LOOW CAC, Corps to meet on NFSS

by Terry Duffy

The Lake Ontario Ordnance Works Community Action Council will meet with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, on Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 6:30 p.m. Open to the public, the session will be held in the Alumni Room of the Lewiston-Porter School District's Community Resource Center on the Creek Road campus.

Expected to be discussed will the Army Corps' October report concerning what is called the "Balance of Plant Operable Unit" on the Niagara Falls Storage Site at LOOW. The areas in question are not within the 10-acre Interim Waste Containment Structure at NFSS that's been the topic of past Corps workshops concerning possible government remediation activities of radon and other radioactive wastes contained inside that cell.

Doug Sarno, Corps-contracted facilitator for community informational activities relative to the IWCS remediation study, said Wednesday's session will have its focus on the most recent Corps analytical work at NFSS, aimed at determining the sources and status of radioactive contaminations in areas around IWCS.

"The Balance of Plant Operable Unit is designed to investigate and remediate as necessary all NFSS property outside of the IWCS," said Sarno. "This past summer, the Corps conducted a series of field investigations to increase understanding of several areas where higher concentrations have been identified, particularly near well OW11B and along historical water pipelines. The results of these investigations have increased the knowledge of the location and source of this contamination and the potential for any transfer in the water lines. Additional actions were also taken to ensure that the pipelines do not present more concerns.

"The Corps released its report on these investigations on Oct. 22 (the report can be found at http://www.lrb.usace.army.mil/Missions/HTRW/FUSRAP/NiagaraFallsStorageSite.aspx) and has accepted the CAC invitation to attend this meeting and present its activities, findings, and conclusions to date. Please plan to join us," Sarno said.

For more information, visit the LOOW CAC website at www.loowcac.org.