DOE/ORO/2327 Oak Ridge Reservation Annual Site Environmental ...

Oak Ridge Reservation
4.2.5.2 EMS Assessments
To periodically verify that the EMS is operating as intended, assessments are conducted as part of
Y-12’s assessment program. The assessments are designed to ensure that nonconformities with the
ISO 14001 standard are identified and addressed. Y-12’s EMS assessment program consists of a threeprong
approach that includes focused EMS assessments, routine surveillances, inspections and data
reviews, and environmental multi-media assessments integrated with regularly scheduled facility
evaluations lead by the Independent Assessment Organization.
Three EMS assessments and four facility evaluations employing an environmental multi-media
approach were conducted in 2009. The EMS assessments included a review of Records Management and
Document Control systems and an external third-party EMS audit to satisfy the DOE Order 450.1A
(2008a) requirement for the site to make a formal declaration of conformance consistent with the
requirements of DOE EO 13423 by June 30, 2009. The third-party audit determined that the Y-12 EMS
was in conformance and met all requirements. The 2009 EMS assessments identified nine issues as
continuous improvement opportunities which were subsequently corrected and implemented.
4.2.6 EMS Performance
B&W Y-12 prepared a plan for achieving compliance with DOE EO 13423, DOE Order 450.1A,
Environmental Protection Program (DOE 2008a), and DOE O 430.2B, Departmental Energy, Renewable
Energy and Transportation Management (DOE 2008b). The plan identified 16 actions in seven
categories. Plans for improving the Environmental Management System, Training, Green Acquisition,
Electronic stewardship, and Toxic/Hazardous Materials were completed. Progress has been made in the
areas of High Performance Sustainable Buildings and Energy/Water conservation but more work is
required to fully satisfy DOE EO 13423 requirements. The EMS objectives and targets and other plans,
initiatives, and successes that work together to accomplish DOE EO 13423 goals and reduce
environmental impacts are discussed in this section.
4.2.6.1 EMS Objectives and Targets
B&W Y-12 achieved 15 of 16 of the environmental targets on schedule in 2009. Highlights included
the following with additional detail and success presented in other sections.
• Clean Air—A project continues to replace the existing coal-fired boiler steam plant by FY 2011. The
project achieved a construction milestone by erecting and securing the new boiler stacks. As of the
end of December the project was 95% complete overall. In addition, an estimate of GHG emissions
for baseline year 2008 was developed (see Sect. 4.2.6.7).
• Energy Efficiency—Y-12 replaced 1,092, or 22%, of the older PC’s and monitors at Y-12 that were
not Energy Star or Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) qualified with new
energy-efficient equipment (achieving 146% of goal), and 43 virtual servers were deployed as part of
a phased transition away from traditional data centers, exceeding the goal of 30 and reducing the
number of physical servers required (which is expected to save more than 10.5 kW). Additional
accomplishments are presented in Sect. 4.2.6.3.
• Hazardous Materials—Completed disposition of excess Chemicals Stage II (Stores), cleanup of the
9720-16 yard, shipment of 212 H-gears for off-site recycle, and the majority of the 9720-58 yard
cleanup. Additional facility clean-out efforts resulted in removal of more than 1,451,496 kg
(1,600 tons) of materials including some chemicals from 10 facilities, of which more than 570,619 kg
(629 tons) of materials were recycled or reused rather than disposed (see Sect. 4.2.6.2).
• Land/Water Conservation—Completed an evaluation of options for reducing mercury loading in
lower East Fork Poplar Creek. Pilot studies indicated that reduction of flow in certain areas of the
creek is expected to reduce the amount of mercury in the water flow. A permit modification to reduce
the amount of flow augmentation to EFPC by approximately 7.5 million liters (2 million gallons) per
day was issued by TDEC. Additional water conservation successes are presented in Sect. 4.2.6.4.
4-10 The Y-12 National Security Complex