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Mercury Management Environmental Impact Statement

Mercury Management Environmental Impact Statement. EPA Breaking the Mercury Cycle: Conference on Mercury Retirement Boston, MA May 1-3, 2002. Cornel Holder Deputy Administrator Defense National Stockpile Center. Briefing Outline. DNSC Mission.

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Mercury Management Environmental Impact Statement

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  1. Mercury Management Environmental Impact Statement EPA Breaking the Mercury Cycle: Conference on Mercury Retirement Boston, MA May 1-3, 2002 Cornel Holder Deputy Administrator Defense National Stockpile Center

  2. Briefing Outline • DNSC Mission • Defense Stockpile of Elemental Mercury • EIS Process • Public Outreach

  3. Defense National Stockpile Center (DNSC) • DNSC, a part of DLA, has been selling commodities on the open market. • The Stockpile of strategic and critical materials was purchased to reduce the United States’ dependence on foreign sources of supply during national emergencies. • DNSC currently stores 60 different commodities at 56 locations.

  4. DoD Mercury Stockpile • No DoD requirement for elemental mercury • DNSC sales suspended in 1994 • 4,436 metric tons of elemental mercury in inventory • Elemental mercury continues to be mined and imported • Long-term solutions needed for elemental mercury management

  5. DNSC Mercury Storage Sites

  6. Security Measures • Perimeter fence surrounding depot • Armed security, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week • Controlled access to warehouses • Controlled access to depot

  7. Safety Measures • Jerome Mercury Vapor Analyzer • Measures in parts per million • Lumex, state-of-the-art, mercury air-monitoring equipment • Measures in parts per billion

  8. Past Mercury Storage • Entire inventory re-packaged in 1975.(699 metric tons) • Seamless 3-liter containers used • Will over-pack if consolidated at another location • 3-liter capacity, steel flasks • Wooden pallets on metal catch trays • Sprinkle system in warehouses

  9. Over-packing Levels of protection 1. Steel flask. 2. Absorbent pad. 3. Plastic liner. 4. Epoxy-coated drum. 5. Drip pan. 6. Epoxy-coated floor. 7. Secure warehouse. • Flasks cleaned and inspected • Six flasks to a 30 gal drum • Flasks transferred to DOT approved, air and liquid-tight drum

  10. Location MTSomerville, NJ 2,617 Warren, OH 563New Haven, IN 557Increased lighting for inspections.Epoxy floor sealer impenetrable by mercury. Present Mercury Storage

  11. Environmental Impact Statement Process Public Scoping Process Notice of Intent Proposed Action Scope of Statement Draft Environmental Impact Statement Final Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision Public Comments

  12. Alternatives • No Action: continued storage at present locations with air-monitoring • Consolidated storage at one site • Sales that do not unduly disrupt market • Treatment of elemental mercury followed by disposal

  13. Consolidated Storage • Federal Register Notice to all Federal Agencies • March 5, 2001 • Follow-up letter to specific agencies • Potential sites to be evaluated

  14. Sales • Analyze environmental impacts of DNSC sales • Estimated annual domestic consumption 300 metric tons • Resume DNSC sales at a maximum rate of 5,000 flasks per year (173 metric tons) • Approximately 30 years to sell entire inventory • Not to unduly disrupt market

  15. Treatment Followed by Disposal • Processing elemental mercury (evaluate environmental impacts) • – Use DEE-MERC technology (IT Corporation/Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc., Knoxville,TN) • – Create a sulfur compound for land disposal • (PermaFix, Kinston, TN) • – Use selenium to amalgamate mercury for disposal • (McCoy Environmental Technicians, Inc., Columbus ,GA)

  16. Treatment Followed by Disposal • Treating elemental mercury (evaluate environmental impacts) – Use Sulfur Polymer Stabilization and or Solidification (SPSS) process. (Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton NY) • – Use SPSS at an established mercury treatment facility for disposal. (Bethlehem Apparatus Co., Inc., Hellertown PA)

  17. Process and Store Alternative Eliminated • Mercury can be safely stored in its elemental form. • Elemental mercury is the desired starting point for most industrial uses. • A process and store alternative would result in no significant benefits.

  18. Interagency Working Group Members/Organizations • AGENCY • Defense Logistics Agency • Department of Energy • EPA Offices – Federal Activities – Solid Waste – Pollution Prevention and Toxics – Water – Mercury Task Force • U. S. Public Health Service • U.S. Geological Survey • U.S. Department of Commerce • ROLE • Preparer of MMEIS • Cooperating Agency • Review of MM EIS • Advisory • Advisory • Advisory

  19. Public Outreach • Public meetings at storage locations • Host meetings with environmental groups • Participate in EPA Workshops: • Bi-National Toxics Strategy • Mercury Retirement Conference • Participate in Environmental Council of States’ (ECOS) Quicksilver Caucus

  20. Public Outreach • Tools: • Website - www.mercuryeis.com • Newsletters & fact sheets • Toll free number - voice (888-306-6682) • Toll free number - fax (888-306-8818) • Information repositories • Local libraries

  21. Our Commitment • We are committed to safety-of our communities-our employees-and our environment. • We will identify and evaluate a wide range of reasonable alternatives-with stakeholders’ input. • We encourage public participation in the Mercury Management Environmental Impact Statement Decision Making Process.

  22. For More InformationDefense National Stockpile8725 John J. Kingman RoadFort Belvoir, VA 22060-6223888-306-6682-VOICE888-306-8818-FAXwww.mercuryeis.com

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