseous diffusion plant.

As OREM moves toward the final phases of environmental cleanup at ETTP, the site is moving toward its future

as an industrial business park, as well as a national park and conservation area. A formal plan began this year to

address the necessary transfer and disposition path for all site assets. It includes transition planning for all of the

remaining facilities, land, and utility infrastructure.

Additionally, a formal revitalization plan began that will reevaluate and modernize the master planning for the

Heritage Center. This approach will account for recent cleanup accomplishments and new developments, such

as the proposed regional general aviation airport. Several stakeholders are working to coordinate the Heritage

Center’s development to achieve a common goal.

During FY 2016, the Reindustrialization program moved forward with making larger parcels of land available

for major manufacturing developments. Three major parcels are being made available for transfer: the 200-acre

K-31/K-33 parcel, the 400-acre Powerhouse Area, and the 200-acre Duct Island parcel. These properties are the

first available at ETTP that can accommodate large-scale manufacturing developments, which would contribute

significantly to job growth in the area.

The proposed airport project reached a major milestone in FY 2016 with the completion of the Environmental

Assessment for land use. The Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority (MKAA), working closely with DOE, is

leading this project. MKAA is in the final stages of completing the master plan for the airport.

ETTP’s future takes shape

K-31/K-33 parcel

14
155

Oak Ridge

National Laboratory

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory is

DOE’s largest multiprogram national

laboratory that conducts cutting edge

research in energy, materials and chemical

sciences, nuclear science, and supercomputing.

However, there are large contaminated areas from

past operations and waste disposal practices among

its world class facilities and vital research. OREM has

divided ORNL into two major cleanup areas: Bethel Valley and Melton

Valley. The Bethel Valley area includes reactors and former research

facilities, and the Melton Valley area includes reactors and waste

management areas, such as burial grounds.

15
16

	 In FY 2016, OREM initiated several projects at ORNL that were part of its Excess Facilitiesinitiative. These

projects focused on work that will reduce risks and stabilize facilities that are not scheduled for near-term

demolition.

OREM began stabilization activities at Buildings 3026, 3038, and 7500 to reduce the potential for

contaminant releases, risks to onsite workers, and the cost of surveillance and maintenance and future

cleanup. Building 3026 was one of the site’s original Manhattan Project facilities, and Building 3038 was

used for packing, inspecting, and shipping activities for radioisotopes.

	 At Building 3026, crews conducted work that would minimize or prevent rainwater intrusion into the

cells. Workers also poured new concrete caps over and around the two existing pedestals on the 3026C pad

to stabilize the surface contamination. Water from the transfer tunnel was characterized, removed, and

transferred for treatment.

	 At Building 3038, the planned activities were to characterize the glove boxes inside the Alpha Handling

Facility Annex, apply fixative inside the glove boxes, and remove the high-efficiency particulate air filter

enclosure on the roof. However, due to the discovery of additional radioactive inventory in the building,

these activities have been placed on hold until the building’s characterization is updated.

	 Additionally, workers removed the combustibles from Building 7500, also known as the Homogeneous

Reactor Experiment.

Stabilization activities performed on 

contaminated excess facilities

Workers place a fiber membrane on the roof of the 3026-D hot cells to prevent intrusion of rain water into the cells.
17

	 During FY 2016, work continued to characterize and

dispose of waste items from the Molten Salt Reactor

Experiment (MSRE) facility, a graphite-moderated,

liquid-fueled test reactor that operated at ORNL from

June 1965 until December 1969. In FY 2016, seven

items were disposed and another was characterized.

	 Since the reactor’s shutdown, OREM has

performed several studies and removal actions to

stabilize the facility, including removing uranium

deposits and defueling the reactor salts. Employees are

characterizing the legacy fuel salt probes as part of the

defueling campaign. This process requires relocating

the probes throughout the MSRE

complex to lower radiological

background areas. OREM is

continuing its routine surveillance

and maintenance activities at the

facility to manage the remaining

hazards, including periodically

removing reactive gas generated

by the defueled salts.

	 In 2014, an addendum to the

waste handling plan was approved

to address the disposition of waste

that remained from the earlier

actions. The addendum includes

a schedule for characterizing and

dispositioning 74 waste items.

