Parks Township nuke cleanup months behind schedule
Resuming the $412 million cleanup of the nuclear waste dump in Parks Township has been slow-going for the Army Corps of Engineers, which says it is months behind on the work.
The most recent snag for the Corps is responding to public comments on its new cleanup plan, and negotiating an agreement with the site owner for access.
More than 20 years in the making, cleanup plans for the site are under review again by the Corps, the federal agency tasked by Congress to dig up and remove the radioactive materials buried in 10 shallow trenches, primarily in the 1960s.
The cleanup has been stalled for four years since a Corps contractor dug up greater amounts of “complex” nuclear materials than expected, escalating costs and prompting the Corps to bring in armed Homeland Security guards.
As the cleanup has grown more complicated and expensive, so have the regulatory wheels of progress.
The Corps is running about three months behind schedule this year because it is responding to public comments about the cleanup and finalizing an access agreement to enter the property, which is owned by BWX Technologies of Lynchburg, Va.
“Everybody is being careful and slow,” said Mike Helbling, Corps project manager.
This year, the Corps released an amendment to its cleanup plan, revisiting its decision to dig up and remove radioactive contaminants and revising the soaring cost estimates of the 10-year process.
“Answering the comments is running behind because of the complexity of the comments and the need to provide answers to all of the stakeholders,” Helbling said.
Among them was BWXT, which will be responsible for paying the bill for the Corps' work.
The company wants the Corps to look at other less-costly remedies, primarily keeping the nuclear waste at the dump next to a small rural village, an industrial park, a major road and the Kiski River.
The Corps is running behind in renewing its agreement with BWXT to access the dump for the cleanup.
“It's complicated because of the nature of the site, the amount of money involved and the potential for litigation between the government and BWXT over the cost of the cleanup,” said Helbling.
More than a decade ago, the Department of Justice negotiated the government's share of the cleanup of the former plutonium plant next to the dump.
Because the dump received nuclear waste tied to government contracts, the government has in the past paid for some of the cleanup costs.
But the Justice Department will not even confirm if it is in negotiations with BWXT over costs of the current project.
“As a matter of policy, we wouldn't comment on whether such discussions are taking place,” spokesman Wyn Hornbuckle said.
Helbling confirmed, however, BWXT is negotiating with the government.
“Taxpayers will pay a portion of this cleanup,” he said. “The question is how much.”
Aimee Mills, public relations manager for BWXT, declined to comment.
Environmental activist Patty Ameno of Hyde Park said she is tired and suspicious of the delays.
“The company has continuously tried to leave this nuclear and chemical waste into perpetuity with us,” Ameno said.
In November, the Corps expects final approval of the cleanup by Gen. Richard G. Kaiser, commander of the Corps Great Lakes and Ohio River Division, according to Helbling.
Then the Corps will decide whether it will wait until January, after the holidays, to release its request for proposals to find a new contractor for the cleanup, Helbling said. The Corps expects to review the bids and award the contract in the first quarter of 2017.
“I'm still hoping to start excavation in 2017, but that will be dependent on the weather and the design of the project,” he said.
Mary Ann Thomas is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-226-4691 or mthomas@tribweb.com.
