Published: February 1999

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 Operable Unit II/VII Remedial Investigation Report is available for review at the libraries listed below. The Executive Summary of this report is available on the world wide web at http://www.oer.dir.bnl.gov/ou2doc.html.

The public comment period on this document is from February 19 to March 20, 1999. 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.

Two information sessions will be held in Berkner Hall at BNL on February 25 and March 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Call 344-7459 for directions.

The Operable Unit II/VII Remedial Investigation Report presents data on soils near the center of BNL. Four locations, or areas of concern, were examined. All of these areas had no chemical contamination that posed an unacceptable health risk. Two of the four locations also had no radiological contamination above residentially allowed levels.

At BNL's waste concentration facility, near the center of the BNL site, soil sampling detected the radioactive element cesium-137. Levels of cesium-137 were greater than the cleanup goal for residential areas. Several areas identified by previous aerial radiation surveys also contained radiological contamination, primarily cesium-137. Some of these areas may require further cleanup action.

Radiological contamination was found in surface soils only, except for one location. The radioactive elements tritium and sodium-22 were detected in the groundwater and subsurface soils at a facility that produces medical isotopes. (A separate report on this facility, the Brookhaven LINAC Isotope Producer Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis, will be released later this year.)

This Remedial Investigation Report also presents a risk assessment for the investigated soils. The purpose of the risk assessment is to focus future actions on the areas that pose the greatest potential risk to human health and the environment. Once these areas are identified, a feasibility study is performed to examine remediation alternatives.

The areas of concern identified in Operable Units II/VII have been consolidated with those of Operable Unit I, and are addressed by the Operable Unit I Feasibility Study and the Operable Unit I Proposed Plan. These documents will be released to the public later this year.

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 Priority List.

The Operable Unit II/VII Remedial Investigation Report can be found at the following libraries:

Longwood Public Library
(516) 924-6400

Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library
(516) 399-1511

BNL Research Library
(516) 344-3489

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

For more information, contact:

Gail Penny
U.S. Department of Energy
(516) 344-3429

Eloise Gmur
Brookhaven National Laboratory
(516) 344-6336

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