AMEM Corner

by Stephen Mellington.........................................................................................................................Page 2

Mixed Waste Disposal Unit Accelerated Closure

by Chantelle LaGrow...........................................................................................................................Page 3

All Aboard the CAB!

by Carla Sanda....................................................................................................................................Page 4

NNSA/NSO Making Changes to Nevada Test Site Access

by Nick Duhe........................................................................................................................................Page 5

Industrial Sites Working Smarter, Not Harder, in Fiscal Year 2006

by Nick Duhe........................................................................................................................................Page 6-7

Mississippi Stakeholders Updated on Salmon Site

by Carla Sanda....................................................................................................................................Page 8-9

Generators Revealed

by Steve Hommel................................................................................................................................Page 10-12

Offsites..."Go Long-Term!"

by Kelly Snyder............................................................................................................................ ........Page 13

Student Forum Comes To an End

by Nick Duhe........................................................................................................................................Page 14

EM Partner - Navarro Research and Engineering

Focusing on Radioactive Waste Transportation Management

by Chantelle LaGrow...........................................................................................................................Page 15-16

Nevada Test Site Public Tours......................................................................................................Page 17

Contact Information.........................................................................................................................Page 18

Information Request........................................................................................................................Page 19

DOE/NV--1119

Working Today To Protect Your Future

EM UPDATE

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Fall 2004 edition Spring 2006
DOE/NV--1119 2

EM Update Spring 2006

Stephen Mellington,

Assistant Manager for

Environmental Management

(AMEM)

AMEM Corner

by Stephen Mellington

Now that we are more than half-way through fiscal year 2006, it is

apparent that the Environmental Management Program at the

Nevada Site Office is going to have another successful year of

remediating contaminated sites and disposing of radioactive

waste.

On April 11, the Area 5 Radioactive Waste Management Complex

accepted its first off-site mixed low-level waste shipment since

1990. As previously reported in the EM Update, this is a result of

an agreement between the Nevada Site Office and the State of

Nevada which allows U.S. Department of Energy generators to

dispose no more than 20,000 cubic meters of mixed low-level

waste at the Nevada Test Site through the year 2010.

I am also pleased to announce the Community Advisory Board

(CAB) has submitted a letter to the Nevada Site Office

recommending locations for future wells. This recommendation

comes to us as a result of an offer we made to the CAB to suggest

a well location to help provide additional data to the Underground

Test Area Project. The CAB's recommendation for a well focuses

on the area of Pahute Mesa. We will continue to work with the

CAB in regards to this recommendation and other Environmental

Management projects.

In conclusion, I want to thank all of the Environmental Management

federal and contractor staff at the Nevada Test Site for diligently

working to meet our fiscal year 2006 milestones. Your outstanding

work has led to a safe and productive 2006!
DOE/NV--1119 3

EM Update Spring 2006

by Chantelle LaGrow

In accordance with the Nevada Test Site Resource Conservation

and Recovery Act (RCRA) Part B Permit, the Nevada Site Office

submitted a closure plan for the Pit 3 Mixed Waste Disposal Unit

(MWDU), on January 19, 2006 three months ahead of schedule.

The State of Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP)

officially accepted the report on February 10, 2006. Completion of

this milestone so far ahead of schedule is indicative of the Nevada

Site Office's commitment to accelerate the closure of Pit 3.

The milestone is one of three conditions detailed in the NTS RCRA

Part B Permit which was renewed on November 21, 2005. The

Permit states that in exchange for accelerating closure of Pit 3,

NDEP will allow the disposal cell to remain operational under

interim status for a period not to exceed five years, which concludes

in December 2010. The other two conditions that the U.S.

Department of Energy (DOE) must meet are (1) limiting the amount

of mixed low-level radioactive waste disposed during this period to

20,000 cubic meters, and (2) ensuring that all mixed low-level

radioactive waste disposed satisfies the criteria of the Waste

Analysis Plan.

