Restoration Advisory Board

Radford Army Ammunition Plant (RFAAP)
Restoration Advisory Board (RAB)
January 21, 1999

Meeting Minutes

Attendance

Allen Boynton
Arne Olsen
J. J. Redder
Frank Swit
Russell Fish
Rob Thomson
Rob Davie
Shelley Barker
Jim McKenna
David Albee
Roy Saville
C.A. Jake
Steve Cole
Rick Parrish
Helen Smartt
Brendan Lockard

Discussion

Old Business, Approval of Minutes, Mr. Jim McKenna, Radford AAP Restoration Manager:

Old business minutes are assumed read and approved unless Mr. McKenna hears otherwise.

Mr. David Albee signed the Mission Statement. A few more members need to sign.

Mr. Haregrove is resigning from the RAB. He’s moving out of the area.

Overview of Aquatic Data, Carolyn Jake, Arne Olson (ATK):

Ms. Jake briefed the RAB on the plant’s aquatic protection programs and wastewater permit. Some points from her briefing included:

We do a lot at the plant to make sure the aquatic life is healthy.

We only take 16 million gallons a day (MGD) from the New River, whose total flow is 2500 MGD.

We have a drinking water intake in the horseshoe area of the plant, which is downstream of our discharges.

Our annual benthic studies show there is no impact to the river from Radford activities.

New River and Tributaries Study, Arne Olson (ATK):

Mr. Olsen briefed the RAB on the New River and Tributaries Study. Noted items from his briefing included (encl.1):

• The New River and Tributaries study sampled sediment and surface waters in the Fall of 1996.
• We did exceed a couple of screening criteria in the study. The criteria are very conservative and are based on ecological risk.
• The study recommended we conduct a more focused study and concentrate on a smaller list of chemicals.

Introduction to Ground Water, Frank Swit (EPA Contractor):

Mr. Swit reviewed the hydrologic cycle, the region and facility’s hydrogeolgy. Major points noted during the presentation included (encl 2):

• The plant has karst terrain which is expanding.
• Karst terrain makes it difficult to predict the groundwater flow and direction.
• Data about the plant is very limited because it is based on a couple of studies.
• Even if the data shows something is exceeded, you can get widely different numbers within the same sample site. A high hit does not necessarily mean a problem; it’s only an indication.
• Metals are a part of the natural environment. Organic compounds (volatiles and semivolatiles) are not part of the natural environment.

Mr. McKenna added we could spend a lot of time and money trying to figure out the groundwater. We are concerned with getting the sources out first.

Status Update

ICF Kaiser was awarded the contract for work at the New River Unit.

Procurement is underway with ATK for groundwater analyses at HWMUs.

Dedicated groundwater pumps are being installed in each well.

The SWMU 54 contractor is mobilizing. The site is not consistent and it is very hard to characterize the waste. We are going ahead with removing the waste and will characterize the site as we go along. We will keep assessing the waste as we are digging it out until the site is clean.

Closing Remarks

The next RAB meeting is scheduled for March 18, 1999.

Suggested topics for the next meeting include:

• ICF Kaiser may give a presentation on the New River Unit Work Plan,
• Update on SWMU 8 work,
• Presentation on Annual Groundwater Report, and
• Include historical groundwater data so the RAB can compare studies.

Back to RAB Meeting Minutes Archives