Superior Steel Pa 2007 02

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Preliminary Assessment

Superior Steel Corporation
Scott Township, Pennsylvania

Prepared by:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District
February, 2007

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 Introduction…….………………………………………………...…….……………............1
2.0 Site Description, Operational History and Waste Characteristics…………………….....3
2.1 Site Description……………………………………………………………………….3
2.2 Owner-Operator Information...………………....……………………….……............3
2.3 Operational History and Waste Characteristics..…….……….........…….......……….4
2.4 Previous Radiological Surveys.………………………..…………………………..…5
2.4.1 ORNL Survey…..…………………………………………………………..5
2.4.2 Applied Health Physics Survey (1).……………………………….………..6
2.4.3 Applied Health Physics Survey (2)………………………………..………..6
2.4.4 ORISE Phase 1 Survey………………………………………….………….7
2.4.5 ORISE Phase 2 Survey…....…………………………………….………….8
2.4.6 ORAU Dose Assessment……………………………….…………………..9
3.0 Soil Exposure and Air Pathways...……………………………………..…………………..9
3.1 Physical Conditions...……………………………………………..………………….9
3.2 Soil and Air Pathways and Direct Radiation..…………………………..…………..10
3.3 Soil Exposure, Air Pathway, and Direct Radiation Conclusions…………….……...11
4.0 Groundwater Pathway...………………………………………………………………..…11
4.1 Hydrogeologic Setting..……...…………………………………………………..….11
4.2 Groundwater Pathways……..…………………………………………………….....12
4.3 Groundwater Pathway Conclusions…...………………………….……………..…..12
5.0 Surface Water Pathway..……………………………………………………………..…...12
5.1 Hydrogeologic Setting…..…………………………………………….………….…12
5.2 Surface Water Pathways…..…….…………………………………….………….…13
5.3 Surface Water Pathway Conclusions……..….....………………………..……….…13
6.0 Combined Pathway Conclusions..……………………………………………………..….13
7.0 Summary and Conclusions…………..…………………………………………………....14
8.0 References…...…………………………………………………………………………..…15
Attachment A – DOE Inclusion Letter
Figures
1.0 Superior Steel Site Location
2.0 Layout of Building 23 Complex Area and Locations of Process Machinery
3.0 Process Layout

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TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTINUED

Tables
1.0 Historical Elevated Soil/Residue Samples
2.0 Surface Activity Levels Building 23 Complex
3.0 Uranium Isotopic Concentrations in Soil Samples

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Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Symbols
AEC
Atomic Energy Commission
AHP
Applied Health Physics Inc.
Argonne
Argonne National Lab
AR
Army Regulation
CERCLA
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
CFR
Code of Federal Regulations
cm
centimeter
DOE
Department of Energy
dpm
Disintegrations per minute
EDR
Environmental Data Resources
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency
ESSAP Environmental Survey and Site Assessment Program
FUSRAP
Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program
gpm
Gallons per minute
MED
Manhattan Engineer District
mrem
millirem
MOU
Memorandum of Understanding
NCP
National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan
NEPA
National Environmental Policy Act
NIOSH
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health
NRC
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
NRCS
Natural Resource Conservation Service
NUREG
Nuclear Regulatory Guidance
ORAU
Oak Ridge Associated Universities
ORISE
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education
ORNL
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
PA
Preliminary Assessment
PADEP
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
PENNDOT
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
pCi/g
Picocuries per gram
pCi/L
Picocuries per liter
RI
Remedial Investigation
SAIC
Science Applications International Corporation
SSC
Superior Steel Corporation
U
Uranium
USACE
United States Army Corps of Engineers
μR/h
yr

microRoentgen per hour
year

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1.0 INTRODUCTION
The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) in accordance with the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the
National Oil and Hazardous Substance Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP) performed a
Preliminary Assessment (PA) of the former Superior Steel Corporation site. The purpose of this
PA was to review information to determine the need for further action by USACE under the
Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) to ensure the protection of human
health and the environment. The scope of the assessment included a review of existing
information about the site and a site visit on August 29, 2006.
The former Superior Steel Site in Scott Township, Pennsylvania, processed uranium
metal in support of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) fuel-element development
program from June 27, 1952 to contract termination on September 30, 1957. The uraniumprocessing contract originated with the AEC New York Operations Office and later was
administered by the AEC Oak Ridge Operations Office beginning on July 1, 1954. The contract
was transferred to the AEC Savannah River Operations Office on October 15, 1954. Upon
contract termination, the AEC Savannah River Operations Office destroyed the official contract
file in accordance with its records disposition schedule.
In addition to the work performed for the AEC, Superior Steel was licensed in 1956 (No.
C-3480) to receive possession of and/or title to thorium metal for the purpose of forging, roll
cogging, finish rolling, and cutting. This license allowed Superior Steel to receive source
material (thorium metal) from another commercial licensee (Babcock & Wilcox Company under
license No. C-3465) and process it into the desired shape. According to the Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC), the Superior Steel AEC license expired in 1958 and records indicate that
there was neither a closeout survey nor inspection of the facility to support termination of this
license (NRC 2006). Any residual radioactive contamination associated with commercial
operations involving thorium metal is not eligible for cleanup under FUSRAP (Owen 2006).
The primary AEC operations performed at the Superior Steel Site consisted of salt
bathing, rolling, brushing, shaping, cutting, stamping, and coiling of uranium metal. Records
indicate that natural and enriched uranium were processed at the site; recycled uranium from
reprocessed spent nuclear fuel may also have been processed at the site.
In March of 1974, FUSRAP was initiated under the direction of the Atomic Energy
Commission (AEC) and in 1975 was assigned to the Energy, Research, and Development
Administration (ERDA) until 1977, when program responsibility was assigned to the newly
created Department of Energy (DOE). In the Energy and Water Development Appropriations
Act, 1998, (Title I, Public Law 105-62, 111 Stat. 1320, 1326) Congress transferred the
responsibility for the administration and execution of cleanup at eligible FUSRAP sites to
USACE. In the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2000 (Title VI, Public Law
106-60, 113 Stat. 483, 502), Congress directed that any response action taken under FUSRAP by
the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, shall be subject to CERCLA
and the NCP.

