[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 179 (Thursday, September 16, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 50277]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-24161]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Notice of Floodplain and Wetlands Involvement for the Oak Ridge
National Laboratory Fire Protection Systems Upgrade, Oak Ridge,
Tennessee
AGENCY: Office of Science, DOE.
ACTION: Notice of Floodplain and Wetlands Involvement.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to upgrade
the fire suppression and life safety systems in selected facilities at
the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Fire suppression and life
safety systems in these facilities are over 30 years old, obsolete, and
do not provide adequate fire protection for personnel, equipment, and
research activities. The installation of belowground waterlines would
include disturbances of two small wetland areas and the 100-year
floodplain of White Oak Creek (WOC). In accordance with 10 CFR Part
1022, DOE will prepare a floodplain and wetlands assessment which will
assess impacts to these resources and consider practicable alternatives
to locating the action in the floodplain and wetlands. This proposed
action will be performed in a manner so as to avoid or minimize
potential harm to or within the affected floodplain and wetlands.
DATES: Comments are due to the address below no later than October 1,
1999.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Mr. Stanley Frey, Capital
Asset Program Manager, U.S. Department of Energy, Post Office Box 2008,
Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6269. Comments may be faxed to (423) 574-
9275.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS PROPOSED ACTION, CONTACT: Stanley D.
Frey, U.S. Department of Energy, Post Office Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN
37831-6269, (423) 576-0136.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON GENERAL DOE FLOODPLAIN/WETLAND ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEW REQUIREMENTS, CONTACT: Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of
NEPA Policy and Assistance, EH-42, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-4600 or (800)
472-2756.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DOE is conducting response actions at
its ORNL Oak Ridge Site under the direction of the DOE Office of
Science. ORNL is located on the DOE Oak Ridge Reservation in Roane and
Anderson Counties, Tennessee. As part of a comprehensive upgrade of the
existing fire alarm and suppression systems, DOE is proposing to
replace deteriorated and obsolete systems, and to extend coverage of
automatic fire alarm and sprinkler systems to areas not previously
served. The upgrades would reduce maintenance costs and the new systems
would bring affected facilities into compliance with current fire
safety codes and standards.
The proposed action would involve removing old fire alarm and
suppression systems and installing new ones, including: (1) Replacing
antiquated fire alarm systems in seven major research buildings
(Buildings 4500N, 4500S, 4501, etc.); (2) installing a sprinkler system
in offices and corridors of Wings 1-4 of Building 4500N; (3) replacing
and adding redundancy in the fire alarm and circuit monitoring systems
where needed; and (4) replacing an existing 16-inch-diameter water
pipeline in the 6000 area with approximately 7,200 ft of new (16-in-
diameter) water piping. Installation of new water mains would include
pressure reducing valves, isolation valves, fittings, hydrants, valve
pits, and other associated equipment and materials.
Installation of the belowground waterlines would include
disturbances of two small wetland areas and the floodplains of WOC in
the 6000 area of ORNL. WOC and its tributaries would be disturbed at
four locations by the following activities: (1) Constructing a coffer
dam or similar structure; (2) routing the stream water around the site
by constructing a bypass using a culvert or similar device; (3)
removing stream bed rock in preparation for the under-creek,
reinforced-concrete pipe trench; (4) pouring the concrete; (5)
embedding the pipeline in the concrete structure; (6) covering the
structure to the level of the original stream bed; and (7) routing the
stream water back into the stream bed. Construction activities would
also involve removing asphalt paving for the installation of the 16-in-
diameter pipe (ductile iron, mechanical joint), digging a trench
approximately 4 ft deep in the access roadway and parking lot areas,
and filling and repaving these areas after installation of the
pipeline.
Water quality within WOC and its tributaries would be protected
during excavation to the extent practicable by several measures.
Administrative controls would be used to stop work during major storm
events. When excavations would remain exposed overnight, erosion
controls would be installed to prevent the transport of silt downstream
by stormwater flows. Additionally, silt dams will be constructed within
the drainage in areas where the existing right-of-way route deviates
significantly from the defined channel. Restoration of excavated areas
within the drainage would include grading to avoid steep or vertical
slopes, and to minimize ponding and backfilling. Areas of exposed soil
outside the stream channels would be mulched and reseeded with an
annual grass to minimize erosion and allow the natural seedbank to
reestablish vegetative cover.
Wetland 1 is a 5-to-8 ft wide and approximately 50 ft long emergent
wetland, while Wetland 2 is an approximately 30-ft diameter irregular
shaped scrub-shrub wetland. An approximately 5-ft-wide by 4-ft-deep
trench would be excavated through the southern portion of the two
wetlands for the installation of belowground piping. Equipment and
personnel in the wetland area will be limited in accordance with an
approved Best Management Practices (BMP) plan, and excavated hydric
soils would be placed next to the site and reused as fill material. In
addition, silt fences would be installed to minimize runoff into the
wetlands in accordance with the BMP. No seeding or the planting of
vegetation will take place, and the wetlands will be allowed to return
to their natural states after completion of excavation activities.
In accordance with DOE regulations for compliance with floodplain
and wetlands environmental review requirements (10 CFR Part 1022), DOE
will prepare a floodplain and wetlands assessment for this proposed DOE
action. After DOE issues the assessment, a floodplain Statement of
Findings will be published in the Federal Register.
Issued in Oak Ridge, Tennessee on August 30, 1999.
James L. Elmore,
Alternate NEPA Compliance Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-24161 Filed 9-15-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
