1

Cleanup

Progress

Annual Report

to the Oak Ridge 

Regional Community

2017

OREM-17-2530
2 Remediated P1 Pond at East Tennessee Technology Park
1

Message from the Manager

DOE Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management

To the Oak Ridge Regional Community:

	 We are excited to share the Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management’s

tremendous progress transforming the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Oak

Ridge Reservation this year. Our employees are advancing ongoing cleanup efforts,

and we are moving forward with several large projects that will position the

program for continued success in the years to come. Together, we are reducing

risks, improving safety, and removing barriers to new missions and economic

opportunities in Oak Ridge.

	 The work underway at the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP) is

transitioning the site into a valuable, attractive community-owned asset. Crews

are continuing to alter the skyline by removing old electrical switchyards and

demolishing numerous facilities, including an old electrical switch house and

several facilities that formerly supported uranium enrichment operations. Our

cleanup contractor is also working inside many other facilities to prepare them for

demolition by 2020.

	 We have transferred hundreds of acres away from government ownership at ETTP in 2017—pushing us

closer to our ultimate vision for the site as a privately owned and operated industrial park. Companies are seeing

significant signs of progress and potential for its future. Months ago, a company onsite refurbished the barge

area to transport large equipment from Michigan to Oak Ridge via river systems, adding to the abundant, existing

offerings and infrastructure at the site.

	 As we pursue the completion of major cleanup at ETTP by 2020, we are ramping up planning and projects that

will enable large-scale cleanup to begin at the Y-12 National Security Complex. Additionally, through the recent

Excess Contaminated Facilities Initiative, our program is beginning to remove risks and stabilize a portion of the

350 excess, contaminated, and deteriorating facilities that require demolition at Y-12 and the Oak Ridge National

Laboratory (ORNL).

	 This year, we began site preparationsfor the new Mercury Treatment Facility, fulfilling a longtime commitment

to the regulators and paving the way for an essential element needed for Y-12’s cleanup. When completed, this

facility will significantly reduce mercury migration into the Upper East Fork Poplar Creek and provide a control

mechanism for disrupted mercury caused by the demolition of mercury-contaminated facilities on the west end

of Y-12.

	 Additionally, our program is successfully transporting waste offsite. For the first time in five years, we are once

again shipping Oak Ridge’s inventory of processed transuranic waste to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)

near Carlsbad, New Mexico. I am very proud of the men and women at our Transuranic Waste Processing Center

who identified solutions that allowed us to maintain our workforce and continue making progress processing and

packaging waste as WIPP performed necessary repairs and upgrades to accept waste. We also completed our

Uranium-233 Direct Disposition Campaign, which removed half of the inventory that was stored at ORNL.

	 In addition to our incredible team of employees and contractors, the Oak Ridge community has been one

of the biggest contributors to our ongoing success. Your constant support of the Environmental Management

program has helped propel our program forward, and in turn, we are striving to enhance the region to reach its

highest potential. Thank you for your interest and contributions as together we work toward a clean, modernized

Oak Ridge.

 Environmental Management

safety v performance v cleanup v closure

E

 M

Jay Mullis
2

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

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

Demolition of Poplar Creek facilities begins.............................................................................................7

Various support facilities demolished ......................................................................................................9

K-27 slab removed..................................................................................................................................10

Building K-1037 deactivation continues.................................................................................................10

Central Neutralization Facility being characterized ................................................................................11

Soil remediation preparing site for future use .......................................................................................11

Construction nears for commemorative facilities .................................................................................13

ETTP closer to its future as a private sector park ...................................................................................14

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

Excess contaminated facilities stabilized ................................................................................................16

Uranium-233 direct disposition complete, prep for processing phase continues..................................17

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

Fixative sprayed in Building 3029 hot cells.............................................................................................18

Upgrades from LGWO life cycle study implemented..............................................................................18

Y-12 National Security Complex....................................................................................................19

Mercury and equipment removal begins at Alpha-4..............................................................................21

Biology Complex characterization completed ........................................................................................22

Mercury Treatment Facility design work complete and project moves toward construction................23

Mercury remediation technologies explored.........................................................................................24 

Waste Management.........................................................................................................................25

Reservation facilities receive most cleanup waste .................................................................................26 

Wastewater treated................................................................................................................................26

Location sought for new onsite disposal cell..........................................................................................27

TWPC sludge buildout facility planning underway.................................................................................27

TRU facility processes waste, resumes shipments .................................................................................28 page 8

page 12

Contents
3

Oak Ridge Reservation ....................................................................................................................29

Groundwater project with ORNL focus begins.......................................................................................30

Five-year review of remedial actions completed ...................................................................................30

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

Advisory board provides input on DOE cleanup activities......................................................................32

DOE Information Center in Oak Ridge....................................................................................................34

Other Information Resources.................................................................................................................34

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

Commonly Used Acronyms and Initialisms...............................................................................35

Commonly Used Terms....................................................................................................................36

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 LLCpage 16

page 21

page 24
4

Introduction

4

	 In Fiscal Year (FY) 2017, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management

(OREM) continued its progress toward Vision 2020—the goal to complete major cleanup at the East Tennessee

Technology Park (ETTP) by 2020. The work underway is enabling the transfer and transformation of the site into

a private-sector industrial park that can benefit the region economically. OREM also continued significant risk

reduction activities at the Y-12 National Security Complex and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, including breaking

ground on a new Mercury Treatment Facility and stabilizing excess contaminated facilities as they await eventual

demolition.

