1. Pennsylvania
HEW VDIUC
Burrell Site
!:
Long-Term Stewardship Site Highlights
Burrell Site (page 3)
Major Activities- disposal cell and groundwater monitoring; access restrictions
Site Size- 28 hectares (69 acres)
Start/End Years-1994/in perpetuity
Estimated Average Annual Cost FY 2000-2006- $51 ,600
Canonsburg Site (page 7)
Major Activities- disposal cell monitoring; groundwater and surface water monitoring;
access restrictions; inspections
Site Size -14 hectares (34 acres)
Start/End Years- 1996/in perpetuity
Estimated Average Annual Cost FY 2000-2006-$148,000

3. Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Burrell Site ............................................................................ 3
Canonsburg Site ........................................................................ 7
Pennsylvania
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4. National Defense Authorization Act (NOAA) Long-Term Stewardship Report
Pennsylvania
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5. Burrell Site
BURRELL SITE
1.0
SITE SUMMARY
1.1
Site Description and Mission
The Burrell Site is the location of a disposal cell for
uranium mill tailings and other process-related wastes
that were transported from the Canonsburg Mill, about
80 kilometers (50 miles) away. The site is located in
Burrell Township in southwestern Pennsylvania. The
site is one mile east of the Borough of Blairsville in
Indiana County. The site, covering approximately 28
hectares (69 acres), is bordered on the south by the
Conemaugh River and on the north by the Consolidated
Rail Corporation railroad tracks. The disposal cell,
located on the western part of the site, occupies about
1.5 hectares (4 acres) of the site.
In the late 1950s, 11,600 tons of residual radioactive
LONG-TERM STEWARDSHIP HIGHLIGHTS
Major Long-Term Stewardship Activities - disposal
cell and groundwater monitoring; access restrictions
Total Site Area- 28 hectares (69 acres)
Estimated Volume of Residual Contaminants- disposal
cell55,800 cubic meters (73,000 cubic yards);
groundwater unknown
Long-Term Stewardship Start-End Years- 1994-in
perpetuity
Average Annual Long-Term Stewardship Cost FY
2000-2006 - $51,600
Landlord- U.S. Department of Energy, Grand
Junction Office
materials were shipped 31 kilometers (50 miles) from
the uranium milling site in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, to the privately owned railroad property in Burrell
Township (now known as the Burrell Site) for use as fill material under railroad tracks. In 1986, the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) acquired the Burrell Site through condemnation proceedings and began
consolidating the contaminated material into an onsite disposal cell. The Burrell Site was identified as a "vicinity
property" to the Canonsburg processing site. Because of the large volume of waste and the distance to the
Canonsburg site, the contaminated material was consolidated at the Burrell Site with the concurrence of the U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). DOE completed surface remediation of the uranium mill tailings and
other contaminated surface radioactive material in 1987.
Remediation is complete and DOE began long-term stewardship activities in 1994. The current mission of the
site is long-term monitoring and maintenance of the disposal cell and monitoring of the groundwater. The site
is subject to Title I of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 (UMTRCA). As such, DOE is
responsible for any remediation and long-term stewardship activities. The Burrell Site did not have a historical
DOE mission prior to being acquired for use as a disposal site in 1986.
1.2
Site Cleanup and Accomplishments
Approximately 55,800 cubic meters (73,000 cubic yards) of mill tailings and soils, weighing 86,000 dry tons and
contaminated with four curies of radium-226, were consolidated in the disposal cell. Remediation activities were
completed at the site in July of 1987. The disposal cell was covered with a radon barrier and a rock erosion
protection layer to meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) standards for longevity, radon
control, and groundwater protection. According to EPA standards, the cover must be designed to remain
effective for 200 to 1,000 years. In 1994, the disposal cell was accepted under the NRC general license, and the
DOE Grand Junction Office began long-term stewardship activities.
