Floodplain Statement of Findings for Site Investigation Activities at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant Area of Responsibility

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Floodplain Statement of Findings for Site Investigation

Activities at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant Area of Responsibility

AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Floodplain statement of findings.

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SUMMARY: This is a Floodplain Statement of Findings for Site

Investigation Activities at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Anderson County,

Tennessee, in accordance with 10 CFR part 1022, Compliance with

Floodplain/Wetlands Environmental Review Requirements. DOE proposes to

conduct site investigations and preliminary engineering activities

within the boundaries of the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant as required under the

Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act

(CERCLA), the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA),

underground storage tank (UST) regulations or other regulations and

directives. Some site investigation activities may occur

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within 100-year or 500-year floodplain of streams at the plant. DOE has

prepared a floodplain assessment describing the possible effects,

alternatives, and measures designed to avoid or minimize potential harm

to floodplains or their flood storage potential. DOE will allow 15 days

of public review after publication of the Statement of Findings before

implementation of the proposed action.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert C. Sleeman, Director,

Environmental Restoration Division (EW-91), DOE Oak Ridge Operations

Office, Post Office Box 2001, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, Telephone: (423)

576-3534, Facsimile: (423) 576-6074

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON GENERAL DOE FLOODPLAIN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

REQUIREMENTS, 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, Telephone: (202) 586-

4600 or (800) 472-2756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A Notice of Floodplain Involvement was

published in the Federal Register on October 4, 1993, (58 FR 51624) and

subsequently a floodplain assessment was prepared. The floodplain

assessment covers a variety of intrusive and nonintrusive preliminary

engineering and site investigation methods and techniques that may be

used at one or more sites at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant Site. These

activities include (as detailed in the October 4, 1993, notice), but

are not limited to: ``(a) sampling of air, surface water, groundwater,

sediments, surface and deeper soils; sampling of terrestrial and

aquatic biota; and measurement of meteorological characteristics; (b)

drilling of boreholes to obtain soil/geological samples (some of the

boreholes would be completed as groundwater monitoring wells); digging

soil test pits by hand or backhoe; (d) taking a variety of nonintrusive

surveys (such as radiological surveys); (e) taking intrusive surveys

(such as with soil penetrometers and similar devices); and (f)

conducting underground tests (such as aquifer pump, tracer geophysical

log, vertical seismic profile, and seismic tests).''

Alternatives considered in the assessment were (1) no action, (2)

prohibition of site investigation activities in floodplains, and (3)

restricting site investigation activities to outside the floodplain

when practicable alternatives exist, i.e., data quality would not be

compromised. Only a few sampling locations, such as those needed for

surface and sediment samples, and a minimal number of boreholes or

wells and soil test pits are expected to be in floodplains. Most of the

activities addressed by the floodplain assessment will result in no

measurable impact on floodplain cross-sections or flood stage, and thus

do not increase the risk of flooding. Those activities that are

identified from site-specific data as possibly impacting negatively

upon the floodplain (e.g., installation of flumes and construction of

access roads) may require separate floodplain assessments and the

implementation of mitigative measures, e.g., construction during low

precipitation periods, prompt stabilization and restoration of affected

areas, minimizing vegetation removal, and the use of mats and wide-

tracked vehicles. Alternatively, DOE may opt to omit the activity or

relocate the activity to an alternate site. Site investigation

activities addressed in the floodplain assessment conform to applicable

floodplain protection standards.

Issued in Oak Ridge, TN on February 11, 1997.

James L. Elmore,

Alternate National Environmental Policy Act

Compliance Officer.

[FR Doc. 97-5122 Filed 2-28-97; 8:45 am]

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