	 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 portions of the land and facilities contaminated

with radioactive elements, mercury, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and

industrial wastes.

	 The contaminated areas of the Reservation are on the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) National Priorities List (NPL), which includes sites across

the nation that require cleanup under the Comprehensive Environmental Response,

Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). These areas on the Oak Ridge

Reservation have been clearly defined, and OREM is working to clean and restore those

areas under a partnership with the EPA and the Tennessee Department of Environment

and Conservation (TDEC).

	 Together, through the support provided by contractors, unions, elected officials, and the public, OREM is

enhancing safety, removing barriers to economic development, and enabling vital missions in science, energy, and

national security.
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 wasshut down permanently in 1987 and is undergoing cleanup for

ultimate conversion to a private-sector industrial park. Major activities

at the site include environmental restoration, facility deactivation and

demolition, waste disposition, and land transfers.

East Tennessee 

Technology Park
6

6

6 Demolition of the K-832-H Cooling Tower
777

	 Demolition has begun on the ETTP Poplar Creek

facilities, a series of 11 buildings and numerous

structures constructed in the 1940s and 1950s 

to support the site’s former nuclear program and

operations.

These are the most contaminated remaining 

facilities at ETTP now that the five large gaseous

diffusion buildings have been removed from the former

uranium enrichment plant.

	 Two of the larger facilities were demolished in

2017—the K-832-H Cooling Tower and the K-832

Cooling Water Pumphouse. The 5,500-square-foot

cooling tower, which was used in the site’s uranium

enrichment process, was constructed in 1985 to

replace the original cooling tower that began operating

in 1945. It only operated a short time because uranium

enrichment operations ceased at the site in 1985. The

11,000-square-foot cooling water pumphouse, which

operated from 1946 to 1985, pumped recirculating

cooling water from the K-832-H Cooling Tower basin

through the gaseous diffusion cascade equipment.

After being shut down, it was used to store electrical

equipment and batteries.

	 At the end of FY 2017, workers were preparing to

demolish the K-1203 facility, which provided the site

with sanitary sewage treatment.

	 Workers have also been removing tie lines that

once connected all of the gaseous diffusion buildings

and transferred enriched uranium. Approximately

31,000 out of 43,665 linear feet of tie lines had been

removed at the end of the fiscal year. 

	 These demolitions are providing another skyline

change and continue the transformation at ETTP. This

cleanup work is making the site safer and helping OREM

towardsits goal of converting ETTP into a private sector

industrial park.

Demolition of Poplar Creek facilities begins

ETTP Poplar Creek area before demolition activities

K-832-H Cooling Tower

K-832 Pumphouse
88

Demolition of the 

K-832 Cooling Water 

Pumphouse (above) and 

removal of tie 

lines (right)
9

Various support facilities demolished

	 In addition to the removal of two Poplar Creek

facilities, OREM also completed demolition on other

support facilities at ETTP, including Building K-731, the

K-732 Electrical Switchyard, Building K-833, Building

K-1028-81, and Building K-1028-64.

	 Constructed in 1944, Building K-731 Electrical

Switch House and K-732 Switchyard provided electrical

power to Building K-27 for uranium enrichment

operations. The 31,000-square-foot K-731 facility was

a brick and concrete structure with two main floors,

three third-floor penthouses, and a basement. The

building was demolished and the basement area was

backfilled. Afterward, crews added topsoil and seeded

the grounds.

	 Workers also removed the adjacent K-732

Electrical Switchyard. By the end of the project, crews

had removed extensive electrical infrastructure and

equipment, transported three 110-ton condensers,

and characterized, excavated, and backfilled three

condenser basements and 20 underground vaults.

Additionally, more than 800 tons of steel, 28 tons

of copper, and 7 tons of aluminum and brass were

recycled, avoiding placing these materials in DOE’s

onsite disposal facilities.

	 Crews also demolished Building K-1028-64 (Portal

9), a 160-square-foot permanent guardhouse that

was built in 1973. Building K-1028-81 (Portal 19) and

Building K-833 (the Cooling Water Return Pumphouse)

also were also demolished in 2017, which concluded

the removal of ancillary buildings associated with

Building K-27.

Demolition of Portal 9

K-731 Building site after demolition

Preparing for takedown and cleanup of the K-732 

Electrical Switchyard
10

K-27 slab removed

	 The slab foundation of the K-27 Building, the

last of five ETTP gaseous diffusion buildings to be

demolished, was removed in FY 2017. More than

2,000 truckloads of the slab debris were disposed.

	 OREM continued deactivation

work in Building K-1037 to prepare 

the facility for demolition in 2018.

The facility was once a warehouse,

but it was later used to produce the

porous barrier material that was

essential in the uranium separation

and enrichment process.

	 Crews removed loose equipment and completed the asbestos

abatement activities identified in the

original scope. However, as equipment was removed throughout the

building, additional asbestos was

uncovered causing work to extend

into 2018. In addition, a tremendous

amount of effort was dedicated to

the removal of chemicals throughout

the facility. More than 1,400 chemicals have been collected, sampled,

and prepared for disposal.

