Comment Period Extended; West Butte Wind Project

News release from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service:

Comment Period Extended on Permit Request For West Butte Wind Project

The deadline is being extended for people to comment on a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) of a request from West Butte Wind Power, LLC, for a permit that would allow for the “take” of golden eagles at the company’s proposed wind project in central Oregon, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today.

Notice of the extension to February 17, 2012, published in today’s Federal Register. The previous deadline was February 2, 2012.

“Take” means to kill, harass or disturb the birds, their nests or their eggs. The Service will consider take permits when commitments are made for conservation measures that benefit eagle populations.

This is the first application the Service has received from a proposed wind project for a take permit under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (BGEPA). Regulations adopted in 2009 enabled the agency to authorize, for the first time, take of eagles for activities that are otherwise lawful but that result in either disturbance or mortality.  Since then, guidelines for issuing the permits to wind projects have been developed.  Permits are only issuable under circumstances that ultimately guarantee the conservation of eagle populations.

“The new deadline will give people additional time to submit comments,” said Chris McKay, Assistant Regional Director for Migratory Birds and State Programs in the Service’s Pacific Region. The agency decided to extend the deadline after receiving several requests to do so.

The West Butte permit, if issued, would allow the take of up to three golden eagles over a period of five years as long as the company fulfills its conservation commitments. In cooperation with the Service, the company developed an avian and bat conservation plan and an eagle conservation plan that describe actions that have been taken to initially avoid and minimize and then mitigate for any remaining adverse effects to eagles. If the permit is granted, there must be no net loss to breeding populations of golden eagles. The proposed wind project, consisting of up to 52 turbines about 30 miles east of Bend, is in an area of low use by golden eagles.

West Butte Wind Power’s eagle conservation plan outlines advanced conservation practices and measures to avoid and minimize impacts, assesses risk, makes commitments for mitigating eagle mortalities, and makes commitments for monitoring bird mortality after the project is built. If the permit is granted, these conservation commitments would become conditions of the permit.

The Service would review the permit every five years to ensure the project was complying with the conditions.

The full text of the draft EA can be downloaded at http://www.fws.gov/pacific/migratorybirds/nepa.html.

Comments can be submitted by:

• Email: pacific_birds@fws.gov. Include “DEA for the West Butte Wind Project” in the subject line of the message.
• U.S. Mail: Please address written comments to Michael Green, Acting Chief, Division of Migratory Birds and Habitat Programs, Pacific Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 911 NE 11^th Ave, Portland, OR 97232. Attn.: DEA for the West Butte Wind Project.
• Fax: Michael Green, Acting Chief, Division of Migratory Birds and Habitat Programs, 503-231-2019, Attn.: DEA for the West Butte Wind Project.

Tenth Technology Readiness Assessment

From the U.S. Dept. of Energy, Office of Environmental Management:

EM Performs Tenth Technology Readiness Assessment

WASHINGTON, D.C. – EM recently completed its tenth Technology Readiness Assessment (TRA) since piloting the TRA process in 2006.

A TRA is an intensive peer review process through which the maturity of a technology is evaluated. A TRA utilizes the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale pioneered by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and adopted by the United States Air Force and other government organizations, including EM. The project uses the results of the TRA to develop a Technology Maturation Plan (TMP), which details the steps necessary to mature the technology to the level at which it can be deployed. 

The EM TRAs to date have focused primarily on technologies to accomplish one of EM’s most pressing concerns: treatment of radioactive waste in aging waste tanks at the Savannah River, Hanford and Idaho sites.

The most recent TRA evaluated Small Column Ion Exchange (SCIX), which is a sorbent column system being developed at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina to remove cesium, strontium and select actinides from radioactive salt solutions in waste tanks. With a capacity to process 2.5 million gallons of salt waste annually, SCIX may supplement operations at the Salt Waste Processing Facility under construction at SRS, markedly shortening the life cycle and reducing the risk and cost of tank waste processing.

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Employees with Savannah River Remediation, the SRS liquid waste contractor, review mock-ups of the SCIX technology at the Savannah River National Laboratory.

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This technology development work at SRS may be used to support treatment operations at other sites.

A TRA team consists of experts in appropriate disciplines who are not involved in development of the technology being evaluated or in the project in which the technology may be deployed.

Hoyt Johnson, EM TRA lead, pointed out that the TRA has evolved from an audit-like process to a more effective collaborative effort in which both the TRA and site teams identify solutions to eliminate gaps in the technology’s development.

“Part of the success of the TRA is the ability of the site team to understand TRA and implement it as a self-assessment. This was exemplified by the SCIX site team’s use of the External Technical Review process at inception, followed by site-level assessment of the technology maturity, resulting in a mature SCIX Technology Maturation Plan available for review when the EM TRA team arrived.” Johnson said. “Sites have become tuned in and more knowledgeable.” 

