H.8 METROLOGY AND HEALTH PHYSICS CALIBRATION AND ACCEPTANCE FACILITY
H.8.1 Purpose and Need for Action
The Department needs to conduct metrology and health physics calibration and acceptance activities in support of disassembly and quality assurance testing.
The new facility is needed because the existing metrology and health physics calibration and acceptance activities are inadequate for operation by current criteria because the facilities were designed for assembly and not disassembly and quality assurance testing. The facilities were not designed for the level of control and support for testing facilities. Furthermore, there are no onsite facilities capable of completing calibration of neutron and gamma monitoring equipment (DOE 1994a:I1-2).
H.8.2 Proposed Action
The Department proposes to construct a facility built to current design criteria in which to conduct needed activities. The project consists of a Health Physics Calibration Area and a Product Acceptance Control Area (DOE 1994a:I-3).
This 4,474-square meter (48,156-square foot) facility would provide the capability and capacity to support weapon operations at Pantex Plant. The facility would be appropriately separated into two major areas: Health Physics Calibration and Product Acceptance Control and Storage Area.
H.8.2.1 Health Physics Laboratory
This 634-square meter (6,825-square foot) laboratory would provide space inside the Material Access Area for the calibration and maintenance of alpha, beta, gamma, x-ray, and neutron instrumentation, survey meters, and area monitors required for all weapons program operations at Pantex Plant. Due to the calibration source activities and isotopes involved, specially designed facilities are required to obtain National Institute of Standards and Technology traceable calibration while limiting personnel exposure to radiation. The laboratory contains a 92.9-square meter (1,000-square foot) Gamma/X-ray Calibration Laboratory, two 74.3-square meter (800-square foot) Neutron Calibration Laboratories, and a 111.5-square meter (1,200-square foot) Alpha/Beta Calibration Laboratory.
H.8.2.2 Product Acceptance Control Area
This 1,780-square meter (19,200-square foot) laboratory would provide the capability for calibration, maintenance, repair, examination, and final qualification of production acceptance measurement and test equipment. The area would provide control of Nuclear Explosive Area measurement and test equipment, cables, and adapters listed on the Albuquerque Operations Office Master Tester List utilized in the weapon operations area as a means of reducing existing nuclear explosive safety concern. Support of design agency special projects pertaining to weapons' test systems will also be performed. The entire facility is designed to have functional capability to meet all nuclear explosive safety requirements and all other applicable requirements. This area would also provide for the calibration of measurement and test equipment used by facility operations in performing required maintenance on facilities located in the Material Access Area. The laboratory contains a 560-square meter (6,000-square foot) Nuclear Explosive Area Tester, Gage Calibration Laboratory, and a 65-square meter (700-square foot) self-contained modular Mechanical Calibration Laboratory.
H.8.2.3 Storage Area
This facility would provide a centralized and secure area for the staging, short term storage, and long term storage of nuclear explosives; area measurement and test equipment; and other measurement and testing equipment used in the weapons operations area. This area would reduce existing concerns of nuclear explosives safety pertaining to control and storage of this equipment. The storage area would provide a secured, two-lock area so that nuclear explosives measurement and test equipment can be transferred to and from the Metrology Department, to and from the user of the measurement and test equipment, or be stored when not required. The short-term storage area would provide an area for the storage of measurement and test equipment that is not required by the user for a short period of time. The environmental controls of this area would be such that the equipment would be stored without being packaged for long-term storage. The long-term storage area would provide an area with less stringent environmental control requirements for the storage of measurement and test equipment that has been packaged for long-term storage. The storage area contains three storage areas totalling 920 square meters (9,900 square feet).
H.8.2.4 Environmental Conditions
The facility design includes conformance with DOE Standard 1020-94, Natural Phenomena Hazards Design and Evaluation Criteria for Department of Energy Facilities (DOE 1994d). The new facility would be a stand-alone facility that would be designed specifically to meet all present environmental codes and regulations. The current waste handling requirements are incorporated into the initial conceptual design criteria. Normal operation of this facility would be in compliance with Federal, State, and local air and water pollution control standards and would not have cumulative or long-term adverse effects on the environment. The site would be graded to drain surface water into the existing plant stormwater drainage system. Sanitary waste would be directed and processed through the plant sanitary sewage system. Solid domestic-type waste would be taken to a municipal sanitary landfill for offsite disposal (DOE 1994a:I-35, I-27 to 29).
