About the Niagara Falls Storage Site

In 1944 the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) was used by the Manhattan Engineer District (MED) to store radioactive residues and wastes from uranium ore processing. Radioactive wastes and residues continued to be brought to the site for storage until 1952. In 1982 the Department of Energy (DOE) began clean-up and consolidation of the radioactive wastes and residues in an earthen containment cell constructed on the property, which was completed in 1986.

Project Status

On December 14, 2007, the Corps of Engineers issued a comprehensive Remedial Investigation Report for the Niagara Falls Storage Site, to communicate the nature and extent of FUSRAP-related radioactive and chemical contamination on the site. The Remedial Investigation indicates that there are currently no imminent hazards to safety or health from radiological or chemical exposure within the site or to a member of the public outside the site.

Transport simulations of groundwater indicate that the Interim Waste Containment Structure (IWCS) will adequately mitigate contaminant migration for nearly 200 years as long as the site maintenance program is continued to prevent degradation of the containment structure’s clay cap. The Corps of Engineers continues to work on the Feasibility Study for the IWCS which will identify, define the scope, and evaluate a wide range of long-term remedies to address the FUSRAP contamination in the structure. The Feasibility Study for the IWCS is currently scheduled for completion in 2013. Additional Feasibility Studies for site soils and infrastructure, and groundwater will follow the Feasibility Study for the IWCS. An addendum to the 2007 Remedial Investigation Report was released in April 2011.

The NFSS is routinely evaluated with chemical and radiation sampling, and results are reported in an annual environmental surveillance report which is posted below at www.lrb.usace.army.mil/fusrap/nfss/index.htm#EnvSurv. These evaluations are used to assess the protectiveness of the containment structure. To date, it is clear that the IWCS is performing as designed. The site continues to be maintained (mowing, plowing, etc.) with emphasis on assuring that the containment structure's cap is free from cracks and functions well to retard radon emission and to resist infiltration of rainwater and snowmelt. The Corps' environmental surveillance program for the site was enhanced in 2008 and 2010 by adding additional sampling points and parameters.

News Releases

May 31, 2011	Corps of Engineers Awards Contract for Facilitator at Niagara Falls Storage Site
Jul 17, 2008	Corps Reschedules Meeting regarding Niagara Falls Storage Site Remedial Investigation Report
Apr 25, 2008	Niagara Falls Storage Site Remedial Investigation Report Availability/Information Session Scheduled
Jan 29, 2008	Corps Announces Enhancement of Public Involvement Program for the Lake Ontario Ordnance Works Site
Dec 14, 2007	Niagara Falls Storage Site Remedial Investigation Report Available
Feb 12, 2002	Corps Conducts Background Radiation Study of Lew-Port School Property

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Documents

Fact Sheets:

NFSS IWCS Feasibility Study
     Fact Sheet: Radon Assessment Tech Memo (Jan 2012)
     Fact Sheet: Meteorological Data Evaluation Tech Report (Jan 2012)
     Fact Sheet: Waste Disposal Options and Fernald Lessons Learned Tech Memo (Jul 2011)

Fact Sheet: Remedial Investigation Report Addendum (Apr 2011)

NFSS Site Fact Sheet (Apr 2011)

Fact Sheet: Administrative Record File (Jan 2011)

Niagara Falls Storage Site Brochure (Jun 2010)

Fact Sheet: Demolition of Building 401 (Sep 2009)

Fact Sheet: Feasibility Study Approach (May 2009)
     Fact Sheet: Radon Assessment Technical Memorandum (Jun 2010)
     Fact Sheet: Applicable or Relevant and Appropriate Requirements (Nov 2010)
     Fact Sheet: Fernald Lessons Learned (Nov 2010)
     Fact Sheet: Technologies Screening and Development of Alternatives (Dec 2010)
     Fact Sheet: Potential Health Effects from Contaminants Within the IWCS (Jan 2011)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on LOOW and NFSS (Jul 2008)

Fact Sheet: NFSS Site Security (Mar 2008)

Fact Sheet: Key Findings of the NFSS Remedial Investigation (Dec 2007)

Fact Sheet: NFSS CERCLA Document Status (Dec 2007)

Fact Sheet: Vicinity Property G (Jun 2004)

Fact Sheet: Lewiston-Porter Background Study (Feb 2002)

Environmental Investigations:

Main Site

     NFSS IWCS Feasibility Study
        Radon Assessment Technical Memorandum (Jan 2012)
        Meteorological Data Evaluation Technical Report (Dec 2011)
        Waste Disposal Options and Fernald Lessons Learned Technical Memorandum (Jul 2011)

     NFSS Remedial Investigation Addendum - Report (63 MB) (Apr 2011)
          NFSS RI Addendum - Appendices 3A - 12A (13 MB) (Apr 2011)
          NFSS RI Addendum - Appendix 12A, Part 1 (28 MB) (Apr 2011)
          NFSS RI Addendum - Appendix 12A, Part 2 (29 MB) (Apr 2011)
          NFSS RI Addendum - Appendix 12A, Part 3 (8 MB) (Apr 2011)
          NFSS RI Addendum - Appendix 12A, Part 4 (8 MB) (Apr 2011)
          NFSS RI Addendum - Appendix 12B (155 MB) (Apr 2011)
          NFSS RI Addendum - Appendices 12C - 13A (60 MB) (Apr 2011)

     NFSS Groundwater Flow and Contaminant Transport Modeling Results (Mar 2011)

     NFSS Closeout Report for Legacy and Investigation Derived Waste Disposal (Feb 2011)

     NFSS Remedial Investigation Addendum - Validated Radiological & Chem. Data (Aug 2010)
          NFSS Remedial Investigation Addendum - Sampling Locations (May 2010)

     NFSS Feasibility Study Work Plan (5.5 MB) (Dec 2009)

     NFSS Remedial Investigation Addendum - Sampling and Analysis Plan (6.7 MB) (Nov 2009)

     NFSS Historical Photographic Analysis (Sep 2009)

     NFSS Remedial Investigation Report Narrative (Dec 2007)
          NFSS Remedial Investigation Report Figures (29 MB) (Dec 2007)
          NFSS Remedial Investigation Report Tables (15 MB) (Dec 2007)
          Public Comments on the Remedial Investigation Report (May 2009)
          Responses to Public Comments on the Remedial Investigation Report (Aug 10)
          Responses to Top 7 NYSDEC Comments on the Remedial Investigation Report (Aug 10)
          Responses to Top 10 USEPA Comments on the Remedial Investigation Report (Aug 10)

     NFSS Baseline Risk Assessment Narrative (Dec 2007)

     NFSS Groundwater Flow and Contaminant Transport Modeling Narrative (Dec 2007)

Building 401

     NFSS Building 401 Record of Environmental Consideration (Jan 2010)

     NFSS Building 401 NEPA Scoping Document (Sep 2009)

     NFSS Building 401 Radiological Contamination Status (Aug 1998)

Vicinity Properties

     NFSS Vicinity Property G Site Investigation Report (11.4 MB) (Jan 2009)

Off Site

     Lewiston-Porter School District Sampling Report (May 2011)
          Presentation to School Board on Lewiston-Porter School District Sampling (Jul 2011)

Scopes of Work / Work Plans:

NFSS Building 401 Demolition - Site Operations Plan (Aug 2010)
     NFSS Building 401 Demolition - Building Demolition Plan (Aug 2010)
     NFSS Building 401 Demolition - Waste Management Plan (Aug 2010)
     NFSS Building 401 Demolition - Transportation and Disposal Plan (Aug 2010)
     NFSS Building 401 Demolition - Field Sampling Plan (Aug 2010)
     NFSS Building 401 Demolition - Quality Assurance Project Plan (Aug 2010)
     NFSS Building 401 Demolition - Contractor Quality Control Plan (Aug 2010)
     NFSS Building 401 Demolition - Site Safety and Health Plan (Aug 2010)

NFSS Investigative and Legacy Waste Disposal Scope of Work (Jun 2010)
     IDW & Legacy Waste Disposal - Contractor Quality Control Plan (Aug 2010)
     IDW & Legacy Waste Disposal - Sampling and Analysis Plan (Aug 2010)
     IDW & Legacy Waste Disposal - Waste Mgmt, Transportation & Disposal Plan (Aug 2010)
     IDW & Legacy Waste Disposal - Accident Prevention Plan (Aug 2010)

Presentations:

NFSS Workshop - Presentation - Waste Disposal and Fernald Lessons Learned (Sep 2011)
     NFSS Workshop - Handout (Sep 2011)
     NFSS Workshop - Transcript (Sep 2011)

