ML23318A392
| ML23318A392 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | WM-00042 |
| Issue date: | 12/04/2023 |
| From: | Taverna A NRC Region 1 |
| To: | |
| References | |
| Download: ML23318A392 (8) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION I 475 ALLENDALE ROAD, STE 102 KING OF PRUSSIA, PA 19406-1415 DECEMBER 04, 2023 MEMORANDUM TO: Docket File WM-000042 Digitally signed by Anthony M. Anthony M. Dimitriadis Date: 2023.12.04 THRU: Anthony Dimitriadis, Branch Chief Dimitriadis 14:55:12 -05'00' Decommissioning, ISFSI, and Reactor Health Physics Branch Division of Radiological Safety & Security Digitally signed by Andrew S. Andrew S. Taverna FROM: Andrew Taverna, Health Physicist Taverna Date: 2023.12.04 14:44:15 -05'00' Decommissioning, ISFSI, and Reactor Health Physics Branch Division of Radiological Safety & Security
SUBJECT:
NRC OBSERVATIONAL SITE VISIT AT THE BURRELL, PENNSYLVANIA DISPOSAL SITE On October 25, 2023, a Region I U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) inspector conducted an observational site visit at the U.S. Department of Energys (DOE) Burrell, Pennsylvania Disposal Site near Blairsville, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. This site visit was conducted in accordance with NRC guidance dated September 7, 2012. The purpose of the site visit was to observe DOEs routine annual inspection of the facility and to observe groundwater sampling, which is conducted every five years. The enclosure of this memorandum is the NRCs trip report for this observational site visit.
In summary, DOE representatives conducted the annual inspection in accordance with the guidance provided in the Long-Term Surveillance Plan dated April 2000. No significant regulatory issues or safety concerns were identified during the site visit.
Docket No.: WM-000042
Enclosure:
NRC Trip Report cc w/encl:
Tiffany Drake, Site Manager United States Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management 7295 Highway 94 South St. Charles, MO 63304 CONTACT: Andrew Taverna, RI/DRSS 610-337-5119
Memo to Docket File WM-000042 2 cc w/encl (contd):
Ken Broberg, UMTRCA Title I Site Lead RSI Entech Contractor to the U.S. Department of Energy 1800 Carillon Blvd.
Cincinnati, OH 45240 Dwight Shearer, Director Bureau of Radiation Protection Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Rachel Carson State Office Building PO Box 8469 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105-8469 Barb Bookser, RP Program Manager Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection SW Radiation Protection Division Southwest Regional Office 400 Waterfront Drive Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-4745
Memo to Docket File WM-000042 3
SUBJECT:
NRC OBSERVATIONAL SITE VISIT AT THE BURRELL, PENNSYLVANIA DISPOSAL SITE DATED DECEMBER 04, 2023 DISTRIBUTION:
BVonTill, DUWP, NMSS CMcKenney, DUWP, NMSS SKoenick, DUWP, NMSS PKrohn, DRSS, R1 JZimmerman, DRSS, R1 KBarnes, DRSS, R1 ATaverna, DRSS, R1 REvans, DRSS, Region IV DOCUMENT https://usnrc.sharepoint.com/teams/Region-I-Decommissioning-Branch/Inspection Reports/Inspection Reports - Draft/Burrell Disposal Site Visit 2023.docx SUNSI Review Complete: ATaverna ADAMS ACCESSION NO. ML23318A392 After declaring this document An Official Agency Record it will be released to the Public.
To receive a copy of this document, indicate in the box: C = Copy w/o attach/encl E = Copy w/ attach/encl N = No copy OFFICE DRSS/RI N DRSS/RI N `
NAME ATaverna/AT ADimitriadis/ad DATE 11/14/2023 12/04/2023 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION REGION I Docket Number: WM-000042 Report Number: WM-000042/23-001 Licensee: U.S. Department of Energy Facility: Burrell, Pennsylvania Disposal Site Location: Blairsville, Pennsylvania Date: October 25, 2023 Inspector: Andrew Taverna, Health Physicist Decommissioning, ISFSI, and Reactor Health Physics Branch Division of Radiological Safety and Security Approved by: Anthony Dimitriadis, Chief Decommissioning, ISFSI, and Reactor Health Physics Branch Division of Radiological Safety and Security
Attachment:
Photographs Taken at the Burrell, Pennsylvania Disposal Site Enclosure
NRC Trip Report
1. Background
The licensing, custody, and long-term care requirements of residual radioactive material disposal sites closed under Title I of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act (UMTRCA) of 1978, as amended, can be found in 10 CFR 40.27. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is the general licensee for this site and similar sites like these and conducts the program for the long-term surveillance and maintenance program for each inactive uranium ore processing site under a Long-Term Surveillance Plan (LTSP) that has been accepted by the NRC. The LTSP provides instructions for institutional control of the site. These controls include deed restrictions, site markers, survey monuments, boundary markers, gates, fences, signs and environmental sampling and analysis. The physical features of the site are inspected once per year by DOE staff. The Long-Term Surveillance Plan for the U.S. Department of Energy Burrell Vicinity Property Blairsville, Pennsylvania, last revised in April 2000, provides the guidance for DOE in fulfilling the general license requirements.
The Burrell, Pennsylvania Disposal Site is a former railroad landfill located approximately one mile east of the Borough of Blairsville, Indiana County, Pennsylvania. The site is bordered on the south by the Conemaugh River and to the north by Norfolk Southern railroad tracks. The surrounding land is sparsely populated. The site was operated as a railroad landfill from the late 1940s through the late 1960s. The site was believed to have been used for typical railroad wastes, such as ties, cinders, and excess coal. In 1956 and 1957, approximately 11,600 tons of radioactive mill tailings material were removed from the former uranium ore processing site at Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, and transported approximately 50 miles to the Burrell site to be used as fill.