Pennsylvania
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6. National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Long-Term Stewanlship Report
e Surface Water Monitoring Location
@ Groundwater Monitoring Well
0
O.Z5
0.5
~ To Piltsburgh (-40 miles)
Burrell Site
2.0
SITE-WIDE LONG-TERM STEWARDSHIP
2.1
Long-Term Stewardship Activities
The DOE Grand Junction Office is responsible for long-term stewardship activities at the Burrell Site and
manages the site according to a long-term surveillance plan prepared specifically for the site. Site-wide longterm stewardship activities include maintaining and repairing the 1.8 meter (6 foot) high locked security fence
that surrounds the entire site, controlling access to the disposal cell. Warning signs, displaying the international
trefoil symbol for radioactive materials and indicating that trespassing is forbidden, are located at equal intervals
along the security fence. DOE maintains and replaces these signs, as necessary. An inscribed granite marker
is located on the site identifying the materials contained in the disposal cell. Drilling and other intrusive activities
are restricted across the entire property through the use of institutional controls.
Site records are in permanent storage at the DOE Grand Junction Office in Colorado. The types of records
maintained include site characterization data, remedial action design information, the site completion report,
long-term monitoring plans, annual inspection reports, and current and historic monitoring data. A report is
submitted annually to the NRC to summarize, describe, and evaluate all surveillance and maintenance actions,
as required under Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 40. Real property records for the site are
maintained at the DOE Albuquerque Operations Office in New Mexico.
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7. Burrell Site
2.2
Specific Long-Term Stewardship Activities
Engineered Units
The contaminated materials are covered with a low-permeability layer of compacted clay, a bedding layer, and,
finally, a protective rock cover. The clay layer prevents the escape of radon gas and the infiltration of
precipitation. The free-draining bedding layer overlies the clay layer. Precipitation runs down the sloped cell top
through the bedding layer and into surrounding rock drains. The cell design promotes runoff of precipitation to
minimize leachate. The surrounding area was graded to promote drainage and was vegetated with native species
to minimize erosion. The rock cover protects against erosion. The disposal cell at the Burrell Site is designed
and constructed to last for 200 to 1,000 years. However, DOE will be responsible for conducting long-term
stewardship activities in perpetuity.
Long-term stewardship activities associated with the
disposal cell include annual inspections to evaluate the
condition of surface features, cutting grass and clearing
vegetation, and performing additional maintenance, as
necessary.
Groundwater
STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT
Community interaction has been minimal since the
remedial action was completed. Copies of the annual
inspection report for Burrell Site and other sites are
distributed to the local library and any stakeholder
requesting one. The report is also published on the
DOE Grand Junction Office website at
www.doegjpo.com.
Groundwater near the disposal cell contains limited
uranium contamination above background levels but
below the maximum concentration limits. Because the
uranium levels do not exceed the maximum concentration limits, no groundwater remediation is required. DOE
monitors the groundwater at the site to ensure the disposal cell is isolating the encapsulated wastes from the local
environment. Groundwater monitoring currently occurs on an annual basis. DOE will be submitting a proposal
to NRC to amend the monitoring frequency to once every five years.
2.3
Regulatory Regime
In 1994, the Burrell Site came under a general license issued by NRC for custody and long-term care of residual
radioactive materials disposal sites (contained at Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 40.27).
The purpose of the general license is to ensure that such sites will be cared for in a manner that protects human
health and safety and the environment. The general license went into effect when NRC concurred that the site
conformed to cleanup standards and formally accepted the site-specific long-term surveillance plan.
Long-term stewardship activities of the Burrell Site are governed by several requirements in the following
regulations: UMTRCA; the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended; EPA Groundwater Protection Standards;
Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 192; and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
amended.
2.4
Assumptions and Uncertainties
Because the Burrell Site has been monitored since 1994, the long-term stewardship activities at the site are well
known and are not expected to change dramatically. Cost estimates reflect the current site agreements and
monitoring frequencies. If DOE receives approval from NRC to reduce the groundwater monitoring frequency
to five-year intervals, the cost for long-term stewardship activities will decrease accordingly.
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8. National Defense Authorization Act (NOAA) Long-Tenn Stewardship Report
DOE assumes that the disposal cell cap will not need to be replaced for a minimum of 200 years and disposal cell
monitoring will continue indefinitely.