Building K-1037 deactivation continues

K-1037 Building
10 1111

	 The Central Neutralization Facility (CNF) was a

wastewater treatment facility for industrial wastewater

generated at ETTP. CNF was constructed in stages from

1945 until 2000. In 2013, CNF was decommissioned,

and the facility’s water treatment equipment was

cleaned of all hazardous waste contamination.

	 In 2017, DOE cleanup contractor URS | CH2M Oak

Ridge LLC (UCOR) completed characterization of CNF

for the disposal of demolition debris. Additionally,

legacy waste removal, universal waste removal, and

fixed equipment removal were nearing completion to

prepare CNF for demolition.

Central Neutralization Facility being characterized

Soil remediation preparing site for future use

	 Soil remediation efforts at ETTP are helping to

prepare the site for its future industrial use. ETTP is

divided into two cleanup regions: Zone 1, a 1,400-acre

area outside the main plant, and Zone 2, an 800-acre

area that comprises the main plant area. The areas in

these zones are divided into varying-sized exposure

units (EUs) for the purpose of remediation. 

Zone 1

	 The Interim Record of Decision (ROD), which

documents the cleanup method for Zone 1, requires

OREM to remediate soil for the protection of

groundwater, the surrounding ecosystem, land use

controls, and a future industrial workforce. In FY 2017,

remediation was completed in EU Z1-50, where the

K-1066-K Cylinder Storage Yard is located, opening its

4.8 acres 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 results of the study,

OREM prepared the Zone 1 Final Soils Proposed Plan

and Final Soil ROD to address the remaining soil/debris

contamination. These documents were provided to EPA

and TDEC for review and approval in FY 2017, and they

move OREM one step closer to completing work at the

site.

Zone 2

	 The Zone 2 ROD requires OREM to remediate

soil for the protection of an industrial workforce and

groundwater. It divides Zone 2 into 44 EUs that range

in size from 6 to 38 acres. In FY 2017, OREM and UCOR

completed characterization of EUs Z2-12, -14, and -19

(the Building K-27 slab is in EU Z2-14), and remediation

of EUs Z2-17, -20, -22, -28, -29, and -41. Following

Exposure Unit Z1-50

remediation, these six EUs were recommended for

unrestricted industrial use—pushing ETTP closer to

OREM’s ultimate vision.

Sitewide ROD

	 OREM is performing a study that will help identify

the most effective groundwater treatment technology

that can be used for ETTP’s final groundwater remedy.

OREM completed Phase 1 of the study in FY 2010,

and it resumed the study in FY 2016. Workers are

characterizing the former K-1401 area to support the

design of a pilot scale thermal treatment study.

	 In 2017, crews installed numerous groundwater

boreholes and more than 100 sampling wells at varying

depths. They also installed seven pump test/observation

wellsfor hydraulic testing. OREM and UCOR are utilizing

innovative technologies to determine the extent and

composition of the contamination in the K-1401 area.

	 Upcoming work includes hydraulic testing, data

evaluation, and planning for the pilot scale thermal

demonstration.
12

Chromium Surface Water

Investigation

	 In 2011, OREM performed

a time-critical removal action

to reduce the concentration of

hexavalent chromium in Mitchell

Branch. The project involved

installing wells to intercept the 

material prior to its discharge 

into Mitchell Branch. Since then,

the concentrations levels in the

groundwater plume and in the two 

interception wells have declined

significantly.

	 The interception wells were

turned off for 48 hours to

determine the new baseline

level of hexavalent chromium

concentrations in surface water.

The test confirmed that even

without the interception wells, the

concentrations in Mitchell Branch

have declined significantly, but

they still exceed requirements.

	 OREM will continue using the

wells to ensure the waters are 

protected.

OREM and UCOR are 

utilizing innovative 

technologies to 

determine the extent 

and composition of the 

contamination in the 

K-1401 area
1313

	 National historic preservation

initiatives at ETTP reached a milestone in FY 2017 with the completion

of design activities. The final design

documents were released to the 

historic preservation consulting

parties in January 2017 for review

and comment, and the designs of the

facilities and exhibits were finalized in

April 2017.

	 Consulting parties for the K-25

historic preservation activities participated in a meeting in July 2017 to

review the current condition of the

K-25 Building footprint. The highlight

of the meeting was an opportunity to

tour the building footprint and walk

on portions of the original concrete slab. Following the

tour, National Park Service staff facilitated discussions

on plans for preservation and public use of the K-25

Building footprint.

	 At the close of the fiscal year, activities were

underway to identify construction and exhibit

fabrication subcontractors to begin work on the

K-25 History Center. Construction of the Equipment

Building and Viewing Tower is planned for FY 2018.

	 K-25 History Center visitors will be invited to

explore the rich history of the Manhattan Project site.

The facility will feature a theater, period artifacts,

equipment replicas, and workers’ oral histories,

Construction nears for commemorative facilities 

Consulting party members join DOE and its cleanup contractor, UCOR, 

to review the condition of the K-25 footprint

placing K-25 in its proper historical context in World 

War II and the Cold War. It will provide an in-depth

look at gaseous diffusion technology used to enrich

uranium and highlight the people who sacrificed to

make it a reality.

The Equipment Building and Viewing Tower will 

replicate the exterior appearance of the K-25 Building

and will house a representative cross-section of

gaseous diffusion technology. An enclosed observation

deck, standing 70 feet tall, will provide a 360-degree

view of the site and allow visitorsto see the entire K-25

footprint from the height of the former facility.

