Www.energy.gov/EM 1 U.S. Department of Energy Carlsbad Field Office TRU Sites and Transportation Division James Mason Institutional Affairs Manager Carlsbad.

www.energy.gov/EM 1

U.S. Department of EnergyCarlsbad Field Office

TRU Sites and Transportation DivisionJames Mason

Institutional Affairs ManagerCarlsbad Field Office

Contractors Transportation Management AssociationJuly 6, 2015

Point Clear, Alabama

www.energy.gov/EM 2

WIPP’s 15-year History

11,894 Shipments received33,000 Type B packages unloaded 91,000 Cubic meters of TRU waste

disposed14,200,000 Loaded miles

www.energy.gov/EM 3

February 5, 2014 Truck Fire:

• All operations at the repository ceased following salt haul truck fire in the WIPP underground

• An investigation team deployed to determine the cause of the fire

February 14, 2014 Radiological Incident:

• A continuous air monitor detected airborne radiation in the underground

• WIPP’s ventilation system automatically switched to high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration mode when airborne radiation was detected

• Underground and the WIPP mine remains in filtration mode at this time.

• Extensive sampling and monitoring conducted by DOE, New Mexico, and Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring Research Center Monitoring.– EPA and the NMED also performed sampling

• Efforts by the DOE and Nuclear Waste Partnership are ensuring workers are fully protected during recovery and restart

Recap of the Incidents at WIPP

www.energy.gov/EM 4

Incidents at WIPP

February 5 Underground Fire

February 14 Radiological Release

• Accident Investigation Board (AIB) Report issued March 13, 2014 • AIB Report, Phase I issued April 24,

2014• AIB Report, Phase II issued April 16,

2015

www.energy.gov/EM 5

Recap of Incidents: Layout of the Underground

www.wipp.energy.gov

www.energy.gov/EM 6

Key Steps Toward Recovery of WIPP

• Documented Safety Analysis Revisions• Safety Management Program

Revitalization• Underground Restoration

- Re-Establish Degraded Equipment- Fire Protection- Maintenance and Ground Control - Radiological Roll-back- Soot cleaning of electrical panels

• Expedite mine stability• Initial Panel 6 and Panel 7, Room 7

Closure• Interim Ventilation • Supplemental Ventilation

Modifications

www.energy.gov/EM 7

Radiological Rollback

www.energy.gov/EM 8

Contamination Mitigation

Fresh-water wash effective in removing contamination• ~20 l/m (2 gal/ft)• >95% removal (first pass)Resulting

contaminated brine trapped within the rock

WIPP procured new equipment to mitigate contamination• Spray cart

• Applies a water mist to stabilize and encapsulate the radioactive particles into the salt

• HEPA vacuum system• Used to capture loose contamination that

has not been encapsulated into the salt

www.energy.gov/EM 9

Ground Control

• Salt has moved since the incidents and some rock-bolts have failed, as expected

• Bolting activities completed in a number of operationally significant areas

www.energy.gov/EM 10

Recovery Status - Bolting

Bolting activities are continuing in both uncontaminated and contaminated areas• Underground “catch-up” bolting continues with approximately 2,200 bolts installed

www.energy.gov/EM 11

11

Initial Panel Closures

• Initial panel closure activities completed:• Panel 6 (May 11)• Panel 7, Room 7 (May 29)

• All suspect nitrate salt containers of concern disposed in the WIPP underground are now isolated

www.energy.gov/EM 12

WIPP National TRU ProgramTransportation and Radiological Response

Support Programs

www.energy.gov/EM 13

WIPP Land Withdrawal Act

Public Law 102-579; Section 16, TransportationProvides for program support and technical assistance to Tribes and States for prevention, preparedness and response for WIPP Transuranic Waste transportation activities.

• Support and assistance is limited to State Regional Groups, State and Tribes with jurisdictions servicing negotiated open transportation corridors.• Most states are coordinated through regional State organizations;• Western Governors Association• Southern States Energy Board• Council of State Governments, Midwest• Council of State Governments, Northeast• Five Tribal Nations and the State of New Mexico work under

separate stand-alone agreements.

www.energy.gov/EM 14

WIPP Transportation Corridors

www.energy.gov/EM 15

Program Support

WIPP Program Coordination • Assist in providing personnel and material support to State Regional

Groups, States and Tribes to coordinate WIPP related activities.

Training• Provide training for response to WIPP related transportation activities.

Equipment• Assistance in the purchase and maintenance of equipment needed for

response to WIPP related transportation activities, within the scope of provided training.

Exercise• Assistance in planning and the conduct of WIPP Transportation Exercises

(WIPPTREX).

Public Outreach and Education• Local exhibition of truck/TRUpact II containers , Public Education and

Intergovernmental Affairs

www.energy.gov/EM 16

Program Support Cont.

TRAININGModular Emergency Response Radiological Transportation Training (MERRTT)• First Responder training for transportation incidents involving radiological

materials. • Train-the-Trainer• Compressed (Refresher) TrainingCVSA Level VI Inspection Certification• For the inspection of motor carriers transporting transuranic waste and

Highway Route Controlled Quantities (HRCQ) shipments of radioactive materials.

Radiological Training for Hospital Personnel• Patient Care for radiologically contaminated patients.Medical Examiner/Coroner• Handling of radiologically contaminated bodies, decontamination and

documentation.

www.energy.gov/EM 17

Program Support Cont.

TRAININGTRANSCOM Users/Operators• Monitoring and tracking of WIPP shipments.Emergency Communications 911 Dispatcher • Handling of calls when radioactive materials are involved.Public Information Officer (PIO)• Public Information for incidents involving radiological materials.WIPP Transportation Exercises (WIPPTREX)• Assistance is provided to stakeholder organizations in the planning

and conduct of WIPP Transportation Exercises in order to validate capabilities and proficiency of responding jurisdictions along WIPP transportation corridors.

www.energy.gov/EM 18

Technical Assistance

Radiological Assistance Program (RAP) DOE/NNSA• RAP provides resources (trained personnel and equipment) to

evaluate, assess, advise, isotopically identify, search for, and assist in the mitigation of actual or perceived nuclear or radiological hazards.

• Along with teams from around the nation, WIPP’s RAP team is capable of providing assistance in all types of facility or transportation incidents involving radiation or radioactive material.

Incident/Accident Response Team (IART) DOE/CBFO• The IART provides technical guidance for package recovery in a

transportation emergency.

www.energy.gov/EM 19

Questions?

www.energy.gov/EM 20

Additional information is available

http://www.wipp.energy.gov

http://www.westgov.org/component/content/article/102-articles/initiatives/136-wipp-transportation-safety-program

James MasonInstitutional Affairs Manager

U.S. DOE/Carlsbad Field OfficeOffice Phone: 575-234-7335

E-Mail: [email protected]