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Jefferson Proving Ground

1.0 Site Identification

2.0 Site Status Summary

Contamination on site consists of DU in the soil. However, there is a concern for future groundwater contamination. The site has been closed for the testing of all ordnance including DU rounds since 1995. The monitoring of DU in soil, groundwater, surface water, and sediment continues on a bi-annual basis. The U.S. Army submitted a revised DP in June 2002. Subsequently, the licensee withdrew the DP. The licensee has submitted a request for an alternate decommissioning schedule in order to collect data needed for decommissioning the site under restricted release. The Army wants to keep its possession-only license for a 5-year period at which time it will submit a revised decommissioning plan. The Army will also submit a revised Environmental Report and NRC will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement. License termination is estimated to be the end of 2013. There are no immediate radiological hazards at the site. Unexploded ordnance at the site represents a significant non-radiological hazard. The staff does not have an estimate of the cost of decommissioning.

History The site has been closed for the testing of all ordnance including depleted uranium rounds since 1995. The monitoring of DU in soil, groundwater, surface water, and sediment continues on a bi-annual basis. The license was amended on May 8, 1996, resulting in the area south of the firing line being released for unrestricted use. The DU area north of the firing line contains about 70,000 kg of depleted uranium along with a large amount of unexploded ordinance (UXO). The U.S. Army submitted a revised DP in August 1999. NRC staff reviewed the DP and responded with a RAI in January 2000. The U.S. Army chose to revise its DP as a result of the RAI. The revised DP is based on 10 CFR Part 20, Subpart E. The revised DP was submitted on June 28, 2001. NRC conducted an acceptance review of the DP and on September 28, 2001, rejected the DP due to deficiencies in the dose assessment, particularly the exposure to humans and the environment due to off-site transport of DU. The U.S. Army submitted another revised DP and an Environmental Report on June 27, 2002, which were accepted for technical review on October 1, 2002. During a limited technical review, the NRC staff concluded that site-specific data were needed in order to validate any off-site transport model. On February 4, 2003, the U.S. Army submitted a letter to NRC requesting an alternate schedule under 10 CFR 40.42(g)(2) that would create a 5-year renewable possession-only license for an indefinite time period. Subsequently, the Army has withdrawn its request for a 5-year renewable possession-only license for an indefinite time period and is collecting data leading towards decommissioning. NRC staff participated in several "Jefferson Proving Ground Restoration Advisory Board" meetings which are held on a quarterly basis. The advisory board, which is comprised of community members and technical experts, assesses progress on the decommissioning of the Jefferson Proving Ground. Background The U.S. Army constructed an Environmental Impact Statement in 1995 as part of its decommissioning efforts. The original intent of the Army was to clean up the DU area for unrestricted use. The risk and cost associated with cleaning up a large amount of UXO along with the DU caused the Army to reconsider unrestricted use of the land and it now wants to terminate its license with restricted use.

3.0 Major Technical or Regulatory Issues

The presence of unexploded ornance, the associated risk, and cost for cleanup of this material, as well as potential contamination of groundwater, are complicating remediation. The license has signed a memorandum of agreement with the Department of the Interior and the Department of Defense (Air Force) for long-term institutional control of the site. In January 2000, Safe the Valley, a local environmental group, requested a hearing on the DP, citing that the DP does not adequately describe the decommissioning process and does not provide adequate assurance for long-term control. The hearing was held in October 2007. The ASLB issued a ruling in February 2008 that upheld the decommissioning approach of the Army. No financial assurance issues have been identified at this time.

4.0 Estimated Date For Closure

09/30/2013

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Tuesday, November 04, 2008