ML20128E792
| ML20128E792 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 06/19/1985 |
| From: | Haisfield M NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Higginbotham L NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| References | |
| REF-WM-39 NUDOCS 8507050456 | |
| Download: ML20128E792 (84) | |
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' b ~%g UNITED STATES
- .8 n NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
- l. $ $. WASHINGTON D.C.20555
. JUN IS 1985 b
MEMORANDl!M FOR: Leo B. Higginbotham, Chief W:.1R:ccrdTh \Y A Prcl:ct R? Low-Level Waste and Uranium gg g' Recovery Projects Branch PDR. < _ _ Division of Waste Management LPDL _____ DYricS:m FROM: Mark Haisfield __ j _ . _ _ _ _ Low-Level Waste and Uranium Recovery Projects Branch __'u
. . _ _ _U~ a. ' 3) _ _ _ _
Division of Waste Management
SUBJECT:
TRIP REPORT TO UMTRAP SITES - AMBROSIA LAKE, TUBA CITY, MONUMENT VALLEY, MEXICAN HAT, AND SHIPROCK. DATES: May 6-10, 1985
Participants:
NRC DOE / TAC /RAC* Phil Justus Bosiljevac, DOE Jose Valdes Garcia, DOE Kristin Westbrook Evans, DOE Mark Larson Carlson, DOE Ted Johnson Dubois, TAC Steve Smykowski Parker, TAC Banad Jagannath Reis, TAC Dan Gillen- Kennedy, TAC Mark Haisfield Betsill, TAC Mulford, TAC Mason, TAC Knight, TAC Darr, TAC Stepp, TAC Hobbs, TAC Smith, TAC Oldham, RAC Wathen, RAC
*D0E, TAC, and RAC personnel at Albuquerque meeting, and/or site visits. Not all personnel participated at each site.
8507056456 850619 PDR WASTE WM-39 PDR
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Purpose:
To visit and familiarize NRC staff with the four new sites that DOE expects to submit to NRC during the fall of 1985, and to observe site preparations activities at Shiprock. Discussion: On May 6, a general overview of the sites was presented. The material which includes history, maps, general information, and aerial photographs is attached. The following portion of this report is organized by site and discipline. In addition, more generalized geology comments and concerns are contained within a separate Geology-Geophysics Section trip report. Ambrosia Lake, NM: - May 6, 1985 Surface water The purpose of this site visit was to assess the hydrologic and erosion conditions which could affect the conceptual design of the remedial action plan. Accompanied by personnel from Jacobs Engineering Group, DOE, and M-K, we first observed the immediate tailings pile area. We walked on the top area of pile, which offered a good view of the surrounding drainage areas. It was noted that the existing pile partially blocks the drainage path for runoff from a drainage area of 3.8 square miles (DOE's estimate)~. This runoff will probably have to be diverted around the remediated pile in a rock-protected diversion channel and may present design problems if the slope of the channels are steep. Examination of topographic maps of the site area indicates that the ground slope is approximately 1% in the immediate site area. We then observed portions of the upstream drainage area. These areas were sparsely vegetated, and portions of the upper drainage areas were very steep. The existence of deep gullies and arroyos were noted, indicating the potential for heavy runoff during a major storm event. Ground water The Ambrosia Lake tailings pile is located in the Grants Mineral Belt area approximately 80 miles west of Albuquerque. Of technical interest at the site was the ponded water on top of the pile as well as a subsidence area near the pile. Previous underground mining has left a large network of tunnels in the area. The UMTRAP pile is dwarfed by the Kerr-McGee " active" pile located 11 miles to the west. For additional information on ground water at Ambrosia Lake, see Mike Weber's May 5-8, 1985 trip report. Geology The site is located in the Ambrosia Lake Valley approximately 20 miles north of Grants, New Mexico. The valley is bordered on the north by San Mateo Mesa (7,100 ft elevation) and on the southwest by Mesa Montanosa (7,300 ft elevation). The site lies on the pediment /bajada that slopes southwestward
p from the base of San Mateo Mesa. The underlying Mancos Shale bedrock dips gently to the northeast, opposite to the direction of surface drainage. At the May 6 briefing on the Ambrosia Lake site, Mr. Gary Parker mentioned planned seismic monitoring, planned holes and test pits, and plans to get boring logs for nearby mines from mining companies. Many boxes of labelled cores are stored in the abandoned mill buildings and could perhaps be used as additional sources of subsurface information. It was stated by Jacobs that logs of these cores are available for review. Brian Hobbs, DOE TAC geologist, guided NRC geologic personnel around the pile and answered questions about the geology and status of geologic characterization work at the site. In general, Hobbs indicated that no site-specific geologic work has been undertaken at the Ambrosia Lake site. NRC staff inquired about the potential activity of various normal faults, some with reported displacements of 100 ft or more, occurring within a few miles of the site. Such features would need to be considered for long-term stability analysis and groundwater flow analysis. NRC personnel also inquired about the possibility of subsidence at the site given the presence of abandoned subsurface mine workings. Hobbs stated that, on the basis of the plots of the underground workings that have been compiled up to the present, it appears that only one corner of the pile would have to be moved due to potential subsidence hazards. It appears, however, that the TAC's information about the extent and location of the underground cavities is currently incomplete. A surface depression wes evident adjacent to the southwestern corner of the pile that is apparently due to collapse of underground workings. We agree with Mr. Hobbs that these geological matters should continue to be pursued: a) subsurface geology and correlations of geophysical data; b) extent and age of faulting in the vicinity of the pile. However, we are not in a position to agree that geomorphic hazards are not of much concern at this site. The presence of numerous mine vent holes in the area ano alledgedly under the pile, presence of extensive underground mine workings, evidence of surface subsidence adjacent to the existing pile, reported occurrence of recent seismicity that had some impact on underground openings, and reports of closely-spaced faults in mines in the vicinity of the site, all appear to be appropriate concerns for focusing site characterization plans and activities at the Ambrosia Lake site.
m Engineering The staff walked the tailings pile and the adjoining mill site and noted the following items: o There is local ponding on top of the tailings pile and the rain water does not drain through the pile. This indicates the presence of low permeability and possibly low strength tailings in that vicinity. o There were numerous erosion gullies on the side slopes on the pile, and the perimeter dike was breached at two locations. o The TAC is planning to commence site characterization activities during the month of May 1985, o There are other tailing piles (larger in size) in the general vicinity which are not scheduled for stabilization. The mining activity is still going on in this area, and the effect of these should be considered in developing the remedial action plan. o The borrow source, tentatively identified for the radon barrier cover, is about i mile northeast of the site. The borrow material is expected to be sandy silt to silty sand, o Mining operations west of the tailings pile has resulted in surface subsidence - approximately 200 feet in diameter and 6 feet in depth. This subsidence is approximately 200 to 300 feet beyond the site boundary; but, may require relocating portions of the tailings away from this zone. Tuba City, Arizona - May 7, 1985 Surface water The purpose of this site visit was to assess the hydrologic and erosion conditions which could affect the conceptual design of the remedial action plan. Accompanied by personnel from Jacobs Engineering Group, DOE, and M-K, we first observed the immediate tailings pile area. We walked on the top area of the pile, which offered a good view of the surrounding drainage areas. It was noted that the existing pile partially blocks the drainage for runoff from a presently undenned drainage area and is also located such that runoff from upslope drainage areas will probably have to be diverted around the remediated pile in a rock-protected diversion channel. The runoff may present design problems if the slope of the diversion channels are steep. We then
- observed portions of the upstream drainage area. These areas were sparsely vegetated, and portions of the upper drainage areas were very steep.