Artist’s rendering of the K-25 History Center, Equipment Building, and Viewing Tower
14

	 Oak Ridge’s Reindustrialization Program entered

its 21st year as the model DOE asset reuse program.

During that time, ETTP has been transformed from

a former government-owned uranium enrichment

complex into a private-sector industrial business park.

	 As OREM moves toward the final phases of

environmental cleanup at ETTP, the site continues

toward its future as a private sector industrial park,

national historical park, and conservation area. A

closure plan was developed in 2017 to address all of the

necessary transfers for all of the site assets, including

the remaining facilities, land, and utility infrastructure.

	 Additionally, UCOR and the Community Reuse

Organization of East Tennessee (CROET) re-evaluated

and modernized the existing revitalization plan for

ETTP. The new approach accounted for recent cleanup

accomplishments and new developments, such as a

proposed regional general aviation airport.

	 Numerous stakeholders worked together to

coordinate ETTP’s redevelopment. During FY 2017,

the Reindustrialization Program transferred a 185-

ETTP closer to its future as a private sector park 

acre parcel (formerly the K-31 and K-33 footprint) to

CROET, which was the largest land transfer to date

in the main plant area. It is a highly desirable parcel

because of itslarge size, flattopography, and significant

infrastructure.

	 The Reindustrialization Program also moved

forward with making other larger parcels of land

available for major manufacturing developments,

including 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.

	 A proposed plan to build an airport on the ETTP

site reached a major milestone in FY 2017 with the

completion of a master plan, which was submitted to

the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for approval.

The Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority (MKAA),

working closely with DOE, isleading this project. MKAA

will proceed with final design work when the master

plan is approved by FAA.

ETTP cleanup status (at the end of FY 2017)
15

Oak Ridge

National Laboratory

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory is DOE’s largest multi-program

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.
16

	 OREM conducted stabilization activities at two

ORNL facilities that are not scheduled for near-term

demolition.

	 Building 3026 was a laboratory facility and one

of the site’s original Manhattan Project facilities.

The outer structure and four of the facility’s six “hot

cells” were demolished during the Recovery Act. Hot

cells are heavily shielded rooms where scientists can

perform research safely when studying and handling

highly radioactive materials.

	 In 2017, crews installed new material to minimize

or prevent rainwater intrusion into Building 3026’s

remaining hot cells, and they poured new concrete caps

over the pads of the demolished hot cells to stabilize

any surface contamination. Crews also characterized,

removed, and transferred water from the building’s

transfer tunnel for treatment. Additionally, workers

disposed all of the waste from this project, which

reduces the potential for contaminant releases, risks

to onsite workers, and the cost of surveillance and

maintenance and future cleanup.

Excess contaminated facilities stabilized

	 Building 7500, known astheHomogeneous Reactor

Experiment, was built in 1951 and operated until

1961. Since then, the insulation and building’s interior

has degraded significantly. Workers began removing

asbestos in late FY 2017, which will significantly reduce

risk in the deteriorating facility.

Asbestos removal in Building 7500

Asbestos abatement crew inside Building 7500
17

	 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. The facility is one of the most challenging and complex projects at ORNL.

	 In 2014, 74 waste items were added to the

facility’s waste handling plan. In FY 2017, all of the

items were disposed and characterized according

to the commitments listed in the schedule, and

six items were dispositioned ahead of schedule,

including four of the MSRE salt probes.

	 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 and disposing legacy

defueling equipment, such as the fuel salt probes

and fuel salt probe glove box. OREM is continuing

itsroutine surveillance and maintenance activities

there to manage the remaining hazards, including

periodically removing reactive gas generated by

the defueled salts.

MSRE waste items being dispositioned

	 OREM has successfully completed its Uranium (U)-

233 Direct Disposition Campaign—the first of its twophase effort to remove the inventory stored at ORNL.

Ultimately, the two-phase approach will eliminate

approximately 1,100 containers of the highly-enriched

material.

	 Completing the direct disposition campaign

removed approximately half of the U-233 inventory,

which is stored in Building 3019—the world’s oldest

nuclear facility. Its removal is OREM’s highest priority

at ORNL, and it will eliminate a Category 1 inventory of

controlled nuclear material, save considerable security

and oversight costs, and enable the demolition of an

old facility, which opens land in ORNL’s central campus

for science and research missions.

	 In 2017, OREM also made another significant

step that positions the program for the second phase

of the project. The Office of Science transferred

ORNL’s Building 2026 to the Office of Environmental

Management, allowing the cleanup program to ready

the facility for processing and downblending of the

remaining U-233 stored onsite.

	 Building 2026 is located across from Building

3019. The close proximity helps simplify the logistics

of transporting the material for processing. OREM’s

schedule for approval of the final design for the

Processing Preparation Campaign is in the second

quarter of FY 2018.

Uranium-233 direct disposition complete, prep

for processing phase continues

MSRE probe being loaded

The Office of Science transfers Building 2026 to the 

Office of Environmental Management
18 5

	 To help prevent the spread of

contamination from the hot cells in

Building 3029, known as the Source

Development Laboratory, workers

sprayed a fixative into the ports on the

hot cells. This process helps prevent

the spread of contamination so it will

remain in place.

