______BWXTechnologies,Inc.______



# )aMcDermottcompanyNuclearProductsDivisionP.O.Box785Lynchburg,VA24505-0785(434)522-6000June9,2003Mr.DavidFriedmanU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyRegionIII1650ArchStreetPhiladelphia,PA19103-2029Re:PetitionforDelistingofHazardousWastes(Feb.21,2003)DearDavid:IwantedtosharewithyoutheenclosedJune3,2003letterfromThomasHenderson,SouthCentralRegionalDirectorfortheVirginiaDepartmentofEnvironmentalQuality,concerninggroundwaterdowngradientofBWXT’sFinalEffluentPonds.YouwillrecallthatourVPDESpermitrequiredaplantoassess(1)anyriskstohumanhealthandtheenvironmentduetogroundwaterimpacts,(2)appropriatemixingzonesand/orsite-specificstandards,and(3)thefeasibilityofcorrectivemeasures;andrequiredanimplementationschedule.OurMarch1998CorrectiveActionPlanconcludedthatgroundwaterimpactedbythefinalFEPdoesnotposearisktohumanhealthandtheenvironmentandthatnofurtheractionsarewarranted.AlthoughDEQapprovedthePlanin1998,becauseoftheopen-endednatureoftheapproval,weaskedDEQtoconfirmitsearlierdetermination.Mr.Henderson’sletterconfirmsthatBWXT’sCorrectiveActionPlandemonstratednosignificantimpacttogroundwaterorsurfacewater.AlthoughDEQhasnotformallyestablishedamixingzonedowngradientoftheFEP5,DEQ’sdeterminationthatnorisksarepresentedcombinedwiththeauthorizationforfluoridedischargeinthepermitconfirmsthatthecurrentgroundwaterconditionisnotamatterthatrequiresfurtheractionwithintheVPDESprogram.YouwillalsorecallthatthedelistingpetitionincludedalegalanalysisthatconcludedthatimpactstogroundwaterfromfluoridesarenotarelevantfactorinthedelistingdecisionunderEPA’sregulations.Notwithstandingthis,DEQ’sconfirmationshouldgiveEPAadditionalassurancethathumanhealthandtheenvironmentarenotbeingadverselyimpactedbythepetitionedwastes,andthatDEQisaddressinganygroundwaterissueswithrespecttotheFEPsthroughtheVPDESprogram.Pleaseletmeknowifanyadditionalinformationwouldbehelpful.Sincerely,JohnM.StortonAdvisoryEngineercc:D.C.Ward

# COMMONWEALTH

of VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT

OF ENVIRONMENTAL

QUALITYW.TayloeMurphy,Jr.SOUTHCENTRALREGIONALOFFICERobertG.BurnleySecretaryofNaturalResources7705TimberlakeRoad,Lynchburg,Virginia24502Director(434)582-5120Fax(434)582-5125www.deq.state.va.usThomasL.HendersonRegionalDirector 

# June

3, 2003 Mr. Roger

L. Coats, Manager Environmental

Protection BWX Technologies,

Inc. P.

0. Box

785 Lynchburg,

VA 24505-0785 RE:

BWX Technologies,

Inc.-NPD,

VPDES

Permit VA0003697

Ground

Water

Risk Assessment Dear

Mr. Coats: I appreciate

you

and

Mr. Jack Storton meeting

with

us

on May

28, 2003.

We discussed

the previously

submitted

ground

water

risk analysis conducted

for

the

two

(2) final effluent

ponds.

The original

approval

of the risk analysis

results

was

by letter

dated

May

13, 1998,

but contained

a caveat

that the assessment

would

be revisited

once

the DEQ finalized

the ground

water guidance

on which

they

were working.

By letter

dated August

3, 1998,

you were notified

that

the quarterly

ground

water monitoring for

the final effluent

ponds

could

be discontinued

and

the need

for further monitoring

would

also

be reviewed

once

the ground

water guidance

was finalized. This

is

to advise

you

that

the ground

water guidance

that

was finalized

does

not change

the above determinations.

The guidance

notes

that

if ground

water monitoring

results

show

a statistically

significant increase

from

the upgradient

to the downgradient

wells, further

action

would

be warranted.

Basically,

if any monitored

unit

has contaminated

the ground

water,

a corrective

action

plan would

be required.

It also notes

that based

on

the extent

of contamination,

a risk analysis

may

be required.

BWX Technologies completed

these

items. According

to the submitted

report,

the state ground

water quality standards

and criteria

were

being exceeded

and there

was

a statistically

significant

increase

from

the upgradient

to the downgradient

wells

for

the parameters

of fluoride,

foaming

agents,

nitrite,

nitrate

and sodium. An Agency

of the Natural Resources

SecretariatBWXTechnologies,Inc.-NPDVPDESPermitVA0003697Page2Additionalparameters,whichexceededthegroundwaterstandards,werealsoreviewed,eventhoughtheydidnotindicateastatisticallysignificantdifferencebetweenupgradientanddowngradientwells.TheriskanalysisconcludedthattheonlyreceptorforthegroundwaterinthestudyareawastheJamesRiver.Inthatregard,theresultingconcentrationsofpollutantswerethencomparedtothestate’ssurfacewaterstandardsforaquaticandhumanhealth,atthepointofgroundwaterinterceptionwiththeJamesRiver,withtheexceptionoffluoridewhichhasnosurfacewatercriterion.Theresultantgroundwaterandsurfacewatermixshowednosignificantimpact.Ifyouhaveanyquestions,pleaseletmeknow.Sincerely,ThomasL.HendersonRegionalDirectorcc:SCROFileRickWeeks,DEQ-COKarenSismour,DEQ-CO