At the foundation of these conditions was NDEP's acceptance of

the NTS Waste Analysis Plan in September 2005. In 1990, the lack

of an adequate plan prompted the NDEP to place a

provision into the NTS Permit which prohibited the disposal of offsite-generated mixed low-level radioactive waste in the Pit 3

MWDU. NDEP determined this prohibition was necessary

because early drafts of the NTS Waste Analysis Plan did not

adequately characterize waste from off-site generators. Until this

issue could be resolved, the Pit 3 MWDU could only be used for the

disposal of mixed low-level radioactive waste generated by DOE

activities within the state of Nevada.

Now that the resolution is incorporated into the conditions agreed

upon by DOE, the prohibition has been lifted and the Pit 3 MWDU

is available (subject to the volume and time limitation) for the

disposal of mixed low-level waste generated by all NSO approved

DOE sites across the United States. In fact, the first shipment of

mixed low-level radioactive waste was received from Idaho National

Laboratory on April 11, 2006.

By working together, NDEP and DOE have assisted many DOE

sites trying to achieve accelerated cleanup goals and reaching

closure.

First off-site mixed lowlevel waste being

unloaded on April 11,

2006 at the Area 5

Radioactive Waste

Management Complex

All low-level and mixed

low-level radioactive

waste accepted for

disposal at the Nevada

Test Site has undergone

a rigorous approval

process. The Nevada

Site Office Radioactive

Waste Acceptance

Program is charged with

the responsibility to

ensure that all generators

meet the requirements

detailed in the Nevada

Test Site Waste

Acceptance Criteria.

Please visit http://

www.nv.doe.gov/

emprograms/

environment/

wastemanagement/

rwap.aspx for more

information on this

program.

Mixed Waste Disposal Unit Accelerated Closure
DOE/NV--1119 4

EM Update Spring 2006

All Aboard the CAB!

by Carla Sanda

The Community Advisory Board (CAB) has been "knee-deep" in a major

recruitment campaign designed to inform stakeholders of their mission

and invite their participation as a member. The CAB is comprised of 15-20

volunteer residents who serve as voting members, as well as non-voting

liaison members to ensure adequate representation of governmental,

tribal, and other relevant entities. CAB members represent a broad crosssection of Nevada's communities and serve a two-year term, renewable

up to a maximum of six years.

Since its formation in 1994, the CAB has been an integral part of the

Environmental Management program's decision-making process. CAB

members have carefully studied issues related to the effects of historic

nuclear testing on the groundwater at the Nevada Test Site; low-level and

mixed low-level radioactive waste management disposal and related

transportation activities; budget prioritization; and a myriad of other

Environmental Management activities. Their feedback has provided a

unique opportunity for Nevada's stakeholders to have a voice in

Environmental Management activities at the Nevada Test Site.

A key component of the Board's charter is diversity in its

membership...and diversity can mean many different things, including

gender, ethnicity, age, background, residency, and interests to name just a

few. To ensure that the recruitment reached out to all elements of Nevada,

the CAB published ads in the Las Vegas Review Journal, Las Vegas

Sentinel Voice, El Mundo, Lincoln County Times, Tonopah Times, Pahrump

Valley Times, the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) Rebel Yell - and

provided public service announcements on KUNV, UNLV's radio station.

CAB members also hit the streets by personally inviting friends, neighbors,

and colleagues to apply. In addition, the recruitment campaign was a

major topic of discussion at the CAB's February public meeting held in

Pahrump, Nevada.

The CAB's Diversification Committee reviewed all applications and

scheduled individual interviews to further explain its mission and get better

acquainted with each of the applicants. Upon completion of their review

and interview process, the Committee provided its recommendations to

the full Board, which in turn forwarded the proposed slate to the U.S.

Department of Energy for final review and approval.

Although the recruitment process can be a months-long process, the

proposed candidates are invited to join the CAB in May to begin

understanding the issues and serving as a non-voting citizen

representative until the final appointment is made.