The work was conducted in 

September 2017. It involved spraying

the fixative material in each of the four

hot cells, where two of the hot cells

contained high dose rates and high 

contamination levels. The team was

able to execute the work safely and

without any issues.

Fixative sprayed in Building 3029 hot cells

Fixative spraying operations 

in Building 3029 hot cells

	 Upgrades from an engineering evaluation and

life cycle study of ORNL’s Liquid and Gaseous Waste

Operations (LGWO) were implemented in FY 2017. The

facility is essential for ongoing operations at the largest

multi-program national laboratory.

	 The study included four areas of focus. First, it

evaluated the current conditions of the process water,

gaseous waste, and liquid low-level waste systems.

Then, it determined the future capacity needs to

support OREM and the Office of Science missions at

ORNL. Next, it researched alternate technologies, and

finally, it recommended and prioritized 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 that need

to be conducted.

	 The first phase of the upgrades contained seven

individual activities. Five of those activities were

completed in FY 2017, and the remaining two should be

complete in 2018.

	 The second phase of the upgrades has three

individual activities. One of those activities was

completed in FY 2017. The second activity is in the

proposal process, while the third activity’s planning will

begin in FY 2018.

	 Based on the efficiencies realized after completing

activities in the first two phases, an effort is underway

to evaluate the needs identified in the engineering

evaluation to further define the future upgrades

necessary to ensure continued operations of the LGWO.

Upgrades from LGWO life cycle study implemented
19

Y-12 National

Security Complex

The Y-12 National Security Complex is a premier manufacturing

facility dedicated to protecting our nation. Y-12 helps ensure a

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

retrieves and stores nuclear materials from around the world,

fuels the nation’s naval reactors, and performs highly-skilled,

specialized manufacturing for government agencies and private

sector entities.
20

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

20

Mercury collected from Alpha-4 equipment is being poured into a container
21

	 OREM retrieved more than 2,000 pounds of

elementary mercury in FY 2017 from the cleanout

of old column exchange (COLEX) equipment on the

west side of Alpha-4 at Y-12. The project prevents

mercury releases in the environment and eliminates

risks stemming from rusted, structurally-degraded

equipment, clearing the way for Alpha-4’s eventual

demolition.

	 The mercury-contaminated COLEX equipment

is connected to the four-story, 500,000-square-foot

Alpha-4. The building was used for uranium separation

from 1944 to 1945. Workers finished installing the

COLEX equipment in 1955 for lithium separation, a

process that required large amounts of mercury. A

significant amount of the element was lost into the

equipment, buildings, and surrounding soils, and its

cleanup is one of OREM’s top priorities.

	 While workers drained the majority of the materials

from the equipment when operations ceased in

1962, all of the systems and components were not

cleaned. Recoverable amounts of mercury are still in

the equipment and lines. The Stormwater Pollution

Prevention Plan actions have been effective during this

work, and there have been no issues with the release of

mercury.

Mercury and equipment removal begins at Alpha-4

Some of the mercury-contaminated pipes contain a 

grit-like substance that requires a more aggressive 

technique to be removed

	 Workers inspected, cleaned, and retrieved mercury

from tanks and equipment prior to their removal.

Approximately 7,689 feet of the 9,947 feet of piping,

two tanks, and four heat exchangers have been

tapped and drained. The progress will continue with

equipment demolition expected to be complete in

2018. Additionally, equipment on the east and south

sides will be removed in the future.

Workers use special equipment to view inside the COLEX equipment
22 5

	 OREM and UCOR completed characterization at

the Biology Complex, identifying contaminants before

demolition and waste disposition. The project is part of

DOE’s Excess Contaminated FacilitiesInitiative, an effort

to reduce risks and stabilize facilities not scheduled for

near-term demolition. In this case, OREM’s activities

can accelerate the demolition schedule because the

facilities are collapsing due to age, and the location can

be used for modern national defense missions. 

	 More than 300 samples were taken, validated, and

evaluated from the eight remaining Biology Complex

buildings that span almost 350,000 square feet. Like

many facilities built in the 1940s, the characterization

results showed significant amounts of asbestos and

other wastes, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

Workers also found radiological constituents in some

buildings. 

	 Getting crews into the complex before the working

environment became too hazardous was crucial.

Biology Complex characterization completed

A worker takes a sample from a concrete floor in one of the Biology Complex facilities to determine the extent 

of contamination present

	 Already, team members could not enter one

building due to a failed roof. Elsewhere, exterior tiles

have fallen from the façade, and asbestos and other

material present risks to workers due to roof leaks.

	 The characterization results verified that six of

the buildings could be disposed in the Y-12 sanitary

landfills because they do not contain radiological

contamination. The remaining two will be disposed in

the Environmental Management Waste Management

Facility (EMWMF).

	 Originally constructed to recover uranium from

process streams, the complex later housed DOE’s

research on the genetic effects ofradiation fromthe late

1940s. The facilities once housed more individuals with

doctorates than anywhere in the world. The complex

originally consisted of 12 buildings until EM demolished

four of them in 2010 as part of the American Recovery

and Reinvestment Act.
23

	 OREM will construct the Outfall 200 Mercury Treatment Facility at the Y-12 National Security Complex to

reduce mercury concentrations in water exiting the site through the East Fork Poplar Creek. 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, which contains

mercury-contaminated buildings and

soil. It will also help the cleanup program

make progress toward achieving

compliance with regulatory criteria for

the East Fork Poplar Creek.

