[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 179 (Thursday, September 16, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 50277]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-24161]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Notice of Floodplain and Wetlands Involvement for the Oak Ridge 
National Laboratory Fire Protection Systems Upgrade, Oak Ridge, 
Tennessee

AGENCY: Office of Science, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of Floodplain and Wetlands Involvement.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to upgrade 
the fire suppression and life safety systems in selected facilities at 
the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Fire suppression and life 
safety systems in these facilities are over 30 years old, obsolete, and 
do not provide adequate fire protection for personnel, equipment, and 
research activities. The installation of belowground waterlines would 
include disturbances of two small wetland areas and the 100-year 
floodplain of White Oak Creek (WOC). In accordance with 10 CFR Part 
1022, DOE will prepare a floodplain and wetlands assessment which will 
assess impacts to these resources and consider practicable alternatives 
to locating the action in the floodplain and wetlands. This proposed 
action will be performed in a manner so as to avoid or minimize 
potential harm to or within the affected floodplain and wetlands.

DATES: Comments are due to the address below no later than October 1, 
1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Mr. Stanley Frey, Capital 
Asset Program Manager, U.S. Department of Energy, Post Office Box 2008, 
Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6269. Comments may be faxed to (423) 574-
9275.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS PROPOSED ACTION, CONTACT: Stanley D. 
Frey, U.S. Department of Energy, Post Office Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 
37831-6269, (423) 576-0136.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DOE is conducting response actions at 
its ORNL Oak Ridge Site under the direction of the DOE Office of 
Science. ORNL is located on the DOE Oak Ridge Reservation in Roane and 
Anderson Counties, Tennessee. As part of a comprehensive upgrade of the 
existing fire alarm and suppression systems, DOE is proposing to 
replace deteriorated and obsolete systems, and to extend coverage of 
automatic fire alarm and sprinkler systems to areas not previously 
served. The upgrades would reduce maintenance costs and the new systems 
would bring affected facilities into compliance with current fire 
safety codes and standards.
    The proposed action would involve removing old fire alarm and 
suppression systems and installing new ones, including: (1) Replacing 
antiquated fire alarm systems in seven major research buildings 
(Buildings 4500N, 4500S, 4501, etc.); (2) installing a sprinkler system 
in offices and corridors of Wings 1-4 of Building 4500N; (3) replacing 
and adding redundancy in the fire alarm and circuit monitoring systems 
where needed; and (4) replacing an existing 16-inch-diameter water 
pipeline in the 6000 area with approximately 7,200 ft of new (16-in-
diameter) water piping. Installation of new water mains would include 
pressure reducing valves, isolation valves, fittings, hydrants, valve 
pits, and other associated equipment and materials.
    Installation of the belowground waterlines would include 
disturbances of two small wetland areas and the floodplains of WOC in 
the 6000 area of ORNL. WOC and its tributaries would be disturbed at 
four locations by the following activities: (1) Constructing a coffer 
dam or similar structure; (2) routing the stream water around the site 
by constructing a bypass using a culvert or similar device; (3) 
removing stream bed rock in preparation for the under-creek, 
reinforced-concrete pipe trench; (4) pouring the concrete; (5) 
embedding the pipeline in the concrete structure; (6) covering the 
structure to the level of the original stream bed; and (7) routing the 
stream water back into the stream bed. Construction activities would 
also involve removing asphalt paving for the installation of the 16-in-
diameter pipe (ductile iron, mechanical joint), digging a trench 
approximately 4 ft deep in the access roadway and parking lot areas, 
and filling and repaving these areas after installation of the 
pipeline.
    Water quality within WOC and its tributaries would be protected 
during excavation to the extent practicable by several measures. 
Administrative controls would be used to stop work during major storm 
events. When excavations would remain exposed overnight, erosion 
controls would be installed to prevent the transport of silt downstream 
by stormwater flows. Additionally, silt dams will be constructed within 
the drainage in areas where the existing right-of-way route deviates 
significantly from the defined channel. Restoration of excavated areas 
within the drainage would include grading to avoid steep or vertical 
slopes, and to minimize ponding and backfilling. Areas of exposed soil 
outside the stream channels would be mulched and reseeded with an 
annual grass to minimize erosion and allow the natural seedbank to 
reestablish vegetative cover.
    Wetland 1 is a 5-to-8 ft wide and approximately 50 ft long emergent 
wetland, while Wetland 2 is an approximately 30-ft diameter irregular 
shaped scrub-shrub wetland. An approximately 5-ft-wide by 4-ft-deep 
trench would be excavated through the southern portion of the two 
wetlands for the installation of belowground piping. Equipment and 
personnel in the wetland area will be limited in accordance with an 
approved Best Management Practices (BMP) plan, and excavated hydric 
soils would be placed next to the site and reused as fill material. In 
addition, silt fences would be installed to minimize runoff into the 
wetlands in accordance with the BMP. No seeding or the planting of 
vegetation will take place, and the wetlands will be allowed to return 
to their natural states after completion of excavation activities.
    In accordance with DOE regulations for compliance with floodplain 
and wetlands environmental review requirements (10 CFR Part 1022), DOE 
will prepare a floodplain and wetlands assessment for this proposed DOE 
action. After DOE issues the assessment, a floodplain Statement of 
Findings will be published in the Federal Register.

    Issued in Oak Ridge, Tennessee on August 30, 1999.
James L. Elmore,
Alternate NEPA Compliance Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-24161 Filed 9-15-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P