Kleinfelder is working with Environmental Resource Group, LLC, a joint venture contracted to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for technical activities supporting the decommissioning and demolition of this nuclear research facility.
The Separations Process Research Unit (SPRU) facilities occupy about five acres of the 170-acre Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (KAPL) site. The SPRU facilities were constructed to research the chemical separation of plutonium and uranium from radioactive material encased in aluminum, known as slugs. In their decommissioned state, the facilities can no longer be operated and must be eliminated through reuse, demolition, disposal, transfer, or sale.
Kleinfelder helped prepare the Historical Site Assessments, Risk-Based End State (RBES) evaluations, and Engineering Evaluations and Cost Analyses (EECAs) for both the facilities (decommissioning and decontamination) and land (environmental restoration). The site included a suite of chemicals (acids and bases) used in processing uranium and plutonium, while the facility included lead-based paint, paint with PCB, asbestos, heavy metals, and radionuclides.
Kleinfelder’s work—including assessments, evaluations, analyses, and reporting—was an integral component to the DOE’s decision to remove the SPRU facilities, versus other alternatives. By performing a removal action and properly managing generated wastes, the future risk posed to the public, on-site workers, and the environment will be significantly reduced or eliminated.
Location:
Niskayuna, New York
Owner:
Environmental Resource Group, LLC