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In March of 1999, USACE and DOE signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
that defined the administration and execution of responsibilities of each party under FUSRAP.
Pursuant to that MOU, when a new site is considered for inclusion in the FUSRAP, DOE is
responsible for performing historical research to determine if the site was used for activities that
supported the Nation's early atomic energy program. If DOE concludes that the site was used for
that purpose, the agency will provide USACE with that determination. USACE is then
responsible for preparing a PA in accordance with the CERCLA process to determine if a
response action is appropriate because of releases related to AEC-related operations.
On 3 February 2006, the DOE provided USACE with a determination that the site was
used for AEC activities that supported the Nation's early atomic energy program (Attachment A).
Accordingly, the former Superior Steel Corporation may be eligible for inclusion into the
FUSRAP, if it is determined under section III.D.2 of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
between the DOE and USACE that further CERCLA response actions may be necessary to
address FUSRAP-related contamination at the site and there is indication that further detailed
analysis will show the Federal Government may be responsible under CERCLA for the
contamination.
The purpose of this PA is to determine whether an unpermitted release or threat of release
of FUSRAP eligible hazardous substances occurred at the site and pose a threat to the public
health or the environment, as defined in Section 101(22) of CERCLA. If the assessment
determines that there is a release or threat of release, which may pose a threat to the public health
or the environment, then CERCLA authorizes further response actions to investigate the site as
necessary. This action does not respond to releases that are federally permitted or addressed by a
legally enforceable license, permit, regulation or order issued pursuant to the Atomic Energy Act
of 1954 or other Federal statute. Response actions may include removal (if imminent threat to
human health or environment) or additional investigation (Site Inspection). If radiological risk is
evident, then the CERCLA process progresses through a Remedial Investigation, Feasibility
Study, Proposed Plan and Record of Decision. If no evidence of release, or threat of release, is
found and no significant threat to the public health or environment is identified to eligible
FUSRAP related contaminates, then the PA will recommend no further action.
In addition to the documents transferred by DOE to USACE referencing Superior Steel,
USACE contracted with Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) to perform additional records
search. Argonne completed this search in August 2006 and a complete list of records obtained is
located in Attachment 1 of Argonne’s report (Argonne, 2006). Representatives from Argonne
and USACE visited several locations including the National Archives and Records
Administration, the Pennsylvania Departments of Environmental Protection and Transportation,
the Pennsylvania State Archives, and the Pennsylvania State Library. Additionally, Argonne
contacted representatives from the NRC, the DOE Office of Legacy Management, and the
Pennsylvania Department of Health (which subsequently contacted the Agency for Toxic
Substances and Disease Registry). These activities led to the identification of additional records
that were not previously identified in the documents provided by the DOE. Further, a
preliminary legal analysis must show some Federal Government responsibility for the
contamination, based on CERCLA principles of liability, otherwise a recommendation will be

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made that FUSRAP activities be terminated at the site and any necessary cleanup be conducted
under the jurisdiction of an appropriate federal or state agency.

2.0 SITE DESCRIPTION, OPERATIONAL HISTORY AND WASTE
CHARACTERISTICS
2.1 Site Description
The former Superior Steel Site is located in an industrial complex at 500 Superior Street
in Scott Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, (latitude 40.398569, longitude 80.0096351) about 8 km (5 mi) southwest of downtown Pittsburgh. The Superior Steel site is
located in Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 3. The 25-acre site originally was
occupied solely by the Superior Steel Company and now consists of several separately owned
manufacturing, storage, and office buildings. The site is bounded on the north, west, and south
by Chartiers Creek and on the east by Superior Street (Figure 1). The building that housed the
uranium processing facilities (Building Complex Number 23) is now owned by Superbolt, Inc., a
manufacturer of mechanical stud and bolt tensioners.
Superbolt Building Complex Number 23 consists of five interconnected steel-frame
warehouses (Figure 2) with metal roofs with corrugated steel siding. The floor construction
varies from area to area and is a combination of poured concrete, brick, and bare earth. The
building has a few windows, several garage-type doors, some standard door entrances, and
various roof ventilator fans. Superior Steel used three of the five areas in Building 23 to process
AEC-related material. Superbolt Inc. had previously leased the potentially contaminated areas to
other businesses for use as storage space and limited light industrial activity. However,
Superbolt Inc., discontinued this once the NRC identified residual radioactivity in Building 23.
On August 29, 2006 during a site visit to the former SSC complex, representatives from
Superbolt Inc. indicated that the northern third of Bldg. 23B is leased to a trucking company.
This industrial complex, including Building 23, sustained extensive flood damage on September
18, 2004, when a discharge of 15,900 cubic feet per second occurred on Chartiers Creek (NRC
2006).
2.2 Owner – Operator Information
At the time of AEC contract operations, the company was known as Superior Steel
Corporation (SSC) and later as Copper Weld, Inc. and as Lot and Block 102J210. The buildings
and facilities at the site have been sold a number of times over the intervening years, and other
names associated with the former Superior Steel Site are Lange Machinery Company, Inc., J.G.
Industries, Inc., Carnegie Industrial Park, and Superior Tube Company (ORAU 2005). The
current owner of Building Complex Number 23 is Superbolt Inc., who uses the building for
storage (NRC 2006).

