L-97-033, Confirms Final Disposition of Specific Hazardous Wastes Shipped to IT Corp Panoche & Vine Hill Facilities from Plant in Jul 1986

Confirms Final Disposition of Specific Hazardous Wastes Shipped to IT Corp Panoche & Vine Hill Facilities from Plant in Jul 1986

ML20137P639
Person / Time
Site:	Humboldt Bay
Issue date:	04/02/1997
From:	Moulia T PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC CO.
To:	NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM)
References
PML-97-033, PML-97-33, NUDOCS 9704090288
Download: ML20137P639 (4)

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s Pacific Gas and Electric Company 1000 King Salmon Avenue c Humboldt By Power Plant Eureka, CA 95503 TOMA. MOUUA '*'""**

Plant Manager April 2,1997 PML-97-033 E U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Cornmission ATTN: Document Control Desk Washington, D.C. 20555 Docket No. 50133, OL-DPR-7 Humboldt Bay Power Plant, Unit 3 Gentlemen:

Re: Disposition of11azardous Waste at IT Panoche and Vine Hill Facilities This is to confirm the final disposition of specific hazardous wastes shipped to the IT Corporation Panoche (Benicia) and Vine Hill (Martinez) facilities from PG&E's Humboldt Bay Power Plant (HBPP) in July,1986. The information provided herein is on one of three shipments of hazardous waste containing minute quantities of radioactive isotopes to the IT facilities in the 1980's. Prior to the July, 1986 shipment, approval was granted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the California State Department of Health Senices, Radiological Health Branch (DHS) to dispose of the wastes as 1 hazardous waste at the Panoche facility.

IT has completed a review of the PG&E shipments and has provided information on the final disposition of the three shipments. The information provided herein is consistent with that provided by IT directly to Ms. Wei Wei Chui on Jamiary 13,1997 (copy enclosed). l The July 1986 shipment (referred to as Shipment 4 in the enclosure) included four loads of wastewater pond sindge and one load of flyash. On April 25,1985 PG&E requested NRC approval to dispose of the waste as hazardous waste at the IT Panoche facility. Approval was granted on September 3,1985 from the NRC. Approval was also granted by the California Department of Health Senices on January 21,1986. The flyash was received at the Panoche facility in July,1986. The sludge was accepted at the Vine Hill facility, where it was accumulated with other commercial waste. Much of the mixed accumulated solids were routinely removed from Vine Hill and transferred to the Panoche facility for final disposal. IT's records indicate that the solids from at least one load have remained at the Vine Hill facility. PG&E assumes that the Vine Hill facility is the final disposition site for any waste that was not transferred to the Panoche facility.

Should you have any questions concerning this information, please contact me at (707) 444-0700.

Sincerely, cA.

TOM A. MOULIA 9704090288 970402 l PDR ADOCK 05000133:

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cc: Mr. Jim Pappas No. California Permitting Branch Chief Department of Toxic Substances Control 700 Heinz Ave., Suite 200 Berkeley, CA 94710-2737 Edgar Bailey, Chief RadiologicalIIcalth Branch Department of Health Services 601 Nonth 7th Street Sacramento, CA 95814 RDudley (NRC)

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Sunnlemental Information Reauests - IT Panoche Facility PG&E Humbolt Bay Power Plant Waste Streams

Dear Ms. Chui:

During the public comment period for the draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and Closure Plans for the IT Panoche Facility, a question was raised related to certain wastes genemted by the PG&E Humbolt Bay Power Plant. The genesis of these comments was an August 23,1996 letter from PG&E to Mr. Greg Yuhas summarizing waste shipments from Humbolt Bay to the IT Panoche and Vine Hill facilities. Since the close of the public comment period, PG&E has provided clarifying information to DTSC in an October 18,1996 letter, and.to Mr. Yuhas and IT in letters dated October 22,1996. In addition to this information, DTSC has verbally requested IT provide supplemental information rega-ding )

waste shipments to the Panoche facility. '

IT has completed a detailed file review of the PG&E shipments and confirmed acceptance and .

management procedures for each of;the specific waste shipments sent by PG&E to either the Vine Hill Complex or Panoche facility. In addition to the information provided to DTSC in PG&E's October 18, 1996 letter, the following detail is provided relative to shipments 3,4, and 5. l Shipment 3 - Five loads of sludge from the oil water separator were received at the Panoche facility between August 31 and September 5,1984. This matetial was sent to Panoche due to the I metals concentrations and all five loads were accepted into Waste Management Unit (WMU) 17.

N Shipment 4 - This shipment included four loads of wastewater treatment pond sludge and one

\ load of ash deposits from the firebox at the fossil fuel plant. The wastewater pond sludges were all accepted at IT's Vine Hill Complex. Solids from this waste stream accumulated in the Vine Hill surface impoundments along with numerous other solids associated with commercial waste

. receipts. Much of the mixed accumulated solids were routinely removed from Vine Hill and 1 transferred to the Panoche facility for final disposal in WMUs 17 and 18. The single load of firebox ash was received at the Panoche facility and disposed ofin WMU 17 on July 15, 1986.

Shinment 5 - This shipment was sent from Humbolt Bay to the IT Vine Hill Complex. Solids residues from this load were not sent to Panoche; no wastes were received at Panoche after December 1986.

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, ~Ms. Wei-Wei Chui 2 January 13,1997

.wThe aste. waste materials shipped to the IT facilities were not considered mixed ,

The referenced materials were reviewed for PG&E by both the California

, ate Department of IIcalth Services (DOHS) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), pl!

shipment to the IT facil/.ies. These agencies approved shipment to IT's Class

' because of their hazardous waste characteristics under 40 CFR 261 (primarily m

! NRC and DOHS approvals recognized that the wastes were not required to be regul 4 waste subject to the provisions of 10 CFR 20 and 10 CFR 61 because the levels of:

at or near background levels, and well below regulatory limits.

1-IT has conducted a further file review of the significant information available reg '

j made to the facility and we are unaware of any other waste materials similar to the j which were accepted at the Panoche facility. As originally indicated in the closure plan

- no nuclear wastes were managed at the facility.

If DTSC identifies any specific waste streams or generators for which you seek additional information, we would be happy to accomm Sincerely, l

4 Douglas S. Waltermire Manager of Envirorunental Affairs cc: Phil Blum,-DTSC Glendale

! i Don Rothenbaum, McLaren/lfart Kitty Ilammer, City of Benicia Brigitta Corsello, Solano County-I

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