Waste disposition will continue in

FY 2017.

	 OREM successfully shipped all waste regulated

by TDEC. Many of these waste types required special

packaging and handling. One of the most notable

successes was shipping and disposing offsite the

“Turbo Pig,” which was a shielded waste container

that stored highly contaminated objects. Additionally,

the Secondary Containment Systems were loaded

into containers and shipped offsite for downsizing and

subsequent disposal at the Nevada National Security

Site. Lastly, the sodium fluoride traps were packed and

loaded for direct disposal at the site.

	 Oak Ridge has a significant inventory of

uranium-233 (U-233) in Building 3019 at ORNL. Due to

the strict safeguard and security needs for the special

nuclear material, DOE initiated the U-233 Disposition

Project to downgrade the security demands at ORNL,

eliminate safety and nuclear criticality concerns, and

safely dispose the material offsite.

In 2016, OREM continued direct disposition of the

Consolidated Edison Uranium Solidification Project

(CEUSP) material. CEUSP, which comprises a portion of

Oak Ridge’s U-233 inventory, originated from a research

and development test in the 1960s of thorium and

uranium fuel at the Consolidated Edison’s Indian Point

1 Nuclear Plant in New York.

	 This year, OREM also continued its preparations for

the next phase of the U-233 Disposition Project, which

involves processing the remaining portion of the U-233

inventory that cannot be directly disposed in its current

form. OREM identified Building 2026, located directly

across from Building 3019 at ORNL, as the location to

conduct future processing work.

In September 2016, DOE approved the initial

package allowing OREM to begin preparing and

modifying Building 2026 for future processing activities.

U-233 processing prep continues 

MSRE waste items being dispositioned

An MSRE salt probe is being positioned for nondestructive assay.
18 5

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 highly skilled, specialized

manufacturing work for other government and private-sector

entities.

18
19

	 OREM is working to plan, design, and construct

the Outfall 200 Mercury Treatment Facility to reduce

mercury concentrations in water exiting the Y-12

Complex. The facility opens the door for large-scale

demolition to begin at Y-12 by providing a mechanism

to limit and control potential mercury releases caused

from disturbing the western portion of the site. It will

also help the cleanup program make progress toward

achieving compliance with regulatory criteria.

	 Outfall 200 is the point where the west end Y-12

storm drain system discharges to Upper East Fork

Poplar Creek. Mercury from historical operations is

present in the Outfall 200 storm water entering Upper

East Fork Poplar Creek.

	 In FY 2016, OREM prepared the Preliminary Design

Report and completed independent design, cost, and

constructability reviews. OREM also completed a site

geotechnical investigation to support the final design

of the facility. Final design efforts began in early 2016,

with completion scheduled for FY 2017.

	 OREM is designing the mercury treatment facility

withthecapability totreat3,000gallonsperminute,and

the designs also include a 2-million-gallon storage tank

to collectstorm water during peak flow conditions. The

facility will treat mercury using chemical precipitation,

clarification, and media filtration. The treated water

will then be discharged back into Upper East Fork

Poplar Creek.

Employees working on the design are incorporating

a modular design that enables future modifications

as needed, such as adding additional storm water

storage or unit operations to achieve greater mercury

reductions based on performance monitoring data.

Design work moves forward for mercury 

treatment facility at the Y-12 Complex

Artist’s renderings of Outfall 200 Mercury Treatment Facility.
20

	 Mercury remediation is a high priority for OREM

because of large historical losses of the element

in buildings, soils, and surface waters at Y-12.

Understanding how mercury moves in the East Fork

Poplar Creek system is essential to the development of

new technologies and ultimately to the development of

remedial options and strategies for the creek.

	 Remediation of Y-12 and East Fork Poplar Creek

(EFPC) is based on a phased, adaptive management

approach. The approach to address surface water

includes treatment actions in the short term and

research and technology development to evaluate

longer-term solutions in the downstream environment.

As part of this effort, OREM has developed and is

executing a Mercury Technology Development Plan.

In FY 2016, research and technology development

activities continued to focus on the major factors

influencing the accumulation of mercury in fish (fish are

the major route of both human and wildlife exposure).

