f q rockwell internal letter · 2007-09-21 · state release of buildings' a letter was...

f Q Rockwell Internal Lette rDate: January 26 , 1996 No . hljan96 .doe

To : (Name. Organization, Internal Address) From: (Name, Organization, Internal Address Phone)Steve La$lant Phil RutherfordEnvironment , Health & Safety Environmental RemediationD/607, 055-AA24 D/641 , 055-SS14

x-66140

Subject: Environmental Remediation Monthly Activity Report - January 199 6

CHEMICAL REMEDIATION TEAM

SSFL: Inspector Jerry Nicholas from Ventura County Air Pollution Control District inspectedtwo buildings from the Demolition Package 4 project and an insulated tank in the Area IBoneyard . The purpose of this routine inspection was to verify that all asbestos abatementprocedures were compliant . The inspector found no violations.

Redacted

Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) Meeting : A meeting was held on 1/11/96 a tRocketdyne to discuss SSFL site issues . In attendance were representatives from Rocketdyneand Cal-EPA. This meeting kicked off the first in a series of monthly meetings to address SSF Lissues.

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P. RutherfordJanuary 25, 1996

NASA Site Inventory: Chemical Remediation has completed the NASA-wide hazardous wastesite inventory update for Area II , SSFL . The information was forwarded to NASA the week of1/22/96 .

SSFL Resource Conservatio n Recovery Act) RCRA Corrective Action: Cal-EPA has indicatedto Rocketdyne that the final letter on RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI) Workplan will beforwardedthe week of 1/22/96 . Rocketdyne can then begin to schedule meetings to resolve anyissues that may arise on field samp li ng plans, risk assessments, etc .

DOE/ETEC Support : Rocketdyne has received a request by Cal-EPA, Region 2 for an update onpermitted facilities in Area IV . This information has also been forwarded to ETEC . The updatedinformation will be incorporated into the database for the Board of Equalization (BOE) .

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Estimates for RemediationForecast : The Engineering and Cost Estimates relative to forecastedremediation scena rios will be forwarded to Rocketdyne the week of 1/22/96 for the SSFL,Canoga and NFL sites . An outside contractor familiar with these types of projects was hired byRocketdyne to perform this task. The reports will then be transmitted to Corporate legal fo rdefending the lawsuit .

Former Sodium Disposal Facility ~ FSDF) : The DTSC is still reviewing the risk assessmentworkplan. Comments are expected by February 1 . The next step will be to perform a ris kassessment on the data gathered in the site characterization and then either recommend closure orset soil cleanup goals, if appropriate . Interim sediment migration control measures have bee n

coll Thlled Thi incl a tar h n l ei t di nti t th i d d lp an severa a ne w rs to ec me ensta a s u es c se .e s te.DTSC visited the FSDF and provided comments on the interim measures . The final interim( Lmeasures for this winter will be completed in February.

Underground Storage- TST) Investigation atSSFL : The soil investigation of three (3)NASA UST's (UT-48, 51 and 53) site investigations was completed on 1/24/96 by GTI .Workplans for Phase II soil investigations at UT-3 (Bldg. 009) and UT-55 (Bldg. 55) weresubmitted to the Ventura County Environmental Health Division

Reactive Metals Tank Cleaning : A job walk was held with Merrick on 1/22/96 . The proposal isdue on 1/26 and field activities are anticipated to begin in April . The Statement of Work (SOW)includes three (3) Rocketdyne and five (5) ETEC sodium tanks .

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Reactive Metals B/014 : Laidlaw/BDT completed the B1014 project . LaidlawiBDT did anexcellent job. The total costs for Rocketdyne mate rials are anticipated to be less than $45K . Incomparison , ETECs proposal for the same project was estimated at $135K .

Reactive Metals B/006 Inactive Loop Cost Estimate : BDT is currently preparing cost estimatesfor the removal of the B/006 loop. The estimate should be available during the week of 1/29 .

B/133 : The Class I modification letter for B/133 was finally sent to DTSC on 1/23 . It isanticipated that DTSC will respond within several weeks to authorize resumption of treatmentactivities. In addition, another letter was sent to DTSC requesting a 180 day storage extensionfor wastes at B/029 .

Area IV Stable Isotope Sampling : A review of the draft report by Lawrence Berkeley Laboratoryon the FY95 Stable Isotope Sampling of Area IV and Brandeis-Bardin Institute wells was unde rprogress.

Annual Site Environmental Report for ETEC : A draft report was reviewed and updated .

Brandeis Bardin Institute (BBI)-SSFL Boundary Survey by BBI Consultants : A team includingthe surveyors and consultant (Joel Cehn) conducted reconnaissance for markers at the BBI-SSFLproperty boundary on January 11, 1996 .

Waterloo Consulting Consortium: Dr. John Cherry of the University of Waterloo informed usthat Ms . Beth Parker and he will be very busy for the next two to three months onacademic/research projects and may not be immediately available for expert evaluation of theDTSC recommended research type activities for SSFL groundwater . However, Dr. Cherry willwrite a letter to Rocketdyne outlining the framework of a possible service by his group of industryand academics-recognized experts in finding a practicable approach to solve the problems ofSSFL groundwater remediation/containment .