To learn more about CAB activities, including a full schedule of upcoming

meetings, check out their website at http://www.ntscab.com .

...Citizens Working

 Together on

 Environmental Issues

Formed in 1994, the CAB is

one of nine Site-Specific

Advisory Boards convened

by the U.S. Department of

Energy (DOE) at its

facilities located in

Washington, Idaho,

Colorado, Nevada, New

Mexico, Ohio, Kentucky,

Tennessee, and South

Carolina. Board members

provide citizen review and

recommendations to the

DOE's Environmental

Management Program.
DOE/NV--1119 5

EM Update Spring 2006

NNSA/NSO Making Changes to Nevada Test Site Access

by Nick Duhe

Beginning March 1, 2006 in addition to the required U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) badges, employees

wishing to gain access to the Nevada Test Site (NTS) must also possess an NTS access badge. Nonemployees or people who will spend limited time at the NTS must receive a copy of the NTS brochure.

The reason for the change was brought about by NV Order 450.X, Nevada Test Site Access and Area

Control, which establishes general and training requirements for access and area control to Mercury and the

forward areas and specific requirements for remote and controlled areas of the NTS.

For people who need access to the NTS on an infrequent basis or one-time only, a DOE badge and an NTS

Brochure will be needed. The brochure is available online or can be acquired at Gate 100 or 510 at the

NTS.

NTS tours are also subject to the new requirement of the NTS. The tour guide or host has to possess the

required NTS access badge. In addition to the access requirement, tour participants must be aware of the

items that are prohibited on the NTS. The following is a list of the prohibited articles:

For information on NTS tours and the prohibited articles list contact Frances Guinn at 702-295-0941. For

a list of upcoming tour dates click here: Nevada Test Site Tours .

Cameras

Cellular phones

Dangerous weapons

Explosives

Any item prohibited by law

Controlled substances

Ammunitions

Incendiary devices

Binoculars

Optical devices

Transmitting and receiving devices (PDA, BlackBerry, etc.)

Alcohol

Chemical irritants

Computers and associated media

Pets and animals

Other weapons

Global positioning system (GPS)

Recorders

Portable data storage devices
DOE/NV--1119 6

EM Update Spring 2006

Industrial Sites Working Smarter, Not Harder,

in Fiscal Year 2006

by Nick Duhe

This fiscal year the Industrial Sites sub-project (IS) is scheduled to

close a total of 340 Corrective Action Sites (CAS) while meeting

all regulatory requirements. Project staff members are determined

to meet this goal despite budget and time constraints.

One way the project is accomplishing this goal is by utilizing

historical information, data from similar sites, and by using action

levels based on the potential risks to human health and the

environment.

A great example of applying these principles is the risk-based

strategy developed for closing a specific group of Corrective

Active Units (CAUs) that consists of 268 mud pits. Instead of

using traditional closure strategies, the sub-project developed a

risk-based corrective action strategy that saved significant

resources, including time and money. This strategy used the

application of historical documentation, existing sample results

from similar sites, statistical sampling, and risk-based decisionmaking.

Historical documentation was used to show that all the mud pits

had similar characteristics and thus the same potential

contaminants. Existing samples results from mud pits that had

previously been investigated were used to limit the number of

analytical tests that were required to identify contamination. A

statistical sampling approach was then developed to limit the

number of mud pits sampled to 20 percent of the total and to limit

the number of samples required per mud pit. This representative

percentage is then used to apply the findings to the entire mud pit

population of 268. The analytical results are then compared to

risk-based action levels to determine a path forward to close all

268 mud pits. Therefore, closure decisions for all 268 mud pits

will be based on the sampling and analysis conducted at 52 mud

pits and will meet the state regulatory requirements for protection

of health and safety of the public and Nevada Test Site workers.