We then drove to Greasewood Lake, a potential source of borrow material for the pile. No unusual surface water hydrology features were noted.
r a We then drove to a potential alternate site. We noted that two drainages (of undefined size) are located on either side of the proposed site. These drainages appeared to possibly present a future problem due to head cutting of gullies and/or slope recession. However, it appears that the erosion could be prevented by currently available technology. Ground Water The site sits on a slope leading down to Moenkopi Wash which contains a perennial stream. TAC personnel stated that ground water contamination has been detected below the pile and to the southeast, between the pile and the Wash. More wells are planned to delineate the extent of contamination and the rate and direction of ground water movement. Geology The site is located approximately 5 miles east of Tuba City, Arizona, on a gently sloping area that drains into Moenkopi Wash,1.5 miles to the south. The tailings are reported to rest on loose sand derived by eolian erosion of the Navajo Sandstone bedrock. The Kayenta Formation (a silty mudstone-sandstone unit) underlies the Navajo Sandstone. Dave Betsill, DOE TAC hydrologist, guided the NRC geologic staff around the site and surrounding areas. The staff was taken to within a few hundred yards of Greasewood Lake, the candidate source area for radon cover material for the pile. Located approximately one mile northeast of the pile, Greasewood Lake appeared as a dry, closed drainage topographic feature filled with apparently sandy-silty sediments. The origin of the feature was reported to be in doubt, and it may represent a playa lake, sand blowout, or pipe breccia-related depression. Outcropping of Navajo and Kayenta rocks several miles southeast of the site, near Moenkopi Wash, were visited. A large number of parallel joints at least 15-20 feet long were visible on a flat erosional surface on the Kayenta Formation. The reported Navajo-Kayenta contact trace is characterized by the presence of springs, indicated by vegetation growth. Locally, Moenkopi Wash and its tributaries are well-incised streams. Engineering The tailings appear to be coarse grained in that there was no ponding on the surface of the pile. The potential borrow site (Greasewood Lake) for radon barrier earth cover material, is reddish brown, fine silty sand. The borrow source for the rock cover material has not yet been identified. The team drove around the site and also drove down to the valley, south of the site, to witness the contact horizons of rock formations underlying the site.
Monument Valley, Arizona: - May 8, 1985 Surface Water The purpose of this site visit was to assess the hydrologic and erosion conditions which could affect the conceptual design of the remedial action plan. Accompained by personnel from Jacobs Engineering Group, DOE, and M-K, we first observed the immediate tailings pile area. It was noted that the existing pile is located downslope from an undefined drainage area. This runoff will probably have to be diverted around tne remediated pile in a rock-protected diversion channel and could present design problems. In addition, depending on the location of the toe of the pile, protection and/or diversion of runoff may be needed to protect the toe from erosion due to runoff in the adjacent stream channels. We then observed portions of the upstream drainage area. These areas are sparsely vegetated, and portions of the upper drainage areas were rocky and very steep. The existence of deep gullies and arroyos were noted. Ground Water The site is located in Cane Valley, immediately to the east of Monument Valley, approximately 5 miles south of the Arizona-Utah border. According to the TAC, ground-water contamination has been detected between the pile and Cane Valley Wash. One resident lives directly between the pile and the Wash and obtains water from a well. Future work planned by the TAC is dependent on the results of detailed water quality analyses. Geology Cane Valley is a strike-valley developed on shale members of the Chinle Formation. The valley is bordered on the west by cuestas of the Shinarump Member of the Chinle Formation and on the east by Comb Ridge, a hogback of resistant Triassic-Jurassic sandstones associated with the Comb monocline. Paul Darr, DOE TAC geologist, accompanied the NRC geologic staff around the site and adjacent regions. A source area of Honaker Trail limestone for potential rip-rap use was visited. Given that the exposed limestone joint-blocks were fissile parallel to bedding, the suitability of these rocks for rip-rap was not apparent. The abandoned open pit uranium mines west of the site were also visited. It was suggested that these mined areas might provide a suitable site for relocating the tailings. Geomorphic stability problems at the current site include those resulting from the fact that the pile is directly in the path of a channel originating on the western side of the valley.
Engineering The old tailings area contains the residue of the original heap leach process tailings. The new tailings pile is composed mostly of coarse-grained sand and small pebbles that were never processed. The piles appeared to be dry which can be expected since the site is located in a very dry area. Contaminated windblown material to the northeast of the new pile and to the west of the old pile may be difficult to clean up since it is dispersed in rocky terrain. A thin layer of contaminated material covers an area of the road to the north of the site. The level of this contamination should be assessed to determine if remedial action is required. Presently, the raden barrier material and the rock cover material have not been identified. The DOE may have some difficulty locating sufficient quantities of these materials in the area. Mexican Hat, Utah: - May 8, 1985 Surface water The arpose of the site visit was to assess the hydrologic and erosion conditions which could affect the conceptual design of the remedial action plan. Accompanied by personnel from Jacobs Engineering Group, DOE, and M-K, we first observed the immediate tailings pile area. We walked on the top area of the pile, and viewed the surrounding drainage areas. It was noted that the existing pile partially blocks the drainage path for surface runoff in a steep gullied arroyo having a currently undefined drainage area. This runoff will probably have to be diverted around the remediated pile in a rock protected diversion channel and may present design problems if the slope of the channels are steep. In the immediate site area, the presence of numerous gullies and arroyos were noted. It appeared that these gullies have the potential to migrate upstream and possibly affect the pile and that head cutting will need to be considered in the erosion protection design at this site. We then observed portions of the upstream drainage area. These areas were sparsely vegetated, and portions of the upper drainage areas were very steep. The existence of deep gullies and arroyos were noted, indicating the potential for heavy runoff during a major storm event. Ground Water The Mexican Hat tailings pile is located in an arroyo which does not contain a perennial stream. According to the TAC, groundwater is first encountered at a depth greater than 150 feet in an artesian aquifer. In drilling these wells, the TAC encountered hydrogen sulfide gas and oil. A small zone of saturated material was reported by the TAC as occurring directly beneath the pile. The alluvium in the arroyo is very thin and the bedrock (mostly fire-gained sedimentary rocks) is notably fractured.
