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Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background:...

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Contaminated Structures Project Vivian Craig Sr. Environmental Specialist Navajo Superfund Program NAVAJO NATION EPA Vivian Craig Sr. Environmental Specialist Navajo Superfund Program NAVAJO NATION EPA
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Page 1: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Contaminated StructuresProject

Vivian CraigSr. Environmental SpecialistNavajo Superfund Program

NAVAJO NATION EPA

Vivian CraigSr. Environmental SpecialistNavajo Superfund Program

NAVAJO NATION EPA

Page 2: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Contaminated Structures Project

Background:◦ Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

◦ 2007 – EPA mapped and identified ~500 structures near mines

◦ Plan: Assess 100 structures per year, clean up or replace contaminated homes

◦ First 5-Year Plan was initiated in 2008

Page 3: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Sad, Emotional, Disheartening

Page 4: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

End Result

Page 5: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

CSP Process

Structures found above Investigation Level are referred to EPA

EPA conducts detail assessment, removal of structures/soil from yards, and rebuilds as necessary

Page 6: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

CSP Screening Process

Page 7: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Scan with a Ludlam 2221 Scaler Ratemeter

Page 8: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Waiting to be Manifested

Page 9: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Project - Updates

Summary:

Total number of structures screened to date: 1,080 (including Phase I)

Remediated: 40 structures

Removed and rebuilt: 38 structures

Cash settlement for removal only: 2 structures

Residential yards cleaned-up: 22 yards

Rock walls

Contaminated soil/rocks on yards

Page 10: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Building Capacity of Navajo Superfund Program

NSP was already performing radiological surveying in 2008 but not widely on structures

In 2008, USEPA was the lead and NSP built capacity while assisting USEPA

CSP was a new technical horizon that Navajo Nation embarked in 2009

NSP purchased similar equipment used by USEPA, completed assessment of 965 structures, and referred to USEPA only structures above Investigation Level

Page 11: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Equipment Calibration

Equipment is calibrated by third party annually to get reliable and legally defensible data

Every field work day, NSP conducts calibration checks before and after work in the field with source to make sure standard calibration is valid

Page 12: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Field Work

Once NSP team gets access agreement, NSP performs radiological survey inside/outside home/structure and yard

Investigation Level = Average Background

Reading + (10 x Standard Deviation)

Page 13: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Priority of Selecting Home Sites

Residents who live within a quarter mile around the AUMs

Residents who request for home radiation survey, stating mine materials may have been used to build their structure(s)

Residents who live within a quarter mileto a mile around the AUMs

Page 14: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Community Outreach

Planning/Chapter Meeting

Announce CSP work in the region

Provide sign-up sheet for CSP work at chapter meetings

Word of mouth

Local Radio Announcement

Page 15: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Work Progress

Northern AUM Region (2008)

Eastern and Northern AUM Regions

(2009-2010)

Western AUM Region (2011)

Northern, North-Central, Central, Southern AUM Regions (2012-2015)

Page 16: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Phase 1-Northern & Western Regions

Chapters◦ Teec Nos Pos

◦ Red Valley

◦ Cane Valley

◦ Tuba City

Total

# of Structures Surveyed◦ 18

◦ 56

◦ 40

◦ 1

115

Page 17: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Phase II-VII-Total 965 CSP Screened

Northern 178

◦ Cove, Newcomb, Red Valley, Shiprock, Sweetwater

Teec Nos Pos, Mexican Water

Central 103

◦ Hard Rock, Blue Gap/Tachee, Tselani/Cottonwood,

Whipporwill

Eastern 431

◦ Baca/Prewitt, Breadsprings, Church Rock, Iyanbito, Mariano Lake, Pinedale, Standing Rock, Thoreau, Nahodishgish,

Western 238

◦ Dennehotso, Oljato, Shonto, Chilchinbeto, Cameron, Bodaway/Gap

Tuba City, Tonalea

Fort Defiance 15

◦ Greasewood, Indian Wells, Jeddito, Whitecone

Page 18: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Removal Work Progress at Eastern AUM Region

8 structure replacements , one cash settlement, and 10 yard clean up work completed

Rebuilding of one structure is in progress◦ House turned over on April 1, 2016

NN Community Housing and Infrastructure Department (CHID) was awarded a Grant to rebuild structure for USEPA

Page 19: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

BH-034H

Page 20: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).
Page 21: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

American

Disability

Act

Page 22: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Before and After

Page 23: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

SW-001

Page 24: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).
Page 25: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).
Page 26: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Beforeand

After

Page 27: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Before

After27

Page 28: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Issues

Home Site Lease or transfer of name

Utility Connections (Safe, Sanitary & Decent)◦ Electric

◦ Water

Probate

Disputes

CONFIDENTIALITY

Page 29: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Community Voices

Residents are optimistic to get home scanned and replaced if necessary

Some residents are frustrated that the CSP did not start till 2008◦ Uranium mining occurred in 1950’s - 1980’s

◦ Residents live with realizing danger in their home

Page 30: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Streamlining Process

EPA and NSP are working towards streamlining the process with the combined survey work

Reduces the duration from scanning to removal work

Page 31: Contaminated Structures Project - Northern Arizona …...Contaminated Structures Project Background: Radioactive sand/rock waste from mines used for building homes in the past (foundations).

Thank you.


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