Another example of how the sub-project is working smarter is

demonstrated at the Tonopah Test Range. Previous assessments

of Antelope Lake bomblet target area had mapped out a 26

square mile area as a bomblet target area. After researching

One of the 268 mudpits on

the Nevada Test Site

closed using the riskbased strategy.

Corrective Action Site

(CAS)

Site that has been

identified as needing

remediation. These sites

can include everything

from a simple vehicle

battery to entire buildings.

Corrective Action Unit

(CAU)

A CAU is a grouping of

CASs that are similar in

remediation technique,

type of contaminates or

proximity to each other.

Continued on next page
DOE/NV--1119 7

EM Update Spring 2006

Industrial Sites Working Smarter, Not Harder, in Fiscal Year 2006

(continued)

historical data provided by Los Alamos National Laboratory, which pinpointed the target areas, they

were able to reduce the effected area down to three square miles saving millions of tax-payer dollars.

With the savings that the Industrial Sites sub-project has been able to achieve they have moved projects

forward from out years. To date there have been a total of 33 remediation projects that were scheduled

for 2007 and 2008 that have been moved up to this fiscal year. Most importantly, all of this is being done

in a safe manner while saving time, money, and meeting all regulatory requirements for human health.

For more information about IS visit http://www.nv.doe.gov/library/factsheets/DOENV_936.pdf .
DOE/NV--1119 8

EM Update Spring 2006

Mississippi Stakeholders Updated on

Salmon Site

by Carla Sanda

Although most of us remember the devastating effects of Hurricane

Katrina - how many of us could have imagined that her treacherous

trail of winds and rain would impact Nevada Site Office activities? Yet,

that is exactly what happened as Katrina howled her way northward

through Mississippi. Although much of Katrina's energy had

dissipated by the time it blew through the area, it did leave a trail of

downed trees and debris at the heavily-wooded historical underground

nuclear test site known as the Salmon Site. As a result, a crew was

dispatched to the site in late February to clear the roads of debris and

clean up approximately 200 downed trees. While there, the project

team inspected the monitoring wells that are in place and confirmed

that the hurricane had not affected or damaged any of those important

resources.

The hurricane was just one of the

topics discussed by the U.S.

Department of Energy (DOE) at a

public meeting held on

Wednesday, March 29, 2006, in

Purvis, Mississippi. The meeting

purpose was to announce the

upcoming transition of the

Salmon Site from DOE's Office of

Environmental Management to its

Office of Legacy Management.

Beginning in fiscal year 2007, the

Office of Legacy Management

will assume responsibility for

interaction with regulators and

stakeholders and the

management and maintenance of

the site's post-closure activities.

Prior to the public meeting,

stakeholders were invited to an

open house to review

informational posters and meet informally with DOE representatives.

The public meeting then kicked off with representatives from DOE's

Nevada Site Office providing a recap of Environmental Management

activities at the Salmon Site, but primarily provided a forum for

representatives from the Office of Legacy Management to clearly

explain their commitment to ongoing responsibility for future activities.

Ample time was also provided for comments and questions from

stakeholders.

The Office of Legacy

Management was established

in December 2003 to oversee

DOE sites where active

remediation had been

completed. Responsibilities

include:

long-term surveillance and

maintenance;

records management;

work force restructuring and

benefits continuity;

property management;

land use planning; and

community assistance.

Located about 21 miles

southwest of Hattiesburg,

Mississippi, the Salmon

Site was the location of

four tests conducted from

1964 to 1970 aimed at

improving our nation's

ability to detect

underground nuclear

explosions. The first two

tests incorporated

nuclear devices, and the

final two used

conventional explosives.

Following cleanup

activities by the U.S.

Department of Energy,

the Salmon Site was

officially deactivated and

decommissioned in

1972.

The U.S. Department of

Energy's Office of Legacy

Management and Office

of Environmental

Management met with

members of the public in

Purvis, Mississippi to

discuss the Salmon Site.