SSFL Groundwater Programs : Environmental completed the December monthly repo rt for theNASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC ) technical coordinator. The 1996 monitoringschedule was completed and transmitted to DTSC. Discussions were held with DTSC personnelto arrange for the performance of a Comprehensive Monitoring Evaluation during the quarterlysampling in February . DTSC provided comments on the latest groundwater Sampling andAnalysis Plans . Preparations for this Comprehensive Monitoring Evaluation (CME) inspectioncontinued .

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RADIOLOGICAL REMEDIATION TEAM

Radiological Remediation Team : Three meetings of theRadRem team were held . Progress todate includes formation of a team mission statement, and development of a process flow chart ,team goals, and member responsibilities .

Radioactive Material Shipping Procedure : Revisions to ER procedure N001 OP000030 ,`Procedures for Surveys of Radioactive Material Shipments ", were completed. The revisionswere in response to the Nevada Test Site(NTS) audit in November, and involved editorialupdates and revisions to the section on waste box characterization, including a new section onerror estimation .

Hake Incident : Additional characterization data on the 1978 Oak Ridge National Laboratories(ORNL) capsule material were provided to Environmental Management in response to a Draftreceived from DOE-OAK on their review of the Hake incident report . DOE's concerns are 1) isthere adequate information to be assured that the material shipped to Hake is in fact remnants ofthe ORNL helium dosimetry capsules, and 2) was the root cause of the incident correctlyidentified in the incident report .

Draft Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Report on September 199 5Radiological Surveys at SSFL : A draft report and associated comments were received fromDOE-OAK on the radiological surveys conducted by ORISE in September for the InterimStorage Facility (ISF); Bldgs . T030, T641, and T013; area northwest of T626 and T038 ; and a

storage yard west of T626 and T038 . The report itself indicates no contamination above releaselevels in all areas, with the exception of a single tritium finding in T030, where an accelerator hadbeen housed in the 1960's . However, the comments received with the report indicate that ORISE

has some questions regarding the original surveys of the various areas . These documents date

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back to 1978 and, therefore, the concern is that surveying practices of that era may not meetcurrent requirements. These concerns will be discussed with DOE personnel during a site visit onJanuary 31 .

State Release of Buildings' A letter was received from G . Wong of the State Radiological HealthBranch concurring in the release for unrestricted use of Buildings T028, T029, and the OldConservation Yard (OCY). Release by DOE is still pending.

Building 064 Sidevard : Removal of the ORISE "hot spots" was completed in both the sideyardand the "G" street locations. Tests were done to establish a background and "statisticallysignificant activity" (SSA) for in-soil readings with a Nal detector . It was determined that areaswith detectable surface readings fell below SSA limits in soil so an alternate method forestablishing the two dimensional boundary for the remediation is being developed. A draftsampling and analysis plan was developed to investigate the boundaries of the remaining soilcontamination at the Building T064 Side Yard and the associated soil areas along and across G Street .During initial excavation of the septic tank , however, contamination was found in the outlet pipe(the inlet was clean), and gamma readings show indications of internal contamination in theleachfield distribution box . Both these finding wi ll necessitate some changes to the sampling andanalysis plan.

Rockwell International Hot Lab (RIHL) Operations : With assistance from the RIHL healthphysicist, the sampling locations and drums of debris from the drainline removal at RI IL wereidentified. The main high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) inlet duct (in the basement area) wasremoved and sized-reduced for shipment to the Radioactive Materials Handling Facility(RMI-IF) . Asample from the "hot spot" in the inlet duct was collected for gamma spectrometric analysis.Determination of the Am-241 activity, as an indicator for plutonium , allowed review of the safetyrequirements. This confirmed that no special enclosurelfiltration requirements should be imposed. Thematerial is also below the TRU waste limit of 100 nCi/g transuranic (TRU) activity.

T012 Operations: Grid locator maps were created for rooms 110, 109A, and the attic aboveroom 109B (Fuel Storage) . The map for room 109B is being prepared .

Building 059 Operations: A meeting was held with department 022 management to discuss theradiological scope of the Large Leak Test Rig (LLTR) dismantling . Decisions made in themeeting are being incorporated in the Project management pl an that is being prepared by the

T059 person-in-charge . The job was temporarily shut down so manpower could be focused onthe T064 side yard remediation .--------------- ---------------------------------------------------

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assessment program at NTS, and will likely require additional detail and documentation forisotopic content and activity for waste shipments to NTS. Specific isotopic concentration limitswill also be imposed, and will depend on the site location for burial at NTS . Revision 2 to NVO-325 is expected to be finalized by September .

Several comments were also received regarding our recent changes to Procedur eNOO I OP000030, "Procedures for Surveys of Radioactive Material Shipments", in response to theNTS site audit in November 1995. These comments will be addressed during the NTS re-visitaudit on February 8 .