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2.3 Operational History and Waste Characteristics
For the purposes of this assessment, the operational history of the former SSC began with
a unit-price AEC contract that extended from June 27, 1952 through September 30, 1957. The
original SSC contract is unavailable (contract No. AT 30-1-1412), although a contract awarded
to Metals & Controls for similar work was assumed to have the same boilerplate contract articles
(Aerospace Corporation, 1985). The contract originated from the AEC New York Operations
office, later transferred to the Oak Ridge Operations office, and then on October 15, 1954 to the
Savannah River Operations office. According to the Savannah River Operations office, SSC
contract files were destroyed. However, correspondence files relating to the work done by SSC
indicate they rolled, cut, and finished uranium metal into flat plates under a unit-price contract.
In addition to the work performed for the AEC, Superior Steel was licensed in 1956 (No.
C-3480) to receive possession of and/or title to 700 pounds of thorium metal to forge test. The
license was amended one month later for forging, roll cogging, finish rolling, and cutting of
45,000 pounds of thorium ingots for the Babcock & Wilcox Company. However, no
confirmation of receipt or handling of thorium has been found. Due to the limited size of the
Superior Steel facilities and its production capacities, it can be assumed that the both commercial
work and work performed for AEC by Superior was done on the same equipment and process
line. Additionally, it was noted by Aerospace Corporation that work performed for AEC by
Superior Steel occurred on the weekends when the plant would have otherwise been idle,
indicating that commercial work was potentially done on these same equipment lines (Aerospace
Corporation, 1985). The Superior Steel AEC license expired in 1958 and NRC records indicate
that neither a closeout survey nor inspection of the facility was performed to support the license
termination (NRC 2006). Any residual radioactive contamination associated with commercial
operations involving thorium metal is not eligible for cleanup under FUSRAP (Owen 2006).
AEC-contracted work performed by SSC occurred in Building Complex Number 23 (or
Bldg. 23), although only three of the five areas were used for uranium manufacturing activities:
the Mill Area (Area 23A), the Rolling Area (Area 23D), and the Motor Room (Area 23E). While
Areas 23B and 23C were not identified as being used in uranium processing activities, the most
recent radiological survey conducted by ORISE for NRC addressed all five areas and
documented radiological contamination in all five areas (Adams 2003).
Area 23A covers about 2,300 m2 (25,000 ft2) and contained the salt bath, roughing mill,
brushing station, finishing stands, and shear; the majority of the uranium handling and metal
shaping occurred here. All equipment used in this process has been removed and subfloor pits
approximately 2.5 m (8 ft) deep located below this uranium processing equipment are now filled
in with rubble and capped with 15 cm (6 in.) of concrete by previous owners, Lange Machinery
of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania (Myrick, 1981) subsequent to Superbolt Inc owning the site.
Historical reports indicate that the sides of the pits are constructed of concrete but it is
undetermined if the floor of the pits are also of concrete construction due to the debris now
located in the pits. The Adams (2003) report refers to this subfloor feature as consisting of
multiple pits extending the length of the former process layout (Figure 3) in Areas 23A and 23D
(Figure 2), as well as approximately 15 m (50 ft) outside the building north of Area 23A. Area
23A was used later to rebuild coke oven doors and is now a storage area for equipment not
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associated with either the uranium milling or coke door rebuilding processes; about 50% of the
floor space is used for storage.
Area 23D covers about 1,250 m2 (13,000 ft2) and was used to roll metal for shipping to
customers desired specifications. Area 23D is separated from Area 23A by a sheet-metal wall.
There were two pits in the south end of Area 23D that were filled with rubble and finished with
concrete to floor level. A small storage shed that is attached to the west side of Area 23D was
remediated including contaminated soil underneath the shed, in 1997. The north end of Area
23D is used by Superbolt for storing materials and supplies. The south end of Area 23D is
currently empty except for containers filled with radioactive waste from the 1997 remedial action
(storage shed and nearby contaminated soil) and radioactive wastes associated with the ORISE
surveys. These stored wastes are physically separated from the rest of Area 23D by a temporary
wall and are covered with a tarp. Superbolt Inc. uses about 20% of the floor space in this area
for storage.
Area 23E covers about 1,300 m2 (14,000 ft2) and contained the motors and control panels
that powered the mill equipment in Area 23A. This area was considered the clean side of the
mill because the atmosphere was controlled to provide proper operating conditions for the
motors and instruments. About 30% of the floor space is currently being used for storage
purposes.
Areas 23B and 23C were not used in the uranium processing activities conducted by
Superior Steel. Area 23B covers about 1,760 m2 (19,000 ft2) and Area 23C about 920 m2 (9,900
ft2). Superbolt used Area 23B to store the waste from the 1997 remedial activities, which were
relocated to the south end of Area 23D and consolidated with wastes generated during the
ORISE surveys. About 10% of the floor area in Area 23B is used by Superbolt to store supplies.
Area 23C is generally empty, with less than 10% of the floor space used by Superbolt to store
materials and supplies. A small trailer, which belongs to the trucking company, is parked in the
north end of the building.
2.4 Previous Radiological Surveys
Five radiological surveys of Superbolt Building Complex Number 23 have been
documented.
2.4.1 ORNL Survey
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) performed the first survey conducted of the SSC
site in July 1980 at the request of the Department of Energy. The purpose of the survey was to
provide information on the present condition and use of the former mill area and to determine the
need for a detailed survey of the site. The survey report concluded that uranium contamination
was found in the Mill Area (Area 23A), the Rolling Area (Area 23D), and in the storage shed
adjacent to the Rolling Area. Elevated gamma exposure rates were measured up to 500
microroentgens per hour (μR/hr) in the pits of the Rolling Area, and a soil sample from the
bottom of a pit had a measured uranium-238 (U-238) concentration of 5,800 picocuries per gram
(pCi/g). Gamma exposure rates in the storage shed were measured up to 400 μR/hr, and a soil
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sample collected from beneath the wood floor had a U-238 concentration of 1,100 pCi/g. The
full extent of contamination could not be determined in the survey areas due to the thick coke
dust and residue on horizontal and vertical surfaces, heavy equipment and other stored materials
on the floor, and rubble in the subfloor pits. The transmittal letter for this report recommended
that a more complete survey be performed to determine the full extent of radioactive
contamination at the site (Myrick and Clark, 1981).
2.4.2 Applied Health Physics (1)
The second radiological survey was performed at the request of the site owner Superbolt
Inc. The survey was performed on April 15 and 16, 1997 by Applied Health Physics (AHP)
under a contract with Superbolt’s environmental contractor, Environmental Assessment
Company. The goal of the survey was to provide a preliminary radiological characterization of
the former SSC site. The AHP survey included gamma-exposure rate measurements and surveys
of removable surface contamination. Swipes of accessible areas were taken throughout the
facility; no area was identified as having removable contamination in excess of NRC regulatory
limits for unrestricted release. Accessible areas included tops of brick walls (up to 8 feet), wall
penetrations, floor drains, in the Mill area. Inaccessible areas were classified as overhead
surfaces to include crane beams and the covered pits in the Mill Area.
The measured gamma exposure rates at 1 m (3 ft) above the floor in the Mill Area (Area
23A), the Rolling Area (Area 23D), and the Motor Room (Area 23E) were at reported
background levels. Peripheral gamma radiation surveys of areas outside Building 23 included a
storm drain on the southeast corner of the Mill Area (the likely outfall for the Mill Area cooling
pits) and a cursory gamma radiation survey of the general property, including the banks of
Chartiers Creek. These measurements were conducted at 1 m (3 ft) above the ground surface
and showed no elevated gamma radiation levels (AHP, 1997a).
However, elevated gamma radiation levels were detected at the storage shed by the
Rolling Area, which was confirmed by sampling for uranium. A contact gamma-radiation
exposure rate of 40 to 60 μR/hr was measured in the southwest section of the storage shed.
Elevated gamma exposure rates of 20 μR/hr at 1 m (3 ft) above the ground and contact readings
ranging from 100 to 200 μR/hr were identified in soil on two sides of the shed. Removable