See location map on

next page.
DOE/NV--1119 9

EM Update Spring 2006

Salmon Site Location Map
DOE/NV--1119 10

EM Update Spring 2006

Generators Revealed

by Steve Hommel

For more than 30 years, environmental remediation activities at

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) facilities across the United

States have generated low-level and mixed low-level radioactive

waste; much of which has made its way to the Nevada Test Site

(NTS) for permanent disposal. Since the first off-site generated

low-level radioactive waste stream was disposed in 1976, more

than 30 DOE and U.S. Department of Defense facilities

(generators) have been approved to ship the waste to the NTS.

Over the years the number of approved generators has fluctuated.

Until the Waste Management Programmatic Environmental Impact

Statement Record of Decision was issued by DOE in February

2000, the number of approved generators was holding steady at

15. At the end of calendar year 2003, there were 26 approved

generators. In fiscal year 2004, when NTS low-level radioactive

waste disposal volumes reached its peak, there were 29. Today,

the number of generators currently approved to ship stands at 30

(see map below). This number does not include those generators

which have terminated their approved programs due to site

closures.

Not only is off-site generated

low-level radioactive waste

disposed at the NTS, but a

limited amount of off-site

generated mixed low-level

radioactive waste will be

accepted for disposal until

December 2010. Successful

negotiations between DOE and

the State of Nevada Division of

Environmental Protection led to

this capability. Idaho National

Laboratory was the first

generator to take advantage

of this resource in April 2006.

Two other generators have

also submitted the necessary

paperwork required to obtain

approval to ship mixed lowlevel radioactive waste to the

NTS for permanent disposal.

Large map at end of story

Idaho National Laboratory

shipped five drums and

three boxes containing

mixed low-level

radioactive waste to the

Nevada Test Site in April

2006. This shipment has

historical significance, as

it is the first off-site

generated mixed low-level

radioactive waste

shipment to be received at

the Nevada Test Site in

over fifteen years.

DOE Accelerated Closure

Program

As the era of the Cold War

becomes a memory, DOE is

remediating and closing sites

which are no longer needed. The

recent closure of Rocky Flats in

Colorado and Mound in Ohio is

evidence of this trend. Another

example of this trend is the

impending closure of the Fernald

site (http://www.fernald.gov/) in

southwestern Ohio. Fernald, an

NTS approved generator, shipped

nearly seven million cubic feet of

low-level radioactive waste to the

NTS over the last 20 years. It is

important to note that once a

DOE site is closed, responsibility

for long-term monitoring of the

site transfers to the Office of

Legacy Management.

(Continued on next page)
DOE/NV--1119 11

EM Update Spring 2006

Whether it is low-level or mixed low-level waste, approval to ship the

waste to the NTS is granted only after a waste generator has

demonstrated compliance to the NTS Waste Acceptance Criteria

(NTSWAC). The criteria consists of specific requirements for waste

form, characterization, packaging, and transportation.

Nevada Site Office Radioactive Waste Acceptance Program

personnel provide assistance, interpretation, guidance, and

technical expertise for the NTSWAC. Program personnel are also

responsible for verifying, through on-site audits, that the waste

generator facility has established a program that complies with

regulations regarding the management and transportation of

radioactive waste. A general outline of the process a potential

generator undergoes is as follows:

Potential generator submits a Quality Assurance Plan,

NTSWAC Implementation Crosswalk, and waste profile(s)

Radioactive Waste Acceptance Program team conducts a

rigorous review of the documentation submitted

Radioactive Waste Acceptance Program team performs a

thorough inspection at the potential generator's facility

Radioactive Waste Acceptance Program team provides the

potential generator a report (within 30 days) identifying

deficiencies which must be resolved within 90 days

Radioactive Waste Acceptance Program team conducts a

follow-up document review of resolved issues and

potentially visits the facility to complete a surveillance to

close out issues

Successful completion of the above process (which typically

takes three tosix months) results in the Nevada Site Office

issuing a letter to the generator approving its program and

any profiles submitted.

