[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 166 (Monday, August 27, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45019-45021]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-21570]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Oak Ridge Operations Office; Certification of the Radiological 
Condition of the Former Baker Brothers Site in Toledo, Ohio, and Ottawa 
Lake Vicinity Property in Ottawa Lake, Michigan, 1994 and 1995

AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE), Oak Ridge Operations (ORO) Office 
of Environmental Management.

ACTION: Notice of certification.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy has completed remedial actions to 
decontaminate the former Baker Brothers Site in Toledo, Ohio, and 
associated vicinity property in Ottawa Lake, Michigan. Formerly, the 
properties were found to contain quantities of residual radioactive 
material resulting from activities conducted by DOE or its predecessors 
at the former Baker Brothers, Inc., company. Based on the analysis of 
all data collected, DOE has concluded that any residual radiological 
contamination remaining onsite at the conclusion of DOE's remedial 
action falls within radiological guidelines in effect at the conclusion 
of such remedial action.

ADDRESSES: The certification docket is available at the following 
locations:

U.S. Department of Energy, Public Reading Room, Room 1E-190, Forrestal 
Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20585
U.S. Department of Energy, Public Reading Room, Oak Ridge Operations 
Office, 200 Administration Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831
Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, Kent Branch, 3101 Collingwood 
Boulevard, Toledo, Ohio 43610
Office of the Whiteford Township Clerk, 5063 Consear Road, Ottawa Lake, 
Michigan 49267

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert G. Atkin, Project Engineer, 
Office of Assistant Manager for Environmental

[[Page 45020]]

Management, Oak Ridge Operations Office, U.S. Department of Energy, 
P.O. Box 2001, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, (865) 576-1826 Fax: (865) 
574-4724.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DOE, ORO Office of Environmental 
Management, has conducted remedial actions at the former Baker Brothers 
site in Toledo, Ohio, and associated vicinity property in Ottawa Lake, 
Michigan, under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program 
(FUSRAP). The objective of the program is to identify and remediate or 
otherwise control sites where residual radioactive contamination 
remains from activities carried out under contract to the Manhattan 
Engineer District/Atomic Energy Commission (MED/AEC) during the early 
years of the nation's atomic energy program.
    In October 1997, the U.S. Congress assigned responsibility for 
management of the program to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). 
Completion of the Certification process was delayed pending preparation 
of a Memorandum of Understanding between the DOE and USACE with regard 
to completed, remediated sites such as Baker Brothers and its vicinity 
property. The Memorandum of Understanding between the U.S. DOE and the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regarding Program Administration and 
Execution of the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program was 
signed by the parties in March 1999. Funding to proceed with the 
completion of DOE closure documentation for several FUSRAP sites, 
including Baker Brothers, was obtained from USACE in late 2000.
    During the early and mid-1940s, Baker Brothers, Inc., machined 
natural (neither enriched nor depleted) uranium metal slugs from 
processed uranium metals under subcontract to MED for both Clinton 
Semi-Works in East Tennessee and the Hanford nuclear reactor complex in 
Washington State. The amount of material machined by Baker Brothers has 
been estimated from historical documents at 90 to 300 tons.
    After the subcontract termination in 1944, the Baker Brothers 
property was decontaminated to comply with guidelines in effect at the 
time. Because the Baker Brothers uranium metal machining was related to 
AEC activities, a preliminary survey of existing conditions was 
conducted in 1989 by members of the Measurement Applications and 
Development Group at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) at the 
request of DOE. Results of that survey indicated localized areas of 
residual uranium contamination above the current guidelines. 
Consequently, the former Baker Brothers property was resurveyed in 
September 1992 and recommended for inclusion in FUSRAP. In November 
1992, the former Baker Brothers site and Ottawa Lake vicinity property 
were designated for cleanup under FUSRAP.
    In 1944, when the Baker Brothers assets were liquidated, the 
machinery and equipment were sold at a public auction, and the property 
was divided and sold to two independent interests. The northern part of 
the property was resold in the summer of 1992. The new owner of this 
portion of the property contacted ORNL and inquired about the 
radiological status of the property. Through this conversation ORNL 
learned that soil and debris potentially contaminated with residual 
uranium from the former Baker Brothers site had been moved to 4400 
Piehl Road in Ottawa Lake, Michigan, for use as fill material.
    A 1992 ORNL radiological investigation of the former Baker Brothers 
site revealed that 90 to 100 dump-truck loads of potentially 
contaminated soils and debris had been used for fill material at 4400 
Piehl Road, Ottawa Lake, Michigan. The residential property (the Ottawa 
Lake site) was then added to FUSRAP as a vicinity property of the 
former Baker Brothers site that potentially contained residual uranium 
materials. DOE conducted remedial actions at the former Baker Brothers 
site from April 1995 to September 1995 and at the Ottawa Lake property 
from October 1994 to January 1995.
    Post-remedial action surveys conducted in 1994 and 1995 have 
demonstrated and DOE has certified that the subject properties are in 
compliance with the Department's radiological decontamination criteria 
and standards in effect at the conclusion of the remedial action. The 
standards are established to protect members of the general public and 
occupants of the properties and to ensure that future use of the 
properties will result in no radiological exposure above then 
applicable guidelines. These findings are supported by DOE's 
Certification Docket for the Remedial Action Performed at the Former 
Baker Brothers, Inc., Site and Ottawa Lake Vicinity Property. DOE makes 
no representation regarding the condition of the subject properties as 
a result of activities conducted subsequent to DOE's post-remedial 
action surveys.
    The Certification docket will be available for review between 9:00 
a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (except federal holidays) in 
the Department's Public Reading Room located in Room 1E-190 of the 
Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 
20585. Copies of the certification docket also will be available in the 
DOE Public Reading Room, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge 
Operations Office, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831; at the Toledo-Lucas 
County Public Library, Kent Branch, 3101 Collingwood Boulevard, Toledo, 
Ohio 43610; and at the Office of the Whiteford Township Clerk, 5063 
Consear Road, Ottawa Lake, Michigan 49267.
    DOE, through the Oak Ridge Operations Office of Environmental 
Management, Oak Ridge Reservation Remediation Management Group, has 
issued the following statements:

Statement of Certification: Former Baker Brothers Site (Romanoff 
Property)

    The Department of Energy (DOE), Oak Ridge Operations (ORO) Office 
of Environmental Management, Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) Remediation 
Management Group, has reviewed and analyzed the radiological data 
obtained following remedial action at the former Baker Brothers, Inc., 
site (parcels identified as Nos. 24, 25, and 26 in the Detroit Avenue 
Addition, as derived from Deed Book 2091, Page 89 and Document 16005, 
Microfiche 92-479B01 in the records of Lucas County, Ohio). Based on 
analysis of all data collected, including post-remedial action surveys, 
DOE certifies that any residual contamination remaining onsite at the 
time remedial actions were completed falls within the guidelines, in 
effect at the conclusion of remedial action, for use of the site 
without radiological restrictions. This certification of compliance 
provides assurance that reasonably foreseeable future use of the 
property will result in no radiological exposure above radiological 
guidelines, in effect at the conclusion of the remedial action, for 
protecting members of the general public as well as occupants of the 
site.

Property owned by: Richard B. Romanoff and Jack Romanoff, Jr., P.O. Box 
699, Toledo, Ohio 43697

Statement of Certification: Former Baker Brothers Site (Beat 
Property)

    The Department of Energy (DOE), Oak Ridge Operations (ORO) Office 
of Environmental Management, Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) Remediation 
Management Group, has reviewed and analyzed the radiological data 
obtained following remedial action at the former Baker Brothers, Inc. 
site (parcel identified as No. 40 in the Detroit Avenue Addition, in 
Deed Book 5145,

[[Page 45021]]

page 95-154C12, in the records of Lucas County, Ohio). Based on 
analysis of all data collected, including post-remedial action surveys, 
DOE certifies that any residual contamination remaining onsite at the 
time remedial actions were completed falls within the guidelines, in 
effect at the conclusion of remedial action, for use of the site 
without radiological restrictions. This certification of compliance 
provides assurance that reasonably foreseeable future use of the 
property will result in no radiological exposure above radiological 
guidelines, in effect at the conclusion of the remedial action, 
established to protect members of the general public as well as 
occupants of the site.

Property owned by: Douglas N. Beat, and Patricia S. Beat 2940 Spring 
Water Drive, Toledo, Ohio 43617

Statement of Certification: Former Baker Brothers Site Ottawa Lake 
Vicinity Property

    The Department of Energy (DOE), Oak Ridge Operations (ORO) Office 
of Environmental Management, Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) Remediation 
Management Group, has reviewed and analyzed the radiological data 
obtained following remedial action at the Ottawa Lake vicinity property 
(Parcel No. 5815-013-006-40 filed in Deed Book 1000, Page 564 in the 
records of Monroe County, Michigan). Based on analysis of all data 
collected, including post-remedial action surveys, DOE certifies that 
any residual contamination remaining onsite at the time remedial 
actions were completed falls within the guidelines, in effect at the 
conclusion of remedial action, for use of the property without 
radiological restrictions. This certification of compliance provides 
assurance that reasonably foreseeable future use of the property will 
result in no radiological exposure above radiological guidelines, in 
effect at the conclusion of the remedial action, for protecting members 
of the general public as well as occupants of the site.

Property owned by: Frank Vitale and Janet L. Vitale, 4400 Piehl Road, 
Ottawa Lake, Michigan 49267-9731

    Issued in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, on August 15, 2001.
William M. Seay,
Group Leader, ORR Remediation Management Group.
[FR Doc. 01-21570 Filed 8-24-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P