At ETTP Heritage Center, cleanup doesn’t end when the buildings come down and the land is restored. UCOR’s characterization team deployed specialized Geoprobe technology to collect soil samples in support of ongoing stormwater projects.
The tool will allow untested soils in areas to be characterized, critical in areas where upcoming stormwater excavations will exceed 20 feet in depth. The information gathered will help crews identify potential hazards, determine appropriate controls, and establish disposal pathways for excavated soils that cannot be reused.
Geoprobe devices are specialized direct-push drilling rigs that use hydraulic pressure or high-frequency percussion to drive sampling tools into the ground with minimal disturbance.
UCOR has four Geoprobe units available for deployment across the Oak Ridge Reservation, providing crews with an effective method to collect soil and groundwater samples and identify potential subsurface contamination. This proactive approach helps prevent unexpected waste management challenges during excavation, supporting efficient project execution.
The work supports a much larger mission underway at ETTP. Following the completion of major cleanup activities, crews have worked tirelessly to restore stormwater infrastructure and reduce the number of outfalls regulated under DOE’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.
Outfalls are designated locations where stormwater exits the site and returns to the surrounding environment. By restoring drainage systems and demonstrating that outfalls meet applicable environmental requirements, UCOR and OREM can remove eligible outfalls from the permit, reducing DOE’s long-term monitoring obligations and environmental liability.
Earlier this year, those efforts helped reduce the number of regulated outfalls from 56 to 43, marking another significant step toward responsible land management and future property transfers. Characterization is essential to sustaining this progress. By identifying subsurface conditions before work begins, teams can safely execute stormwater improvements, responsibly manage waste, and avoid unnecessary costs and delays.
This effort is helping transfer former federal property into opportunities for commercial redevelopment in the Oak Ridge community.