Three lines of investigation for EFPC continue to be

pursued to: (1) examine potential downstream sources,

such as bank soil and sediment control, (2) investigate

the water chemistry and flow characteristics of the

creek and its influence on mercury, and (3) study the

ecology and how differences in food chain processes

may influence the uptake of mercury in fish.

	 In FY 2016, the study identified and sampled a

historical source of mercury entering EFPC. Researchers

will continue to study the extent and impact of this

source in FY 2017. Stream sediments were also obtained

and analyzed fortraces ofmercury and how themercury

is bound to sediment particles. Additionally, the water

chemistry and flow characteristic studies monitored

the effects of chlorination on mercury mobilization and

concentration in EFPC.

This year, the ecological investigations continued to

sample EFPC fish, algae, and invertebrates. They also

analyzed the exposure pathway the leads to elevated

concentrations of mercury in fish.

ORNL scientists are preparing a report titled

“Mercury Remediation Technology Development for

Lower East Fork Poplar Creek –FY 2016 Progress Report.”

This report will provide a detailed description of each of

the study areas and findings from studies performed in

FY 2016.

OREM researches mercury remediation 

technologies, conducts sampling

Fish are a major mercury route of human and wildlife exposure.

20
21

	 In FY 2016, OREM initiated work

at Y-12 as part of its Excess

Facilities initiative. The projects

associated with this initiative

focus on work that will

reduce risks and stabilize

facilities that are not

scheduled for near-term

demolition. These

projects enhance safety

for onsite employees,

reduce opportunities for

the release or spread of

contamination, and lower

the cost of future cleanup.

At Y-12, the work initiated

in FY 2016 paves the way for the

removal of the column exchange

(COLEX) process piping, tanks, and

equipment located outside the west side of

Alpha-4. Crews also worked to replace the facility’s

roof. Alpha-4 is a 600,000-square-foot steel and concrete

facility with three floors and a sub-basement. The building began operating in 1945 as a uranium enrichment

facility until 1947. In 1953, workers installed the COLEX process, which used substantial quantities of mercury as a

solvent agent to separate lithium, and the operations continued until 1962.

While workers drained the majority of process materials from the equipment when operations ceased, all of

the systems and components were not cleaned. Recoverable amounts of mercury and lithium hydroxide are still in

the equipment and lines. OREM is scheduled to remove the COLEX equipment on the west side of Alpha-4 in 2017,

and equipment on the east and south sides will be removed in the future.

	 The Biology Complex at Y-12 is part of the Excess

Facilities initiative. OREM began characterizing the

Biology Complex in FY 2016 to supportfuture demolition

and waste disposition activities on the structures.

	 The Biology Complex, which was once home to

DOE’s research in genetics, originally consisted of

twelve buildings until OREM demolished four of them

in 2010.

	 The Biology Complex has been vacant for decades,

and it is starting to collapse due to its age and

deteriorated condition. Crews can no longer enter

at least one of the facilities due to a caving roof. In

many cases, bricks are falling from the exterior facade.

Asbestos, roofing and ceiling materials, and other

materials are also falling due to roof leaks.

Alpha-4 process pipe, equipment

removal begins

Biology Complex characterization begins

Biology Complex

Alpha-4 COLEX
2222 5

Waste

Management

Wastes on the Oak Ridge Reservation

are being disposed in a variety of ways.

Most of the waste is being disposed onsite

in the Environmental Management Waste

Management Facility (EMWMF) or the Oak Ridge

Reservation Landfills. Some wastes are shipped

offsite for treatment and/or disposal. Wastewater is

treated at the Chromium Water Treatment System at ETTP

and the Process Waste Treatment Complex at ORNL.

22
23

EMWMF

	 Most of the waste generated during FY 2016

cleanup activities was disposed at facilities on the Oak

Ridge Reservation.

	 This year, EMWMF received 10,668 waste

shipments, accounting for 100,208 tons, from K-27’s

demolition and several smaller cleanup projects at

ETTP, ORNL, and Y-12. This engineered landfill consists

ofsixdisposal cellsthatonlyacceptlow-levelradioactive

and hazardous CERCLA waste that meets specific

waste acceptance criteria. Waste types that qualify

for disposal include soil, dried sludge and sediment,

solidified waste, stabilized waste, building debris,

scrap equipment, personal protective equipment, and

classified waste.

