STANDpoint Special Edition

Newsletter covering the ongoing developments and studies conducted by STAND through the MTA Fund grant. This research was completed money allocated during Round 6 of the Citizens’ Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund (MTA Fund). Clark University was named conservator of these works. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at [email protected]://commons.clarku.edu/stand/1007/thumbnail.jp

Final Report - Effectiveness of the Perched Aquifer Pump and Treat System

This is an evaluation of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) report: Annual Report in Support of Compliance Plan No. CP-50284-0001. This evaluation was performed for STAND, an organization of concerned citizens. The Annual Report contains little original information. It briefly summarizes information contained in other DOE reports regarding clean-up activities at Pantex. It does not present a thorough analysis of the effectiveness of DOE’s clean-up activities. Because of this lack of information, DOE’s quarterly reports of analytical results2 were examined to evaluate the effectiveness of one of the major clean-up systems at Pantex - the perched aquifer pump and treat system. This research was completed money allocated during Round 6 of the Citizens’ Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund (MTA Fund). Clark University was named conservator of these works. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at [email protected]://commons.clarku.edu/stand/1006/thumbnail.jp

Figure 1 - Ogallala Monitoring Wells

Map of the Ogallala aquifer monitoring wells, located at the Pantex Nuclear Weapons Facility in the High Plains of the Texas Panhandle, seventeen miles northeast of Amarillo, TX. This research was completed money allocated during Round 6 of the Citizens’ Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund (MTA Fund). Clark University was named conservator of these works. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at [email protected]://commons.clarku.edu/stand/1009/thumbnail.jp

Filling in the Blanks? - Contaminants in the Ogallala Aquifer

Contaminants from the Pantex Plant have been documented by Pantex and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to have entered the Ogallala Aquifer (also known as the High Plains Aquifer). These contaminants include metals, and organic and explosives compounds. This report examines some of the analyses of groundwater that were reported by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the TCEQ) for the time period 1998-2003. This research was completed money allocated during Round 5 of the Citizens’ Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund (MTA Fund). Clark University was named conservator of these works. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at [email protected]://commons.clarku.edu/stand/1005/thumbnail.jp

Evaluation of Groundwater Characterization and Modeling at the Pantex Plant

This is an evaluation of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) efforts to characterize and model groundwater contamination at the Pantex plant. This evaluation was performed on behalf of Serious Texans Against Nuclear Dumping (STAND). This research was completed money allocated during Round 1 of the Citizens’ Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund (MTA Fund). Clark University was named conservator of these works. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at [email protected]://commons.clarku.edu/stand/1000/thumbnail.jp

Background Concentrations of Contaminants in the Ogallala Aquifer at Pantex: An Evaluation

This report evaluates the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Risk Reduction Rule Guidance to the Pantex Plant RFI. This evaluation was performed on behalf of Serious Texans Against Nuclear Dumping (STAND), a non-profit organization of concerned citizens. This research was completed money allocated during Round 3 of the Citizens’ Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund (MTA Fund). Clark University was named conservator of these works. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at [email protected]://commons.clarku.edu/stand/1001/thumbnail.jp

Groundwater Modeling at Pantex and Recommendations of the Technical Advisory Group

The Department of Energy (DOE) Pantex Plant is developing models to simulate groundwater flow and contaminant transport. A Technical Advisory Group (TAG) was formed to examine groundwater modeling issues at Pantex, review available models, and recommend those models it felt were appropriate to the situations at Pantex. This report discusses: (1) groundwater models; (2) modeling issues and requirements in general and at Pantex; (3) the TAG and its recommendations; and (4) the reliability of model results.https://commons.clarku.edu/stand/1003/thumbnail.jp

STAND’s Proposal for Long-Term Monitoring of Groundwater at Pantex

This report identifies wells that STAND believes should be included in a long-term monitoring plan for the Ogallala and perched aquifers at the Pantex Plant. Most of these wells already exist. To enable managing the (1) uncertainties that result from known data gaps and (2) the contaminant plume, STAND recommends installing a number of additional wells, which are prioritized in Table 1. Well locations are shown on accompanying maps (Figures 1 and 2 illustrating monitoring wells in Ogallala and perched aquifers, respectively). Samples from all wells should be analyzed for metals, VOCs, SVOCs, high explosives, perchlorate, pesticides, herbicides, PCBs, and dioxins/furans. Recommendations on placement of these wells and others are based on our current understanding of the extent of the perched aquifer. Monitoring locations, monitoring frequency, and sample analytes should be adjusted based on information obtained as monitoring continues. This research was completed money allocated during Round 5 of the Citizens’ Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund (MTA Fund). Clark University was named conservator of these works. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at [email protected]://commons.clarku.edu/stand/1008/thumbnail.jp

Contaminants in the Ogallala Aquifer at Pantex

Contaminants from the Pantex Plant documented to have entered the High Plains (Ogallala) Aquifer include metals, and organic and explosives compounds. This report critically examines some of the reported analyses of groundwater by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for the time period 1998-2003. During the calendar year 2002 Pantex collected and analyzed groundwater samples for metals and radionuclides from 16 wells completed in the Ogallala Aquifer and 18 wells in the shallower perched aquifer. Of the wells in the Ogallala Aquifer, 51 paired-samples (filtered vs unfiltered) resulted in 1123 analytical results for 23 metals. This research was completed money allocated during Round 5 of the Citizens’ Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund (MTA Fund). Clark University was named conservator of these works. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at [email protected]://commons.clarku.edu/stand/1004/thumbnail.jp

Health Effects of Selected Industrial Chemicals and Radionuclides: An Introduction

The purpose of this report is to provide information about the health hazards that exposures to industrial chemicals and radionuclides may pose to the community. Sources of additional information are provided in Appendix 3. In this way, the community might better under- stand the heath issues and hazards related to these chemicals and contaminants. This research was completed money allocated during Round 3 of the Citizens’ Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund (MTA Fund). Clark University was named conservator of these works. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at [email protected]://commons.clarku.edu/stand/1002/thumbnail.jp