1 I a ^ Geology The site is located approximately 1 mile southwest of the town of Mexican Hat, Utah,-in a wash area that drains toward the north'into the San
- Juan River. The tailings directly overlie outcrops of the Halgaito Siltstone
, Tongue of the Cutler Formation. These strata dip eastward toward the axis of
'the Mexican Hat syncline.
Paul Darr accompanied the NRC geologic staff to the site. The unnamed wash
- - originating near the northeastern part of the lower tailings pile presents significant geomorphic stability problems for the site. Outcroppings of the Halgaito along the bottom of this wash downgradient from the site reveal the presence of extensive jointing in this unit. David Betsill inferred that 4
fracture flow of groundwater is important at this site based on preliminary observation of higher water recovery occurring in zones of high fracture density. He indicated that there are artesian systems at depths of 100 and 200
- feet. Oil and hydrogen sulfide were discovered in a lower elevation well. He
- indicated that geologic understanding of the site is in an early phase.
! Engineering The site consists of 3 piles (2 upper and 1 lower) and several ! original plant buildings. These piles are coated with a crust of tailings material approximately & to i inch thick. The tailings were not deposited uniformly which resulted in finer material being deposited in the middle of the ponds and sandier material at the outer edges. 1 A significant amount of tailings have been carried away by wind and water erosion. Extensive accumulations of windblown tailings are located northwest j of the lower pile in the dry washes' leading to the San Juan River and may be difficult to clean up due to the rocky terrain. The rock cover material is expected to be limestone. Although we observed at an outcrop of the limestone approximately 5 miles from the site, the exact location of the rock borrow site has not been identified. Presently, the radon barrier material has not been identified. t Shiprock, NM: - May 9, 1985 The Shiprock site visit was of a different nature than the pre-RAP visits to 4 the other four sites. Conditional NRC concurrence in the Shiprock RAP has been 2 issued, and initial site- preparation activities have begun. On May 9, 1985, we - toured the site to briefly view the work that has been done and to discuss i surface water hydrology and geotechnical engineering concerns with DOE and M-K p . personnel. Fences have been constructed, borrow areas have been clearea, and j -the waste water retention basin has been nearly completed. When questioned about the retention basin's liner, M-K personnel indicated that the clay liner
- has not yet been placed. We observed the rock cover borrow area and the eroded
[ arroyos adjacent to the. pile that are to be filled in as part of the design. i i
.- - - - . - - . - - , - - _ - , . ~ , - , , - . - , - - - _ , _ - - - , , . - - . - . , , . - . - - - - . -
_g_ One test pit was open and the staff examined the borrow material intended for the radon barrier cover and the rock cover. The material designated for the the consists of both sandy silt and silty sand and therefore will require careful selection or processing of the material by the contractor. Other geotechnical aspects observed at the site were as presented in the remedial
-action document.
Open issues related to the seismotectonic stability of the site were discussed with Leon Stepp, DOE TAC Project Manager for Shiprock. T. R. Wathen, of the DOE Remedial Action Contractor (RAC), had earlier provided the NRC geologic personnel with discussion documents presenting the RAC's view on the seismic issues at Shiprock and also of the RAC's preliminary position on generic seismic characterization at UMTRAP sites. Follcw-up discussions on the subjects of seismotectonic stability and seismic hazard analysis in the near future are anticipated. May 10, 1985 Steve Smykowski and Banad Jagannath met with Bill Mason (JEC), Kathy Carlson (D0E) and John Smith (Weston) to discuss the methodology the DOE is using to determine the radon flux from the UMTRA site piles. The meeting was conducted by John Smith who presented slides from a paper that he had presented at the most recent Symposium on Uranium Mill Tailings Management at CSU. Items that were discussed included the EPA criteria for limiting radon flux from inactive tailings piles and the radiological input parameters that are used in the RAECOM model. The meeting was predominantly an informative session for the staff rather than one to discuss specific issues.
/ -
Mark Haisfield Low-Level Waste and Uranium Recovery Projects Branch Division of Waste Management [ t
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'c 8:30am Introductions - Carlson c 8:45am Health and Safety - Schoenfelder '
Site Characterization (Geology and Hydrology) 9:15 AMB 9:30 TijB 9:45 HAT 10:00 MON 10:15 SHP 10:30 Leave for Ambrosia Lake Site - O O
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w TRIP ITINERARY I NRC-DOE UMTRA SITE TOUR MAY 6-9, 1985 C Monday, May 6, 1985 8:30 AM Tour Site Orientation - (Data, known and needed; maps) 11:30 AM Leave for Ambrosia Lake (AMB), New Mexico; Hamburgers in route 1:30 PM Tour AMB Site 4:30 PM Drive to Motor Inn, Window Rock, Arizona (602-871-4108) OR to Albuquerque. Tuesday, May 7, 1985 7:30 AM Leave for Tuba City (TUB) 11:00 AM Lunch at Tuba City Arizona 0 12:00 AM Tour Tu8 Site 3:00 PM Leave for San Juan Inn, Mexican Hat, Utah (801) 683-2220) Wednesday, May 8, 1985 7:30 AM Leave for Monument Valley (MON) Site 8:30 AM Tour MON site 12:00 PM Lunch at Mexican Hat (HAT), Utah 1:00 PM Tour HAT Site 4:00 PM Leave for Farmington, Holiday Inn (505) 327-9811 OR Albuquerque t 10 1 I t
e o g TRIP ITINERARY (continued) Q: Thursday, May 9, 1985 7:30 AM Leave for Shiprock (SHP), New Mexico 8:00 AM Tour SHP Site 11:00 AM Leave for Farmington airport or Albuquerque 4:00 PM Arrive in Albuquerque O e (I-) 9
s . . EXPECTED ATTENDEES (~'% ' s.' . NRC-DOE UMTRA SITE TOUR MAY 6-9, 1985 SITE NRC DOE TAC RAC , AM8 Johnson Bosiljevac Dubois Oldham Gillium Garcia Parker Wathen Haightsfield Evans Reis Justic Kennedy Westbrook Betsill Valdez Mulford Larson Smykowski Jagganath Weber TUB Johnson Evans Dubois Wathen HAT Gillium Mason MON Haightsfield Knight Justic Betsill Westbrook Darr Valdez Mulford ([) Larson Smykowski Jagganath SHP Johnson Dubois Wathen Gillium Stepp Haightsfield Justic Westbrook Valdez Larson Smykowski Jagganath i' " . \J
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j LEGEND . US INTERSTATE US HIGMWAY { STATE ROAD 0 10 20 30 40 50 Mi O COUNTY ROAD SCALE (3 AMBROSIA LAKE VICINITY MAP
.U.S. DEPARTMENT oF ENERGY ALBUQUERQUE oPERAVioNS OFFICE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS P.o. Box 5400 ALBUQUERQUE, WM 87115 DOE S:
FACT SHEET AMBROSIA LAKE URANIUM MILL TAILINGS SITE AMBROSIA LAKE, NEW MEXICO INTRODUCTION The inactive uranium processing site in Ambrosia Lake, New Mexico, has been designated for remedial action under the provisions of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radi.ation Control Act of 1978. It is one of 24 designated sites located in nine western states and Pennsylvania; four of the sites are on Indian land. The pur-pose of the remedial action is to minimize or eliminate potential health hazards resulting from exposure of the public to residual radioactive materials on the processing sites and on contaminated vicinity properties. The Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project is administered by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in cooperation with the affected states and Indian tribes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has promulgat-ed cleanur, and disposal standards for the uranium mill tailings. The DOE's UMTRA Project Office in Albuquerque, New Mexico, will carry out the remedial
- b. actions.
