Corrective Actions

What are Corrective Actions?

The general process for evaluating and remediating potential release sites is called the corrective action process. Some activities and decision points are the same whether they are applied to an individual potential release site or to an entire watershed; however, assessments of risks to human health and the environment are more representative when performed on an entire watershed.

There are two possible outcomes when site remediations are performed.

• The site is restored to natural conditions, i.e., before LANL began operations, by removing contamination to acceptable levels that protect human health and the environment.
• As much of the contamination as possible is removed and long-term stewardship activities are implemented, such as containing the contaminants on the site, restricting access contaminants on the site, restricting access to the site, and performing surveillance and monitoring, as long as necessary.

Corrective actions are complete at a potential release site when LANL has demonstrated and documented to the regulatory authority's satisfaction that the site poses no unacceptable risk to humans and ecological resources, such as plants and animals.

The Corrective Action Process

Each step proceeds after approval from the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED)

• Collect and evaluate existing data and information about the sites.
• Determine what sites need to be further investigated.
• Develop a plan to collect and evaluate data and information that do not exist about the site.
• Confirm what, if any, contaminants have been released.

If a release has occurred, determine the "nature" (the origin, type, and amount of chemicals, either natural or man-made, that are present in the environment) and "extent" (the way a chemical is distributed in the environment) of the contamination.

• Conduct risk assessments - human health and ecological - if necessary.
• Determine and complete appropriate/approved clean-up activities.
• Document all decisions and conduct stakeholder involvement activities.
• Implement long-term surveillance and monitoring activities - if necessary.

Corrective actions are complete at a potential release site when the project has demonstrated and documented to the regulatory authority's satisfaction that the site poses no unacceptable risk to humans and ecological resources, such as plants and animals.

Current Corrective Actions

• Bayo Canyon Aggregate
• Lower Los Alamos Canyon
• MDA A
• MDA B
• MDA C
• MDA G
• MDA H
• MDA L
• MDA T
• Middle Los Alamos Canyon
• SWMU 03-010(a) Culvert
• S-Site Aggregate
• TA-10
• TA-16 Projects
• TA-49
• Upper Los Alamos Canyon