ML19271A235

From kanterella
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Eia Supporting Renewal of SNM-778
ML19271A235
Person / Time
Site: 07000824
Issue date: 01/10/1980
From:
NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS)
To:
Shared Package
ML19271A231 List:
References
NUDOCS 8002270477
Download: ML19271A235 (73)


Text

{{#Wiki_filter:.. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT APPRAISAL BA,BC0CK & WILCOX LYNCHBURG RESEARCH CENTER LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA RELATED TO LICENSE RENEWAL OF SPECIAL NUCLEAR MATERIALS LICENSE NO. $NM-778 00CKET NO. 70-824 PREPARED BY DIVISION OF FUEL CYCLE AND MATERIAL SAFETY U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMM1SSION January 1980 e7 a

4 s. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES....................................... iv LIST OF TABLES................ v 1. INTRODUCTION.......................... 1 1.1 Description of the Proposed Action.............. 2 1.2 Facilities............... 3 1.2.1 Facilities History........... 3 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE SITE ENVIRONMENT............ 8 2.1 Site Location and Topography.. 8

2. 2 Regional Demography.

10 2.3 Land and Water Use....... 15 2.4 Geology and Seismology....... 17 2.5 Hydrology....................................... 20 2.6 Ecology........................................ 20 2.6.1 Terrestrial.... 20 2.6.2 Aquatic...................... 23

2. 7 Meteorology.....................................

24 3. THE FACILITY.......... 32 3.1 General Description.... 32

3. 2 Plant Operation......

35 3.2.1 Building A..... 35 3.2.1.1 Lynchburg Pool Reactor (LPR)...... 35 3.2.1.2 Critical Experiment Facility (CX-10). 36 3.2.1.3 Computer Studies... 36

3. 2.1. 4 Ceramics...

36 3.2.2 Building B... 37 3.2.2.1 Hot Cell Facilities... 37 3.2.2.2 Experimental Pool.................. 41 3.2.2.3 Nuclear and Radiochemistry Laboratory. 41 3.2.2.4 Metallurgy Laboratory..... 41 3.2.2.5 Counting Laboratory. 3.2.2.6 Ceramics Oven Room..... 42 42 3.2.2.7 Scanning Electron Microscooy Laboratory. 42 3.2.2.8 Fracture Mechanics Area. 43 3.2.3 Building C........ 43 3.2.3.1 Analytical Chemistry............ 43 3.2.3.2 Process Development.......... 47 3.2.3.3 Fuel Materials Development...... 48 3.3 Waste Confinement and Effluent Control........ 49 3.3.1 Air Effluents... 49 3.3.1.1 Controlled Area Air Effluent......... 49 3.3.1.2 Nonradioactive Effluents.. 50

Table of Contents (Cont'd) Page 3.3.2 Liquid Effluents....... 50 3.3.2.1 Contaminated Liquid Waste System. 50 3.3.2.2 Sanitary Waste Effluents............ 53 3.3.2.3 Storm Drainage....................... 53 3.3.3 Solid Wastes...................... 53 3.3.3.1 Contaminated Solid Wastes............. 53 3.3.3.2 Uncontaminated Solid Wastes........... 54 4. ENVIRONMENTAL b

  • ACTS OF FACILITY OPERATIONS..............

56 4.1 Radiological Impacts........... 56 4.1.1 Terrestrial. 56 4.1.1.1 Individual Dose at the Nearest. Residence.... 56 4.1.2 Aquatic................. 57 4.1.3 Cumulative Impact.......... 58 4.2 Nonradiological Impacts........ 59 5. EFFLUENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING..................... 59 5.1 Effluent Monitoring.. 59

5. 2 Environmental Monitoring.............

60

5. 3 Chemical Monitoring.................

60 5.4 Conclusion........................................... 63 6. ACCIDENTS............ 63 7. MATERIALS AND PLANT PROTECTION...... 64 8. CONCLUSION AND BASIS FOR NEGATIVE DECLARATION.... 65 9. REFERENCES....... 67

LIST OF FIGURES Pace 2.1 Babcock & Wilcox Facilities........ 9

2. 2 Babcock & Wilcox Property and Surroune.ng Topography.......

11 2.3 The Relation of the Babcock & Wilcox Site to Major Virginia Population Centers......... 12 2.4 1972, 1980, and 1985 Employment Figures for Areas Within 5-Miles of CNFP............. 13 2.5 Columnar Section of Rocks in the LRC and Lynchburg Areas, Virginia.... 19 2.6 Extent of Flooding Due to Standard Project Flood.... 21 3.1 The Layout of the LRC Facility.. 33 3.2 Building B Air Ventilation Systems.................... 38 3.3 Building B Liquid Waste Orainage System.. 39 3.4 Building C Air Ventilation System........ 44 3.5 Building C Liquid Waste Orainage System... 45 3.6 Building C Layout... 46 3.7 Liquid Waste Retention Tanks and Piping System.. 52 5.1 Environmental Sampling Locations.. 62

LIST OF TABLES Pace 1.1 AEC and NRC Licensed Activities for the Lynchburg Research Center......... 3 1.2 Possession Limits under License No. SNM-778.............. 6 2.1 Population Distribution Within 50 Miles of LRC Facility 1970 Census Data............. 14

2. 2 Agricultural Activities in Campbell and Amherst Counties.....................

16 2.3 Climatological Summary for Lynchburg, Virginia. 26 2.4 Frequency of Occurrence (%), Wind Direction vs. Speed From 1965 Data Collected at Babcock & Wilcox LRC (Stable Stability)....... 27 2.5 Frequency of Occurrence (%), Wind Direction vs Speed From 1965 Data Collected at Babcock & Wilcox LRC (Slightly Stable Stability)........................... 28

2. 6 Frequency of Occurrence (%) Wind uirection vs. Speed From 1/65 to 12/65 at Babcock & Wilcox LRC (Neutral Stability).

29

2. 7 Frequency of Occurrence (%), Wind Direction vs.

Speed From 1/65 to 12/65 at Babcock & Wilcox LRC (Unstable Stability)............................... 30 3

2. 8 Annual Average X/Q (sec/m ) at LRC..

31 3.1 LRC Airborne Releases from 50-Meter Stack...... 51 3.2 Liquid Waste Releases to NNFD Treatment System..... 54 5.1 Environmental Sampling Locations. 61

1 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT APPRAISAL BABCOCK & WILC0X LYNCHBURG RESEARCH CENTER LYh"MBURG, VIRGINIA DOCKET NO. 70-824 1. INTRODUCTION By letter dated December 21, 1978, Babcock & Wilcox Company (8&W) requested renewal of their Special Nuclear Materials License No. SNM-778 covering the operations involving special nuclear materials in the Lynchburg Research Center (LRC) at Lynchburg, Virginia. In connection with the application for license renewal, the applicant submitted an Environmental Report (ER)I dated December 1978. Additional pertinent information was included in an ER submitted by B&W in December 19742 on th'eir Commercial Nuclear Fuel Plant (CNFP), located at the same site, in connection with the license renewal action of the facility. In connection with such license renewals, 10 CFR Part 51 requires that an environ-mental impact assessment be performed to determine whether an environmental impact statement or a negative declaration will be prepared. Part 51 further states that the determination shall be guided by the Council on Environmental Quality Guidelines, 40 CFR 1500.6. In accordance with these regulations, the Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety (the staff) of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) initiated an assessment of the environmental impact of the proposed licensing renewal action. Upon completion of the environmental impact assessment and evaluation of the findings,

2 the staff independently prepared this appraisal on environmental considerations associated with the proposed licensing renewal action in accordance with 10 CFR Part 51, implementing the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and the President's Council on Environmental Quality Guidelines. Because the facility is an operating plant and the actual effluent releases have been monitored and are documented, the staff, in performing an environmental assessment of the proposed action, concluded that the principal items to be addressed in the environmental appraisal should include: site location, topography, land and water use, de'mography, hydrology, geology, seismology and meteorology, control of effluents, environmental monitoring, environmental impact of plant operation and accidents. Since the licensee does not propose to expand the plant operation, the staff has taken the position that other environmental categories usually considered.for a new facility need not be examined. 1.1 Description of the Proposed Action The proposed action for which this environmental impact appraisal is performed is the routine renewal of B&W's Special Nuclear Material License No. SNM-778 for continued operation of the LRC facility involving special nuclear materials for a period of 5 years. The LRC is a research facility and its past licensing activities, including the research reactor licenses and SNM license, are summarized in Table 1.1. At present, the Special Nuclear Material License is on a timely renewal basis and will so continue pending review and approval by NRC.

3 TABLE 1.1 AEC AND NRC LICENSED ACTIVITIES ~ FOR THE LYNCHBURG RESEARCH CENTER Date Activity March 1957 CX-1 issued February 1958 CX-10 issued September 1958 CX-12 issued September 1958 R-47 issued May 1962 CX-19 issued February 1964 TR-4 issued March 1964 SNM-778 issued September 1966 SNM-778 reissued (incorporating licenses 45-105-3, SMB-714, SNM-32, and SNM-744 February 1972 CX-12 terminated March 1973 TR-4 terminated June 1973 CX-1 terminated June 1973 CX-19 terminated March 1974 SNM-778 renewed 1.2 Facilities 1.2.1 Facilities History The Lynchburg Research Center (LRC) was first known as the Critical Experiment Labo-ratory when it began operation in 1956 as a part of the Atomic Energy Division. In

4 1957 the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) issued License CX-l for the first privately owned and operated critical experiment facility in the United States. This facility was used to design and test the first nuclear core for the Consolidated Edison Power reactor. In 1958, additions to the Critical Experiment Laboratory included facilities for the nuclear merchant ship critical experiment, the Lynchburg Source Reactor (CX-12), and the Lynchburg Pool Reactor (R-47). The Laboratory expanded again in 1964 with the addition of the Nuclear Fuels Laboratory. This building included the Babcock & Wilcox Test Reactor (BAWTR), an oxide fuel preparation laboratory, and a not cell facility. At that time, the laboratory name was changed to the Nuclear Development Center. In 1966, the Nuclear Development Center became a part of the Research and Development Division and its present name was adopted. In 1968, the Plutonium Development Laboratory was added. This facility was built to accommodate the equipment necessary to process plutonium niixed oxide fuel preparation and examination. The LRC presently employs about 232 scientists, engineers, technicians and support personnel. Approximately 50% of the work is performed under NRC licenses. The remainder is in the areas of process control, nondestructive examination methods, and instrument development and nonnuclear ceramics. Research and development utilizing source, by product and special nuclear material is performed primarily in three buildings. Building A houses one critical experiment facility (CX-10) and a one megawatt pool type research reactor, the Lynchburg Pool Reactor (LPR), R-47. The CX-10 is a tank type facility licensed for a maximum of 1 kWt power utilizing low enriched uranium dioxide fuel. It is used for physics veri-fication experiments, computer code verifications, and benchmark testing. The LPR is

5 licensed for a maximum power of 1 mWt, utilizing highly enriched uranium. This reactor is used for reactor operator training, neutron radiography, neutron transmis sion measurements, activation analysis, resonance integral measurements, instrument development, irradiation of experiments in the associated autoclave, reactivity measurements, and source preparation. The above research reactors are under separate NRC licenses. The license renewal action of SNM-778 covers the possession, use and transfer of special nuclear materials associated with the operation of the LRC facility. The possession limits under SNM-778 are sumnarized in Table 1.2. Building B houses the hot cell facility, the crane and cask handling are, a radio-chemistry laboratory, a counting laboratory, and a scanning electron m croscope laboratory. The four hot cells are used to handle and examine materials that are highly radioact.ive. Irradiated commercial nuclear fuel assemblies are partially disassembled and destructive and nondestructive examinations performed on the fuel rods. Reactor irradiated experiment capsules are disassembled and studied and examinations of primary evstem components are performed. The cask handling area, the radiochemistry laboratory, and the scanning electron microscope laboratory support the hot cell operations. Research and development of new and improved methods of nuclear fuel preparation is performed in Building C. This building is equipped with glove boxes for handling alpha emitting isotopes, standard chemical fume hoods, a perchloric acid fume hood, X-ray emission and diffraction equipment, and an emission spectrograph. This b.ilding was constructed for testing methods of plutonium mixed oxide fuel production. Presently,_such testing is limited to using benchscale quantities of plutonium. Scrap

6 TABLE 1.2 POSSESSION LIMITS UNDER LICENSE NO. SNM-778 Material Physicai Form Enrichment Amount A. Uranium enriched Any ->20% 4.9 kg contained U-235 in U-235 8. Uranium enriched Any <20% 900 kg contained U-235 in U-235 C. Uranium enriched Any Any I kg contained U-233 in U-233 0. Plutonium Any 1.9 kg E. Source material Any 6 kg F. Byproduct & SNM Unseparated Quantity contained in 40 irradiated LPR fuel elements G. Byproduct & SNM Unseparated Quantity produced during irradiation of 250 kg of source material H. Fission products Neutron Quantity contained in & transuranium irradiated fuels 3 irradiated commercial elements fuel assemblies I. Fission products Neutron 5,000,000 curies & transuranium irradiated fuels elements J. Any byproduct Neutron irradiated 500,000 curies material structural material & components K. Any oyproduct Any 3000 Ci; total not to material with exceed 1,000,000 Ci. atomic numbers 3 through 83 inclusive L. Antimony Sealed sources 3000 Ci M. Cobalt Sealed sources 3,000,000 Ci

7 TABLE 1.2 (Cont'd) POSSESSION LIMITS UNDER LICENSE NO. SNM-778 Material Physical Form Enrichment Amount N. Cesium-137 Sealed sources 3000 Ci 0. Polonium-210 Po-Be sealed sources 400 Ci P. Cobalt-60 Metal 50,000 Ci Q. Iridium-192 Metal 10,000 Ci R. Transuranium Any 20 millicuries each elements S. Californium-252 Sealed sources 4 milligrams T. Americium-241 Sealed sources 30 Ci < U. Hydrogen-3 Sealed sources 100 Ci V. Hydrogen-3 Ni alloy plated 3 Ci Sc tritide foil W. Hydrogen-3 0xide 3 Ci

8 recovery studies utilizing depleted uranium are being performed and a program to study the reprocessing of thorium basei fuels by chloride volatility is underway. This latter program utilizes thorium, depleted uranium, and the nonradioactive species of fission product elements. The Radioactive Waste Storage Building is used to hou'_a containerized radioactive solid waste prior to shipping for offsite disposal. The Liquid Waste Disposal Facility is a " tank farm" where process area liquid wastes are collected, stored, sampled, diluted, and pumped to the waste disposal facility of the Naval Nuclear Fuel Division. 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE SITE ENVIRONMENT

2. -l Site Location and Topography The Lynchburg Research Center (LRC) facility is located on a 525 acre site in Campbell County near Lynchburg, Virginia. As shown in Figure 2.1, this 525-acre site also contains the Commercial Nuclear Fuel Plant (CNFP) and the Naval Nuclear Fuel Division (NNFD), owned and operated by Babcock & Wilcox under authority of separate NRC licenses.

