[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 75 (Monday, April 20, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19476-19477]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-10359]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of Army
Corps of Engineers
Release of Feasibility Study/Proposed Plan (FS/PP) for Cleanup of
Radiological Contamination at the St. Louis Downtown Site (SLDS) for
Public Review
AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DOD.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The St. Louis District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE),
in consultation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
propose to cleanup contaminants resulting from past uranium processing
operations at the St. Louis Downtown Site (SLDS). SLDS is one of
several being addressed under the Superfund law (Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act [CERCLA].
Alternatives, which identify the range of cleanup options, have been
developed and evaluated in the SLDS Feasibility Study (FS). USACE has
identified Alternative 4 as the preferred remediation alternative
[[Page 19477]]
described in this Proposed Plan based on the information available at
this time. The final decision on the remedy to be implemented will be
documented in a Record of Decision (ROD) only after consideration of
all comments received and any new information presented.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the SLDS FS/PP may
be directed to Mr. Chris Haskell, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St.
Louis District, FUSRAP Project Office, 9170 Latty Avenue, Berkeley,
Missouri 63134, by phone (314) 524-3334, or by e-mail at
``Chris.Haskell @MVS01.usace. army.mil''.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Proposed Action
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District, issued the
SLDS Feasibility Study/Proposed Plan (FS/PP) for public comment on
April 8, 1998. The site became contaminated as a result of activities
in support of the nation's early atomic energy program in the 1940s.
The sites are being addressed under the Formerly Utilized Sites
Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). Cleanup of these sites is now managed
by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The alternatives evaluated in the
Feasibility Study are summarized in the Proposed Plan. Inaccessible
soils are not included as part of the operable unit.
2. Project Alternatives
a. Alternative 1--No Action. Mandated by the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liabilities (CERCLA),
periodic environmental monitoring would be conducted, but no remedial
action would be conducted.
b. Alternative 2--Institutional Controls and Site Maintenance.
Institutional controls and site maintenance would be implemented to
prevent unacceptable exposures to site contamination.
c. Alternative 3--Containment. Alternative 3 incorporates
containment, institutional controls, and environmental monitoring to
reduce further spread of contaminants and reduce the potential for
direct exposure. Under this alternative, accessible soils from SLDS and
vicinity properties would be excavated and consolidated and capped at a
downtown location such as the City Property or Plant 2 area.
d. Alternative 4--Partial Excavation and Disposal. This alternative
includes excavation of accessible soils in the upper 2 feet to the
composite criteria of 5 pCi/g in surface soil (top 6 inches) and 15
pCi/g in shallow subsurface soil (top 2 feet) (for Ra-226, Ra-228, Th-
230, and Thj-232) and 50 pCi/g for U-238. Site-specific dose and risk-
based target removal levels of 50 pCi/g Ra-226, 100 pCi/g Th-230 and
150 pCi/g U-238 would be used for excavation of soils below 2 feet for
most site areas.
e. Alternative 5--Complete Excavation and Disposal. This
alternative involves excavating soil contaminated above the composite
criteria regardless of depth.
f. Alternative 6--Selective Excavation and Disposal. This
alternative focuses on reducing the need for future studies, designs,
and remedial actions, in addition to protection of human health and the
environmental relative to Alternative 4. It is anticipated that
excavation to the composite criteria would proceed to a depth of 6 feet
of the St. Louis Terminal Railroad Association tracks and the former
locations of Buildings 116, 117, 704-707. Excavation for the composite
criteria would stop at 4 feet at all other areas at SLDS including the
vicinity properties and under the roads.
The Corps of Engineers has identified alternative 4 as preferred.
3. Scoping Process
Federal, state and local agencies, and interested individuals are
invited to participate in the scoping process to determine the range of
issues and alternatives to be addressed. The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers will hold a public meeting to receive oral and written
comments at the Henry Clay Elementary School Gymnasium, 3820 North
141th Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63107 on April 21, 1998 from 7:00
p.m. to 9:00 p.m. In addition, written comments will also be accepted
until May 8, 1998 by Dr. R. L. Mullins at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
St. Louis District, FUSRAP Project Office, 9170 Latty Avenue, Berkeley,
Missouri 63134, (314) 524-4083.
4. Availability of FS/PP
Copies of the FS/PP are available for review from April 8, 1998
until May 8, 1998 during business hours at the following locations:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Louis District, FUSRAP Project
Office, 9170 Latty Avenue, Berkeley, Missouri 63134
St. Louis Public Library, Government Information Section, 1301 Olive
Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103
Henry Clay Elementary School, 3820 N. 14th Street, St. Louis, Missouri
63107
Prairie Commons Branch Library, 915 Utz Lane, Hazelwood, Missouri 63042
Washington University Library of Biological Sciences, One Brookings
Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63130
Julia Davis Branch Library, 4415 Natural Bridge, St. Louis Missouri
63115
St. Louis County Library, 1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, Missouri
63131
The FS/PP is also available for review on the world wide web at
http://144.3.144.51/engr/fusrap/index.htm.
Gregory D. Showalter,
Army Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-10359 Filed 4-17-98; 8:45 am]
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