Please visit http://www.nv.doe.gov/emprograms/environment/

wastemanagement/rwap.aspx for more information on the Radioactive

Waste Acceptance Program and to download or view the NTSWAC.

March 31, 1976....The first offsite generated shipment of

low-level radioactive waste

safely completes the 2,000

mile journey to the Nevada

Test Site from a U.S.

Department of Energy facility

in Ohio. The facility, known as

Mound, was constructed in

the 1940's and played a part in

nuclear weapons production.

Today, the facility is referred to

as the Miamisburg Closure

Project (http://www.doemd.gov/) and aggressive

environmental cleanup efforts

are nearly complete. The

success of the Miamisburg

Closure Project could not

have been achieved without

the Nevada Test Site disposal

facilities which accepted more

than 2.5 million cubic feet of

low-level radioactive waste

over the last 30 years.

Did You Know?

The Nevada Site Office

Environmental Management

Program Waste Management

Timeline poster provides

information on the historical

relationship between Nevada

Test Site defense-related and

waste management activities.

Please visit http://

www.nv.doe.gov/library/

photosdisplaydetails.aspx?ID=1483

for more information on this

display and how it to get it

exhibited in your community.
DOE/NV--1119 12

EM Update Spring 2006

Generator Map
DOE/NV--1119 13

EM Update Spring 2006

Offsites..."Go Long-Term!"

by Kelly Snyder

Another page in history will turn on October 1, 2006 when

responsibility for eight historic nuclear testing sites located

throughout the United States will be transferred from the U.S.

Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management to

the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management.

The eight sites that will be transferred are the Amchitka site in

Alaska, the Gasbuggy and Gnome-Coach sites in New Mexico,

the Salmon site in Mississippi, the Rulison and Rio Blanco sites

in Colorado and the Shoal site and Central Nevada Test Area in

Nevada. The surface at each historic site underwent remediation

that was compliant with future land-use scenarios.

In addition and throughout the entire remediation process, the

Environmental Management Program has worked with the each

state government to ensure all regulatory and state requirements

were met.

"Countless hours have been spent by both the federal and state

governments to ensure the safety of the public and the

surrounding areas. This is a major accomplishment for the

Department of Energy as well as for the states the sites reside

in," said John Jones the Federal Sub-Project Director.

The Office of Legacy Management will be responsible for the

long-term surveillance and maintenance of each site. Legacy

Management activities will include managing site records;

maintenance and review of institutional controls; data collection,

evaluation, and dissemination; building, inspecting, and

maintaining engineered structures and responding to stakeholder

inquiries.

For more information on the Office of Legacy Management visit

http://www.lm.doe.gov/.

While conducting a walkthrough tour at the Salmon

Site, John Jones, Rick

Hutton, Tom Pauling, and

Pete Sanders inspect one

of the monitoring wells.
DOE/NV--1119 14

EM Update Spring 2006

Student Forum Comes To an End

by Nick Duhe

After five years the U.S. Department of Energy Nevada Site Office

Environmental Management (EM) Student Forum is coming to an

end.

The EM Student Forum, a pilot program formed in 2001, was

designed to provide essential feedback on communication

materials and product development. Over the last five years, the EM

Student Forum has been comprised of 21 students from the

Advanced Technologies Academy High School in Las Vegas,

Nevada. The Forum has worked with members of the EM Public

Involvement team to review draft informational materials and provide

feedback regarding readability, subject understanding, and graphic

appeal as well as develop outreach products.

Some of the many accomplishments of the EM Student Forum

include the concept and character design for the EM Kids Display,

the design and creation of a kid's activity book, and concept and

creation of an interactive computer game designed to inform

children about radiation. All three of these products are designed to

teach elementary and middle-school aged children about activities

at the Nevada Test Site.

