Plutonium Uranium Extraction Plant (PUREX) Storage Tunnels

Permit Modification Public Hearing

Alex SmithProgram Manager, Nuclear Waste Program

Tunnel 1

Tunnel 2

PUREX Storage Tunnels

Photo taken in September 2017 showing the PUREX Plant (202A) and the PUREX Storage Tunnels

History Tunnel #1

• Constructed 1954-1956

• Filled between 1960-1965

• Failed equipment stored on 8 railcars

History Tunnel #2

• Constructed 1964• Filled between

1967-1996• Failed equipment

stored on 28 railcars

Waste Contained in the PUREX Tunnels

RCRA regulated waste Mercury Lead Silver and Silver

Salts Chromium Cadmium Barium Mineral OilRailcar with waste container inside Tunnel 1

This is an example of a concentrator before it was placed into service. Tunnel 1 contains failed contaminated concentrators and other equipment.

Types of Equipment Concentrators Piping Centrifuges Dissolvers Containers of 324 and 325

Facility Waste 20,000 Gallon Liquid Waste

Tank Car (Empty per RCRA)

Other waste Uranium Plutonium Cesium 137 Strontium 90 Iodine 129 Ruthenium

109 Ruthenium-

Rhodium 106

Administrative Order

Administrative Order to Department of Energy (DOE)

• Ecology issued Administrative Order to DOE on May 10, 2017 a day after partial collapse of PUREX Tunnel 1. – Three corrective actions from the Order

• First Corrective Action for DOE to submit a structural integrity evaluation for both PUREX Storage Tunnels 1 and 2

• Second Corrective Action for DOE to submit a draft report detailing the corrective actions to ensure the safe storage of waste in the PUREX Storage Tunnels 1 and 2

• Third Corrective Action for DOE to submit a draft permit modification to the Hanford Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Permit to update applicable permit sections affected by the interim closure actions for Tunnels 1 and 2

Structural Integrity EvaluationsTunnel 1• “… the existing Tunnel 1 structure

presents an extreme collapse hazard…”• Stabilization of Tunnel 1 with grout

began in October and was completed on November 11, 2017

• Approximately 521 truckloads (4,434 cubic yards) of grout was placed in Tunnel 1

Tunnel 2• “… the existing Tunnel 2 structure

presents a high potential collapse hazard…”

• Approximately 43,000 cubic yards (over 5,000 truckloads) of grout will be placed into Tunnel 2

Draft Permit Modification

Permit Modification Process

• Class 3 Permit Modification– Proposed permit modification submitted for

first comment period (60-day) • February 12 to April 12, 2018• Public Meeting held March 14, 2018• 20 Comments Received

– Draft permit modification issued for the second comment period (45-day)

• August 13 to September 27, 2018• Hearing Richland August 27, 2018• Hearing Seattle September 5, 2018

Permit Modification Process Continued

• After the second comment period closes– Ecology will issue a Response to

Comments– Make a decision whether to issue the

modification which would include a 30-day appeal period

Draft Permit Chapter/Addenda

• Part A• Waste Analysis Plan• Process Information• Closure and Financial Assurance• Preparedness and Prevention• Inspection• Contingency Plan

Draft Permit ModificationThe Draft Permit Modification Proposes:

– Permit language reflecting the response actions taken to grout Tunnel 1

– An interim closure action for Tunnel 2. • Proposal to fill Tunnel 2 with engineered grout to help mitigate

potential threats to human health and the environment. • The purpose is to make sure the waste in the tunnel is safely

stored until a final cleanup decision can be made when the whole PUREX Canyon area is remediated

• TPA schedule requires DOE to submit an Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study Work Plan by September 30, 2020

• Does not preclude remedial or final closure actions until future cleanup decisions have been reached.

– Following Ecology’s completeness determination, Ecology requested additional revisions to permit chapters to ensure the PUREX permit has updated and complete information on the facility.

State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)

• Ecology Issued a Determination of Significance/ Adoption notice for:– Appendix R of the

Tank Closure and Waste Management Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

• EIS evaluated impacts from the current DOE vision for PUREX Tunnels to be filled with grout and covered with a surface barrier.

• Final closure of the Tunnels will require an evaluation of alternatives

Temporary Authorization Request

• DOE submitted a Temporary Authorization Request on July 12, 2018– Prior to granting this request, Ecology asked DOE to

provide an updated engineering evaluation of Tunnel 2 based on recent photos inside the tunnel and environmental sampling.

– The updated evaluation stated “The conclusion of the evaluation of the visual inspections indicates PUREX Tunnel 2 is weaker than analyzed and grouting should proceed as soon as possible”.

– On August 13, Ecology granted a Temporary Authorization allowing the Permittees to begin preparing the site for grouting only, and asked for a quantitative assessment of the tunnel’s integrity and/or its risk of near term structural failure.

Purpose of Tonight’s Hearing

• Explain what action is proposed for the tunnels

• Answer Questions• Receive your comments

Questions?

Department of Ecology Mission:

Contacts and InformationNuclear Waste Program Public Comment Page: https://ecology.wa.gov/Waste-Toxics/Nuclear-waste/Public-comment-periods

PUREX Storage Tunnel Public Comment Page: http://wt.ecology.commentinput.com/?id=7mped

For questions you can email us at Hanford@ecy.wa.gov or call us at 509-372-7950.

To submit comments by mail send them to: 3100 Port of Benton Blvd, Richland, WA 99354. Comments must be postmarked by September 27, 2018.