Kaiser-Hill Earns 82 % of Available Incentives for 1997 Cleanup Work

‘ THEADVISOR.’- . A Publication of the Ro‘cky Flats Citizens-AdvisoryBoard

-I _------1 J Spring 1998 I 8 1 1 ._^___^ I - - - . I __p I - ._- .- Kaiser-Hill Earns 82 % of Available Incentives for 1997 Cleanup Work

I rior to the start of each fiscal year, the Department of , ’ In FY97, Kaiser-Hill earned 100% of :a Energy (DOE) and its contractor, Kaiser-Hil1;negoti- I It. ,P I . 1 ate performance measures and associated incentive I available incentive fees for: I fees for the upcoming year. With most of the reporting and ; I 1 I I evaluation completed, Kaisei-Hill has’received just over $20 Shipment of low-level mixed waste I million in incentive fees ou‘t 0f.a possible $24.6 million for (saltcrete and pondcrete) I cleanup work completed during Fiscal Year (FY) i997. This 1 represents about 82% of the available fee. In comparison, Waste minimization and pollution prevention I. Kaiser-Hill earned about 72% of the incentive fees for the Pre-certification of WlPP waste ’i 1.... work it completed during FY96. Additionally, there are still Waste consolidation and evacuation in the some performance measures open for which Kaiser-Hill I protected area -. . could earn fees for FY97. I I Deactivation work in Building 779 and the .. 1. 2- According to DOE’S manager-at Rocky Flats, Jessie ... 1 771 and 886 clusters I Roberson, “While significant progress was made in 1997,

.., I . we’re looking to accomplish even more next ye&. 1 *. Environmental remediation (Mound and T1)

Successful completion of these performance measures helps ’ 8 Building 771 nuclear holdup measurements I bring the site closer to the goal of accelerated closure in a 1. SmalVdisadvantaged business subcontracting ...... safe, secure and efficient manner.” 4. Comprehensive peiformance (schedule and cost) Under Kaiser-Hil1,’s contract with DOE, the company’is I 1. Life-cycle baseline development reimbursed for the costs it incurs as a result-of doing the .I Additional demolition activities (SS) ,. . work at the site. Additionally, it negotiates with DOE an >I* ... ’.

amount of money that is available as profit. Fifteen percent f 1 Removal of Building 776/777 pencil tanks (SS) . .- I of this pool is guaranteed, providing that Kaiser-Hill demon- i . Life-cycle baseline revisions (SS) .. , strates an acceptable level of performance. Only the Removal of nuclear materials - Bldg. 776/777 (SS) successful completion of an annual set of performance mea- I* <*Material disposition from environmental restoration sures entitles Kaiker-Hill to the other 85% of available fees. < at Mound and T3n4 (SS) . FY97 performance measures included both standard -1 and superstretch measures. Standard measures are those Automation of security posts/access control which D,OE expects Kaiser-Hill to complete under the exist- , systems (SS) ing closure plan. Superstretch measures are used to 1. Building 444 deactivation (SS) encourage Kaiser-Hill to, go beyond the current baseline plans Additional low level waste shipments (SS) 1 and accelerate completion of work not scheduled or funded in i the current fiscal year. Kaiser-Hill earned 84% of the 1 I’ (SS=superstretch) 4...... ” . ... L__ ... I. .. .- .~ .- ...... I ...... - . ‘. -I

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...... Highlights Inside: Rocky Flats Updates ...... i.2 INEEL Citizens Advisory Board ...... 6 Review of Soil Action Levels ...... i ...... 3 New CAB Staff / Providing Input to CAB ...... 7

State of the Flats Meeting ...... ’.; ...... i: ....4 Public Meeting Calendar ...... 1 ...... ,8 .. I I \ Updates ‘

