ML19270H995
| ML19270H995 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 11/15/1979 |
| From: | Gossick L NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Domenici P SENATE |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19211B053 | List:
|
| References | |
| FOIA-81-8 NUDOCS 8001130109 | |
| Download: ML19270H995 (2) | |
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CErtter TRehm The Honorable Pete V. Do,enici Eleins RGSraith L'n.ited States Senate Wa}hington, D. C.
20515
Dear Senator Domenici:
This letter is in response to your October 23, 1979, request for information concerning i:RC's review of the United Nuclear Corporation's (U::C) Church Rock mill tailings spill. As you know, prior to enactnent of amend'ents to the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 (U:7RCA) on
!;overter 9,1979, iRC was reviewing the Church Rock incident not only as a result of the State's request for technical assistance, but also as an agency exercising joint regulatory jurisdiction.
As we testified at the House Comittee on Interior and Insular Affairs' '
October 22, 1979, hearine on the Church Rock incident, the f:RC,is.perforcing a full safety review of the U!;C's proposal for continued operations at the site. We also have been fully engaged, with the State, in guidinc clean up efforts by the Ui;C. Prior to receipt of your October 23, 1979, letter, ::RC took action authorizing the resumption of nill operations for a lirited period of time (45-C0 days) by approving the first step of a three stage plan for disposal of tailings from the Church Rock mill.
The second and third stages of this plan involve expansion of the current impoundrent through a dan lift which would perc1t operations to continue for an additional limited time while the identification and developrent of a new tailings irpound ent site suitable for the ultirate disposal of tailings raterials is acconplished. Approval of the da~ lift and sub-ission of the proposal for a new tailings disposal site by January 30,19E'0, were made conditions of the !;RC license.
l?ow that the Congress has passed the amendnents to the U"TRCA, the f:RC will no longer have direct licensing responsibility over tailings raterials fron the UNC Church Rock nill. However, the ilRC will continue to provide technical assistance to the State, as requested, in the review of U"C proposals.
Having approved initial resumption of operations, the f;RC staff is in the process of reviewing the operator's plan for expansion of.the current inpoundnent (stage two). We expect to provide our safety evalua-tion to the State by the end of f:cvenber. Our review of the proposal for 2332 057 O
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I The Honorable Pete V. Uomenici a new tailings disposal site will be scheduled upon submittal and will be perfonned in a timely fashion to avoid unnecessary adverse impacts upon State review schedules or the licensee's operations.
I hope this infon ation answers your questions on this matter.
If I can be of any assistance in the future, please contact me.
r Sincerely, (Si:re': :
Lee V. Gossick Executive Director for Operations 2332 058 IDENTICA_L LETTER T0:
The Honorable Harrison Schmitt United States Senate Washington, D.C.
20515 l
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