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Environmental Restoration Projects was established in 1993 to complete Brookhaven National Laboratory's cleanup activities. We are responsible for the cleanup of legacy contamination that resulted from the early operation of Brookhaven National Laboratory as a national research center including the decommissioning of the nuclear reactors at the Laboratory that are no longer in operation. Ongoing Environmental Restoration Projects activities are dominated by the decommissioning of the Brookhaven Graphite Research Reactor (BGRR) and High Flux Beam Reactor (HFBR). Between 1993 and 2005, Environmental Restoration Projects and the Laboratory safely and successfully completed the construction phase of several environmental restoration and decommissioning projects spanning several broad areas including the Peconic River cleanup, groundwater remediation and contaminated soil cleanup. By the end of 2005, several projects were completed at the BGRR involving the removal of contaminated structures, components and soil, and facility characterization. The HFBR was transferred to Environmental Restoration Projects in 2000, and this reactor is being prepared for decommissioning activities that will start in Fiscal Year 2008. Ongoing Environmental
Restoration Projects Environmental Restoration Projects (ERP)
Vision is to deliver best-in-class performance in completing the
Brookhaven Graphite Research Reactor (BGRR) and High Flux Beam
Reactor (HFBR) projects. ERP
is committed to the safe, timely and cost effective completion
of these projects, and through its actions, exemplifies this
best-in-class standard as follows: We will continue to foster the constructive working relationships that have been developed with the involved regulatory agencies and officials. These relationships are grounded by open, timely and honest communications, regulatory compliance, and consistently meeting regulatory commitments. We will complete the projects with the participation of the Brookhaven
National Laboratory (BNL) community and other involved stakeholders. Front-line as
well as hands-on physical workers will also follow procedures,
work safely, do the job right the first time, and promptly
identify issues requiring attention and follow-up action.
The
BGRR was the world's first research reactor constructed solely
for the peaceful use of atomic energy. The BGRR operated from
1950 to 1968. The Record of Decision calling for the removal of
the graphite pile and biological shield was approved in Fiscal
Year 2005. This project including the removal of the graphite
pile and biological shield and preparation of the BGRR reactor
building for safe storage is scheduled to be complete in Fiscal
Year 2010. High Flux Beam Reactor The
HFBR is a research reactor that operated at Brookhaven National
Laboratory between 1965 and 1996. The nuclear fuel was removed
from the reactor and transported to another Department of Energy
(DOE) in 1998. The
HFBR was transferred to Environmental Restoration Projects in
2000 for surveillance and maintenance pending the development of
a plan and schedule for its decommissioning.
The DOE and the Laboratory led by Environmental
Restoration Projects are working with local, state and federal
regulatory agencies to determine course of action and
requirements for HFBR decommissioning. More... Fiscal
Year 2005 Cleanup Milestones- Completion of These
projects were completed under Operable Unit V.
Operable Unit V is an area in the eastern-central
portion of BNL. This area includes the Laboratory’s sewage
treatment plant, an active facility used to process sewage from
the Laboratory’s facilities. Operable Unit V also includes
areas of the Groundwater Remediation Projects The construction phase for several groundwater remediation projects was ongoing for several years and was completed in 2005. This work was completed under Operable Units I, III, IV, V, and VI. The major thrust of the construction phase was to build a fleet of treatment systems designed to safely remove and dispose of groundwater contamination that resulted from historical Laboratory operations. The Records of Decision that documents the cleanup requirements for these Operable Units is included in the Administrative Record. More... Soil Projects The soil remediation projects were ongoing for several years and were completed in Fiscal Year 2005. This work was completed under Operable Units I, II, IV and VII. These projects were primarily involved in the removal and disposal of contaminated soil. In limited instances, contaminated soil was stabilized on the Laboratory site. The Records of Decision that document the cleanup requirements for these Operable Units is included in the Administrative Record. More... Long Term Response Actions The
post-construction, long-term operations, monitoring and
reporting responsibilities that are part of the above projects
were transferred to the Long Term Response Actions (LTRA) Group
of the Laboratory’s Environmental and Waste Management
Services Division at the end of Fiscal Year 2005.
The LTRA Group’s responsibilities include the
preparation, regulatory review and issuance of Five Year
Reviews. More...
Last Modified: August 27, 2008 |
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