DOE/RL-2013-18 - Mission Support Alliance - Hanford Site

433 Pages·2013·14.02 MB·English

DOE/RL‐2013‐18, Revision 0 

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DOE/RL‐2013‐18, Revision 0 

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DOE/RL‐2013‐18, Revision 0 
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Cover photo is courtesy of Scott R. Butner, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. 

This report has been reproduced from the best available copy. 

Printed in the United States of America
Executive Summary  DOE/RL‐2013‐18, Revision 0 
  Hanford Site Environmental Report for CY2012 
Executive Summary 
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) prepares this Hanford Site Environmental Report in accordance with
DOE O 231.1B, and DOE O 458.1,
. The report is the principal document for reporting annual site environmental and
operating performance information that demonstrates the Hanford Site’s compliance with DOE O 458.1
requirements for calendar year (CY) 2012. The report is also a DOE resource for communicating
environmental protection performance information to public, regulators, stakeholders, and other interested
parties living near the Hanford Site. Individual sections provide detail on the following:
 Hanford Site and its mission
 Hanford Site compliance with all applicable DOE, federal, state, and local regulations
 Hanford Site environmental management performance
 Potential radiation doses to onsite Hanford Site staff and the public residing in the vicinity
 Status and results of Hanford Site restoration and waste management activities
 Hanford Site environmental and groundwater monitoring programs and data
 Data quality assurance methods.
DOE has prepared the annual Hanford Site Environmental Report since 1959. All the annual environmental
reports are available on the Internet through the Mission Support Alliance, LLC (MSA), available at
http://msa.hanford.gov/page.cfm/enviroreports. The following is a brief summary of the
.
SECTION 1, INTRODUCTION. This section describes the Hanford Site and its current mission to preserve
the Hanford legacy, reduce the footprint (amount of land directly controlled by DOE), enable the cleanup, and
manage post cleanup land use. The Hanford Site is located within the semiarid Pasco Basin of the Columbia
Plateau in southeastern Washington State (Figure 1.1). In September 1999, DOE issued the
(HCP EIS) (DOE/EIS-0222-F). The HCP
EIS analyzed the impacts of alternatives for implementing a land-use plan for the DOE’s Hanford Site for at
least the next 50-year planning period and lasting for as long as DOE retains legal control of some portion of
the real estate.
The Hanford Meteorology Station is located at the Hanford Site Central Plateau. Researchers take
meteorological measurements to support Hanford Site operations, emergency preparedness and response, and
atmospheric dispersion calculations for dose assessments. Activities include weather forecasting and
maintaining and distributing climatological data. Average temperature and precipitation totals were above
normal. The average temperature for 2012 was 54.4°Fahrenheit (F) (12.4°Celsius [C]), which was 0.5°F
(0.2°C) above normal (53.9°F [12.2°C]). Precipitation totaled 8.18 inches (20.8 centimeters), which is
115 percent of normal precipitation (7.14 inches [18.1 centimeters]). Snowfall for 2012 totaled 16.0 inches
(40.6 centimeters), compared to normal snowfall of 15.2 inches (38.6 centimeters). Average wind speed was
7.9 miles per hour (3.5 meters per second), which was 0.4 mile per hour (0.2 meter per second) above normal.
DOE is responsible for operating the Hanford Site. The DOE Richland Operations Office (RL) and the DOE
Office of River Protection (ORP) jointly manage the Hanford Site through several contractors and their
subcontractors. Each contractor is responsible for safe, environmentally sound maintenance and management
of its activities or facilities; waste management; evaluation and determination of all discharges to the
environment; and for monitoring any potential effluent to ensure environmental regulatory compliance. RL
serves as property owner of the Hanford Site and manages cleanup of legacy waste, related research, and other
programs. DOE, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
each manage portions of the Hanford Reach National Monument.
DOE encourages information exchange and public involvement in discussions and decision making regarding
Hanford Site cleanup and remediation actions. Active stakeholders include the public; Native American tribes;
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  Hanford Site Environmental Report for CY2012 
local, state, and federal government agencies; advisory boards; activist groups; and other entities in the public
and private sectors. The requires DOE to consult with the
Washington State Historic Preservation Officer, Native American tribes, local government representatives, the
public, and other interested parties on cultural and historic resource matters. Regulations require that DOE
solicit and gather input from Native American tribes and interested parties, obtain concurrence from the
Washington State Historic Preservation Officer on the identification of cultural resources, evaluate the
significance of these resources, and assess impacts of DOE activities on cultural resources. The
(DOE/RL-98-10) provides guidance to DOE on cultural and historic
resources issues.
