Innovative Treatment and Remediation Demonstration Program Summary Report: Conceptual Model Review and Remediation Options for Los Alamos National Laboratory Technical Area 54, Material Disposal Area L

From June 2001 through September 2002, the Innovative Technology and Remediation Demonstration (ITRD) Program conducted an evaluation of possible remediation technologies at the DOE Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in New Mexico. For ten years (1975 to 1985), LANL disposed of liquid chemical wastes at Material Disposal AreaL. Large amounts of the liquid waste have volatilized to create a plume of organic vapor in the subsurface. A Technical Advisory Group (TAG) was formed from the ITRD Program to assess two issues-the conceptual modeling previously performed by LANL Environmental Restoration (ER) and remediation options for the site. The goal of the project was to evaluate a corrective measure strategy proposed by LANL ER, passive venting, with respect to other corrective measures. Although the TAG did not recommend a particular technology, it concluded that, based on LANL's vapor transport modeling, soil vapor extraction is a reasonable remediation method that is likely to be successful. The TAG also provided a more general recommendation: LANL ER and the New Mexico Environment Department should continue to work together to identify the regulatory requirements that will affect the design and implementation of the soil vapor remediation process at MDA L.