The site can be reached from Highways 460 and 609 to State Route 726. The site is serviced by a spur of the D isapeake and Ohio Railroad which runs through the Babcock & Wilcox property. The site is also conveniently located for truck and automobile access. About 2 miles from the plant, State 726 connects with U.S. Highway 460, which is a major link between Roanoke and Richmond.

Figure 2.1 B ABCOCK & 'NILCOX FACILITIES

10 2.2, 1.. x, e

AP'E : 8 ! 'I f 4 ,g,, LE ". a *; ' t .hME*tti PaFJ '2!:3E ~. ..s g 2 203 E t !!:?e FAw!Lf :!'*i'E47 ' +, z. auns :r =Assr n \\ \\ ( ; 7

ens

\\. 18: 57

u. a.a.

3 tsN,\\ Q) . :u2:2, .:... c l y-7 .:: wen :=tte a m i ). ; L G p- / ..r... s / / 3rs$:;;rt<

] 3
:c, cs:

\\ 1 MILE 0 i MILE 9 I 1 i SCALE IN "ILES

10 The plant site is located on a river bend and generally exhibits a rolling surface of gentle slopes. The dominant topographic feature of the site is a hill located approximately at the centar of the property, the crest of which rises to 693 feet above mean sea level (MSL). The ground is inclined toward the river from the hilltop to the riverbank, which is at approximately 470 feet MSL. The highest point in the vicinity of the site is the top of Mt. Athos, where the elevation is 890 feet MSL. Figure 2.2 shows the surrounding topography at the site. 2.2 Regional Cemography The relation of the site to major Virginia population ceM.ers is shown in Figure 2.3. The land in the vicinity of the site is sparsely inhabited as illustrated in Figure 2.4. Population census estimate by the Central Virginia Planning District Commission in 1972 indicated that about 18,000 persons were living within a 5-mile radius of the site. However, because of the unfavorable terrain, most of these people reside over 3 miles from the site and only about 40 people reside within 1 mile of the plant. The population within 5 miles from the site can be classified into three general categories: (1) the Lynchburg urban area, (2) the Lynchbu'2 -acurban area, and (3) the rural area. From studies by the Central Virginia Planning District Commission, which predicted growth rates for the various transportation sections of the district, the population growth forecast within a 5-mile radius from the site in 1980 and 1985 as compared to 1972 is summarized in Figure 2.4. Population distribution within a 50-mile radius from the site is shown in Table 2.1.

Figure 2.2 BABCOCK & WILCOX PROPERTY AND SURROUNDING TOPOGRAPHY hV ).3 wac,%.' News [,,$h,-Tcyr % +,,: gr.. s ,,'i. ,, E [ , \\' k U ~ a n, % g d u g g ?. ~ K y r &,,, s c ). k,.. ", s . x. ~4, 6 . v,,5 ; 's f,s vr..,. a f/ w. g /s 9 y. - 4, ~~ s e\\ v ,.~-ss,m'z <, y.. m>.,. c,.,.sy m.,., - u 3r sN .e x, .<m .*. v;

    • f p%.**L,,*,%%.'--

't ),. h-a ffJ., , ~..,,. r (, t ' y,. t,' r .g g .,s su S w, w, jg(f,f..y>. i .^d'.- 3

Q

,\\ '* y% -r e m i s.F. 7 't'..p a 1 %r;r.e s w Q,,g; a e ,r 3 r t y6,%.5 -c,!-t-....-

  1. [

.s x ,4 ,r.' ~,.\\ 4,. p 's \\ ~~ h.Y . ~.n-....,., ~ 4., s >. s ,8%%.n w&, = ......c. \\ n., s m t. /.~,i,".,. x-5 hl,W'h y7 i Y ...u \\,h Y M\\r%.,YW /~ ~h'Y w {py p ' Qh f n.r ),h.p, %.%m'd i~. t,, 'd w m ' qs 'sy 'h d

  1. ~

y,. - u n,.-

v. 3 T

\\s", i, '.vd s'( '-.-r. p,t 'N,. %. -M p'.'Cx, qSl c; i - "4=g y

  • p fa i

'?ss4. -- C.a_ ",* Q.. S, q, . u f.p's,t d g,- t s.%.Af(.*b) $ u / J '\\\\..hf ~ '2 I. r

~ N,A.~

.F ~, ) z h, .., t.'. s -,.~', #-:.;;,' b. t 9 3 sv n s H s f.A=~;,~.>p >. e* % >4- .w. i M, 1 m ~~~ ~ \\ ,s

c. A

'Q' $D, v' ; d/'4, $k:,

f. l

'rs e..J.'*,..Le;s./~.1[. -s, s. Sur /}W'b. d e,, r. -.,, - a =, i,f.b .=e m -4. = ~9 = 'd jf, .) =a ' es-N '.,( b h , //:' ' ,/ .5,# . S '- ~ t g .m Q~, ~h. 'l,Y 0

  • ' " ~

a n..: . c !!., /p.. V..+AMs- ?- .L W a., % .c ~, .~- Ae =.< s.-. ~.. /.=/ 1, ..,e . - = ,f, r c * -

  • '*.;,~,.

s.r. u f e,; i. e. 4 k .,'.'{ n*' m /py'*e*A, ~' h?'."n,, s' m". p,c.f,$ C , in (, ~~ 45; ?~ E'k

  • a E

~ i y% p s ,e,,. e, ).s' _. e:. (sgW,m N?,,"s2;4, .s.1.,f., e. =o

  1. .w 7.w@a:s

% b $s..F, '., fu,. /,,sy ' -1. .y s. st.. v s s. P.h p% s,o _ w... n 9 ! b y '. " q %. w%,t: v .... +. a: "n c., y.- n.a.1 - V.

  • r4.2 p Q.. s. 's. s v y ',.

%,j,: '\\ n- ,~.} f.~I ' Q*l

w.o x~~s :

,s .,,v .h.- - h *' ,".: s' ~a b, j ~ ? .,. ~.,n u,,*, ~. s m,/ l t n .,7b, #

  • /*

I'", p.g,. ' '

  • f
      • ' 'g.

' ~ = e

  • /

,~

  • '"'/' Qw Qs ' -?t', h*~" i

'..S& '~,~ e 4,. fh . d.e N - ./. r

C. e ]r 00a 1 i sr S I c Mi t l na 0a N 5 I C s I n s I o A C it S ) a A l M up 0 0i o 5 U P S N ia 10 n s 0 ig ) 7 t r 1 b 9 i 1 9 l. V 21 81 1 9 R I 1 l

0. l'11 A

r 1 t2 4 IY l j 6 6 4 o fg 2 l Y N a 8 V Y Y! U 5 M l R IT N O f E N NU C 5 t i o l Rl vU UOX l t fkiO OC0I l i IV0RC C L N o 1 NI DL l N t R5 A 0S I A k RBM A i 5 5 0 PO P S e P f Kt f MW CiDMP N x

  • s e

AOA M AP I o l J.C.J A B C A. S c R l ASC0ffC 1 8 i s M W l a t ( k c s oc ba B 00 u t 5 D t e l 1 4. l 1 5 a. h T 8 3 84l 8 4 t t 1. il) t 5 1 0l

4) 1 it 3
2. l8 9.G i 8 1 1 0. $b6 l 99 91 6

) ll 1 f 1 l e, 51 o 0 t51 1 154 2 R 9 ll i 4 n 4 US 4 .0v21 ? t l BW2. t l ll 5 l ASd91 V 4 Na 0l 6 NI Et i 4G( Hs(0 o 3 i D( OR CiIS t t liN a GNR0Ol l Uot 0 I D I HENl Bi 50 Mt l J t ihdl i. l R t o e lNAE i XD PNiV CuiR i k t wA kN NA Y A C t I[ OAA A it I 0 R I RMRMDLSVCRN e i I y AAI h T 1214iL719a12 1 l111 3 2 E R U G I F

Figuce 2.4 1972,1980, AND 1985 EMULOYMENT FIGURES FOR AREAS WITHIN 5 MILES OF CNFP N ~' NNW NNE f.f I = 2 li + / 1 NWI NE 1 /is A j 3 gfv. ~ = y 5 s 1 AOISON IGHT NW p, -. ENE \\ 2 i l\\ A5 + i a 4 N {i j \\k }) 2 i .2 g // A i d ,. ~., '\\'NN* I'. i i e i /> f2 s n. +.. 'z2 s m .N. NR f ? f. .d i E // \\ s i s l M ;-I !t / i 2 $LYNCHBURG \\ i / / \\}, ,'t is I g x3x w s-s' -.\\ g 2 j. \\,.. 7 /.\\ ! , i n N / ~ a m .iA %s 1, 5 4 i / ~ y., v uu g 2 1 . /- / ESE - s 2 a s L, 2 2 y a / \\, g U 1 %~ \\ T \\ .y .'l '? 2 ~ 2 v#, \\ 4 3 v. 4 2a q. Sw "/ ?p SE g /$ i } ' o. s p t \\% SSW SSE h l \\ d S e... .E. me,. < !A R 1*.3 2A 0 lu s.u t! ) 1972 ? 23 g. s.,,3 EMPLOYMENT PREDICTIONS SY YEAR: 1980 { ,,9, l g 1985 19 72 32x 4 s :t2 75 2 1080 3700 40 :25 ? ?'.0 11..60 M5 CC la ??! 235 IL:!$

  • 4 TABLE 2.1 POPULATION DISTR 180il0N WITHIN 50 MILES OF LRC FACILITY 1976 CENSUS DATA Population in Indicated Mileage Segment Sector 0-5 5-10 10-15 15-20 20-30 30-40 40-50 0-50 N

298 1530 480 620 1450 4850 14350 23578 NNE 106 1280 1600 730 2200 4550 4300 14766 NE 91 1080 470 600 1920 3370 5050 12581 ENE 62 560 560 420 1730 5440 7010 15782 E 108 280 530 780 820 2500 2950 7968 ESE 200 890 2450 940 2400 15300 2830 25010 SE 494 440 1440 440 2300 3630 4030 12774 i: SSE 239 2100 1400 1000 3530 3890 5760 17919 S 229 1400 1400 1600 3200 4880 17230 29939 SSW 120 100 2200 2940 9820 10350 10190 35720 SW 425 2200 4400 6240 9800 4300 5160 32525 WSW 2676 19700 3200 500 4970 320 42320 73686 W 7783 17500 1500 2440 3950 4590 44100 81863 WNW 1598 1120 1070 1070 3920 6260 3500 18538 NW 1185 2400 1080 280 10400 2260 1200 18805 NNW 1184 2880 960 1380 1830 4/00 2780 15714 Totals 16798 55460 24740 21980 64240 81190 172760 437168

15 2.3 Land and Water Use Land use in the general area is dominated by farming and forestry. Amherst and Campbell Counties are relatively important agricultural areas. Table 2.2 presents a summary of the agricultural activities in Campbell and Amherst Counties. Because of the unfavorable terrain, the 5-mile study area surrounding the site contributes relatively little to total production. Field surveys showed mainly small acreage plots under cultivation within the 5-mile study area. There is other local industry witin the 5-mile radius of the Babcock & Wilcox site. About three-fourths of a mile from the site is the Lynchbt.'g Foundry, where light machinery components of iron and steel are made. Other major industries located 4-5 miles W and WSW of the site include a shoe manufacturer. two pharmaceutical facilities, pulp and paper processors, and a number of warehouse facilities. However, the most significant industries in the general area are near or in Lynchburg, outside the 5-mile radius of the plant site. The construction of the LRC facility and other plants on the 525-acre site has altered the natural landscape in the general area. However, the adverse impact on agriculture and terr?strial life in the 5-mile arca is small in the context of the larger general area. The agricultural sectors in Amherst and Canfell Counties cover an area of about 271,000 acres; the B&W site represents 0.19% of that area. Furthermore, significant portions of the site remain suitable for plants and wildlife. The water supply for the overall Babcock & Wilcox facilities comes primarily from the James River and drilled wells. The plant design capacity for withdrawing water

16 TABLE 2.2 ~ AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES IN CAMPBELL AND AMHERST COUNTIES Typical 1973 Values Item Campbell Co.(2) Amherst Co.(D) Crops Wheat 4,000 acres 400 acres Corn 4,700 2,500 Hay 11,560 8,000 Barley 1,400 Soybeans 1,800 Flue-cured tobacco 1,410 Fire-cured tobacco 560 Sorghum 1,500 Other 4,000 3,100 Apples 1,200 Peaches 300 Livestock. Hogs 4,000 head Sheep 200 200 head Dairy Cows 2,100 650 Other Cattle 19,000 13,850 Timber Harvest Softwood saw timber 4,598,000 bd ft 1,763,000 bd ft Hardwood saw timber 8,158,000 5,653,000 Softwood 31,538 cards 21,953 cords Hardwood 27,090 15,893 Forest Area Private 225,047 acres 147,000 acres National Forest 53,000 (a) Campbell County data from Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Services Office and County Forester (b)Amherst County data from Virginia Extension Service Office and County Agent

17 from the James River is 300 gallons per minute or 432,000 gallons per day. (This represents only 0.02*. of the annual average discharge rate of the James River.) Added to this water volume is the fresh water supply taken from the site's six wells which can produce approximately 130 gallons per minute or 187,000 gallons per day at design capacity. The well water supply is utilized as potable and as high grade manu-facturing water after demineralization treatment. Most storm water runoff is recycled and used as plant process water, cooling equi;. ment, toilets, etc., where very clean water is not required. The water usage of the LRC facility is about 12,300 gallons per day, which represents a very small fraction compared with the water usage of the other two B&W facilities onsite. The water supply for the City of Lynchburg comes from the Pedlas River, which is substantially upstream from the James River. Average usage for Lynchburg is about 16 million gallons per day. 2.4 Geology and Seismology The James River Basin of Virginia includes portions of four physiographic provinces characterized by distinct land forms and physical features. These provinces, located west to east, are Valley and Ridge, Blue Ridge Piedmont and Coastal Plain. Western or inner Piedmont, where the B&W property lies, is an upland area cilaracterized by scattered hills, some of mountainous dimensions, lying eastward from the foot of the Blue Ridge. Borings and excavations at the site have revealed that the site is blanketed by a layer of dark brown sandy clay topsoil which contains extensive root structuras. The topsoil is approximately 6 to 18 inches thick and is underlain by crata 10 to 40 feet thick of firm, primarily cohesive, soils such as clay and silt loam. These

