DOE/EA-1779 Environmental Assessment Proposed Changes to the Sanitary Biosolids Land Application Program on the Oak Ridge Reservation, Oak Ridge, Tennessee June 2011 U.S. Department of Energy Oak Ridge Office This page intentionally left blank. DOE/EA-1779 Environmental Assessment Proposed Changes to the Sanitary Biosolids Land Application Program on the Oak Ridge Reservation, Oak Ridge, Tennessee Date Issued—June 2011 Bechtel Jacobs Company, LLC and CDM Federal Services Inc. contributed to the preparation of this document and may not be considered for review of the document U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management This page intentionally left blank. CONTENTS FIGURES...................................................................................................................................................... v TABLES ....................................................................................................................................................... v ACRONYMS..............................................................................................................................................vii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................... ix 1. INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR AGENCY ACTION...................................................................... 1 1.2 BACKGROUND........................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 SOLIDS HANDLING................................................................................................................... 3 1.4 OAK RIDGE RESERVATION BIOSOLIDS LAND APPLICATION SITES............................ 4 1.5 CONSTITUENTS IN BIOSOLIDS .............................................................................................. 9 1.6 RELEVANT REGULATORY DRIVERS.................................................................................. 21 1.7 SCOPE OF THE ANALYSIS..................................................................................................... 22 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTION AND ALTERNATIVES ....................................... 23 2.1 PROPOSED ACTION ................................................................................................................ 23 2.2 NO ACTION............................................................................................................................... 24 3. DESCRIPTION OF THE AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT.................................................................. 25 3.1 LAND USE ................................................................................................................................. 25 3.2 ARCHAEOLOGICAL, CULTURAL, AND HISTORICAL RESOURCES ............................. 25 3.3 REGIONAL DEMOGRAPHY/SOCIOECONOMICS............................................................... 25 3.3.1 Region of Influence ......................................................................................................... 25 3.3.2 Demographic and Economic Characteristics................................................................... 26 3.3.3 Population and Housing................................................................................................... 28 3.3.4 Community Services ....................................................................................................... 28 3.3.5 Environmental Justice...................................................................................................... 28 3.4 GEOLOGY AND SOILS............................................................................................................ 29 3.5 WATER QUALITY.................................................................................................................... 30 3.6 FLOODPLAINS AND WETLANDS ......................................................................................... 31 3.7 CLIMATE AND AIR QUALITY............................................................................................... 32 3.8 ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES ................................................................................................... 32 3.8.1 Listed Species..................................................................................................................33 3.8.2 Plants ............................................................................................................................... 34 3.8.3 Vertebrates....................................................................................................................... 34 4. POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS .................................................................................. 36 4.1 PROPOSED ACTION – SETBACK AMENDMENT ............................................................... 36 4.1.1 Regional Demography/Socioeconomics.......................................................................... 39 4.1.2 Environmental Justice...................................................................................................... 39 4.1.3 Archaeological, Cultural, and Historical Resources........................................................ 40 4.1.4 Geology and Soils............................................................................................................ 40 4.1.5 Water Quality .................................................................................................................. 43 4.1.5.1 Surface pathway to groundwater ...........................................................................43 4.1.5.2 Surface pathway to surface water..........................................................................43 4.1.5.3 City of Oak Ridge POTW discharge to EFPC ......................................................44 iii 4.1.6 Floodplains and Wetlands ............................................................................................... 44 4.1.7 Climate and Air Quality .................................................................................................. 45 4.1.8 Ecological Resources....................................................................................................... 45 4.1.8.1 Listed Species........................................................................................................45 4.1.9 Potential Radiological Impacts........................................................................................ 48 4.1.10 Transportation..................................................................................................................49 4.1.11 Human Health and Safety................................................................................................ 50 4.1.12 Accidents ......................................................................................................................... 50 4.2 NO ACTION............................................................................................................................... 50 4.3 COMPARISON OF ALTERNATIVES...................................................................................... 50 5. POTENTIAL CUMULATIVE AND LONG-TERM IMPACTS ........................................................ 52 5.1 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS BY RESOURCE AREA................................................................ 52 5.1.1 Geology and Soils............................................................................................................ 52 5.1.2 Water Resources.............................................................................................................. 52 5.1.3 Ecological Resources....................................................................................................... 53 5.1.4 Cultural Resources........................................................................................................... 53 5.1.5 Air Quality....................................................................................................................... 53 5.1.6 Socioeconomic ................................................................................................................ 53 5.1.7 Environmental Justice...................................................................................................... 53 5.1.8 Transportation..................................................................................................................54 5.1.9 Land Use.......................................................................................................................... 54 5.1.10 Human Health and Safety................................................................................................ 54 6. PERMIT AND REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS.......................................................................... 56 7. REFERENCES..................................................................................................................................... 58 8. INDIVIDUALS AND AGENCIES CONSULTED............................................................................. 60 APPENDIX A. ORR BIOSOLIDS LAND APPLICATION PROGRAM CHARACTERIZATION DATA.................................................................................................................................................A-1 APPENDIX B. RADIOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION GUIDELINES