Several federal, state, and local regulatory agencies are responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance
with applicable environmental regulations at the Hanford Site. These agencies include the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology), Washington State Department
of Health, and the Benton Clean Air Agency. EPA is the primary federal regulatory agency that develops,
promulgates, and enforces environmental regulations and standards as directed in statutes enacted by Congress.
In some instances, EPA has delegated authority to the state or authorized the state program to operate in lieu of
the federal program when the state’s program meets or exceeds EPA requirements. In other activities, the state
program is assigned direct environmental oversight of the DOE program, as provided by federal law. Where
federal regulatory authority is not delegated or only partially authorized to the state, the EPA Pacific Northwest
Regional Office (Region 10) is responsible for reviewing and enforcing compliance with EPA regulations as
they pertain to the Hanford Site. EPA periodically reviews state environmental programs and may directly
enforce federal environmental regulations. In addition, the
(Tri-Party Agreement [TPA], Ecology et al. 1989) commits DOE to comply with the remedial-action
provisions of the
(CERCLA) as well as with the (RCRA) treatment, storage,
and disposal (TSD) unit regulations and corrective-action provisions, including Washington State’s
implementing regulations Washington Administrative Code (WAC 173-303, ).
The TPA is an agreement among Ecology, EPA, and DOE to achieve compliance with the remedial action
provisions in CERCLA and with TSD unit regulations and corrective action provisions in RCRA. The TPA
has evolved to meet changing conditions as Hanford Site cleanup requirements have progressed. During 2012,
37 specific cleanup milestones were scheduled for completion; 30 were completed ahead of their scheduled
date, one was completed on time, one was completed late, and five have a tentative agreement to modify the
milestone scope and/or schedule.
SECTION 2, COMPLIANCE SUMMARY. This section describes the Hanford Site compliance with federal,
state, and local laws and regulations. DOE directs that all activities be performed in compliance with
applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations; DOE orders; Secretary of Energy Notices; and
directives, policies, and guidelines from DOE Headquarters. In addition to Hanford Site permits, a key feature
in the Hanford Site compliance program is the , also
known as the TPA (see Section 1.6.1). No permit violations on the Hanford Site were reported in 2012. The
2012 compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations include the following:
 Field inspections of institutional controls were conducted in 2012 at waste sites
on the Hanford Site. No public trespass events occurred and all approved excavation permits are in place
for all active remediation activities. Assessment of institutional controls at 200-UP-1 Operable Unit,
221-U Facility, and 200-ZP-1 Operable Unit did not identify deficiencies with land-use management, entry
restrictions, groundwater management, or warning signs.
 Ecology performed 21 RCRA inspections on the Hanford Site in 2012 to assess
compliance with applicable requirements. The Hanford Site received no notices of violation or warning
letters of noncompliance that were based on those inspections.
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 The Washington State Department of Health, Ecology, and the Benton
Clean Air Agency conduct regular inspections of Hanford Site emission sources to verify compliance with
applicable requirements. Hanford Site contractors and DOE actively work to resolve any
potential compliance issues identified during these inspections. During 2012, the regulatory agencies
conducted over 30 inspections at the Hanford Site; those inspections did not result in any
violations being issued by regulatory agencies.
 The Hanford Site Pollution Prevention Program (Section 2.6.2) reflects
federal and DOE policies to reduce, reuse, and/or recycle wastes, as established by the
. The pollution prevention and waste minimization activities are documented,
tracked, and reported in effort to reduce the quantity and toxicity of hazardous, radioactive, mixed, and
sanitary waste generated at the Hanford Site. In fiscal year (FY) 2012, over 2,127 tons (1,930 metric tons)
of sanitary and hazardous wastes were recycled through Hanford Site programs administered through the
Mission Support Contract.
 Environmental releases of radioactive and regulated materials from the
Hanford Site are reported to DOE and other federal and state agencies as legally required. The following
categories have been established: Operational Emergency; Recurring; Category 1 (significant impact),
Category 2 (moderate impact), Category 3 (minor impact), and Category 4 (some impact). In 2012, there
were no events for Category 1, 2, and 3; however, 27 Category 4 events occurred (discovery of legacy
contamination) at the Hanford Site (Section 2.7).
SECTION 3, ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. This section describes the Hanford Site
Environmental Management System. Hanford Site environmental performance measures address the goals of
DOE O 436.1, ; Executive Order 13423,
; and Executive Order 13514,
. Measures include regulated waste reduction; toxic and hazardous
material reduction; sustainable acquisition; compliance with Electronic Product Environmental Assessment
Tool standards; sanitary waste diversion; construction waste diversion; electricity use; facility fuel use; water
use; vehicle fuel use; numbers of alternative fuel vehicles; on-time environmental deliverables; environmental
inspections; and environmental non-compliances. Objectives for 2012 were achieved for all performance
measures except standard electricity use; and the acquisition target for alternative fuel vehicles was surpassed
(Section 3.1). This section also provides information on the Hanford Site awards and recognition for
environmental stewardship. The Hanford Site did not receive any other DOE, federal agency, state agency, or
industry-sponsored environmental awards or recognition in 2012 however individual Hanford contractors won
awards for environmental performance. As part of their EMS, several Hanford Site contractors developed
internal environmental awards programs to recognize leadership in environmental, energy, and transportation
stewardship (Section 3.2).