contamination swipes taken in the storage shed identified slightly elevated levels of alpha
contamination, that were below the NRC limits for unrestricted release (AHP, 1997a).
Applied Health Physics Inc. in conjunction with PADEP representatives concluded that
due to the levels of radiation and contamination identified in and surrounding the storage shed
that a more in depth analysis of the storage shed and surrounding area would need to be done.
2.4.3 Applied Health Physics (2)
Superbolt Inc., following the recommendations in AHP’s radiological characterization
survey contracted with AHP to perform additional radiological characterization of the storage
shed area. Applied Health Physics Inc., returned during the summer and fall of 1997 and
focused on the storage shed by the Rolling Area, which exhibited radioactive contamination
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above NRC limits for unrestricted release. Surveys for removable surface contamination were
conducted in the storage shed during July 1997 and no values in excess of NRC regulatory limits
were identified. Elevated levels of gamma radiation were measured above the storage-shed floor
and portions of the concrete floor were removed to evaluate the underlying soil. A gamma
screening of the surface soil identified elevated readings throughout this area at depths up to 0.76
m (2.5 ft) (AHP, 1997b). Applied Health Physics Inc. along with PADEP representatives
recommended that the storage shed and the soil underneath be remediated to a depth of at least
four feet.
The storage shed and adjacent contaminated soil area were remediated and the resultant
wastes placed in containers, which were stored in Area 23D at the conclusion of the remedial
effort. Two additional contaminated areas identified by PADEP in the Rolling Area (Area 23D)
also were remediated. About 13 m3 (465 ft3) of radioactively contaminated soil and concrete
(including the floor of the storage shed) were removed during the remedial actions conducted
during October and November of 1997. This radioactive waste was placed in five B-25
containers and two 55-gallon drums and moved to Area 23B for storage; these wastes were
subsequently moved to the south end of Area 23D. Follow-up surveys of the remediated areas
were performed by AHP, who applied release criteria of twice the background gamma exposure
rate of 9 μR/hr and a total uranium concentration of 30 pCi/g in soil. Several values exceeding
these criteria are indicated in AHP’s Field Service Report Dated December 2, 1997 (AHP,
1997c).
2.4.4 ORISE Phase 1
In April 2000, the NRC’s Division of Nuclear Safety, Region I Office requested that the
Environmental Survey and Site Assessment Program (ESSAP) of ORISE perform a radiological
scoping survey. The focus of the scoping survey was on various portions of the SSC site on
those areas not previously addressed by the NRC, PADEP, and AHP. The fourth survey was
performed by ORISE in Areas 23A, 23E, and 23D from August 28 through September 1, 2000.
This Phase 1 survey of the three areas that records indicate were used by Superior Steel in its
uranium processing activities included alpha, beta, and gamma scans, as well as surface beta
activity measurements, gamma-exposure rate measurements, soil sampling, and debris sampling.
Results of this survey indicated that significant residual surface contamination remained at the
site on the horizontal structural surfaces (floor and overhead beams) within Area 23D and in soil
at various locations throughout the interior and exterior of the three surveyed areas; surface
activity measurements were not taken in Areas 23A and 23E.
The gamma exposure rates measured at five locations in the southern portion of Area
23D were at background levels. However, the surface total beta activity levels on the floor of this
area ranged up to 170,000 disintegrations per minute per 100 square centimeters (dpm/100 cm2),
with lower (but elevated) levels reported for the lower walls and overhead beams. Gamma
surface scans were conducted on approximately 75% of the available exterior area out to 5 m (16
ft) from the exterior walls on the east, west, and south sides, and out to about 20 m (66 ft) along
the north end of the facility. There is no indication that the survey covered any of the exterior
building surfaces up to and including the roof of the structure. Elevated gamma exposure rates
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were identified near the former storage shed and on the north side of the facility near the saltbath area.
Soil and debris samples were collected by ORISE and analyzed for uranium-235 (U-235)
and U-238 by gamma spectroscopy. Six locations in the subfloor pits were exposed by removing
the flooring and backfill, and soil samples were collected from four of the six excavations; most
of the removed material was returned to the pits. The ORISE report did not specify the depths at
which samples were taken from the pits; a general statement is made in the beginning of the
report stating that the pits were assumed to be approximately 2.5 meters deep. In addition, cores
were drilled through the floors of Areas 23A, 23E, and 23D, and through the asphalt and a
roadway surrounding the facility to allow for the collection of soil samples. All areas were
repaired as appropriate following collection of samples. Forty-six soil samples were collected
including those from the three excavated pits in Area 23A, one excavated pit in the salt bath area,
and randomly selected locations inside and outside the facility. All areas were repaired as
appropriate following collection of samples.
Many of the samples had measured uranium concentrations that were comparable to
naturally occurring background levels. Table 1 presents the elevated soil sample results from
this survey. The maximum reported U-238 concentrations of 7,180 pCi/g was collected from a
soil sample in the salt bath area of Area 23A. The U-235 concentration for this sample was
reported as 529 pCi/g. Five soil samples also were analyzed by alpha spectroscopy and produced
concentration ratios of uranium-234 (U-234) to U-238 of essentially one (unity) results are
presented in Table 3 (Adams, 2001). The ORISE report does not give the sample locations of
the five alpha spectroscopy analyzed samples. An examination of nuclide ratios is inconclusive
as to whether enriched uranium exists at the site.
The ORISE report concluded that the results of its survey indicated that significant
residual contamination remains at the site within the soils at the north and southwest ends (salt
bath and storage shed areas) of the exterior of the facility and on the horizontal surfaces within
the Bldg. 23 complex.
2.4.5 ORISE Phase 2 Survey
The NRC’s Division of Waste Management requested that ESSAP of ORISE perform
additional radiological evaluations of portions of the SSC complex. The fifth survey was
performed by ORISE from August 18 through 20, 2003. This Phase 2 survey, although similar
to the Phase 1 survey of 2000, addressed portions of the site not covered during the Phase 1
survey. The Phase 2 survey included all five warehouse components (Areas 23A, 23B, 23C,
23D, and 23E) within the Superbolt Building Complex Number 23. A much larger portion of the
warehouse floor surface area was available for this survey than during the Phase 1 effort. In
addition to conducting radiological measurements at the site, data were gathered to support the
development of a cost estimate associated with the evaluation of the subfloor pits (Adams, 2003).
However, the Phase 2 report does not provide any documentation of a cost estimate being
performed by ESSAP as indicated by the report and documentation of a cost estimate was not
uncovered during the records review by Argonne.
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Results of the Phase 1 and 2 surveys were similar, although a significant amount of
contamination in Areas 23B and 23C, was identified during the Phase 2 survey. Gamma
exposure rates that were measured at a minimum of five locations in each warehouse area ranged
from 6 to 11 μR/hr, which is generally consistent with background exposure rates. The exterior
gamma surface scans did not identify any areas of elevated radiation. The maximum reported
surface total beta activity levels were found in Areas 23B (lower wall) and 23C (floor) at values
of 130,000 and 140,000 dpm/100 cm2, respectively. One surface soil sample that was collected
from beneath a brick floor adjacent to a structural I-beam footer in Area 23B produced
concentrations of 221 pCi/g for U-238 and 9.2 pCi/g for U-235. Ten residue samples produced
maximum concentrations for U-238 and U-235 of 3,600 and 138 pCi/g, respectively.
2.4.6 ORAU Dose Assessment
In addition to the five aforementioned radiological surveys, a dose reconstruction project
was initiated by the Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) for the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The ORAU noted that the possibility of enriched and
recycled uranium having been processed by Superior Steel could affect the ratios of the uranium
isotopes present at the site. The ORAU dose assessment stated the possibility that Superior Steel
also rolled recycled uranium (ORAU, 2005). If recycled uranium was processed at the site, this
material could have contained certain transuranic radionuclides including neptunium-237 and
plutonium-239 (ORAU 2005). No previous survey or sampling programs were designed to test
for possible fission-product or transuranic radionuclides.