During construction of the proposed facility, environmental considerations would include pollution and soil erosion controls to mitigate impacts on air, water, and other environmental resources and to ensure compliance with Federal, State, and local laws and regulations. Construction debris waste would be collected and hauled to the Pantex Plant landfill on a regular basis. No open burning of construction refuse or other Class 2 and Class 3 would be allowed (DOE 1994a:I-35, I-27 to 29).
The design of this facility includes an energy conservation analysis, including Life Cycle costing. Appendix G, Pollution Prevention and Waste Minimization presents an additional discussion of water and energy conservation (DOE 1994a:I-26, I-27).
No permits are currently required and no new permits would be required.
H.8.2.5 Health and Safety
The facility would operate under an approved Final Safety Analysis Report developed prior to initial operation. Emergency lighting would comply with the National Fire Protection Association code. Fire protection would consist of automatic sprinkler systems and fire alarm systems. Laboratories would not be occupied by personnel while radiation calibration sources are exposed. Engineering controls like interlocks, airlocks, and shielding would be included in the design features. A physical barrier outside the building would be used to establish an exclusion zone. In addition, several emergency body/eyewash stations would be included in the design (DOE 1994a:I-30 to 35).
H.8.2.6 Safeguards and Security
The Metrology and Health Physics Calibration and Acceptance Facility would follow established security practices for Pantex Plant. Weapons-grade special nuclear material in the form of calibration sources would be stored under administrative control. In addition, the facility would be connected to the plant's existing security alarm network (DOE 1994a:I-35).
H.8.3 Relationship to Other Projects
This project is not related to any other construction project (DOE 1994a:I-12).
H.8.4 Environmental Impacts
H.8.4.1 Infrastructure
Electrical usage would remain the same at its current level of 1,315 megawatthours per year. No natural gas would be used at the facility. Steam usage would remain the same at 4.4 million kilograms per year (9.6 million pounds per year), involving the use of 564,000 liters per year (149,000 gallons per year) of water and 0.3 million cubic meters per year (9.2 million cubic feet per year) of natural gas (PC 1995:Table 3).
H.8.4.2 Land Resources
The building site is located in the southeast corner of Zone 12 South. The facility is north of Building 12-41 and east of Building 12-42. The facility would consolidate and improve operations and increase the safety to the worker, the public and the environment. There are no expected environmental impacts of the Proposed Action on the surrounding land resources.
H.8.4.3 Geology And Soils
There could be very minor impacts to the soils due to erosion during construction. The area of temporarily disturbed soil would be 8,947.4 square meters (96,312 square feet) (PC 1995:Table 2). Mitigation measures, such as sediment traps, diversion of surface water runoff from the construction area, dikes, silt fences, and covering the disturbed area with rip rap would be used to minimize soil erosion.
H.8.4.4 Water Resources
Water use is expected to remain at its current level of 10,400,000 liters per year (2,779,000 gallons per year). The generation of wastewater is also expected to remain at its current level of 9,170,000 liters per year (2,449,000 gallons per year) (PC 1995:Table 3). The facility construction site is not located within a known, playa-associated 100-year floodplain (DOE 1994a:I-27).
H.8.4.5 Air Quality
Airborne particulate matter (i.e., dirt and equipment emissions) levels would be elevated during the construction period. This facility is expected to generate the same types and quantities of air emissions as the existing facilities it would replace. Therefore, there would be no changes in the impacts from current operational levels (PC 1995:Table 3).
H.8.4.6 Acoustics
Noise levels would temporarily increase during construction from operation of heavy construction equipment such as graders, cement mixers, and construction vehicle traffic. During waste handling operations, noise would be emanating from forklift operations and loading dock operations. Local worker and transportation traffic would contribute to the ambient noise in the area. The majority of the noise sources are expected during the operation of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system, computer systems, and analytical equipment (DOE 1994a). The operational areas design will include noise controls pursuant to Occupational Safety and Health standards (29 CFR 1910.95).
H.8.4.7 Biotic Resources
Flora and fauna that currently use the facility construction site would be permanently removed or displaced by construction. The facility is sited in accordance with the Pantex Plant Site Development Plan (DOE 1995c; DOE 1994a:I-35). The site represents an already disturbed area and no measurable impacts to biotic resources are anticipated.
