AMEM Corner

by Stephen Mellington.........................................................................................................................Pages 2-3

Transuranic Waste Sub-Project Cleanup Enters Final Stage

by Dona Stevens...................................................................................................................................Pages 4-5

Mixed Low-Level Waste Summit

by Steve Hommel.................................................................................................................................Pages 6-7

CAB’s Upcoming Year is Full of Activities

by Kelly Snyder.....................................................................................................................................Page 8

Operation Clean Desert Interactive Game

by Nick Duhe and Dona Stevens.......................................................................................................Page 9-10

Nevada Site Office Waves Goodbye to the Offsites Sub-Project

by Chantelle LaGrow...........................................................................................................................Page 11-12

Crew Sails Through Amchitka’s Final Chapter

by Chantelle LaGrow...........................................................................................................................Page 13-14

Hard Work of Environmental Management Acknowledged

by Dona Stevens..................................................................................................................................Page 15

It’s a Bird; It’s a Plane, NO! It’s Super K!

by Nick Duhe and Dona Stevens........................................................................................................Page 16-17

Advisory Boards Converging on Las Vegas

by Kelly Snyder.....................................................................................................................................Page 18

Nevada Test Site Public Tours.......................................................................................................Page 19

Contact Information.........................................................................................................................Page 20

Information Request.........................................................................................................................Page 21

DOE/NV--1176

Working Today To Protect Your Future

EM UPDATE

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Fall 2004 edition Winter 2006
DOE/NV--1176 Back to First Page 2

EM Update Winter 2006

Stephen Mellington,

Assistant Manager for

Environmental Management

(AMEM)

AMEM Corner

by Stephen Mellington

What a busy year it has been! The Nevada Site Office (NSO)

Environmental Management (EM) projects continue to focus on

conducting work in a safe manner and fiscal year 2006

accomplishments in Industrial Sites, Offsites, and transuranic (TRU)

and mixed low-level (MLLW) waste reflected this high priority.

One of EM’s greatest achievements in fiscal year 2006 was the

remediation of 369 Industrial Sites. This efficiency was realized

through NSO EM’s strong working relationship with the State of

Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) to revise the

Industrial Sites cleanup approach. The revised strategy reduced

costs and provided the mechanism to clean up sites in fiscal year

2006 that had been planned for fiscal year 2007 and 2008. This

vastly reduced the number of cleanups at remaining Industrial Sites –

only 296 sites out of the 1,849 identified remain to be remediated by

2012 when the project is scheduled to close.

Another great success was the smooth transition of the remaining

eight Offsites to the Office of Legacy Management (OLM) on October

1, 2006. During the 12 months leading up to the transition,

representatives of the Nevada Site Office conducted site inspections,

sampling, and joint public meetings with the OLM; drilled monitoring

wells; obtained regulatory agreements; completed surface

maintenance activities; and documented and prepared site records

for transfer to OLM. It was a huge effort that required cooperation,

dedication, and a commitment to safety.

Within the TRU Waste Sub-Project, it was an eventful year as well.

The sub-project is now closer to completion (September 2007)

because of the major milestones achieved during fiscal year 2006.

The Visual Examination and Repackaging Building glovebox was

safely dismantled and removed for on-site disposal and all shipments

of legacy waste from the Nevada Test Site to the Waste Isolation Pilot

Plant near Carlsbad, New Mexico, were completed without incident.

As the sub-project looks toward the future, it is imperative that the

same success is achieved in determining a disposal path for the

remaining TRU waste.

It was also a monumental year for the MLLW Sub-Project.

Cooperation between the U.S. Department of Energy and the NDEP

led to the granting of approval for off-site generated MLLW disposal

Prior to taking a water

sample, workers identify

and document their location

on Amchitka Island – One

of the many activities

conducted prior to the

transfer of the Offsites subproject to the Office of

Legacy Management

(continued on next page
DOE/NV--1176 Back to First Page 3

EM Update Winter 2006

at the Nevada Test Site. Although disposal volumes were lower than

anticipated for the first year, DOE sites throughout the U.S. are

teaming with DOE Headquarters to spear-head an effort to increase

and accelerate MLLW disposal at the Nevada Test Site. These

efforts are focused on achieving the MLLW disposal of 20,000 cubic

meters by December 2010.