NFSS Workshop - Presentation - Remedial Investigation Addendum (Jun 2011)
     NFSS Workshop - Transcript (Jun 2011)

LOOW & NFSS Workshop - Presentation (Nov 2010)
     LOOW & NFSS Workshop - Transcript (Nov 2010)

LOOW & NFSS Workshop - Presentation (Jun 2010)
     LOOW & NFSS Workshop - USEPA Presentation (Jun 2010)
     LOOW & NFSS Workshop - Transcript (Jun 2010)

LOOW & NFSS Workshop - DOE Vicinity Property Presentation (Mar 2010)

LOOW & NFSS Workshop - DOE Vicinity Property Presentation (Dec 2009)

LOOW & NFSS Workshop - NFSS Presentation (Sep 2009)
     LOOW & NFSS Workshop - Transcript (Sep 2009)

Presentation: Public Workshop (Jun 2009)
     Poster: CERCLA Process and Feasibility Study Approach (Jun 2009)
     Poster: Remedial Investigation Addendum Topics (Jun 2009)
     Poster: Technical Memorandum Process (Jun 2009)
     Poster: Feasibility Study Operable Units (Jun 2009)
     Transcript from the Public Workshop (Jun 2009)

Presentation: Remedial Investigation Findings, Session 2 (Sep 2008)
     Transcript from the 2nd Remedial Investigation Presentation (Sep 2008)
     Posters from the 2nd Remedial Investigation Presentation (Sep 2008)

Presentation: Remedial Investigation Findings (May 2008)
     Public Questions on the Remedial Investigation (May 2008)
     Transcript from the Remedial Investigation Presentation (May 2008)

Presentation: Groundwater Model (May 2008)
     Video: Uranium Groundwater Model (May 2008)

Historical Documents:

NFSS IWCS Performance Monitoring Report for 1991 (Jul 1992)

NFSS IWCS Performance Monitoring Report for 1990 (Mar 1992)

NFSS IWCS Performance Monitoring Report for Second Half of 1988 and 1989 (Jun 1990)

NFSS IWCS Performance Monitoring Report for 1987 and First Half of 1988 (Jan 1989)

NFSS IWCS Performance Monitoring Report for 1986 (Jul 1987)

Due to the large size of the files for the most recent reports, we have posted files with most of the text from the reports. Complete copies of the reports are available in the Administrative Record File at the locations listed below.

(All document files are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.)

The Administrative Record File for the Niagara Falls Storage Site is located at:

Lewiston Public Library 305 S. 8th Street Lewiston, NY 14092

Youngstown Free Library 240 Lockport Street Youngstown, NY 14174

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Environmental Surveillance Program

Fact Sheets:

Fact Sheet: NFSS Environmental Surveillance Enhancements (Mar 2011)

Fact Sheet: NFSS Environmental Surveillance Data (Jun 2008)

Current Data:

2011 Data

   2011 Quarterly Water Level Measurements
       Not available yet  |  

   2011 External Gamma Radiation and Radon Gas Data
       Not available yet

   2011 Radon Flux Data
       Not available yet

2010 Data

   Groundwater Sampling After 23 June 2010 Quebec Earthquake (Sep 2010)

Technical Memorandums:

2010 Environmental Surveillance Technical Memorandum (Dec 2011)

2009 Environmental Surveillance Technical Memorandum (Nov 2010)

2008 Environmental Surveillance Technical Memorandum (Nov 2009)

2007 Environmental Surveillance Technical Memorandum (Sep 2008)

2006 Environmental Surveillance Technical Memorandum (Sep 2007)

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Photos

Click on any picture for a larger version.
Building 401 Photographs
Presentation with External and Internal Photographs of Building 401 (Aug 2009)
Aerial Photographs
1944 Aerial of NFSS (looking northeast from Pletcher Road)	1944 Aerial of NFSS (looking northeast, Building 401 in foreground)
1944 Aerial of NFSS (northwest NFSS boundary, looking northwest)	1944 Aerial of NFSS (future IWCS location, looking northeast)
1944 Aerial of NFSS (north of Pletcher Road, looking west)	1985 Aerial of NFSS During IWCS Construction
Aerial of NFSS Former K-65 Storage Silo (northeast NFSS boundary, looking southwest)	2002 Aerial of NFSS (looking east)
Sampling Photographs
Drilling Activities at NFSS	Radiological Scan of Soil Boring

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Links

• New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Contents POC: FUSRAP Public Info

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