3.0 SOIL EXPOSURE AND AIR PATHWAYS
3.1 Physical Conditions
The Superior Steel site of Scott Township, PA lies within the Pittsburgh Low Section of
the Appalachian Plateau physiographic province, which is characterized in southwestern
Pennsylvania as upland plateaus dissected by deep or incised stream valleys. The regional
geologic structure is the East Dunkard Basin, which contains Mississippian to Pennsylvanian
(Carboniferous) Formations exhibiting coal resources. Superior Steel likely is underlain by the
Conemaugh and/or the Monogahela Groups, which are comprised of interlayered sandstones,
siltstones, shales and coal seams. The Dunkard Group is located to the south and contains
similar lithology.
The site occupies an alluvial terrace adjacent to Chartiers Creek. Topography varies from
about 900 ft in the eastern residential upland to 760 ft along the bank of Chartiers Creek. The
industrial site is relatively flat lying and locally varies between 780 and 770 ft, and thus about 10
to 20 feet above the normal creek level. The interior of the Bldg. 23 complex is a mix of
concrete and dirt floors, while the exterior of the building is predominantly a mix of concrete,
asphalt, and gravel out to approximately 25 feet. Very little if any exposed soil surrounds the
building.

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The USDA-NRCS STATSGO (State Soil Geographic) data indicate that soils in the
Chartiers Creek valley are predominantly Alleghany soil types normally found on 3- to 8-percent
slopes. The soils vary up to 7 feet deep and are composed of silt to silty clay loams that coarsen
with depth to silty sand and gravelly silt, sand and clay mixtures (homogenous loams). This
vertical texture change is coincident with the alluvial depositional setting in the Chartiers Creek
valley. Deeper site soils will reflect the variably textured point bar and floodplain deposits
common to upland stream systems. Alleghany soils are designated hydrologic group B, soils that
are well drained and permeable; they normally are found on terraces, footslopes, and alluvial
deposits, such as those underlying the SSC site.
3.2 Soil and Air Pathways and Direct Radiation
The 2000 Federal census estimated that Scott Township contains 17,288 people,
including 3,437 children ages 19 and under, within a total land area of 3.86 square miles. The
nearest residential area is located about 100 yards east of the former SSC facilities.
Potential air pathway receptors from residual radioactivity at the former SSC site are to
workers from Superbolt Inc and individuals living and working around the former SSC that must
access the Bldg. 23 complex to store or retrieve product or supplies from this area. Superbolt
Inc. previously leased contaminated areas to other businesses as storage space and limited light
industrial activities; the leasing of Bldg. 23 complex ceased after the ORISE surveys. However,
on August 29, 2006 during a site visit to the former SSC complex, representatives from
Superbolt Inc. indicated that the northern third of Bldg. 23B is leased to a trucking company.
Superbolt representatives indicated the owner of the company used the area occasionally for
performing maintenance on his vehicles. Potential offsite receptors located in the general
vicinity of the site include other manufacturing and office buildings occupying the former SSC
complex. Schools, residential areas and other commercial businesses are found within a mile of
the site.
Of the five radiological surveys completed at the former SSC site, the two ORISE
surveys were the most comprehensive since they assessed each area within the Bldg. 23
complex. Each building area in the Bldg. 23 complex was surveyed using various methods that
included soil and residue sampling, surface scans, and exposure rates. The soil and residue
sampling indicates that radiological contamination is present in the Bldg. 23 complex and salt
bath area above interim screening values found in NUREG-1757. The interim screening values
in NUREG-1757 for surface soils for U-238 and U-235 are 14.0 and 8.0 pCi/g, respectively.
These values represent surficial soil concentrations of individual radionuclides that would
comply with the 25mrem/yr unrestricted release dose limit in 10 CFR 20.1402. Table 1 shows
the historical soil and residue sample results in the various buildings within the Bldg. 23
complex.
Table 2 presents elevated surface scan measurements for beta activity that were
performed within the Bldg. 23 complex during the 2000 and 2003 ORISE surveys. Of the 149
direct measurement locations during the ORISE surveys, 43 exceed the average guideline found
in Engineer Manual 385-1-80, Table 6-4, Surface Radioactivity Values (dpm/100 cm2) for
Superior Steel Corporation
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natural uranium, which are 1000 dpm/100 cm2 for removable and 5,000 dpm/100 cm2 for total
average concentration over one square meter .
3.3 Soil Exposure, Air Pathway, and Direct Radiation Conclusions
Data indicate that elevated concentrations of U-235 and U-238 are present at the former
SSC site in concentrations above screening guidelines indicating that the site would not be
suitable for NRC license decommissioning without further evaluation. Elevated activity defined
by the two ORISE surveys (2000 and 2003) in the uranium metal processing area indicate
surface and subsurface contamination exist in areas occupied by the salt bath and the old storage
shed which are both external to the Bldg. 23 complex as depicted in Figure 2.
The residue samples and surface scans taken from various other areas indicate that both
fixed and removable contaminations are present within the Bldg. 23 Complex. Superbolt
representatives have indicated that they now only lease a small area in Bldg. 23B to a small
trucking firm. The removable contamination within areas of the Bldg. 23 complex may pose a
threat, or potential threat, of migration to the environment outside of the complex if site
conditions were to change.
The document search and the results of the ORISE surveys indicate that there is evidence of
AEC related contamination at the site and contamination has migrated to the environment from
inside the Bldg. 23 complex. Further investigation is warranted at the site to evaluate the nature
and extent of AEC contamination from uranium metal processing.

4.0 GROUNDWATER PATHWAY
4.1 Hydrogeologic Setting
The greatest portion of groundwater used in Allegheny County, about 80% to 90%,
comes from valley-fill alluvial aquifers. The remainder comes typically from bedrock aquifers
of the Conemaugh or Allegheny Groups; significant yields also consistently come from the
Morgantown Formation sandstones. The carbonate rocks of the Sewickley Formation are also a
reliable source of groundwater.
The local or site groundwater hydrology is inferred from regional features that include an
upland area to the east and Chartiers Creek along the remainder of the site, which lies within a
meander bend in Chartiers Creek. The floodplain that the site occupies is likely underlain by
alluvial sediments that vary from clayey silt to silty gravel at depth. This depositional setting is
confirmed partly by the STATSGO soil data provided by the USDA (NRCS), which is normal
for such a depositional feature.
Groundwater flow is expected to flow from east to west on the SSC site. The eastern
upland represents a groundwater recharge area that likely creates a radial flow pattern from the
upland towards the creek. The site groundwater flow patterns probably transmit groundwater
from the upland, through the sediments underlying the site, and into the creek. Stage heights in
Superior Steel Corporation
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the creek likely affect short-term groundwater levels, although not the final fate of groundwater
flow to the creek. Potential releases of site contaminants to groundwater would eventually
migrate to Chartiers Creek.
4.2 Ground Water Pathways
The residents in this area, including the Borough of Carnegie and the city of Pittsburgh,
receive their drinking water from a municipal water source described further in section 5.0 of
this document. The Allegheny County Health Department has stated that no drinking water
wells are reported (or recorded) to exist within 1 mile of the site (via personal communication).
This does not preclude the existence of unreported wells in the area.
The SSC site owner also stated that no drinking or operations water is derived from onsite groundwater sources.
4.3 Ground Water Pathway Conclusions
A potential exists for an on-site release of uranium to migrate to groundwater and
discharge to Chartiers Creek. However, this pathway is diminished due to the availability of
municipal drinking water located in the region.
Groundwater at the SSC site has not been sampled for radionuclides and the exposure
pathway remains uncharacterized. A groundwater quality investigation is required to assess
potential doses from groundwater and associated media (e.g., discharges to surface water).