18 cohesive soils lie above a st atum approximately 5 feet thick of coarse sand, gravel, cobbles, and boulders, which, in turn, is underlain by highly weathered bedrocks of the site. The upper surfaces cr the bedrocks are irregular and may slope. downward generally in a northerly directicre. The unweathered bedrock was encountered at an ele.' tion of approximately 520 feet MSL around the LRC facility. Along the meandering bank of the river many of the bedrocks are heavily bracketed by alluvium. Figure 2.5 shows a columnar section of rocks in the B&W and Lynchburg areas. As i r N ;_;.eu ' th n figure, the Hypersthene granodiorite, Lovingston quartz monzonite 9.v s and Reusens migmatite are the oldect rocks known in the areas. These are over-lain by the Lynchburg gneiss which is exposed along the Martic line due north of the LRC site. Above the Lynchburg gneiss is the Catoctin greenstone which is, in turn, overla~in by the rocks of the Evington Group. These rocks of the Evington Group occupy the center of the James River Synclinorium. More information on the geology of the area can be found in reference 2. The B&W site is located in a western part of the central Virginia cluster region which is classified as Zone 2 on the Seismic Risk Map of the United States.3 This zone corresponds to an intensity of VII according to t.J Modified Mercalli scale, which imolies building damages to the extent of fallen chimneys and cracked walls. During the period 1758 through 1968, 121 earthquakes with epicenters in Virginia were reported. The largest earthquake was in 1897, with a probable epicenter in Giles County, approximately 100 miles west of the plant site. A maximum intensity of MM VII was estimated in the epicentral region.

l

gure 2.5 COLUMNAR SECTION OF ROCKS IN THE LRC AND LYNCHBURG AREAS.VIRGINI A 6

{ !

ayAr:ca

'gf,9A O.4A4AC*[A N 4CC45 a er;?i h. C' M d,;,,;).C 2A22.12!!1 *: 224f. *0M*17:Si r. olil 'l Y i 9 ? IN E !!$3 3I '. A't A ri, yg g ; ; Ac g, N- !- 6 . 4o. 210i3:?!'; Av*0AL*I:AL

  • 1 n --.=. C,. C I.f'"'

.n l ' "S 3000 Jan-

  • g raggggs ;s} 5: [:7 1;. 78tt*

4t!< 9F ** -- A* 345!. 22(E15 7'a t h' J W UAAT I?!. ::N=01L?

  • MGi.;Mt3A?!*;

L L;C.

  • tCA 3:4t!*; A10.M[*I.

22Ar. 110 s tic waagt,!. =4251.! [1 21500Mftiucus N- -,.g gj '. fill!. L:C AL.f 34:A?:* MAL !17 -l OT*f? #1C*I5. 7c01? a?401 300 ) [

g gggg;
7g. g2ay; ;;w ;.

37;;3g 5 3 e.,.. ! 4 --CD E-#

  • '4 ! 1 OUA47*!*IS.

1:0!*!! 3:221f90 4c 3

4
57 w_.._,,,

sus ts.nu-. r.i t s... M t.. a t....* m 3,, . W.W '4:"!$ ::M"09. o ~ f ~ 'I1I ~ ACI2d1

  • A43LI'34I'.!

IkJI*I3Af-ucw i 2 =. , A 2 5 L.e P__ -- _ - - -- - 20 * *

CALLt ut1ACI:US.

_a [ "v%' ILJf.22A7 2 '8 f '.. ! ? ! A M : r:gg.;4A:1g; 3

    • I*

~% $4ggg** - - -. - ~ -.*3C.. 5CMI5*1. !!:? * ?! 202Su tC31.417 _. ~. -. -. ~ ~ - ~ < - -

."*CM.
  • AL A2f20s !s aaa7

-W __ 7 - i.gs?tcus, 324t.27" 1 #wf'..:f! 21: w, e - = _ l ::1c. :: ::ust.autic: sc4rs 3 -C. IC"' = A4 f t *is 410 IA E!15 7:11 , A'5,d, 3 l ~.-.::~- '~ :=.=_= ' h. 0

  • 2 t : A.a ! O. :..( 3..,3,22 :1. t.,7...

?' ! ?;U 'Ct. : * !. ru-A. 11 --~ : t : .t 2 u ,3c.33 I I W ~~"""~~l .:3Z374Ea :1 i457!4.1 42Di. l l - e i s t r* 8--"'"" !..I y;.,':. rs ___. ':: :~--- 4

u. u. e.,n. = ri c, ; u.:.,4. --

r 3.. , n. g g L.e.

e. - r:. i::-..

I --' 1... g 4Li- *! ::A334: 41). : 225 01! .w .2

00? 1 2

j l /_ l,,-_",,, l1 125:.!: a t '. 4 7 !: 221 D s? Mi yi apv4ct:1[ ;, aa: vg 1;{t;;0 g g

  • ;A?:- :1 i

l /,, s, y, s -,,, A I w(,% i l g,,, sy v-1 l 2 Add..u. 35 t,: I

m. :n, i t : : r,. ;u r: : :.

I w. l l g 1096L2G j.,. 1 ..m a. 2 M. l ... a.4 ...a.2. i ""~' I 14(!IS j l 17 / - E l - t[.-- - M t u9 = w A' .z - i g 7 v,' b.t I4 A NC O :0 4 :*!.'.dG:) - /' 'Y / lA:( 33i!1:54 .f r ' t i s. ' t,* t. i 7 u1:C.c.. -f ,g i,

u.w ::Aast.:u:1t:.

f ,,,. : =. m : e.

n ::13-,.; n t.

ns 4ng

w*01

't*1G"*:N g ',- i g \\- ,ri:1Gs*:1 *uAar: =01: i!*! :1[:33

LAar:

A. .:w: we;;;*. *: :Asc. aa<, ::Aast.

  • 042:1 t *! ::s t : n

\\ 13A;1E ! ! *I. C'J A 2 "! *01:* 1: * ? \\ / DE 35.

152:~.e45 fi.:5742.*::A

~~ 'UG U - atusnt l I itustis wts n r::t : -): <t:.Ar: r i <:t-Ar: t .A..h; '\\ / s / Or '. v!1G57 M 21!!!! :1 :Att 32!!1 .q

m tar:::.ar:7 7:.4caist a:t AL Y
1tIII.

f', )A4. <. i o s

20 2.5 Hydrology The LRC site lies on a river bend bounded on three sides by the James River which is formed by the confluence of the Jackson and Cowcasture Rivers. The James River flows generally southeast from the Valley and Ridge Province to the Atlantic Ocean through Hampton Roads and the Chesapeake Bay. The annual average flowrate of the river at the plant site is estimated to be about 3800 cfs.5 The estimated water surface elevation at the site for this discharge rate is approximately 450 feet above MSL. Ten great floods of the James River occurred at the plant site, in 1771, 1795, 1870, 1877, 1889, 1913, 1920, 1936, 1969 and 1972.0 The 1795 flood was the highest flood stage, 535 feet MSL at Lynchburg. The estimated flood stage at the site was 494 feet above MSL. The Standard Project Flood (SPF), according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, would produca a discharge rate of 378,C00 cfs at 502 feet MSL at the site. The elevation of most plant floors at the LRC is 568 ft. above MSL. Figure 2.6 shows the general area which would be flooded in case an SPF occurred. 2.6 Ecology 2.6.1 Terrestrial The forested region surrounding the Babcock & Wilcox site is primarily oak, with some pine.7'0 Dogwoods, hickories and oaks are the basic understory trees. There is a large variety of shrubs and herbs within the vicinity. Appendix A, Table A-1, lists the herbs and seedlings commonly found. In 1972, a vegetation survey was made in the Blackwater Creek Basin, approximately 7.5 miles west of the NNFD site, by Lynch-burg College and Randolph-Macon Woman's College.7,8 The findings of this survey are summarized in Appendix A.

21 - Figure 2.6 EXTENT OF FLOODING DUE TO STANDARD PROJECT FLOOD wa ~ .' \\- . g' I- \\ .s , + g -s .. 4.,.\\

  • /.g o.

z w '6 g," ( f+ cd', Sdi ff-q?. ~ r.r S. e .s r,,,r -{ i s t 4 / . e.... = t, s s ,s. 3.., ,t ,w s G, ./, -.. .s .t

r..

,,.. e 1.:: lu -_e. .s, j g s s-si t m ru, ' /: 7 .'. ifN .,3 : } . s, .,. e,1,.. - 3 r =. s a y.. n] t ..s-Q,y 8 .s .n ,;q 2 .,t ,s i. s .4 ..g. :%% 7 , i-.. w t c ~ g,p <- p T, - f j w.: % q y.. -. K V z - a h % 5 g,. tr I ,.. <~ N 1 a.. N ;*, .s. / -e.s. m 5 $I )6 # /'$***,j i h* 2~:A K %'.\\..% rh. /.K ' c 5 i 2 te 5 \\ n's

  • Q N#.,1 A

- ),/ \\\\ I. 'N.'/) ?*- ~.,. -, +7-f ~9'<3 - y %, 5 ^ L 's' s.7 . '*Q[i. t / *, &:. % % ~ . bf., ,( ~1/ N ^ g ~ ,,s i / @ !!*Q,2 'l Q p'cr.. 33 ). N 5 m W. y / 4- %+Q.f'..,y[L, " e- %L. f'T ~ ; ' 2- .. ~ ty,. .s < ~ y g.ap.g.m Q e ... a r: s,, SWO*Y . = M... ' e e,,*. 4: /* - - 1 '., '*~ 5 J. P 4 g4 r -me W M. u- ,.,,3 .t .s ..c,, s.si m /.. Y;' ' f,,.,. - -, m i-t l t. ',.-a.< l: .s r%.", '.[*. - s a .. 4 . s...e .n - s r - g h [,\\ r , i,*' ' ,-ll, ~'. 4.. a 1 ! .e, ,5... z *,- .,,, :. ~~ ,.v

  • d." I I

~ ',8 , \\ ') s sa w ,\\. ... ff'~ s v..' t, _ 5, .-,,i i ;y...<,.,.., s, '.y -(j~.,,.. 'yp-{y-..- p_:, '// ~, j n.-, ~s g <a,f:.,'. ,~.- p-e c K. ~r$.y. 8% J. ... m,,. < .s.y..- 1~,- y,y y y .,w s v,37f. .~ 3-1 l,* h' ' .f f ' .N-p.) h.-~_., s- _ - }?- .'.~'$ -. W ...e% ( _i~ .m; ., j.\\ .g., ,a .s lp 'k f<,'t $?~s v .y ' t.fr (h, l ,s-* l ,.2. . =. '.,. xs -:,,, :, c ..r. 1 g t 5t

22 Mammals known to be residents of the site are listed in Appendix A, Table A-2 with -0 their preferred habitats. The important big game mammals in the area are white-tailed deer, black bear, squirrel, and rabbit. Only a few black bear are reported to have been observed in the area. Some of the important fur-bearing mammals that occur or may occur on the site are opossum, raccoon, mink, river otter, red fox, gray fox, beaver, and muskrat.7-11 Candidates for endangered mammals in Virginia include the following:I 'I Dismal swamp lemming mouse (Synactomys coceri helaletes) Virginia big-eared bat (Plecotus townsendii virginianus) Rafinesque's big eared bat (Plecotus r. rafinescuii) Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) Northern flying squirrel (Sciurus niger neglecus)' Eastern panther (Felis concolor cougar) However, the existence of members of these species has not been documented at the Mt. Athos site. Birds are a conspicuous component of the terrestrial fauna of the B&W site. A list of birds known to occur within this area is given in Appendix A, Table A-3. Rare species of birds occurring within this area are the limpkin, Louisiana heron, little blue heron, blackbilled cuckoo, and bobolink.

23 Candidates for endangered birds in Virginia include the Southern bald eagle (Haliaeetus 1,. leucocephalus), Red-cockaded woodpecker (Dendrococos b_. boreali), Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum, migrant only) ana Buchman's warbler (Vermivora backmanii).12,13 Although none of these have been recorded at the B&W site, there have been some unconfirmed bald eagle sightings. Reptiles and amphibians known to occur within the area are listed in Table A-4 in Appendix A.7,8,14,15 The list of reptiles shows five species of turtles, eleven species of snakes and two species of lizards. 2.6.2 Acuatic The James River basin provides a wide variety of aquatic habitats, ranging from the saline estuaries at the river mouth to the clear freshwater streams in the headwaters. The plankton populations measured during winter are very low, both in numbers of species and total numbers of individuals.16 This may reflect the polluted condition of the river or be related to the season of observation. Average plankton popula-tions found at three sampling stations near the B&W site are given in Table A-5 (Appendix A). The species and relative abundance of the green (Chlorophyta) and blue green (Cyanophyta) algae of Blackwater Creek are given in Table A-6 (Aopendix A). Benthic organisms are mainly those that are tolerant of moderately polluted waters and low dissolved oxygen.IO' A list of the benthic invertebrates in the middle James River is given in Table A-7 (Appendix A).

24 There is no commercial fishing near the site and no anadromous fish species inhabit this section of the -iver. A list of the fish species found in the middle part of the James River is given in Table A-8 (Appendix A).20,21 No endangered species of fish are listed for the State of Virginia.2I The following Virginia fish species are classified as rare:21 Bigeye umprock - Moxostama ariommum Rustyside sucker - M. hamiltoni Roughhead shiner - Noturus flavioinnis Orange Madtogi - J. ailberti Blotchside log perch - Percina burtoni Roanoke log perch - P. rex None of these are known to occur in the James River near the B&W site. 2.7 Meteoroloay The climate in the Lynchburg area is influenced by cold and dry polar continental air masses in the winter and warm and humid gulf maritime air masses in the summer. Extreme weather in the area is rare. The mean temperature is about 56.7 with normal monthly average temperatures ranging from 76.3 in July to 38.5 in December.22 Rainfall amounts at Lynchburg can be expected to reach 40.3 inches in any given year. The monthly rates are nearly uniform except for a slight tendency to increased rain-fall during the summer months. Snowfall in the Lynchburg area generally occurs between the months of December and March. The mean snowfall total is 19.4 inches. Winds at Lynchburg are predominant.ly from the southwest with a mean wind speed of

25 8.0 m.p.h. Mean relative humidity values in Lynchburg at 7 a.m., l p.m., and 7 p.m. are 78.1, 51, and 62 percent, respectively. The climatology for Lynchburg is summarized in Table 2.3. Severe weathe" at the B&W site is generally limited to thunderstorms, with a very 22 low probability of tornadoes. Climatological data shows that the mean number of thunderstorms occurring at Lynchburg is 22 per year. According to methods for esti-mating tornado occurrence presented by Thom,23 the probability of a tornado actually ~4 striking the site in any given year is 3.0 x 10. with a recurrence interval of 3333 years. Heavy fog (visibility of less than one-fourth of a mile) can be expected to occur at the site on the average of 40 days per year.24 0,nsite meteorological data have been collected at the Lynchburg Research Center since March 1964. One year of this data, January 1965 to Cecember 1965, has been reduced from strip ct. arts. Tables 2.4-2.7 provide the joint wind speed-stability frequency data at the Lynchburg Research Center. The annual morning mixing height of the area is about 450 meters, with an annual afternoon mixing height of about 1550 meters. 25 Calculations by Holzworth show that a meteorological potential for air pollution would exist at the site on an average of 5 days per year. 3 The average annual atmospheric dispersion factor X/Q (sec/m ) was calculated using the onsite meteorological data as summarized in Tables 2.4-2.7 and following the approaches as adopted in NRC Reg. G_ide 1.111.20 The annual average X/Q as a func-tion of distance up to 50 miles and 16 wind direction sectors is summarized in Table 2.8.

