St. Albans
St. Albans Veterans Administration Extended Care Center
January 1999
This facility operated as a Naval Hospital prior to its acquisition by the VA. The Naval hospital provided services under several NRC licenses. NRC licensed activities ended with the termination of the NRC license on December 31, 1973. Surveys performed in recent years have identified radioactive contamination in excess of the NRC release criteria. Historical assessment of the operation of the laboratory identified the possibility of a spill of liquid Sr/Y-90 occurring in late 1962. The surveys indicated elevated readings in the laboratories, several areas adjacent to the labs, and in the ejector pit that received liquids from the laboratory drain system. Survey reports presented as recently as 1997 indicated the need for a more extensive survey of the area.
Roy F. Weston, Inc, as prime contractor to the Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE) contracted Millennium Services, Inc / Shonka Research Associates, Inc. to perform a more detailed survey of the areas potentially affected. Areas requiring surveys were classified as Class 1 and Class 3 areas. The objectives of the survey were to survey the Class 3 areas to meet the final status survey criteria of MARSSIM, i.e., to determine if the Class 3 areas met the free release criteria. The Class 1 areas were to be characterized as necessary to support development of a remediation plan and decommissioning cost estimate. Highlights of the survey included: Survey of greater than 480 square meters of Class 1 Areas, involving more than 19,000 individual measurements; Identification of areas in excess of the maximum 100 cm2 acceptance criteria and in excess of the average square meter criteria; Survey of greater than 800 square meters of Class 3 Areas, involving more than 30,000 individual measurements; and, Completion of the survey in 7 working days.
Contact:
Michael Madonia, Project Manager (847) 918-4087