	 Outfall 200 is the point where the

west end Y-12 storm drain system creates

the headwaters of the Upper East Fork

Poplar Creek. An estimated 700,000

pounds of mercury went into the

environment at Y-12 during operations in

the 1950s and 1960s, and this facility will

help capture this material to prevent it

from traveling offsite through the creek.

	 In FY 2017, OREM completed the

designs for the early site preparation and

the facility construction. At the end of

the fiscal year, OREM planned to begin

early site preparation that would start

before the end of calendar year 2017.

Early site preparation includes installing

necessary utilities and infrastructure and

demolishing existing structures in the

area to clear the area for construction.

	 OREM anticipates awarding a

construction contract in 2018. The

Mercury Treatment Facility will have

the capability to treat 3,000 gallons

of water per minute and store up to

2 million gallons of additional storm

water collected during higher storm flow

conditions. The treated water will then

be discharged back into Upper East Fork

Poplar Creek.

Mercury Treatment Facility design work complete 

and project moves toward construction

Artist’s rendering of the Mercury Treatment Facility, which 

includes a headworks facility and a treatment center
24

	 Mercury remediation is OREM’s highest priority

at the Y-12 National Security Complex due to the

large historical losses of the element in buildings,

soils, and surface waters. Remediation of Y-12 and

East Fork Poplar Creek is based on a phased, adaptive

management approach.

	 The approach to address surface water includes

Outfall 200 treatment actions in the short term, and

research and technology development to evaluate

longer-term solutions and in the downstream

environment. In FY 2017, OREM led a multiorganizational meeting series focused on updating

and prioritizing the mercury remediation strategy and

technology development plans.

	 In the near-term, the recommended mercury

technology development activities will support the

successful completion of the demolition of Y-12’s

mercury-contaminated facilities and soils remediation,

and reducing mercury-related ecological risks in the 

East Fork Poplar Creek.

	 Mercury technology development activities have

been ongoing since 2015, and they will ultimately

support an evaluation of remediation alternatives

for the creek in the 2020s. East Fork Poplar Creek

research activities have emphasized understanding

mercury transport as an important precursor to the 

development of targeted remedial technologies.

	 To date, stream bank sources in select areas with

higher mercury values are thought to be a major

source of mercury to surface waters. Technologies

under investigation include the use of materials that

will bind mercury and prevent its release into surface

waters. Water chemistry is also thought to play a major

role in mercury transport and uptake in the food chain.

Controlling nutrient releases that impact algae in the 

creek is one strategy under investigation. Lastly,studies

on the form of mercury in animal and plant life in the

area are providing new insights that suggest managing

stream biological communities may help decrease

mercury risks.

	 ORNL scientists are preparing a report titled

“Mercury Remediation Technology Development

for Lower East Fork Poplar Creek—FY 2017 Progress

Report.” This report will provide a detailed description

of each of the study areas and findings from studies

performed in FY 2017.

Mercury remediation technologies explored

ORNL researchers collect sediment samples from East Fork Poplar Creek to determine the 

relationship of particle size to mercury concentrations
25

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

ReservationLandfills. Somewastesareshippedoffsitefortreatmentand/

or disposal. Wastewater is treated at the Chromium Water Treatment

System at ETTP and the Process Waste Treatment Complex at ORNL.
26

	 Most of the waste generated during FY 2017

cleanup activitiesinOak Ridge were disposed at disposal

facilities on the Oak Ridge Reservation.

	 This year, EMWMF received 5,309 waste shipments,

accounting for 71,534 tons, from cleanup projects at

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

ofsix disposal cellsthat only acceptlow-levelradioactive

and hazardous CERCLA waste that meets specific waste

acceptance criteria.Waste typesthat qualify for disposal

include soil, dried sludge and sediment, building debris,

scrap equipment, and personal protective equipment.

	 In FY 2017, EMWMF operations collected, analyzed,

and disposed approximately 4.46 million gallons

of leachate at the ORNL Liquid and Gaseous Waste

Operations facility. No contact water (water that comes

in contact with waste but does not enter the leachate

collection system) required treatment. Instead, 8.98

million gallons of contact water were released to the

storm water retention basin after laboratory analyses

verified the water met all discharge standards.

OREM also effectively prevented erosion at EMWMF.

OREM was able to divert 17.7 million gallons of clean

stormwater runoff away from the disposal facility

by using an enhanced operational cover that spans

approximately 12 acres.

	 DOE also operates and maintains solid waste

disposal facilities called the Oak Ridge Reservation

Landfills. In FY 2017, 54,740 cubic yards of waste were

disposed in three of these active landfills, which marks

a 63 percent increase from FY 2016 volumes.

	 Operation of the Oak Ridge Reservation Landfills

generated approximately 2.8 million gallons of leachate

that was collected, monitored, and discharged into the

Y-12 Complex sanitary sewer system.

Reservation facilities receive most cleanup wastes

EMWMF

	 Each year, activities on theOak Ridge Reservation

generate millions of gallons of wastewater that must

be treated to remove oil, chemicals, radiological

constituents, and other contaminants.

	 The Y-12 National Security Complex treats

wastewater generated from production and

environmental cleanup activities. The site provided

safe and compliant treatment of 115 million gallons

of wastewater during FY 2017. At ORNL, the Process

Waste Treatment Complex treated 94 million gallons 

of wastewater.