Although the U.S. Department of Energy is currently operating under

a Continuing Resolution, I anticipate that Nevada Site Office 2007

EM budget will provide the necessary funding to continue cleanup

activities without interruption. This includes developing a long-term

strategy for Soils sites on the Tonopah Test Range and Nevada Test

and Training Range with the NDEP and U.S. Air Force. I look forward

to these new challenges and support the NSO EM staff and

contractors as they safely strive to attain even more success in 2007

while continuing to maintain an outstanding safety record. Happy

Holidays!

AMEM Corner

continued from page 2

Did you know that the

federal government

operates on a fiscal year

calendar? The fiscal year

runs from October 1

through September 30.

Appropriation Bills

enacted prior to the

beginning of each fiscal

year provide the

necessary funding for all

federal agencies and

programs to operate. A

Continuing Resolution is

issued by Congress to

authorize the continuation

of operations for a

specific period of time

when Appropriation Bills

are not enacted by

October 1.
DOE/NV--1176 Back to First Page 4

EM Update Winter 2006

Transuranic Waste Sub-Project Cleanup Enters Final Stage

continued on next page

by Dona Stevens

After nine years of service and processing more than 1,000 drums

of transuranic (TRU) waste, the glovebox was removed from the

Visual Examination and Repackaging Building (VERB) on

September 25, 2006. This marks the beginning of the final phase

of the TRU waste sub-project which is scheduled for completion on

September 30, 2007.

Prior to removal, a special coating was applied to the inside of the

glovebox which “fixed” radioactive contamination in place and

prevented it from becoming airborne during dismantlement.

Application of the fixative allowed for the safe removal of this

massive equipment which measures 15 feet long by 3.5 feet wide

by 9 feet high (including the legs which elevate it).

Although the glovebox was used to sort and repackage drums

containing TRU waste without direct contact, only trace amounts of

radiological contaminants remained after decontamination.

Follow-up characterization of the equipment determined that it met

Nevada Test Site (NTS) Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) and

was therefore accepted for disposal on-site as low-level waste.

Following the removal of the glovebox, the Secondary Confinement

Structure (the self-contained building within the VERB) was

decontaminated in preparation for upcoming characterization

activities. These activities will require workers (outfitted in the

appropriate personal protective equipment and breathing supplied

air) to enter the structure to remove, segregate and repackage the

waste contained within 58 oversize boxes. Repackaging of the

boxes is needed in order to: identify and separate items that are

low-level/mixed low-level waste from those that are TRU/mixed TRU

waste; remove items prohibited by the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

(WIPP) or NTS WAC, and; place all waste into the appropriate

packaging such that the TRU waste will fit within approved shipping

containers. Once this is complete, the compliant TRU waste will be

transported to another U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) facility;

where it will be characterized and certified for shipment to WIPP

near Carlsbad, New Mexico. Any low-level/mixed low-level waste

identified during the process will be prepared for disposal on-site.

Prohibited items removed will be treated and prepared for disposal

at the appropriate facility.

Workers remove the

glovebox from the Visual

Examination and

Repackaging Building.

Workers prepare the

glovebox for removal from

the Visual Examination

and Repackaging Building.
DOE/NV--1176 Back to First Page 5

EM Update Winter 2006

In addition to these boxes, approximately 150 drums of TRU waste

remaining at the Nevada Test Site will also be shipped to another

DOE facility for certified characterization and shipment to WIPP.

The contents of these drums either do not comply with the WIPP

WAC or require additional characterization.

It has been a long road for the Nevada Site Office TRU sub-project

since it first received the legacy waste from Lawrence Livermore

National Laboratory in 1974; but success is just around the corner

as each step is completed to prepare for shipping this waste to its

final destination. Oversize boxes containing

TRU waste are stored

inside the TRU Pad Cover

Building at the Area 5

Radioactive Waste

Management Complex.

Transuranic Waste Sub-Project Cleanup Enters Final Stage

continued from page 4
DOE/NV--1176 Back to First Page 6

EM Update Winter 2006

Mixed Low-Level Waste Summit

by Steve Hommel

Supply-and-demand concepts apply to more than textbook

economics. In the case of mixed low-level waste (MLLW) disposal

at the Nevada Test Site (NTS), low volumes are fueling an urgency

for generators to increase shipments in order to meet a December

2010 deadline imposed by the State of Nevada. Therefore, on

September 12 - 13, 60 people representing 12 U.S. Department of

Energy (DOE) sites across the country attended a MLLW Summit at

the Nevada Site Office (NSO) to determine the most effective way to

utilize MLLW disposal capabilities at the NTS before the Mixed

Waste Disposal Unit (MWDU) must close.

