ML19210C923
| ML19210C923 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 10/04/1979 |
| From: | Eadie G, Katsch J NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Scarano R NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| References | |
| REF-WM-28 NUDOCS 7911200317 | |
| Download: ML19210C923 (2) | |
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. l:h.?)7-n. )W- - - - - ,,. 5 I OCT 4 197o ~ HEMORANDtM FOR: Ross Scarano, Chief..-.. Uranium Recovery Lieensing Branch i ~ . Division of Waste Management-o,*. v -.:.
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FROM:. Gregory G. Eadie Jeffrey L. Kotsch I e Uranius Recovery Licensing Branch 99 q' Division of Waste Management D $.2 ,w w
SUBJECT:
TRIP REPORT. Place and Date: Gallup, New Mexico September 21 through 24, 1979 !!!w! I Attendees: Gregory Eadie and Jeffrey Kotsch (iNUR) ..EK Thomas Buhl (EID, State of New Mexico) 1 l-Walter Weimer, James Reeves, flichael Walker (BP*iL) N Discussion: The main purpose of this trip was to coordinate support activities If y -oetween the WHUR staff, contractor personnel from Battelle-Pacific Horthwest . M; Laboratories (BPNL) and the State of New Mexico Environmental Ierprovement M' Division (NMEID). The concern of the WHUR staff was for the prompt evaluation of tne environmental and public health impacts.resulting fmm the Church Rock Uranium Hill Yailings dam failure near Gallup, New Mexico on July 16, 1979. Since the dam failure, several Federal and. State agencies have been involved _. in trying to identify the extent and degree of contaminations.(radiological. :.; and trace metals constituents) of the Rio Puerco and imediate areas fmm the qg, N-~ mill site down into Arizona. Because of the difficulties encountered by tim State in ootaining radiological analyses of samples, WMUR arranged for BPNL (under a S0W-FIN Mo. B-2214-9) to provide a portable analytical laboratory at tne mill site to-complete rapid gama spectra analyses of soil, sediments and water samples. The CPNL laboratory arrived in Gallup, New Mexico 6n September 21, 1979 and was set-up at the United Huclear Corpcrations (UNC) mill site at Church, Rock on September'22,1979. The analytical capabilities of the BPHL lab are two each intrinsic germaniua-lithium (gel 1) diode systens for low-energy garsaa photon spectral analysis for thorium-230, natural uranium, and lead-Q10 contents in solid samples. A 503 al sodium iodide (.1aI).well crystal for radium-226 analysis of water t,r solid sampics is also operational. Due to the cooperation of UNC in providing laboratory spaceaand some support equi;2nent, the SPNL lab is capable of analyzing about 100 samples per day. The BP3L laboratory was operational and calibrated on September 24, 1979, and actual samples were already being analyzed. 8N 8' d. 79112 00 M
]yevxgtual. ::c 2 FU.mc' r.cm. / ~ .c. PT .. r y:,w Ross scarano .- z.- Clean-up efforts of the UNC work crew which were observed on September 22 and 23 } I l,' appeared to be urorganized and consisted of merely taking tne top 2 to 4 inches I of soil from areas where the yellowish-crystalline materials were deposited on l the terrace area of the arroyo near the.Pinedale bridge. Conditions of the arroyo j from the mine disenarge points, past the UNC dam failure point, along the i t it/piline arroyo and down the main Rio Puerco into East Gallup were diredtly j observed. Soil samples were collected on September 23 near-the Pinedale -oridge -i and soil profile samples were also obtained using the 2-inen diameter PVC pipe l core sample device as well as the 3 foot deep trench and stancard 4Eil scoop techniques. About 150 soil samp%s were identified and submitted to the EPHL. i F On September 23, 1979 Ms. Helen George and Mr. Jim Olguin, representatives of the Churchrocti; thapter - The Navajo Nation, were briefed on the status of the r radiological assessment of the Rio Puerco area and they also toured the BPUL laboratory. Hr. C. N. Ofelt. UNC Churcarock mill manager, was also briefed 4 F and toured the BPttL lab. d b A draft letter was prepared to be issued by.the State scrUNC describing a morekN 1 fomalized soil sampling program to be conducted from the point of dam fM1ure 4. down tne Rio Puerco for 40 miles, with supplemental sampTing into Arizona. 'f This proposed soil sampling program is to be conducted by UNC personnel under the i . direct supervison of State /NRC personnel and will result in about 700 total 4 samples of both surface (to 5 cm deptn) and soil profiles (surface to 91 cm depth) {' F to define tne exteat and deptn of radiological contamination of the Rio Puerco. A 4 Tnis program should be completed aoout October 4,1979 with radiological analyscs "~ to be completed daily at the BPHL lab. The resultant environmental impact assessment should be completed by State /NRC by October 13, 1979; at which time .. d -a work plan will be developed to provide a more systematic cleannup of contaminated areas of the Rio Puerco. The clean-up operations sn411 be completed by UNC under the conitoring and surveillance efforts of State /iiRC personnel. Areas of the Rio Puerco wnich are determined to have acceptable levels cf contami c as verified by a re-sampling program for both radiological and trace r:etal contents, by State /HRC personnel, snall be returned to unrestricted use as soon as practical. i i 2 3L':.C. C.~. y.. Gregory G. Eadie Uranium Recovery Licensing Branch Civision.df Waste Management C :" " ' Jeffrey L. Kotsch i D**0 ""*"I " ""C **"# 'IC'"SI"9 U"*"C" O lT Y( Division of Waste Management 10/3/79 i167 }2k _ P ~.. ~ -. - -+
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