Remediation efforts to begin this winter at the nuclear waste dump in Parks Township

Remediation efforts at the Parks Township nuclear waste dump will begin this winter.

The announcement was part of an informational session hosted by officials from the Army Corps of Engineers’ Buffalo and Pittsburgh districts at the township’s fire hall Wednesday.

A precise start date has yet to be determined.

An emergency alarm test at the site is planned for 11 a.m. Thursday and Friday.

The Nuclear Materials and Equipment Corp. (NUMEC) operated on the site in the 1960s and early ’70s, leaving behind enriched uranium and other harmful substances from the production of materials primarily for nuclear-powered submarines and power plant fuel.

Building materials and worker equipment from the defunct business is also expected to be discovered.

The 44-acre site is formally known by federal agencies as the Shallow Land Disposal Area.

It is owned by BWX Technologies Inc., formerly Babcock & Wilcox.

Remediation is expected to take about six years and cost more than a half-billion dollars.

“What’s going through our minds is focusing on safety and making sure that we’re following all the plans that we developed and just conducting a slow, methodical, safe remediation,” said Steven Vriesen, Buffalo District project manager.

More than 100 people packed the fire hall to hear about safety protocols and other measures taken to ensure no harm would come to residents or workers during the process.

There were several informational stations with experts in various fields ready to address resident concerns.

Resident Todd Ruggles wondered what will happen if new materials are found.

Vriesen said tests done this year show no serious hazardous materials, and areas to be remediated are scanned ahead of any digging. He said multiple procedures are in place, as well as ongoing coordination for local officials and first responders, to help protect the public.

Ruggles said it’s important for people to be informed about what is happening. He believes the engineers are taking everything into account.

“It’s something that we need to know about,” he said. “It affects the health and well-being of people in our community. We want to make sure it’s being done right. I do feel like they are dotting their I’s and crossing their T’s.

”I do feel they are getting better in showing information to the community.”

Safety plans

At least nine Army Corps air monitors will be stationed on-site as well as several others from the state Department of Environmental Protection, testing samples and reporting data daily.

Dust controls include applying water to roadways. Each building also has air filtration and monitoring.

All water that contacts waste materials will be treated and tested before discharge.

Workers in “dirty” zones will be required to wear protective safety gear, and there are on-site decontamination facilities.

Remediated materials will be shipped twice a week via trucks to Alaron in New Beaver Borough then sent via railroad to commercial disposal sites in Utah or Texas. Materials that cannot be commercially disposed of will be sent to the Nevada National Security Site in Nevada.

Vriesen’s presentation went into greater detail about proposed operations, including other safety measures and projected start and end time for workers.

The Army Corps of Engineers has hosted two public information sessions each year about the project for at least 10 years.

They also send out information to residents via email, phone, text messages and postcards.

Vriesen said control of the property will be given back to BWX once all materials have been removed. Further activities on the site will be overseen by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

A video of the presentation will be posted later this month at lrd.usace.army.mil/Mission/Projects/Article/3646985.

People can look up other project information, including water testing data, at that site.