The MWDU currently provides the sole disposal outlet for higheractivity DOE and defense-related MLLW that cannot be disposed at

the generator’s site or at a commercial disposal facility. Charles

Anderson, DOE’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Office

of Environmental Management called on generators to attend the

Summit after learning that “less than one percent of the MWDU

capacity [had been] utilized.” Anderson explained that earlier

forecasts had “indicated 50 to 70 percent of total capacity would be

utilized through 2010.” He was hopeful that the capacity would be

fully utilized through refined planning and project acceleration. The

most recent forecasts show less than 25 percent of the total capacity

would be utilized over the next four years.

According to the direction provided by Anderson, the purpose of the

MLLW Summit was threefold: (1) Identify and discuss the known

and potential volumes of MLLW that sites will generate through site

closure or project completion; (2) Identify and document the issues

and reasons limiting sites' MLLW disposal forecasts to NTS during

the next four years; and (3) Develop potential solutions to enable

increased MLLW disposal to more fully utilize the NTS capacity.

As discussion became focused on reaching these objectives, it

quickly became apparent that MLLW generators simply do not have

enough MLLW already generated and characterized for disposal at

the NTS that would fill the MWDU to its 20,000 cubic meter capacity.

It seems that an incompatibility of site schedules for environmental

remediation projects that would potentially generate larger volumes

of MLLW conflicts with the NTS 2010 deadline. However, if cleanup

activities at these sites could be accelerated, then NTS disposal

continued on next page

The MLLW Summit was

held at the Nevada Support

Facility (NSF) in North Las

Vegas, Nev. on September

12 - 13, 2006.

In December of 2005, the

State of Nevada Division of

Environmental Protection

(NDEP) reissued the

Nevada Test Site (NTS)

Part B Permit which lifted

the prohibition on accepting

U.S. Department of Energy

(DOE) Mixed Low-Level

Waste (MLLW) generated

outside the state of

Nevada. In accordance with

this Permit, the Nevada

Site Office (NSO) is limited

to accepting no more than

20,000 cubic meters of

MLLW and to permanently

close the NTS Mixed Waste

Disposal Unit by December

2010.
DOE/NV--1176 Back to First Page 7

EM Update Winter 2006

capabilities could be more effectively utilized. Regardless, some generators did note that some MLLW

is not scheduled for disposal at the NTS due to budget, schedule, regulatory, and transportation issues

which must also be addressed by DOE Headquarters.

DOE Headquarters is seeking options to address identified issues and is supportive of the NTS MLLW

disposal capability. Anderson said that the “disposal of higher-activity waste is critical to [DOE-wide] site

closures and project completions. The availability of similar disposal [options at other sites] beyond

2010 is uncertain. It is essential that we utilize the NTS MLLW disposal capacity, as this is a one-time

opportunity that cannot be squandered.”

The Summit yielded some positive discussions which have spurred staff at DOE Headquarters and NTS

Radioactive Waste Acceptance Program personnel to develop solutions to make the MWDU a more

feasible disposal option. One result is the re-evaluation of NTS Waste Acceptance Criteria in order to

streamline the acceptance process to reduce the turn-around time. DOE will also examine generator

programs to identify areas where simplification can improve efficiency.

Mixed Low-Level Waste Summit

continued from page 6
DOE/NV--1176 Back to First Page 8

EM Update Winter 2006

CAB’s Upcoming Year is Full of Activities

by Kelly Snyder

Last month’s political elections were not the only instance of citizens

flexing their decision-making muscles; the Community Advisory Board

for Nevada Test Site Programs (CAB) also selected their leaders for

the year and developed their work plans for fiscal year 2007.

The CAB voted unanimously to elect David Hermann and Walter

Wegst as the new CAB Chair and CAB Vice-Chair, respectfully. Their

responsibilities, which began on October 1 and will end on September

30, 2007, include leading CAB meetings and representing the Board

at national events.

In addition to the annual elections, the CAB also developed their work

plans for the next 12 months. Upcoming activities include reviewing

the National Waste Disposition Strategy, studying the remaining

transuranic waste sub-project activities, commenting on the

appropriateness of Environmental Management outreach material,

and finalizing the recommendation for groundwater well placement.