Environmental Monitoring CDPHE Assigns New CAB Over the past year, The Advisor has Ex-Oflcio Representative reported on the progress of the evalua- Steve Gunderson recently took over .. tion commissioned by the Citizens as the Colorado Department of Public Advisory Board to look at the environ- Health and Environment’s ex-officio mental monitoring at Rocky Flats. This (non-voting) member on the CAB. evaluation, entitled An Analysis of Steve is a native of Iowa and has been a Environmental Monitoring ut and resident of Colorado since 1981. He around the Rocky Flats Environmental has a Bachelor of Arts in geology from Technology Site, is now available for Augustana College in Illinois. He also has a Master of Science degree in geolo- review on CAB’S web page 2006 Plan Update . gy from the University of California, (www.rfcab.org). A limited-number of The process of developing an accel- Berkeley. Steve worked as a corporate paper copies are available and may be erated closure plan for Rocky Flats and officer in a small Denver based petrole- obtained by contacting the CAB office. other Department of Energy nuclear um exploration and production company sites continues. A Discussion Draft of Work on a companion report, A Citizens prior to joining the state Department of the national 2006 Plan was released in Guide to Environmental Monitoring at Health as a geologist in 1989. June 1997. In December, Rocky Flats Rocky Flats, has been delayed. In 1992, Steve was assigned submitted a slightly modified version of Currently, CAB is reviewing the responsibility for creation of the its plan to DOE-Headquarters in evaluation and is engaged in discussions Emergency Management Program Washington, D.C (available on the with the Rocky Flats contractors respon- (EMP) within the health department. Rocky Flats web page - www.rfets.gov). sible for the environmental monitoring EMP responsibilities included offsite Headquarters is currently in the process programs, as well as representatives emergency planning related to Rocky of synthesizing the individual site plans from the local city governments, the Flats; emergency planning and pre- into an overall national Draft 2006 Plan. Colorado Department of Public Health The release of this version is paredness activities in Colorado relative scheduled for early March. The plan and Environment, and the to DOE radioactive waste shipments, will be available on the DOE web page Environmental Protection Agency. including those destined for WIPP; and at www.em.doe.gov/acc2006. A 45-day These groups have reviewed the evalua- coordinating department activities rela- public comment period will commence tion and have offered comments to tive to hazardous materials spills, public upon the release of the plan, followed CAB. By March of this year, GAB health emergency, and natural disasters. by the development of the Final 2006 . hopes to develop a set of recommenda- As EMP director, Steve was co- plan. A Preliminary Response to tions, based on the evaluation and the chair of the Colorado Emergency Comment document was prepared that discussions with the site and the regula- Planning Commission, chaired the addresses,public comments on the tors, for changes to the current Governor’s Interagency Advisory Group Discussion Draft and is currently avail- environmental monitoring program. on Hazardous Materials, and was a able in Rocky Flats Reading Rooms. One important area that has already member of DOE’S national Transportation External Coordination Rocky Flats’ plan now contains ’ been identified is the need to improve Working Group. only one scenario, in contrast to earlier the way in which environmental moni- versions which offered a number of Steve became the State Rocky Flats toring information and results are shared different cases. Only one substantive Cleanup Agreement Project Manager in with the public. CAB hopes to work change was made in this submittal. January 1998, at which time he was Whereas the June version identified nine collaboratively with the site and the reg- appointed as the Colorado Department buildings that would not be decommis- ulators on new ways to provide this of Public Health and Environment’s ex- sioned under the plan because of information, and thus has delayed the officio representative on CAB. CAB’S potential community reuse, the publication of the Citizens Guide until other ex-officio representatives are Tim December plan includes the D&D costs . these changes can be made. If you have Rehder from the U.S. Environmental for these buildings. Other than this additional questions about the project, Protection Agency and Joe Legare from change and some substantial formatting please contact Ken Korkia at the CAB the U.S. Department of Energy- changes, the document remains the office. Rocky Flats. same as the June discussion draft. .. ..' .. . -. . ,. I. ,. ' '-. 1. .. I I Review of Soil Action Levels is Now Underway n October 1996, DOE, the State of Colorado and the Environmental I Protection Agency established numeri- cal guidelines for the cleanup of .

