Environmental assessment of remedial action at the inactive uraniferous lignite processing sites at Belfield and Bowman, North Dakota. [UMTRA Project]

Abstract

The Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 (UMTRCA), Public Law 95-604, authorized the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to clean up the Belfield and Bowman, North Dakota, uraniferous lignite processing sites to l reduce the potential health impacts associated with the residual radioactive materials remaining at these sites. Remedial action at these sites must be performed in accordance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) standards promulgated for the remedial action (40 CFR 192) and with the I concurrence of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the state of North Dakota. l The inactive Belfield uraniferous lignite processing site is one mile southeast of Belfield, North Dakota. The inactive Bowman uraniferous lignite processing site at the former town of Griffin, is seven miles northwest of l Bowman, North Dakota and 65 road miles south of Belfield. Lignite ash from the processing operations has contaminated the soils over the entire ]O.7-acre designated Belfield site and the entire ]2.]-acre designated Bowman site. Dispersionof the ash has contaminatedan additional20.6 acres surroundingthe Idrl I " rl 'I_ " "' 'lP li TM