CAB meetings are open to the public, so feel free to attend if you are

interested in these activities or other Environmental Management

projects. The CAB typically meets on the second Wednesday of every

other month. Information on the CAB, participation opportunities and

meeting dates and locations are available on the Internet at

www.ntscab.com.
DOE/NV--1176 Back to First Page 9

EM Update Winter 2006

Operation Clean Desert Interactive Game

by Nick Duhe and Dona Stevens

Catchy music, games, and, yes, even a little education....it is all part

of the interactive journey that is the Operation Clean Desert

computer game.

The game, which is geared toward second to sixth grade kids,

begins at the Atomic Testing Museum and follows Dr. Proton and

Adam the Atom on an adventure that teaches players about historic

Nevada Test Site activities and current Environmental Management

(EM) projects such as how workers go about cleaning up the Nevada

Test Site.

Fundamental concepts used throughout the game are defined and

include atoms, radiation, and contamination. These definitions,

along with background information on Nevada Test Site

decontamination efforts, groundwater characterization, and

radioactive waste management, are gathered at the museum and

later used to answer questions that allow the player to advance

further in the game.

The game’s goal is to assist Dr. Proton and Adam to capture Adam’s

radioactive brother, Axel, who has escaped from a building on the

Nevada Test Site that workers are cleaning up. During their quest to

prevent Axel from spreading contamination, Dr. Proton and Adam

rely on the player to successfully maneuver through a maze using

knowledge acquired earlier in the game.

Capturing and containing Axel helps to make the Nevada Test Site a

safer place for workers and the multitude of wildlife that inhabit it. It

also earns the player a title of “Junior Scientist” in recognition of the

assistance provided to Dr. Proton and Adam. One eight-year-old

boy summed it up best during the testing phase when he said, “Hey!

This is really cool.”

This encouraging feedback is rewarding to the members of the EM

Student Forum who developed the game. These EM Student Forum

members represented Advanced Technologies Academy (a Las

Vegas, Nev. high school) through a grant with the U.S. Department of

Energy National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office.

During the five-year grant EM Student Forum members

conceptualized and designed Dr. Proton, Adam, and Axel as the

continued on next page

Adam the Atom

Dr. Proton

Axel
DOE/NV--1176 Back to First Page 10

EM Update Winter 2006

main characters in a story that explains EM projects to the public. This story is the foundation of the EM

Operation Clean Desert kid’s display, activity book, and computer game. EM Student Forum members

were heavily involved in the production (artwork, programming, and layout) of all three products which work

together to relay the importance of cleanup activities at the Nevada Test Site.

The Operation Clean Desert kid’s display (http://www.nv.doe.gov /kidszone/display.htm) is available for

loan to schools, libraries, and public events. A downloadable version of the activity book is available at

http://www.nv.doe.gov/kidzone/book.htm or request copies by e-mailing envmgt@nv.doe.gov. Requests

for copies of the computer game can also be obtained via this e-mail address or can be played on-line at

http://www.nv.doe.gov/kidszone/game.htm.

Operation Clean Desert Interactive Game

continued from page 9
DOE/NV--1176 Back to First Page 11

EM Update Winter 2006

by Chantelle LaGrow

On October 1, 2006, the U.S. Department of Energy National

Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NSO)

completed the transfer of management for nine legacy underground

nuclear testing and experimentation “Offsites” in Alaska, Colorado,

Mississippi, Nevada, and New Mexico. Leading up to this transition

of responsibility to the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy

Management (OLM), the NSO completed a multitude of complex

activities.

The NSO started the planning stages of this transition during the

summer of 2004. In an effort that lasted almost 2 1⁄2 -years, more

than 20,000 records were transferred to OLM. These records

encompassed the research, work accounts, correspondence,

photos, and documents produced during NSO Environmental

Management remediation and monitoring activities at each site up to

the time of the transition.

Historically, the NSO conducted corrective actions at the Offsites

which consist of: Amchitka and Project Chariot (Alaska); Rulison

and Rio Blanco (Colorado), Salmon (Mississippi); Project Shoal and

the Central Nevada Test Area (Nevada), and; Gasbuggy and GnomeCoach (New Mexico). Over the past several years, NSO drilled

monitoring wells, removed surface debris, conducted site

inspections and water sampling, developed long-term surveillance

and monitoring plans, completed vegetative and biological surveys,

participated in stakeholder interactions, and reached agreements

with state regulatory agencies..