	 In FY 2016, EMWMF operations collected, analyzed,

and dispositioned approximately 3.6 million gallons

of leachate at the ORNL Liquid and Gaseous Waste

Operations (LGWO) facility. No contact water (water

that comes in contact with waste but does not enter

the leachate collection system) required treatment at

ORNL. However, 7.6 million gallons of contact water

was collected, analyzed, and released to the storm

water retention basin after laboratory analyses verified

the water met all discharge standards. Operating

practices at the landfill also effectively controlled site

erosion and sediment.

	 Additionally, OREM completed a draft focused

feasibility study to evaluate alternatives for managing

landfill wastewater generated from the on-site disposal

of CERCLA waste. EMWMF is currently receiving waste,

and the proposed Environmental Management Disposal

Facility is expected to receive waste in the future. This

study is under review by EPA and TDEC.

	 DOE also operates and maintains solid waste

disposal facilities called the Oak Ridge Reservation

Landfills, three of which are active. In FY 2016,

approximately 33,632 cubic yards of waste were

disposed in these landfills, which marks a 13 percent

decrease from FY 2015 volumes. However, the clean

spoils receipts increased 81% over FY 2015. Clean

spoils have the potential for being reused and are

segregated to avoid taking up valuable landfill airspace.

Construction of the remaining phase of the classified

landfill was also initiated.

	 Operation of the Oak Ridge Reservation Landfills

generated approximately 2.1 million gallons of leachate

that was collected, monitored, and discharged into the

Y-12 Complex sanitary sewer system.

Most cleanup wastes disposed onsite

EMWMF
24

	 EMWMF, the existing on-site disposal facility for

low-level, mixed, and classified waste, is expected to

reach capacity before OREM completes its cleanup at

Y-12 and ORNL. Planning for another landfill is essential

so that cleanup work can continue without interruption.

The new facility will be called the Environmental

Management Disposal Facility (EMDF).

	 During 2016, OREM continued to work with

regulators to submit a final version of the RI/FS for

approval. The document lists options for onsite and

offsite disposal. The on-site disposal alternative in the

document lists four site options in Bear Creek Valley,

including a Brownfield site to the east of EMWMF and

three others that incorporate greenfield sites.

Under the offsite disposal alternative, future

CERCLA waste would be transported off-site for disposal

in approved disposal facilities in other states, primarily

by rail. The hybrid disposal alternative considers a

smaller on-site landfill in conjunction with sending a

larger percentage of waste off-site. For benchmark

purposes, a no-action alternative is also listed as a

means of comparison.

	 The document concludes that both on-site and

off-site disposal alternatives would protect human

health and the environment long-term. Short-term

risks are higher for the off-site disposal alternative due

to significant efforts to transport the waste. The offsite disposal alternative may isolate the wastes more

effectively since the disposal sites are located in arid

climates. Along with higher costs, off-site disposal

would extend the cleanup schedule ten or more years.

	 The on-site disposal alternative would be located

on DOE land within the Oak Ridge Reservation, but it

would be much less costly, allow for more expedited

waste disposal, avoid transportation risks, and provide

a greater level of certainty that long-term disposal

capacity remains available, thus offering the most

condensed overall cleanup schedule.

New disposal facility location sought

	 Each year, activities on the Oak Ridge Reservation

generate millions of gallons of wastewater that must

be treated to remove oil, chemicals, radiological

constituents, and other contaminants.

	 The National Nuclear Security Administration

at Y-12 treats wastewater generated from both

production and environmental cleanup activities. Safe

and compliant treatment of 112 million gallons of

wastewater was provided at various facilities during

FY 2016. At ORNL, the Process Waste Treatment

Complex treated approximately 88 million gallons of

wastewater.

In addition, the liquid low-level waste evaporator at

ORNL treated approximately 171,300 gallons. The ORNL

3039 Stack Facility treated 1.63 billion cubic meters

of gaseous waste. These waste treatment activities

supported both OREM and Office of Science mission

activities in a safe and compliant manner.

