Westinghouse Westinghouse
Columbia Community

South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and Westinghouse

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) is tasked with promoting and protecting the health of the public and the environment in South Carolina.

Westinghouse most often interfaces with DHEC’s Environmental Affairs division, which issues and enforces environmental permits.

Process Exemption

Westinghouse notified the Bureau of Air Quality, by correspondence received July 21, 2022, that it intends to process 552 drums containing Wet Combustible Material (WCM) waste contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including tetrachloroethylene (TCE). The WCM will be treated using a Heated Vacuum Extraction (HVE) method meeting the conditional exemption under 40 CFR 266.100(d)(2), over the course of approximately twelve months. The WCM would then be processed to extract residual uranium from the resulting ash.

The HVE method was tested on the WCM by Westinghouse and their consultant, GEL Engineering LLC. The results demonstrate that the method successfully removes VOCs from the waste to concentrations below regulatory limits. The extracted VOCs are condensed as liquid waste, which will be disposed of appropriately according to the SCHWMR. The calculated total amount of VOCs, including TCE, emitted to the atmosphere when the 552 drums of WCM are processed are below the regulatory thresholds that would require an air quality construction permit or an ambient air quality compliance demonstration.

DHEC concurs, after reviewing the test results and accompanying information, that the HVE processing and incineration of the processed WCM will not require an air quality construction permit or an ambient air quality compliance demonstration, in accordance with S.C. Regulation 61-62.1, Section II(B).

Westinghouse's Cultural Resources Survey of the Westinghouse Electric Company's Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility final report for May 2022 can be found here.

DHEC has a website devoted to Westinghouse updates – it can be found here. Westinghouse documents related to the consent agreement formally signed in February 2019 are also linked directly below.