SECTION 4, RADIOLOGICAL INFORMATION. This section provides information on Hanford Site radiological
program and doses, and cleanup activities as DOE progresses toward site closure and the likely transfer of
property to other entities. The dose calculations are provided in Appendix D. Potential radiological doses
from 2012 Hanford Site operations were evaluated in detail to determine compliance with pertinent regulations
and limits (Section 4.2). Doses were assessed in terms of 1) total dose (multiple pathways) to the hypothetical,
maximally exposed individual at an offsite location, evaluated by using a multimedia pathway assessment
(DOE O 458.1, Section 4.1.1); 2) average dose to the collective population living within 50 miles
(80 kilometers) of Hanford Site operating areas (Section 4.2.2); 3) dose to a maximally exposed individual for
air pathways using EPA methods (Section 4.2.3); 4) doses from recreational activities including hunting and
fishing (Section 4.2.4.1); 5) Dose to a worker consuming drinking water on the Hanford Site (Section 4.2.4.2);
6) doses from non-DOE industrial sources on and near the Hanford Site (Section 4.2.5).
During 2012, external radiation fields were monitored in the
100-K Area, 100-N Area, 100-N shoreline area (N Springs), the 200 Area, 300 Area, 400 Area, and
618-10 Burial Ground were similar to levels measured in 2011 (Section 4.1.1).
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. Cleanup activities for the K Basins Closure Project during 2012 resulted in continued decreases
in the average dose rates at most TLD locations in the 100-K Area compared to 2011 (Figure 4.1). Dose-rate
levels measured in 2012 at monitoring stations in the K-East Area were 27 percent lower than 2011 levels.
Dose-rate levels measured in 2012 at monitoring stations at the Cold Vacuum Drying Facility (CVDF) and in
the 100-K West Area were unchanged compared to 2011.
. Average dose-rate levels observed in the 100-N Area during 2012 showed an overall increase
(approximately 10 percent) compared to 2011 levels. This was primarily due to elevated first quarter
measurements at the monitoring station located along/near the transportation route for disposal of radioactive
waste. Due to overall decreases in dose rate levels at the individual TLD locations, during the fourth quarter of
2012, monitoring concluded at all monitoring stations except the shoreline location.
. Dose rates were measured along the Columbia River shoreline in the 100-
N Area (N Springs) to determine potential external radiation doses to onsite workers and to the public
accessing the river. Cleanup activities at the retired 116-N-1 and 116-N-3 Trenches (located near the
Columbia River) have decreased dose rates notably over the past few years (Figure 4.1). The 2012 average
dose rate was unchanged compared to 2011, and was less than 100 millirem (1 millisievert) per year.
Dose rate levels measured during 2012 in the 200-East and 200-West Areas
were slightly increased compared to 2011 (Figure 4.1). Average dose rates measured in 2012 at ERDF
(located near the 200-West Area) were slightly higher than 2011 levels (approximately 9 percent).
One TLD monitoring site, located in the 200-North Area at the contaminated 212-R Railroad
Car Disposition Area, continued to show a significant annual average dose rate decrease (approximately
65 percent) in 2012 compared to 2011 levels. This TLD location was established in 2000 to monitor expected
high radiation levels emitted from contaminated railroad cars. During the fourth quarter of 2010, dose rate
levels began to fall as the radiologically contaminated railroad cars were dispositioned.
The average dose rates in 2012 in the 300 and 400 Areas and at the 300 Area Treated
Effluent Disposal Facility were comparable to 2011 levels (Figure 4.1).
TLD monitoring was initiated during late-February 2010 at four locations at this
project. The average dose rates in 2012 were comparable to 2011 levels.
The average dose rates in 2012 were slightly higher (7 percent) than 2011 levels.
During 2012, 744 environmental radiological
surveys were conducted at active and inactive waste disposal sites and the surrounding terrain to detect and
characterize radioactive surface contamination. Vehicles equipped with radiation detection devices and global
positioning systems were used to accurately measure the extent of contamination. Area measurements were
entered into the Hanford Geographical Information System, a computer database maintained by MSA.