26 TABLE 2.3 CLIMATOLOGICAL

SUMMARY

FOR LYNCH 8URG, VIRGINIA Mean Mean Total Winds Mean Temoerature ( F) Precipitation Prevailing Mean Speed Snow Total Daily Max. Daily Min. (inches) Direction (mph) (inches) 1931-1960 1931-1960 1962-1970 1951-1970 1944-1970 Jan. 45.2 29.0 3.29 SW 8.8 5.8 Feb. 48.3 29.5 2.65 SW 9.0 4.8 March 55.7 35.3 ?.61 SW 9.4 4.1 April 67.5 44.8 3.14 SW 9.4 0.1 May 76.8 53.7 3.21 SW 8.0 0.0 June 83.8 62.1 4.06 SW 7.1 0.0 July 86.6 65.9 4.21 SW 6.8 0.0 August 84.7 64.9 4.41 N 6.4

0. 0 Sept.

79.1 58.2 3.36 N

7. 2 0.0 Oct.

69.0 47.4 2.64 N 7.5 T* Nov. 57.1 36.9 2.58 SW 8.1 0.9 Dec. 47.0 29.9 3.14 SW

8. 0
3. 7 Yr.

66.8 46.5 40.30 SW 8.0 19.4

  • T = Trace, an amount too small to measure

27 TABLE 2.4 ~ FRE0VENCY OF OCCURRENCES (%). WING DIRECTION vs. SPEED FROM 1965 OATA COLLECTED AT BABCOCK & WILCOX LRC Speed Class (mph) Stability = Stable Calm 1-3 4-7 8-12 13-18 19-24 25-Up Unknown Total NNE .00 .82 .08 .02 .00 .00 .03 .02 .96 NE .00 .49 .11 .03 .00 .00 .00 .02 .64 ENE .00 1.02 .09 .00 .02 .00 .00 .00 1.i4 E .00 .43 .05 .02 .00 .00 .00 .00 .49 ESE .00 .54 .05 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .68 SE .00 .30 .05 .02 .00 .00 .00 .00 .38 SSF .00 .18 .02 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .20 5 .00 .26 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .26 SSW .00 .32 .00 .G0 .00 .00 .00 .00 .32 SW .00 .32 .02 .02 .00 .00 .00 .00 .35 WSW .00 .88 .05 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .93 W .00 1.13 .15 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 1.28 WNW .00 1.81 .29 .00 .02 .00 .00 .00 2.12 NW .00 .97 .11 .02 .00 .00 .00 .00 1.10 NNW .00 .88 .17 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 1.05 N .00 .35 .02 .03 .00 .00 .00 .00 .40 VAR .00 .08 .00 .02 .00 .00 .00 .02 .11 CALM 3.90 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 3.90 UNKNO .00 .08 .03 .00 .00 .00 .00 .55 .65 TOTAL 3.90 10.96 1.25 .15 .03 .00 .03 .62 16.94

28 TABLE 2.5 FREOUENCY OF OCCURRENCE (%). WIND DIRECTION vs. SPEED FROM 1965 0ATA COLLECTED AT BABCOCK & WILC0X LRC Speed Class (mph) Stability = Slightly Stable Calm 1-3 4-7 8-12 13-18 19-24 25-Vo Unknown Total NNE .00 .54 .73 .29 .11 .03 .00 .02 2.71 NE .00 .59 .58 .26 .08 .00 .00 .02 1.52 ENE .00 .67 .46 .17 .03 .02 .00 .02 1.35 E .00 .64 .06 .03 .00 .00 .00 .03 .76 ESE .00 .96 .26 .05 .00 .00 .01 .03 1.29 SE .00 .49 .23 .05 .00 .00 .00 .00 .76 SSE .00 .35 .06 .02 .00 .00 .00 .00 .43 S .00 .12 .00 .02 .00 .00 .00 .00 .14 SSW .00 .35 .02 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .37 SW .00 .29 .02 .00 .02 .00 .00 .00 .32 WSW .00 .70 .08 .05 .00 .00 .00 .02 .84 W .00 1.11 .30 .03 .00 .00 .00 .00 1.45 WNW .00 2.19 .94 .43 .09 .00 .00 .00 3.65 NW .00 1.40 1.02 .21 .02 .00 .00 .00 2.65 NNW .00 1.11 .59 .21 .06 .00 .00 .00 1.98 N .00 .44 .12 .08 .02 .00 .00 .00 .65 VAR .00 .18 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .23 CALM 3.29 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 3.29 U.if.N0 .00 .78 .15 .00 .00 .00 .00 .45 2.37 TOTAL 3.29 13.91 5.62 1.87 .41 .05 .00 1.61 26.76

29 TABLE 2.6 FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE (*.). WINO DIRECTION vs. SPEED FROM 1/65 TO 12/65 AT 8ABC0CK & WILCOX LRC Speed Class (mph) Stability = Neutral Stable Calm 1-3 4-7 8-12 13-18 19-24 25-Vo Unknown Total NNE .00 .75 .46 .11 .08 .02 .00 .00 1.40 NE .00 .26 .11 .09 .02 .00 .00 .00 .47 ENE .00 .26 .15 .03 .06 .00 .00 .00 .50 E .00 .11 .05 ,.02 .03 .00 .00 .00 .20 ESE .00 .33 .06 .08 .02 .00 .00 .00 .49 SE .00 .30 .17 .08 .02 .00 .00 .02 .58 SSE .00 .06 .03 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .09 5 .00 .02 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .02 SSW .00 .08 .03 .02 .00 .00 .00 .00 .12 SW .00 .14 .02 .02 .00 .00 .00 .00 .17 WSW .00 .18 .06 .02 .00 .00 .00 .00 .26 W .00 .24 .14 .05 .00 .00 .00 .00 .43 WNW .00 .62 .35 .18 .00 .00 .00 .00 1.16 NW .00 .38 .30 .17 .02 .00 .00 .02 .88 NNW .00 .37 .15 .09 .09 .02 .00 .02 .73 N .00 .09 .09 .05 .02 .03 .00 .00 .27 VAR .00 .05 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .05 CALM .04 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .84 UNKN0 .00 .26 .08 .00 .00 .00 .00 .37 .70 TOTAL .84 4.49 2.24 .97 .33 .06 .00 .41 9.35

30 TABLE 2.7 FRE0VENCY OF OCCURRENCE (%), WIND DIRECTION vs. SPEED FROM 1/65 TO 12/65 AT BABC0CK & WILCOX LRC Speed Class (mph) Stability = Unstable Calm 1-3 4-7 8-12 13-18 19-24 25-Up Unknown Total NNE .00 2.18 1.34 .55 .11 .02 .00 .03 4.22 NE .00 1.49 .61 .29 .17 .03 .02 .02 2.62 ENE .00 1.25 .93 .32 .05 .02 .02 .09 2.68 E .00 .87 .50 .09 .02 .00 .00 .02 1,49 ESE .00 1.48 .56 .08 .00 .00 .00 .00 2.12 SE .00 .88 .43 .09 .00 .00 .00 .00 1.40 SSE .00 .70 .17 .03 .02 .00 .00 .00 .91 5 .~00 .18 .02 .05 .00 .00 .00 .00 .24 SSW .00 1.02 .08 .05 .00 .00 .00 .00 .14 SW .00 .40 .15 .03 .02 .00 .00 .00 .59 WSW .00 .65 .14 .05 .00 .00 .02 .00 .85 W .00 .72 .58 .20 .00 .00 .00 .03 1.52 WNW .00 2.37 2.07 .59 .15 .00 .00 .00 5.19 NW .00 1.63 1.48 .49 .08 .00 .00 .00 3.67 NNW .00 1.80 1.11 .47 .08 .06 .00 .06 3.58 N .00 .52 .44 .23 .05 .00 .00 .00 1.23 VAR .00 .26 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .26 CALM 2.34 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 .00 2.34 UNKNO .00 .56 .30 .05 .00 .00 .00 .57 2.48 TOTAL 2.34 18.95 10.90 3.64 .73 .12 .05 .81 38.54

e e e e l ese==mmme===e=se seemm===****==a e 3000100131313031 SQ31032333,01130 3 e o e e e e e e e e e e e e O emwwwe ww w. .w.e 3 e e e a e e a e e e e e e e w e = = === = = ee 3 w# % = =www7 m seeemmmme=emeese a 4, O, m m e# e = N a a s %

  • w 4 P#

em a es4%e 4,=3==m13= = p 2300000002a33333 e

  1. -e%ON4mme e

P~=m, ~ = e a e o e e e

  • e e e e e e a S

m e. s. m e -e e m e = = = P = P. =. =e.pmm--=======p P 5 m ^w m e 7 m a w w.e e S w w wwww e e e e e e e e e e. e . e e e....... e t7

  1. 4=% es*4=

3000000000300333 300900333300003. e 3 3 e 4**9=4m==@= 3*ePP O 4 = = p m e m. m = = P = a. p = 4 e e e e o e. e o e e e e s SOGOOOO 333300303

N*N*****=m***=

  • m**=m*4m***=**

= OOOd 3OO1333s3 030 2033203S 3 0 9 0, 303 3 e e e Te e o e e e T e e i e o e e a - a T e e T e o e e Seem===mm=====me 200003310134133.3 O ewme***w==i mwwww S G v== =n = = M = 3 w w w w w 3 ww

== m w O e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e

e=cews3n%#

wwwwwwwwww.a aed pv 1 wemme e 3==de=Pemas=*ANm e

==%e1a=*emaa#d a = 0 dar==443#emem% 4= 0 0 = =. m. m. m. m. m.em m. w. e = =. =. = =e =e = % %. % =e =e =e =e e===. m. o pe=ma%4agw%#=mo% = e e e e e s e 3 e e 7 m e % =. =. =. = =. =. =. =. =e #. OOOOOOO4GOOO3330 OOOOOOOOOOOO2OO 3 e e e e o e e 0 0 0 0 0 0_0 0 3 o 0 0 0 0 0 0

==~=~~=======~mm =~ nam =mmm===~=~~ m===~m=====~=~= 20030000300010.*O. @O00330300003Q00 3030300@GOOO103 3 0 6 e e o e e a e e e i e e e e e o e e e e e e e e e e e e o e e e e e e o e e e e e a e e d w m * =.e w w w w.e 3 eceme-wammwwwwww S ewwm==*emmwwe== w S mewe 3mNaPPNN= egJewee g an=4=ce%= Jeeme4% =me=mcP4 9= 4N% 9* = 3

    • sPNN#%e3==4pam e

dee#P=cevemd3# P= e

==Pe=a*4

  • =p
  1. =N1

= 0 m m m m m m m m e m. =em.=.=.=.=.

= = m N. #. =. m. =e ~. m % N m =

= = = m m e m. % N m % %. %. %. m 0 3 = m e e e e e e e e.. e e e e. e N e e e e e. e e. e e OOOOOOOOOOOO1GOG OOOOOOOGOOOOOOO3 303000000000200 O

====

200000@@101100@3 O e e e e e a e e e e e a e e =mmmmmm*=mm=mmmm

m**=m====mmmm

= emwwwwee.em..e OOOO33033@20@Q33 3S303C303033330 3 d wwwN 4 =mmm e#=4*e=4 4n* e e a e o e o e e - e e e e e e a e o e o e e .e e a e e e e e I =m w w.e Ma#N ee==nA7amNJN 1 mawe wwmo mewwww S ewwwww=w w= w d %. M N *

  • A. *. *e 3

NA**NMmN

    • 4=

Nd

    • PP=

N d,e = N = >e = 3,~ o,o e = o -,e =, 4%

  1. ose

~Acem~ao=N, Nam e-M e e. e e e e e. e e e 000@O030o0300300 6 ae-eae<e<<-- 1 ~~-< =.<e 4 aa < << << - = e. e e e e e. e. e e e e = e o e e e e e o e... e e e

m4w=====

SOOOOOOOOOO3OOOO 900000000000000 3 300S001000030000 H O e a e e e e e e e e e e e e e e A S wwwwwwwwwwwwwwww O

  1. mNeerme73%= eN10

==h44444m44JJ4mm

  • =m444444J44444

=

  1. GO*J*1mm P dem=4*

QO103033Q3333333 3@1303113033333 3 e M 4 e. e. m. =. 7 4. e. m e d e 4 A O e4 e e o e a e e e e e e e e e e e a e e a7wIM.eN w m M.e..e o e I 3 w 5.e.e.t .e e e e o e e = e e e .. : : e a w e saYa ow 4**3s=Uw. = 0000003033303030 wo 4 e 3 Na ee 1

  • O 4

NN 4 N .= %Comd=A+4mem 3%P J A ss%eed===%%== c e 444444d444444444 -e

s. p e - - m = = e = = = = = P e

e es#mmmm===mm==

a V 200403133333311S En . e e o e e

  • e * * * *
  • e e EA e e e e e e o e *.. e e *.

Q de e o e e e a e e e e a - o e e 200000G300003000 g eq wwwwwwwwwwww.e 32000@O03309300 0 = www 2 er g .O memem===ecam-##4 = w -e eme=eJm<4meamm=o z ga = =. = % m. e m m. =. % = %. =. m. =. =. w 444444444444444J ed 444444444444444 4 N

  • J.

e e e. e e 3OOO3Oce3033OgSCO aa 330323032333Q30 3 c a Q E GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOu e e e e e e e e e e e e e e J= = = M w w w w w w*.e wowe.e e o e e e e e e i e e e e a e w e w w m 1 w =w w w,.ee3wm y. a m ww me 9X 4444 444444444444 <a ePaem

  • ^%==3 ro ada
  1. 3=#=

a 3 ~4 7 e 4 GOO 333310333301G t Jee*PN=*#*****O* 3 e

  • e3*=4-***^<aN1 e

O e e e e e o e e e e e e y Y3 w w w.ew w.e.ewwww.e

m.. a m. m.,. =. ~. m. m. *e *o

=. =. % %. =. 9

  • N N N N. N. N N. m mmma JEe

= L, g www zg e e e e e e e e e e e e e e h<

  • 40 eesseadmN4*=G4==

3 3000000000330003 -= 3Q30003GO000003 3 = em-e*1=4=mmmee#1 e g.,e = ~ m. m. a n - =. ~. a. m. a. m m m e 3a g m e e e e . e s o = OOOOnOOOOOOOOOoc 4 4444444444444444 .4 444444444444444 4 gm W .O 3000 303000201293 313300 333333333 3 oZ 4 444444J444 J4 e.: 44 T a e o e a e - e e e - e .ew w w w.e e e e e - e e e e e a e =W wouwe u - a w w w w.e oOOooo3soO3so313 o wwwwwewe w ww s. 1 e o e e e a e e e e e e e e e e of = awe 4mPr*#4N4md* 4md a-Ja *N 3ew i ed=== = dRlO Q duMwdamowdowedem A s 4 440%NO=O P*P 3% PA A o A4?eAA P .**A 45 4

  • 3 4

4 =< % eN e e% d4M3 3NM P4 e Om= #===%eo%reo4m N.N.N.M. 4 4 4 4. N. *. A. $. @. %. %. N. 3 % N N. %.404*AM*

  • M. A 9 t

lx g e. e. ,1 2 =

m. a. a < e. =ec o m e < < a. <. = a 3000000030oo0331 osoccoomo 333333 3

. e e e e e e e .a C,#;M 900 3003000000003 4'- d y 4444J4A JJ4JJ4J44 44444e4J4444J444 4 444444J44 44J J44 J 303C33333333OOOJ $2302Q3OOQ33333J 3 303300 33331391 3 3 wP 3 e e e e a e e e e e e e e a e e e ee e e e e e e i e e e e e - - e o e e e ese - e e f 3 d e ~d d. m=<41d~=ew,d 4, 4 4, 474 e T e 3 = = w< dd 4 6 d em 4 e 4 wwwe em 4 4 ad ow=m o e =4 m w 4~2,mave==wm20%4~~ P.

  • m

. ~=, a e Mme %=d 3mA *=30*se Z e P##9 334 P*d 4e33?% e =d eed eed= Pe fJ M 3 4 A44eW=e.Pd#=#medo ac,edNmM =N w m 4# Jade 44 # 2 N

  1. # dom

. s e. d. e n d. o,A A A 3 e. e e e e e e e e e e - e e g e e e e. e. e.. e e = e e e e e e. e Wm OO3OOO33QOS3OO33 J 030QO00003313Q33 = 2000303000Q3333 3 M e a R w 3 AAAAdeeAAAdddeed a Pw 2 3, 0 3e11033O. - e 2 4edeemedecedeeA 4 e edeoccecedepene d 63 J33 3 M 3 e e e i e a e e U.a 3 e w e m. =w w..e wmew==ww 4 3033COOOOG wa7 sm 3===ePoa a e e e e e a e a e e - 303333 J 330303333313333 3 O. e e e e e o e e e s e e - e e e - e e eses e%. P$s*4&OO= m dwQwd4 d ew M enM =4 4 d Mw m M dy=J 4 4 d M Hwm e e N Me=

m = N m f 9 %. e N N N N N N

P1e949m"ede"48

  • Q m 'J

=) 7 M ed e4 N 4=N e 9 O P 3 # eJ sOM =e7 w g e e. e e e e e o e o e e e - e N#=Ma# P e

S e# 4 94MNN

= 303003S300330131 = e m. e. =. =eN = =. =. =. =. =. =. =. =. P. P.P..=.=.N.==.=.==.=.=.=.=. 4 = W.4 4 e e. ceseasoemecereac c4300000oo3330o0 3 30000032O33o333 3 e 3033392223030332 = M=O e e e e e e e - e e a e - e 3 = 3 MOe m 3 mewmewwem3mwomme r=r+=++e= erosam a meaese++dr+Accea a n+ecceesea++++e a s e P=a# =ar=Oo--eew< 3 343o3023o3303303 = 333333333o0332 3 3 =O

  1. c a m e m. p p 4 7 m e. d. =. 4 a.

a w.ww.e e e a e i e

  1. e 3= =* ea dm e er 3 e.e w.e..o.e

.e.e.o.e.e w.e a e s e o e e i e .e..e .ee % = = y.e 0: e e e. e - e ww a 7=3 ,gw 3m0@o03003030003 a =

e4= ae%4 .wn e = 433O meeNm P#AN # P g e EPM Jo =Je@=N= P e4 P o e+

  1. =A#M aN w

A w w ro =,

m. m. *. #
s. 9d. e d.

%. %. M m e. d. o. # #. # # #. e. e N. e e e e e e e E e e e . e -= E OOOOOOOOO330GOOO. 4 33000O330333303 3 N a =

  • Z >eF4 w

e O= gm rw 4-= d 4m 3 Q= =d

=

e

== aw =d 3 =W @wP 3 4 = d 33a3 N f 3 3 = =4 beb o f 3 t mg13 e 4

  • s w

$ 3 a m E R 1 ad g<5=e q m 2 1 3 8 a 3 %e.www.a.*.3* Awe 43& Ad*

  • Re 24 m Add A

3 { 3. z a 4 w = -

  • e d.S. c 2

. sama .a 3 444.ww.c-**4mara a

== aa4z e

32 3. THE FACILITY 3.1 General Description The buildings that comprise the LRC facility are buildings A, B, C, 0 and J which are all of masonry construction, and the liquid waste disposal facility. The layout of the buildings is shown in Figure 3.1. Building A is constructed of concrete block, basically. The wails of the critical experiment bays are poured concrete. That portion of the building which faces the Naval Nuclear Fuel Division (SSE), has a red brick facade. All of the windows, except those in the east corner and south second floor, are solid pane, vertical rectangles. The exceptions are multipane, horizontal rectangles. Building 8 is a two-story structure. It is constructed of concrete block with a gray aggregate brick facade on the south face. A series of seven vertical, rectangular projections are located on the south central face. Six of the projectic'1s contain first-and second-floor vertical, rectangular windows accented at the top and bottom by green stone slabs. The seventh contains a second-floor window and the front door. The Building is 340 feet by 98 feet. The south lawn is landscaped with evergreen scrubs and hemlock trees. The remainder of the building is surrounded by grass. Building C is a single-story building of concrete block construction. Outside dime.1sions are 25 feet by 174 feet at its deepest point. The front of the building faces south. The right-hand side of that face contains the eight windows of the

3 = 13 .= .s :. t = .T m .m.. w w zass 3. !L d = 5 S

  • I. 3 u a

..=. = = .= s w== li I ~-5 i! r,-- - - = n_ w

  • .: l3 J

= 5-23 s-si! O =_. ? E = = w a 2 a x !<' rC*". 5 I C { 'g j I' ss ,) = 2 s Jl O T-M 'l 3 2 P-l l.i .i i ! s. -l .m + e:s ~ 3 s. ~~ ) %J t a 8 u i 3 3 u A F N.- k M j-i ~ u =.e b~. d ) E v. a ~ s b a C O, J J l 4 l i ie! i d b L r I '( \\ t3 nr i s x \\s?a y l =, ..!.l \\ '\\ =vi s x =; s p,. \\ s, a.

S I

l' i I w !g ! 3L {l ~ ?',- lu n e t I

r F.

l } ~

34 building, and its front door. The block face is covered with painted stucco. A driveway abuts the left-hand portion of the front of the building and the rear right-hand portion. The front right-hand portion is lawn with evergreen scrub landscaping. Those areas of the building not abutted by the driveway are lawns. Building 0 is a complex of six buildings. Five of these are single floor, concrete block buildings with gray aggregate brick facing on all sides. The central building is two stories high with a gray aggregate brick facing on three sides and red brick facing on the front or west face on the first floor. The facing of rock aggregate panels on the second floor accents the 23 single pane, vertical, rectangular windows and overhangs the first floor entrance. This complex is landscaped with evergreen scrubs, small hardwood trees and evergreen trees on the west lawn. The remaining sides are abutted with grass. Building J is the Solid Waste Storage Facility. It is located in tna rear of Building C. This building is a single-floor, concrete block, square structure. The building contains no windows. A single personnel entrance and a large rollaway door are located on the south face and a large rollaway door is located on the north face. The building exterior is painted a beige. The building is surrounded by asphalt paving and a chain link fence. The Liquid Waste Disposal Facility is located to the southeast of Building C. It is a single-story, concrete block building covered with stucco and painted beige. This

35 building has a single personnel entrance door on the north face and a douD'n door on the south. A lawn abuts the building on the north, vest and south sides and a cuntrete slab abuts it on the east.

3. 2 Plant Operation Operations at the LRC are widely diverse and change frequently.

A brief description of current operations is discussed in the following sections. 3.2.1 Building A There are primarily four programs underway in Building A at the present time. 3.2.1.1 Lynchburg Pool Reactor (LPR) The LPR operates pursuant to NRC License R-47, Occket 50-99. This facility is utilized for instrumentation development, neutron radiography, operator training, neutron activation analysis and neutron transmission studies. The effluents given below appear also in the facility's annual report for 1977. The LPR has no defined gaseous exhaust stream; therefore, the quantities listed here are estimated. Gaseous: -4 Total noble & activation gases 2 x 10 Ci ~0 Normal steady state operations 1.3 x 10 pCi/ml Maximum instantaneous 3 x 10'O pCi/ml

36 Liquid: -6 Total gross beta 7.01 x 10 Ci -7 Average beta concentration 1.8 x 10 Ci/ml -6 Total alpha 1 2.2 x 10 Ci -8 Average alpha concentration 5 2.6 x 10 pCi/ml 4 Total vol. of liquid discharged 3.8 x 10 2 3.2.1.2 Critical Exoeriment Facility (CX-10) The CX-10 facility operates pursuant to NRC License CX-10, Occket 50-13. This facility presently is used to conduct a DOE-sponsored study of close packed fuel storage. The operation of this facility does not produce detectable gaseous releases. Liquid releases are very small and are combined with those of the LPR for analysis. 3.2.1.3 Comouter Studies Se.veral projects fall into this category. All generate no radioactive waste. Non-radioactive solid waste, such as paper trash, is disposed of by routine manner for garcage disposal. 3.2.1.4 Ceramics A project is underway in that area of Suilding A designated as Bay 1. The purpose of the project is to study the effects of heat and pressure on vessels lined with a

37 protective ceramic lining. This study produces solid, nonradioactive waste which is 3 disposed of in onsite landfill. Approximately 600 ft per year is disposed of in this fashion. The material is primarily aluminum oxide. 3.2.2 Building B This facility is comprised of four hot cells, a hot cell operations area, a cask handling area, a transfer canal and storage pool, a small instrument repair shop for work on contaminated equipment, an experimental pool, a nuclear and radiochemistry laboratory, two metallurgy laboratories, a counting laboratory, a health physics counting area, a ceramics oven room, a machine shop, a scanning electron microscopy lab and a fracture mechanics lab. Radioactive solid, liquid and gaseous releases are combined in the totals for the Center, as is the nonradioactive effluents. Figures 3.2 and 3.3 show the facility ventilation and liquid waste drainage systems. 3.2.2.1 Hot Cell Facility This facility consists of four hot cells, an operations area, the cask handling area, the transfer canal and storage pool, and the instrument repair shop. The transfer canal and storage pool is used to receive, unload, load and prepare shielded casks for shipment. It also is used for storage of radioactive material and for transferring radioactive material to and from the hot cells. The pool water is recirculated through ion exchange columns for cleanup. These resins are replaced when expended and handled as dry waste. Particulates that settle to the pool bottom are removed periodically with an underwater vacuum cleaner and disposed of as dry waste.

FIGURE 3.2 BUILDING B AIR VENTII.ATION SYSTEMS HOT ASSteillLY; AREA M T MLtENT REPAtt PA __--g 3 Hi-LO I CELL 130LATl0N l p WARU LAB 1500 h g { J A,, A_ [ Rt.DIOCilEIAISTRY MP A A HOT OPERAT 133 ^ l.C,QL,j,,,, pg A,,,, j (22%) [ [ 3 L 14, H, 3 g PA P I %I ADIOCliEHISTRY ,) 3 PA)P H 11 $11 DI P P 800 , j,- jr 20 j T I Tg [ ,LIAIN VENTILATION DUST O cn 1700 5 ') e d'2000 /'l200 / ' 3(1000) (45 O PA ~-1 II ID -g-One Way Damper /> HOT CHANGE -Blower 0 -riii ea-Dit -Balonce Itood PH -Perchiotic flood F Sit - Stora ge li -F urne Hood ,y i* LDING 'C' P - Pr e-Filt e r d PA -Pre-filter a Absolute Fliter () () h -Pressure Indicolor 25000 -I @ -Pressure Indicator ' ISO FOOT ST ACK }-- - C ap

FIGURE 3.3 BUII. DING B 1.IQUID WASTE DRAINAGE SYSTEH TO L10ulD

WASTE L

{2" f D (33) - -- - - - t cp 2* FD (33) p [g Co 2 i er--- 2" CO (16) (16) t l j f~l s-2" GUTTER DRAIN (34) 2" F D r-2 "W-V -_- -.o (16) (16) (14) ~ l'S P 2" itSP (27) 2"FD 2" y (16) 2" FD (33) 2" HSP" (26) g,gy g,,3p w INI / p 2" HD (21) 2" HSP ab t, 2" i D 2"W 2"HD 2"CO 05) \\ HEH ( 2',FD / (32) DH AlN (20),,,, 2" F D(21) MA 2" FD (28) g 2' 10 (20) (24) u (14) t -2" HSP (27) (20) 2" FD /\\2" GUTTER I2'I 2"HSP 04) drain (2e) 0 l 2"f CO (7) 1. 2" FO (29) CO Citon Out 2" FD O2) q ~.,) llSP - Hc,1 Stand Pipe 2, HSP (3) 5 FD Floor Orsin 2 I 2"HSt (2c) W'V -

  • L3 V*"8 2"CO w 2* llSP 2" f D (2 3) l-SP - tic. I Sump Pump (5) 2,, HSP (5)

Cl) 2 SP - f:a 2 Swnp Pump Q) - Stainless Steel Tonb i:no.e tiuwber u cOHC3 - Flugged ~~ ~ 5 - th:at st. P hy e lc a 26 - Loop Sampling Roon 2" hSP (30) t--- - CcpreJ 7 - Nuclear Che.atstry Counttug 27 - RaJtochemistry tab l44- - Check Value 28 - Storage Pool Lab 14 - liigh Temperatuss tal, 29 - Isolation Aioa 30 - llot instrument Repair 1$ - Cesasile Furming 16 - Commination lechnology 31 - Experteiental Anstat,1y Area 32 - Cask tianJtisig Area 20 - itcalth I'hymtcs 33 - I riuary 4'e t t (Eastacnt) 21 - tiut Changu ko s 34 - Enperim;nta! Puol 24 - Incat tle ll.jsics

40 The hot cells are used to perform destructive and nondestructive testing and examin-ation of highly radioactive materials. These include-reactor core hardware components and fuel rods removed from irradiated reactor fuel assemblies. The cells generate solid and gaseous radioactive wastes. The gaseous waste: consist of krypton, which , originates from fuel rods that are punctured for fission gas analysis. High level solid wastes are placed in special containers, removed from the cells, and placed in below grade storage tubes to await shipment in shielded shipping containers offsite. The instrument repair shop is used when repair of manipulators is required and for performing work on items that are radioactive but not to the extent that remote hot cell handling is required. Solid radioactive waste is generated in the area. The cask handling area is a high bay room used to received and ship containers of radioactive material. The largest source of waste is generated in decontaminating shipping containers. Liquid waste in the form of scrub water is released to the liquid waste retention basins. The operations area contains the manipulator operating stations, the fission gas analyzer and the electronic equipment associated with the nondestructive analyzers. No radioactive wastes are generated in this area. Nonradioactive solid waste is included in the totals for the LRC and disposed of by routine manner.

41 3.2.2.2 Exoerimental Pool This 30,000 gallon pool is used to develop underwater examination equipment. Radio-active material is not now handled in this pool. 3.2.2.3 Nuclear and Radiochemistry Laboratorv This laboratory utilizes standard chemical fume hoods, the exhaust of which passes through one prefilter and one HEPA filter. One exception to this is a perchloric acid fume hood which exhausts directly to the roof of Building 8. At present, no work utilizing radioactive material is performed in the latter hood. Work of interest being presently performed is analysis of irradiated fuel samples, corrosion products, neutron flux dosimeters and reactor coolant samples. Low-level radioactive wastes are released through the Liquid Waste Disposal Facility. Other liquid wastes are solidified for offsite burial. Solid waste is shipped for offsite burial. Airborne and gaseous effluents are filtered and discharged through the 50-meter exhaust stack. All these contributions are included in the site totals. 3.2.2.4 Metallurcy Laboratory The metallurgy laboratory has equipment for structural examinations on a macroscopic and microscopic scale. Facilities are available for all metallography preparations and examinations utilizing light-microscopy. A hot stage metallography is available for microscopic examination of materials at high temperatures and in controlled atmospheres. An industrial X-ray unit is also available to this laboratory.

42 Wastes from the metallurgy laboratory are typically nonradioactive and solid. Water used for cooling is discharged to the storm drains. 3.2.2.5 Counting Laboratory The counting laboratory contains several high resolution gamma spectroscopy systems coupled to computers for data processing. A liq'uid scintillation system is used for spectroscopy of low energy beta emitters. Gross counting and spectroscopy are performed on alpha and beta emitting elements. The laboratory is not equipped with sample preparation

  • facilities.

Preparation is performed in other laboratories and transferred to the counting laboratory and returned after counting to the sending laboratory. No releases are made from this laboratory. 3.2.2.6 Ceramics Oven Room This room is used for mixing, forming and sintering nonradioactive ceramic materials. Wastes are primarily solids that are included in the LRC solid waste totals. Cooling water is discharged to the storm sewer. 3.2.2.7 Scannino Electron Microsconv Laboratory Radioactive and nonradioactive specimens are prepared and examined in this facility. Small amounts of solid wastes are generated and these are included in the LRC totals.

43 3.2.2.8 Fracture Mechanics Area This area contains a closed-loop electrahydraulic load frame, an impact tester and a fatigue reactor. Specimens are brought into this laboratory for testing and returned to the origi-nating laboratory for disposal. 3.2.3 Building C Building C provides 20,000 square feet of laboratory, office, and support space. The building was originally designed for handling multikilogram quantities of plutonium. The present license limit severely restricts the amount of plutonium that can be handled, but the facilities for handling large quantities remain. The research and development performed in Building C primarily involves the use of unitradiated source and special nuclear materials. Some work involving the use of by product material is carried out in the facility, but it is very limited. The building offgas syste:n is shown in Figure 3.4. The liquid waste drain system is shown in Figure 3.5. Radioactive solid waste is packaged for offsite burial and transferred to the Solid Waste Storage Building to await shipment. Nonradioactive waste solid is disposed of with other such waste in municipal landfill. 3.2.3.1 Analytical Chemistry Analytical chemistry is performed in laboratories 19, 20, and 27 (see Figure 3.6). The following major items of equipment are available for this use:

g, l l il I 1

,b9 I

I \\' O o J _ W ~ S {~ i N N M I f_ t T rO ) m.y, t.0 i e l T l L M O E ,l 1 A 4 T N R \\ O I TI M Y AT U N P C N A O f l f NI E N A O} N t M C C m 1 I L UPO HE f A F H l M U 6V _ CUO L E gI h-U ECO P FD WER ~l, ?.,}e g = ]- .e. ,1 r iA 0 T6 D h = (y g7 LA T Y L E Z U l L A NC U 3 i f = H CE A - f ~i F l T. E \\ I P V M X oS S S T C MI g .; _U I A l 1 K g I E N Hli / N C+ S vR A A AC S H H UC / 4 k, =. Y t>R L E k A T f N h8 iY S A b Y ] A ! 6_ ) S S 't L - T L N E O l . L 6 u f ki i r I W T Q {7 ) t A Y y v _ 1 L u I gw L. T J = N E H g H V T A[' L R 9, E I A S l } T fty oC h C ,8 ,P' C U 1 P r_ MD \\[ P G 9 0 T HO \\ M d A f N i 0OH .S 3i4* hr r l ,e /af I R D. ) l u T T S e B ,. q g N '. I S C ) N E E t ( A p-M 4 T C o L O vN P P T 3 C. E t E N P oM T L R E L ) h O L. E fl V E LI S P

=

U ( A T G T B r N [ u I N AL U I tyre

  • s t O A b

t F E C eP L T O f V f t A O h E ._.@68 d g 'A l ild ) v iL ,t pJ K te ps M C l k ic u sl N0 A a iA I A 0 l O s S Y t, A r h r A i'I T gl O R li T D e l a N u I UO r AO e o t L H t l u fe" T i lo G i - b O 'O i" S s A D P f U K A C j H A [ "y-u- XT ] 1 [ S f f-p ,\\ i

FIGURE 3.5 BUII. DING C LIQUID WASTE DRAINACE SYSTEM .-...-i....e.,

n.. na

--- I 8. - ts. Dame ea:.s V i *P FO a4m.s 8. cat. ( ) taa. et kwe (L ) L.a 9 a v V tu.y e OR 53 ti.crJ L se_al..a.g. <.e-2* (2 0) (33) i ,,-....,-t,,........ .. -....... C.... 2.,,2, 16 - Urantws f.e! Lhas.s tes t set tues 29 - Mein's Cl.aage k w 17 - Fat:8 cation D=velersees 30 - E mmen's Cl.ange As. / 2 (20) 18 - Vs.it 12 - D ar k to.,. 2* (20) 19 - 4.. lyt ic et 14b )) - h - 8, i

g. (20) n - m i. A i,u.

n - u,.. s,.o \\ r , [ ' *," ' f,f~,ri.ns, [ *," 2* EMER0 thcy DH AIN (20) 2" (20) p / 3" t o (201-e ar - 4..1 6:e.: o...sor c

o - t e n 3
g. g,7 3 2* (2 FUTURE HOT DAAlle

'20 (, 3 4) 2' ) 2* (2 7) Chairs (tLly -2* (2 0) , (2 g p 5 2* (49) 2 I893 y 3* F D (iT)- eC 3 I'8b /. 3* f D (28)

3) (D
  • EE}I.25CY so 2* DT)

E g (2 T) I j N CO (26) wagyg 3 r b 2*pp TANK !) 2*EptMCENCY DRAlte ST) g I30I RUNNIH3 { z* (39) 3, f D (27)

g. IF;1R0ENCY UAP

+- 2* (lW y -Daun un /. \\ - HUNNih3 Tii AP }( ( ~ 7 Ea*ER;.EncYy CO T ( t II2 D@ (/ e / .&C* d D4 AIN alS)" q .s (17) TO Licul0 3 "(2F)"4~ CO'(2 7) ' HUNNIX J Iis A P 2* EtKAGEraCY -1 wast! B 2* (29) URAL:4 s e DISPOS AL UCI 2" (6?), e "' 2*(44) (16) ~ % } \\

  • MsNstA D AP pugg;4ggg 3_70
  • ~

CO (15) s' TRAP 2' (se,) k \\ (4 3) ' 2* (30) -C0 (16l \\ @'%ro / I f' 'et ) ' 2* (43) ~7 / 2* l / (44) S *. II 4 * (16) 2 i___a i 2*lsol r*o 2* (4 4) ' [ 3 7, g g 2* (L) 'I IO 'f 2 (43} ( } 2" j '(44) / k k bI 2* (I2 \\ 2 I 1,FII -2 (4 6)'-* *f O (4 3)**[4 Sl 4 2*(10) 2*(IS) 2' (IS) I i 3 <I 3* F0 (L) 2 3* FO (41) , TO Lioulo , WASTE DIS?CSAL

c t' ll I H t t l i w ,/ = ![ i E =- <l l i EE E5=r? N

i I

_a

=

-= m / s ~,, n.

q s e--- - -,# ? r 555 5~ 2 5= 3 =_ l =- i y m o _ =_ t _= i i L iDfiM J T

_=

E 5 '1 i i n v SEE l l I L l l E =

== =$ n: = = m~ jj

== l Q l m A" = l = ,5, 3 *D - s m,i n 4

=

w= = a %== = m u. l t E 3 i rI a = = i

== = m e==a c T 5 ~ o Ih.,a :: .h fL_ ~ i S s jed 9 E m{ - _ 'q__. ,1 C l y-u g l W IN=:M ./ iiI\\ i -_ m e a c x c' N s 7., -e II = =. n n i O 1 .===en ~ Z 1 = 9 i = y = c,-

== .s -J = u = r l m c. 3N 'l. )., I =' m ww l 1 l c i [ = i i J OE j N 5 i 6 V O I I E l "= T ll E i D '5 ^ [ !=l = = i i a i = m I = i, m _._ _ } E .= = i-i. i 3 '1 i s d 6M M 5 m D !== l G <b = I = [ O j I = i R = c l = w E .A, i lC d A ! %,,1 a-m l [$,' [ I b d5 = H.5 5, l -C

rU---

l l4 = i .I [." I' y = = 0!! l -sE U ~ 0 :* O '* l 72 l I 1

47 1. X-ray diffraction 2. Emistion spectrometer 3. Atomic absorption spectrometer 4 Polaragraph 5. Gas chromatograph 6. Spectrophotometers 7. Carbon, sulfur, and halide analyzers 8. Moisture anaiyzer 9. Differential thermal analyzer 10. Subsieve sizer Additionally there are numerous items of equipment for traaitional wet chemical analyses. Nonradioactive liquid wastes are diluted and released to the liquid waste disposal system. Liquid wastes containing radioactivity are evaporated to dryness, solidi-fied, or disposed of through the liquid waste disposal system, depending on the amount of radioactive material. 3.2.3.2 Process Develooment Process development is performed in laboratories 43, 44 and 50 (see Figure 3.6). This work covers the following areas of the nuclear fuel cycle: 1. Fuel conversion 2. Fuel, control and moderator materials fabrication

48 3. Scrap recovery 4. Effluent treatment 5. Waste treatment 6. Nonaqueous, nongaseous coolants Liquids wastes are handled as in 3.2.3.1. 3.2.3.3 Fuel Materials Develcoment Fuel materials development work is performed in laboratories 15, 16 and 17 (see Figure 3.6). The following major items of pilot plant scale equipment ar ; available for this work. 1. Thirty-ton hydraulic press 2. High temperature, hydrogen atmosphere pusher furnace 3. High temperature, hydrogen atmosphere periodic furnace 4. High temperature, cold wall furnace 5. Centerless grinder 6. Miscellaneous powder blenders 7. Bench metallograph and associated ceramography equipment 8. Glove box line containing complete pellet and vipac fabrication lines Liquid radioact'se waste is not generated in these areas.

49 3.3 Waste Confinement and Effluent Control 3.3.1 Air Effluents The exhaust air from the LRC is made up of two streams: (1) air exhausted from hoods, , a e boxes, hot cells, and potentially contaminated areas; and (2) general building air necessary to maintain comfort. Exhaust air from hoods, glove boxes and hot cells is passed through a prefilter and at least one stage of HEPA filtration prior to release via the 50-meter high stack. Room offgas, from the area where there exists the pctential for airborne radioactive contamination, is passed through a prefilter and one stage of HEPA filters, and is released through vents at approximately roof height. General building air is partially recirculated for energy conservation and released at roof height. 3.3.1.1 Controlled Area Air Effluent Exhausts from hot cells, fume hoods and glove boxes are the main sources of supply to the 50-meter-high stack. This stack is continuously sampled isokinetically while work in t.hese areas is in progress. Drawings of the systems are shown in Figures 3.2 and 3.4 Air passing into the stack has been filtered through at least one stage of HEPA filters. In the case of the hot cells, glove boxes and Building C fume hoods, two series stages are used. Two perchloric acid fume hoods presently installed are exceptions to the above practice. These hoods exhaust directly to the roof of Buiidings B and C with no filtiation. Room offgas from laboratories in Building C is passed through one stage of HEPA filters and exhausted.

50 Releases through the 50-meter stack are given in Table 3.1.

3. 3.1. 2 Nonradioactive Effluents The nature of the work performed a't the LRC is such that only small amounts of vola-tile chemicals are used.