5.0 SURFACE WATER PATHWAY
5.1 Hydrologic Setting
The upland area east of the SSC site is occupied by residential development and St.
Joseph’s Cemetery. Surface water runoff is directed to storm sewers and possibly a small
network of drainage ditches that flow to Chartiers Creek. A USGS gaging station on Chartiers
Creek (#3085500) adjacent to the SSC site actively monitors stage height for a drainage area of
257 square miles. The average discharge of Chartiers Creek at the gage station is 293 cubic feet
per second at a stage elevation of 755.45 feet, which is based on annual average discharge data
from 1920 to 2005. This elevation is 15 to 25 feet below the average site topography and
indicates the site drains to Chartiers Creek; underlying groundwater also likely discharges to the
reach along the site. From the site and nearby gage station, Chartiers Creek flows 8.9 miles into
the Ohio River at a confluence downstream of Pittsburgh.
The topography of the site along the creek has led to localized flooding, which occurred
most recently in September 2004, when the remnants of Hurricane Ivan inundated the Bldg. 23
complex under 4 feet of water.

Superior Steel Corporation
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5.2 Surface Water Pathways
Southwestern Pennsylvania drains into the Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio Rivers via
a large network of tributaries (up to fifth order streams). The pool of rivers and various streams
is regulated by the US Army Corps of Engineers at intervals along the rivers. The Ohio River
drains into the Mississippi River, which eventually drains into the Gulf of Mexico. Chartiers
Creek bounds the former SSC site on the north, south and west and is a tributary of the Ohio
River.
The Monongahela River is the sole source of drinking water for the Pennsylvania
American Water Company, which provides drinking water to the Town of Carnegie, the City of
Pittsburgh, and other municipalities in the area. The Monongahela River is upstream of where
Chartiers Creek enters the Ohio River. The Pennsylvania American Water Company maintains
treatment facilities on the Monongahela River capable of producing a maximum of 110 million
gallons of water per day. The water supply is distributed for residential, commercial, and
industrial use.
5.3 Surface Water Pathway Conclusion
The presence of surface soil, building, and subsurface contamination may have impacted
site surface water (storm water) management systems. A potential exists for contaminated
sediments to exist in storm water sewer lines and near surface water outfalls into Chartiers
Creek due to the flooding that occurred in 2004 at the site. The flooding that occurred in 2004
may have deposited AEC-related material into storm sewer catch basin and into the sediment of
Chartiers Creek. This potential exposure pathway was not characterized by past surveys and
thus the potential risk remains unquantified.
6.0 COMBINED PATHWAY CONCLUSION
A complete pathways analysis could not be derived from the information at hand. Data
indicate that elevated concentrations of uranium 235 and 238 are present at the SSC site above
interim screening values. Areas of elevated activity exist both inside and outside of the Bldg.
23 complex where AEC operations occurred. In addition, areas within the Bldg. 23 complex
that were not known to have been used for AEC-related work, have radioactive contamination
present as indicated by the ORISE surveys.
Data collected during the ORISE surveys indicate that both surface (0”-6”) and subsurface (6”-12”) radiological contamination exist at the site. Subsurface media is impacted in
several areas however, the vertical extent of contamination at the site is not known.
The groundwater pathway remains unquantified and therefore suspect since both surface
and subsurface soil contamination is present. The potential for site contamination to leach to
groundwater is evident in the salt bath area, central pit feature, and soil adjacent to the Building
23 complex. A groundwater investigation should be performed to quantify flow vectors,
potential contaminant concentrations, and migration pathways to Chartiers Creek and associated
receptors.
Superior Steel Corporation
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The surface water pathway also remains unquantified but potentially contaminated due to
soil contamination on site. The quantification of potential contamination in this media (surface
water and associated sediment) will determine pathway risks to on-site occupants and potential
receptors (both ecologic and human) in contact with water and sediments in Chartiers Creek.
7.0 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
The United States Army of Corps of Engineers has reviewed existing available data on
the former Superior Steel Corporation Site. Based on that review, there is evidence of release or
threat of release of radioactive materials related to the Nation’s early atomic energy program.
Migration of AEC-related material has occurred from the Bldg. 23 complex to the surrounding
surface and subsurface soils. There is the potential for waterborne AEC-related material to
migrate from the site, and if future ground water or surface water receptors were identified,
there may be an adverse impact on human health and the environment.
Therefore, in accordance with CERCLA, it is recommended that further investigation be
undertaken within FUSRAP, beginning with a remedial investigation to determine the nature
and extent of AEC-related contamination and the associated risks to human health and the
environment.

Superior Steel Corporation
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14

8.0 REFERENCES
Adams, W.C., 2001, Radiological Scoping Survey of Portions of the Former Superior Steel
Company, Carnegie, Pennsylvania, Final Report, ORISE 01-0740, prepared by Oak Ridge
Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, for U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Region 1, May.
Adams, W.C., 2003, Radiological Scoping Survey for Portions of the Superbolt Facility
(Formerly Superior Steel Company), Phase 2, Carnegie, Pennsylvania, Final Report, ORISE 031528, prepared by Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, for
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Region 1, November.
Aerospace Corporation, 1985, Authority Review – The Former Superior Steel Corporation Site –
AEC Contract No. AT(30-1)-1412, letter from Charles D. Young (Environmental Controls and
Analysis Directorate, Government Support Division) to Mr. Arthur Whitman (Division of
Facility and Site Decommissioning Projects, Office of Nuclear Energy, U.S. Department of
Energy) with attachment, September 30.
AHP (Applied Health Physics), 1997a, Field Service Report, report from Todd Mobley,
Technical Services Supervisor, Applied Health Physics, Inc., Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, to Mr.
Rolf Steinbock, Superbolt, Inc., Carnegie, Pennsylvania, June 24.
AHP, 1997b, Field Service Report, report from Todd Mobley, Applied Health Physics, Inc.,
Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, to Mr. Rolf Steinbock, Superbolt, Inc., Carnegie, Pennsylvania,
September 3.
AHP, 1997c, Field Service Report, report from Todd Mobley, Applied Health Physics, Inc.,
Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, to Mr. Rolf Steinbock, Superbolt, Inc., Carnegie, Pennsylvania,
December 2.
Argonne National Lab, 2006, Records Review and Evaluation Report for the Former Superior
Steel Site, Carnegie, Pennsylvania, October 2006.
Myrick, T.E., and C. Clark, 1981, Preliminary Site Survey Report for the Former Superior Steel
Mill at Carnegie, Pennsylvania, prepared by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge,
Tennessee, for Environmental and Safety Engineering Division, Office of Environmental
Protection, Safety, and Emergency Preparedness, U.S. Department of Energy, April.
NRC (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission), 2006, Superbolt (Formerly Superior Steel).
Available at http://www.nrc.gov/info-finder/decommissioning/complex/superior-steel-formerlysuperbolt-.html. Last revised May 3, 2006.
NUREG –1757, Consolidated NMSS Decommissioning Guidance, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, September, 2002

