[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 230 (Thursday, December 1, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-29606]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: December 1, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

 

Certification of the Radiological and Beryllium Condition of the 
Sacandaga and Peek Street Sites Schenectady County, New York

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of certification.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) has completed remedial action 
at two sites in Schenectady County, New York, which were formerly 
operated for the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). Previous surveys had 
identified low levels of radioactivity in a few small localized areas 
at the Peek Street Site, Schenectady, New York. The surveys had also 
identified low levels of non-radioactive beryllium in a small area of 
outdoor soil and in indoor overhead areas, such as roof beams at the 
Peek Street Site and in the gravel floor and soil surrounding a small 
isolated concrete structure at the Sacandaga Site, Glenville, New York. 
Remediation work has been completed at both sites. Both sites are 
certified to be in compliance with applicable cleanup guidelines 
established by DOE and agreed to by the State of New York. The 
properties are released for unrestricted use.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Alan Muir, Public Information 
Officer, Schenectady Naval Reactors Office, P.O. Box 1069, Schenectady, 
New York 12301, (518) 395-6386, FAX: (518) 395-6345.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the 
General Electric Company operated two Federal Government facilities, 
known as the Peek Street Site in Schenectady, New York, and the 
Sacandaga Site in Glenville, New York, for AEC. AEC-sponsored research 
at the site involved the use of radioactive materials and non-
radioactive beryllium in support of breeder reactor development and 
other programs. After the sites had been decommissioned and surveyed to 
confirm that they met applicable unrestricted use standards in effect 
at the time, the sites were sold to private parties in the mid 1950s.
    It is the policy of DOE to verify that environmental conditions at 
formerly utilized sites comply with current DOE guidelines. At the 
request of the DOE Office of Naval Reactors, characterization surveys 
were performed by representatives of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory 
(ORNL) between 1988 and 1991. Representatives from the New York State 
Departments of Environmental Conservation and Health also participated 
in the site characterizations.
    At the Peek Street Site, the surveys identified low levels of fixed 
residual radioactivity in a few small localized sections of floor and 
wall areas inside the site's main building and in an approximate 5-
square meter area of outdoor soil, which extended onto the adjacent 
State-owned property. The survey also identified low levels of residual 
beryllium in the same general area of outdoor soil and in indoor 
overhead areas, such as roof beams. At the Sacandaga Site, the surveys 
identified low levels of beryllium in the gravel floor and soil 
surrounding a small concrete structure. Because the levels of both 
radioactivity and beryllium were relatively low and the affected areas 
small and isolated, the residual radioactivity and beryllium present at 
these sites did not present a health hazard to members of the public or 
the environment. Posting or other institutional controls were not 
warranted.
    Site-specific cleanup guidelines were established by DOE under DOE 
Order 5400.5 consistent with DOE Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial 
Action Program protocols; these guidelines were agreed to by the New 
York State Departments of Environmental Conservation and Health. 
Remediation of the residual radioactivity and beryllium was performed 
by a contractor under DOE direction and completed in 1993. Extensive 
post-remedial sampling was conducted to confirm that all site areas had 
been remediated in accordance with the applicable cleanup guidelines 
under DOE Order 5400.5. Independent verification sampling was conducted 
by ORNL. Representatives of the New York State Departments of 
Environmental Conservation and Health also conducted additional 
independent overcheck surveys for residual radioactivity and beryllium. 
The results of these surveys verified compliance with DOE Order 5400.5 
and the applicable cleanup guidelines.
    Information relating to the characterization, remediation, and 
post-remediation sampling of these sites has been compiled in the DOE 
Certification Docket for the Remedial Action Performed at the Peek 
Street Site, Schenectady, New York, and the DOE Certification Docket 
for the Remedial Action Performed at the Sacandaga Site, Glenville, New 
York. These certification dockets will be available for review between 
9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (except Federal 
holidays) in the DOE Public Reading Room located in room 1E-190 of the 
Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC. 
Copies will also be available in the DOE Public Document Room at the 
Oak Ridge Operations Office, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and in the 
Schenectady County Public Library, 99 Clinton St., Schenectady, New 
York.
    The DOE has issued the following statement of certification:
STATEMENT OF CERTIFICATION: PEEK STREET AND SACANDAGA SITES IN 
SCHENECTADY COUNTY, NEW YORK
    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) established radiological and 
beryllium cleanup guidelines, which were agreed to by the State of New 
York, to certify property releasable for unrestricted use. Based on 
review of the radiological and non-radiological data obtained following 
the remedial action at the Peek Street and Sacandaga Sites to these 
guidelines, DOE hereby certifies that the properties described below 
are in compliance with applicable DOE cleanup guidelines for 
unrestricted use of the property. This certification of compliance 
provides assurance to the public that future use of the property will 
result in no radiological or beryllium exposure above applicable 
guidelines established to protect members of the public and the 
environment.
    421 Peek Street, Schenectady, New York, as described in deed book 
1026, page 497, filed in Schenectady County Clerk's Office.
    823 Sacandaga Road, Glenville, New York, as described in deed book 
1068, page 914, filed in Schenectady County Clerk's Office.

    Issued in Washington, D.C. on November 28, 1994.
John E. Baublitz,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environmental Restoration, Office 
of Environmental Management.
C. H. Schmitt,
Deputy Director, Office of Naval Reactors, Office of Nuclear Energy.
[FR Doc. 94-29606 Filed 11-30-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P