Background

The Berkeley, California, Site was remediated under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). FUSRAP was established in 1974 to remediate sites where radioactive contamination remained from Manhattan Project and early U.S. Atomic Energy Commission operations.

History

Gilman Hall is a four-story building on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley. Floors, wood sills, walls, and baseboards in the building were contaminated by radioactive materials during the 1940s while conducting research on the production and chemical properties of plutonium performed in support of the Manhattan Engineer District and the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.

DOE designated the site for remediation under FUSRAP in 1979 and conducted remedial action between 1976 and 1981. Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories completed additional remedial action of the site between 1981 and 1983. In 1985, DOE certified that the condition of the site was radiologically acceptable for restricted use, such as research and instructional purposes.

Final Conditions

Other than operating within the controls of the University of California’s state general license, no institutional controls are in effect at the site. DOE does not require on-site monitoring or surveillance. Office of Legacy Management long-term stewardship responsibilities consist of managing FUSRAP site records and responding to stakeholder inquiries.  

For more information about the Berkeley FUSRAP Site, view the fact sheet.