ML19209A886

Comments on 790828 Meeting Between NRC & State Officials Re State Comments on NRC Draft EIS Related to Split Rock Mill. Meeting Terminated W/O Anything Constructive Accomplished Due to Adversary Atmosphere Created by State Officials

ML19209A886
Person / Time
Issue date:	09/14/1979
From:	Scarano R NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS)
To:	Sundin R WYOMING, STATE OF
References
NUDOCS 7910050526
Download: ML19209A886 (2)

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File JBMartin RE8rowning RAScarano Mr. Robert E. Sundin, Director JJLinehan Uyoming Department of Environmental HJMiller Quality Hathaway Office Building Cheyenne, Wyoming G2002

Dear Mr. Sundin:

I would like to bring to your attention a matter of utmost concern. As you remember from my initial visit to your office *.hree years ago we agreed that to effectively address the public hea!th and safety problems related to uraniua nilitng a concerted effort by our respective organizations was a necessity. Since that time. due in great part to the coordinated efforts of our staffs, new regulatory requirements have been imposed on the industry that minimize the impacts to public health and the environment.

Examples of this cooperative posture are our participating in State hearings in support of your permitting actions related to the Sweetwater Project and your use of our Irigaray Project Environnental Impact Statenent (EIS) as a technical basis for your related emitting actions.

Unfortunately there is evidence that the cooperative posture of our j

agencies is disintegrating. A case in point is the recent meeting on August 28, 1979, between ray staff and your Mr. U. Ackerman and his

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staff.

I sent my people to Cheyenne to discuss Wyoming coments on our r

draft EIS related to the Split Rock Mill to assure we understood and would adequately address State concerns. The ensuing discussions had an

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atnosphere of an adversary proceeding with your staff offering numerous comments questioning not only MRC's technical competence but our integrity as well. Upon being rebuffed in an attempt to address specific problem areas instead of general derogato,ry remarks which cannot be dealt with, ny staff found it necessary to terminate the meeting without anything constructive being accomplished, Another example is your proposed regulations for in-situ mining and i

disposal of mill tailings. These regulations provide for overlapping jurisdiction over uranium mill tailings and is clearly opposed to the intent of the Federal Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978. We made this connent in a letter to Mr. Gary Beach dated t'ay 29, 1979, before the latest version of the regs and will reitterate our concern again in a letter to Mr. Beach.

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i Mr. R. E. Sundin As responsible public officials, Mr. Sundin, we cannot pemit the proliferation of this attitude for it is not in the public interest.

The inevitable result would be to divert the attention of our staffs from regulating the industry to addressing legal and technical hassles between our agencies.

I am ready to ceet with you and any other State i

officials at your earliest convenience to reaffirn the commonality of

' "Y our goals and reestablish the cooperative regulatory process that has been so successful in the past.

f I urge you to give this matter your personal attention and let me know your thoughts as soon as possible.

I can be reached by telephone at (301) 427-4103.

l Sincerely, Originoisigm dby:

n.:..u.xn Ross A. Scarar.o, Chief Uranium P.ecovery Licensing Branch Division of llaste Management i

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