'4 contaminated soil at Rocky Flats. These guidelines, or Soil Action Levels, provide limits for determining when action must be taken to remove, treat, or otherwise contain soil which is contaminated with plutonium and other radioactive materials. Almost immediately after. these Soil Action Levels were established, members of the community became concerned because the numbers . were much higher than expected, and based on additional review, were higher than the cleanup levels established for radioactively contaminated soil cleanups in other parts of

the world. I c. The Rocky Citizens'Adviso~ . Oversight panel members Bob Kanick, Tom Duvidson, Joe Goldfield, facilitator Board, in a 1996 recommendation, asked hura ill and k~~~M~~~~. that DOE conduct an independent assess- ' ment of the Soil Action Levels. Joining in governments, two from public interest groups, three this request were the cities of Broomfield and Westminster, technicalhcientific experts, and two citizen members. and the office of Congressman David Skaggs. In November During the next two months; the oversight panel will final- 19969 the Department Of Energy agreed to conduct such an . ize the scope of work and hire the contractor who will perform assessment. Shortly thereafter, representatives from CAB, the the evaluation. At this time, the panel would like to complete local governments, and other interested citizens started meeting work on the e;aluation in less than a year, so that the to discuss how such a study might be conducted. can be made ayailable for critical soil cleanup pi-ojects slated to .I - The end result of this discussion was the creation of a begin' before the year 2000. community oversi'ght 'panel which will solicit and watch over Although CAB is not officially represented on the over- the work of an independent contractor who will actually per- sight panel, several of its members will participate. The form the assessment. The study's scope Of asks that the Advisor will continue to provide updates on the progress of the coniractor review the methodology used to determine the Soil soil Action Level review during the coming year. All of tht Action Levels for Rocky Flats,.comparing it to what has bein panel's business-meetings are open and several public work done at other sites and examining alternative means for making sessions will be scheduled. If you need further infomation the determination. Thirteen individuals will sit on the over- about the panel or for a schedule of meetings, please contact ' sight panel. They include representatives from six local ' theCAB office.

5, We would like to answer your L. questions about Rocky Flats in our - next newsletter. If anything you . Rocky Flats CAB read in this issue brought up 9035 Wadsworth Parkway questions for you, or you have Suite 2250 I ., been wondering about anything , Westminster, CO 80021

related to Rocky Flats, just ask us to ~ (303) 420-7855 find an answer for you. Please send, fax (303) 420-7579 call in, fax or e-mail your questions to . e-mail rfcabQ indra.com us by April 17 and we will try to answer them in our next issue. First Annual State of the Flats Meeting: , 1997 in Review and a Look Ahead to 1998

he first annual State of the Flats meeting, held on January 28, was an opportunity for representatives T from Rocky Flats to present a summary of the site’s cleanup accomplishments from 1997 and to share some information about what is planned for 1998. The meeting was very well-attended, with over 100 people filling a conference room at the Arvada Center for Arts and Humanities. The Department of Energy (DOE) manager at Rocky Flats, Jessie Roberson, opened the meeting with some brief remarks. She stated that much has been accomplished during the last year but that many areas also need improvement. Kaiser-Hill President Bob Card then presented the Kaiser-Hill team’s accomplishments, challenges and path forward. He spoke about accomplishments in the areas of safety, environmental stewardship, safeguards and security, cost effectiveness and budget, planning and closure progress. Paul Golan of DOE presented more information about the critical path to closure and the tools DOE uses to ensure that .. DOE’S Paul Golan discussed the critical path to site closure. its contractors accomplish the most important activities. During the next few years, the most important critical path activity is going to be residue processing. This is followed on Golan then identified the focus activities for fiscal year the critical path by shipment of special nuclear material during 1998 performance measures (see related story on page 5) and Fiscal Years (FY) 2002-2004, closure of Building 371 (FY04- described improvements DOE has made to the performance . 07), closure of Building 776/777 (FY07-09), and construction measures system, including gateway performance measures, of closure caps (FYO9-IO). superstretch performance measures, fee distribution, cost restrictions and the safety and comprehensive performance measures. Key activities for 1998 include draining and removal of all liquids from Building 771; processing of all high concentration plutonium solutions; stabilization of significant amounts of different types of residues; remediation of Trench T1; shipment of all plutonium pits; shipment of 7,000 cubic meters of transuranic waste, low level and low level mixed waste; and safety and schedule improvements. . Steve Gunderson from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Max Dodson from the Environmental Protection Agency and Bob Warther from the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board presented their agencies’ assessments of the state of Rocky Flats from the regulator perspective. Each pointed to several positive accomplishments as well as areas for improvement. To close the meeting, attendees were presented with a list of key activities for 1998 and given an opportunity to offer suggestions for how they would like to be involved. In conjunction with this meeting, DOE and Kaiser-Hill prepared a 12-page document entitled State of the Flats: Rocky Flats Annual Report of Progress Toward Site Closure. Please Over a hundred people gathered to hear and ask questions . contact the CAB office at (303) 420-7855 if you would like a about the state of Rocky Flats. (pictured speaking: Carol copy of this document or more information about anything dis- Barker, local citizen and Rocky Flats retiree) cussed at the meeting......

