www.energy.gov/EM 1

Aggregate Areas

David S. RhodesAcquisition Integrated Project Team Chair

Environmental Management Los Alamos Field Office

March 3, 2015

www.energy.gov/EM 2

Division of Drainages

Plateau dissected by nineteen major surface drainages or canyons and their tributaries running roughly west to east or southeast and drain into the Rio Grande

Many drainages large enough to split into sub-areas: upper/middle/lower

Thirty aggregate areas (AA) identified in Consent Order • Ten AAs completely investigated• Ten AAs in-progress with partial investigations and some cleanup work• Ten AAs not yet investigated (no cleans conducted)

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Pajarito Plateau

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RCRA Process

Investigation Work Plan (IWP)• IWP to NMED for plan approval

Field characterization activities• Field Screening• Sampling to off-site analytical laboratories

Field cleanup of sites above soil screening levels• Cleanup while crews in field

Identify constituents of potential concern (COPC)

Risk assessment of results• Identification for cleanup of site with risk above thresholds

Investigation Report (IR)

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In-progress examples

Historical Townsites• Private property sites provide access to remaining canyon-side sites• Los Alamos County property containing wetlands and sites• Commercial development sites provides access to remaining canyon-side sites

Upper Los Alamos Canyon• Former sites’ stack discharge locations/outfalls into canyon• Heaviest discharges of uranium and plutonium contaminants• Lead-contaminated soils beneath bridge

Middle Los Alamos Canyon• Outfall sediment reaches

Lower Los Alamos Canyon• Sediment reaches and canyon bottom areas of concern (AOC)• Sediment transport mitigations

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In-progress cleanup pics

PCB contaminated soil removal TA-61

North Ancho Remediation

Sandia Canyon Wetland Stabilization

Spider Excavator on Canyon Edge

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Supplemental Investigation ReportsSupplemental Investigation Reports

Ongoing effort to update Supplemental Investigation Reports (SIRs) with a Risk Assessment addendum• Five SIRs in FY2015

• Two submitted to NMED – no comments received on SIRs• Preparing three more

• Six SIRs in FY2016• Dependent on funding and priority• Likely will slide 2-3 into FY2017

• Could result in hundreds of certificates of completion (CoC) without additional cleanups

www.energy.gov/EM 8

Specific site cleanupsSpecific site cleanups

19 sites identified as above soil screening levels from previous investigations

Additional sites are expected to exceed soil screening levels and will need to be cleaned • It is anticipated that these additional sites will be generally consistent from

aggregate area to aggregate area, including:• Leaking septic system piping• Leaking small laboratory drain lines

Document specific site cleanups in investigation reports• Should lead directly to CoC

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Complete remaining investigationsComplete remaining investigations

Review of historical investigation information (pre-Consent Order)

Some have IWPs; others do not• Develop and submit to NMED for approval• Leave latitude to go back into field to close gaps without having to request

permission (work-at-risk)

Contract or conduct field sampling activities• Field screening important to close gaps• Did we go wide enough or deep enough?• Conduct field cleanups as investigation progresses

Assess risk of resulting/remaining contaminants Document in investigation reports