Completion of these activities paved the road for OLM to achieve its

mission of:

Protecting human health and the environment through effective

and efficient long-term surveillance and maintenance;

Preserving and protecting legacy records and information;

Supporting an effective and efficient work force structured to

accomplish departmental missions;

Implementing departmental policy concerning continuity of

worker pension and medical benefits;

Nevada Site Office Waves Goodbye to the Offsites Sub-Project

continued on next page

The mission of the Office

of Legacy Management

(LM) is to manage the

Department’s postclosure responsibilities

and ensure the future

protection of human

health and the

environment. LM has

control and custody for

legacy land, structures,

and facilities and is

responsible for

maintaining them at levels

suitable for their long-term

use.
DOE/NV--1176 Back to First Page 12

EM Update Winter 2006

For more information on the Office of Legacy Management, please visit http://www.lm.doe.gov/.

Nevada Site Office Waves Goodbye to the Offsites Sub-Project

continued from page 11

Managing legacy land and assets, emphasizing safety, reuse, and

disposition;

Mitigating community impacts resulting from the cleanup of legacy waste

and changing departmental missions; and

Acting as liaison and coordinating all policy issues with appropriate

departmental organizations.

Map of Offsite locations that were transferred to the Office of Legacy Management.
DOE/NV--1176 Back to First Page 13

EM Update Winter 2006

by Chantelle LaGrow

Confronting wild winds and cold weather, a Nevada Site Office team

successfully completed a challenging two week expedition to

uninhabited Amchitka Island, Alaska for a closure cap inspection.

The team, including U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) staff and

Stoller-Navarro Joint Venture (SNJV) contractor staff, faced one of

the most logistically challenging projects to date. Conditions

encountered by the team, such as rough seas, cold weather, winds

in excess of 40 mph, and up to 19 hours of sunlight a day, set this

project miles apart from any other. Travel logistics alone took

extensive planning because Amchitka Island cannot be reached by

routine transportation methods.

At the western end of the Aleutian Chain, the remoteness of

Amchitka Island requires a specially chartered ship to reach. A

rigorous process, with safety as the number one criteria resulted in

the selection of Fairweather Marine’s ship, Arctic Wolf, which

departed Homer, Alaska (over 200 miles from Anchorage) on July

24 loaded with three vehicles and other equipment required to

complete the project. The Arctic Wolf docked at Dutch Harbor on

Adak Island the evening of July 30 to pick up the crew which arrived

via Anchorage. During the early morning of July 31, the crew

boarded the Arctic Wolf and set sail to Amchitka Island – arriving in

Constantine Harbor at sunup on August 1.

In addition to transporting the team and their equipment, the Arctic

Wolf provided lodging, a sick bay, and emergency medical staff

during their planned 10-day stay on the island. However, the efficient

team accomplished the following work in just seven days:

Crew Sails Through Amchitka’s Final Chapter

• Inspect cap integrity (subsidence and erosion);

• Monitor vegetative cover;

• Acquire photographic documentation;

• Perform minor cap maintenance activities; and

• Collect surface water samples (as requested by the Navy).

continued on next page

Amchitka Crew at

Cannikin Ground Zero

Monument.
DOE/NV--1176 Back to First Page 14

EM Update Winter 2006

These field activities, which concluded on August 7, were performed

to ensure the integrity and effectiveness of the closure caps installed

during remediation activities conducted in 2001 and in accordance

with DOE’s long-term monitoring and surveillance program on

Amchitka Island. While state regulators are still reviewing the results

of the inspections, the Amchitka Mud Pit Sites 2006 Post-Closure

Monitoring and Inspection Report reveals that the closure caps have

maintained their integrity and are providing an effective

environmental barrier as designed. Furthermore, due to an absence

of subsidence, cracking, or erosion, continued monitoring without

intrusive revegetation measures is recommended for all closure caps

on Amchitka Island. Although most long-term monitoring and

surveillance programs require inspections once a year, due to

Amchitka’s isolated location, an allowance has been made to extend

the inspection frequency to once every five years.

The conclusion of these activities represents the final chapter in the

island’s history with the Nevada Site Office Environmental

Restoration Project. Responsibility for long-term monitoring and

maintenance of Amchitka Island was transferred to the Office of

Legacy Management effective October 1, 2006.