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i FY97 Performance Measures and Milestones (continued from Page 1) 1. I. ,.- . " -.-.I --. " - - ~ ,' ~ - - --

available fees for standard measures ($17.1 million of an avail- I able $20.4 million) and about 72% ($3 million of an available . ' Other Activities for which Kaiser-Hill ' , $4.2 million) for their work in the superstretch category. 1. Earned Most of the Available Fee: , . . For More Information... I 1. DOE hosted a public,meeting at the end of January to present , Building 371 liquid stabilization the site's accomplishments during 1997. A Written report - i Preparation of Building 707 for installation of ' State of the Flats: Rocky Flats Annual Report of Progress 1 plutonium packaging system I . Toward Site Closure - was prepared prior to the meeting that I , 'provides some background information, an analysis of.the per- ' Residue treatment i formance during 1997, lessons learned and a preview of 1998. . , SNM shipment ! ! This document is available from the DOE Communications Chemical disposition 4- office at (303) 966-5993. 1 ,I j Waste safeguards termination I i Also, CAB'S Site Wide Issues/Budget Focus Group is already I consolidation of classified material (ss) I involved in monitoring fiscal year 1998 performance measures !I Disposition of excess property items (SS) 1 (see box below). If you are interested in r. 1 < ' participating on this focus group, please call the CAB office at, '1 (SS=superstretch) I (303) 420-7855. i_____ -__-..-__-_I______^I------_*

(Please see page 4for more information about the State of the Rocky Flats-Meets .Regulatory - ' Flats meeting.) Milestones and Target Activities '

I n July 1996, the Department of Energy, the Colorado Fiscal Year 1998 Department of Public Health and Environment, and the I I1j I , Environmental Protection Agency signed,the Rocky Flats I Performance Measures 1 Cleanup Agreement. As part of this legally-binding agreement, ' i the agencies annually negotiate a set of cleanup activities that '. I Draining and processing of SNM liquids I ( need to be completed during the fiscal year. Additionally, the 1 Residue stabilization ; agencies agree to a set of target activities for work involving' 1 radioactive >materials,which is exempted from outside regula- ' ! Safeguards improvements~ho~dupmeasurements ' tion. Rocky Flats accomplished all Fiscal Year4997 milestones Waste chemical disposition and target activities. ' 1 Building 771 deactivation activities Milestones Building 779 decommissioning activities . Modify and operate Building 440 for storage of wastes Shipment of pondcretehaltcrete ' (removing gloveboxes) Shipment of low level waste Remediation of Trench T-1 / disposal of soil Removal of containerized wastes from the protected area Certification of transuranic waste drums for WIPP - Special nuclear material shipments Submit final draft Operable Unit 3 Record of Decision (all plutonium pits /,some enriched uranium parts) Charactenzation and project planning for Trench T-1 Complete source removal and soil treatment at Mound . . Low level and transuranic waste shipments l Building 440 upgrades (TRU drum repack module) Target Activities Identify corrective actions for the plutonium and . . Improvement of safety performance index highly enriched uranium vulnerabilities Comprehensive performance (20% cost and 0% Complete pipe component development for residue packing Install'and operate enriched uranium decon system schedule variances/90% completion of milestones) Thermally stabilize 90% of the plutonium oxide SmaWdisadvantaged business subcontracting generated during the year Complete 25 special nuclear material shipments A