3.0
ESTIMATED LONG-TERM STEWARDSHIP COSTS
Long-term stewardship costs for the Burrell Site are based on historical costs incurred while conducting actual
surveillance and maintenance activities. Costs for fiscal years (FY) 2001 through 2006 include prorated costs
associated with decommissioning unnecessary monitoring wells at similar sites. This represents a legacy cost
inherited from DOE's Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) project. Contingency costs, such as
cap replacement, are not reflected in the cost estimates.
Site Long-Term Stewardship Costs (Constant Year 2000Dollars)
Year(s)
Amount
Year(s)
Amount
Year(s)
Amount
FY 2000
$57,252
FY2008
$15,300
FY 2036-2040
$80,000
FY 2001
$55,400
FY 2009
$15,200
FY 2041-2045
$80,000
FY 2002
$58,700
FY 2010
$15,300
FY 2046-2050
$80,000
FY 2003
$52,300
FY 2011-2015
$73,000
FY 2051-2055
$80,000
FY2004
$59,000
FY 2016-2020
$72,900
FY 2056-2060
$80,000
FY 2005
$38,900
FY 2021-2025
$74,800
FY 2061-2065
$80,000
FY 2006
$39,600
FY 2026-2030
$79,200
FY 2066-2070
$80,000
FY 2007
$15,400
FY 2031-2035
$80,000
4.0
FUTURE USES
No future use is expected other than the long-term surveillance and maintenance of the disposal cell.
For more information about the Burrell Site, please contact:
Art Kleinrath, Long-Term Surveillance and Maintenance Program Manager
U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction Office
2597 B3/4 Road, Grand Junction, CO 81503
Phone: 970-248-6037
or visit the Internet website at http://www.doegjpo.com
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9. Canonsburg Site
CANONSBURG SITE
1.0
SITE SUMMARY
1.1
Site Description and Mission
The Canonsburg Site is the location of a former radium
and uranium processing mill that operated from 1911 to
1957. The site contains a disposal cell for the uranium
mill tailings and other contaminated materials that
resulted from milling operations. The site is located
within the Borough of Canonsburg in southwestern
Pennsylvania, approximately 32 kilometers (20 miles)
southwest of downtown Pittsburgh. The 14-hectare
(34-acre) site lies between Chartiers Creek and the
Conrail railroad tracks. The area surrounding the
Canonsburg Site is primarily residential and is
moderately populated.
LONG-TERM STEWARDSHIP HIGHLIGHTS
Major Long-Term Stewardship Activities - disposal
cell monitoring; groundwater and surface water
monitoring; access restrictions; inspections
Total Site Area- 14 hectares (34 acres)
Estimated Volume of Residual Contaminantsengineered units 147,000 cubic meters (192,000 cubic
yards); groundwater 20,000 cubic meters (26,000
cubic yards)
Long-Term Stewardship Start-End Years- 1996-in
perpetuity
Average Annual Long-Term Stewardship Cost FY
2000-2006 -$148,000
Landlord- U.S. Department of Energy, Grand
The uranium milling operations at the site resulted in
process-related waste and mill tailings. The site
Junction Office
generated approximately 286,000 cubic meters (37 4,000
cubic yards) of contaminated material, some of which
was shipped to the Burrell Site approximately 80 kilometers (50 miles) away. The U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE) consolidated the remaining materials into a 2.4-hectare (6-acre) onsite disposal cell in 1985.
The current mission of the Canonsburg Site is limited to long-term stewardship activities, including monitoring
and maintenance of the onsite disposal cell and monitoring of the groundwater. The site is subject to Title I of
the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 (UMTRCA). As such, DOE is responsible for
remediation and long-term stewardship activities. Remediation has been completed and DOE began long-term
stewardship activities at the site in 1996.
Historically, the mission of the Canonsburg Site was to provide uranium for the U.S. Government national
defense program. Standard Chemical Company originally operated the Canonsburg Site as a radium extraction
plant from 1911 to 1922. Later, Vitro Corporation of America acquired the property and processed ore to extract
radium and uranium salts. From 1942 until 1957, Vitro was under contract with the Federal Government to
recover uranium from ore and scrap. For the next nine years, the site was used only for storage under a U.S.
Atomic Energy Commission (the predecessor agency to DOE) contract. In 1967, Canon Development Company
purchased the property, and tenant companies leased it for light industrial use.