Superior Steel Corporation
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ORAU (Oak Ridge Associated Universities), 2005, An Exposure Matrix for Superior Steel,
Carnegie, Pennsylvania, Period of Operation: January 1, 1952 through December 31, 1957,
ORAUT-TKBS-0034, ORAU Team Dose Reconstruction Project for NIOSH, Oak Ridge,
Tennessee, August 9.
Owen, M.W., 2006, letter from Michael W. Owen (Director, Office of Legacy Management,
U.S. Department of Energy) to Don T. Riley (Major General, Director of Civil Works, U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers), February 3.
Whitman, A.J., 1985, letter from Arthur J. Whitman (Division of Facility and Site
Decommissioning Projects, Office of Nuclear Energy, U.S. Department of Energy) to Mr.
Andrew Wallo III (The Aerospace Corporation), October 28.
USEPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency), 1991. Guidance for Performing
Preliminary Assessments Under CERCLA. September 1991.

Superior Steel Corporation
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ATTACHMENT A
DOE Eligibility Letter

Superior Steel Corporation
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17

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

u.s. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20314-1000

CECW-LRD

MAR 2 2 2008

MEMORANDUM FOR COMMANDER, GREAT LAKES AND OHIO RIVER DIVISION,
P.O. BOX 1159, CINCINNATI, OH 45201-1159
SUBJECT: Fonnerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program Site of the fonner Superior Steel
Company Site in Carnegie, Pennsylvania

1. Enclosed is a copy of the letter received from the Department of Energy (DOE) regarding the
fonner Superior Steel Company in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. In their letter of 3 February 2006,
DOE stated that the site is eligible for inclusion in FUSRAP. In accordance with the
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the U.S. Anny Corps of Engineers and DOE, the
Corps is responsible for doing the radiological characterization of the site that is required to
detennine whether contamination exceeds current guidelines and cleanup is warranted.
2. As stated in their letter, DOE has perforn1ed additional historical research and revisited the
1985 detennination regarding the inclusion of the site in the FUSRAP. The research results
confinn that this site was used for activities that supported the Nation's early atomic energy
program. Additional characterization under Section IILD.2 of the MOU is necessary to detennine
the need for cleanup at the site to address the FUSRAP-related contamination
3. I request you provide a Preliminary Assessment (PA) report and preliminary legal analysis per
Engineer Regulation 200-1-4. This infonnation will be used to detennine if the site will be
designated for cleanup under the FUSRAP.
4. Mr. Allen Steinbock, Vice President of Superbolt, Inc., is the point of contact at the fonner
Superior Steel Company site and can be reached at (412) 279-1149. Point of contact at the DOE
is Mr. Christopher Clayton at (202) 586-9034.
5. Please provide a cost estimate and schedule for completion of the PA and preliminary legal
analysis by 28 April 2006. My point of contact for this action is Mr. Dale Moeller, Program
Manager, CECW-LRD at (202) 761-4494.
FOR THE COMMANDER:

Encl
Major General, USA
Director of Civil Works

NO. 0263

FEB. 12.2006 8:55PM

P. 1

Department of Energy
Washington, DC 20585

February 3, 2006

Don T. Riley, MGEN, USA
Director of Civil Works
HQ, US Army Corps of Engineers

441 G St, NW
Washington, D.C. 20314-1000

Dear General Riley:
I am writing to notify you that the current owner of the former Superior Steel Company
site in Carnegie, Pennsylvania, (Superbolt, Inc.) has, with the knowledge and support of
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and regional representatives of the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC), requested assistance in arranging for cleanup of.residual
radioactive material on the site under the Fonnerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action
Program (FUSRAP).
Although copies of the contract have not beet1 found, historical records indicate that
June 27, 1952; was the effective date of the ABC contract with the fonner Superior Steel
Company. The scope of work included the rolling and machining offlat plates of
uranium mtt:al into strips used as the cores of fuel elements. The contract was terminated
on or about September 30, 1957. The facilities owned and operated by Superior Steel
during the mid-1950s are located in the area currently occupied by the Carnegie
Industrial Park on Superior and Hammond Streets, Scott Townshipt Pennsylvania. The
large steel structure that housed the uranium processing areas is currently owned by
Superbolt, Incorporated. The report of the preliminary site survey conducted in 1980 by
personnel of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is available on the Department
of Energy (Legacy Management) web page at h:ttp:llcsd.gio.doe.gov. The document
number is PA.034. A more current description of the site (about 25 acres bounded on
the north, west and south by ChatUers Creek and on the east by Superior Street) and the .
.building in which the contract work was perfonned is included in the May 2001
Radiological Scoping Survey report prepared for the NRC, Region I, by the Oak Ridge
Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) (copy attached),

This site -was previously considered for cleanup under FUSRAP. The preliminary
radiological survey conducted at the site by the Oak Ridge National Labox:atory in 1980
found evidence of residual uranium contamination in several areas of the remaining
structures on the site. However, due to site conditions limiting access to suspected areas
of contamiliation and other factors, consideration for cleanup under FUSRAP did not
proceed beyond the prelinlinary survey_ More detailed characterizations of the site have
since been conducted. The scoping survey conducted in 2001 by ORISE served to
confirm the continued presence of residual uranium contamination and provide the
information necessary to develop a more conlprehensive characterization plan for the site.
Mr. Allen Steinbock, the Vice President of Superbolt, Inc. can be reached at (412) 2791149.

