CERCLA interim action at the Par Pond unit: A case study

Conference · Mon Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1993

OSTI ID:10192315

Hickey, H M ^[1]; Matthews, S S; Neal, L W ^[2]; Weiss, W R ^[3]

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1. Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
2. Rust Environment and Infrastructure, Inc., Greenville, SC (United States)
3. Rust Environment and Infrastructure, Inc., Aiken, SC (United States)

The Par Pond unit designated under CERCLA consists of sediments within a Savannah River Site (SRS) cooling water reservoir. The sediments are contaminated with radionuclides and nonradioactive constituents from nuclear production reactor operations. The mercury in Par Pond is believed to have originated from the Savannah River. Because of Par Pond Dam safety Issues, the water level of the reservoir was drawn down, exposing more than 1300 acres of contaminated sediments and triggering the need for CERCLA interim remedial action. This paper presents the interim action approach taken with Par Pond as a case study. The approach considered the complexity of the Par Pond ecosystem, the large size of Par Pond, the volume of contaminated sediments, and the institutional controls existing at SRS. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers units with large volumes of low-concentration wastes, as is the case with Par Pond, to be {open_quotes}special sites.{close_quotes} Accordingly, EPA guidance establishes that the range of alternatives developed focus primarily on containment options and other remedial approaches that mitigate potential risks associated with the {open_quotes}special site.{close_quotes} The remedial alternatives, according to EPA, are not to be prohibitively expensive or difficult to implement. This case study also is representative of the types of issues that will need to be addressed within the Department of Energy (DOE) complex as nuclear facilities are transitioned to inactive status and corrective/remedial actions are warranted.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-89SR18035
• OSTI ID: 10192315
• Report Number(s): WSRC-MS-93-371; CONF-931095-38; ON: DE94002046; TRN: 94:000072
• Resource Relation: Conference: Department of Energy environmental remediation conference,Augusta, GA (United States),24-28 Oct 1993; Other Information: PBD: [1993]
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
SEDIMENTS
CONTAMINATION
REMEDIAL ACTION
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
COOLING PONDS
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
MERCURY
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
FISSION PRODUCT RELEASE
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
CHEMICAL WASTES
540320
540330
540350
CHEMICALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT
SITE RESOURCE AND USE STUDIES