The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management (LM) completed its 2014 annual institutional controls (IC) assessment of the Mound site in Miamisburg, Ohio, and confirmed that the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) remedies remain effective. Annual, routine IC inspections are conducted at many LM sites. However, inspections at the Mound site are anything but routine, due to its unique nature.

Collaboration between DOE, regulators, and the Mound Development Corporation are integral
to the institutional controls at the Mound site. Gwen Hooten, LM Mound Site Manager (right),
initiated the 2014 annual site walk down by presenting preliminary assessment results.



Remediation of the Mound site was completed in 2006. The CERCLA remedy required ICs because the site was cleaned to industrial-use standards and not approved for unrestricted use. The site’s ICs are non-engineered, administrative and legal controls that minimize the potential for human exposure to contamination and protect the integrity of the cleanup remedy. The site has transitioned to a business park and is owned or leased by the Mound Development Corporation (MDC). Leased portions of the property will transfer to MDC by 2017.

Mound site ICs run with the land as restrictions and use limitations. They are designed to limit use of the site’s land to industrial purposes only. Also prohibited is the removal of soil, use of groundwater, and removal or penetration of concrete floor material from several rooms in the Technical Building. ICs also allow federal and state agencies access to the site to conduct sampling and monitoring activities. These restrictions and use limitations are reviewed each year with the land owners. Beginning in 2012, land parcels and buildings have been sold or transferred to other entities. This trend is expected to continue, which makes the annual inspections more important than ever.

LM and contractor staff conducted the 2014 assessment by performing both a preliminary inspection and a site walkdown. The preliminary inspection took place in February and March and included physical inspections; interviews with the property owners; and reviews of local, county, and state records. Inspectors noted that since the 2013 inspection, construction of a new, main boulevard that traverses the site had been completed; two older buildings had been demolished; and property had been transferred to the City of Miamisburg. After completing preliminary inspections, LM led the site walkdown in April, accompanied by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Ohio EPA, the Ohio Department of Health, and the Mound Development Corporation. The walkdown included a presentation of preliminary inspection results and a physical assessment of the site with each participant using an inspection checklist.

The annual institutional controls assessment at the Mound site includes interviews with property
owners; reviews of local, county, and state records; and a physical walkdown of the site and buildings.

The annual assessment determined that ICs continue to function as designed, oversight mechanisms are working to identify possible violations of ICs, and adequate resources are available to correct or mitigate any problems if violations occur. The 2014 annual report is available via the Mound site page of the LM website under Site Documents and Links (http://www.lm.doe.gov/Mound/Documents.aspx).