THE DOE WEAPONS COMPLEX

- ~- - I_ - - 1 This Issue: INEEL Citizens Advisory Board - -_ -i The Rocky Flats Citizens Advisory Board is one of several Site-Specific Advisory Boards (SSABs) that have been formed at former nuclear weapons production sites. . In each issue of The Advisor, we spotlight the activities of one of these boards.

... .. Idaho Falls. ^.,. . One issue the Board monitors Approximately closely is activities related to Pit 9, 120,000 people live which is part of an 88-acre INEEL waste within a 50-mile burial site where radioactive waste, radius of the site. chemicals and contaminated metals were INEEL employs buried prior to 1970. A November 1997 approximately recommendation by the Board requests ’ 9,000 workers. that DOE provide Idaho residents with a The Board has status report on the project. The Board issued nearly 30 also asked DOE to clarify other alterna- recommendations tives for cleaningup the pit. since its inception. INEEL is one of four DOE sites INEEL CAB members on a tour of the site. These recommen- named in a recent environmental study dations address a as a possible location for facilities to long with other Site Specific variety of topics manufacture mixed-oxide (MOX) Advisory Boards across the including: waste stream issues and pro- reactor fuel, which can be burned in A nation’s nuclear weapons corn- grams; management of spent nuclear commercial reactors to produce electrici- plex, the Idaho National Engineering and fuel; the DOE budget and fiscal PriOriti-’ ty. In November, CAB members issued Environmental Laboratory’s (INEEL) zation process; integrating activitiei and a statement of concern about this possi- cleanup of sites; the remedial investiga- ble project. The Board’s concerns about I Citizens Advisory Board (CAB) was formed in ]ate 1993. Currently there are tion and feasibility study Process at the siting MOX fabiication facilities at 15 CAB members and theeexlofficio Idaho Chemical Processing Plant; land INEEL include the possible generation members. me-group is staffed by Jason use at the site; and Soundwater ConkUfl- of additional radioactive wastes during Associates of Idaho Falls. ination at Test Area North. The INEEL fabrication; safety and security issues neIdaho National ~~~i~~~ri~~and CAB consistently advocates several associated with transportation, handling Environmental Laboratory is a U.S. positions regarding operations at the site. and storage of plutonium; and costs . Department of Energy (DOE) laboratory It protection of the associated with fuel fabrication. . . located On 890 square miles of the east- Snake River Plain Aquifer and full com- ern Snake River plain in southeastern pliance with regulatory requirements and (Copies of recommendations, Board Idaho. The site is located west of the - the Idaho Settlement Agreement. Also, meeting minutes, and other general the Board feels that INEEL is a national information about the INEEL CAB can Snake River, south and east of the I , Bitterroot, hi, and Lost ~i~~~moun- resource that can contribute to solving be obtained at the Board’s web site: tain ranges, and west of the City of national problems. ’ www.ida.net/users/cab) Here’s HOW.^.^^ 1 took over the job of CAB’S Technical I I Program Specialist: Brady is a recent l------_-____---_II--r-- -1- i graduate of the University of Northern web Site ak Colorado, with a Bachelor of Arts degree ‘ Our website contains in Biological Sciences, emphasis in Field . &-w Board recommenda- Biology. His undergraduate research .- tions, meeting . project involved surveying Bald Eagles minutes, newsletter wintering along the South Platte River. ’ wwwJfcab.org articles, Rocky Flats- Brady also did a research internship at the ‘ or information and more Denver Botanical Gardens. rfcab8indra.com You-may also send UE e-mail. .

