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Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania


Cleanup Status

Effective October 8, 2010, the remedy for the Bettis facility that was described in the October 1997 Final Decision and Response to Comments is complete. On September 8, 2010, EPA submitted a supplemental Statement of Basis that proposed the substitution of an institutional control in lieu of the only incomplete remedial component from the 1997 Final Decision and Response to Comments (FDRTC) (collection/treatment of Inactive Waste Site seepage). This new institutional control became effective October 8, 2010 and includes monitoring an off-site property for the absence or presence of water supply wells.

 
 


 

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Site Description

Interactive map of Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory, Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory, West Mifflin, PA 15122

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The Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory is owned by the U.S. Department of Energy and is currently operated by Bechtel Bettis, Incorporated. Operations at the Facility began in 1949 and continue today. These operations include the designing, developing, testing and monitoring operations of nuclear propulsion plants for naval surface ships and submarines. Specifically, the Facility exists to support this nation's capability to deploy and maintain a modern nuclear navy.

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Contaminants at this Facility

Contaminants at the Facility include chlorinated solvents and low levels of polychlorinated biphenyls and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in groundwater and sediment from springs that originate on the Facility. Off-site sampling of groundwater has determined that contamination from the Facility is not impacting off-site groundwater above levels of concern. The low levels of contamination in Facility sediment is not expected to adversely affect potential receptors.

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Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility

    Several institutional and engineering controls have been implemented at the Bettis facility:

    • Deed restriction preventing installation of on-site drinking water wells
    • Zoning ordinance preventing residential construction on facility property
    • Requirement to monitor land use downgradient of Inactive Waste Site for absence or presence of water supply wells
    • Maintenance of caps/covers at Inactive Waste Site, former Underground Storage Tank/Waste Oil Storage Tank areas, and Trash Chute area

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    Land Reuse Information at this Facility

    Bettis continues to use the facility to support the nation's nuclear naval assets.

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    Site Responsibility at this Facility

    Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action activities at this facility have been conducted under the direction of EPA Region 3.

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