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4.19 UNAVOIDABLE ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

Continued operation, construction of new facilities, and an increase in plutonium storage capabilities at Pantex Plant would result in some adverse environmental impacts. The impact assessment conducted in this EIS has identified adverse impacts that cannot be fully mitigated. Residual impacts following mitigation are unavoidable.

Some unavoidable adverse environmental impacts would occur during construction of the new facilities. Natural resources would be impacted during construction as land is cleared for new facilities. However, the extent of the impact has been mitigated by selecting sites that were previously disturbed or are part of existing industrial areas.

During normal operations at Pantex Plant, a minimal amount of radioactive material is released to the environment. However, any radiation dose received by a member of the public from emissions from Pantex Plant is too small to be distinguished from naturally occurring background radiation. During normal operations at Pantex Plant, even with a strong As Low as Reasonably Achievable program and engineering and administrative controls, some radiological exposures to workers are expected.

During the timeframe of this EIS, the cumulative radiological exposureradiological exposure to the Pantex Plant workforce is expected to be essentially the same as for the Proposed Action (330 person-rem). This exposure will result in 0.13 excess cancer fatalities in the group. Maximum individual radiological exposures will be maintained below the DOE administrative goal of 900 millirem per year. Assuming that a single individual is exposed to 900 millirem per year for 10 years, this individuals risk of contracting a fatal cancer will increase by 3.6 x 10^-3.

Since hazardous and toxic chemicals are associated with the construction and operation of Pantex Plant facilities, worker exposure to these chemicals is unavoidable. However, no onsite chemical concentrations exceed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration threshold limit values. No fence line chemical concentrations exceed the TNRCC Effects Screening Levels (ESL)Effects Screening Levels (ESLs), and thus do not pose a threat to the public

Remote, automated, and robotic production methods (e.g., high explosive machining) are currently in place. Additional development through technology transfer is an ongoing effort. Continued success in the Pollution Prevention and Waste Minimization program (see appendix G) would further reduce the hazard index and could possibly eliminate the cancer risk.

Solid wastes (which include liquids and gases by definition) would be generated as an unavoidable result of Pantex Plant operations. Although Pantex Plant utilizes a Pollution Prevention and Waste Minimization program, generation of low-level, low-level mixed, hazardous, and nonhazardous wastes is unavoidable. No new waste types are expected as a result of the Proposed Action, No Action, or Pit Storage Relocation Alternative scenarios at Pantex Plant.