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Department of the Army

1.0 Site Identification

2.0 Site Status Summary

This site was licensed from 1956 until 1973 and from 1980 until the present. Building 3192 housed a hot cell for the fabrication of cesium and cobalt sources and as a result, building surfaces, soil and below ground tanks became contaminated. A license (01-02861-04) was issued for the possession of this residual contamination in Buildings 3182 and 3192 in 1974. Starting in 1980, the licensee performed closeout surveys for most of its authorized places of use under the Broad Scope license. Buildings 3182 and 3192 were remediated under a DP dated March 31, 1995. License No. 01-02861-04 was terminated on October 19, 1998, following an NRC confirmatory survey. Under the Broad Scope license, the Army performed closeout surveys and NRC performed confirmatory surveys of several areas including the burial areas at Iron Mountain and Rattlesnake Gulch, and of Buildings 1081, 2281, 3180, 3181, 3182, 3185, T-810, T-811, T812, T-836, T-837 and Alpha Field. Based on a characterization survey that caused the licensee to suspect the presence of discrete sources, a DP dated March 2, 1999, was submitted for the remediation of the Burial Mound at Pelham Range. The mound was found to include discrete sources (Co-60) and some Sr-90. The licensee provided a closeout survey. An NRC confirmatory survey was performed July 5-6, 2003. NRC and licensee survey results disclosed no contamination significantly above background levels. The Fort McClellan property has been turned over to the State of Alabama. The staff is not aware of a specific estimate for the cost of decommissioning.

3.0 Major Technical or Regulatory Issues

As part of the final site closeout survey, the Army performed a fly over survey of the base which resulted in the discovery of an additional burial ground. Elevated readings were seen at the Anniston City Recreational Area (LaGarde Park), a property that the Army donated to the city in 1976. Ground investigation disclosed the presence of soil contaminated with cesium and cobalt. USACE took responsibility for the site. In August 2003, USACE initiated clean up action at this site under CERCLA. Under this cleanup, contaminated soil was identified and removed as funds allowed. USACE returned to the site in 2004 to perform a characterization survey to gather data for a risk analysis regarding the Pelham Range burial area. USACE completed remediation at the site in June 2006. The State of Alabama and the EPA monitored clean up activities. NRC review complete. EA was published March 2007. SER and license termination drafted and under management review. License will be terminated 2nd quarter 2008.

4.0 Estimated Date For Closure

06/30/2008

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Monday, April 14, 2008