Did you know?

During the Cold War, the

United States Government

conducted underground

nuclear testing activities at

nine additional locations

outside the boundaries of

the Nevada Test Site.

These sites, Amchitka

Island being one, are

located in Alaska,

Colorado, Mississippi,

Nevada and New Mexico

and are referred to as

“Offsites.”

Amchitka, so named by

the Aleuts who've

inhabited the Aleutian

Islands for at least 9000

years, is one of the North

Pacific Aleutian Chain's

Rat Islands. It is located

approximately 1,340 miles

west southwest from

Anchorage, Alaska, and

870 miles east of

Petropavlovsk,

Kamchatka, of the

Russian Far East. It is 35

miles long, and almost

three miles wide. Early

Russians referred to this

island as Ostrov Amchitka.

Crew Sails Through Amchitka’s Final Chapter

continued from page 13
DOE/NV--1176 Back to First Page 15

EM Update Winter 2006

Hard Work of Environmental Management Acknowledged

by Dona Stevens

On behalf of the entire Nevada Site Office (NSO) Environmental

Management (EM) team, Assistant Manager Stephen Mellington

accepted the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

Administrator’s Award for Excellence. This prestigious award was

presented to Mellington by Under Secretary of Energy for Nuclear

Security, Linton Brooks, in October 2006.

In bestowing the award, Ambassador Brooks, who is the NNSA

Administrator, noted the excellent and overall outstanding

management of the NSO EM Program. Brooks further commented

on the importance of NSO EM’s successful efforts to obtain a permit

which allows for mixed low-level waste generated within the U.S.

Department of Energy Complex but outside of Nevada to be

disposed at the Nevada Test Site; a contribution that is beneficial to

the entire U.S. Department of Energy community.

Mellington is honored by the recognition he and the entire EM team

received from Ambassador Brooks, especially since EM is a not an

NNSA program – although the EM work takes place at an NNSA site.

Further highlighting the prestige of the award is the fact that Mellington

is only the second person to receive it while still holding office.

Congratulations to Mr. Mellington and the entire EM federal and

contractor staff who supported this esteemed achievement!

Stephen Mellington

proudly displays the award

in his office.
DOE/NV--1176 Back to First Page 16

EM Update Winter 2006

It’s a Bird; It’s a Plane, NO! It’s Super K!

by Nick Duhe and Dona Stevens

Clean up of the Super Kukla facility is underway at the Nevada Test

Site, leaving behind the legacy it played during the Cold War.

The Super Kukla facility was constructed in 1964 with a mission to

determine how an enemy countermeasure would affect the

performance of a nuclear warhead during an exchange of weaponry.

The key component to the Super Kukla facility was the reactor which

provided the environment to bombard materials (placed inside) with

radiation in the form of intense bursts of neutrons and gamma waves.

Following the closure of the facility in the late 1970’s, the reactor core

was disassembled and decontamination and decommissioning

activities were conducted on three of the four structures – the Reactor

Building, Reactor High-Bay, and Mechanical Building. The entire

two-acre facility was then fenced to protect workers and the

environment until a more comprehensive cleanup could be

accomplished.

Twenty-five years later, Environmental Management contractors

representing the Stoller-Navarro Joint Venture with National Security

Technologies support began conducting extensive site research and

characterization activities which led to the development of a plan to

close the site. The primary objective of the Super Kukla closure plan

is to eliminate or reduce risks to human health and the environment.

In order to achieve this objective in the safest manner possible, the

Stoller-Navarro Joint Venture will be accomplishing cleanup in the

following six phases:

Phase One: Preparing the site by installing temporary power, an

office trailer, lighting, and ventilation.

Phase Two: Collecting samples (such as concrete and paint

chips) and conducting radiological surveys, health and safety

swipes, and air monitoring. In addition, the material and debris in

each building will be inventoried.

Phase Three: Establishing data quality objectives and

developing a plan to close the facility in place.

continued on next page

Who regulates

Industrial Sites?

Super Kukla, an Industrial

Sites clean up project, is

regulated by the Federal

Facility Agreement and

Consent Order.

Documents proposing the

cleanup strategy for each

Industrial Site are

prepared by the Nevada

Site Office and submitted

to the NDEP for approval.