@

Pri'IIed with IOV Ink on lecycled paper

NO. 0263

FEB. 12.2006 8:55PM

P. 2

In addition to the work performed for the ABC, Superior Steel Corporation was licensed
in 1956 to" ... receive possession of and/or title to unlimited quantities of thorium n1etal
for rolling and cutting." The purpose of the license was to receive source material
(thorium metal) from another commercial licensee and to process the metal into the
desired shape.
Section III.D.I. of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the DOE and the
Army Corps of Engineers regarding the program administration and execution of the
FUSRAP provides that DOE:
s. Shall pedorm historical research and provide' a FUSRAP eligibility detennination,
with historical references as to whether a site was used for activities which
supported the Nation's early ,atom.ic energy program;
3

b. Shall provide the Army Corps of Engineers with the determination, a description
of the type of processes involved in the historical activities at the site, the
geographic boundaries of those ,activities (as reflected by doc'UIUentation available
to DOE)) and the potential radioactive and/or chemical contaminants at the site;
and,
c. Shall maintain records of detennination of eligibility and other files~ documents
and records associated witQ. the site. '
In accordance with the MOU and the request from Superhol1, the DOE has conducted
additional historical research and revisited the 1985 determination regarding the inclusion
of the site in FUSRAP. The results of the research confinn that this site was used for
-activities that supported the Nation's early atomic energy program and is eligible for
inclusion in FUSRAP. Any residual radioactive contamination from commercial

operations involving thorium metal is not considered eligible for FUSRAP cleanup.
Additional radiological characterization under Section III.D.2 of the MOU is necessary to
detemune the need for cleanup at the site to address the FUSRAP-related contamination.
Additional relevant historical documents will be furnished under separate cover.

We appreciate the Corps' assistance and will continue to work cooperatively with your
staffin carrying out the terms of the MOU. Please contact Christopher Clayton of my
staff at (202) 586-9034 if you need further information in this matter.
Sincerely,

Michael W. Owen
Director
OffiCe of Legacy Management
Enclosure

cc: Shaton Wagner, CECW-IP
HQ, US Anny Corps of Engineers
441 GSr.,NW
Washington, D.C. 20314-JOOO

FIGURES

Superior Steel Corporation
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Figure 1
Superior Steel Site Location

Residences
are located
on Superior St.

Superior Steel Corporation
USACE
FOR YOUR EXCLUSIVE REVIEW AND COMMENT; NOT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
19

Figure 2
Layout of Building 23 Complex Areas
And
Locations of Process Machinery

Structure removed
in 1997 by site
owner.

Superior Steel Corporation
USACE
FOR YOUR EXCLUSIVE REVIEW AND COMMENT; NOT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
20

Figure 3
Process Layout

23E
23A

23D
Structure removed
in 1997 by site
owner.

Superior Steel Corporation
USACE
FOR YOUR EXCLUSIVE REVIEW AND COMMENT; NOT FOR PUBLIC RELEASE
21

TABLES

Superior Steel Corporation
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Table 1
Historical Elevated Soil/Residue Samples

Building
Location

Sample
Type

(Bolded type indicates
exterior sample locations)
Salt Bath (1)1
Salt Bath (1) 1
Salt Bath (2) 1
Salt Bath (2) 1
Salt Bath (pit 1) 1
23B2
23B2
23B2
23B2
23C2
23C2
23D1
23D1
23D1
23D1
23D1
23D1
23D1
23D1
23D1
23D (exterior SW corner) 1
23D (exterior SW corner) 1
23D (old storage shed) 1
23D (old storage shed) 1
23D (old storage shed) 1
23D2
23E2
23E2
23E2
1
2

North of 23A at 0” – 6” depth
North of 23A at 6” – 12” depth
North of 23A at 0” – 6” depth
North of 23A at 6” – 12” depth
North of 23A
Residue/dust from I-Beam
Brick with residue from floor
Residue from floor surface
Residue from floor surface by
railroad track
Residue from floor surface
Residue from floor surface
Residue from concrete block
Residue from lower wall
Residue from I-Beam
Exterior (old storage shed area)
concrete rubble
Residue from crane beam
Concrete Paint/ Dust
Concrete Paint/ Dust
Soil sample
Soil sample
Soil Sample
Soil Sample
Soil Sample (0”-6”)
Soil Sample (6”-12”)
Soil Sample
Residue from upper surface
Residue/dust from I-Beam
Residue/dust from I-Beam
Residue/dust from I-Beam

ORISE 21 May 2001
ORISE 18 September 2003

Superior Steel Corporation
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Radionuclide Concentration (pCi/g)
U-235

U-238

Surface Soil Screening
Value from NUREG-1757
is 8 pCi/g

Surface Soil Screening
Value from NUREG1757 is 14 pCi/g

529
18.2
128.8
3.8
128.8
15.9
27.6
15.6
79.7

7180
250
2013
53.8
530
380
590
323
2,100

138
25.2
5.7
12.9
3.1
1,620

3,600
573
102
279
15.4
23,400

4.4
29.7
4.4
3.5
2.3
1.1
3.5
26.7
2.7
19.2
5.6
12
8.7
9.7

94
538
48
72.4
42.8
22.1
74.4
628
58.5
413
158
345
181
239

Table 2
Surface Activity Levels Building 23 Complex
Locationa

Surfaceb

Total Beta Activityc
(dpm/100 cm2)
7,400
16,000
8,000
16,000
6,900
27,000
17,000
7,000
63,000
5,500
100,000
130,000
7,500
8,200
22,000
13,000
31,000
140,000
86,000
74,000
18,000
44,000
8,400
33,000
11,000
15,000
7,300
6,600
44,000
6,900
6,500
6,800
6,100
7,200
5,500
6,900
9,200
6,100
12,000
13,000

23A
F
23A
LW
23A
F
23B
US
23B
F
23B
LW
23B
F
23B
LW
23B
F
23B
LW
23B
LW
23B
F
23B
LW
23B
LW
23B
F
23B
F
23B
F
23C
F
23C
F
23C
F
23C
F
23C
F
23C
F
23C
F
23D
US
23D
US
23D
F
23D
F
23D
F
23D
LW
23D
F
23E
US
23E
US
23E
US
23E
US
23E
F
23E
F
23E
F
23E
LW
23E
F
a
Data taken from ORISE 18 September 2003 survey
b
F = floor, LW = lower wall, and US = upper surface
c
Measurements were all assumed to be from beta particles only due to the dust/residue on the measured surfaces

Superior Steel Corporation
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Table 3
Uranium Isotopic Concentrations in Soil Samples

U-234
150 + 13
625 + 52
34.9 + 3
11.6 + 1
100.5 + 8.8

Uranium Isotopic Concentration (pCi/g)
U-235
6.4 + 0.9
28.6 + 3.3
1.8 + 0.3
0.6 + 0.1
5.7 + 0.9

* Uncertainties represent the 95% confidence levels based on total propagated uncertainty.

Superior Steel Corporation
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U-238
149 + 13
637 + 53
33.1 + 2.9
11.9 + 1
97.4 + 8.6



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Creator Tool                    : Acrobat PDFMaker 7.0.7 for Word
Metadata Date                   : 2011:04:14 15:33:47-04:00
Document ID                     : uuid:dc578327-198b-4e50-8db0-cd1559334ebe
Instance ID                     : uuid:2ce757e5-e300-4e7b-a4e5-a5556eebcb2e
Version ID                      : 4
Format                          : application/pdf
Title                           :  Superior Steel
Creator                         : Bousquet
Description                     : PA Report
Subject                         : PA, AEC, MED, TH, U, RA
Headline                        : PA Report
Page Layout                     : OneColumn
Page Count                      : 32
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