Rail transportation of Fernald remediation waste
Remediation of the Department of Energy (DOE) Fernald site located north of Cincinnati will generate large quantities of low-level radwaste. This volume includes approximately 1,050,000 tons of material to be removed from eight waste pits comprising Operable Unit 1 (OU-1). The remedial alternative selected includes waste material excavation, drying and transportation by rail to a burial site in the arid west for disposal. Rail transportation was selected not only because rail transportation is safer than truck transportation, but also because of the sheer magnitude of the project and the availability of bulk rail car unloading facilities at a representative disposal site. Based upon current waste quantity estimates as presented in the Feasibility Study for OUI, a fully-loaded 47-car unit train would depart the Fernald site weekly for five years. This paper illustrates the steps taken to obtain agency and public acceptance of the Record of Decision for the remedy which hinged on rail transportation. A preliminary, but detailed, rail transportation plan was prepared for the project to support a series of CERCLA public meetings conducted in late 1994. Some of the major issues addressed in the plan included the following: (1) Scope of project leading to selection of rail transportation; (2) Waste classification; (3) Rail Company overview; (4) Train configuration and rail car selection; (5) Routing; (6) Safety; (7) Prior Notification Requirements (8) Emergency Response. A series of three public meetings identified a number of issues of prime concern to Fernald stakeholders. Following resolution of these issues during the public comment period, a Record of Decision (ROD) approving implementation of the rail transportation strategy was approved pending incorporation of EPA and State of Ohio comments on December 22, 1994.
- Research Organization:
- Fernald Environmental Restoration Management Corp., Cincinnati, OH (United States). Fernald Environmental Management Project
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC24-92OR21972
- OSTI ID:
- 10119846
- Report Number(s):
- FEMP-2350; CONF-950216-21; ON: DE95007211; TRN: 95:002125
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Waste management `95,Tucson, AZ (United States),26 Feb - 2 Mar 1995; Other Information: PBD: 24 Jan 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
FEED MATERIALS PRODUCTION CENTER
REMEDIAL ACTION
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RAIL TRANSPORT
EMERGENCY PLANS
PUBLIC OPINION
050900
052002
TRANSPORT, HANDLING, AND STORAGE
WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE