FACILITATOR: Reed Hodgin, AlphaTRAC

Tom Marshall called the meeting to order at 6:10 p.m.

BOARD / EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS PRESENT: Carol Barker, Susan Barron, Meir Carasso, Tom Clark, Tom Davidson, Eugene DeMayo, Gerald DePoorter, Tom Gallegos, Mary Harlow, Victor Holm, Bob Kanick, Jim Kinsinger, Tom Marshall, David Navarro, Bryan Taylor / Steve Gunderson, Jeremy Karpatkin, Joe Legare, Tim Rehder

BOARD / EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS ABSENT: Alan Aluisi, Beverly Lyne, Linda Sikkema

PUBLIC / OBSERVERS PRESENT: Kenneth Werth (citizen); John Reiss, Jr. (JRA); S. K. Gupta (citizen); R. Sarter (DOE-RFFO); D. J. Peterson (Westminster); Anna Martinez (DOE-RFFO); Doris DePenning (BMLHA); Alan Trenary (citizen); John Corsi (K-H); Quentin and Leo Brown (citizens); Ann Hong (citizen); Ray Leang (citizen); Matt Kozak (QuantiSci); LeRoy Moore (RMPJC); Ken Korkia (CAB staff); Erin Rogers (CAB staff); Deb Thompson (CAB staff); Brady Wilson (CAB staff)

REGULATOR UPDATE: Tim Rehder (EPA) discussed the status of the Trench T-1 project.

Excavation began on June 10 and was completed on August 20. No groundwater was encountered during the process of excavation. A total of 170 drums were found and removed from the trench - 142 were intact and 28 were not. Intact drums were placed in overpack drums, then sampled and inerted with mineral oil to prepare for shipping. Larger waste containers, 66 total, were filled with debris and soil contaminated with depleted uranium. Based on the readings encountered with excavated soils, those exhibiting less than 5,000 counts per minute (cpm) were placed in a stockpile for eventual replacement in the trench, and a separate stockpile was maintained for soils in the 5,000 to 10,000 cpm range. Those were placed in waste containers for offsite shipment.

A total of 51 confirmation samples were collected from the trench bottom and sidewalls. Also, samples from the stockpile of soil to be returned to the trench were collected for laboratory analysis and comparison to action levels.

The project was conducted safely and efficiently. There was continuous air monitoring both inside and outside the tent; samples show the levels remained near average background throughout the project. Pyrophoric reactions occurred twice; both times the material was inerted with soils and safely placed in containers. A group of drums were found which contained volatile organic contaminants and PCBs, which contaminated some surrounding soil. Because of this, one container of soil is classified as mixed waste, as well as the drums containing VOCs and depleted uranium.

DOE is considering using soils from some of the drums of Investigation Derived Material (material generated during environmental sampling) as backfill for T-1. This would save the expense of importing backfill from offsite. DOE believes the IDM it proposes to use came from uncontaminated areas of the site and is clean. Analysis of this material shows fairly low radionuclide concentrations. If the regulators approve this proposal, DOE will begin emptying the drums into T-1 in October.

DISCUSSION OF CAB 1999 WORK PLAN: CAB is in the process of developing its work plan, to be finalized at its annual retreat September 13. First, staff gave a quick overview of the projects each focus group would like to see included on next year’s work plan (some are carried over from the 1998 work plan):

• Site Wide Issues / Budget Focus Group. Specific topics for the work plan: Rocky Flats budget; RFCA milestones and annual review; contract performance issues; worker health and safety issues; Closure Project Management Plan (including complex-wide milestone tracking and contingencies); and stewardship. Two contract research ideas were proposed: 1) hire an independent project management expert to look at the budget for RFETS; or 2) hire a contractor to review closure plans from other sites and identify issues, etc. that affect the schedule for closure of RFETS. Finally, members of this focus group would like to have CAB consider as forum topics either a discussion of the Habitat Conservation Plan for the Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse, or the Vegetation Management Plan.