Funding constraints in 2012 have resulted in SCIX development activities being placed on hold. In preparation for resumed funding, the TRA team developed a list of prioritized recommendations for maturing the technologies so that the most effectual and expeditious use of funding is made as it is released, whether incrementally or all at once. 

TRAs and TMPs have proven to be effective management tools for reducing technical risk and minimizing potential cost increases and schedule delays. In addition to the TRAs of technologies for tank waste treatment, EM hopes to complete assessments for technologies used in other work, such as decontamination and demolition and soil and groundwater remediation.

EM issued the U.S. DOE Office of Environmental Management TRA/TMP Process Guide in 2008. A revised guide, scheduled to be issued in March, incorporates lessons learned from implementing the TRA process, recognizes the use of the process for areas in addition to tank waste and is more user friendly for site and headquarters review teams.  

Complete details concerning all of EM’s TRAs, including summaries and final reports, can be found here.

Food Processing Facility to Pay Nearly $700K in Penalties

News release from EPA Region 9:


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 31, 2012                                                          

DOJ (202) 514-2007 / TDD (866) 544-5309                 
EPA (415) 947-4270


SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO FOOD PROCESSING FACTORY WILL PAY NEARLY $700,000 IN PENALTIES,
SPEND $6 MILLION TO UPDATE REFRIGERATION SYSTEM SAFETY

Upgrades at South San Francisco Salami Factory Following Hazardous Ammonia Cloud that Left 17 Hospitalized

WASHINGTON – South San Francisco food processor Columbus Manufacturing Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Columbus Foods LLC, has agreed to pay a penalty and make significant upgrades to settle Clean Air Act violations, the Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today.  The case stems from two releases of anhydrous ammonia that occurred in 2009 at its manufacturing facility located in South San Francisco, Calif.  

The releases were the result of Columbus’ failure of its general duty of care to identify hazards and to maintain a safe facility and its failure to comply with regulatory requirements for process safety management under Section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act.

“This settlement appropriately penalizes Columbus for violations of the Clean Air Act that resulted in two illegal releases of poisonous gas that put the community at risk, including one release that caused the hospitalization of people in the affected community,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General of the Environment and Natural Resources Division at the Department of Justice. “Today’s agreement will prevent future violations of the Clean Air Act safety standards by requiring Columbus to upgrade its refrigeration technology and emergency notification system.”  

“Columbus is responsible for letting plumes of poisonous gas escape into the open air,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest.  “Our goal is to safeguard neighbors and workers by requiring critical improvements to the company’s plant to prevent these industrial accidents from happening again.”  

As part of the consent decree announced today, Columbus will pay a penalty of $685,446 and spend approximately $6 million converting its refrigeration system to a safer technology that uses glycol and ammonia.  The company will also improve its alarm and ammonia release notification procedures.   

The first accidental ammonia release, in February 2009, sent 217 pounds of poisonous gases into the atmosphere. Six months later in August 2009, the plant again released an ammonia cloud, this time approximately 200 pounds of anhydrous ammonia was released into the atmosphere.  

The August incident resulted in the evacuation of all facility employees and several neighboring businesses.  Nearly 30 people from the downwind Genentech campus sought medical attention and 17 individuals were hospitalized.  One person remained hospitalized for four days.  In addition, off-ramps from Highway 101 and several local streets were shut down as a result of the release.  

EPA took action following the August 2009 incident, ordering Columbus to complete initial upgrades to its ammonia refrigeration system, including the replacement of safety relief valves and components with any signs of corrosion, and the proper labeling of all its piping.  In 2011, the company paid $850,000 in fines to San Mateo County as a result of the incident.   

Anhydrous ammonia is considered a poisonous gas.  Exposure to its vapors can cause temporary blindness and eye damage, and irritation of the skin, mouth, throat, respiratory tract and mucous membranes.  Prolonged exposure to anhydrous ammonia vapor at high concentrations can lead to serious lung damage and even death.  Anhydrous ammonia is one of the listed extremely hazardous substances to which Section 112(r) of the Clean Air Act applies.

Enforcement of the general duty of care and of the regulatory requirements under Section 112(r)(1) and (7) of the Clean Air Act  is critical to ensuring that industry focuses on the safety of the public and the environment.  

For more information, including a copy of the consent decree lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, please visit:  www.epa.gov/region09/superfund/emerprep.html

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EPA to Provide Funding for Beach Cleanup

News release from EPA:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 31, 2012

EPA To Provide Nearly $10 Million to Clean Up Beaches Across the Nation

The agency launches improved website for beach advisories and closures

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that it will provide $9.8 million in grants to 38 states, territories and tribes to help protect the health of swimmers at America’s beaches. The agency also launched an improved website for beach advisories and closings, which will allow the public to more quickly and easily access the most current water quality and pollution testing information for more than 6,000 U.S. beaches.

