ML20035A401
| ML20035A401 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000903 |
| Issue date: | 03/10/1993 |
| From: | Pasciak W, Roth J NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20035A399 | List: |
| References | |
| 70-0903-93-01, 70-903-93-1, NUDOCS 9303260010 | |
| Download: ML20035A401 (8) | |
Text
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i U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION I Report No.: 70-903/93-01 Docket No.: 70-903 i
License No.: SNM-871 (Terminated) l t
Former Licensee:
Chevron Corporation (Valley Pines Associates)
Facility Name:
Nuclear Lake Prcnaerty f
Inspection At:
Pawline. New York l
Site Owner:
U.S. Department of the Interior. National Park Service f
Inspection Conducted:
January 26.1993
!) I2 M N0/6 Inspector:
J. $th, !Pro [edt Engineer
' Date~
Accompanied By:
D. Gibson, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education f
J. Joyner, Chief, Facilities Radiological Safety and Safeguar ch r/
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Approved By:
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'/d' j, W. Pasciak, Chief Date Facilities Radiation Protection Section i
Areas Inspected: Special, announced inspection by a region-based inspector to perform sun'eys I
and soil sampling of a suspect contaminated area adjacent to the carthen dam associated with the e
onsite lake.
Results: Detectable radiation levels were found at the surface in excavated / disturbed areas. Soil r
samples were obtained from locations that exhibited elevated radiation levels to determine if the elevated levels were the result of naturally occurring radioisotopes, from nuclear fallout, or from previously licensed activities at the site. These soil samples were analyzed for radioisotopes of uranium, thorium, americium, radium and cesium. The uranium, thorium, radium, and cesium isotopes and concentrations present were at the levels expected for naturally occurring materials and nuclear fallout. However, uranium, cesium, and americium (as a decay product of 3
plutonium) were used in previously licensed activities at the site. The concentrations of those l
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9303260010 930312 PDR ADOCK 07000903 C
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1 radioisotopes present were at levels within NRC guideline values for unrestricted use. Based f
on the measurements taken, we conclude that there was no safety significance to the radioactivity identified.
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Details 1.0 Individual Contacted J. Robson, Site Representative, National Park Service 2.0 ltackcround The Gu!f-United Nuclear Plutonium Facility (Terminated License No. SNM-871) at the Pawling, New York site operated from 1961 to 1965 under contract to the United States Atomic Energy Commission (USAEC). From 1965 to 1972, the facility used plutonium and uranium for fuel development work under a USAEC license. The facility also included a Gamma l2boratory (Hot Cell facilities) for studying irradiated fuel material.
Operation of the facility was terminated in 1972. The licensee at the time of license termination was subsequently bought out by Valley Pines Associates, a subsidiary of Chevron Corporation.
A close-out survey and inspection was conducted by the USAEC at the site during April, 1974. That inspection (70-903/74-01) found that the site met the release criteria specified in the USAEC " Guidelines for Decontamination of Facilities and Equipment Prior to i
Release for Unrestricted Use or Termination of Licenses for Byproduct, Source or Special Nuclear Material."
Custodianship of the site was subsequently transferred to the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Appalachian Trail Project Office. During a recent site tour, the National Park Service determined that an earthen dam located at the south end of an onsite 53 acre lake required extensive reconditioning. Radiation surveys conducted l
by a National Park Service contractor during initial excavation activities indicated the presence of radioactive materials in the dam area. Initial evaluations by that contractor indicated that this radioactive material may have been radon gas. NRC-Region I was i
requested by the NMSS - Low Level Waste Project Manager to perform additional radiation surveys in order to identify and quantify any radioisotopes present. These i
surveys were conducted on January 26,1993. Besides naturally occurring radioactive materials such as radon, other possible sources of the radioactivity are residual contamination from previously licensed activities at the site and fallout from weapons tests.
3.0 NRC Surveys On January 26,1993, an inspector from NRC Region I and NRC contractor personnel (Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, ORISE) performed walk-over surveys using detectors equipped with sodium iodide crystals. Measurements were performed at the surface and at one meter above the surface. Soil and rock samples were taken at locations where elevated radiation readings were observed at contact with the surface.-
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4 4.0 Survey Results 4.1 Direct Radiation The results of the direct radiation surveys in contact with the ground surface indicated that the gamma radiation level in isolated areas of the excavated / disturbed soil was about twice (2x) background. Background was about 1500-2000 counts per minute. Eevated locations as high as 4-5 times background were also observed. Most of these elevated locations were found adjacent to and/or under rocks and boulders. Direct radiation surveys conducted at one meter above the surface did not identify radiation levels above background.
4.2 Soil Samuline Soil samples were taken in those locations identified on Attachment 1. These were the locations which exhibited elevated surface radiation. The soil samples were packaged and returned to the ORISE laboratories for analyses. The samples were analyzed for isotopic uranium, isotopic thorium, radium, cesium and americium by gamma and/or alpha spectroscopy methods, as necessary. The results of these analyses are provided in Attachment 2 " Letter Report for the Nuclear 12ke site, Pawling, NY", dated March 5,1993. The uranium, thorium, radium, and cesium isotopes and concentrations present were at the levels expected for naturally occurring materials and nuclear fallout.