The single largest contributor is acetone, of which the Center consumed 100 gallons in 1977. On the basis that 100 percent of the material avaporated and was released through the ventilation system, 1.82 lb/ day would be released. 3.3.2 Licuid Effluents Liquid effluents leave the LRC by tiiree routes: the storm sewer, which not only carries rainwater but the major portion of cooling water; the sanitary sewage line, which flows to the treatment facility at the Naval Nuclear Fuels Division (NNFD); and the only noteworthy one of the three, the effluent from the liquid waste retention tanks, which flows into the trea'. ment facility of NNFD. 3.3.2.1 Contaminated Liouid Waste System Potentially contaminated and contaminated liquid wastes from laboratories are directed to the liquid waste disposal system. The drain systems for Buildings B and C are shown in Figures 3.3 and 3.5. A schematic diagram of the liquid waste reten-tion tanks and pipings is shown in Figure 3.7. Building A wastes, from the two reactors, drain to a below grade 5000 gallon tank located outside the northeast wall of the building. All waste tanks are thoroughly mixed and sampled prior to release to the NNFD system. Effluents must meet the limits of release to an unrestricted area, given in 10 CFR 20,

51 TABLE 3.1 LRC AIRBORNE RELEASES FROM 50 METER STACK 1977 January thru June Activity Concentration -10 Gross alpha particulate < 0.04 pCi < 6.7 x 10 pCi/ml -18 Gross beta particulate <2 pCi < 3.3 x 10 pCi/ml Kr-85 (10 milli Ci c 2.1 x 10'I4 pCi/ml July thru December Gross alpha particulate < 0.053 pCi < l.13 x 10'I9 pCi/r1 -18 Gross beta particulate < l.5 pCi < 3.2 x 10 pCi/ml Kr-85 < 8.7 Ci < 1.86 x 10'II pCiA, ~ -12 H-3 < 0.71 Ci < 1.52 x 10 pCi/ml 1978 January thru June -20 Gross alpha particulate < 0.016 pCi < 3.8 x 10 Ci/m1 -18 Gross beta particulate < 0.97 pCi < 2.3 x 10 pCi/ml -13 Kr-85 < 0.01 Ci < 2.4 x 10 pCi/ml H-3 < 0.01 Ci < 2.4 x.0'I4 pCi/ml NOTE: Current license amendment of SNM-778 will allow the release of up to 6 mci of I-131 per year, not to exceed 0.3 mci of I-131 per week.

l' } I e, 4g I ea 4 ?* e 4.i 6 g M "*** k l /l 'n..,.-----

3 i

~r:- i i i' '- l 6 \\ 'l ~VGr--- l H, i 1. i l I e - l [ W 1.

    • ~

, !i i 2 ) .- uw.-.~w..s ~ ..), -l, l. t, .s. ve i s - -9 i. 4 4 mv s s t -o-43 ,..!i ,,.'.,..a i

  • l

{, I 4 .t$. f yJ i.....- g

i..

= l[;:tl -

C D

g i 1

a
e.

v.._ w ,.. I p ...a} { f 1 l f . *,...w-...*., I.;.. l .o .3 ,; l.. t l e. f.,.$ 8 tii 3 'y' , s.; +, I i ? :s l V3 e 1 2 I dghilid.s,st*.,n !!!!i ! M

i. *y.... es....,i

..h.u. el 1.:( 1;* - r..,. s.. '. t...... e w L.. a 1 e wlid'! 4 7 i 5 ld.' . l.. _. _ i.i ._n, ~g ;. :In

}

l' .y ..o..... a.... t. 4 ,j c.: I ' l w i.,1..,. 1.H .C + ,. i.I,,i:. Ln.;mi l t. t -, ~ w. _ ~. - .w - e. t w- ,~ i, i = w ',,j j., .A,,,, ,.%l .,:.L d I .I.J.' e g 4.I t ! i /q i,v J. -.%,.c., ' l -i + , "O,, r.,. - ,, i .c G .oi.I l i 1 .Et i i + H:a w -} i , ~., 5 -l ^ x i 't @I r ! i 3"f l l I. l,, www', -, n. i, a w

a r4

.m~ y 4 Id I ! ! UA l o .,, A. - l' 3 -...i j i 1 -. : -% ! ; ui 4 a ,c. _ T i.l ** e',, i g 1 ms. l l -* h.D., 3 i ~ l /, l I FM {' 4 / 4 i .i 27 l II l1 - N r- %ir.ev+4 .I I e, . r--N I. ei ,li. ig ;

l. n i

3 'Mi \\ g/? l I

l j [*l t! s i.

1

i_3.'i

, L.g>-*

c

\\ tj l c+-

  • i/

I ;i ;'

  • j e.t r.t.

j 5 ge .s ,y i - _.} ti M:!'. ,8 ; j I )a j -~ f.; l' "[til i i .Jp: : u vl.,t a

i ? s. '(
-

t ~% i i - 7 Is.i' l 2 i<! 41 I:4* is. ~t x I j' i } -l e. y -- i ir ) 1 5 --

p. - (>' '

I l sll 1 a .s .i ""*m* . gl I !, ,.j$ ' * - .m. w 1 I /, !,I

I m

s =. !ii w;l-i ~~ kg,.GI-- 7 %* N l i s

%r sg i

ii U. j I _w >. [, .. ~ .V { 'l V , I'l , -I ; j! i i : ll ]MN l - +--j H%!yhy-[,tr\\.ij.- i 7 lW w'? %;N I } T r--- s s 'l / 1 + l <-+e-i . <-i, N c; i l j .% i i J w I ,\\ I ~9 g ,,I ,i s i i I _. i -7 12 j }I4 i al ,G., W;.,. W ij.i I. ' 1. 4% i l i.i f - + ~ - l 's -. - i t, i i, j' -l s l s. i tj i e I I i I, L I et /, l

2.

1 A - - l e! }u. . 6 e-- r I + 4: i i ,. 2- _ s,. ?__ g .. --. g i 6.a i., w-q>- _;,,,,L--_._...a. i ~ l. y

  • i ::

e .r ei :. f- ,.:1 'l,, i.l 1' '3 gl s:1 4-r: .e..r

53 prior to re?aase. If sampling indicates that the tank contents exceed this restric-tion, dilution is used,- A compilation of releases through this system is given in Table 3.2. 3.3.2.2 Sanitary Waste Effluents Untreated sanitary wastes are combined for treatment with those of the NNFD's san'i-3 tary waste treatment facility. The LRC's contribution to this facility is 5.6 x 10 gallons per day. 3.3.2.3 Storm Drainage Runoff fram the parking lot, building roofs and surrounding land exits the LRC on the east side of the site, and flows througn a natural dry stream bed to.the James River. Water used for furnace cooling and similar uses drains into this system at a rate of 5000 gallons per day. 3.3.3 Solid Wastes All solid wastes generated from LRC operations are monitored and disposed of as described below. Ceramic pressure vessel liners are an exception to this. These liners are not radioactive and are disposed of in a landfill onsite at a rate of 600 3 ft per year. 3.3.3.1 Contaminated Solid Wastes Contaminated solid wastes are disposed of by an NRC licensed facility. These wastes consist of filters, packing natorial, decontamination equipment, contaminated labora-tory equipment and solidified liquids. These wastes are packaged and stored at the

54 TABLE 3.2 LIOUID WASTE RELEASES TO NNFD TREATMENT SYSTEM -6 (10 Curies) 1975 1976 1976 1977 1977 1978 JUL-DEC JAN-JUN JUL-0EC JAN-JUN JUL-DEC JAN-JUN Cr-51 14.8 Mn-54 21.0 253.3 18.1 5.6 7.6 Co-58 82.5 1043.0 26.8 6.2 2.7 Co-57 0.19 Co-60 95.5 82.0 1111 99.7 72.1 151.5 Fe-59

7. 6 Zn-65 Sr-90 20.25 8.7 80.4 13.3 42.1 8.6 Y-90 20.25 8.7 71.3 13.3 42.1 8.6 Nb-95, Zn-95 8

0.3 12 0.7 Ru-106 28.4 Cs-134 407.3 67.5 25.4

5. 7 58.5 96 Cs-137 5138.8 1057 348.6 73.3 1146 1990 Ba-140, La-140 Ce-144 2.3 Gross beta 82.6 15.0 159.1 260.2 72.1 248 Uranium 44.3 15.6 57 37.2 188 80.5 LRC until a sufficient amount has accumulated for shipment to burial.

Packaged wastes are stored in a building specified for this purpose. A fenced area adjacent to this building is used for storage of packaged LSA and fissile exempt material. 3.3.3.2 Uncontaminated Solid Wastes 4 Approximately 2.25 x 1r cubic feet of uncontaminated solid wastes is generated at the LRC per year. These wastes are routinely monitored to ensure that they are not radiologically contaminated and disposed of by a private contractor at the Lynchburg sanitary landfill. Salvageable materials, such as metals, are sold or recycled.

55 The highest dose received, 0.58 mr/yr to a maximum of 1.5 mr/yr, depending on the -3 time frame of I-131 release, was to the thyroid. The skin dose was 3.3 x 10 mr/yr. -5 ~3 The total body dose was 4.5 x 10 mr/yr; the bone dose was 3.7 x 10 mr/yr and the -4 lung dose was 6.2 x 10 mr/yr. These doses are well below the allowable limit of 25 millirems /yr to the total body, 75 millirems to the thyroid, and 25 millirems to ~ any organs as specified in 40 CFR Part 190 for nuclear facility for the generation of electricity. The staff therefore conclude that there will be no adverse effect from the routine operation of the LRC facility. The annual average total body dose 30 from natural radiation in the State of Virginia is about 125-mr/yr. The re fore, the whole body dose at the nearest residence to site due to the LRC operation is about 0.000036% of that due to natural causes and is considered to be negligible as compared to the natural background radiation. The above assessment was based on the licensee's monitoring data from 1977-1978. However, the licensee indicated that future operation of the LRC facility may be increased and the staff has set the stack release limits as follows: Release Limits Beta particulate 3mC/yr Alpna particulate 20uC/yr Kr-85 3500Ci/yr H-3 130Ci/yr I-131 6mC/yr

56 4. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF FACILITY OPERATIONS 4.1 Radiological Impacts The radiological impacts of the LRC facility were assessed by calculating the maximum dose to the individual at the nearest residence which is located at about three-fourths of a mile ENE of the facility. In addition, the dose to an individual from drinking water and eating fish from the nearest water supply was also assessed. The doses are actually 50 year dose commitments, that is, the total dose to a reference organ, resulting from one year of intake, that will accrue during the remaining lifetime (50 years) of the individual. Site-specific data were used where available. 4.1.1 Terrestrial 4.1.1.1 Individual Dose at the Nearest Residence The past operation (see Table 3.1) of the LRC facility results in the release of a minute quantity of radioactivity into the atmosphere, i.e., about 10 Ci of Kr-85 per year, 6 pCi of I-131/yr (not to exceed 300 pC/ week), 2 pC of beta per year, about 1 Ci H-3 per year and less than 1 pC of other alpha activity per year. The doses from airborne radiative effluents release are calculated for an individual living at the nearest residence. The annual average X/Q value at this location was estimated to -6 3 27 be 4.0 x 10 sec/m For dose calculation, the approach in NRC Reg. Cuide 1.109 was used except for inhalation, for which the dose conversion factors derived from O' 9 the Task Group Lung Model were used. The released alpha activity was conservatively assumed to be Pu-238 and the beta is conservatively assumed to be Sr-90. It is also conservatively assumed that the individual spends all of his time at this location and that all of the food consumed is produced at the point of reference.

57 Using the above maximum release limits, the calculated doses are: bone dose, 5.6 mr/yr; skin dose, 1.22 mr/yr; thyroid dose, 0.60-1.5 mr/yr; lung dose, 3.9 x 10-2 mr/yr and ~1 whole-body dose, 1.3 x 10 mr/yr. These doses are calculated using conservative assumptions and are still well below the allowable limit of the EPA standards specified in 40 CFR 190. 4.1.2 Acuatic The most significant release in the liquid effluent is primarily due to the release of Cs-137 into the NNFD waste treatment system. Using the highest release record as shown in Table 3.2, calculations were made to estimate the dose at the nearest popu-lation which draws on James River water for domestic use, i.e., at the City of Richmond, Virginia, located about 130 river miles downstream from the LRC facility. The annual whole-body dose to an individual consuming 1.2 liter / day of untreated water is estimated -5 -4 to be 4.0 x 10 mr/yr (total body) and 1.0 x 10 mr/yr (liver). An individual consuming 20' g of fish in the river per day for 365 days per year will receive a total body dose ~4 ~4 of 2.7 x 10 mr/yr and a liver dose of 6.8 x 10 mr/p. The annual total-body dose to the population of Richmond from drinking untreated water at James River is estimated to be about 10 man-rem. The annual total-body dose to this same population from natural background radiation is about 25,000 man-rem. Therefore, the population dose estimated under conservative assumptions from drinking water is about 0.0004% of the background radiation dose. The discharge of liquid effluents into the James River has no significant impact on the population at Richmond, Virginia.

58 4.1.3 Cumulative Imoact Babcock & Wilcox also operates two additional facilities at the 525 acre site. The Naval Nuclear Fuel Division (NNFD) fabricates and assembles unieradiated highly enriched uranium elements into complete nuclear reactor cores or replacement fuel modules for the United States Navy nuclear propulsion program. The Commercial Nuclear Fuel Plant fabricates low enriched uranium fuel for commercial nuclear power plants. Both of these plants release radioactivities into the environment. The maximum individual doses at the nearest residence due to the cumulative impact of the overall B&W facilities had been discussed in detail in the Environmental Impact Appraisal (EIA)31 issued by NRC on August 1978 in connection with the license amendment of CNFP's Special Nuclear Materials License No. SNM-ll68 for the installation and opera-tion of a UF conversion facility at Lynchburg, Virginia (Docket No. 70-1201). From 6 the above EIA,31 it was shown that the maximum individual dose resulting from the overall plant operation was to the lung from inhalation and was estimated to be 1.4 mrem per year, which is well below the EPA's standard for the nuclear fuel cycle facility as specified in 40 CFR Part 190. The LRC release is insignificant compared to the total release of the NNFD and CNFP facilities.31 The population total-body dose within a 50-mile radius from the site due to the overall impact if.:timated to be 3.1 man-rem and is negligible compared to the same popula-4 tion dose of 8.04 x 10 man-rem from the natural background in the area.

