Environmental Baseline Survey Report for the Title Transfer of the K-792 Switchyard Complex at the East Tennessee Technology Park, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

This environmental baseline survey (EBS) documents the baseline environmental conditions of the U. S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) K-792 Switchyard Complex, which includes the former K-792 Switchyard, the K-79 1-B building, the K-796-A building, and the K-792 Northern Expansion Area located in the northwestern portion of the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP). The total area of the property is approximately 19.91 acres. DOE is proposing to transfer the title of this land area and buildings to the Heritage Center, LLC (Heritage Center), a subsidiary corporation of the Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee (CROET). This report provides supporting information for the transfer of this government-owned facility at ETTP to a non-federal entity. The area proposed for title transfer includes the former K-792 Switchyard, the K-792 Northern Expansion Area, Bldg. K-791-B, Bldg. K-796-A, and the underlying property known as the underlying fee. Located within the K-792 Switchyard footprint but not included in the transfer are Bldg. K-131 0-MP and Bldg. K- 131 0-MQ, two buildings owned by a private company that leases space in the northern portion of the Switchyard. The transfer footprint is bounded by Perimeter Road to the north and west, the parking area for Portal 8 to the south, and primarily the former K-792 Powerhouse Complex and Avenue 'U' North to the east; however, the eastern boundary along the Northern Expansion area has no physical features associated with it. Zone 2 remedial action objectives were developed by the DVS to support the future use of ETTP as a mixed-use commercial and industrial park. Therefore, remediation criteria were designed for the protection of the future industrial worker under the assumption the worker normally would not have the potential for exposure to soils at depths below 10 ft below ground surface (bgs). Accordingly, land use controls (LUCs) have been established to restrict disturbance of soils below 10 ft deep and to limit future land use to industriallcornmercial activities. Where the need for LUCs below 10 ft bgs is not warranted, this is so stated and explained. Once all actions associated with the DVS for Zone 1 and Zone 2 are completed and the data support it, there will be a re-evaluation with EPA and TDEC for the restriction on excavation below 10 ft. The DVS process and the preparation of this report included visual and physical inspections of the property and adjacent properties, a detailed records search, sampling and analysis of soils, radiological walkover surveys, and a risk evaluation. Resources evaluated as part of the records search included Federal Government records, title documents, aerial photographs that may reflect prior uses, and interviews with current and former employees 1 involved in the operations on the real property to identify any areas on the property where hazardous substances and petroleum products, or their derivatives, and acutely hazardous wastes were stored for one year or more, known to have been released, or disposed of. In addition, radiological surveys of Bldgs. K-791-B and K-796-A were conducted to assess the buildings radiological condition. Soil vapor sampling and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) swipe sampling also were conducted within the buildings. Based on the U. S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) review of the existing information, including discussions and interviews referenced herein, and evaluation of the data gathered in preparation of the environmental baseline survey (EBS) for the K-792 Switchyard Complex, DOE recommends the following: Due to the uncertainty associated with the nature of the on-site groundwater and the need to evaluate and possibly address groundwater in the future, DOE recommends that the transfer of the K-792 Switchyard Complex be achieved by a covenant deferral per the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) Sect. 120(h)(3)(c). Land use restrictions associated with the covenant deferral are described