- However, uranium, cesium, and americium (as a decay product of plutonium) were used in previously licensed activities at the site.
The concentrations of those radioisotopes present were at levels within NRC guideline values for unrestricted use. Based on the measurements taken, we conclude that there w2s no safety significance to the radioactivity identified.
5.0 Contimiine Discussions Continuing discussions were held with the National Park Sersice representative during the survey and sampling activities. These discussions provided this individual with an ongoing status of NRC activities while at the site.
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March 5,1993 Mr. Jerry Roth Region 1 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406 SUlijECT:
LETTER REPORT I'OR THE NUCLEAR LAKE SITE, PAWLING, NY
Dear Mr. Roth:
The Environmental Survey and Site Assessment Program (ESSAP) of the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORlSE) performed a limited radiological survey of the dam improvement area at the Nuclear Lake site in Pawling, NY (Figure 1). The survey was conducted January 26,1993. Survey activitics included gamma surface scans and soil sample collection. ESSAP offers the following sutvey data for your review.
SURFACE SCANS Gamma surface scans, using Na1 detectors coup!ed to ratemeters with audible indicators, were performed in the vicinity of the dam (Figure 2). Nine locations of clevated direct radiation, up to three times the ambient background levels, were identified in the proximity of the dam.
SOIL SAMPl.ING Soil samples and one rock sample were collected from each area of elevated direct activity detected by the surface scans (Figme 2).
SAMPLE ANALYSIS AND RESULTS ESSAP analyz.ed all samples by gamma spectrometry. Spectra were reviewed for U-235, U-238, Ra-226, Th-232, Am-241, Cs-137, and any other identifiable photopeaks. Results were reported in units of pCi/g and are summarized in Table 1.
Concentration ranges for each radionuclide of interest are as follows: 0.1 to 0.6 pCilg for U-235; 1.4 to 5.3 pCi/g for U-238; 0.4 to 2.3 pCilg for Ra-226; 0.1 to 7.1 pCi/g for Th-232;
<0.4 pCilg for Am-241; and 0.1 to 3.5 pCilg for Cs-137.
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MAR 09 '93 16:26 P03 03/0&'93 16:06 ORAJrEEED 615/5*76-9384 003
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Mr. Roth March 5,1993 These results were compared to the background soil concentration levels which were determined during a previous radiological survey.' Background levels were as follows: U-235, < 0.3 pCi/g; U-238, < l.7 pCi/g; Th-232,0.2 to 1.3 pCi/g; and Cs-137, <0.1 to 1.6 pCi/g. Am-241 background IcVels were not determined at the time of that survey; however Pu 238 and Pu-239/240 concentrations were < 0.02 to 0.10 pCi/g and 0.10 to 0.21 pCilg respectively.
Sample locations 2, 3, 4, and 9 contained conceritrations of Th-232, U-238, and/or Cs-137 which excceded these background levels.
i If you have any questions regarding this information, contact me at (615) 576-5073 or Michele Landis at (615) 576-2908.
Sincerely, s
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Timothy J. Yitkus Environmental Project Leader Environmental Survey and Site Assessment Program f
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T. Mo, NRC/NMSS, 6H3 D. Tiktinsky, NRC/NMSS, 6E6 j
J. Swift /F. BIown, NRC/6H3 J. Berger, ORISE J. Beck, ORISE MPDittfGity)RtSS PMDA, 6E6 j
File /156 i
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o TABLE 1 R ADIONUCLIDE CONCENTRATIONS IN SOIL NUCLEAR LAKE SITE PAWLING, NEW YORK l
Radionuclide Concentrations (pClig)
' Location
- U-235 U-23S Tli-232 j
1 0.1 i 0. l
1.9 1.0 0.8 0.3 0.7 i 0.4
< 0.2 0.4 0.1 2
0.1 0.1 4.4 2.1 1.1 0.4 1.1 i 0.4
< 0.3 1.3 0.2 3
0.6 0.3 3.7 3.5 2.3 0.6 7.1 1.5 0.3 1 0.2 0.8 i 0.3 4
0.3 0.1 5.3 i 0.7 2.2 0.2 1.1 0.2
< 0.4 1.1 i 0.1 5
0.2 0.1 2.2 1.3 0.6 i 0.3 1.1 0.3
< 0.2 0.2 i 0.1
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6 0.1 0.1 1.4 0.8 0.5 0.2 0.8 0.2
< 0.1 0.3 i 0.1 l
l 7
0.1 0.1 2.5 1.1 0.8 1 0.2 1.4 0.3
<0.2 0.2 0.1 7'
O.1 0.1 1.4 i 0.8 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.2
< 0.1 0.1 0.1 8
0.2 1 0.1 1.6 0.9 0.8 0.2 1.3 0.4
< 0.2 0.5 0.1
<0.3 3.5 0.7 9
< 0.3 1.8 2.1 0.8 0.4
< 1.4 7.
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' Uncertainties represent the 95% confMence level based only on counting statistics.
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