• Plutonium Issues Focus Group. Specific topics for the work plan: plutonium and highly enriched uranium vulnerabilities tracking; storage/movement of materials; establishing contact with new congressional representatives; presentation from the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding activities at Rocky Flats and globally; Standley Lake Park; health and safety as a priority over D&D; Leyden Gas Storage Facility; and possible caps at the site.

• D&D / Closure Plan Focus Group. Specific topics for the work plan: D&D policy issues; environmental remediation projects; stewardship; Buffer Zone management; Actinide Migration Studies; and waste management.

The Board, regulators and members of the public then submitted additional ideas:

• Non-proliferation and terrorism
• Cost of DOE efforts at RFETS
• Transportation
• Long-term storage/stewardship
• Y2K
• D&D versus waste transportation
• D&D versus potential operations in buildings
• Safeguards and security

Finally, everyone was asked to complete a prioritization worksheet, listing their top 10 topics for consideration to be a part of the work plan. Results from those worksheets will be forwarded to CAB for its review at the retreat.

LETTER TO JESSIE ROBERSON WITH YEAR 2000 COMPUTER PREPAREDNESS QUESTIONS: The Site Wide Issues / Budget Focus Group had prepared a letter to Jessie Roberson, asking the site to share information with the Board and interested stakeholders about its planning and preparations for any problems that may occur as a result of the turn of the century, specifically related to possible computer glitches. The Board’s letter also forwarded to the site a copy of a letter from the Boulder Community Preparedness Group, which discusses similar issues. CAB is merely forwarding this letter without comment or recommendation to site officials.

LETTER TO DOE-HQ REGARDING FUTURE USE STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT PROCESS PLAN: The Site Wide Issues / Budget Focus Group prepared a draft letter to DOE-HQ. This letter supports DOE-RFFO’s decision to prepare a plan that did not adhere to requirements set forth by Congress. This plan asked the site to prepare a future use document that looked 50 years into the future. Instead, DOE-RFFO’s document outlines the framework, decisions and recommendations to date, the process the site intends to follow, and the site’s planned stakeholder involvement process in future use decisions. Planning for future use and stewardship is still in the early stages at Rocky Flats, and the Board noted it would have been premature for DOE-RFFO to outline such future uses until more is known about the timing and extent of cleanup at the site.

Comment: Alan Trenary: I think it is important to pass along the letter about Y2K. They gave it to you and it’s important to them, and to not pass it along would be a slap in the face. We don’t need to say we agree with them or give it any validity, just that this is something a group of citizens are concerned about and that the Board is also interested.

REPORT BACK ON THE LOW LEVEL WASTE SEMINAR, AND DISCUSSION OF ACTION ITEMS: Board members who attended this seminar, sponsored by the Nevada Test Site Community Advisory Board, gave their impressions of the seminar and its outcomes. Board members attending on behalf of CAB were: Tom Clark, Tom Gallegos, Victor Holm and Bob Kanick. Each was involved in a specific working group of participants from sites across the weapons complex. Those working groups discussed issues related to many htmlects of LLW disposition, such as: economic considerations; environmental/safety considerations; equity/interstate/tribal/environmental justice considerations; and transportation considerations. Also, participants took a tour of the Nevada Test Site, which allowed them to view areas where low level waste will be disposed, and to get a historical perspective on the site.

The Nevada Test Site Board asked participants to give a report back to their specific boards, and to ask other Board members if they would be interested in ranking several waste disposition options outlined in the Waste Management PEIS. DOE seminar participants felt this information may be used in helping to get a sense of any shared preferences between sites about those options. After discussion, CAB members did not feel it wanted to participate in ranking those options. In addition, a list of suggestions for waste disposition were prepared at the seminar. CAB will review and consider those suggestions at its retreat and decide whether any should be added to its work plan for consideration over the next year.