Routine radiological survey locations included former waste disposal cribs and trenches, retention basin
perimeters, ditch banks, solid waste disposal sites (e.g., burial grounds), unplanned release sites, tank farm
perimeters, stabilized waste disposal sites, roads, and firebreaks in and around the Hanford Site operational
areas. These sites were posted as underground radioactive material areas, contamination areas, and soil
contamination areas. The external dose rate at 80 percent of the outdoor contamination areas was estimated to
be less than 1 millirem (0.01 millisievert) per hour, although direct dose-rate readings from isolated radioactive
specks could have been higher (Section 4.1.2).
Dose calculations for 2012 releases indicate that the
maximally exposed individual is located at the PNNL Physical Sciences Facility, an offsite business just to the
south of the Hanford Site 300 Area at 638 Horn Rapids Road. Dose for the maximally exposed individual was
0.19 millirem (1.9 microSievert) per year (Section 4.2.1). The average individual dose from Hanford Site
operations is based on the 50-mile (80-kilometer) radius population exposed to air emissions and the Tri-Cities
populations exposed to water pathways releases to the Columbia River, was approximately 0.0056 millirem
(0.056 microsievert). To place the average individual estimated dose into perspective, it may be compared
with doses received from other routinely encountered sources of radiation. The National Council on Radiation
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Protection issued Report 160 in March 2009 that estimated the overall average exposure to ionizing radiation
for the average American to be 620 millirem (6,200 microsievert) per year (National Council on Radiation
Protection and Measurements, 2009). Approximately 50 percent of the 620 millirem (6,200 microsievert) per
year average annual dose is related to natural sources, with the remaining 50 percent attributable primarily to
medical procedures.
No property with detectable residual radioactivity
above authorized levels was released in 2012 from the Hanford Site (Section 4.3).
. Ion-exchange resin is
currently in use to remove hexavalent chromium from groundwater. Once saturated, the spent resin—which
may contain radioactive elements—is removed and readied for shipment to an offsite facility for regeneration
and reuse. Approximately 72,000 pounds (33,700 kilograms) of resin was shipped offsite in 2012 for
regeneration under these approved authorized limits (Section 4.3.2).
. A soil-vapor
extraction system that uses granular activated carbon to remove carbon tetrachloride from groundwater in the
unconfined aquifer has been operational for over 10 years. When the granulated activated carbon canister has
reached volatile organic compound saturation, it is removed from the system and shipped to an offsite facility
for regeneration and reuse. Approximately 18,000 pounds (8,200 kilograms) of granular activated carbon was
shipped offsite in 2012 for regeneration under these approved modified authorized limits (Section 4.3.3).
SECTION 5, ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION AND WASTE MANAGEMENT. This section describes
ongoing Hanford Site environmental restoration and mitigation, facility decommissioning activities, waste
management, underground waste storage tank status, construction of the Waste Treatment and Immobilization
Plant (WTP) and its associated facilities, and research activities related to waste cleanup. Hanford Site cleanup
activities began in 1996, the primary focus was on former liquid effluent sites. Progress has reduced the
number of liquid effluent sites requiring remediation, allowing current cleanup activities to shift to the
remediation of waste burial grounds. The volume of contamination in waste burial grounds is generally less
than at liquid effluent waste sites; however, identification, characterization, and disposal of the wastes may
involve additional time and scope. During 2012, remediation activities continued in the 100, 200, and
300 Areas, and for Hanford Site groundwater and vadose zone sediments.
The River Corridor includes the Hanford Site 100 and 300 Areas, which border the
Columbia River. The River Corridor includes nine deactivated plutonium-production reactors, numerous
support facilities, and liquid and solid waste disposal sites. The River Corridor Baseline Risk Assessment
human health and ecological risk assessments have been completed to evaluate the impacts from Hanford Site
releases to the upland, riparian, and near shore areas of the River Corridor. The
(DOE/RL-2007-21, Vol. II, Part 1 and Part 2, Rev. 0)
was issued in August 2011. The
(DOE/RL-2007-21, Vol. I, Part 1 and Part 2, Rev. 0) was issued in March 2012. These reports
present a comprehensive assessment of the River Corridor, addressing all relevant sources of contamination,
exposure pathways, and contaminants. The reports also provide an analysis of relevant uncertainties and
recommendations. Preliminary remediation goals that are protective of human health and the environment are
proposed to support development of final action cleanup decisions through the remedial investigation/
feasibility study (RI/FS) process for the River Corridor. The risk assessment results are reflected in the River
Corridor RI/FS reports.
Human health and ecological risk
assessments have been completed to evaluate potential impacts to the Columbia River from Hanford Site
releases. The
(DOE/RL-2010-117, Vol. I, Rev. 0) was issued in June 2012; and
(DOE/RL-2010-117, Vol. II, Rev. 0) was
issued in September 2012. The risk assessment results are being reflected in the River Corridor RI/FS reports.
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