[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 56 (Thursday, March 21, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11621-11622]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6838]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Notice of Floodplain and Wetland Involvement for the Ventron 
Site, Essex County, Massachusetts

AGENCY: Former Sites Restoration Division, Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of floodplain and wetland involvement.

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SUMMARY: DOE proposes to remediate sediment and soil containing 
elevated levels of uranium-238 from a floodplain and wetland, a 
floodplain and wetland buffer zone, and from the Massachusetts coastal 
zone in Essex County, Massachusetts. In accordance with 10 CFR 1022, 
DOE has prepared 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 wetland resources.

DATES: Comments are due to the address below no later than April 5, 
1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS PROPOSED ACTION OR TO COMMENT ON THE 
ACTION, CONTACT: Mr. Jim Kopotic, Ventron Site Manager, Former Sites 
Restoration Division, U.S. Department of Energy, P.O. Box 2001, Oak 
Ridge, TN 37831-8541, Phone: (423) 576-9441, FAX: (423) 576-0956.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON GENERAL DOE FLOODPLAIN/WETLANDS 
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW REQUIREMENTS, CONTACT: Carol Borgstrom, Director, 
Office of NEPA Oversight, EH-42, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-4600 or (800) 
472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Ventron is a privately-owned site that 
processed natural uranium oxide, salts, and metal between 1942 and 1948 
for the Manhattan Engineer District (MED) and later for the Atomic 
Energy Commission (AEC). No enriched or depleted uranium was used at 
the site. Prior to and subsequent to MED- and AEC-related activities at 
the site, other radioactive elements including thorium compounds and 
hazardous chemicals were processed at the Ventron site in work 
unrelated to MED, AEC, or DOE contracts. DOE has authority at the site 
for remediation of media containing elevated levels of natural uranium 
(uranium-238). DOE is remediating the

[[Page 11622]]
Ventron site in accordance with the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). The Ventron site is 
currently an inactive facility and is being cleaned up by the current 
owner, Morton International, in a separate but related action.
    Risks from exposure to radioactive materials at the Ventron site 
for future workers and residents at the site exceed DOE's public dose 
limit (100 mrem/yr), thereby meeting DOE's criteria for conducting 
removal actions to prevent potential future exposures to nearby humans 
under the no-action alternative. Although sediment and soil with 
elevated levels of uranium-238 at the Ventron site pose no immediate 
threats to human or ecological health, the remediation of the site 
could proceed to prevent radiation exposure to workers involved in 
Morton's remedial activities.
    The implementation of the remedial action alternatives at the 
Ventron site would involve activity in a floodplain and a tidal 
wetland, a floodplain and wetland buffer zone, and the Massachusetts 
coastal zone. In accordance with DOE regulations for compliance with 
floodplain and wetlands environmental review requirements (10 CFR 
1022), DOE will prepare a floodplain and wetland assessment for this 
proposed DOE action. DOE will evaluate remedial options affecting two 
media at the site: harbor sediment and on-site soil and furnace ash. 
Remedial action for the affected harbor sediment may include: no 
action, or complete removal of sediment containing uranium levels above 
DOE guidelines. Remedial action for on-site soil and furnace ash may 
include: no action or, complete removal of soil and furnace ash 
containing uranium levels above DOE guidelines. Access to affected 
sediment and soil may require decontamination and demolition of 
structures in the floodplain and wetland buffer zone and Massachusetts 
coastal zone. DOE would temporarily store excavated material onsite 
before transport offsite to an approved, licensed waste disposal 
facility. A floodplain and wetlands assessment that incorporates the 
values of the National Environmental Policy Act will be included in the 
engineering evaluation and cost analysis being prepared for the 
proposed project. Upon completion and approval of the assessment DOE 
will publish a floodplain Statement of Findings in the Federal Register 
that describes the proposed action and measures DOE would implement to 
prevent environmental damage to floodplain resources at the Ventron 
site.

    Issued in Oak Ridge, Tennessee on March 8, 1996.
James L. Elmore,
Alternate NEPA Compliance Officer.
[FR Doc. 96-6838 Filed 3-20-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P