1.2
Site Cleanup and Accomplishments
Initially, the uranium mill tailings were left on the Canonsburg Site in uncovered piles. Over time, the tailings
were dispersed by wind and water erosion or were removed from the site for use as fill material in local and
regional construction projects. Remediation of the Canonsburg Site included stabilization of approximately
147,000 cubic meters (192,000 cubic yards) of residual radioactive material remaining on the site and
remediation of 163 vicinity properties. Contaminated soils at the site and in the surrounding vicinity properties
were remediated to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards, as codified in Title 40 of the Code
ofFederal Regulations, Part 192. DOE encapsulated the tailings and tailings-contaminated soils in an engineered
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10. National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Long-Tenn Stewardship Report
disposal cell that was completed in July 1985.
To Pntsburgh, PA
(-20miles)
•
@
Surface Water Monitoring Location
GroundWater Monitoring wen
0.1
0.2
Miles
Canonsburg Site
Groundwater in the vicinity of the Canonsburg Site is contaminated with wastes generated during uranium ore
processing. Approximately 20,000 cubic meters (26,000 cubic yards) of groundwater, covering approximately
60 hectares (78 acres), are contaminated. The major public water source for the Washington County area is
surface water. There are no known uses of the groundwater in the vicinity of the disposal site.
2.0
SITE-WIDE LONG-TERM STEWARDSHIP
2.1
Long-Term Stewardship Activities
The DOE Grand Junction Office has been performing long-term stewardship activities at the Canonsburg Site
since 1996. Access to the site is controlled by a two-meter (six-foot) high, locked perimeter fence. DOE
performs fence repairs on an as-needed basis. A variety of signs, markers, and permanent monuments exist.
Permanent boundary and survey monuments are placed along the site's southern boundaries. Metal signs
displaying the international trefoil symbol for radioactive materials are attached to the outside of the fence and
replaced, as necessary. No drilling or other intrusive activities are allowed on the property.
Because of the site's proximity to Chartiers Creek, three sets of erosion control markers were installed along the
northeast and southwest boundaries to measure movement of the creek. DOE and the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers entered into an interagency agreement establishing that the Corps of Engineers will provide bank
protection and erosion control measures if Chartiers Creek threatens the integrity of the Canonsburg Site.
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11. Canonsburg Site
Site records are kept in permanent storage at the DOE Grand Junction Office in Colorado. The types of records
maintained include the site characterization data, remedial action design information, the site completion report,
long-term monitoring plans, annual inspection reports, and current and historic monitoring data. Real property
records for the site are maintained at the DOE Albuquerque Operations Office in New Mexico.
DOE develops and updates the records and reports required in the site-specific long-term surveillance plan for
the Canonsburg Site. These reports are submitted annually to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to
summarize, describe, and evaluate all surveillance and maintenance actions, as required under Title 10 of the
Code of Federal Regulations, Part 40.
2.2
Specific Long-Term Stewardship Activities
Engineered Units
STAKEHOWER INVOLVEMENT
Community interaction has been minimal since the
remedial action was completed. Copies of the annual
inspection report for the Canonsburg Site are
distributed to the local library and to any stakeholders
requesting them. The report is also published on the
DOE Grand Junction Office website at
www.doegjpo.com.
The Canonsburg Site disposal cell contains
approximately 226,000 dry tons, or 147,000 cubic
meters (192,000 cubic yards), of mill tailings, with an
estimated total activity of 100 curies of radium-226.
The disposal cell has a compacted clay liner to protect
the groundwater from contamination. The tailings were
placed on top of the liner and covered with one meter
(three feet) of a clay-and-soil mixture to prevent the escape of radon gas and the penetration of precipitation into
the disposal cell. The radon barrier was covered with layers of rock and soil and seeded with grass. The disposal
cell design promotes rapid runoff of precipitation to minimize leachate.
The long-term stewardship activities associated with the disposal cell include annual inspections to evaluate the
condition of surface features, mowing and vegetation control, and periodic maintenance activities. The disposal
cell was designed and constructed to last for 200 to 1,000 years in accordance with EPA standards. However,
DOE's responsibility for the safety and integrity of the Canonsburg Site will continue in perpetuity.
