[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 228 (Monday, November 29, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 66617]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-30879]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Notice of Floodplain and Wetlands Involvement for the Weldon 
Spring Site

AGENCY: Office of Environmental Management, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of floodplain and wetlands involvement.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to construct 
a groundwater interceptor trench near the Weldon Spring Site, located 
in St. Charles County, Missouri. The groundwater interceptor trench 
would collect contaminated groundwater for treatment at the Weldon 
Spring Quarry water treatment plant. The proposed trench is adjacent to 
two wetland areas and is located within the Missouri River 100-year 
floodplain. In accordance with 10 CFR part 1022, DOE is preparing 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 are due to the address below no later than December 14, 
1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Mr. Steve McCracken, U.S. 
Department of Energy, Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project, 7295 
Highway 94 South, St. Charles, MO 63304. Comments may be faxed to (636) 
447-0739.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS PROPOSED ACTION, CONTACT: Mr. Steve 
McCracken, U.S. Department of Energy, Weldon Spring Site Remedial 
Action Project, 7295 Highway 94 South, St. Charles, MO 63304, (636) 
441-8978.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON GENERAL DOE FLOODPLAIN/WETLANDS 
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 Weldon Spring Site under the direction of the DOE Office of 
Environmental Management. The Weldon Spring Site is located in St. 
Charles County, Missouri, approximately 48 km (30 miles) west of St. 
Louis. Cleanup activities at the site include the remediation of the 
Weldon Spring Quarry. The quarry, approximately 3.9 km (2.5 miles) 
southwest of the site, was used for the disposal of chemically and 
radioactively contaminated materials between the 1940s and 1960s. 
Removal of bulk waste from the quarry was completed in October, 1995, 
however, elevated levels of uranium occur in groundwater in the 
vicinity of the quarry. The St. Charles County wellfield, a source of 
domestic water for the county, is located in the Missouri River 
floodplain southeast of the quarry. To limit potential exposure to the 
public, the Record of Decision for Remedial Action for the Quarry 
Residuals Operable Unit of the Weldon Spring Site outlined field 
studies for evaluating the effectiveness of technologies to remediate 
uranium-impacted groundwater in the vicinity of the Weldon Spring 
Quarry. This action is intended to evaluate the effectiveness of 
remediation through the extraction of contaminated groundwater from a 
groundwater interceptor trench.
    The DOE is proposing to construct a 550-foot trench approximately 
90 m (300 feet) south of the quarry. The trench would be located 
between the Katy Trail and Femme Osage Slough, within the State of 
Missouri Weldon Spring Conservation Area, and approximately 1.4 km 
(0.88 mile) from the Missouri River. The groundwater interceptor trench 
would provide continuous groundwater access for an extraction system. 
Contaminated groundwater would be removed from the trench and directed 
to a treatment plant. The trench would be operated up to two years.
    The proposed trench would be located adjacent to Femme Osage 
Slough, a palustrine, permanently flooded wetland. The area between the 
proposed trench and the slough contains a small palustrine, seasonally 
flooded wetland area. The trench would lie entirely within the 100-year 
floodplain of the Missouri River. Erosion controls would be installed 
down gradient from the construction site to prevent the transport of 
silt downstream by stormwater flows.
    In accordance with DOE regulations for compliance with floodplain 
and wetlands environmental review requirements (10 CFR part 1022), the 
DOE is preparing a floodplain and wetlands assessment for this proposed 
action. After DOE issues the assessment, a floodplain statement of 
findings will be published in the Federal Register.

    Issued in Oak Ridge, Tennessee on November 15, 1999.
James L. Elmore,
Alternate Oak Ridge Operations, National Environmental Policy Act 
Compliance Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-30879 Filed 11-26-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P