Potential locations for new disposal facility

Millions of gallons of wastewater treated
25

	 The engineering evaluation and life cycle study of

ORNL’s Liquid and Gaseous Waste Operations (LGWO)

was completed in FY 2016. The focus of the study was

to evaluate the current conditions of the process water,

gaseous waste, and liquid low-level waste systems;

determine the future capacity needs to support

OREM and the Office of Science missions at ORNL;

research alternate technologies; and recommend and

prioritize repairs and/or system upgrades for long-term

operations.

	 The LGWO operating systems vary in age from 30-

to 60-years-old, and all of them are well beyond their

designed life. The systems are experiencing frequent

equipment breakdowns, and in many cases, spare parts

are not available due to the age of the equipment that

is in service. The engineering evaluation has confirmed

and identified additional equipment repairs to be

conducted in 2016.

	 Based on the completion of the LGWO Engineering

Evaluation and Life Cycle Study, several upgrades and

maintenance activities were identified and planned

over the next five years.

	 To support demolition of the K-1037 Building

at ETTP, OREM needs additional landfill space for

uncontaminated, classified waste debris. A smaller

industrial, classified landfill located on Chestnut Ridge is

being expanded to avoid placing this waste in EMWMF

and filling valuable low-level, radioactive waste landfill

space.

In the spring and summer of 2016, DOE requested

a minor modification to the existing permit from TDEC

after completing an expansion design. In addition, the

expansion subcontractor was selected and mobilized

to the site. The expansion will more than double the

existing capacity of the landfill. It includes removing

excess soil, laying protective liners, extending a

leachate collection system, and increasing the storage

capacity of the existing leachate system.

An independent quality assurance subcontractor

is performing the testing and documentation required

to produce a certification report for TDEC approval

prior to waste disposal in the new area. The expansion

is anticipated to be completed before the end of

calendar year 2016.

LGWO life cycle evaluation completed

Landfill space expanded
26

	 The Transuranic (TRU) Waste Processing Center (TWPC) characterizes and packages TRU waste from the Oak

Ridge Reservation for disposition at DOE’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad, New Mexico. In October 2015,

North Wind Solutions, LLC was selected as the managing contractor for TWPC.

	 TRU waste contains man-made elements heavier than uranium, such as plutonium, hence the name “trans” or

“beyond” uranium. TRU waste is generally associated with the research involving fissionable material dating back

to the Manhattan Project. It consists primarily of clothing, tools, rags, residues, soil, and debris.

	 Two waste streams—contact-handled (CH) and remote-handled (RH)—are processed at TWPC. CH TRU can be

safely handled without remote equipment, although workers never actually touch the waste without protective

barriers,such asspecial clothing or equipment. Higher energy radioactive TRU, or RH waste, is processed by remote

control equipment in special rooms called “hot cells.” Workers who process RH waste are protected by barriers,

such as thick concrete walls and leaded-glass viewing windows.

	 In FY 2016, the TWPC processed

23 cubic meters of CH waste,

achieving an overall project lifecycle

total of 1,507 cubic meters of

processed CH waste. In addition,

employees at the facility processed

69 cubic meters of RH waste for an

overall project life cycle total of 553

cubic meters. These totalsrepresent

approximately 95 percent of the CH

TRU waste and about 82 percent

of the RH TRU waste based on the

current inventory and generation

forecasts.

	 Due to the prolonged shutdown

of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant,

TWPC continues to implement

a safe extended-storage plan

allowing continued progress against

regulatory milestones for TRU

waste processing. TWPC continues

to utilize available ORNL storage

capacity for CH TRU waste and

specially designed remote-handled

over-packs to store RH TRU waste

safely and compliantly until normal

waste disposal operations resume

at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant.

During FY 2016, TWPC has

actively participated in various

reviews and audits necessary for

approval to make future shipments

to the New Mexico disposal facility.

Specifically designed protective 

containers are used to store RH 

waste until they can be shipped 

for disposal.

TRU waste being processed, stored
27

	 OREM awarded a contract to CH2M HILL

Constructors, Inc., in March 2015 for the design of the

Sludge Processing Facility Buildouts Project at TWPC.

	 Processing and dispositioning Oak Ridge’s

inventory of TRU sludge is an important element of

the ongoing TRU waste disposition program. However,

current facilities at TWPC are not designed for sludge

processing. New facilities and processing systems will

be designed and constructed adjacent to the TWPC

in order to mobilize and transfer the sludge from the

ORNL tanks to processing systems to solidify, package,

and ship for offsite disposal.