	 In addition,the liquid low-level waste evaporator

at ORNL treated approximately 96,000 gallons, and

theORNL 3039 Stack Facility treated 1.63 billion cubic

meters of gaseous waste. These waste treatment

activitiessupported bothOREM andOffice of Science

mission activities in a safe and compliant manner.

Wastewater treated
27

	 EMWMF,the existing onsite disposal facility forlowlevel, mixed, and classified waste, will reach capacity

before OREM completes its cleanup at Y-12 and ORNL.

Planning for another disposal facility to provide the

capacity needed to complete Oak Ridge’s cleanup

continued in FY 2017. The new facility will be called the

Environmental Management Disposal Facility (EMDF).

	 During 2017, OREM continued to work with

regulators on issues associated with the Remedial 

Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) and submitted

another version of the document. The document lists

options for onsite and offsite disposal. The onsite

disposal alternatives listed in the document include

four sites in Bear Creek Valley, including a site to the

east of EMWMF, sites in Central Bear Creek Valley, and

a site on the west end of Bear Creek Valley.

	 OREM’s preferred alternative is a site in Central

Bear Creek Valley. While discussions continue with

the regulators on the RI/FS and how to best present a

preferredalternativetothepublic,OREMbeganplanning

for characterization efforts on the Central Bear Creek

Valley site. These efforts included collecting soil types

in the area, determining the depth to groundwater, and

identifying other factors that are necessary before the

final decision on a site is made and before a significant

design effort can begin.

	 A Field Sampling Plan was developed with input

from the regulators in FY 2017, and it will be submitted

for final review and concurrence in FY 2018. In

anticipation of the sampling outlined in the document,

roughly 4,000 feet of temporary access roads were

constructed on OREM’s preferred site. These roads

will allow drill rigs and supporting equipment to access

areas identified to install wells, measure groundwater

levels, and collectsoilsamplesfor engineering property

analyses.

Location sought for new onsite disposal cell

An access road to OREM’s preferred site for EMDF

	 OREM awarded a contract to CH2M HILL

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

the Sludge Processing Facility Buildouts Project at the

Transuranic Waste Processing Center (TWPC).

	 Once transuranic (TRU) debris processing is

completed, it is important for OREM to process and

dispose the large inventory of sludge TRU waste

that remains onsite. Current TWPC facilities are not

designed for sludge processing, so new facilities must

be constructed to mobilize and transfer the sludge from

the ORNL tanks to processing systems that will enable

the solidification, packaging, and disposing the waste

offsite as remote-handled low-level waste.

	 OREM will conduct initial testing through the design

and construction of a mock-up testfacility (also referred

to asthe Sludge Test AreaORNL 7658) and offsite testing

at vendor facilities. Once the technologies are matured,

the design of the final processing facilities and systems

can be completed and construction can begin.

	 Key progress for the project in 2017 includes:

• 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.

These were issued to OREM to review.

• Completed process chemistry modeling and issued 

a Chemistry Modeling Report (calculation) to

support an update of the Integrated Systems Test

Plan.

• Conducted quarterly Safety Design Integration

Team meetings.

TWPC sludge buildout facility planning underway
28 5

	 Employees at TWPC continued processing contact-handled and remote-handled TRU

waste in FY 2017. Through their work, OREM

has been able to process approximately 96

percent of the contact-handled TRU waste

and 89 percent of the remote-handled TRU

based on the current inventory and generation forecasts.

	 TWPC, which is operated by North Wind

Solutions, LLC, is responsible for processing

and packaging TRU waste from the Oak Ridge

Reservation for shipment to DOE’s Waste

Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad,

New Mexico. This form of waste consists of

materials and debris that are contaminated

with elementsthat have a higher atomic mass

and are listed after uranium on the periodic

table. The majority of Oak Ridge’s inventory

originated from previous research and isotope production missions at ORNL.

	 Two transuranic waste streams are processed at the facility—contact-handled and remote-handled waste.

Contact-handled waste 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, orremotehandled waste, is processed by remote control equipment in special protective rooms called “hot cells.” Workers

who process this form of waste are protected by barriers, such as thick concrete walls and leaded-glass viewing

windows.

	 Most notably in FY 2017, TWPC resumed waste disposal to WIPP for the first time since 2012, and OREM is

once again able to begin removing Oak Ridge’s inventory of TRU waste. With operations at WIPP ramping up, Oak

Ridge anticipates making multiple shipments each month, with the possibility of increasing that total in the future.

TRU facility processes waste, resumes shipments

The TWPC team celebrates waste shipments resuming to WIPP

The first TRU shipment to WIPP since 2012
29

Oak Ridge

Reservation

The DOE Oak Ridge Reservation is home to ETTP, ORNL, and Y-12, as well

as other facilities and waste disposal areas. It contains approximately

33,500 acres that are predominantly undeveloped, forested areas. In

addition to cleanup projects atthe three sites on the Reservation, OREM

is taking measures to address Reservation-wide issues.
30

	 OREM’s top priority is ensuring the safety and

protection of employees and local residents from

environmental impacts caused from previous

operations on the Oak Ridge Reservation. Groundwater

sampling and research are among the activities OREM

has invested heavily to maintain this commitment.

