High Flux Beam Reactor Decommissioning
The U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) has completed a plan for
decommissioning the High Flux Beam Reactor (HFBR), a small research reactor
that was permanently shut down by DOE in 1999 after being operated on the
Lab site from 1965 through 1996.
The Final Record of Decision for
Area of Concern (AOC) 31: High Flux Beam Reactor documents the cleanup
action selected by DOE and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), New York
State Department of Health (NYSDOH), and Suffolk County Department of Health
Services (SCDHS) concurred with the selected remedial action.
Record of Decision
The Record of Decision for the HFBR is an official document that states
the decision on the selected remedy for a cleanup project. It includes
a responsiveness summary and a bibliography of documents that were used to
reach the remedial decision. The final remedy for the HFBR
incorporates many completed actions that include: removal and disposal of
HFBR fuel and primary coolant; shipment of equipment for reuse at other
facilities; cleanup and transfer of the Cold Neutron Facility for reuse;
dismantling of many ancillary buildings in the HFBR complex; cleanup of the
Waste Loading Area; and removal and disposal of the reactor control rod
blades and beam plugs. The remedy also includes a number of near-term
actions to be completed by 2020: dismantling of the remaining ancillary
buildings; removal of contaminated underground utilities and piping; and
preparation of the confinement building for safe storage.
The segmentation,
removal, and disposal of the remaining HFBR structures, systems and
components (reactor vessel, thermal shield, biological shield, and others)
after a safe storage decay period (not to exceed 65 years) are also part of
the final remedy. The decay period allows for the natural reduction of the
high radiation dose rates to a point where conventional demolition
techniques can be used for the dismantling of the large activated
components.
The decommissioning of the HFBR is estimated to cost $144 million. The
completion of selected near-term actions within the HFBR decommissioning
project will be accelerated from 2020 to 2011 by the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding.
Brookhaven American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009
On March 31, 2009, Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced $6 billion in
new funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to
accelerate environmental cleanup work and create thousands of jobs across 12
states – including a major investment in New York State.
“These investments will put Americans to work while cleaning up
contamination from the cold war era,” said Secretary Chu. “It reflects our
commitment to future generations as well as to help local economies get
moving again.”
These projects and the new funding are managed by the Department of
Energy’s Office of Environmental Management, which is responsible for the
risk reduction and cleanup of the environment, one of the largest, most
diverse and technically complex environmental programs in the world.
Funding for New York (totaling $148 million) includes $42 million for
Brookhaven National Laboratory to accelerate and complete the following
projects:
| Facilities/Areas |
Scope of Work |
Scheduled
Completion |
| Former Hazardous Waste Management Facility
Perimeter Area |
Remove and remediate the contaminated soils |
July 2009 |
| 801/811 Transfer Waste Lines |
Remove underground lines and remediate the
soils |
Oct. 2009 |
| Brookhaven Graphite Research Reactor (BGRR)
pile removal |
Remove graphite pile blocks |
Jan. 2010 |
| High Flux Beam Reactor (HFBR) systems
isolation |
Prepare Bldg. 750 for long-term surveillance
and maintenance |
May 2010 |
| Bldgs. 704 and 802 Fanhouses |
Remove all structures above ground and below
ground and remediate soils |
Dec. 2010 |
| Exhaust Stack |
Stack demolition and waste disposal |
July 2011 |
For further information about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
(ARRA) of 2009, please visit the Department of Energy's Environmental
Management website at
EM Recovery. Environmental remediation at Brookhaven National Laboratory is carried
out under requirements of the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980. CERCLA requires that
the selected cleanup remedy must protect human health and the environment.
The clean-up remedy also must be cost-effective, comply with other laws, and
technologies, and resource-recovery options. For additional information, contact
- John Carter
Director, Community Affairs
U.S. Department of Energy
(631) 344-5195
- Jeanne D'Ascoli
Community Relations Manager
Brookhaven National Laboratory
(631) 344-2277
- Peter Genzer
Asst. Manager, Media & Communications
Brookhaven National Laboratory
(631) 344-3174
Last Modified: May 22, 2009
Please forward all questions about this site to:
Kathy Schoenig
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