Date Title Description
March 23, 2023 Approval of Final Remedial Investigation Report  
March 16, 2023 Approval of February 2023 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the February 2023 CA Progress Report.
March 7, 2023 February 2023 Content Agreement Progress Report Progress report requires by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
March 1, 2023 Approval of Final Remedial Investigation Report, Appendix Q - Soil Analytical Results, Appendix R - Grain Size Analytical Results, Appendix U - Surface Water & Sediment Analytical Results  
February 28, 2023 Approval of January 2023 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the January 2023 CA Progress Report.
February 10, 2023 January 2023 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
January 11, 2023 Approval of December 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the December 2022 CA Progress Report.
January 10, 2023 December 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
December 7, 2022 Approval of November 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the November 2022 CA Progress Report.
December 1, 2022 November 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
November 18, 2022 Approval of October 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the October 2022 CA Progress Report.
November 11, 2022 October 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
November 2, 2022 Part 1
Part 2		 2022 Groundwater Monitoring Report
October 10, 2022 Approval of September 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the September 2022 CA Progress Report.
October 5, 2022 September 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
September 26, 2022 Approval of August 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the August 2022 CA Progress Report.
September 14, 2022 August 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
August 8, 2022 Approval of July 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the July 2022 CA Progress Report.
August 4, 2022 July 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
July 18, 2022 Approval of June 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the June 2022 CA Progress Report.
July 7, 2022 June 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
June 6, 2022 Approval of May 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the May 2022 CA Progress Report.
June 2, 2022 May 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
May 23, 2022 Approval of April 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the April 2022 CA Progress Report.
May 9, 2022 April 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
April 8, 2022 Approval of March 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the March 2022 CA Progress Report.
April 5, 2022 March 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
March 9, 2022 Approval of February 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the February 2022 CA Progress Report.
March 8, 2022 February 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
February 15, 2022 Approval of January 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the January 2022 CA Progress Report.
February 10, 2022 January 2022 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
January 10, 2022 Approval of December 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the December 2021 CA Progress Report.
January 6, 2022 December 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
December 14, 2021 Approval of November 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the November 2021 CA Progress Report.
December 8, 2021 November 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
November 29, 2021 Sanitary Lagoon Sludge Characterization Report
November 29, 2021 Approval of October 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the October 2021 CA Progress Report.
November 15, 2021 October 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
October 28, 2021 DHEC's Response to September Virtual Meeting Summary
October 19, 2021 Approval of September 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the September 2021 CA Progress Report.
October 18, 2021 September Virtual Meeting Summary Submitted by Westinghouse
October 12, 2021 September 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
September 21, 2021 Flyer - Public Comment Period for Draft Environmental Impact Statement Now Open Public Comment Period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement License Renewal of the Westinghouse Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility is open now until November 19, 2021.
September 15, 2021 Approval of August 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the August 2021 CA Progress Report.
September 2, 2021 August 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
September 1, 2021 2020-2021 Groundwater Monitoring Report Part 2 CFFF Annual GWS Monitoring report part of the requirements in the NPDES permit
September 1, 2021 2020-2021 Groundwater Monitoring Report Part 1 CFFF Annual GWS Monitoring report part of the requirements in the NPDES permit
August 30, 2021 Approval of July 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the July 2021 CA Progress Report.
August 11, 2021 July 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
December 14, 2021 Approval of November 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the November 2021 CA Progress Report.
December 8, 2021 November 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
November 29, 2021 Sanitary Lagoon Sludge Characterization Report  
November 29, 2021 Approval of October 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the October 2021 CA Progress Report.
November 15, 2021 October 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
October 28, 2021 DHEC's Response to September Virtual Meeting Summary  
October 19, 2021 Approval of September 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the September 2021 CA Progress Report.
October 18, 2021 September Virtual Meeting Summary Submitted by Westinghouse  
October 12, 2021 September 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
September 21, 2021 Flyer - Public Comment Period for Draft Environmental Impact Statement Now Open Public Comment Period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement License Renewal of the Westinghouse Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility is open now until November 19, 2021.
September 15, 2021 Approval of August 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the August 2021 CA Progress Report.
September 2, 2021 August 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
August 30, 2021 Approval of July 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the July 2021 CA Progress Report.
August 11, 2021 July 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
July 2021 NRC Environmental Impact Statement for Westinghouse  
July 22, 2021 Approval of June 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the June 2021 CA Progress Report.
July 13, 2021 June 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
June 21, 2021 Approval of Proposed Action for Additional Assessment Part of the Phase II Remedial Investigation  
June 18, 2021 Proposed Action for Additional Assessment Part of the Phase II Remedial Investigation  
June 16, 2021 Approval of May 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the May 2021 CA Progress Report.
June 15, 2021 May 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
May 28, 2021 Approval Letter for Sanitary Lagoon Work Plan DHEC's written approval of the Sanitary Lagoon Work Plan.
May 17, 2021 Approval of April 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the April 2021 CA Progress Report.
May 12, 2021 April 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
May 5, 2021 Approval of Additional Assessment for Phase II Work Plan  
May 4, 2021 Additional Assessment for Phase II Work Plan  
April 15, 2021 Approval of March 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the March 2021 CA Progress Report.
April 7, 2021 March 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
March 15, 2021 Approval of January 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the February 2021 CA Progress Report.
March 11, 2021 February 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
February 25, 2021 Approval of January 2021 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the January 2021 CA Progress Report.
February 15, 2021 January Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