Call 24 hours a day to record vour 1 gubpic opinions, bomments,’ or suggestions on . bbqSh Rocky Flats or CAB G. activities. All comments will be ’ (303)637-4808 reviewed by the Board. ..

Jcettertab ’ ‘Send us a letter Ne ’AB staff member Brad1 Wilson. I A’ t& W I QgA expressing your opinion or asking a Brady joins three other CAB staff mem- RFCAB question on a Rocky bers - Ken Korkia, BoarUStaff Newsletter Editor Flats issue and we Coordinator; Erin Rogers, Program 9035 Wadsworth Pw, will print as many as Coordinator; and Deb Thompson, Office Suite 2250 possible in each Manager. The staff can be reached at the Westminster, CO 80021 issue. CAB office at (303) 420-7855.

The Advisor is published quarterly by the Rocky Flats Citizens CAB MISSION STATEMENT Advisory Board (CAB). The Executive Editor is Tom Marshall. Please send your questions, suggestions and ideas to: The Rocky Flats Citizens Advisory Board, a nonpartisan, broadly representative, independent Erin Rogers, Managing Editor advisory board with concerns related to Rocky Flats Rocky Flats Citizens Advisory Board 9035 Wadsworth Parkway, Suite 2250 activities, is dedicated to providing informed Westminster, CO 80021 recommendations and advice to the agencies .. Phone: (303) 420-7855 / Fax: (303) 420-7579 (Department of Energy, Colorado Department of .. Email: rfcab @ indra.com Public Health and Environment and the Environmental Except as noted, all articles are written by CAB staff: Ken Korkia, Protection Agency), government entities and other Erin Rogers and Deb Thompson. To request a change of address or interested parties on ‘policy and technical issues to add or remove your name from the mailing list, contact Deb Thomoson at the above address and Dhone number. Material may and decisions related to cleanup, waste management Rockv Flats Public MeetinP Calendar March I 5 Rocky Flats Citizens Advisory Board Meeting 6 - 9:30 p.m. Westminster City Hall 9 CAB Site Wide Issues /Budget Focus Group 7 - 9 p.m. Westminster City Hall 16 CAB D&D / Closure Plan Focus Group 6 - 8 p.m. Westminster City Hall 17 CAB Plutonium Issues Focus Group 7 - 9 p.m Westminster City Hall 26 RFLII Board Meeting 2 - 4 p.m. RFLII office

April. 2 Rocky Flats Citizens Advisory Board Meeting 6 - 9:30 p.m. Westminster City Hall 6 CAB Site Wide Issues /Budget Focus Group 7 - 9 p.m. Westminster City Hall 20 CAB D&D / Closure Plan Focus Group 6 - 8 p.m. Westminster City Hall 21 CAB Plutonium Issues Focus Group 7 - 9 p.m. Westminster City Hall

May 7 Rocky Flats Citizens Advisory Board Meeting 6 - 9:30 p.m. Westminster City Hall 11 CAB Site Wide Issues /Budget Focus Group 7 - 9 p.m. Westminster City Hall 18 CAB D&D / Closure Plan Focus Group . 6 - 8 p.m. Westminster City Hall . 19 CAB Plutonium Issues Focus Group 7 - 9 p.m. Westminster City Hall

ALL MEETINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE, PLE.4SE CALL BEFORE YOU GO -- (303) 420-7855

RFLII office: 5460 Ward Road, Suite 205, Arvada

Westminster City Hall: 4800 West 92nd Avenue, Westminster I,

Rocky Flats Citizens Advisory Board NONPROFIT ORG. 9035 Wadsworth Parkway, Suite 2250 U.S. POSTAGE Westminster, CO 80021 PAID Broomfield, CO 80021 Address Service Requested Permit No. 20

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