Hazardous Waste Cleanup: BWXT Nuclear Operations Group (Formerly: Babcock and Wilcox) in Lynchburg, Virginia
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Land Reuse
- Site Responsibility
The Facility currently contains two commercial operations. One is owned and operated by Babcock &Wilcox Nuclear Operations Group, Inc. and referred to as the B&W Property. The other is owned and operated by AREVA Federal Services (AREVA) and is referred to as the AREV A Property.
Cleanup Status
The selected remedy for the Facility was documented in the Final Decision and Response to Comments (“FDRTC”). This document contains the selected remedy and responses to comments received during the 30 day public comment period which ended on December 17, 2014. The FDRTC was signed by EPA’s Director of Land and Chemicals Division on February 26, 2015. The Final selected remedy was unchanged from the proposed remedy.
The next step is for implementation of the selected remedy with the current property owners B&W and AREVA.
Site Description
Interactive Map of BWXT Nuclear Operations Group (Formerly: Babcock and Wilcox) in Lynchburg, Virginia
View larger mapThe Babcock &Wilcox Nuclear Operations Group (Mt. Athos site) is located near Lynchburg, Virginia on a 560-acre site adjacent to the James River in the northeast corner of Campbell County.
The B&W site is regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The B&W facility operates under an NRC license (SNM-42) for the management of its special nuclearmaterial and a Commonwealth of Virginia agreement state license for the management of theother radioactive materials. The AREVA facility operates under a Commonwealth ofVirginiaRadioactive Materials License (680-515-1). NOG-L fabricates fuel-bearing precision components that serve as power units for the nuclear navy. NOG-L is the sole source supplier of these products and services in support of national security, and as such the Facility will remain in operation as long as there is a U.S. nuclear navy. NOG-L operations can be expected to continue well into the twenty-first century. AREVA supports the nation's commercial nuclear utility outage, maintenance, and inspection business. The AREV A Property was formerly owned and operated by B&W.
Contaminants at this Facility
The complete list of contaminants of concern identified in the RFI include TCE, PCE, bromoform, chloroform, methylene chloride, cis-1,2-dichloroethylene, trans-1, 2-dichloroethylene, trichlorofluoromethane, and vinyl chloride. No immediate threats to human health or the environment have been identified.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
Proposed Institutional Controls include:
1. Groundwater at the Facility shall not be used for any purpose other than to conduct the operation, maintenance, and monitoring activities required by Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and/or EPA, unless it is demonstrated to EPA, that such use will not pose a threat to human health or the environment.
2. No new wells will be installed on Facility property unless it is demonstrated to EPA that such wells are necessary to implement the final remedy and EPA provides prior written approval to install such wells.
3. The Facility property shall not be used for residential purposes unless it is demonstrated to EPA that such use will not pose a threat to human health or the environment or adversely affect or interfere with the selected remedy.
4. All earth moving activities, including excavation, drilling and construction activities, in the areas at the Facility where any contaminants remain in soils above EPA Region III's shall be prohibited.
5. A vapor intrusion control system, the design of which shall be approved in advance by EPA, shall be installed in each new structure constructed above the contaminated groundwater plume or within 100-foot around the perimeter of the contaminated groundwater plume.
Land Reuse Information at this Facility
The facility is under continued use.
Site Responsibility at this Facility
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action activities at this facility are being conducted under the direction of the EPA Region 3 with assistance from Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.