EM Student Forum members were also asked to participate in one

outreach event a year with the Environmental Management Public

Involvement staff. One event the Forum participated in was Earth

Day where the students met with and talked to children about

reducing, reusing and recycling. The 2004-2005 group conducted

hands on experiments with students from John S. Park Elementary

located in Las Vegas during their annual Science Night. It was hard

to tell who was having more fun, the EM Student Forum members or

the students from Park Elementary.

The EM Student Forum existence and its close partnership with the

EM Program has provided the students the opportunity to see and

better understand the Nevada Test Site and its EM projects. By

educating the Forum on EM activities, the students have been able

to pass on their expertise and knowledge beyond the classroom

walls to their family and classmates as well as the thousands of

people who will see the outreach products they created.

Former Student Forum

member Raul Beltran

dressed in Tyvex while

manning the Operation

Clean Desert Display at

the the White Pine County

Fair in 2004.

The Student Forum posed

for a group photo at Sedan

Crater during their annual

NTS tour.
DOE/NV--1119 15

EM Update Spring 2006

by Chantelle LaGrow

During the first quarter of fiscal year 2006, 230 shipments of lowlevel radioactive waste were safely received at the Nevada Test

Site (NTS) and six shipments of transuranic waste safely delivered

to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. Tracking, managing, routing and

reporting information on these shipments is the responsibility of

Navarro Research and Engineering, a contractor to the Nevada

Site Office.

One of the most important facets of Radioactive Waste

Transportation Management is to ensure that the U.S. Department

of Energy (DOE) strictly adheres to all U.S. Department of

Transportation (DOT), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations pertaining

to the transportation of hazardous and radioactive materials. The

regulations involve packaging and transportation of hazardous

materials. Requirements include rigorous regulatory training, safety

implementation, and attention to detail in all shipping operations.

These regulations and requirements are an important factor in

fulfilling DOE's mission to transport radioactive waste safely,

economically, and efficiently.

Navarro's Senior Transportation Specialist Lee Stevens, who has

been involved in radioactive waste transportation for approximately

25 years, is responsible for coordinating with other entities involved

in transportation including DOT, NRC, the approved NTS waste

generators and their contracted carriers, stakeholders, and the

seven NTS tenants (each with its own diverse mission). In support

of the U.S. Department of Energy and through collaboration with

these parties, Stevens is able to address the concerns of

neighboring communities. Examples of these efforts include (1)

avoiding heavily populated or congested areas in Nevada, (2)

avoiding the Hoover and Davis Dams, (3) using the NSO identified

preferred routes, and (4) accommodating black-out dates

requested by the state of California. In fact, the NSO has

summarized the resulting guidelines in a brochure titled

"Transporting Low-Level and Mixed Low-Level Waste to the

Nevada Test Site" which is available at http://www.nv.doe.gov/

library/factsheets/DOENV_990_REV1.pdf.

Continued on next page

Department Of

Transportation (DOT) and

Nuclear Regulatory

Commision (NRC) specify

and approve the appropriate

transportation packaging

based on the material being

shipped. To ensure

regulatory compliance and

public safety, the Department

of Energy uses DOT/NRC

authorized packaging that

are designed to minimize the

risk of material releases in

transit. Likewise, spent fuel

shipments are transported in

NRC certified packaging.

DOE conducts quality

assurance and oversight

activities to ensure that

approved packaging is

used.

For more information on

Nevada Site Office

Environmental Management

waste transportation

activities, please visit http://

www.nv.doe.gov/

emprograms/environment/

wastemanagement/

transportation.htm.

