Published: March 1999

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking public comment on a proposal for groundwater cleanup at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). The following three documents are available for public review: the Operable Unit III Remedial Investigation Report (RI), the Operable Unit III Feasibility Study Report (FS) and the Operable Unit III Proposed Plan. These documents will be available for review at the libraries listed below on March 1. The public comment period is from March 1 through March 31, 1999.

During the public comment period, three information sessions and one public meeting will be held. The information sessions will be on March 10 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at BNL's Berkner Hall, March 16 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at Longwood High School, and March 18 from 11:30-1:30 p.m. at BNL's Berkner Hall. The public meeting will be held on March 24 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at BNL's Berkner Hall.

These documents focus on several plumes, or areas, of groundwater contamination at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). Selected soils, sediment and surface water were also examined. DOE will accept comments on the RI Report, FS Report and Proposed Plan during the public comment period. Written comments can be sent to George Malosh, Brookhaven Group Manager, U.S. Department of Energy-Brookhaven Group, Bldg. 464, P.O. Box 5000, Upton, NY 11973-5000. Comments can also be entered by sending e-mail to: OU3comments@bnl.gov. Other opportunities for public comment will include information sessions and a public meeting to be held during the comment period.

The RI Report presents data on groundwater contamination located both on and off BNL property. The primary contaminants are solvents (volatile organic compounds, or VOCs), strontium-90, and tritium. The FS Report documents the evaluation of several cleanup alternatives for the contamination, and the Proposed Plan identifies DOE's proposed remedy.

Groundwater sampling has identified three VOC plumes that extend beyond the southern boundary of BNL. Although the groundwater contaminants are found to be deeper than most residential wells, as a precautionary measure, residents immediately south of BNL were offered public water hookups.

There are three locations on the BNL site where strontium-90 was found at levels above drinking water standards. Strontium-90 has been found at the Waste Concentration Facility, the Brookhaven Graphite Research Reactor and Pile Fan Sump, and in the Chemical Holes area.

A tritium plume was detected in December of 1996, through groundwater samples taken near the High Flux Beam Reactor (HFBR). The source was identified as the reactor's spent fuel pool. Tritium at levels above the drinking water standard extends approximately 2,600 feet south of the reactor, and is about one mile north of BNL's southern boundary.

Soils and sediment sampling has identified heavy metal concentrations above screening levels. No soils are at levels requiring remediation with the exception of soils at Building 830. Building 830 soils are currently being excavated under a separate removal action.

The RI Report also presents a human health and ecological risk assessment for the contamination, assuming that no remedial action is taken. The purpose of the risk assessment is to focus cleanup actions on the areas that pose the greatest potential risk to human health and the environment.

Ecological risks associated with the OU III contaminants were found to be within acceptable limits. Human health risks were evaluated for both current and future land-use scenarios. Various exposure pathways were considered. For current land uses, on-site chemical health risks are minimal. The presence of TCA and carbon tetrachloride in the off-site groundwater could potentially pose a health risk to off-site residents if their wells were used as a sole water source and contained contaminated water. Assuming exposure to the highest detected levels of chemicals, the presence of solvents in the on-site groundwater poses potential health risks to hypothetical future on-site residents if they use a contaminated well as their sole water supply.

For the radiological risk assessment, computer modeling was used to estimate radiation doses and health risks. Currently, risks associated with the plumes of strontium-90 and tritium are within the EPA's acceptable limits. If no remedial actions are taken, the presence of tritium and strontium-90 in the groundwater could potentially pose a health risk to a hypothetical future resident on-site who uses contaminated well water.

Data gathered during the remedial investigation were used to identify potential remediation alternatives for VOCS, tritium and strontium-90 that would meet specific "cleanup objectives. These objectives include meeting drinking water standards in groundwater for VOCs, strontium-90 and tritium; completing cleanup of the groundwater in a timely manner; and minimizing plume growth. The FS Report evaluates the alternatives for each contaminant.

For VOCs, the seven alternatives selected for detailed evaluation included one or more of the following elements: No action; monitoring; construction of on- and off-site groundwater treatment systems; continuing operation of existing groundwater treatment systems; and carrying out an on-site source removal action. The alternatives varied in the elements used, the number and location of treatment systems, and the amount of time it would take to reach cleanup objectives.

For tritium, the eight alternatives selected for detailed evaluation included one or more of the following elements: No action; natural decay and attenuation; monitoring; continuing operation of the current tritium pumping system; placing the current tritium pumping system in "standby" mode; installing a low-flow extraction system immediately south of the HFBR; and installing additional extraction wells at the leading edge of the plume. The alternatives vary in the elements used, how extracted water is treated and the amount of time it would take to reach cleanup objectives.

For strontium-90, the five alternatives selected for detailed evaluation included one or more of the following elements: No action; natural decay and attenuation; monitoring; construction of extraction wells and treatment systems; and the use of "permeable barrier" technology to trap the strontium-90 underground and hold it while it decays. The alternatives vary in the elements used and the amount of time it would take to reach cleanup objectives.

Following the evaluation process, one preferred alternative for each groundwater contaminant plume was selected and is detailed in the Proposed Plan. The U.S. Department of Energy has identified the following proposed remedy for Operable Unit III.

For VOCs, the remedy includes: Constructing groundwater treatment on the BNL property, and off-site at the Long Island Power Authority right-of-way, in two unpopulated areas on and east of North Street, on Brookhaven Airport property, and in the eastern portion of the industrial park located south of BNL and the Long Island Expressway. A source removal action would also be conducted on-site. Operation of the current groundwater treatment systems and groundwater monitoring would continue.

For tritium, the remedy includes: Natural decay and attenuation. The existing tritium pumping system will be placed in standby mode. System restart would be evaluated if tritium concentrations change significantly from expected levels. Additional extraction wells would be installed near the reactor, and if levels near the HFBR increase significantly, the wells would be made operational. Tritium levels in this area could increase if higher concentrations of residual tritium migrate out from beneath the HFBR. Groundwater monitoring would continue.

For strontium-90, the remedy includes: Constructing groundwater extraction and treatment systems for contamination in the area of the Brookhaven Graphite Research Reactor and the pile fan sump, the waste concentration facility, and the chemical holes. Groundwater monitoring would continue.

This public comment period will include information sessions and a public meeting. After all comments have been reviewed and considered, a final remediation decision will be made jointly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the N.Y. State Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Department of Energy. The decision will be documented in the Operable Unit III Record of Decision.

Located in Upton, NY, BNL is classified as an Inactive Hazardous Waste Site by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. BNL is on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Priorities List.

The Operable Unit III Remedial Investigation Report, Feasibility Study Report and Proposed Plan can be found at the following libraries:

Longwood Public Library
800 Middle Country Road
Middle Island, NY
(516) 924-6400

Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library
301 WIlliam Floyd Parkway
Shirley, NY
(516) 399-1511

BNL Research Library
Upton, NY
(516) 344-3489

U.S. EPA, Region II Library
(212) 637-4296

For more information, contact:

John Carter
U.S. Department of Energy
(516) 344-5195

Eloise Gmur
Brookhaven National Laboratory
(516) 344-6336

Mary Logan
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(212) 637-4321

Jim Lister
N.Y.S. Dept. of Environmental Conservation
(518) 457-3976