The website, called BEACON, has the capability to update as frequently as every two hours based on new data provided by states, territories and tribes. Users will have access to mapped location data for beaches and water monitoring stations, monitoring results for various pollutants such as bacteria and algae, and data on public notification of beach water quality advisories and closures. For the first time, users can also access reports that combine notifications and water quality monitoring data. The enhanced system also uses enhanced map navigation and report display tools.

The majority of beach advisories and closures in the United States are due to water test results indicating bacterial contamination, which can make people sick. Bacterial contamination comes from a variety of sources. Some examples are sewer overflows, untreated stormwater runoff, boating wastes, wildlife and pet waste, and malfunctioning septic systems.

During each swimming season, state and local health and environmental protection agencies monitor the quality of water at the nation’s beaches. When bacteria levels in the water are too high, these agencies notify the public by posting beach warnings or closing the beach.

The grants will help local authorities monitor beach water quality and notify the public of conditions that may be unsafe for swimming.

This is the 12th year that EPA is providing beach grant funds, bringing the total amount EPA has made available to nearly $111 million. As a result, the number of monitored beaches has more than tripled to

more than 3,600 in 2010. Grant applications must be received within 60 days of publication of EPA’s notice in the Federal Register. EPA expects to award the grants later this year.

View EPA’s enhanced beach advisory and closing information: http://watersgeo.epa.gov/BEACON2/<http://watersgeo.epa.gov/BEACON2/>

More information on the grants: http://water.epa.gov/grants_funding/beachgrants/index.cfm<http://water.epa.gov/grants_funding/beachgrants/index.cfm>

EPA Proposes Waste Water Discharge Permits

From EPA Region 10:


EPA proposes waste water discharge permits for oil and gas exploration in Alaska’s Beaufort and Chukchi Seas


Comments from the public accepted until March 30, 2012
Contact:
Suzanne Skadowski, Community Involvement, 206-553-6689, skadowski.suzanne@epa.gov
Marianne Holsman, Public Affairs, 206-553-1237, holsman.marianne@epa.gov  


(Seattle – Jan. 30, 2012) EPA is now seeking input on two draft waste water discharge permits for oil and gas exploration activities in Alaska’s Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. The proposed Clean Water Act permits protect public health and the marine environment by placing limits and conditions on the types and amounts of pollution companies can discharge in waste water during oil and gas exploration activities. The proposed permits also require the companies to conduct environmental studies before, during, and after drilling discharges occur to ensure compliance with permit limits.       

These permits are National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permits. EPA is proposing one General Permit for the Chukchi Sea and one for the Beaufort Sea. The existing Arctic General Permit (GP), which covered oil and gas exploration discharges for both seas, expired June 2011. Companies currently covered under the expired Arctic GP must reapply for coverage and comply with the new terms and conditions under the final Beaufort and/or Chukchi General Permits.

A detailed summary table of the changes in the General Permits and the specific sections EPA is requesting comments on is included in Appendix A of the Fact Sheet. EPA plans to re-issue the final Beaufort Sea and Chukchi Sea General Permits by October 2012.

The public comment period for the proposed permits starts: January 30, 2012 and ends March 30, 2012. After the public comment period ends, the EPA will review and address public comments before making final decisions on the Beaufort Sea and Chukchi Sea General Permits.

People who want to comment on the draft General Permits and Fact Sheet must do so by March 30, 2012 by any of the following methods:

• Mail: US EPA Region 10, Suite 900, Attn: Hanh Shaw, Office of Water/Watersheds, 1200 6th Ave, OWW-130, Seattle, WA 98101
• Email: R10arcticpermits@epa.gov
• Fax: Hanh Shaw, 206-553-0165

EPA will hold public hearings on the following dates:

• March 13, 2012, in Barrow, Alaska, at the Inupiat Heritage Center
• March 15, 2012, in Anchorage, Alaska, at the Loussac Public Library

Both hearings will begin at 6:00 p.m.  Alaska Standard Time (AKST) and end at 10:00 p.m.
EPA will also hold two hearings via teleconferences on March 16, 2012, at the following times: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., and 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. AKST, 1-866-299-3188, code: 2065536524.

For more information about the draft General Permits and to view project documents, visit: http://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/water.nsf/npdes+permits/arctic-gp

Why Inject Drinking Water Underground?

An earlier post had to do with a comment period for proposed changes in a permit to inject drinking water into an underground aquifer.  A visitor to this blog asked why would anybody want to inject drinking water into an underground aquifer in an area with abundant drinking water supplies?

I found this at the web site of the Joint Powers Water Board of Albertville - Hanover - St. Michael, MN:

Current & Upcoming Construction Projects

The Joint Powers Water Utility is a Pioneer in Minnesota

The Joint Powers Water Board recently constructed what is referred to as aquifer storage and recovery (ASR), and it is the first such system in Minnesota. The primary purpose for us is to provide adequate storage capacity of treated water without the need to build additional treatment plants and water towers. We will take already treated/filtered water from the distribution system during the slower winter months, pump it into the ground to be pumped back out during the summer peak water demands. This results in a tremendous cost savings to you, the customer.

