[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 73 (Wednesday, April 16, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18594-18595]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-9805]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Notice of Floodplain and Wetlands Involvement for the Weldon
Spring Site
AGENCY: Office of Environmental Management, DOE.
ACTION: Notice of floodplain and wetlands involvement.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to conduct a
removal action at the Weldon Spring Site to remove radiologically and
chemically contaminated sediment from an intermittent stream located in
St. Charles County, Missouri. The proposed action will protect human
health and the environment. The stream channel contains a number of
small wetlands and a portion of the stream is located within the
Missouri River 100-year floodplain. In accordance with 10 CFR Part
1022, DOE will prepare a floodplain and wetlands assessment and will
perform this proposed action in a manner so as to avoid or minimize
potential harm to or within the affected floodplain and wetlands.
DATES: Comments are due to the address below no later than May 1, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Mr. Steve McCracken, U.S.
Department of Energy, Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project, 7295
Highway 94 South, St. Charles, MO 63304. Comments may be faxed to (314)
447-0739.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS PROPOSED ACTION, CONTACT:
Mr. Steve McCracken, U.S. Department of Energy, Weldon Spring Site
Remedial Action Project, 7295 Highway 94 South, St. Charles, MO 63304,
(314) 441-8978.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office
of NEPA Policy and Assistance, EH-42, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20585, (202) 586-4600 or
(800) 472-2756.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DOE is conducting response actions at
its Weldon Spring Site under the direction of the DOE Office of
Environmental Management. The Weldon Spring Site is located in St.
Charles County, Missouri,
[[Page 18595]]
approximately 48 km (30 miles) west of St. Louis. As part of the
overall cleanup of the Weldon Spring Site, the DOE is proposing to
remove contaminated sediment from the Southeast Drainage to reduce the
levels of environmental contamination and protect human health and the
environment. The drainage is a natural 1.5 mi stream channel extending
from the southeastern portion of the chemical plant area to the
Missouri River, and is located within the State of Missouri Weldon
Spring Conservation Area. Flows within the Southeast Drainage result
from surface water runoff and groundwater discharge through four
springs. Portions of the stream channel contain unvegetated riverine
wetlands. The 100-year floodplain of the Missouri River extends into
the lower portion of the Southeast Drainage approximately 1,200 feet.
Sediments within the Southeast Drainage became radioactively
contaminated as a result of past activities of the U.S. Department of
Energy (and its predecessors). The contaminants include uranium,
radium, and thorium. Sediments would be excavated from selected
locations within the drainage utilizing conventional excavation
technologies and existing right-of-way routes. Excavation would be
accomplished by the use of tracked equipment, which would operate
within the channel as frequently as possible to minimize impacts to the
environment. Occasional crossing of the channel by excavation equipment
may be necessary. This method would be used to minimize clearing and
grubbing of vegetation, and other potential impacts to the drainage.
The estimated sediment excavation depth would be 2 to 4 ft below the
surface. The anticipated volume of sediment removed would be
approximately 2,000 yd \3\. Excavated sediment would be stored
temporarily at the chemical plant area before final disposal in the
engineered disposal facility planned for the Weldon Spring site.
Water quality within the channel would be protected during
excavation to the extent practicable by several measures.
Administrative controls would be used to stop work during major storm
events. When excavations would remain exposed overnight, erosion
controls would be installed to prevent the transport of silt downstream
by stormwater flows. Additionally, silt dams will be constructed within
the drainage in areas where the existing right-of-way route deviates
significantly from the defined channel. Restoration of excavated areas
within the drainage would include grading to avoid steep or vertical
slopes, and to minimize ponding and backfilling. Areas of exposed soil
outside the stream channel would be mulched and reseeded with an annual
grass to minimize erosion and allow the natural seedbank to reestablish
vegetative cover.
In accordance with DOE regulations for compliance with floodplain
and wetlands environmental review requirements (10 CFR Part 1022), DOE
will prepare a floodplain and wetlands assessment for this proposed DOE
action. After DOE issues the assessment, a floodplain Statement of
Findings will be published in the Federal Register.
Issued in Oak Ridge, Tennessee on April 7, 1997.
James L. Elmore,
Alternate NEPA Compliance Officer.
[FR Doc. 97-9805 Filed 4-15-97; 8:45 am]
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