The state or Indian tribe is responsible for nominating alternate disposal sites and acquiring property from the private sector, if required. The DOE must obtain the agreement of the state or tribe and the concurrence of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) as to planned remedial action. This is a partner-ship between the Federal government, the states, and the tribes. As part of the partnership, the states pay for 10 percent of the remedial action and the Federal government pays 90 percent of the costs; however, the remedial action costs at the Indian Reservation sites are fully borne by the Federal government. Following remedial action, the final disposal site is deeded to the Federal government and the NRC will issue a license for the long-term maintenance and surveillance of the site. . SITE SIZE AND LOCATION The Phillips/ United Nuclear site is located in McKinley County in northwest New Mexico. It is in the southwest quarter of Section 28, Township 14 North, Range 9 West, 25 miles north of Grants and 85 miles northwest of Albuquerque. The 2.6 million tons of tailings cover 105 acres to an average depth of 12 feet in a pile with a slightly concave surf ace which collects surf ace water. (-
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( HISTORY. OF THE SITE The mill was . buil t in 1957 and ,was originally operated by the Phillips W Petroleum Company. United Nuclear Corporation purchased and operated the mill 3 for a brief period in 1963. United Nuclear shut down milling operations in 1963 aut retairjed ownership of the site. V
' REMEDIAL ACTION OFTIONS C
The remedial action options include stabilization of the tailings pile in its present location or removal of all radioactive materials to an area where these materials could be further isolated.
. Remedial action at properties away from the designated site which are con-e taminated with residual radioactive material will be acconplished in conjunc-
, j tion with the ' processing site. In the Ambrosia Lake area, approximately 500 f, acres which have contamination that has blown off the site may require remedial f action. Vicinity property remedial action usually will consist of removing the f ; contaminated materials from the vicinity properties and transporting them back
' to the original site.
, Remedial ction, a/ is scheduled to begin in 1987.
ENVIRONMENTAL RE IEW AND 00CUMEidATION As a major Federal action,. the proposed remedi al action 'at the Ambrosia Lake site must satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act
.jt (NEPA). To ensure that the mandates of NEPA are met, DOE is completing back- . ..)
y ground literature review and field studies to fully assess the environmental impacts of the praposed remedial action. DOE anticipates circulating the envi-ronmental assessmelt for review by the ' affected State agencies, other Federal agencies, and the interested public. After consideration of substantive review comments, DOEjwill; either issue a Finding of No Significant Impact or proceed with an environmental impact statement.
}'
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: NEW MEXICO STATE INFORMATION r ,-
/ Ben. McC$rty, Public Aff airs Thomas E. Buhl, Chief l Albuquerque Operations Office, DOE Radiation Protection Bureau l P.O. Box 5400 ,
Environmental Improvement Div. Albuquerque, New Mexico 87115 725 St. Michael's Drive (505) 844-6938 Santa Fe, New Mexico 87503 (505) 984-0020 July 6, 1984 i ? e' j s
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b) h I AMBROSIA LAKE GENERAL INFORMATION , o OPERATORS: PHILLIPS PETROLEUM (1957-1962) i UNITED NUCLEAR CORPORATION (1963) o MILLFEED SOURCES
- NEARBY MINES o CURRENT OWNER: UNITED NUCLEAR CORPORATION o SITE AREA: DESIGNATED SITE - 196 ACRES TAILINGS PILES -
105 ACRES o CONTAMINATED MATERIAL: TAILINGS - 2,600,000 TONS OTHER - 1,323,000 TONS o VICINITY PROPERTIES: WINDBLOWN - 533 ACRES REMOTE -0 _n _
C @ O - e AMBROSIA LAKE PLANNING /NEPA/ DESIGN DEVELOPMENT i l o PROPOSED REMEDIAL ACTION: STABILIZATION-IN-PLACE o NEPA DOCUMENT: ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT o TECHNICAL CONCERNS / DATA NEEDS:
- GROUND WATER
- SITE AND WINDBLOWN RADIOLOGICAL DATA o ACQUISITION : STATE OF NEW MEXICO TRANSFER TO DOE POST REMEDIAL ACTION o REPROCESSING: COSTS TO PROCESS - $44/LB OF U 3Og 1984 - $17/LB OF U 3g O
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O O O - AMBROSIA LAKE REMEDIAL ACTION ESTIMATED LABOR REQUIREMENTS AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS o AVERAGE WORK FORCE 65 PERSONS (ESTIMATE 80% AVAILABLE LOCALLY) o PEAK WORK FORCE 103 PERSONS (7 MONTHS) o REMEDIAL ACTION TOTAL LABOR WAGES IN EXCESS OF 5 MILLION DOLLARS o "NEW DOLLARS" IN COMMUNITY FROM DIRECT LABOR IN EXCESS OF 7 MILLION DOLLARS o ADDITIONAL ECONOMIC BENEFITS
- INDIRECT JOBS
- GOODS AND SERVICES n _
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SCHEDULE ACTIVITY DRAFT / START FIN AL/ COMPLETE SITE CHARACTERIZATION (INCLUDES SCD/ RAP) 9/84 5/86 NEPA 10/81a 4/86 SITE ACQUISITION 4/85 4/86 ENGINEERING (SITE & VP) 12/85 7/86 REMEDIAL ACTION (SITE & VP) 8/86 3/88
- a. Document archived 9/83 for update started 12/84. .