Illinois EPA to Clean Up Tarkowski Property

From the Illinois EPA:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 26, 2012 Illinois EPA to Clean Up Tarkowski Property SPRINGFIELD – An Illinois Environmental Protection Agency contractor today is beginning cleanup of a dump site that has plagued the Lake Barrington – Wauconda area for decades. The cleanup is expected to take four to six weeks, weather permitting.   The Agency is working with the Village of Lake Barrington through an intergovernmental agreement to complete cleanup of the 16-acre John Tarkowski property located in unincorporated Lake County. Tarkowski had been illegally receiving waste material on his property since the late 1960s, according to public records.  “The Agency is pleased that we can finish cleanup of this environmental and safety hazard thanks to the efforts of the Village and their representatives in the General Assembly. The neighbors and the community have endured this mess too long,” said Illinois EPA Interim Director John Kim.    This last phase of the cleanup is being funded through a $430,000 state grant supported by Sen. Dan Duffy (Barrington), and Rep. Kent Gaffney (Wauconda). Remaining wastes will be removed and disposed of in a permitted landfill. Any recyclable materials will be separated and recycled to help defray the overall cost of the cleanup.  “The Village of Lake Barrington extends its thanks and appreciation to Governor Quinn, Sen. Dan Duffy, Rep. Kent Gaffney and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for their assistance in securing the funding for the final clean-up of the Tarkowski dumpsite located in the Lakeland Estates neighborhood of Lake Barrington,” said Lake Barrington Village President Kevin Richardson.  “These funds will address a vital environmental objective for the Village and help assure that the ground water in the northern part of our community remains protected.” Acting on results of an investigation, in 2004 the Illinois EPA confirmed through surveillance that Tarkowski was allowing trucks hauling various waste materials to illegally dump waste on his property. A notice of intent to pursue legal action was sent to Tarkowski. Subsequent court hearings resulted in a court order in April 2006 that required John Tarkowski to pay a $150,000 penalty and conduct a systematic cleanup of the property.  Tarkowski ignored the order and continued to allow dumping on the property; in July 2006 the Illinois EPA issued an Order to Seal the site to protect the public and the environment. Tarkowski removed the seal order sign within a few days and removed it again after the Agency replaced it. Illinois EPA worked with the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, and Tarkowski was arrested for violating the seal order. Cost recovery actions are currently pending with the Illinois Attorney General’s office, and environmental liens have been placed on the property. In 2006, the Illinois EPA conducted a partial cleanup which included spraying for mosquitoes to eliminate the risk of West Nile Virus, removing and recycling over 10,000 tires, removing and disposing various liquid waste containers, car batteries and various other special and hazardous wastes. An assortment of scrap metals and other materials were removed and when possible were recycled, which reduced the overall cost. Other costs were covered with funds from the Waste Tire Program. ###

Savannah River Site's H Canyon

From the U.S. Dept. of Energy's Office of Environmental Management:

Savannah River Site’s H Canyon Begins 2012 with New and Continuing Missions

Transuranic waste remediation, new mission work are the focus of the nation’s only active nuclear chemical separations facility in 2012

AIKEN, S.C. – The Savannah River Site (SRS) is breathing new life into the H Canyon, the only active nuclear chemical separations facility still operating in the U.S.

“After a history of primarily dissolving and separating materials found in irradiated reactor fuel rods, H Canyon continues to diversify its scope of work,” said DOE Savannah River Operations Office Manager David Moody. “H Canyon is a huge and dynamic production facility that continues to service the nation’s nuclear needs and does it safely.  It is one of the key facilities in the site’s Enterprise SRS strategic vision.”

Enterprise SRS is an initiative launched last year to transform past environmental liabilities into revitalized assets for future use, including national security, clean energy development, and environmental management.

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H Canyon, above, and HB-Line are scheduled to soon begin dissolving and purifying plutonium currently stored at the Savannah River Site to demonstrate the capability to produce oxide material that meets the Mixed Oxide Facility (MOX) feedstock specifications. The production process at MOX, which is now under construction, will eventually create fuel pellets for U.S. commercial reactor fuel assemblies.

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New Mission for H Canyon

Excess plutonium in the U.S. has been consolidated at SRS and is currently stored within a highly secure structure at the site. This plutonium will eventually be processed at the site’s Mixed Oxide Facility (MOX), which is currently under construction. The MOX production process will remove impurities from the stored plutonium and mix it with uranium oxide to form MOX fuel pellets for reactor fuel assemblies. When operational, this facility will be capable of turning 3.5 metric tons of plutonium into reactor fuel assemblies annually. Studies are underway to determine the optimum means to supply the feedstock to the MOX.

