Annual Site Environmental Report Calendar Year 2007 PDF Download

This report provides information about environmental programs during the calendar year (CY) of 2007 at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC), Menlo Park, California. Activities that span the calendar year, i.e., stormwater monitoring covering the winter season of 2007/2008 (October 2007 through May 2008), are also included. Production of an annual site environmental report (ASER) is a requirement established by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) for all management and operating (M & O) contractors throughout the DOE complex. SLAC is a federally-funded research and development center with Stanford University as the M & O contractor. Under Executive Order (EO) 13423 and DOE Order 450.1, 'Environmental Protection Program', SLAC effectively implemented and integrated the key elements of an Environmental Management System (EMS) to achieve the site's integrated safety and environmental management system goals. For normal daily activities, SLAC managers and supervisors are responsible for ensuring that policies and procedures are understood and followed so that: (1) Worker safety and health are protected; (2) The environment is protected; and (3) Compliance is ensured. Throughout 2007, SLAC focused on development and implementation of SLAC management systems to ensure continual improvement. These systems provided a structured framework for SLAC to implement 'greening of the government' initiatives such as EO 13148. Overall, management systems at SLAC are effective, supporting compliance with all relevant statutory and regulatory requirements. SLAC continues to demonstrate significant progress in implementing and integrating EMS into day-to-day operations at SLAC. The annual management review and ranking of environmental aspects were completed this year by SLAC's EMS Steering Committee, the Environmental Safety Committee (ESC) and thirteen objectives and targets were established for 2007. For each objective and target, a work plan, or Environmental Management Program (EMP) was completed and progress reports were routinely provided to SLAC senior management. During 2007, there were no reportable releases to the environment from SLAC operations. In addition, many improvements in waste minimization, recycling, stormwater management, groundwater restoration, and SLAC's chemical management system (CMS) were continued during 2007. SLAC replaced two process tanks at the Plating Shop which previously contained chromium solutions with non-chromium containing solutions, reducing the overall use of hazardous chemicals. In addition, 346 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated capacitors were replaced with non-PCB capacitors, reducing the potential of a release of oil with PCBs during an event such as a fire or an earthquake. SLAC operates its industrial and sanitary wastewater management program in compliance with established permit conditions. During 2007, SLAC obtained a new facility-wide wastewater discharge permit which replaced four separate permits that were previously issued to SLAC. In 2007, no radiological incidents occurred that increased radiation levels or released radioactivity to the environment. In addition to managing its radioactive wastes safely and responsibly, SLAC worked to reduce the amount of waste generated. SLAC has implemented programs and systems to ensure compliance with all radiological requirements related to the environment. Specifically, the Radiation Protection Radiological Waste Management (RPRWM) Group developed a training course to certify Radioactive Waste Generators, conducted a training pilot, and developed a list of potential radioactive waste generators to train. In 2007, the SLAC Environmental Restoration Program continued work on site characterization and evaluation of remedial alternatives at four sites with volatile organic compounds in groundwater and several areas with polychlorinated biphenyls and low concentrations of lead in soil. SLAC is regulated under a site cleanup requirements order (board order) issued by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB), San Francisco Bay Region in May 2005 for the investigation and remediation of impacted soil and groundwater at SLAC. The board order lists specific tasks and deadlines for completion of groundwater and soil characterization and other remediation activities. All 2007 submittals to the RWQCB were completed and submitted on time.