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LEGEND O Alluvium, colluvium, talus i KCC Crevasse Canyon Fm K9 Gallup sandstone Km Mancos shale Kd Dakota sandstone C 2
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! o Principle aquifer used: N - Multiple Group Aquifer System i
o GW flow: South to Moenkopi Wash o Numerous seeps and springs 0 Navajo - Kayenta contact 1 o GW contaminated beneath site (within 20' of' top of water table) I o Extent of contamination: ~ 1800' south of site since inception of milling - transport mechanism: head of water on tailings pile during operation of mill-remedial j action: impermeable cover D . !i l 4 ._ _
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- MEXICAN HAT HYDROGEOLOGIC INFORMATION o Principle aquifer used: 2 - confined aquifer systems present. Upper confined system's background GW quality is so inferior that aquifer is not utilized for domestic or stock purposes. Lower I confined system contains minor amounts of petroleum and H2S gas.
o GW flow: 2 North to N.E.; discharging into San Juan River and ( Gypsum Wash. Flow appears to be predominantly fracture i j flow. o Minor seeps along Gypsum Wash and San Juan River. i ( ,o insufficient data to evaluate Gypsum Wash contamination beneath site. I l i
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MONUMENT VALLEY HYDROGEOLOGIC INFORMATION o Principle aquifer used: Alluvial aquifer in Can Valley Wash used for human and livestock consumption. GW also present in confined aquifer systems of the Shinarump conglomerate and DeChelly sandstone. Shinarump GW not utilized; DeChelly used in past for uranium milling operations. o GW flow: ? Northeast discharging into Cane Valley Wash. o Numerous seeps and springs along Cane Valley Wash. o Alluvial aquifer may be contaminated down gradient from tailings pile. Extent of contamination not presently defined.
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U.S. DEPARTMENT of ENERGY ALBUQUERQUE OPERATIONS OFFICE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS P.o. Box 5400 ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87115 DDE S: FACT SHEET TUBA CITY URANIUM MILL TAILINGS SITE TUBA CITY, ARIZONA INTRODUCTION The inactive uranium processing site in Tuba City, Arizona, has been desig-nated for remedial action under the provisions of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radi-ation Control Act of 1978. It is one of 24 designated sites located in nine western states and Pennsylvania; and one of four sites on the Navajo Reserva-tion. The purpose of the remedial action is to minimize or eliminate potential health hazards resulting from exposure of the public to residual radioactive materials on the processing sites and on contaminated vicinity properties. The Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project is administered by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in c operation with the affected states and Indian tribes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has promul-gated cleanup and disposal standards for the uranium mill tailings. The DOE 's C UMTRA Project Office in Albuquerque, New Mexico, will carry out the remedial actions. The state or tribe is responsible for nominating alternate disposal sites and acquiring the final disposal site, if- required. The DOE will obtain the agreement of the state or tribe and the concurrence of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) as to planned remedial action. This is a partnership between the Federal government, the states, and the tribes. As part of the partnership, the states pay for 10 percent of the remedial action and the Federal government pays 90 percent of the costs; however, the remedial action costs at the Navajo Reservation sites are fully borne by the Federal government. l Following remedial action, the final dispasal site will be controlled by the Federal government and the NRC will issue a iicense for the long-term mainte-nance and surveillance of the site. ! SITE SIZE AND LOCATION ,. The Tuba City site is on the Navajo Indian Reservation, 5.5 miles east of Tuba City in Coconino County, Arizona, and 85 miles north of Flagstaff. The site contains about 800,000 tons of material on 105 acres, of which 22 acres are covered by the tailings pile and 44 acres are former evaporation i ponds. C
I All of the mill equipment and most of the buildings have been removed from the site. The structural steel frame of the main mill building remains. Also, ten former comany housing units are located. north of the site along U.S.160 and these are occupied on an occasional basis. HISTORY OF SITE The Tuba City mill was built in 1955-1956 by Rare Metals Corporation of America and included limited egloyee housing at the site. The Rare Metals Corporation merged with El Paso Natural Gas Cogany in 1962. The mill operated from 1956 to 1966. The site land was owned by the Navajo Nation before and during milling oper-ations and full control reverted to the Navajo Nation af ter the mill was shut down in 1966. REEDIAL ACTION OPTIONS The remedial action options include stabilization of the tailings pile in its present location or removal of all radioactive materials to an area where these materials could be further isolated. No specific disposal sites have been identified. For cogarative purposes, environmental igacts and costs will be evaluated for unspecified disposal sites at distances of five, ten, and 15 miles from the mill site. Remedial action at vicinity properties will be accoglished in conjunction with the processing site. In Tuba City, approximately six vicinity sites and 248 acres contaminated by windblown tailings may require remedial action. This remedial action usually will consist of removing the contaminated materials from the vicinity property and disposing of them with the mill site, tailings. Remedial action is scheduled to begin in 1986. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND DOCUMENTATION As a major Federal action, the proposed remedial action at the Tuba City site must satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). To ensure that the mandates of NEPA are met, DOE will coglete back-ground literature review and field studies to fully assess the environmental igacts of the proposed remedial action. DOE anticipates circulating the envi-ronmental assessment for review by other Federal agencies and the Navajo Nation, and the interested public. After consideration of substantive review comments, DOE will either issue a Finding of No Significant Igact or proceed with an envi-ronmental ig act statement. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: NAVAJO TRIBE INFORMATION: Ben McCarty, Public Aff airs Louise Linkin, Director Albuquerque Operations Office, DOE Navajo Environmental P.O. Box 5400 Protection Administration Albuquerque, New Mexico 87115 P.O. Box 308 2 (505) 844-6938 Window Rock, Arizona 86515 (602) 871-6534 July 24,1984 ~
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_' ~ } p p .' TUBA CITY SITE GENERAL INFORMATION
- OPERATORS: RARE METALS CORP. OF AMERICA (1955 - 1962)
EL PASO NATURAL GAS (1%2 - 1966)
