HARRISBURG (Nov. 19, 1997)The state Department of General Services (DGS) today announced the award of a contract to clean up low-level radioactive material in the Quehanna Wild Area, Clearfield County.
NES Inc. of Danbury, Conn. was selected through competitive bidding to develop a plan to remove small amounts of low-level radioactive waste -- primarily strontium and cobalt -- left over from industry operations decades ago. The waste site is on state forest land operated by the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).
Although the levels of radiation at the site fall above the lowest acceptable levels set by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the radiation is not considered dangerous to the public.
"This remediation project is another aspect of our on-going partnership with DCNR to assist with their efforts to protect our natural resources and make our state parks and forests safe and enjoyable for the using public," DGS Secretary Gary E. Crowell said.
The project will remove or stabilize all residual low-level radioactive materials from laboratories, small pool-type research reactors, offices, decontamination areas, and waste processing and storage areas. Removed contaminated material will be disposed of at NRC-approved sites in South Carolina and Utah.
NES must develop a final decontamination plan for approval by the NRC before initiating actual cleanup activities. Drafting of the decontamination plan is expected to take three to four months. Decontamination of the site is expected to begin in spring 1998 and be completed by the end of 1998.
In 1955, 50,000 acres of state forest land was sold to the Curtiss Wright Corporation, which developed nuclear jet engines and conducted research in nucleonics, metallurgy, electronics, chemicals and plastics. In addition to Curtiss Wright, various other industries using radiation in their manufacturing processes occupied the facility over several years.
The land was returned to the state in 1966 and is now managed as the Quehanna Wild Area in DCNR's Moshannon and Elk forest districts. Several buildings from the former industrial operations are now occupied by PermaGrain, a manufacturer of specialty wood and tile flooring. The cleanup activities are not expected to have an impact on the operation of PermaGrain.
"This is an important project for the people of this region, and for the users of our state forests. Thanks to Governor Ridge and our legislature, we are finally taking care of long unfinished business," DCNR Secretary John C. Oliver said.
Rep. Camille "Bud" George said: "I'm both pleased and relieved that the Ridge Administration has decided to step forward and take this positive step. I am sure the residents of our area share those sentiments."
Project management of the cleanup is a cooperative effort among DGS, DCNR, NRC, and the Department of Environmental Protection, which will serve in an oversight role. Funding is provided by the state's capital budget.