	 The design of the new processing systems will

involve full-scale, mock-up testing to achieve the

technology maturation levels that are required for

implementation. OREM will conduct mock-up testing

through the design and construction of an onsite

mock-up test facility (also referred to as the Sludge Test

Area) and offsite testing at vendor facilities. Once the

technologies are matured through mock-up testing,

the design of the final processing facilities and systems

can be completed and construction may begin.

	 The architect and engineering services contractor

is currently focused on technology maturation

activities for critical technology elements identified

for the project. Changes to the Sludge Test Area’s

design, functions, and testing strategy are being

integrated into the project planning basis following

OREM’s approval of recommendations resulting from

the contractor’s technology assessment. Based on the

recommendations, two critical technology elements

will be matured at offsite vendor testing facilities while

the Sludge Test Area undergoes procurement and

construction.

	 Key progress for the project in 2016 includes:

• Completed development of an updated lifecycle

planning schedule and transmitted to the regulators

with proposed milestones/targets.

• Released Request for Information to potential

vendors for the sludge mobilization system.

• Completed initial development of a design package

for the Sludge Test Area, design of the density

test element skid, and specification package for

offsite vendor testing of the slurry mixing and

characterization tanks and measurement system

and issued for OREM review.

• Completed process chemistry modeling and issued

Chemistry Modeling Report (calculation) to support

update of the Integrated Systems Test Plan.

• Awarded task for environmental characterization of

the Sludge Test Area site and sampling is scheduled

to begin October 2016.

• Conducted second quarterly Safety Design

Integration Team meeting.

TWPC sludge buildouts facility planned
2228 5

Oak Ridge

Reservation

The DOE Oak Ridge Reservation is home to

ETTP, ORNL, and the Y-12 Complex, as well

as waste repositories and other facilities. It

contains approximately 33,500 acres, which are mostly

wooded. In addition to cleanup projects at the three

facilities on the Reservation, OREM is taking measures to address

Reservation-wide issues.

28
29

	 Work continued in 2016 to implement key

recommendations from the Oak Ridge Reservation

Groundwater Strategy Report that was approved in

2014.

Following two rounds of offsite groundwater

sampling in 2015, OREM completed a third round in

2016.

The project is a cooperative effort among DOE, EPA,

and TDEC. Samples have been collected at 34 wells and

15 springslocated nearthewestern boundaryoftheOak

Ridge Reservation to develop a deeper understanding

about groundwater migration patterns in the area. A

Dan Goode briefs Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board members about the regional flow model.

report on the study was issued in November 2016.

A regional groundwater flow model was completed

in 2016. The regional model will serve as an underlying

framework to support future cleanup decisions and

actions. A Technical Advisory Group composed of DOE,

EPA, and TDEC members, as well asindustry experts, has

met several times annually since 2014. Members of this

group review progress and make recommendations for

development and future use of the model. One of the

members, Dan Goode of the U.S. Geological Survey, has

served as an interface with the Oak Ridge Site Specific

Advisory Board.

Dan Goode briefs Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board members about the regional flow model.

Recommendations implemented from

Reservation groundwater strategy report
30

	 The Five-Year Review, which assesses the

effectiveness of completed CERCLA remedial actions,

was completed in FY 2016.

	 This project included 29 individual reviews on

sites where remedial actions are ongoing or have been

completed and where contamination was left in place

above unrestricted cleanup levels. In preparation for

this effort, OREM completed additional monitoring and

site visits to each location.

	 The Five-Year Review also evaluates the land-use

controlsthat are being utilized, which includes practices

such as property record restrictions, property record

notices, excavation/penetration permit programs, and

access controls. A protectiveness determination was

completed for each of the sites and is included in the

review.

	 The annual Remediation Effectiveness Report

was also completed in FY 2016 and submitted to EPA

and TDEC. This report documents the progress of the

remedial actions toward cleanup goals.

Review of remedial actions completed 
315

Public Information 

and Involvement

The public is involved in all cleanup

decisions made by DOE. To keep the public

informed, DOE provides information through a

variety of outlets, including tours, meetings, fact

sheets, public notices, websites, social media, and

various publications.