	 In 2017, OREM began work on the third project that

was implemented under the Oak Ridge Reservation

Groundwater Strategy. This particular project focuses

on plumes and potential exit pathways in Melton Valley

and Bethel Valley at ORNL. It will use flow modeling and

data evaluation to identify where additional data are

needed, and it will help determine where the new wells

are located. The findings will be issued in September

2018.

	 Reporting is also underway on the first two

projects—an offsite groundwater study and a regional

groundwater flow model. Through this effort, OREM is

working cooperatively with EPA and TDEC to investigate

offsite groundwater quality and potential movement.

	 The Five-Year Review, which assesses the

effectiveness of completed CERCLA remedial actions,

was submitted to EPA and TDEC in FY 2017. This

document included in-depth reviews of sites where

remedial actions are ongoing, or where they have

been completed but contamination above unrestricted

cleanup levels was left in place.

	 The Five-Year Review also evaluates the land-use

controlsthat are being utilized, which includes practices

Groundwater project with ORNL focus begins

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 2017 and submitted to EPA

and TDEC. This report documents the progress of the

remedial actions toward cleanup goals.

Five-year review of remedial actions completed
31

Public Involvement 

and Information

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, briefings, conferences, media outreach, fact

sheets, public notices, websites, social media, and various publications.
32

	 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

the DOE Oak Ridge EM Program on cleanup operations

and stewardship of remediated areas and permanent

waste disposal sites. More information about ORSSAB

is available online at www.energy.gov/orssab.

	 Following are some of the board’s major contributions and activities for FY 2017.

Recommendations

	 ORSSAB’s primary function is to provide advice

and recommendations to DOE on its environmental

cleanup of the Reservation. Complete text of ORSSAB

recommendations can be found on the board’s website.

Following are the board’s recommendations for FY

2017:

• Groundwater investigations at the Oak Ridge

Reservation

• Biology Complex facilities at the Y-12 National

Security Complex

EMSSAB chairs meeting

Advisory board provides input

on DOE cleanup activities
33

• Proposed Environmental Management Disposal

Facility 

• FY 2019 Oak Ridge EM Budget Priorities

	 In addition, the board collaborated on two

recommendations developed during the semiannual

EM SSAB chairs meetings:

• EM’s cleanup performance road map and

communication strategy

• Above-ground storage at the DOE Waste Isolation

Pilot Plant

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,

less time is spent on project updates. Those efforts

were successful and were continued in FY 2017. During

the year, board members participated in a variety of

special events and site tours:

• Transuranic Waste Processing Center

• Excess contaminated facilities at Y-12 and ORNL

• Groundwater contamination sites at ETTP and

ORNL

• Oak Ridge Reservation waste disposal facilities and

proposed siting for the EMDF

Historic Preservation 

	 ORSSAB has a long history ofinvolvementin historic

preservation, beginning with its “Recommendation to

DOE on Historic Preservation of the K-25 Building at

East Tennessee Technology Park” in 2008. In FY 2017,

ORSSAB continued its involvement by providing a

liaison to the Consulting Partiesto the Memorandumof

Agreementforthe Interpretation ofthe East Tennessee

Technology Park and submitting comments on the

“Preliminary Design Documents for East Tennessee

Technology Park Site Interpretation and K-25 Historic

Preservation.”

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 three news releases, four Advocate 

newsletters, and the FY 2016 annual report. The board

continued with broadcasts of its monthly meetings on

local cablestations,andpostingsonFacebook,YouTube,

and Flickr. ORSSAB also published numerous ads and

online postings about its new member recruitment,

which provided information to the community at large.

ORSSAB members tour the TRU Waste Processing 

Center

Want to know more 

about what’s going 

on with Oak Ridge 

cleanup?

Visit: www.energy.gov/orem
34

45

FY 2017 Stats

	 Average number of visitors per month 	 77

	 Number of public meetings held 51

	 Total citizen inquiries 529

	 Total number of documents at the center	 48,251

	 Total number of documents online	 16,569

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

E-mail: doeic@science.doe.gov

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

DOE OREM Public Information

(865) 576-0742

DOE Oak Ridge Office Public Information Line

865-576-0885

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

Other Information Resources

	 The DOE Information Center is a one-stop information facility that maintains a collection of more than 48,000

documents regarding 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

OREM	 	 	 	 	 	 www.energy.gov/orem

DOE-ORO/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/

Internet Sites

CERCLA	 	 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability

	 Act of 1980

CNF	 	 Central Neutralization Facility

CROET	 	 Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee

DOE	 	 U.S. Department of Energy

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

LGWO	 	 Liquid and Gaseous Waste Operations

MSRE	 	 Molten Salt Reactor Experiment

NPL	 	 National Priorities List

OREM	 	 Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management

ORNL	 	 Oak Ridge National Laboratory

ORSSAB	 	 Oak Ridge Site Specific Advisory Board

RI/FS	 	 Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study

ROD	 	 Record of Decision

TDEC	 	 Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation

TRU	 	 Transuranic

TWPC Transuranic Waste Processing Center

WIPP	 	 Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

Commonly Used Acronyms and Initialisms
36

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 assessments, treatability studies, and analysis of alternatives. The scope and timing

of these 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 2017 fiscal year spans from Oct. 1, 2016, to Sept. 30, 2017.

Commonly Used Terms
37
38

For more information, please contact the DOE Public Affairs Office

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