When the documents are

scheduled for submittal to

the NDEP, a public notice

is posted to the Nevada

Site Office Internet

website at http://

www.nv.doe.gov/

emprograms/

environment/restoration/

ffaco.htm. Additional

information on the

Federal Facility

Agreement and Consent

Order can be obtained by

visiting the NDEP Internet

website at http://ndep.

nv.gov/BOFF/ffco.htm.
DOE/NV--1176 Back to First Page 17

EM Update Winter 2006

Field work at Super Kukla is scheduled to be completed in March 2007 with the final closure report due to

the State of Nevada in September 2007.

Phase Four: The removal of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and non-PCB oils,

lead and mercury components, asbestos and any other hazardous materials as

necessary. In this phase, debris from the Mechanical Building and the Wooden

Shed will be placed into the Reactor Building for entombment in a later phase.

Phase Five: The Mechanical Building and the Reactor High Bay will be demolished

down to the slab and the Wooden Shed will be completely removed since there is

no concrete slab. After the three buildings are demolished and disposed, samples

will be taken and surveys performed on the remaining slabs.

Phase Six: The Reactor Building will be entombed with grout. Super Kukla will be

the first Decontamination and Decommissioning site to be entombed in place with

use restrictions. All sumps, the Basement Reactor Room and the Access Tunnel will

be included in this process. In addition, the surrounding vicinity will be graded to

ensure that any possible surface water will flow away from the area. The final part of

this phase is to apply appropriate use restrictions to the area.

It’s a Bird; It’s a Plane, NO! It’s Super K!

continued from page 16

Super Kukla reactor being

prepared for a test.

Aerial view of Super Kukla showing the Reactor High Bay,

Mechanical Building, Access Tunnel Entrance and Wooden Shed.
DOE/NV--1176 Back to First Page 18

EM Update Winter 2006

Advisory Boards Converging on Las Vegas

by Kelly Snyder

Twice a year, the Site-Specific Advisory Boards for the U.S.

Department of Energy Environmental Management Program meet to

discuss stakeholder perspectives regarding Environmental

Management issues that are common among the sites. On March

28-30, 2007, the seven boards will come together in Las Vegas,

Nevada to continue the work that began at the Santa Fe, New

Mexico meeting last September.

Volunteer Site-Specific Advisory Board members, also known as

Community Advisory Board (CAB) members, represent the general

public at the following DOE locations: Hanford (Washington), Los

Alamos National Laboratory (New Mexico), Oak Ridge (Tennessee),

Savannah River (South Carolina), Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant

(Kentucky), Idaho National Laboratory, and the Nevada Test Site.

Also in attendance will be DOE federal and contractor staff,

including DOE Assistant Secretary James Rispoli.

A Nevada Test Site tour is planned for the first day of the meeting to

familiarize participants with specific Environmental Management

activities at the site. The proposed agenda for the rest of the

meeting, which will be held at the Suncoast Hotel and Casino

Sunrise Conference Room located at 9090 Alta Drive will consist of

a full-day interactive discussion on Thursday and a half-day

discussion on Friday. During these discussions, a Science and

Technology Program representative will update participants on

innovative and cost-effective practices that have been incorporated

into environmental cleanup activities. In addition, participants will be

provided an overview of the Federal Advisory Committee Act and

public participation initiatives by the Office of Intergovernmental and

Public Accountability.

The Thursday and Friday sessions are open to the public and

attendance is encouraged. For more information on the meeting

please contact the Community Advisory Board for Nevada Test Site

Programs office at (702) 657-9088.

What is the Federal

Advisory Committee

Act?

The Federal Advisory

Committee Act became

law in 1972 and is the

legal foundation defining

how federal advisory

committees operate. The

law has special

emphasis on open

meetings, chartering,

public involvement, and

reporting. For more

information on the

Federal Advisory

Committee Act click on

http://www.gsa. gov/

Portal/gsa/ep/content

View.do?content

Type=GSA_BASIC&content

ld=11635
DOE/NV--1176 Back to First Page 19

EM Update Winter 2006

January 18,2007

February 15, 2007

March 20, 2007

April 24, 2007

May 30, 2007

June 21, 2007

July 11, 2007

August 22, 2007

September 18, 2007

October 23, 2007

November 20, 2007

December 20,2007

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 Sites.

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

Site

Sedan Cater

Railroad Bridge

Apple II House
DOE/NV--1176 Back to First Page 20

EM Update Winter 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--1176 Back to First Page 21

EM Update Winter 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