Public Health Assessment Work Group
Meeting Minutes
October 7, 2002
ORRHES Members attending:
Bob Craig (Work Group Chair), Kowetha Davidson (ORRHES Chair), George
Gartseff, David Johnson, LC Manley, and Tony Malinauskas
Public Members attending:
Gordon Blaylock, Mike Knapp
ATSDR Staff attending:
Jack Hanley and Karl Markiewicz (phone), and Bill
Murray
Agenda
- Radiological Air Monitoring - Dr. Charles R. Yard
- Non-radiological
Air Monitoring - Bill Childres, P.E.
- Environmental Monitoring
- Roger Petrie
- Groundwater Monitoring - Robert Benfield
Purpose: To hear talks presented by staff of the Tennessee Department
of Environment and Conservation’s (TDEC) Office of DOE Oversight,
about their environmental monitoring program and to determine what information
on their program should be presented to the ORRHES at their meeting on
October 22, 2002.
Overview: Jim Harless, Program Manager, Environmental Monitoring and
Compliance, presented an overview of the site and its history and the
proximity of population and neighborhoods to the site. He talked about
the disposal of wastes on site and illustrated the contamination of the
local environment.
Radiological Monitoring and Oversight: Bud Yard, Program Manager, described
the sections of this program:
- Radiological air monitoring – includes three components:
- ORR perimeter (low volume) ambient air monitoring – 12 stationsMonitoring
for fugitive emissions
- Environmental Radiation and Ambient Monitoring System (ERAMS) Air – 5
stations
- Radiological water monitoring – includes two components:
- Environmental Radiation and Ambient Monitoring System (ERAMS) Water – 5
stations
- Monitoring of uranium transport in Bear Creek Valley – 33 sampling
locations (6 springs, 13 tributary, 14 Bear Creek)
- Ambient radiation monitoring using environmental dosimetry – includes three components:
- Optically stimulated luminescent (OSL) dosimeter program – 60
gamma and 6 neutron OSL dosimeters
- Gamma monitoring using continuously recording gamma exposure rate monitors
- Uranium hexafluoride (UF6) cylinder
yard OSL monitoring
- Radiological environmental restoration – includes three components:
- Footprint reduction surveys – 12 sites
- Walkover surveys
- Poplar Creek surveys
- Radiological emergency response monitoring – work with REACTS on the
following activities:
- EMCC
- Field teams
- Coordination for multifaceted response (Rad-Chem-Water-Air)
- Tracking occurrences
- Exercise participation
- Radiological facility survey (140 buildings) – includes the following:
- Historical document research
- Walk-through of facility
- Evaluate facility
- Rank facility as to potential for environmental release
- Present results to DOE
- Maintain facility file for public viewing
- Radiological materials management – includes the following:
- Reactor oversight
- Enriched uranium, depleted uranium, and plutonium (Pu)
- Pu production at ORNL (on hold)
- Spent fuel management
- Spallation Neutron Source
- UF6
- Miscellaneous radioactive materials tracking (metals, concrete, other)
Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) Monitoring: Kristof Czartoryski, Assistant
Manager, Waste Management Program, described this program.
- Began in 1998
in response to concerns about health effects in and around ORR
- Initial
locations at K-25 (3), later at X-10 (2) and Y-12 (2) in 1999
- Parameters consider regulations and ORR operations
- Metals of concern – arsenic,
beryllium, cadmium, chromium, lead, nickel, and uranium
- Discussed standards
used
- All metals are below guidelines and/or limits of detection
- Other incinerators,
(e.g., TVA) may have an impact on ambient air around ORR
- TSCA can not
be singled out as sole contributor to levels at ETTP or ORR
Surface Water Monitoring: Roger Petrie discussed this program. There
are 25 surface water and sediment monitoring sites including two (2)
control sites near the Norris Dam outflow on the Clinch River. There
are 22 parameters measured in surface water including 9 metals. Fifteen
parameters are measured in sediment including 11 metals.
There is nothing in the surface water and only mercury (Hg) in the sediment
in Clinch River below Poplar Creek. The levels are less than 1.2 milligram
Hg per kilogram of sediment (mg/kg). There is no regulatory guide for
Hg in sediment.
Rapid bioassessment monitoring of 25 parameters is done at 18 sites.
The following ratings are based on the impact on benthic organisms (not
water quality):
Rating |
No. of sites |
Moderately to severely impaired |
5 |
Moderately impaired |
3 |
Slightly to moderately impaired |
2 |
Slightly impaired |
2 |
In 1998 Canada Geese on ORNL has cesium 137 (Cs-137) levels
exceeding the game release level of 5 picocuries per gram (pCi/gm). No
contaminated
geese were found off site. Subsequent collections have not found geese
exceeding that level.
Groundwater Program: Bob Benfield discussed this
program that includes the following:
- Spring sampling – analytes
include metals (16), radiochemical (6), inorganics (4), nutrients (3),
and volatiles (VOAs)
- Well sampling – analytes include metals (17),
radiochemical (5), inorganics (3), nutrients (2), and volatiles (VOAs)
- Underground
storage tanks investigations and remediations
- Dye tracing – includes
Bear Creek Valley, Chestnut Ridge, Union Valley, and others
- Drinking
water – K1515 water treatment plant, ORR distribution
systems, emergency planning, liaison with Division of Water Supply
Bob Craig thanked the presenters for their excellent presentations on
the work done by the DOE Oversight program.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
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