Fernald Preserve, f.k.a. Fernald Feed Materials Production Center - Fernald, Ohio
Posted by: 
machard
N 39° 17.925 W 084° 41.610
16S E 698892 N 4352466
The Fernald Feed Materials Production Center (commonly referred to simply as Fernald or later NLO) is a Superfund site located within Crosby Township in Hamilton County, Ohio, as well as Ross Township in Butler County, Ohio.
Waymark Code: WMYNQX
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 07/04/2018
Views: 4
The U.S. Department of Energy Feed Materials Production Center, also known as the Feeds Material Superfund site, is located, twenty miles northwest of Cincinnati in the town of Fernald, Ohio. The 1,050-acre facility operated from 1951 to 1989, producing high-purity uranium metals products for the U.S. defense program. Facility operations contaminated soil and groundwater with radionuclides, including uranium, thorium and radium, and resulted in widespread radioactive contamination of soil and groundwater, along with residual sludge and liquid waste.
In 1991 U.S. DOE and U.S. EPA entered into a Consent Agreement requiring cleanup of the site under CERCLA. The site was divided into five operable units, or OUs, to promote a more structured and efficient cleanup. From 1991 to December 2006, DOE completed a $4.4 billion cleanup with EPA and Ohio EPA oversight. An estimated 31 million pounds of uranium products, 2.5 billion pounds of waste, 255 buildings and structures, and 2.75 million cubic yards of contaminated soil and debris were identified as requiring remedial action. In addition, a 223-acre portion of the Great Miami Aquifer, underlying the site, was found to be contaminated at levels above radiological drinking water standards.
EPA has conducted several five-year reviews of the site’s remedy. These reviews ensure that the remedies put in place protect public health and the environment, and function as intended by site decision documents. The most recent review concluded that response actions at the site are in accordance with the remedy selected by EPA and that the remedy continues to be protective of human health and the environment in the short term. Long-term protectiveness requires cleanup of contaminated groundwater to meet drinking water standards.
Groundwater treatment is ongoing. Off-site groundwater contamination is contained via an extraction system installed in 1991. An extensive network of extraction and injection wells was installed and began operation in August 1998 to expedite groundwater treatment and contaminant removal. Since that time, over eight billion gallons of groundwater have been pumped from the aquifer, removing more than 5,000 pounds of uranium. The groundwater is being treated to return the aquifer to drinking water standards, which is anticipated to occur in 2025. The site’s next five-year review is scheduled for 2021.
The Feed Material site is now in reuse as a wildlife park, with DOE maintaining all future site control. Extensive wetlands, trails and a multi-use environmental education facility are located at the site.
(Source: website)
ID: OH6890008976
Site Name: Feed Materials Production Center (USDOE)
Link to Site: [Web Link]
Additional Parking: Not Listed
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