ML19241A650
| ML19241A650 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 02/16/1979 |
| From: | Chilk S NRC OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY (SECY) |
| To: | Cotton R National Resources Defense Council |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19241A648 | List: |
| References | |
| RULE-PRM-20-7 SECY-78-613B, NUDOCS 7907090103 | |
| Download: ML19241A650 (2) | |
Text
- r. Richard Cotten
- tatural Resources Defense Council, Inc.
2345 Yale Street Palo Alto, California 943C6
Dear Mr. Cotten:
I would like to inform you that the Nuclear Regulatory Ccmission (NRC) has ccmpleted its action on your petition for rulemaking that was sulaitted by c letter dated August 6,1976. As you know, the petition requested that the Ccamission immediately adopt interim regulations setting s'.andards for shallow land dispcsal of transuranic ar.d otner I w-level radioactive waste as well as prepare a programmatic gereric enviren-mental impact statement (GEIS) on low-level waste discosal.
The public cnmments on the petition, staff analysis and rationale for NRC's action are discussed in the enclosed Federal Register Notice.
Although the NRC staff found insufficient justification for immediate implementation of regulations as requested in the petition, many of the issues and points raised in the petition are being considered in the ongoing NRC low-level waste management program. As part of this program, NRC is now developing regulations and supporting environmental impacts statements regarding (1) maximum concentrations of radionuclides,
including transurariic nuclides, which may be safely disposed of as Icw-level waste, and (2) administrative, institutional and technical requirements for discosal of icw-level waste by snallcw land burial ano alternative dis::osai methods.
These regulaticns are schedulec to te puolisnec for cualic comment in 1980.
3il 109
( C '.>4..
7907090 Enclosure J
Richard Cotten The Ccmission also belie /es that a separate GEIS as called fcr in the petition is neither required by NEPA nor necessary for development of tne I;RC low-level waste program.
It is intended that the environmental impact statements and other technical documentation being developed to support the forthccming regulations will be of sufficient sco;e to make a se'arate programmatic GEIS unnecessary.
The f;RC has, therefore, denied the petition regarding imolementation of imedia:e requiations and the 2EIS recuested.
T:le :;RC aas and is, ho.,ever, still considering certain issues raised by the petition througn its ongoing low-level waste management program. We are also considering your GEIS outline as input to cur pre::aration of environmental it ac statements that will guide and suoport our regulations developmen; effort.
We welc;me ycur further interest and incut into our program a.nd regulations development effort.
Sincerely, Samuel J. Chilk Secretary of the Cox.ission
Enclosure:
Federal Register flotice of denial of petition for rulemaking 311 110