- MILLFEED SOURCES
- CAMERON AREA, 25 MILES SOUTHWEST
- ORPHAN LODE MINE, GRAND CANYON
- CURRENT OWNER: NAVAJO TRIBE
- SITE AREA: DESIGNATED SITE - 105 ACRES TAILINGS PILE - 22 ACRES PONDS - 44 ACRES
- CONTAMINATED MATERIAL: TAILINGS - 800,000 TONS OTHER - 790,000 TONS
- VICINITY PROPERTIES: DESIGNATED PROPERTIES 8 INCLUSIONS EXPECTED 6 WINDBLOWN 250 ACRES t
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O O O - TUBA CITY SITE PLANNING /NEPA / DESIGN DEVELOPMENT -
- BASELINE REMEDIAL ACTION: STABILIZATION - IN - PLACE
- NEPA DOCUMENT: ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
- TECHNICAL CONCERNS:
GROUND WATER
- WINDBLOWN MATERIAL
- ACQUISITION: PROCEDURES NOT ESTABLISHED
- REPROCESSING: COSTS TO REPROCESS - $56/LB OF U 038 1983 PRICE - $25/LB OF U 038
- ESTIMATED REMEDIAL ACTION COST - $10 MILLION O
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p Q . URANIUM MILL TAILINGS REMEDIAL ACTION PROJECT i AND TUBA CITY SITE KEY EVENTS i PROJECT
- ORIGINAL GOVERNMENT STUDIES 1975-1977 BY FORD BACON & DAVIS, UTAH
- AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION, 11/8/78 PL 95-604 EPA STANDARDS PUBLISHED 3/7/83
- DOE / NAVAJO COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT 10/7/83 SHIPROCK, MEXICAN HAT AND MONUMENT VALLEY TUBA CITY SITE (RARE METALS)
SITE USE AGREEMENT WITH NAVAJOS AND HOPIS 12/83 DOE / NAVAJO / HOPI DRAFT COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT 4/84
- VICINITY PROPERTY SURVEYS 2/84 FENCE INSTALLATION COMPLETED 4/12/84
- RADIOLOGICAL SURVEY 4/5/84
- MONITORING WELL SAMPLING 12/84
- ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT 8/85 START FINAL ENGINEERING 10/85 START REMEDIAL ACTION 7/86
- COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION 12/87 k
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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ALBUQUERQUE OPERATIONS OFFICE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS P.o. Box 5400 ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87115 DOE S: FACT SHEET EXICAN HAT URANIUM MILL TAILINGS SITE E XICAN HAT, UTAH INTRODUCTION The inactive uranium processing site in Mexican Hat, Utah, has been desig-nated for remedial action under the provis, ions of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radi-ation Control Act of 1978. It is one of 24 designated sites located in nine western states and Pennsylvania; and one of the four sites on the Navajo Reserva-tion. The purpose of the remedial action is to minimize er eliminate potential health hazards resulting from exposure of the public to residual radioactive materials on the processing sites and on contaminated vicinity properties. The Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project is administered by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in cooperation with the affected states and Indian tribes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has promulgat-ed cleanup and dispos al standards for the uranium mill tailings. The DOE 's {_ UMTRA Project Office in Albuquerque, New Mexico, will carry out the remedial actions. o The state or Indian tribe is responsible for nominating alternate disposal sites and acquiring the final disposal site, if required. The DOE will obtain the agreement of the state or tribe and the concurrence of the Nuclear Regula-tory Commission (NRC) for planned remedial action. This is a partnership be-tween the Federal government, the states, and the tribes. As part of the part-nership, the states pay for 10 percent of the remedial action and the Federal government pays 90 percent of the costs; however, the remedial action costs at the Navajo Reservation sites are fully borne by the Federal government. Following remedial action, the final disposal site will be controlled by the Federal government and the NRC will issue a license for the long-term mainte-nance and surveillance of the site. SITE SIZE AND LOCATION The Mexican Hat site is located at Halchita, Utah, on the Navajo Indian Reservation about 1.5 miles southwest of Mexican Hat, Utah.- The site covers approximately 235 acres. There are two adjacent tailings piles conprising 68 acres; 25 acres in the upper pile containing 880,000 tons of material and 43 acres in the lower pile containing 1.32 million tons._ Tailings { were deposited to depths of up to 40 feet. The mill equipment has been removed, but many of the buildings remain intact. r
HISTORY OF SITE Texas-Zinc Minerals Corporation built the plant in 1957 and operated it until 1963, when it was sold to Atlas Corporation. Atlas operated the mill for two years and shut it down in 1965. Before and during this period, the site was under ownership of the Navajo Tribe. When Atlas' lease expired in 1970, control of the site reverted to the Navajo Nation. The Utah Navajo Development Council has rights to use of the site. REMEDIAL ACTION OPTIONS The remedial action options include stabilization of the tailings piles in their present location or removal of all radioactive materials to an area where these materials could be further isolated. For comarative purposes, environmental inpacts and costs will be evaluated for unspecified disposal sites at distances of five, ten, and 15 miles from the mill site, along with co-disposal with the tailings from the Monument Valley site. Remedial action at vicinity properties will be accoglished in conjunction with the processing site. In Mexican Hat,17 vicinity sites and 50 acres contam-inated with windblown tailings may require remedial action. This remedial ac-tion usually consists of removing the contaminated materials from the vicinity properties and disposing of them with the mill site tailings. Remedial action is scheduled to begin in 1986. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND DOCUMENTATION As a major Federal action, the proposed remedial action at the Mexican Hat site must satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEP A) . To ensure that the mandates of NEPA are met, DOE will conplete back- ! ground literature review and field studies to fully assess the environmental ! inpacts of the proposed remedial action. DOE anticipates circulating the envi-ronmental assessrrent for review by the affected Tribal agencies, other Federal agencies , and the interested pu blic. After the consideration of substantive review coninents, DOE will either issue a Finding of No Significant Inpact or pro-ceed with an environmental inpact statement. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: NAVAJO TRIBE INFORMATION: l Ben McCarty, Public Aff airs Louise Linkin, Director l Albuquerque Operations Office, DOE Navajo Environmental Protection l P.O. Box 5400 Administration, l Albuquerque, New Mexico 87115 P.O. Box 308 l (505) 844-6938 Window Rock, Arizona 86515 (602) 871-6534
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! 3, . ! MEXICAN HAT SITE GENERAL INFORMATION
- OPERATORS: TEXAS-ZINC MINERALS CORPORATION (1957-1%3) ,
ATLAS CORPORATION (1963-1965)
- MILLFEED SOURCE l - WHITE CAN YON AREA OF UTAH i
- CURRENT OWNER: NAVAJO TRIBE i
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- SITE AREA: DESIGNATED SITE - 173 ACRES TAILINGS PILES - 68 ACRES