According to Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) H Canyon Facility Manager Mike Lewczyk, H Canyon and HB-Line, which is a sister facility also located in H Area, are scheduled to soon begin dissolving and purifying a quantity of the stored plutonium to demonstrate the capability of producing oxide material that meets MOX feedstock specifications. This new mission for H Canyon, once under way, will produce approximately one metric ton of acceptable plutonium oxide annually after an initial two-year period during which production levels increase. The scope of this mission is expected to be completed in five years and will provide the initial feedstock for MOX. SRNS is the management and operations contractor at SRS.

Increasing H Canyon’s Ability to Process Transuranic Waste

H Canyon is also scheduled to implement a revision to its Documented Safety Analysis to allow the handling and remediation of transuranic (TRU) waste with higher plutonium content than currently permitted in the H Canyon TRU Waste Program. “This revision will significantly increase the number of waste containers we can process in H Canyon, allowing the Savannah River Site to complete this task sooner than originally expected,” said Lewczyk.

The H Canyon TRU work is scheduled for completion by the end of 2012. 

Ensuring Unused Process Lines are Viable for Future Use

Throughout 2012, H Canyon personnel will conduct tests to ensure the major operating systems within production lines formerly used to dissolve and separate nuclear materials run efficiently. These efforts will maintain employee proficiency and keep equipment viable for future missions in the event the production lines are again used to process used fuel or other nuclear materials.

H Canyon History

H Canyon was constructed in the early 1950s and began operations in 1955. The interior of the building resembles a canyon; the processing areas are similar to a gorge in a deep valley between steep, vertical cliffs. It is 1,028 feet long, 122 feet wide and 71 feet tall, with several levels to accommodate the various stages of material stabilization, including control rooms to monitor equipment and operating processes and unique overhead bridge cranes.

Those cranes are used to conduct work remotely to minimize radiation exposure. The thick concrete walls that separate workers from the processing areas provide added protection.

In past operations, H Canyon was used to recover uranium-235 (U-235) and neptunium-237 (Np-237) from aluminum-clad, enriched-uranium fuel tubes of the site nuclear reactors and other domestic and foreign research reactors through a chemical separations process. SRS also recovered Np-237 and plutonium-238 (Pu-238) from special irradiated targets at the facility. Pu-238 was produced by irradiating recovered Np-237 from SRS nuclear reactors that are no longer operational. Pu-238 was then recovered and used in 30 of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s deep space exploration programs, such as the Cassini spacecraft.

Savannah River Site 2012 Outlook

From the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management:

Savannah River Site 2012 Outlook: Transuranic Waste Program Set to Safely Reach Milestone

New initiatives, bigger shipping containers and highly trained, innovative workers combine in milestone year

AIKEN, S.C. – In 2012, the Savannah River Site (SRS) is scheduled to achieve a milestone by completing processing of 5,000 cubic meters of legacy transuranic (TRU) waste for shipment to a safe, permanent disposal facility.

A large portion of that waste — a byproduct of nuclear defense program research and weapons production — has already been shipped to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico. The site will continue shipments until the remaining inventory is removed. Following the scheduled completion of processing the 5,000 cubic meters of TRU waste later this year, only 200 additional cubic meters of TRU waste will remain at SRS for treatment.

“By the end of 2012, we will have remediated, repackaged and certified for shipment all but 200 cubic meters of transuranic waste at SRS, meeting a vitally important milestone for our site-wide cleanup program,” said David Moody, DOE’s Savannah River Operations Office Manager. “This means that over 95 percent of our legacy TRU waste will soon be gone from South Carolina for long-term storage at the DOE Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad, New Mexico, leaving a very small amount that will require some special treatment.”

TRU Waste Processing Enters New Phase

According to John Gilmour, Solid Waste Director at Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS), the SRS management and operations contractor, success in the TRU program has resulted from several factors. New, larger TRUPACT-III shipping containers eliminate much of the need to manually reduce in size numerous, large pieces of TRU waste, saving time and minimizing employee exposure to radioactive materials, primarily plutonium-238. Plutonium-238 was once used as a heat source to generate power for deep space missions.

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By May, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions expects to be shipping transuranic waste to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant almost continuously, using six TRUPACT-III shipping containers like the one shown here.

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"By May, we’ll have six TRUPACT-III shipping containers available and the shipping process to WIPP will be almost continuous,” said Gilmour. “Our highly trained and talented workforce has learned to quickly recognize and productively respond to variables found when working with legacy radioactive waste materials.”

Each TRUPACT-III container can hold up to 6.6 cubic meters of TRU waste.

New Mission Takes Shape

A new SRS mission involves use of a previously unused portion of H Canyon to process and repackage plutonium (Pu) oxide.

Most of the Pu oxide in the U.S. has been consolidated at SRS and will eventually go to U.S. commercial power reactors in the form of new fuel rods. However, the relatively small percentage of Pu oxide at SRS without the properties needed for use as commercial reactor fuel will be packaged in rigorously tested containers for shipment to WIPP by SRNS Solid Waste personnel in 2012.  