February 12, 2021 Remedial Investigation Work Plan Phase II Addendum Sediment Sampling Plan to Bound the Extent of Uranium Around SED-44.
January 28, 2021 Sanitary Lagoon Sludge Characterization Work Plan Work Plan to characterize the sludge in the Sanitary Lagoon as per Section 3.6 of the ongoing Phase II Remedial Investigation (RI) Work Plan.
January 25, 2021 Approval of Additional Well Monitoring Request DHEC's written approval of the request to to install temporary and permanent wells to support the RI Phase II Work Plan.
January 21, 2021 Additional Well Monitoring Request Request to install temporary and permanent wells to support the RI Phase II Work Plan.
January 11, 2021 Approval of December 2020 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the December 2020 CA Progress Report.
January 8, 2021 December Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
December 14, 2020 Approval of November 2020 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the November 2020 CA Progress Report.
December 9, 2020 November Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
November 12, 2020 Approval of October 2020 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the September 2020 CA Progress Report.
November 5, 2020 Approval of Phase II Remedial Investigation Work Plan Addendum DHEC's written approval of the Phase II Remedial Investigation Work Plan Addendum.
November 5, 2020 October 2020 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
October 29, 2020 Phase II Remedial Investigation Work Plan Addendum  
October 14, 2020 Response to Phase II Remedial Investigation Work Plan DHEC's written response to the Phase II Remedial Investigation Work Plan
October 12, 2020 Approval of September 2020 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the September 2020 CA Progress Report
October 1, 2020 September 2020 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
September 24, 2020 SCDHEC Response to Soil Assessment DHEC’s written response to the recently submitted HF Spiking Station #1 Assessment Report.
September 15, 2020 Phase II Remedial Investigation Work Plan  
August 31, 2020 Response to the Scope of the Environmental Impact Statement DHEC’s written response to the scope of the EIS being prepared for the Westinghouse Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility.
August 25, 2020 Response to TC-99 Source Investigation Report DHEC's written response to the TC-99 Source Investigation Report submitted by Westinghouse.
August 21, 2020 Approval of July 2020 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the July 2020 CA Progress Report
August 12, 2020 July 2020 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
August 5, 2020 NRC Federal Register Notice of Intent NRC is requesting public input on the scope of what the planned Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Westinghouse Nuclear Fuel Fabrication Plant will contain. Comments are due to NRC by 8/30/2020.
July 30, 2020 TC-99 Source Investigation Report Technetium-99 Source Investigation Report, which summarizes the sampling conducted as described in the Technetium Source Investigation Work Plan.
July 30, 2020 Response to Final Interim Remedial Investigation Data Summary Response DHEC's written response to the Final Interim Remedial Investigation Data Summary Report submitted by Westinghouse.
July 30, 2020 Final Interim Remedial Investigation Data Summary Report Data presented in this report includes the results of assessment activities conducted from June 2019 through January 2020.
July 13, 2020 Approval of June 2020 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the June 2020 CA Progress Report
July 8, 2020 June 2020 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
June 22, 2020 Approval of May 2020 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the May 2020 CA Progress Report
June 15, 2020 May 2020 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
May 21, 2020 Approval of April 2020 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the April 2020 CA Progress Report
May 12, 2020 April 2020 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
May 4, 2020 Response to Final Interim Remedial Investigation Data DHEC's written response to the Final Interim Remedial Investigation Data submitted by Westinghouse.
April 27, 2020 Comments on Draft NRC EA of Westinghouse DHEC's written comments on the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Westinghouse Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility pursuant to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
April 16, 2020 Approval of March 2020 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the March 2020 CA Progress Report
April 8, 2020 March 2020 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
March 30, 2020 Approval of Soil Sampling Work Plan DHEC's written approval of the Soil Sampling Work Plan.
March 20, 2020 Soil Sampling Work Plan Soil sampling performed by Westinghouse in the assessment area of HFSS#1.
March 19, 2020 Approval of February 2020 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the February 2020 CA Progress Report
March 6, 2020 February 2020 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
February 2020 Interim Remedial Investigation Data Summary Report This report represents phase one of Westinghouse’s ongoing consent agreement with DHEC. DHEC has 30 days to review. Once their feedback has been received, Westinghouse can proceed with the next step of the remediation process.
October 3, 2019 Approval of Remedial Investigation (RI) Work Plan Additional Flood Plain Investigation Part of the Remedial Investigation (RI) with the Consent Agreement
October 2, 2019 September 2019 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
October 2, 2019 Approval of East Lagoon Sludge Characterization Work Plan Approval of East Lagoon - Part of BOW NPDES
September 30, 2019 CFFF 2018-2019 Annual Groundwater Monitoring Report * CFFF Annual GWS Monitoring report part of the requirements in the NPDES permit
September 26, 2019 East Lagoon Sludge Characterization Remedial Investigation (RI) Work Plan Revised East Lagoon Remedial Investigation (RI) Work Plan
September 12, 2019 Additional Flood Plain Assessment Results and Permanent Well Installation Recommendations Initial geologic logs used to recommend what the permanent groundwater monitoring well construction details should be.
September 4, 2019 Approval of Southern Storage Area Assessment Report Approval of Southern Storage - An operable unit part of the Remedial Investigaton (RI)
August 29, 2019 August 2019 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
August 15, 2019 July 2019 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
August 9, 2019 Remedial Investigation (RI) Work Plan Addendum 1 Assessment Report on the Southern Storage Area Operable Unit Initial data from the sea-land container investigation.
August 7, 2019 Approval of Additional Floodplain Assessment Plan DHEC's written approval of the RI Work Plan Additional Floodplain Assessments.
August 2, 2019 Remedial Investigation (RI) Work Plan Additional Floodplain Assessments Proposal submitted by Westinghouse to conduct additional assessments to support the RI Work Plan with additional floodplain assessment.
July 10, 2019 Approval of June 2019 Consent Agreement Progress Report DHEC's written approval of the June 2019 Consent Agreement Progress Report.
June 28, 2019 June 2019 Consent Agreement Progress Report Progress report required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse.
June 19, 2019 Approval of Addendum 1 to Remedial Investigation (RI) Work Plan DHEC’s written approval of the RI Work Plan addendum.
June 18, 2019 Addendum 1 to Remedial Investigation (RI) Work Plan RI addendum submitted by Westinghouse to include the southern storage area investigation.
June 19, 2019 Remedial Investigation (RI) Work Plan Approval  DHEC’s written approval of the Westinghouse RI Work Plan.
June 18, 2019 Remedial Investigation Work Plan Work plan required by DHEC Consent Agreement and submitted by Westinghouse for comprehensive site-wide environmental assessment to determine extent of historical contamination.
February 26, 2019 DHEC Consent Agreement 19-02-HW Requires Westinghouse to formally address historical contamination and implement a protocol for communicating and responding to any contamination discovered in the future.
  • Process Exemption Request
  • Exemption Letter
  • Exemption Statement of Basis