- CONTAMINATED MATERIAL: TAILINGS - 2,200,000 TONS i
OTHER = 627,000 TONS
- VICINITY PROPERTIES: DESIGNATED PROPERTIES - 21 i
INCLUSIONS EXPECTED - 10 WINDBLOWN - 8 ACRES i
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- PROPOSED REMEDIAL ACTION: STABILIZATION-IN-PLACE 1
- NEPA DOCUMENT: ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
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- TECHNICAL CONCERNS / DATA NEEDS: -
- GROUND WATER AND GEOTECHNICAL DATA
- SITE AND WINDBLOWN RADIOLOGICAL DATA
- ACQUISITION: PROCEDURES NOT ESTABLISHED
- REPROCESSING: COSTS TO REPROCESS - $115/LB of U 308
; 1983 PRICE - %$25/LB OF U 038 t
- ESTIMATED REMEDIAL ACTION COST - $13 MILLION ,
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a =t I MEXICAN HAT UMTRA SITE KEY EVENTS
;! - DOE / NAVAJO COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT 10/7/83 -
RADIOLOGICAL SURVEY 9/84 f - MONITORING WELL SAMPLING 1/85
! - ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT 1/86 i - START FINAL ENGINEERING 3/86 I
[ - START REMEDIAL ACTION 10/86 l
- COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION 12/87 a
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U.S. DEPARTMENT cF ENERGY ALBUQUERQUE OPERATIONS OFFICE OFFICE of PUBLIC AFFAIRS P.O. Box 5400 ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87115 iDOE S: FACT SHEET MONUENT VALLEY URANIUM MILL TAILINGS SITE MONUENT VALLEY, ARIZONA INTRODUCTION The inactive uranium processing site in Monument Valley, Arizona, has been designated for remedial action under the provisions of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978. It is one of 24 designated sites located in nine western states and Pennsylvania; and one of the four sites on the Navajo Reserva-tion. The purpose of the remedial action is to minimize or eliminate potential health hazards resulting from exposure of the public to residual radioactive materials on the processing sites and on contaminated vicinity properties. The Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project is administered by the U.S. Department of Energy (D0E) in cooperation with the affected states and Indian tribes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has promulgat-ed cleanup and disposal standards for the uranium mill tailings. The DOE 's {- UMTRA Project Office in Alt;uquerque, New Mexico, will carry out the remedial actions. The state or Indian tribe is responsible for nominating alternate disposal sites and acquiring the final disposal site, if required. The DOE will obtain the agreement of the state or tribe and the concurrence of the Nuclear Regula-tory Commission (NRC) as to planned remedi al action. This is a partnership between the Federal government, the states, and the tribes. As part of the part-nership, the states pay for 10 percent of the remedial action and the Federal government pays 90 percent of the costs; however, the remedial action costs at i the Navajo Reservation sites are fully borne by the Federal government. Following remedial action, the final disposal site will be controlled by the Federal government and the NRC will issue a license for the long-term mainte-nance and surveillance of the site. SITE SIZE AND LOCATION l The Monument Valley site is on the Navajo Indian Reservation just east of Monument Valley, Arizona, in Cane Valley. It is located approximately 20 miles l east of U.S.163 as this road passes through Monument Valley and is about five t miles south of the Utah-Arizona border. The site covers approximately 101 acres and the tailings are located in two ( piles covering about 30 acres. The old heap-leach pile covers about ten acres to an average depth of two to three feet, and contains 165,000 tons of material. i The new tailings pile is cone-shaped and about 55 feet high. It covers 20 acres and contains 935,000 tons or approximately 85 percent of tne tailings at the site. g _ g
I Little remains at the site except tailings and rubble. HISTORY OF SITE ' i The , mill was constructed in 1955 and op erated through 1967 by Vanadium Corporation of America and its successor, Foote Mineral Cogany. , Before and during the milling op erations , the site was leased from the Navajo Tribe. When the lease expired in 1968, control of the site reverted to the Navajo Nation. REMEDIAL ACTION OPTIONS i The remedial action options include stabilization of the tailings piles in their present locations or removal of all radioactive materials to an area where these materials could be further isolated. No specific disposal sites have been identified. For cogarative purposes, environmental igacts and costs will be , evaluated for unspecified disposal sites at distances of five, ten, and 15 miles from the mill site, along with co-disposal with the tailings from the Mexican Hat site. I l ' Remedial action at vicinity properties will be accoglished in conjunction with the processing site. In Monument Valley, approximately 12 vicinity sites and 50 acres contaminated with windblown tailings may require remedial action. , This remedial action usually will consist of removing the contaminated materials
- from the vicinity properties and disposing of them with the mill site tailings.
! Remedial action is scheduled to begin in 1987. ENVIRONENTAL REVIEW AND DOCUMENTATION As a major Federal action, the proposed remedial action at the Monument Valley site must satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). To ensure that the mandates of NEPA are met. DOE will coglete background literature review and field studies to fully assess the environmental igacts of the proposed remedial action. DOE anticipates circulating the envi-ronmental assessment for review by the affected Tribal agencies, other Federal agencies, and the interested public. After the consideration of substantive review comments, DOE will either issue a Finding of No Significant Igact or pro-ceed with an environmental im act statement. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: NAVAJO TRIBE INFORMATION: ; Ben McCarty, Public Aff airs Louise Linkin, Director j Albuquerque Operations Office, DOE Navajo Environmental Protection ' P.O. Box 5400 Administration, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87115 P.O. Box 308 ; (505) 844-6938 Window Rock, Arizona 86515 l (602) 871-6534
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July 24, 1984
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! GENERAL INFORMATION i
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- OPERATORS: VANADIUM CORPORATION OF AMERICA
! AND IT'S SUCCESSOR, ,
- FOOTE MINERAL COMPANY (1955-1%8)
- UPGRADER AND CONCENTRATOR SOURCE:
- MONUMENT NO. 2 MINE l
- SHIPMENT OF CONCENTRATE TO:
- DURANGO, COLORADO (1955-1963)
- SHIPROCK, NEW MEXICO (1963-1968) l
- CURRENT OWNER: NAVAJO TRIBE
- SITE AREA: DESIGNATED SITE - 90 ACRES TAILINGS PILE - 30 ACRES
- CONTAMINATED MATERIAL: TAILINGS - 1,100,000 TONS OTHER -
314,000 TONS
- VICINITY PROPERTIES: DESIGNATED PROPERTIES - 17 INCLUSION EXPECTED - 1 WINDBLOWN - 50 ACRES
- W
C 3 . MONUMENT VALLEY SITE PLANNING /NEPA/ DESIGN DEVELOPMENT .
