ML19312A189
| ML19312A189 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 02700039 |
| Issue date: | 05/17/1979 |
| From: | NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| REF-WM-9 WM-7902, NUDOCS 7908160046 | |
| Download: ML19312A189 (7) | |
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Revision l' 5/17/79 Uh!TED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATCRY CC HISSICN BRANCH POSITICA - LCd-LE'/EL WASTE SURIAL GRCUND SITE CLOSURE AND STABILIZATION Lcw-Level '4aste Branch Backpreund Recent events have caused the staff to reassess the terms and condit?s of e
licenses that have been issued under 10 CFR Parts 30, 40, and 70 of NRC's regulations for disposal of mate-ials at icw-level waste burial grounds.
Licenses do not specifically address measures required to close and stabilize sites when cperations cease.
In the past, deccmissicning of all types of nuclear facilities was addressed only in.gsneral terms, if at all.
In recent years, decc=issioning of fuel cycle facilities, and particularly stabilization of uranium mili tailings, has been receiving increased regulatory attention. Most licenses for fuel cycle f aciliti s scecifically address deccmissioning. A Ccicrado State a
Univer'sity recort entitled, " Evaluation of L0nc-Term Stability of Uranium Mill Tailing Disposal Alternatives," was prepared in April,1973. The effectiveness and stability of varicus engineering designs for the tailings caps, embankments, liners, and water diversicn struccures were assessed against failure mcdes such as wind erosien, ficods, and settlement. 'Acrk such as this ccupied with extensive experience in working cut specific methcds fcr uranium mill tailings management centributes to both a conce::tual and cechnical base for for ulating cerfor ance objectives for site closure ant stabili:2ticn for shalicw land burial of packaged icw-levei wasta since the acti/ities and engi-neering are simila-in many respects.
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The Office of Standards Cavelectent, NRC, has a maj:r effert underway to develop cri:eria an standards for decomnissioning of all 'ypes of fuel cycle facilities. A comprehensive technical informat'on base is being developed by Battelle's Pacific Northwest Laboratory. Reports on'each type of fuei cycle
<<4 facility are being prepared. A report an deccmmissicning of Icw-levei waste burial grounds is scheduled to be comcleted later this spring. Althcugh the rescrt of this work is not concleted, information en alternative methodolcgies, proccdures, and costs required for site closure and stabilization has been develcced.
The NRC b.as underway the development of a specific regulatory prcgram for management of LLW. On October 25, 1973, NRC noticed, in the Federal Register, its intent to develoc a proposed new 10 CFR Par * $1 for LLW and invited advice, reccmmendations, and ccaments on the scoce Of the envircnmental impact statement for the new Part.
Site decc=missioning is intended to be an integral par cf the new regulations, currently scheduled to be published as a prccosed rule
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in late 1930.
Scecific events at the Sheffield, Illinois site hava However. necessitated develcpment of an interim 3 ranch ?csition befcre these regulatcry framewcrk efforts and technical base specific for burial grcunds are ccmcie ed.
Tcwards this end, the NRC staff has deveicped interim performance cbfcctives fcr LLW burial ground site cicsure and stabilization based on infccmation available at this time.
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s 5/17/79 Site closure and stabilization plans develoced to meet the cbjectives outlined below are intended to prepare the site for transfer tc a custodial government agency. The custodial agency or agencies will be needed until the site can be released for unrestricted use (usually a~fsw hundred years). The site m%
,4 cperator's responsibility and authority for possession 'Of buried wastes continues until the Ccamission finds that the plan established for precara-tion of the site for transfer to ancther person has been satisfactorily ccmoleted in a manner to reasonably assure protection of the public health and safety and takes action to terminate respor.sibility and authority under their license.
Position The staff recognizes that the site cicsure and stabiliza'icn program required at a site will vary depending on site or regicn specific parameters, such as gecicgy, hydrology, and climate as well as arrangements that may have been ccccluded between the licensee and site awrer. The acera:ing history of the burial grcund, site performance as shcwn by maintenance and mcnitoring ;rc-grams, site inventories, and anticipated future use of the site will alsc be iTpartant facters. The overall cbjective is to leave the site in a ccndition such tha* the need for active engoing mainten-is eliminated and only a
passive surveillance and moni:cring are recuired at tse ccin when the license is terminated.
Lcw-level waste burial grcund licensees shall develcc 1 site cicsure and
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stabi'ization plan that addresses, as a minimum, the folicwing cerformance objectives:
1.