H.8.4.8 Cultural Resources
The facility is sited in accordance with the Pantex Plant Site Development Plan (DOE 1995c; DOE 1994a:I-35). The facility would be located in an already disturbed area and no impacts to cultural resources are anticipated.
No decisions have been made regarding the use of existing facilities which may qualify as historic resources. The decision to reuse, modify, or demolish will be addressed in future NEPA documentation.
H.8.4.9 Socioeconomic Resources
The construction cost of this facility would be approximately $11.5 million. Construction of the facility is expected to employ 11 to 60 short-term employees (PC 1995:Table 1) and would probably result in a small temporary increase in local employment. A substantial portion of the material costs would enter the wholesale and retail trade sector of the regional economy. This facility is designed for an estimated 48 employees; no new employees are expected. Employees working in existing facilities would be relocated to work in new facilities (PC 1995:Table 3).
H.8.4.10 Transportation
The construction of this facility would result in a temporary increase in onsite and area traffic during a 24-month period. Normal day shift work hours, Monday through Friday, are expected. However, since Zone 12 includes the Material Access Area and conducts weapon operations and HE operations, some schedule changes can be expected due to workloads and HE safety issues. Since construction of the facility is in a Material Access Area, plant security personnel would accompany construction workers to and from the construction site. Material supplies would be transported through Building 16-15 Central Shipping and Receiving.
H.8.4.11 Waste Management
This facility is expected to generate the same types and quantities of wastes as the existing facility it would replace. Therefore, there would be no changes in the impacts from current levels (PC 1995:Table 3).
H.8.4.12 Human Health Risks
There are no radiation risks during construction, because construction activities would not involve the use of any radioactive materials or waste. Chemical human health risks during construction are mitigated through compliance with OSHA Chapter 1926 regulations and an approved project specific health and safety plan. The Contractor Safety and Health Program requires a written plan for approval by the Fire, Waste Management, Industrial Hygiene, and Safety Departments. The plan establishes permits for safety, excavation, fire department, radiation work, and hot work as necessary (Pantex 1992).
Potential sources of radiological exposures during operation are expected. Potential sources of chemical exposures during operations would be from chemicals and materials used in analysis of materials. Personal protective clothing, shielding and equipment (e.g. ventilation hoods) would be used to mitigate the potential health risks. Human health risks associated with all plant activities are presented in section 4.14.
H.8.5 No Action Alternative
One of the alternatives to the construction of the Metrology and Health Physics Calibration and Acceptance Facility is the continued use of decentralized facilities. Administrative controls will continue to provide security and employee safety where facility designs are inadequate. Tritium monitor calibration process emissions will continue at 7 millicuries per year (50 percent greater than a new facility).
H.8.6 Move to an Existing Facility Alternative
Operations are currently decentralized, as discussed in section H.8.5. If a suitable facility is identified, it would be required to meet all present environment codes and regulations, and pollution control standards. The facility would be required to utilize design features and administrative controls to protect employees and the environment. However, according to the Conceptual Design Report, there are no existing operations which could be relocated to accommodate the calibration and storage activities without severely impacting assembly/disassembly operations (DOE 1994a:I-12 through I-15).
H.8.7 Alternatives Eliminated from Detailed Study
Two alternatives were eliminated from the detailed study. The first alternative was the use of existing plant temporary facilities or the acquisition of new temporary facilities. At best, this would be only a temporary solution that would delay the required facility. Use of the temporary facilities was not considered feasible due to both technical and safety considerations. Facilities would have to be arranged together in an efficient geographic location to negate the need for all functions in one building. The required environmental controls to provide personnel protection from the radiation emitted from radioactive sources used for gamma and neutron monitor calibrations would be very difficult to maintain in temporary facilities.
The second solution would be to use outside contractors. This option has been partially adopted but is considered only a temporary measure. Under this alternative, uncleared individuals would have access to the Health Physics instrumentation. Shipping of equipment could lead to additional costs incurred due to losses or damage, additional instrumentation requirements and associated maintenance. In addition, use of outside contractors could result in extended turnaround time. To ensure that the calibrations are performed correctly and that the instruments are not damaged in transit, a significant amount of capability would still be needed for onsite verification of proper instrument response upon their return (DOE 1994a:I-12 through I-15)
REFERENCES
References for Appendix H (pdf)
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
