Environmental site description for a Uranium Atomic Vapor Laser Isotope Separation (U-AVLIS) production plant at the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant Site

Technical Report · Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6276739· OSTI ID:6276739

In January 1990, the Secretary of Energy approved a plan for the demonstration and deployment of the Uranium Atomic Vapor Laser Isotope Separation (U-AVLIS) technology, with the near-term goal to provide the necessary information to make a deployment decision by November 1992. The U-AVLIS process is based on electrostatic extraction of photoionized U-235 atoms from an atomic vapor stream created by electron-beam vaporization of uranium metal alloy. A programmatic document for use in screening DOE sites to locate the U-AVLIS production plant was developed and implemented in two parts (Wolsko et al. 1991). The first part consisted of a series of screening analyses, based on exclusionary and other criteria, that identified a reasonable number of candidate sites. These sites were then subjected to a more rigorous and detailed comparative analysis for the purpose of developing a short list of reasonable alternative sites for later environmental examination. This environmental site description (ESD) provides a detailed description of the ORGDP site and vicinity suitable for use in an environmental impact statement (EIS). The report is based on existing literature, data collected at the site, and information collected by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) staff during a site visit. The organization of the ESD is as follows. Topics addressed in Sec. 2 include a general site description and the disciplines of geology, water resources, biotic resources, air resources, noise, cultural resources, land use, socioeconomics, and waste management. Identification of any additional data that would be required for an EIS is presented in Sec. 3. Following the site description and additional data requirements, Sec. 4 provides a short, qualitative assessment of potential environmental issues. 37 refs., 20 figs., 18 tabs.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (United States). Environmental Assessment and Information Sciences Div.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 6276739
• Report Number(s): ANL/EAIS/TM-58; ON: DE92001900
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ISOTOPE SEPARATION PLANTS
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
ORGDP
AIR QUALITY
GEOLOGY
GROUND WATER
LASER ISOTOPE SEPARATION
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
SOILS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WATER RESOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
GASEOUS DIFFUSION PLANTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
ISOTOPE SEPARATION
MANAGEMENT
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RESOURCES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WATER
053000* - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects
050500 - Nuclear Fuels- Uranium Enrichment