Bury all waste in accordance with the recuirements of the license.
2.
Dismantle, decontaminate, as required and dispose of all structures, equi ment, and materials that are not to be trac;ferred to the custodial agency.
3.
Document the arrangements and the status of the arrangements for orderly transfer of site control and for long term care by the government custodian.
1 Also document tre. agreement, if any, of State or Federal governments to participate in, or acccmplish, any performance objective.
Specific funding arrangements to assure the availability of funds to complete the site closure and' stabilization plan must be made.
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Direct gamma radiation frca buried wastes shculd be essentially background.
5.
Cemonstr=te that the rate of release of radianuclides through air and grcund and surface water pa:nways are at or belcw accep able levels.
Accect2ble levels for water are those set fcrth in 1: C F0, ?ar; 20, Accendix E, at the site bcundry and EPA drinking water l'-'ts at the nearest water sucply. Acceptable levels for air are a s call fracticn cf these in 10 CFR Part 20, appendix 3.
The EPA enviccr. mental stand 2rc for disposal of Icw-level wastes shculd be used when available.
6.
Render the site suitable for surface activities during cus;; dial care.
Planced custodial care may be limited to activities such as vegetation control, minor maintenance, and envi creental mer tar g.
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5/17/79 of the site surface or activities such as parking lots may be planned.
Final conditions at tne site must be acceptable to the custodial agency and ccmpatable with its plans for the site.
7.
Cemonstrate that all trench bottcm elevations are above water table levels taking into account the complete history of seasonal fluctuations.
8.
Eliminate-the potential for erosion or loss of site or trencn integrity due to factors such as grounc'.sater, surface water, wind, subsidence, and frost actica.
For examole, an overall site surface water management system must be established for humid sites to drain rair.t.ater and sr. wmelt awayIIrem the burial trenches. All slopes must be sufficiently gentle to prevent slu.mping or gullying. The surface must be stabilized with estab-lished shorc rco:ed grass, rcck, riprap, or other measures. Trench caps mus,t be stabilized so that ercsicn, settling, or slumping cf caos dces not occur.
9.
Cemenstrate that trench markers are in :T ace, stable, and ke;.ed 0: benchmarks.
Icentifying information must be clearly and permanetly marked.
10.
Ccmpile and transfer to the custodial agency c m;leta recorcs of sita maintenance and stabilization activities, trench elevation and lcca:icr.s (in USGS c:cedinates), trench inventories, and Tcnitoring da:a f. use during custodial care for unexpected cor ective measures and data inter-p re ta ti o n.
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Es.ablish a buffer rene surecunding the site sufficien to cravide space to stabilize sloces, incorporate surface water management features, assure that future excavations on adjcining areas would not ccmpromise trench or site integrity, and provide working scace for unexpected mitigating measures in the future. The buffer :cne must
-u-a-also be transferred to the custodial agency.
The width cf the buffer zone will be determined on a site specific basis.
The buffer :cne may generally be less than 3C0 feet.
12.
Provide a secure passive site security system (e.g. a fence) that recuires minimum maintenance.
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Stabilize the site in a manner to minimize environmental.m:nitoring requirements for the icng-term custodial phase and develao a meni cring program based en the stabilizatica plan for imclementa-icn by the custodiai agency.
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Investigate the causes of any statis-ical inc eases in em.i crmen al samples which have occurred during operation ar.J stabilization.
- n particular, any evidence of unusual or ur.cxcected ra:es cr levels of radiccuclice migration in or with the groundwater must be araly:ad and corrective measures imolemented.
15.
Eliminate the need for active water management measures, such as same or trencn pumcing and treatment of the water to assure tnac wastes are
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5/17/79 preferred. Engineered methods of interce ting contamir.ated grounc. tater or diverting groundwater shculd also be cassive.
15.
Evaluate present and :cned activities on adjoining areas to determine their impact on the lcrg-term performance of the site and take reasonable
-.w action to minimize the effects. Staff recognize that these $ctions would normally be limi ad to areas under control of the licensee.
Imol emen ta tion All objectives will be considered and satisfied to the extent cracticable during the review of requests fcr burial grcund ccerating license terminatiur.
Existir.g' licenses will be amended to add conditions requiring submittal o r site closure and stabilizaticn plans and explici: requiremen s for sa:f: actory completion of the plan before the license can be ter~inated and -he ma:arial buried at the site transferred t0 custodial gover ment care.
New a:;licanta will be recuired to submit preliminary site closure and stabili:2-i:n ;lans as part of the initial application.
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