31
32

Public Involvement Plan update released

Board focuses on outreach, 

advice on cleanup activities

	 DOE is updating the Public Involvement Plan for CERCLA

Activities on the Oak Ridge Reservation. This document

describes public involvement opportunities associated with

OREM’s 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 TDEC for review, and comments from

these agencies are incorporated into the final document.

	 The public can participate in OREM’s decision-making

processes, and the cleanup program encourages such

participation. Effective public involvement and good

community relations rest on a foundation of positive

relationships. OREM managers and staff work to build

and nurture such relationships, and this plan details

the opportunities and methods by which public input is

incorporated into the decision-making.

	 The Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board

(ORSSAB) is a federally appointed citizens’ panel that

provides independent advice and recommendations to

OREM.

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. The board also includes two

non-voting student representatives from area high

schools.

Since 1995, ORSSAB has actively provided input

to OREM on cleanup operations and stewardship of

remediated areas and permanent waste disposal sites.

The board continued that tradition in FY 2016. More

information about ORSSAB is available online at www.

energy.gov/orssab.

	 Following are some of the board’s major

recommendations, contributions, and activities for FY

2016.

Recommendations

	 ORSSAB’s primary function is to provide advice and

recommendations to DOE on its environmental cleanup

of the Oak Ridge Reservation. Following are the board’s

recommendations for FY 2016. Complete text of all

ORSSAB recommendations can be found on the board’s

website.

• Recommendation on the Preferred Alternative for

the Proposed Plan for Water Treatment at Outfall

200 at the Y-12 National Security Complex

• Recommendation on the Final Proposed Plan for

Soils in Zone 1 at East Tennessee Technology Park
33

• Recommendations on the

FY 2018 DOE Oak Ridge EM

Budget Request

• Recommendation to EM on

the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

(a joint recommendation from

the eight SSABs to DOE Headquarters)

Spring SSAB Chairs Meeting

	 On April 19–21, 2016,

ORSSAB hosted the spring SSAB

chairs meeting in Oak Ridge.

Approximately 60 representatives

from DOE Headquarters and from

the eight local SSABs around the

nation attended. The three-day

event included a site tour of the

Oak Ridge Reservation on April 19,

a full day meeting on April 20, and a half day meeting

on April 21.

Public Outreach 

	 The board completed a number of public outreach

goals this year in its continuing mission to inform and

involve the public in the EM decision-making process.

The board issued five news releases, four Advocate

newsletters, and its FY 2015 annual report. Members

staffed a booth at the Oak Ridge Earth Day event.

Board meetings were video recorded and broadcast on

local cable stations. Regular postings were made about

board meetings, events, and videos on Facebook and

YouTube, and a Flickr photo stream was launched.

On May 26, 2016, ORSSAB Secretary Dave

Hemelright presented the board’s recommendations

on the FY 2018 Oak Ridge EM budget request at the

annual Oak Ridge EM Community Workshop. The

event was held to discuss FY 2018 budget formulation

and priorities for Oak Ridge cleanup. The workshop

was attended by approximately 100 people.

Special Events and Site Tours

	 ORSSAB has been restructuring its work plan in

an effort to get members more engaged in work plan

topics by having meetings at different locations, taking

field trips, and ensuring that meeting presentations

are focused only on EM issues where decisions are to

be made and ORSSAB input is requested by DOE, and

spending less time on project updates. Those efforts

were successful and were continued in FY 2016. During

Board members with representatives from DOE, EPA, and TDEC at the 

ORSSAB 2016 annual meeting.

the year, board members participated in a variety of

special events and site tours:

• East Tennessee Technology Park tour

• Y-12 National Security Complex landfill tour

• K-27 demolition celebration

• Groundwater modeling demonstrations at Leidos

offices

• Oak Ridge National Laboratory Aquatic Ecology

Laboratory tour

ORSSAB members (from left) Elizabeth Ross, Ed 

Trujillo, and Greg Paulus tour ORNL’s Aquatic Ecology 

Laboratory in June.
34

45

FY 2016 Stats

	 Average number of visitors per month 	 70

Number of public meetings held 62

	 Total citizen inquiries 688

	 Total number of documents at the center	 47,884

	 Total number of documents on-line	 16,066

Visit the DOE Information Center on the 

Web at http://doeic.science.energy.gov/

Phone: (865) 241-4780

The DOE Information Center is located at the 

Office of Scientific and Technical Information, 

Building 1916 – T1,

1 Science.gov Way, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831

DOE Information Center staff, from left, are 

Trilla Hutchins, Eva Butler, and Wanda Joyce. 

