Former Naval Station Treasure Island

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Former Naval Station Treasure Island

Historical Radiological Assessment

Fact Sheet No. 1

November 18, 2004

INTRODUCTION

The Department of the Navy (Navy) is providing this fact sheet

to inform the local community, tenants of the former Naval

Station Treasure Island (Treasure Island), and regulatory

agencies of the Navy’s progress in the preparation of an

Historical Radiological Assessment for Treasure Island. Navy

operations at Treasure Island were primarily for the purpose of

training. Some of the training included the use of radiological

material. Sailors were trained in the calibration and use of

radiation detection equipment and radiological decontamination

procedures. All radiological training activities were conducted

in accordance with strict Federal and State regulatory

requirements. Many of the radiological safety procedures in

use today were developed by the U.S. Navy.

The Navy is presently seeking to interview

current and former Navy personnel, civilian

employees, and contractors regarding

radiological operations at the former Naval

Station Treasure Island (Treasure Island), San

Francisco, California. The Historical Radiological

Assessment will document the historical radiological

activities conducted at Treasure Island including

former uses of radioactive materials and locations

where radioactive materials were used or stored.

Radiological operations at Treasure Island may have

been conducted by any of the following employers or

their contractors: Naval Station Treasure Island, Naval

Schools Command, or Naval Radiological Defense

In 1995, as part of the closure process for the Base, the Navy

confirmed all radiological material used at Treasure Island had

been accounted for and transferred off-base to other Federal

and State of California facilities. In 2003, information was

obtained from a 1950 report detailing the successful cleanup of

radium powder that was spilled in Building 233. However,

today’s allowable radiological levels are lower than 1950 clean

up levels and a radiological survey is currently underway to

verify Building 233 meets today’s allowable level. In an effort

to verify and document all the information about historic

radiological activities at Treasure Island, the Navy is currently

conducting a basewide Historical Radiological Assessment.

Laboratory. Face-to-face interviews, as well as

telephone or email interviews can be arranged.

Information resulting from interviews will be used

for preparation of the Historical Radiological

Assessment. The Navy is interested in obtaining open

and honest oral histories. The Navy is not interested

in pursuing adverse action against interviewees based

on information supplied during the interviews. If

you are a current or former member of the

Navy, civilian employee, or contractor and

have information about radiological

operations at Treasure Island, please contact

Mr. Robert O’Brien, before December 31, 2004

at email address robert.obrien@weston

solutions.com or call 1-800-538-9815.

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

WHAT’S NEXT?

The Navy is committed to preparing an accurate and comprehensive

Historical Radiological Assessment. This requires the following steps,

already underway:

• Thorough records research and analysis of military historical

archives.

➠ A records search is being conducted at the

historical records archives in San Bruno,

California, College Park, Maryland, and in

Yorktown, Virginia.

• Personal interviews with current and former installation

personnel who may have information about radiological

operations and Treasure Island.

➠ See page 1 for contact information if you or

someone you know has first-hand information.

• On-site inspections of Treasure Island and records kept on

base.

This information will be published in the Treasure Island Historical

Radiological Assessment, which has an anticipated completion date

of fall 2005. Regular updates on the Historical Radiological

Assessment process will be given at the Navy’s Restoration Advisory

Board meetings. For a schedule of the meetings see the Navy’s

environmental website at http://www.efdsw.navfac.navy.mil/

Environmental/RAB.htm.

DEFINITIONS

RADIAC - A military acronym for radioactive detection,

indication and computation. RADIAC is commonly used as a noun

to mean any radiation detection or measurement instrument.

Radioactive material - A substance that contains or emits

radiation.

Sealed Sources - Any radioactive material that is encased in a

capsule that is designed to prevent leakage or escape of the

material.

2

WHAT IS AN HISTORICAL

RADIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT?

The Historical Radiological Assessment is a detailed report

documenting a Federal facility’s historic radiological activities where

radioactive materials were used or stored. Federal and State

guidelines have been developed detailing how to conduct an Historical

Radiological Assessment. Historical information is obtained by

conducting a thorough records search, interviewing people, and onsite

inspections of locations where radiological materials were

previously present. The Historical Radiological Assessment is also

used as a baseline document to determine if future radiological

evaluation may be necessary at a specific location.

WHAT IS KNOWN SO FAR?

Building 233 – Building 233 was the site of the RADIAC Instrument

Maintenance and Calibration School (see map on page 3). In January

1950, a glass capsule containing radium sulfate powder was broken

during a calibration exercise. Decontamination efforts in 1950

reduced contamination to allowable levels and the building was

reopened in April. However, residual radiological standards have

become more stringent since 1950 and the Navy began the process of

re-evaluating Building 233 in 2004 to ensure it meets current

allowable levels.

Buildings 342, 343, and 344 – Buildings 342, 343, and 344 were

used by the RADIAC Maintenance Calibration School where

personnel were trained in the use and calibration of radiation

detection equipment. Sealed radioactive sources were used in the

training. The RADIAC Maintenance and Calibration School moved

to Orlando, Florida in 1990. The sealed radioactive sources used at

the Treasure Island school were transferred off-base to other approved

facilities. As part of the closure of the RADIAC Maintenance and

Calibration School, the Navy conducted an evaluation which

determined there were no outstanding issues that required further

investigation or cleanup.

Decontamination Training Area and Ship Mockup – In 1958

radiological decontamination training was conducted by Naval

Radiological Defense Laboratory personnel on a ship mockup

(Building 371) in an area near the intersection of 12th Street and

Avenue A. In 1969, the ship mockup (Building 371) was moved to a

location in Parcel T-111. Radiological decontamination training

ended in 1982. All sealed radiological sources used at the T-111 area

were transferred off-base to other approved facilities. The 1988

Basewide Preliminary Assessment/Site Inspection (PA/SI) concluded

that the Decontamination Training Area did not have any outstanding

issues that required further investigation or cleanup.

Treasure Island Historical Radiological Assessment Fact Sheet No. 1 November 18, 2004

0 500 1,000

Scale in Feet

San Francisco Bay

San Francisco Bay

Clipper Cove

1969-1982

Decontamination Training Area

(Ship Mockup Building 371)

Buildings 342/343/344

RADIAC Maintenance and

Calibration School

Building 233

RADIAC Instrument

Maintenance and

Calibration School

1958-1969

Decontamination

Training Area

(Ship mockup Building 371)

3

Treasure Island Historical Radiological Assessment Fact Sheet No. 1 November 18, 2004

Mr. Jim Whitcomb

Remedial Project Manager

Navy BRAC PMO West

1230 Columbia Street, Suite 1100

San Diego, CA 92101-8517

Treasure Island Historical Radiological Assessment Fact Sheet No. 1 November18, 2004

Mr. Jim Whitcomb

Remedial Project Manager

Base Realignment and Closure

Program Managment Office West

1230 Columbia Street, Suite 1100

San Diego, CA 92101-8517

(619) 532-0936

james.h.whitcomb@navy.mil

NAVY POINTS OF CONTACT

Mr. Lee Saunders

Environmental Public Affairs Officer

Naval Facilities Engineering Command

Southwest Division

1220 Pacific Highway

San Diego, CA 92132

(619) 532-3100

lee.saunders@navy.mil