[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 114 (Wednesday, June 15, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-14552]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 15, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
 

Notice of Floodplain and Wetlands Involvement for Hydrogeological 
Characterization Studies at the Pantex Plant, Amarillo, TX

AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of floodplain and wetlands involvement.

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SUMMARY: DOE proposes to conduct hydrogeological characterization 
studies, some of which would be within floodplains and wetlands within 
the borders of or surrounding the Pantex Plant in Carson County, 17 
miles northeast of Amarillo, Texas. In accordance with 10 CFR part 
1022, DOE will prepare a floodplain and wetlands assessment and will 
perform this proposed action in a manner so as to avoid or minimize 
potential harm to or within the affected floodplain and wetlands.

DATES: Comments on the proposed action must be received by June 30, 
1994.

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning this Notice should be addressed to: 
Floodplain and Wetlands Comments, Tom Walton, Public Affairs Office, 
U.S. Department of Energy, Amarillo Area Office, P.O. Box 30020, 
Amarillo, Texas 79177, (806) 477-3120, (806) 477-3185 (Fax).
    Information on this proposed action, including a map of proposed 
sampling locations, is also available.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Information on general DOE floodplain 
and wetlands environmental review requirements is available from: Carol 
M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Oversight, U.S. Department of 
Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-
4600, (800) 472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DOE proposes to conduct a hydrogeological 
characterization study within floodplains and wetlands on and 
surrounding the Pantex Plant. The characterization studies would be 
conducted in support of the Permit for Industrial Solid Waste 
Management Site issued by the Texas Water Commission (now known as the 
Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission) as part of DOE's 
effort to determine the nature and extent of any environmental 
contamination resulting from Pantex operations. On-site activities 
would occur within Solid Waste Management Units (SWMU) 6 (Playa Basin 
1), SWMU 7 (Playa Basin 2), SWMU 8 (Playa Basin 3), SWMU 9 (Playa Basin 
4), and SWMU 10 (Pantex Lake). Off-site activities would occur at Playa 
5, located 2 miles southwest, and the Playa owned by the Texas 
Department of Criminal Justice, located 4.5 miles northeast of the 
Pantex Plant. On- and off-site activities would be conducted by the 
State of Texas under an Agreement in Principle with the DOE. The 
characterization studies occurring near or in the floodplain and 
wetlands would include:
    1. Drilling boreholes for the purpose of collecting core samples 
from the playa basins.
    2. Routine sampling, downloading, and maintenance of installed 
instrumentation.
    3. Conducting soil gas surveys in and near the floodplain and 
wetlands.
    4. Seismic survey activities to define playa basin geologic 
structure.
    5. Trenching in or near the floodplain and wetlands for the 
installation of soil moisture instrumentation such as: thermocouple 
psychrometers, tensiometers, and Time Domain Reflectometers (TDR).
    6. Trenching in and near the floodplain and wetlands to perform 
chemical (food coloring) tracer tests.
    7. Surveying activities to define playa basin topography.
    A more specific description of the seven activities listed above 
follows:
    1. Borehole drilling would involve driving a drilling rig and a 
portable core sample laboratory to the site, drilling the boreholes, 
and collecting the core samples as the drilling progresses. The 
boreholes would be either closed by back-filling with the cuttings, or 
completed as soil solution sampling wells or neutron probe access 
tubes. The core sample borings will not exceed 120 feet in depth and 
the soil solution sampling wells and neutron probe access tubes would 
not exceed a maximum depth of 80 feet. Because the playa basin is 
ephemeral, drilling activities would only occur during the dry cycle of 
the playa.
    2. The routine sampling, downloading, and maintenance of installed 
instrumentation would involve driving a utility vehicle to the site. 
Some instrumentation would be installed in the wetland and would 
involve entering the playa during the wet season to take samples and 
download data. Personnel entering wet areas of the playa would enter on 
foot to avoid undue impact to the floodplain and wetlands.
    3. Soil gas surveys would be conducted during both dry and wet 
seasons in the playas and would involve driving a utility vehicle near 
the playa floor to download soil gas to a portable gas chromatograph. 
Personnel entering wet areas of the playa would enter on foot to avoid 
undue impact to the floodplain and wetlands.
    4. Seismic survey activities would involve driving two utility 
vehicles and a tailer mounted weight-drop unit, used as an energy 
source, into the playa basin. This activity involves driving across the 
playa floor and can only be accomplished when the playa is completely 
dry, to minimize undue impact to the floodplain and wetlands.
    5,6. Trenching in or near the floodplain and wetlands would involve 
driving a truck (larger than ton) and trailer mounted backhoe into the 
wetland areas to excavate the trenches. The trenches for the tracer 
tests would not exceed 3 meters in depth and would be the appropriate 
length and width to satisfy OSHA requirements. The trenches would 
remain open as long as the tracer tests are ongoing, and then would be 
backfilled and leveled. The trenches for the installation of the soil 
moisture instrumentation would not exceed 4.5 feet in depth and would 
involve installing TDR and psychrometer probes into the sidewall and 
endwall of the trench. These instrument trenches would be backfilled 
immediately after the probes are installed. Clean Water Act Section 404 
permit authorization has been received for the trenching in these 
areas.
    7. Surveying activities would involve driving a utility vehicle 
carrying equipment into the playa basin. The surveying would be done by 
personnel on foot to minimize any potential impact to the floodplain 
and wetlands.
    In accordance with DOE regulations for compliance with floodplain 
and wetlands environmental review requirements (10 CFR part 1022), DOE 
will prepare a floodplains and wetlands assessment for this proposed 
DOE action which may be incorporated into the appropriate National 
Environmental Policy Act documentation. After DOE issues the 
assessment, a floodplain statement of findings will be published in the 
Federal Register.
Ralph G. Lightner,
Director, Office of Southwestern Area Programs, Environmental 
Restoration.
[FR Doc. 94-14552 Filed 6-10-94; 2:00 pm]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P