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- PROPOSED REMEDIAL ACTION: STABILIZATION-IN-PLACE
- NEPA DOCUMENT: ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
- TECHNICAL CONCERNS / DATA NEEDS:
GROUND WATER AND GEOTECHNICAL DATA
- SITE AND WINDBLOWN RADIOLOGICAL DATA ,
- ACQUISITION: PROCEDURES NOT ESTABLISHED
- REPROCESSING: COSTS TO REPROCESS - $550/LB OF U 308 1983 PRICE - %$25/LB OF U30g
- ESTIMATED REMEDIAL ACTION COST - $6 MILLION
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- DOE / NAVAJO COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT 10/7/83
- MONITORING WELL SAMPLING 1/85
- RADIOLOGICAL SURVEY 4/85
- ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT 7/86
- START REMEDIAL ACTION 4/87
- COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION 6/88
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U.S. DEPARTMENT CF ENERGY ALBUQUERQUE OPERATIONS OFFICE OFFICE OF PUBUC AFFAIRS P.O. Box 5400 ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87115 iXE - S: FACT SHEET SHIPROCK URANIUM MILL TAILINGS SITE SHIPROCK, NEW EXICO INTRODUCTION The inactive uranium processing site in Shiprock, New Mexico, has been designated for remedial action under the provisions of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978. It is one of 24 designated sites located in nine western states and Pennsylvania and one of the four sites on the Navajo Reserva-tion. The purpose of the remedial action is to minimize or eliminate potential health hazards resulting from exposure of the public to residual radioactive materials on the processing sites and on contaminated vicinity properties. The Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project is administered by the U.S. Department of Energy (D0E) in cooperation with the affected states and Indian tribes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has promulgat-( ed cleanup and disposal standards for the uranium mill tailings. The DOE 's UMTRA Project Office in Albuquerque, New Mexico, will carry out the remedial actions. The state or tribe is responsible for nominating alternate disposal sites and acquiring the final disposal site, if required. The DOE will obtain the agreement of the state or tribe and the concurrence of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) as to planned remedial action. This is a partnership between the Federal government, the states, and the tribes. As part of the partnership, t the states pay for 10 percent of the remedial action and the Federal government pays 90 percent of the costs. The remedial action costs at the Navajo Reserva-tion sites are fully borne by the Federal government. Following remedial action, the final disposal site will be controlled by [ the Federal government and the NRC will issue a license for the long-term mainte-nance and surveillance of the site. SITE SIZE AND LOCATION l ' The Shiprock site is located on a 144-acre tract of land on the Navajo Reservation, on the south side of the San Juan River. Th'e tailings are located in two adjacent piles, cover approximately 72 acres, and contain 1.9 million cubic yards of tailings, contaminated rubble, and soil materials. The north pile covers 26 acres and varies in height from 14 to 40 feet. The south pile covers 46 acres and is approximately 15 feet in height. The former raffinate ( pond area and a few buildings are located to the west of the piles. The site is about 4.960 feet above sea level and the surrounding country is arid and desert-I like with low hills, steep mesas, and sparse vegetation.
a O HISTORY OF SITE The mill was constructed and operated from 1954 to 1963 by Kerr-McGee Oil Industries, Inc., and from 1963 to 1968 by Vanadium Corporation of America and its successor, Foote Mineral Cogany. Before and during the milling operations, the site was leased from the Navajo Nation. When the Foote Mineral Cogany's lease expired in 1973, full control of the site reverted to the Navajo Nation. Portions on the western side of the site were used by the Navajo Engineer-ing and Construction Authority (NECA) for an earthmoving training program which was begun in 1973. From 1976 to 1978, the training exercise involved cleanup of areas containing windblown materials. REMEDIAL ACTION The contaminated materials at Shiprock will be stabilized-in-place at their present location. Remedial action on the designated processing site will begin in October, 1984, and last approximately 18 months. The tailings will be recontoured into one single pile, covered with approximately 8 feet of material, and fenced to prevent human intrusion onto the site. Remedial action at vicinity properties will be accoglished in conjunction with the processing site. In Shiprock approximately 16 vicinity sites and approximately 51 acres contaminated by windblown tailings may require remedial action. This remedial action usually will consist of removing the contaminated materials from the vicinity properties and disposing of them with the mill site tailings. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND DOCUMENTATION As a major Federal action, the proposed remedial action at the Shiprock site must satisfy the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEP A). To ensure that the mandates of NEPA were met. DOE circulated an envi-ronmental assessment for review by other Federal agencies and the Navajo Nation, and the interested public. After consideration of substantive review comments, DOE issued a Finding of No Significant Igact. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. CONTACT: NAVAJO TRIBE INFORMATION: Ben McCarty, Public Aff airs Louise Linkin, Director Albuquerque Operations Office, DOE Navajo Environmental P.O. Box 5400 Protection Administration Albuquerque, New Mexico 87115 P.O. Box 308 (505) 844-6938 Window Rock, Arizona 86515 (602) 871-6534 July 24, 1984
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- CENERAL INFORMATION i
o OPERATORS: KERR-MCCEE (1954-1M3) VCA-FOOTE MINERAL (1963-1968) o MILLFEED SOURCES
- MINES ON THE COLORADO PLATEAU AND NAVAJO RESERVATION
- CONCENTRATES FROM MONUMENT VALLEY UPCRADER o CURRENT OWNER: NAVAJO TRIBE o SITE AREA: DESIGNATED SITE - i44 ACRES TAILINGS PILES - 72 ACRES o CONTAMINATED MATERIAL: 1.9 MILLION CUBIC YARDS o VICINITY PROPERTIES: WINDBLOWN - 51 ACRES i i
I DESIGNATED PROPERTIES - 17 INCLUSIONS EXPECTED - 15 I 4
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SHIPROCK UMTRA SITE KEY (' -SIGNING OF COOP AGREEMENT OCTOBER 1983 ',
-lNITIAL TECHNICAL MEETINGS WITH NOVEMBER 1983 NAVAJO STAFF
-lNITIAL MEETING WITH SHIPROCK TASK NOVEMBER 1983 FORCE $
-DRAFT EA ISSUED DECEMBER 1983
-DRAFT RAP ISSUED JANUARY 1984
-PUBLIC MEETING JANUARY 1984
-NAVAJO STAFF TECHNICAL MEETING JANUARY 1984 FEBRUARY 1984
-PUBLIC MEETINGS FEBRUARY 1984 MARCH 1984
-EA ISSUED JUNE 1984
-FONSI PUBLISHED OCTOBER 1984
-GROUNDBREAKING OCTOBER 1984
( -PHASE I CONSTRUCTION START SUBCONTRACTOR - NECA OCTOBER 1984 VALUE OF CONSTRUCTION -$253,000
-PHASE I CONSTRUCTION COMPLETION DECEMBER 1984
-PHASE 11 CONSTRUCTION START APRIL 1985 ESTIMATED VALUE - $12,000,000 VICINITY PROPERTIES - 15, REMEDIAL ACTION START JUNE 1985
-PHASE il CONSTRUCTION COMPLETION JULY 1987 l
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