59 4.2 Nonradiological Impacts The LRC facility is a research facility. The nonradiological air effluents discnarged arc expected to be insignificant. A small chemical discharge from the LRC is made through the liquid waste, which is combined with the NNFD liquid waste stream and discharged into the James River. This discharge is allowed under the NPDES Permit No. VA0003697 issued by the Environmental Protection Agency through the State Water Control Board of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Correspondence from EPA to NRC indicates that B&W has been complying with permit conditions; therefore it is not expected that the discharge would have significant impact on the water quality. 5. EFFLUENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING 5.1 Eftluent Monitoring Airborne effluents that are potentially contaminated are exhausted through the 50-meter stack, where practicable. This stack is sampled continuously. An air sample is drawn through a fixed filter which is routinely changed and counted on a low background, gas flow proportional counter to determine gross alpha ar.d beta activity. Airborne effluents that cannot practica0ly exhaust through the 50-meter stack a,e individually sampled if there is the potential for these straams to contain 10% or greater of the applicable 10 CFR 20 limits. These sartoles are counted as described above.

60 Liquid sampling is performed on each of the waste water tanks prior to discharging to the liquid waste treatment system at the Naval Nuclear Fuel Division. Tanks are stirred and a one quart sample withdrawn. A measured amount of this sample water is evaporated to dryness on a planchet and counted in a low background, gas flow propor-tional counter for gross alpha and gross beta. Gamma spectroscopy is used for isotope identification if the gross technique results in unusually high activities.

5. 2 Environmental Monitoring The B&W NNFD facility has established an environmental monitoring program which, in general, covers the 525-acre site.

Seventeen points around the site are chosen to sample soil, sediment, vegetation, water, and air. The seventeer. ampling locations and the material sampled are summarized in Table 5.1 and Figure 5.1 Soil, water, sediment and vegetation samples are taken twice a year and analyzed for gross alpha or uranium. Air samples are taken continuously at locations No. 11, 12, 4 and south of. LRC and analyzed for gross alpha or uranium. Detailed description of the overall environmental monitoring program can be referred to the Environmental Impact Appraisal 32 (NR-FM-009) issued by NRC on March 1977 in connection with the NNFD's Special Nuclear Materials License No. SNM-42 renewal action. 5.3 Chemical Monitoring The liquid effluents from the LRC that potentially contain harmful chemicals are released to the liquid waste treatment system of the Naval Nuclear Fuel Division. That division analyzes effluents and chemical constituents and, therefore, this is not performed by the LRC. Detailed description of the chemical monitoring and compliance on liquid effluents discharged into the James River can be referred to in the above-mentioned EIA.32

61 TABLE 5.1 ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLING LOCATIONS Sample Point Material Number Samoled Location 1 Soil Bank in south corner of Main Parking Lot. 2 Soil, Sed., River bank at Six ' tile Bridge. Water, Veg. 3 Soil, Veg. In field SE of Main Parking Lot beside big tree. 4 Air, Soil, Veg. Directly behind Bay 14A on top of bank. 5 Air, Soil, Veg. Between NNFO and LRC roads directly across from Bay 15 rear entrance. 6 Soil Beside fire hydrant across road from Main Entrance. 7 Soil, Veg. Beside telephone pole just past electrical substation. 8 Soil, Sed. Brook near eastern property line beside Water, Veg. access rold. 9 Water, Sediment Under trestle at Nine Mile Bridge. 10 Soil, Veg. Orainage ditch between fence and RR track south of contaminated material burial site 11 Air, Soil, Veg. Near contaminated material burial site. 12 Air, Soil, Veg. On southern side of smaller water tanks. 13 Water, Sed. East of Waste Treatment Facility on river bank. 14 Soil, Veg. Just beyond creek in field across from Waste Treatment road intersection. 15 Soil, Sed., Water, River bank at eastern property line. Veg. Sediment 16 Sediment Equalization pond. 17 Soil, Veg. Well No. 2.

- 62 93 Ia ;! g e g _l p; i o I W R Oi ~ I .p$: 8,$. a e " 5 !! g Z ( W :: q g} O <l i f

  • 5h ig w

M ,23 $E 3 k d { s f.- t g y ss -d 4 ~ ,t. 4 0 :}3 M q 3 Cu w2 y = V' .j 0, = ucc ~***a.~ D ~. - - $l =% \\ s '\\f ' I y Y g s Ti' a l' e \\ a 4 s . = a 3\\ } 1 O ..; g t V es fi g m = .-oIt j u e r,e 1 w y \\ lhk n- ~. zs; s c 4 f/ J,,...\\:h 3 b / .. w,. w~ m a I !) 3 l l ; ~ 2 c m ! ~: .5j m u i. ?e~1 r. 5 @l i

f. :/

kf,~b; ! is i.. !?%G a p~ og /,,, _T',:' I 'g z r := hl 3 E5 '.' u l sl5 ,3 M 2 5 1 ,a l' \\ ~ ci i g-y* R. ~. &','e gsa N. gg ,T / \\, 55u n <f .? / / s s' I e m W ...I h., m, ^ .I

63 5.4 Conclusion Af ter evaluating the applicant's effluent monitoring program, the staff concludes that the continuous monitoring of the major stack effluents is adequate to ensure compliance and to provide source terms for continued environmental impact assessment. Ths B&W's overall environmental monitoring program is adequate to provide environ-mental concentrat'ons and data for the bt'ild up of radionuclides in the environment 6. ACCIDENTS Plant accidents associated with the licensee's operations at LRC had been postulated and analyzed in the applicant's Environmental Report (ER). In the ER, the applicant had postulated and evaluated various types of accidents such as power failure in hot cell, rupture of fuel element and fuel assembly, sodium potassium fire and zircaloy fire in hot cell, absolute filter failure in hot cell and a criticality accident. The staff has evaluated these various types of accidents and concludes that the accident which could result in the maximum environmental impact would be due to a criticality accident. Based on a hypothetical LPR accident and the approach applied in NRC Reg. Guide 3.34,33 the staff estimated that the maximum doses to an individual at the property line near Route 726 would be 0.15 rem from whole-body gamma exposure and 1.2 rem from thyroid irradiation through inhalation. These doses should not result in discernible radiation injury. In addition, the probability for its occur-rence is very small and the continuation of the applicant's operation does not change the potentials for this postulated accident discussed.

64 Based on the licensee's past operations, there have been no major accidents that have affected people or the offsite environment. Other. accidents resulting from spills, falling objects, acid burns, electrical shock and the like have no significant effect on the environment offsite. 7. MATERIALS AND PLANT PROTECTION Current safeguards are set forth in 10 CFR Parts 70 and 73. The regulations in Part 70 provide for material accounting and control requirements with respect to facility organization, material control arrangements, accountability measurements, statistical controls, inventory methods, shipping and receiving procedures, material storage practices, records and reports, and management control. The Commission's current regulations in 10 CFR Part 73 provide requirements for the physical security and protection of fixed sites and transportation involving stra-tegit quantities of nuclear materials. Physical security requirements for protecting fixed sites include 'e establishment and training of secur't) organization (including armed guards), provision for physical barriers, and establist. rant of response plans. The Commission's regulations in 10 CFR Parts 70 and 73, described briefly above are applied in the reviews of individual license and permit applications. License condi-tions have been required to translate certain of these regulations into specific requirements and limitations that are tailored to fit the particular type of plant or facility involved.

65 The Lynchourg Research Center is an existing licensed activity, and while experience and continuing study may indicate areas where revisions in the Commission's regula-tions applicable to this site should be made, the Commission has determined (40 FR 53056, November 14, 1975) that for the kind of installation under review, the framework of existing regulations is adequate to enable the Commission to carry out its responsibilities to protect the public health and safety and the common defense and security. The licensee has an approved material control and accounting plan and an approved physical security plan pursuant to 10 CFR Parts 70 and 73. It is concluded that the safeguards-related environmental impact of the proposed action D is insignificant. 8. CONCLUSIONS AND BASIS FOR NEGATIVE DECLARATION The staff has analyzed the environmental impact of the applicant's license renewal action for the continued operation of the Lynchburg Research Center facility. It is the staff's judgment that normal emission or the postible effects of accidents do not constitute a significant addition of radioactive effluents to the environment. The cumulative impact of the overall B&W site, including the Commercial Nuclear Fuel Plant (CNFP) and the Naval Nuclear Fuel Division (NNFO) facilities, were assessed, and the overall impact for the individual dose commitment at the nearest residence from B&W's overall normal operations are well below the current EPA standard for fuel cycle facilities as specified in 40 CFR Part 190. It is concluded that no adverse environmental impact is anticipated from B&W's routine operation of the LRC, CNFP and NNFD facilities.

66 In connection with the proposed license renewal action, the staf f concludes that an environmental impact statement is not required under NRC regulations in 10 CFR 51.5(f), nor under CEQ guidelines in 40 CFR 1500.6. As shown in this appraisal, the environmental effects of the applicant's proposed license renewal action are insigni-ficant. As provided in 10 CFR 51.5c(1), a negative declaration is being prepared in accordance with the requirement of 10 CFR 51.7.

67 REFtiRENCES 1. Lynchburg Research Center Environmental Report, Babcock & Wilcox Co., December 1978, Docket No. 70-824. 2. Commercial Nuclear Fuel Plant Environmental Report, Babcock & Wilcox Co., December 1974, Docket No. 70-1201. 3. S. T. Algermission, " Seismic Risk Studies in the United States, Fourth World Conference Earthquake Engineering Proceedings," Associacion Chilena de Seismological Ingeneria Antisismica, Santiago, Chile, 1:14-27, 1969. 4. G. A. Bollinger, " Seismicity of the Central Appalachian States of Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland - 1758 through 1968," Bulletin of the Seismological, Society of America, 59 (5): 2103-211, 1969. 5. U.S. Geological Survey, " Water Resources Data for Virginia, Part 1. Surface Water Records, 1972." U.S. Department of the Interior, 1973. 6. Virginia State Water Resources Division " James River Basin, Comprehensive Water Resources Plan, Volume IV-Water Resources Requirements and Problems," Virginia Department of Comprehensive and Economic Development, Planning Bulletin 216, February 1971. 7. An Outdoor Instruction Laboratory - Lynchburg Collece Lake, W. K. Kellogg Foundation, 1973. 8. Ecological and Sociological Asoects of the Procosed Blackwater Creek Park in Lynchuurg, Viro 1nia, Randolph-Macon Woman's College and National Science Foundation, 1971. 9. "A Checklist of Virginia's Mammals, Birds, Reptiles and Amphibians," Vircinia Wildlife, 1959. 10. W. H. Burt and R. P. Grossenheider, A Field Guide to the Mammals, 2nd ed. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 1964. 11. A. C. Martin, H. S. Zim, and A. L. Nelson, American Wildlife and Plants: A Guide to Wildlife Food Habits, Dover Publications, Inc., New York, 1951. 12. " Candidates for Endangered Vertebrate Status in Virginia," Commisson of Game and Inland Fisheries, 1975. 13. " Threatened Wildlife of the United States," Publication 114 of Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, U.S. Department of Interior, Washington, D.C., 1973. 14. E. A. Taylor, " Virginia's Poisonous Snakes," Viroinia Wildlife, Virginia Commis-sion of Game and Inland Fisheries,1958.

68 15. P. R. Burch, " Virginia Animals - Amphibians," Virginia Wildlife, Vol. 8, No. 1, 1956. 16. M. Becker, A Preliminary Studv of Possible Effects of Thermal and pH Addition on the net Plankton Content of the James River, Randolpn-Macon Woman's College, Lynchburg, Virginia, 1970. 17. " Ecological and Sociological Aspect of the Proposed Blackwater Creek Park in Lynchburg, Virginia," NFS Grant GY-9183, Randolph-Macon Woman's College, Lynchburg, Virginia, 1971. 18. J. LaBuy, " Biological Surveys of the Upper James River Basin - Covington, Clifton Forge, Big Island, Lynchburg and Piney River Areas," Federal Water Pollu-tfon Control Administration, Middle Atlantic Region, CB-SRBP Working Document No. 21, January 1968. 19. J. H. Tackett, " Biological Assessr.ent of Water Quality - Upper James River Basin - Jackson and James Rivers from Clearwater Park (above Covington) to Bent Creek, Virginia," Memo, Virginia State Water Control Board, Richmond, Virginia, February 9, 1967. 20. " James River Basin Comprehensive Water Resources Plan, Volume 1-Introduction," Virginia State Water Resources Division, Planning Bulletin 213, Virginia Depart-ment of Conservation and Economic Development, Richmond, Virginia, March 1969. 21. R. R. Miller, " Threatened Freshwater Fishes of the United States," Trans. Amer. Fish Soc. 101(2):239-252,1972. 22, " Local Climatological Data, Lynchburg, Virginia; Annual Summary with Compara-tive Data," NOAA Environmental Data Service, Asheville, NC, 1971. 23. H. C. S. Thom, " Tornado Probabilities,", Monthly Weather Review, 91:10, October-December 1963. 24. R. L. Peace, " Heavy-Fog Regions in the Conterminous United States," Monthly Weather Review, 97(2), February 1969. 25. G. C. Holzworth, " Mixing Heights, Wind Speeds, and Potential for Urban Air Pollu-tion Throughout the Contiguous United States," AP-101, Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, January 1972.

26. NRC Reglatory Guide 1.111, " Methods for Estimating Atmospheric Transport and Dispersion of Gaseous Effluents in Routine Releases from Light-Water-Cooled Reactors," March 1976.
27. NRC Regulatory Guide 1.109, " Calculation of Annual Doses to Man from Routine Releases of Reactor Effluents for the Purposes of Evaluating Compliance with 10 CFR 50, Appendix I," October 1977.

69 29. Task Group on Lung Dynamics of Committee II of the International Ccmmission on Radiological Protection, " Deposition and Retention Models for Internal Dosimetry of the Human Repiratory Tract," Health Pys. 12:173, 1966. 29. J. R. Houston, D. L. Strenpe and E. C. Watson, DACRIN - A Comouter Prooram for Calculating Grqan Dose from Acute or Chronic Radionuclide Innalation, BNWL-8-389, Rep. BNWL-B-389 supp. Battelle, Pacific Nortnwest Lacoratories, Ricnland, WA99352, 1975. 30. Estimations of Ionizing Radiation Doses in the United States 1960-2000. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, ORP/CS072-1, August 1972. 31. Environmental Impact Appraisal - B&W Commercial Nuclear Fuel Plant Related to License Amendment of Special Nuclear Material License No. SNM-1168 for the Installation and Operation of a UF Conversion Facility at Lynchburg, Virginia - g Docket No. 70-1201, U.S. NRC, August 1978 32. Environmental Impact Appraisal - B&W Naval Nuclear Fuel Development - Related to License Renewal of Special Nuclear Material License No. SNM-42, NR-FM-009, USNRC, March 1977 - Occket No. 70-25. 33. NRC Regulatory Guide 3.34 - Assumptions Used for Evaluating the Potential Radio-logical Consequences of Accidental Criticality in a Uranium Fuel Fabrication Plant, March 1979. .}}