Overview

Located in California, LLNL was established in 1952 as a multidisciplinary R&D center focusing on weapons development and stewardship and homeland security. At the LLNL main site, EM has been tasked by Congress to demolish several excess facilities. LLNL Site 300 is a remote experimental testing facility where the department conducts research, development, and testing of high explosives and integrated non-nuclear weapons components. EM is responsible for addressing the remaining groundwater contamination issues at Buildings 812, 850 and 865 at Site 300.

Livermore Pool Type Reactor (Small picture)
Crews from the U.S. Army Corp Engineers perform predemolition activities at the Livermore Pool Type Reactor at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Planned Cleanup Scope 2023–2033

At Site 300, EM will address the remaining legacy cleanup scope by moving forward with selecting and implementing remedial actions for Building 812, Building 865, and Building 850 groundwater. An amended ROD documenting the selected treatment path forward is expected to be issued in 2028. Implementation of the selected path forward is anticipated to be initiated in 2031, and responsibility for the completed actions is anticipated to be transferred to NNSA in 2033.

Over the next decade, based on NNSA mission needs, EM anticipates continuing to perform demolition work on remaining higher risk excess facilities. These facilities include Building 251 (Heavy Elements Facility), Building 292 (Rotating Target Neutron Source), Building 241 (Pluto Project Testing and Fabrication Facility), Building 343 (Explosives and High-Pressure Testing Facility), LS212/Building 212 (Accelerator Facility), and other process contaminated facilities.

Calendar Year 2022 Accomplishments

  • Completed characterization and began demolition prep activities at Building 251, a high-risk excess facility - meeting an EM 2022 priority
  • Completed the Building 280 Reactor Removal Project
  • Completed the Building 175 demolition to slab project, removing a high-risk excess facility

 

 

Key Regulatory Milestones 2023–2033

The key regulatory milestones listed below for soil and water remediation are required by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Site 300 Federal Facility Agreement and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).

  • Final remedial investigation/feasibility study (RI/ FS) for Building 865 part 2 — 2025
  • Final RI/FS for Building 812 — 2025
  • Final proposed plan for Building 812, Building 865, Building 850 perchlorate in groundwater — 2027
  • Final ROD amendment for Building 812, Building 865, and perchlorate in Building 850 groundwater — 2028
  • Final remedial design for Building 812, Building 865, and perchlorate in Building 850 groundwater — 2029
Livermore Pool Type Reactor (Large picture)
The Livermore Pool Type Reactor, which was deactivated and decommissioned in 1981.

Post-2033 Cleanup Scope

None identified at this time, although there may be additional work if additional excess facilities are identified and transferred to EM for demolition.

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