“Over 100 of these specially designed metal containers, known as Pipe Overpack Containers, or POCs, have already been loaded with Pu oxide,” said Gilmour. “H Canyon has enough Pu oxide to safely fill approximately 600 of these new containers during the current campaign and potentially thousands in the future.”

According to Gilmour, once the project moves to full-production mode next year, he expects to see two to three shipments of unusable Pu oxide leave the site each week, bound for WIPP. Each truckload of waste will contain 35 POCs.

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Workers relocate a pipe overpack container used to transport small amounts of excess plutonium oxide destined for long-term storage at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad, New Mexico.

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2012 Holds Great Potential for Waste Remediation at SRS

In the past, SRS had a large amount of radioactive material stored in a variety of containers. “This waste would have been here a long time if it hadn’t been for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding,” said Gilmour. “It’s going to be a very busy year for SRNS as we safely prepare and send out shipment after shipment of TRU waste and excess plutonium to New Mexico.”

H Canyon is the only active nuclear chemical separations facility still operating in the U.S.

From the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management, EM Update, Vol. 4, Issue 1, January 2012

Oak Ridge Lays Out Big Plans for 2012

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – Last year, Oak Ridge’s Environmental Management (EM) program logged one of its most successful years due to sound project management and achievements in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act work.

Oak Ridge plans to maintain that momentum in 2012, and the year is off to a great start. EM employees are making considerable progress on Oak Ridge’s largest projects, specifically the K-25 Demolition Project and Uranium-233 Disposition Project. 

“Our employees laid an excellent foundation last year through the Recovery Act and cooperation with our newly selected prime contractor, URS | CH2M Oak Ridge,” said Sue Cange, acting assistant manager for EM in Oak Ridge. “Those efforts have set the stage for an ambitious year, allowing us to make substantial gains in our work to meet requirements with regulators, protection of the environment, and furthering DOE’s other missions onsite.”

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Employees at Oak Ridge are accelerating work at K-25’s East Wing. Sixty percent of the remaining structure is expected to be down by the end of the September. 

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Currently, Oak Ridge’s EM program has a list of 40 active projects with a wide range of scopes and complexity. At the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP), employees are removing K-25’s East Wing more rapidly than anticipated, with 26 percent of the 796,000-square-foot structure down and 60 percent planned for demolition by the end of September. Built as part of World War II’s Manhattan Project, K-25 housed the world’s first gaseous diffusion plant for enriching uranium.

EM is making progress finalizing the K-25 site’s historic preservation plans, which have been under negotiation since 2006. A final agreement is expected this spring.

Also at ETTP, pre-demolition work is scheduled to begin shortly in Building K-27. The eventual removal of this highly contaminated, 383,000-square-foot former gaseous diffusion facility will substantially eliminate risks and free millions of dollars in security and maintenance costs for cleanup elsewhere.

At the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), employees removed the 4,000-gallon Tank W-1A this month. The tank, located in ORNL’s central campus, was the greatest source of groundwater contamination at the site. From 1951 until 1986, the tank collected and stored liquid waste from radiochemical separations and high-radiation facilities at ORNL, until significant levels of soil and groundwater contamination were traced to the vessel. Currently, employees are removing the surrounding contaminated soils. The project is expected to be complete this summer in accordance with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) milestone.

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Tank W-1A, a 4,000-gallon contaminated tank buried in Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s central campus, was removed from the site in January.

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Also at ORNL, Oak Ridge’s EM program is advancing the Uranium-233 Disposition Project. In late December, the first shipment of inventory from Building 3019 was sent offsite, marking the beginning of the end for the world’s oldest operating nuclear facility. The first phase of shipments is expected to be complete during the next six to nine months.

 At the Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12), workers continue performing the second round of Recovery Act projects made possible through savings from previous Recovery Act projects. This second round of projects is directed toward mercury mitigation. For example, EM workers are developing an absorption unit to capture and treat mercury-tainted water from a location that is one of the main contributing factors of mercury entering the Upper East Fork Poplar Creek.  

EM is making headway on its National Priorities List (NPL) Site Boundary Delineation Project, which is in the final stages of characterizing 16,000 acres within the Oak Ridge Reservation. When complete, the uncontaminated areas will be removed from the existing NPL. The list, maintained by the EPA, contains sites with known or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants.

Once areas are removed from the list, they can be approved for a greater range of new development and reuse activities. Most water and soil samples have been analyzed and validated, with the final two samples scheduled for completion this month. The overall project remains on schedule to meet a Sept. 30 milestone with TDEC and the EPA.

