AEC TESTING RESERVATION
The renamed Idaho National Laboratory (INL) site, owned by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), covers 890 square miles in southeastern Idaho, near Idaho Falls. The Atomic Energy Commission set up the National Reactor Testing Station on the grounds in 1949 to build, test, and operate various nuclear reactors, fuel processing plants, and support facilities. Earlier, parts of the site were used by the Department of Defense (DOD). INL consists of a number of major facilities that contribute contaminants to and draw water from the Snake River Plain Aquifer. Approximately 17,300 tons of hazardous materials were deposited at one area through an injection well extending 100 feet into the Snake River Plain Aquifer. It has also discharged liquid effluents into numerous unlined ponds and an earthen ditch. Waste materials disposed of in this area included waste solvents, acids, radionuclides, inorganics (such as chrome-contaminated water from cooling towers), and laboratory wastes. The Snake River Plain Aquifer, designated a sole source aquifer, is the source of all water used at the INL and surrounding communities and is an important water resource in southeastern Idaho. Although facilities at the INL are several miles apart, they are grouped together for site cleanup due to the extent of contamination. Over 3,000 people draw water from wells located within a 3-mile radius of the site. The facility employs approximately 8,200 people. The nearest large population center is Idaho Falls, which is located approximately 30 miles east of the site. Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through federal actions.
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