Groundwater
DOE monitors groundwater and surface water at the site as a "best management practice" to evaluate potential
contaminant trends within the unconsolidated materials that underlie the disposal site. Annual groundwater
monitoring for uranium is expected to continue in perpetuity. Alternate concentration limits (ACLs), cleanup
standards based on site-specific considerations, for uranium have been proposed to the NRC (the site regulator).
For the alternate concentrations to be approved, evidence must be provided that ACLs will not adversely impact
human health or the environment. The proposed limits are 1.0 milligrams per liter at the point of compliance and
0.1 milligrams per liter at the point of exposure. Groundwater monitoring is currently scheduled to continue
annually for uranium in perpetuity and every third year for other constituents until 2023. Surface water
monitoring will be conducted annually in perpetuity at three surface locations.
2.3
Regulatory Regime
In 1996, the Canonsburg Site came under a general license issued by NRC for custody and long-term care of
residual radioactive disposal sites (contained at Title 10 of the Code ofFederal Regulations, Section 40.27). The
purpose of the general license is to ensure that such sites will be cared for in a manner that protects human health
and safety and the environment. The general license went into effect when NRC concurred with DOE that the
site conformed to cleanup standards and formally accepted the site's long-term surveillance plan.
Pennsylvania
9

12. National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Long-Term Ste" anlship Repm·t
Long-term stewardship activities of the Canonsburg Site are governed by several requirements in the following
regulations: UMTRCA; the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended; EPA Groundwater Protection Standards
in Title 40 of the Code ofFederal Regulations Part 192; and the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
amended.
2.4
Assumptions and Uncertainties
Because DOE has performed long-term stewardship activities at the Canonsburg Site since 1996, long-term
stewardship activities are well known and are not expected to change dramatically.
DOE assumes that groundwater monitoring for uranium will continue annually in perpetuity, and that monitoring
of other contaminants will be performed at three-year intervals unti12023.
The disposal cap is not expected to be replaced for a minimum of 200 years. DOE expects to monitor the
integrity of the disposal cap in perpetuity.
3.0
ESTIMATED LONG-TERM STEWARDSHIP COSTS
Long-term stewardship costs for the Canonsburg Site are based on historical costs incurred while conducting
actual monitoring and maintenance activities. Costs expected for fiscal year (FY) 2000 are substantially larger
than costs anticipated for later years because of the existence of a one-time expense for stream bank stabilization.
FY 2001 through FY 2006 estimates include prorated costs associated with decommissioning unnecessary
monitoring wells at similar sites. Remaining costs are associated with groundwater monitoring, institutional
controls, and monitoring cell performance. Contingency costs, such as cap replacement, have not been included
in the cost estimates.
Site Long-Term Stewardship Costs (Constant Year 2000 Dollars)
Year(s)
Amount
Year(s)
Amount
Year(s)
Amount
FY2000
$577,338
FY 2008
$22,900
FY 2036-2040
$123,300
FY 2001
$83,100
FY 2009
$25,800
FY 2041-2045
$123,200
FY 2002
$88,100
FY 2010
$22,900
FY 2046-2050
$123,300
FY 2003
$78,500
FY 2011-2015
$109,500
FY 2051-2055
$123,200
FY 2004
$88,500
FY 2016-2020
$112,200
FY 2056-2060
$123,300
FY 2005
$58,300
FY 2021-2025
$115,100
FY 2061-2065
$123,200
FY 2006
$62,200
FY 2026-2030
$122,000
FY 2066-2070
$123,300
FY 2007
$23,000
FY 2031-2035
$123,200
4.0
FUTURE USES
In accordance with UMTRCA provisions, public access to the site will be restricted indefinitely. No future use
is expected other than long-term monitoring and maintenance of the disposal cell. The site will be monitored and
maintained in accordance with the long-term surveillance plan approved by the NRC.
Pennsylvania
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13. Canonsburg Site
For more information about the Canonsburg Site, please contact:
Art Kleinrath, Long-Term Surveillance and Maintenance Program Manager
U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Junction Office
2597 B3/4 Road, Grand Junction, CO 81503
Phone:970-248-6037
or visit the Internet website at http://www.doegjpo.com
Pennsylvania
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