Oregon Potato Company Pays EPA Penalty for Failing to Report

News release from EPA:

Oregon Potato Company pays EPA penalty for failing to report ammonia release

Wally Moon, EPA Preparedness and Prevention Unit Manager, 206-553-6323, moon.wally@epa.gov
Tony Brown, EPA Public Affairs, 206-553-1203, brown.anthony@epa.gov

(Seattle—Jan. 26, 2012) Oregon Potato Company failed to report an anhydrous ammonia release at their facility in Warden, Washington and will pay the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency a $66,235 penalty.

On July 2, 2009, the facility released approximately 300 pounds of anhydrous ammonia into the environment, according to the EPA settlement. The facility, located at 1900 First Avenue West in Warden, Washington, produces dried and dehydrated frozen potato products.


According to Wally Moon, EPA Preparedness and Prevention Unit Manager in Seattle, these cases are about protecting workers, emergency responders and the community.


“When unintended chemical releases occur, every minute counts if it is an emergency,” said EPA’s Moon. “Emergency responders need to be notified promptly to react effectively.”


The leak occurred when a circuit breaker failed, causing a pressure relief valve to open releasing the anhydrous ammonia. EPA alleges that Oregon Potato failed to immediately notify local and state agencies about the release. While no injuries were reported at the time of the incident, ammonia is a pungent, toxic gas that attacks skin, eyes, throat, and lungs and can cause serious injury or death.


The ammonia release and the failure to notify appropriate agencies are violations of the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA).


For information on EPA's Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act, visithttp://www.epa.gov/compliance/civil/epcra/epcraenfstatreq.html


For more about toxic effects of Anhydrous Ammonia (NIOSH GUIDE): http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0028.html

EPA Announces Comment Period for Permit Changes

From EPA Region 5:


For Immediate Release

No. 12-OPA006

EPA Announces Comment Period for Injection Well Permit Changes in Wright County, Minn.

CHICAGO (Jan. 26, 2012) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced the start of a public comment period on a request from the Joint Powers Water Board to make changes to its current permit for injecting treated drinking water into the Mount Simon-Hinkley aquifer. EPA will accept written comments until Feb. 21.

Comments should be addressed to William Bates, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (WU-16J), 77 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604-3590 or bates.william@epa.gov. For questions and additional information, contact William Bates at 312-886-6110 or call EPA's toll-free line at 800-621-8431, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., weekdays.

Draft documents and more information about public comment procedures are available on EPA’s website at www.epa.gov/r5water/uic/.

Official records are also available at the Great River Regional Library, St. Michael Branch, 11800 Town Center Drive, N.E, St. Michael.

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Haskell Indian Nations University & EPA Announce Partnership

News release from EPA Region 7:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7

901 N. Fifth St., Kansas City, KS 66101

Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations

Haskell Indian Nations University and EPA Announce Partnership Agreement to Promote Environmental Careers

Contact Information: Kris Lancaster, 913-551-7557, lancaster.kris@epa.gov

Environmental News

NEWS MEDIA ADVISORY

(Kansas City, Kan., Jan. 26, 2012) - EPA and Haskell Indian Nations University officials next week will gather in Lawrence, Kan., to announce a partnership agreement to support American Indian students pursuing careers in environmental and scientific fields.

The agreement will update an existing program of activities that will enhance Haskell University’s research and educational capabilities. EPA wants to increase Haskell University’s awareness of federal opportunities while helping to create an environmentally conscious campus through student-led initiatives. The agreement also focuses on student employment and volunteer programs, research participation, lectures and seminars on environmental issues, and community outreach.

WHO: EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks, Haskell Indian Nations University President Chris Redman, and Haskell Historian Theresa Milk

WHAT: Signing of the partnership agreement and remarks

WHERE: Stidham Union, Main Hall, Haskell Indian Nations University, 155 Indian Avenue, Lawrence, Kan. 66046

WHEN: 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Wednesday, February 1

Haskell Indian Nations University is a land grant institution located in Lawrence, Kan. For more than 117 years, American Indians and Alaska Natives have been sending their children to Haskell, and Haskell has responded by offering an innovative curriculum oriented toward American Indian and Alaska Native cultures. Haskell has an average enrollment of more than 1,000 students each semester.

Haskell University offers a rich resource to address the problem of underrepresentation of American Indians in science, finance, mathematics, information technologies and environmental specialist fields, in addition to the participation of these minorities in national environmental programs.

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Ultra-sustainable zHome

News Release from EPA Region 10:

Ultra-sustainable zHome becomes the first community of WaterSense labeled new homes in the Nation

Contact: Debra Sherbina, EPA WaterSense Coordinator, 206-553-0247, sherbina.debra@epa.gov; Tony Brown, EPA Public Affairs, 206-553-1203, brown.anthony@epa.gov

(Seattle – Jan. 25, 2012) zHome – the ultra-sustainable, 10-unit townhome development in Issaquah, WA that is redefining the future of housing – is also the first community in the Nation in which every home has earned the WaterSense label for new homes. EPA’s WaterSense program is modeled after its highly successful Energy Star program. The goal of WaterSense is to significantly reduce water use nationwide to save water resources for future generations.