	 The DOE Information Center

is a one-stop information facility

that maintains a collection of

more than 47,000 documents

involving environmental activities

in Oak Ridge.

The Center hosts various

meetings, including some of 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 information needs.

Users can consult the below

website for information available

from the Center.

DOE Information Center in Oak Ridge
35

DOE Information Center

Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Building 1916 – T1, 1 Science.gov Way

Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831

Phone: (865) 241-4780

Fax: (865) 574-3521

E-mail: doeic@science.doe.gov

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

DOE OREM Public Information

(865) 576-0742

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 - DOE Oversight Office

(865) 481-0995

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Region 4

1-800-241-1754

OREM Program		 	 	 	 www.energy.gov/orem

OREM Facebook	 	 	 	 https://www.facebook.com/Department-of-Energy-Oak-Ridge-

	 	 	 	 	 	 	 Office-486186205206/

OREM Twitter	 	 	 	 	 https://twitter.com/OakRidgeOffice	 	 	

 

DOE Main Website	 	 	 	 www.energy.gov

Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board 	 	 www.energy.gov/orssab

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

and Conservation

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

Information Resources

Internet Sites
36

CERCLA	 	 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability

	 Act of 1980

CEUSP	 	 Consolidated Edison Uranium Solidification Project

CH	 	 Contact-handled

DOE	 	 U.S. Department of Energy

EFPC	 	 East Fork Poplar Creek

EM	 	 Environmental Management

EMDF	 	 Environmental Management Disposal Facility

EMWMF	 	 Environmental Management Waste Management Facility

EPA	 	 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

ETTP	 	 East Tennessee Technology Park

EU	 	 Exposure Unit

FY	 	 Fiscal year

MSRE	 	 Molten Salt Reactor Experiment

NPL	 	 National Priorities List

ORNL	 	 Oak Ridge National Laboratory

ORSSAB	 	 Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board

RH	 	 Remote-handled

RI/FS	 	 Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study

ROD	 	 Record of Decision

TRU	 	 Transuranic

TWPC	 	 Transuranic Waste Processing Center

Commonly Used Acronyms and 

Initialisms
37

CERCLA: The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA)

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, which governs

cleanup operations on the Oak Ridge Reservation, authorizes two kinds of response actions: short-term

removal actions, where actions may be taken to addressreleases orthreatened releasesrequiring 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 U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency’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.

Federal Facility Agreement: CERCLA requires an agreement between state and federal entities to guide

cleanup work at CERCLA sites. Forthe DOEOak RidgeOffice,the parties ofthis agreement, called a Federal

Facility Agreement, is DOE, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Tennessee Department

of Environment and Conservation. The Federal Facility Agreement for Oak Ridge was initiated in January

1992.

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.

Remedial Actions: Remedial actions are long-term response actions that seek to permanently and

significantly reduce the risks associated with the release or threat of release of hazardous substances. 

Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study: The purpose of the remedial investigation/feasibility study

(RI/FS) is to assess site conditions and evaluate alternatives to the extent necessary to select a remedy.

Developing and conducting an RI/FS generally includes the following activities: project scoping, data

collection,risk assessment,treatability studies, and analysis of alternatives. The scope and timing ofthese

activities should be tailored to the nature and complexity of the problem and the response alternatives

being considered.

Record of Decision: Under the CERCLA process, a Record of Decision formally documentsthe selection of

a preferred cleanup method after a series of steps, including a Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study.

A preferred cleanup alternative is selected and presented to the public for comment in a Proposed Plan.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the state, and the lead agency then select a remedy and

document it in the Record of Decision.

Fiscal Year: The 2016 fiscal year spans from Oct. 1, 2015, to Sept. 30, 2016.

Commonly Used Terms
38

For more information, please contact the DOE Public Affairs Office at (865) 576-0885 or 1-800-382-6938.