EM Partner - Navarro Research and Engineering

Focusing on Radioactive Waste Transportation Management
DOE/NV--1119 16

EM Update Spring 2006

EM Partner - Navarro Research and Engineering Focusing on

Radioactive Waste Transportation Management

(continued)

Transportation Tools

Stevens helps increase efficiency by taking an active role in creating and implementing several tools to

ensure success. One such tool is HAZTRAK, a database that is used by NTS tenants for on and off-site

shipments of hazardous materials, and by NTS approved waste generators for inbound low-level and

mixed low-level waste shipments. Limited unclassified information concerning inbound waste is

available via the Internet and is updated every four hours. HAZTRAK is also used by Disposal

Operations to help facilitate an efficient offloading and burial process at the Nevada Test Site. Stevens

was involved in the creation of HAZTRAK in 1990 and has fostered its growth since. General HAZTRAK

information is now available to the public on the NSO transportation web site located at (http://

www.nv.doe.gov/emprograms/environment/wastemanagement/transportation.htm).

"Considering the many facets of radioactive waste transportation, it is imperative we have a contractor

who has an extensive background in monitoring transportation activities and safeguarding the interests of

workers, the public, and the environment," said Angela Colarusso, acting Waste Management Federal

Project Director. "Through Navarro Research and Engineering, specifically Lee Stevens, we have that

background."

An increase in efficiency was further facilitated in 1999 when Stevens partnered with Bechtel Nevada

programmer Dorothy Flangas, to design BNShip, an internal shipping request system which interfaces

with multiple business systems to originate shipping requests for Bechtel Nevada, the radioactive waste

disposal operations contractor. The system is so successful that it is currently being reviewed by the

Yucca Mountain Project and Los Alamos National Laboratory for use at their sites.

In the Works

Two new computing efforts are in the works to create greater efficiencies in the transportation process.

One involves the creation of a database of all DOE transportation-related requirements (DOE Orders,

Manuals, Guides) that can be queried for use in scoping an appraisal, then creating the appraisal

checklist based upon that scoping process. The other effort involves creating an application which would

fit on a personal digital assistant that will automate many of the basic radiological calculations used in

preparing radioactive shipping papers. When complete, both of these will be available to the entire DOE

complex.

Other Navarro Research and Engineering Activities Radioactive Waste Management Transportation is

not the only onsite activity Navarro Research and Engineering is responsible for providing support to

DOE. Other activities include Radiological Facilities Support, Records Management, Resource

Conservation and Recovery Act/Waste Management Technical Support, and Photo Documentation

Support.

In addition to these support activities, Navarro was selected by DOE in 2001 to provide administrative

support to members of the NTS Community Advisory Board (http://www.ntscab.com/). The NTS

Community Advisory Board is a formal group of volunteers and liaison members organized to provide

informed recommendations to the NSO Environmental Management Program.

Please visit http://www.navarro-inc.com for more information on Navarro Research and Engineering.
DOE/NV--1119 17

EM Update Spring 2006

May 24, 2006

June 20, 2006

September 13, 2006

October 25, 2006

November 29, 2006

Tour participants will visit historic nuclear test locations, such as Sedan Crater, as well as observe areas

where work activities are currently taking place, like the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management

Complex. The tour covers approximately 250 miles. Call (702) 295-0944 for more information.

Nevada Test Site Public Tours

2006 Schedule

Low-Level Radiocative

Waste Management

Complex

Sedan Cater

Railroad Bridge

Apple II House
DOE/NV--1119 18

EM Update Spring 2006

Questions should be directed to:

Office of Public Affairs

702-295-3521

U.S. Department of Energy

National Nuclear Security Administration

Nevada Site Office

Office of Environmental Management

P.O. Box 98518

Las Vegas, NV 89193-8518

EM Update is published by:

Office of Environmental Management

Nevada Site Office

Story Editor:

Kelly Snyder

Layout:

Nick Duhe
DOE/NV--1119 19

EM Update Spring 2006

To request information on Environmental Management

activities, including the CAB, e-mail your request to the

address below.

Include your name, address, phone number and information

request.

Envmgt@nv.doe.gov

If you would like to be added to the EM mailing list and

receive electronic news regarding EM activities please email

us at:

Envmgt@nv.doe.gov