DISCUSSION OF ACTINIDE MIGRATION STUDIES OVERSIGHT PROPOSAL: In cooperation with the group of individuals participating in the Actinide Migration Studies over the past several months and CAB’s co-chairs, staff had developed a draft proposal for the Board’s consideration which outlined a process for involvement by CAB and the public in those ongoing studies. Members of the local community expressed concerns about how the studies would be managed, and an agreement was reached to put together a better defined process for public oversight and participation. CAB was asked to take the lead role and responsibility for managing the public participation effort. This proposal would establish a Technical Review Group, housed as a part of CAB but kept somewhat independent and autonomous. The proposal outlines a work scope for the group, membership, how meetings will be conducted, liaison issues, technical assistance and peer review, and how CAB will transmit comments and recommendations from the Technical Review Group. After discussion, Board members expressed concerns about the process, how this group may be impacted by CAB’s bylaws, and specific concerns about peer review and technical assistance. The Plutonium Issues Focus Group was asked to review and address those concerns, and return to the Board with a revised proposal in the future.

RECOMMENDATION ON THE DRAFT SURPLUS PLUTONIUM DISPOSITION EIS: The Plutonium Issues Focus Group reviewed this EIS and prepared a draft recommendation for the Board’s review and approval. This recommendation contained wording that is based on the assumption that CAB and the community favor shipment of plutonium from Rocky Flats. In addition, two options were proposed to the Board: 1) that CAB does not specifically endorse a receiver site for the plutonium but does identify criteria DOE should use in making its choice; or 2) CAB would support DOE in its selection of receiver sites. Board members had several concerns about the text of the recommendation, and policy issues involved. The recommendation was sent back to the focus group to be reworked.

SOIL ACTION LEVELS INDEPENDENT REVIEW CONTRACT WITH RISK ASSESSMENT CORPORATION: The Soil Action Levels Oversight Panel has selected Risk Assessment Corporation as the contractor it wishes to have perform a review of soil action levels. Since CAB is managing the funds for this project, it needs to approve any such contract. Board members did approve the contract as written.

• New Board member: The Membership Committee recommended one individual to serve on the Board. The Board approved the membership application of:

  Derek O. Dye. Derek is an education specialist with Rocky Mountain SER / Denver Head Start. He has been active in several organizations in his community, including the City of Thornton Election Commission, the Adams County Adult Literacy Project, the Adams County School District 12 Hispanic Advisory Council, League of United Latin American Citizens, National Association of Bilingual Educators, and the Sierra Club. Derek has a BA in English and History, and is a resident of Thornton.

• Approve CAB retreat agenda: The Board reviewed and approved the agenda prepared by staff for its annual retreat to be held on Sunday, September 13.

Date: October 1, 1998, 6 - 9:30 p.m.

Location: Westminster City Hall, lower-level Multi-Purpose Room, 4800 West 92nd Avenue, Westminster

Agenda: •Discussion of CAB 1999 work plan issues and restructured agenda; letter to DOE-HQ regarding long-term funding for retired/disabled workers benefits; proposal regarding CAB oversight of Actinide Migration Studies; recommendations on Draft Surplus Plutonium Disposition EIS

1. Revise and forward letter to Jessie Roberson regarding Y2K preparedness Erin Rogers

2. Revise and forward letter of recommendation to DOE-HQ regarding Future Use Stakeholder Involvement Process Plan - Erin Rogers

3. Review suggestions from LLW seminar and consider whether to add any issues to 1999 Work Plan -Board members

4. Review and revise Actinide Migration Studies Oversight Panel Proposal - Plutonium Issues Focus Group

5. Revise recommendation on the Draft Surplus Plutonium Disposition EIS - Plutonium Issues Focus Group

(* Taped transcript of full meeting is available in CAB office.)

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The Rocky Flats Citizens Advisory Board is a community advisory group that reviews and provides recommendations on cleanup plans for Rocky Flats, a former nuclear weapons plant outside of Denver, Colorado.