The United States Department of
Energy
announces the availability of a document relating to the
investigation of the Brookhaven National Laboratory
Inactive Hazardous Waste Site, Operable Unit V, Peconic River
for public review
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability of a document
relating to the environmental restoration activities at Brookhaven National
Laboratory (BNL). The Action Memorandum: Peconic River Removal
Action for Sediment on BNL Property is available for review at the
libraries listed below. There is no public comment period for this
document.
This action memorandum describes a removal action that is taking place on the
Laboratory site. A removal action is an accelerated cleanup response to a
known or potential contamination source.
The DOE has determined that contaminants
in the sediment of the Peconic River on the Laboratory property may migrate off
of the Laboratory property, and that a non-time-critical removal action is
warranted. The scope of the decision involves the sediment in the Peconic
River on the Laboratory property.
Past operations and practices at BNL
resulted in the discharge of wastewater containing chemical and radiological
contaminants to the Sewage Treatment Plant, and then to the Peconic River
causing contamination of sediments and fish in the river. On
Laboratory property, the Peconic River contains four major depositional wetland
areas. Elevated levels of metals, and low levels of
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and radionuclides are present in Peconic River
sediment in these areas.
The removal action
involves the removal of contaminated sediments in specific areas to achieve an
average concentration of 1 part per million (ppm) mercury through the portion of
the Peconic River on the DOE’s BNL property, with a goal of no sample in any
excavated area exceeding 2 ppm mercury. Co-located contaminants will also be
removed.
The major features
of this action include stream dewatering, the excavation and removal of the
sediment layer, dewatering of removed sediment, disposal of sediment at a
licensed off-site landfill facility, wetland restoration as needed and
installation of access roads for equipment. Details will be determined
during the preparation of project work plans. Post-excavation sampling
will be performed to confirm that cleanup goals have been met.
Construction and long-term monitoring of surface water, sediment, and fish will
ensure effectiveness.
Located in Upton, N.Y., 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 Action Memorandum: Action Memorandum: Peconic River Removal Action for
Sediment on BNL Property can be found at the following libraries:
Longwood Public Library
800 Middle Country Rd
Middle Island, NY
(631) 924-6400
301 William Floyd Parkway
Shirley, NY
(631) 399-1511
Building 477A
Upton, NY
(631) 344-3483
290 Broadway
New York, NY
(212) 637-4296
Jen Clodius
Brookhaven National Laboratory
(631) 344-2489
clodius@bnl.gov
John Carter
U.S. Department of Energy
(631) 344-5195
jcarter@bnl.gov