ERPP Working Group Meeting : A meeting is scheduled for January 30 at DOE-OAK to discusspreparing and implementing Environmental Radiological Protection Plans (ERPPs) forcompliance with proposed rule 10 CFR834 . ETEC has identified Paul Olsen (EnvironmentalManagement - EM) as the lead in preparing this document, with assistance from RadiologicalRemediation, B. Oliver (RadRem) and P . Olsen will attend the meeting .

Helium Analysis Laboratory D&D: The slight contamination observed in a small sub-group of thesegregatedexcess hazardous materials from the laboratory was removed. However, the NOMADportable gamma spectroscopy used earlier to check the materials is presently back with themanufacturer for repairs . As soon as this unit is returned, a confirmatory scan of these remainingunreleased chemicals will be conducted . Note that most of the materials were released prior tothe failure of the NOMAD unit . These released materials are currently being stored in Room414-81 of the laboratory awaiting disposal . B. Oliver visited Battelle - Pacific NorthwestLaboratories (PNL) to assist PNL in the relocation and setup of the decommissioned heliumanalysis laboratory . All of the non-R/A laboratory items were shipped to PNL in December . Thelow-level R/A equipment is still at DeSoto awaiting release of the DOE hold on R/A shipment sfrom Rocketdyne as a result of the Hake incident.

Area IV Survey Report : Appendix F to the Area IV Survey Report, describing the details of thestatistical comparisons, was completed . These comparisons showed marginal differences between theArea IV analytical and survey results and those of various designated background areas . Comparisons

of the isotopic analyses of thorium and uranium showed that all activity was natural .

T059 and T024 Radiological Condition : Information was provided to ETEC Program Managementon the activity and exposure rates associated with the residual radioactive concrete in Buildings T059and T024 .

Estimate of RadiologjrA Impact of Conventional Disposal of Slightly Activated Concrete : Concreteremoved from the floor ofthe east high-bay of T009 has a slight amount of induced radioactivity, fromoperation of the critical assembly in the 1960s. The rubble is currently stored in four rolloffs, waitingdisposal. The NRC computer code IMPACTS-BRC was used to estimate the radiological doses

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resulting from conventional disposal of this rubble . All doses were very low, with the greatest dose of0.001 mrem to the transportation workers . The State Department of Health Services had asked for thi sanalysis as a result of our request to dispose of the concrete to a conventional landfill . A numericaltypographical error in the letter was called to our attention by the State.

Redacted

Waste box characterizations : Five waste boxes, from T020 and RMHF, were characterized thismonth . The current mean elapsed time for completion is 14 .8 days . The present (1/25/96) backlog is11 packages.

Gamma Spectroscopy Support: Soil and other media samples continue to be analyzed with three hourturn-around times from the D&D of T020 Service Gallery and Basement. Sending the samples to anoutside lab for analysis would take 14-21 days for a premium price and halt on going work . Soilsamples taken from T064 continue to show higher than expected amounts ofCs-137 and indications ofpossible fuel contamination. It is planned to send some of these samples to an outside lab for isotopicdetermination of uranium , thorium, and plutonium. This method is more sensitive and will result inMinimum Detectable Activity (MDA) consistent with current release limit guidelines from ResidualActivity (RESRAD) calculations .

RADIATION SAFETY TEAM

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Redacted=

- -- - - - - - - - - --Environmental : Representatives from the California Department of Health Services were on siteMonday Jan. 8, 1996 for the quarterly exchange of the environmental thermoluminescentdosimeters (TLD's) . The representatives arrived late in the afternoon due to travel delays andthe exchange was completed on Tuesday Jan . 9, 199 5

Service Agreementsfor D/641 As of January 23, 1996, the renewal documentation was sent toHelgeson Scientific , Teledyne Brown Engineering , Ludlum Measurements, and Eberline, Inc .Purchasing hasn ' t received a signed copy of the agreement . Environmental Remediation hasreceived renewal documentation extending the service agreement for Victoreen , Inc. for one yearfrom Purchasing on January 19, 1996 .

Lost Instrument On December 18, 1995 , an easy document was generated to ship a VictoreenRadocon Electrometer, along with its attachments, to Victoreen for calibration . The instrumentwas supposed to be sent out on December 21 . As of this writing, the instruments have not beenlocated and is assumed lost . All the necessary departments were notified . J. L. ShepherdAssociates have been contracted to validate the SSFL ca libration sources , since loss of theinstrument by transportation has disrupted Rocketdyne 's capability to perform this activity in-house.

RMHF Operations continued for the repackaging of backlogged R]HL waste . D&D operationson the Sodium Reactor Experiment (SRE) "poor man" hot ce ll is now scheduled to start beforethe end of this month.

P. D. Rutherford, ManagerEnvironmental Remediation

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E-Mailcc: Environmental Remediation X

Phil Horton XLori CircleMarty Robertso nMark Gabler XVic Keshishian NB5 1Ron Bulthuis AD25Larry RodmanJerry GaylordMajelle JensenKieran BerginJ. Degiovanni RFOIDawn DawPaul Costa

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f q rockwell internal letter · 2007-09-21 · state release of buildings' a letter was...

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