[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 34 (Wednesday, February 20, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7674-7675]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-4045]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


National Nuclear Security Administration; Notice of Floodplain/
Wetlands Involvement for the Disposition of the Omega West Reactor 
Vessel and Ancillary Structures at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los 
Alamos, New Mexico

AGENCY: National Nuclear Security Administration, Office of Los Alamos 
Site Operation, Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of Floodplain Involvement.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security 
Administration, Office of Los Alamos Site Operations hereby provides 
notice for its proposal to decontaminate and demolish the Omega West 
Reactor vessel along with the remaining structures associated with the 
Omega Facility, and to remove the resulting waste from the Los Alamos 
canyon floodplain and out of the canyon bottom. The Omega Facility, 
located in Los Alamos Canyon at LANL in New Mexico, housed an old 
research reactor known as the Omega West Reactor (OWR). The OWR was 
shut down in 1992 and the fuel removed in 1994. The Facility, 
originally constructed in 1944, and its associated structures are of 
advanced age and not in a condition suitable for renovation or 
reapplication. Further, they are located within a potential flood 
pathway. There is no foreseeable future use for the Facility, which is 
eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

DATES: Written comments are due to the address below no later than 
March 7, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to Jeff Robbins, U.S. 
Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration, 
Albuquerque Operations Office, P.O. Box 5400, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 
87185 or transmitted by E-mail via Internet to [email protected], or 
by facsimile to (505) 284-7101.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rich Nevarez, Document Manager, U.S. 
Department of Energy, Albuquerque Operations Office, ERD SC-1, PO Box 
5400, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, Telephone (505) 845-5804, or 
transmitted by E-mail via Internet to [email protected], or by 
facsimile (505) 845-4239.
    For Further Information on General DOE Floodplain Environmental 
Review Requirements, Contact: Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, office of 
NEPA Policy and Compliance (EH-42), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585-0119, Telephone (202) 
586-4600 or (800) 472-2756, facsimile (202) 586-7031.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In May 2000, the Cerro Grande Fire burned 
across the upper and mid-elevation zones of several watersheds, 
including the Los Alamos Canyon watershed. Several of the Omega 
Facility's small support buildings and structures were demolished and 
disposed of during the first 6 months post Cerro Grande Fire. The 
remaining buildings, including Building 2-1 that houses the OWR vessel, 
and the associated structures and utilities and infrastructure, 
continue to be vulnerable to damage from flooding and mudflows as a 
result of the fire and the changed environmental conditions upstream 
from the Facility. While all buildings are vulnerable, the support 
buildings and structures are especially at risk due to their 
construction characteristics. An assessment of the floodplain is being 
included in the Disposition of the Omega West Vessel and Ancillary 
Structures Environmental Assessment (EA).
    According to the requirements of E.O. 11988--Floodplain Management 
and 10 CFR part 1022--Compliance with Floodplain Environmental Review 
Requirements, notice is given that NNSA is planning to decontaminate 
and demolish (D&D) the OWR vessel and the remaining Omega Facility 
structures located within Los Alamos Canyon at Los Alamos National 
Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico.
    The D&D activities would consist of characterization and removal of 
radiological and other potential contamination in all the structures 
and subsequent demolition of the structures; dismantlement of the 
reactor vessel; segregation, size reduction, packaging, transportation, 
and disposal of wastes; and removal of several feet of potentially 
contaminated soil from beneath the reactor vessel. The D&D of the 
entire Omega Facility is proposed to be conducted using a phased 
approach. For each individual structure, the initial phase would 
include the

[[Page 7675]]

characterization and planning of the work, followed by the 
decontamination effort, and lastly the demolition of the structure and 
disposal of resulting debris. Decontamination of the Omega Facility 
would include the removal of nonradiological and radiological 
contamination from building and structure surfaces throughout the Omega 
Facility. The extent of decontamination performed would be limited to 
those activities required to minimize radiological and hazardous 
material exposure to workers, the public, and the environment. This 
would involve mostly decontamination of the Omega Facility, its 
components and spot contamination of surrounding areas, buildings and 
structure components.
    Once the Omega Facility has been decontaminated, the buildings, 
structures, foundations, and other facility components would be 
demolished. All building and structural materials would be removed from 
the canyon and sent to appropriate disposal sites. The buildings are 
not expected to be technically difficult to demolish and the resultant 
wastes can be handled, transported, and disposed of in accordance with 
standard LANL D&D procedures. The demolition of the OWR vessel and its 
concrete radiation shielding would generate high exposure rates in the 
room as the vessel is dismantled. Therefore, a safe method of 
demolition would be employed that would assure the involved workers 
could maintain their exposure limits below one rem per year. The OWR 
vessel and radiation shielding would be horizontally sectioned using 
diamond wire saws or other similar equipment for cutting the structure. 
The result cut sections would be packaged as appropriate, transported 
out of the canyon for eventual disposal.
    An assessment of the floodplain effects is being included in the 
draft EA for the proposed disposition of the OWR vessel and associated 
structures, which is under preparation. After NNSA issues the 
assessment, a floodplain statement of findings will be published in the 
Federal Register.

    Issued in Los Alamos, New Mexico on February 4, 2002.
Corey A. Cruz,
Acting Director, U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security 
Administration, Office of Los Alamos Site Operations.
[FR Doc. 02-4045 Filed 2-19-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P