A home that is certified to earn the WaterSense label will use at least 20 percent less water than a standard, newly-constructed home and the high-efficiency WaterSense labeled fixtures perform as well or better than their traditional counterparts. The benefits of the certification include:

• Lower utility bills for future residents
• Reduced strain on water and wastewater systems
•  More water left in streams and aquifers for salmon, recreation and other uses
• Fewer greenhouse gas emissions due to reduced energy demands from water treatment and delivery

zHome was designed to push the limits of sustainable, production housing. It is the first townhome, zero-energy, carbon-neutral community in the United States, and also received the Forest Stewardship Council’s 2011 award for the best residential project in North America.

In addition, zHome strove to demonstrate a multitude of water-efficient technologies, with a net reduction of 70 percent in potable water use compared to a typical King County home. Cascade Water Alliance provided WaterSense labeled toilets, showerheads, and bathroom faucets, as well as innovative, real-time use monitors for every unit to ensure maximum efficiency. Each zHome unit also includes a rainwater harvesting tank (ranging in size from 1,000- to 1,800-gallons) that is used for clothes washing and toilet flushing.

“EPA is proud to recognize the zHome project, built and developed by Ichijo USA and Seattle builder Matt Howland, as one of the leaders in the Pacific Northwest in helping to advance water efficiency,” said Paula vanHaagen, EPA’s Manager, Grants and Planning Unit in Seattle.

zHome was brought to life through a highly collaborative public/private partnership spearheaded by the City of Issaquah, in conjunction with Built Green, King County, Port Blakely Communities, Puget Sound Energy and the Washington State University Energy Program.

“We are extremely excited that the zHome units received the new WaterSense New Homes certification,” said Issaquah Mayor Ava Frisinger. “We hope zHome inspires homebuilders and homeowners to take advantage of the same water-saving benefits with their projects.”

Cascade Water Alliance, a long-time WaterSense promotional partner, is a non-profit corporation with the goal of providing safe, clean, and reliable water to its 400,000 residents and 22,000 businesses. Cascade is made up of the cities of Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Issaquah, Tukwila, the Covington Water District, and the Sammamish Plateau and Skyway Water and Sewer Districts.

To find out more about Cascade Water Alliance, visit: www.cascadewater.org

To find out more about WaterSense, visit: www.epa.gov/watersense

To find out more about zHome, visit: www.z-home.org

To automatically receive Region 10 News Releases, subscribe via email at: http://service.govdelivery.com/service/subscribe.html?code=USEPA_C19

EPA Orders Racetrack to Stop Discharges

News Release from EPA Region 6:

EPA Orders Albuquerque Racetrack to Stop Discharges to Protect Rio Grande

(DALLAS – January 25, 2012)  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued an order to halt discharges of animal waste, industrial run-off and other pollutants into the Rio Grande.  The action was taken against the Downs at Albuquerque Inc. and EXPO New Mexico, a 93-acre race track and casino in Albuquerque, New Mexico, that accommodates almost 1,400 horses during racing season.

“Companies must operate in a way that protects vital water resources,” said EPA Regional Administrator Al Armendariz.  “When a facility fails to meet its responsibilities, the EPA will work closely with our state partner agencies to enforce the law.”

On November 15, 2011, the New Mexico Environmental Department (NMED) conducted an on-site inspection and found that the facility did not have a properly designed storm water runoff containment structure.  The facility also does not have a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit which allows facilities to discharge to waters of the U.S.  

Pollutants commonly associated with animal waste or manure often include nitrogen and phosphorus, organic matter, bacteria and sediments.  These pollutants can clog rivers and streams with algae, kill fish by reducing oxygen in the water, transmit waterborne diseases and impair the enjoyment of waterways.

To comply with the order, the Downs and EXPO New Mexico must immediately take all necessary actions to prevent future discharges of pollutants into U.S. waters and notify the EPA of any discharges of pollutants from the facility into waters of the U.S.  

For more information about animal feeding operations, visit http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/afo/cafofinalrule.cfm
More about activities in EPA Region 6 is available at http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.html
EPA audio file is available at http://www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/podcast/jan2012.html

Safe Drinking Water for Louisiana

News Release from EPA Region 6:

EPA Awards Over $470,000 to Provide Safe, Reliable Drinking Water to Louisiana Residents

(DALLAS – January 25, 2012)   A new grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will help provide safe, reliable drinking water to the people of Louisiana.  The grant for $474,382, given to the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (LDHH), will be used to manage the state’s drinking water program.  These activities include attaining and maintaining safe drinking water quality standards, supporting the state’s public drinking water systems, and compliance, enforcement and technical assistance.

Additional information on EPA grants:  http://www.epa.gov/region6/gandf/index.htm
More about activities in EPA Region 6:  http://www.epa.gov/region6
EPA audio file is available at http://www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/podcast/jan2012.html

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