In 1986, the Federal government acquired the Burrell site through condemnation proceedings. Because of the large volume of material and the distance to the Canonsburg site, the DOE consolidated and encapsulated the contaminated material in an onsite disposal cell, designed to minimize precipitation infiltration and control erosion.
The cell was constructed by excavating the original fill material and consolidating this material with additional material that had been brought from the Canonsburg site. The disposal cell contains approximately 86,000 tons of material, containing four curies of radium-226 (Ra-226) and occupies approximately 4-5 acres of the 72-acre site. The disposal cell was closed in 1987.
The contaminated materials in the cell are covered by a low-permeability layer of compacted clay, a bedding layer, and a protective rock layer. The clay layer is designed to prevent the escape of radon-222 gas (from the decay of the Ra-226) and infiltration of precipitation. The bedding layer allows water to drain down the sloped cell top and the rock cover protects the cell surface against erosion. The area surrounding the cell is graded to promote drainage away from the disposal cell and was vegetated with native species to further prevent erosion. A chain link fence with warning signs surrounds the property to prevent unauthorized access. Locked gates allow for vehicle and pedestrian access. A site marker placed near the entrance of the site identifies the site and shows the date of closure and contents of the cell. Erosion control markers have been placed between the fence perimeter and the river. Contractors perform routine, periodic landscaping maintenance activities (primarily mowing and tree pruning along the fence) during the year.
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- 2. Site Status The DOE conducted the last annual inspection of the Burrell, Pennsylvania Disposal Site in October 2022. The inspection concluded that with the exception of a few minor maintenance items, the disposal cell and all associated drainage diversion structures were in good condition and functioning as designed. No evidence of erosion or slope instability were observed on the disposal cell.
The DOE monitors groundwater quality in samples from eight monitoring wells and two seeps from the cell every five years. The last routine groundwater sampling was conducted in October 2018. Results indicated a potentially significant increase in molybdenum concentration in one of the downgradient wells, and the four downgradient wells were sampled again in 2020 to monitor for a persistent trend. The results of the 2020 data showed that molybdenum was significantly decreased in 2020, indicating that the trend was not persistent. Groundwater monitoring results show that the disposal cell contaminated waste from the groundwater environment. Routine groundwater sampling was conducted at Burrell on October 25, 2023. Results of the 2023 sampling were not available at the time of this report documentation.
- 3. Site Observations and Findings DOE and its contractors prepared an inspection checklist to identify items to review during the inspection. The checklist included requirements for the inspectors to observe the disposal cell, site perimeter, outlying areas, vegetation, and various site-specific features. The inspection staff included two DOE representatives and four contractors.
Inspection observers included three PA DEP representatives, one NRC representative, and the sites herbicide contractor.
The DOE inspectors checked the disposal cell for evidence of erosion, settlement, slumping, displacement, and any other feature that would require maintenance or repair.
The rock surfaces on the side slopes were found to be in good condition. The DOE contractors did not authorize any inspection of the rock surfaces at the top of cell due to the potential for slip and fall injuries. Seeps from the base of the cell were not observed to be active.
At the time of the observational site visit, the property was enclosed by a chain link fence and locked gates. Other institutional controls in place at the site included the site marker, perimeter warning signs, and the erosion control markers. These institutional controls were found to be in place and in good condition, with minor exceptions. No deep-rooted vegetation was apparent on the top or side slopes of the cell that would impact cell performance. No evidence of human intrusion was identified within the restricted area.
The NRC inspector observed groundwater sampling at two of the monitoring wells on site. The inspector verified procedures and guidance for sampling groundwater monitoring wells were followed and all indicator parameters were met.
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- 4. Conclusions The NRC inspector concluded that the DOE inspectors conducted the site inspection in accordance with the requirements specified in the LTSP dated April 2000. The disposal cell appeared to be structurally intact, and the cover was in good condition. No threats to the integrity of the disposal cell were identified.
In addition to the site inspection requirements, the NRC inspector concluded that the groundwater sampling was conducted in accordance with the LTSP dated April 2000 and Sampling and Analysis Plan for U.S. Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management Sites dated April 2023. Majority of the samples for groundwater were procured except for two shallow wells and the seep. The water levels in the two shallow wells and the seep were dry or there was difficulty drawing water for sampling.
- 5. Meeting Summary The NRC inspector participated in a planning meeting with the DOE site manager and site contractors prior to commencing the site inspection. During this meeting, the participants discussed the site status, the inspection plan, potential hazards, and personal protective equipment. At the conclusion of the inspection, the DOE site manager and site contractors noted the site status and recorded minor maintenance needs.
An observation was made regarding situations when there are inadequate groundwater samples. It was discussed with the site lead regarding contingencies for when technicians are unable to produce samples from wells.
- 6. Persons Contacted K. Broberg, Site Lead, RSI Entech T. Drake, Site Manager, DOE L. McHenry, RSI ECO East Team N. Olin, Site Manager, DOE M. Stott, Water Sampler, RSI EMO East Team B. Bookser, Radiation Protection Program Manager, PADEP 4
Figure 1: Burrell Disposal Cell (looking south to southwest); Image captured 10/25/2023 Figure 2: Groundwater sampling setup at Monitoring Well 0523; Image captured 10/25/2023 Attachment