ML19256E789
| ML19256E789 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 10/22/1979 |
| From: | Dircks W NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Bradford P NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7911150222 | |
| Download: ML19256E789 (2) | |
Text
-
2 CC5
[pnato, v
o UNITED STATES g
,i h q j ' g NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
\\
dj E
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555
- gv+..../
e
,g MEMORANDUM FOR: Commissioner Bradford THRU:
Lee V. Gossick, Executive Director fo dpYatYONt0 83 #
FROM:
William J. Dircks, Director Office of Nuclear 11aterial Safety and Safeguards e
SUBJECT:
DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY TO THE DIRECTOR OF NMSS TO APPROVE ACTIONS UNDER PUBLIC LAW 95-604 (SECY-79-484)
In your memorandum of September 19, 1979, you asked what criteria and standards will be used by the staff in approving remedial actions proposed by the Department of Energy for inactive mill tailings sites under P.L.95-604.
We plan to take the same approach in dealing with inactive mill tailings sites that we have taken in the case of our own active, licensed operations.
We will apply the criteria contained in our recently proposed regulations on uranium milling to the maximum extent practicable. These criteria were developed primarily with new milling operations in mind. Therefore, certain criteria, such as those requiring isolation of tailings from groundwater and siting remote from populated areas, are difficult to achieve at existing sites to the same extent as is possible with new milling operations.
Options for disposal are obviously fewer at the existing sites. For example, new milling operations typically include a liner on the bottom of the tailings impoundment to minimize seepage to groundwater; without moving an entire pile this cannot be done at existing sites. The option of relocating tailings will be examined for all inactive sites.
In many cases it may be decided, af ter weighing the costs and benefits, that leaving the tailir.c,s in place is called for even though the resultant situation may be somewhat less than what is provided for in a new milling 1336 272 1 2 2-7911150 1
t
/
e Comissioner Bradford.
situation.
Exaccrbating the situation at existing sites is that the i
full cost of disposal will come from the public funds; new milling i
operations can build costs for final disposal into the price of product l
r.aking it easier to ceet the optimum.
Jh.n mur m I mner OCT 191979
'filliam J. Dircks, Director l
Office of l:uclear Material Safety and Safeguards cc: Chainnan Hendrie Commissioner Gilinsky l
l Corr.issioner Kennedy l
Commissioner Ahearne SECY OPE OGC j
ED0 I
C0l! TACT:
H. J. Miller. *.71UR/fatSS l
32-74103 DISTRIBUTI_0N: ED0-7408 Subject FiTes WMUR:R/F WM:R/F NMSS:R/F JBMartin i
Mill File WJDircks
.JCS TRehm GErtter RGSmith i
Eleins ED0 NGill EDO:R/F LSPerson HJMiller RAScarano l
REBrowning
' Revised-HMUR jf }J} Bin 28 LSPerson:tl 10/18/79 10/12/79
- SEE PREVIOUS YELLOWS FOR CONCURRENCES.
........ mR* ,,,,,,,,$U R* ,,,,,,,,,M,* W* ,,,,,,,N,MS S,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, E DO,,,,,,,,,, w W ..l..v.G.sa.i.c..is.. ....W.1.u.e.r........ 22ano.........asran. ins..... ..a Bea r.t.in.........llaD.in;ks....... 9 ...1.0a2n9.......10/.12/.ZR..........19d.4a.9..... .1.04UU.9.......194...../.ZR.....10L...../.Z9.. oc,o x n. m e -.u. . -..... -. ~.............. _.}}