ML19333B890
| ML19333B890 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | WM-00110 |
| Issue date: | 12/09/2019 |
| From: | Douglas Mandeville Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery and Waste Programs |
| To: | Vontill B Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery and Waste Programs |
| D MANDEVILLE DUWP | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19333B886 | List: |
| References | |
| Download: ML19333B890 (5) | |
Text
UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 December 9, 2019 MEMORANDUM TO: Bill Von Till, Chief Uranium Recovery and Materials Decommissioning Branch Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery and Waste Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards FROM: Douglas Mandeville, Sr. Project Manager Uranium Recovery Licensing Branch Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery and Waste Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF NOVEMBER 26, 2019, MEETING WITH DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY - MOAB PROJECT On November 26, 2019, U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff met with representatives from the Department of Energy (DOE) Moab Project. The purpose of the meeting was for DOE to provide an update on the status of the project and discuss supplemental analysis reports and the potential redesign of the cover system at Crescent Junction. The list of attendees; meeting agenda; meeting summary; and DOEs presentation are enclosed.
Docket Numbers: WM-00110
Enclosures:
- 1. Meeting Summary
- 2. Meeting Attendees
- 3. Meeting Agenda
- 4. DOE Presentation cc: Meeting Attendees (via e-mail)
CONTACT: Douglas Mandeville, NMSS/DUWP (301) 415-0724
B. Von Till 2
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
OF NOVEMBER 26, 2019, MEETING WITH POWER RESOURCES, INC. DATE: December 9, 2019 DISTRIBUTION:
B. Pham, T. Holahan ADAMS Accession Number: ML19333B886 OFFICE DUWP NAME DMandeville DATE 12/9/19 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
MEETING
SUMMARY
DATE: November 26, 2019 TIME: 2:00 p.m. to 3:35 p.m.
PLACE: Teleconference (NRC staff participating from T4A73)
PURPOSE: Discuss the status of the Moab project and future activities, including a potential re-design of the cover system at Crescent Junction.
ATTENDEES:
See List of Attendees (Enclosure 2).
BACKGROUND:
The Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management, (DOE-EM) is currently performing remedial activities at the Moab Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) site just outside of Moab, Utah. DOE-EM is performing these activities under a Remedial Action Plan (RAP) that was reviewed and concurred on the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in July 2008. As of October 2019, DOE-EM has relocated approximately 10 million tons of residual radioactive material (RRM, or tailings) from Moab to the disposal cell at Crescent Junction, Utah.
DISCUSSION:
NRC staff read the opening statement for the meeting. NRC staff also reviewed the agenda for the meeting (Enclosure 3). Attendees of the meeting were asked to identify themselves.
Russell McCallister (DOE) provided an update on the status of the Moab project. Key points from the status update were as follows:
- In September 2019, DOE reached the milestone of 10 million tons of RRM shipped to Crescent Junction.
- DOE is currently shipping RRM 4 days a week by train.
- DOE staff has worked more than 1,170 days without a lost time injury.
- DOE began ground water remediation in 2003. Major contaminants removed from the site are ammonia and uranium. DOE is working to test an innovative ground water remediation technique for stabilization of uranium. DOE has tested the technique at the Old Rifle site. The ground water remediation technique at Old Rifle involved injection of calcium citrate and sodium phosphate.
- DOE is engaging with the community on the future use of the Moab project site.
- DOE is engaged in ongoing discussions with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regarding supplemental standards applications for two BLM properties adjacent to the Moab site.
- As of September 30, 2019, DOE has placed approximately 114,000 cubic yards of Enclosure 1
interim cover over the RRM at Crescent Junction.
- DOE is considering a revision to the RAP for Moab to construct an evapotranspiration (ET) cover instead of a rock cover at Crescent Junction. ET covers are composed of rock and soil and are topped with vegetation.
- DOE is also considering deepening the Crescent Junction disposal cell to reduce the overall footprint.
- DOE is in the process of preparing a Supplemental Analysis (SA) analyzing the environmental impacts associated with increasing the quantity of RRM to relocate to Crescent Junction from 11.9 to 16 million tons and extending the life of the project from 16 to 19 years.
- Interim Completion Report Addendum I for the Crescent Junction disposal cell is in preparation by DOE. DOE anticipates submission of this report to the NRC in early 2020.
After providing the status update for the Moab project, Russell McCallister proceeded with a slide presentation that contained an overview of the alternative cover and other design change considerations for the Crescent Junction disposal cell. A copy of the slides is provided in .
Mr. McCallister completed his presentation around 3:20 p.m. and the NRC staff provided members of the public with the opportunity to ask questions.
Questions from the Public Ms. Fields, Uranium Watch, commented that Energy Fuels White Mesa (EFWM) is constructing an ET cover on Cell 2 and that EFWMs efforts may be worth following. Ms. Fields also sought clarification on the potential use of ET covers at abandoned mine sites located on the Navajo Nation. Mr. Dwyer commented that EPA is encouraging the use of ET covers at those sites.
Mr. Von Koch, Grand County UMTRA Liason, commented that DOE could save money on the Moab project by not having to procure and ship rock to Crescent Junction and that DOE could potentially use the savings to expedite completion of the project.
ACTION ITEMS:
The NRC staff identified the following action items during the meeting:
- DOE and NRC will review the 1990 MOU, as well as the 1996 update to determine if it is still relevant and provides a useful framework for interactions related to the revision to the RAP. DOE and NRC will review the MOU and any updates and further discuss this issue in 2020.
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- Mr. McCallister asked for clarity on the potential timeframe for the NRC staff to review and concur on a revision to the RAP. NRC staff reviewed the timeframe for its review and concurrence on the original Moab RAP. DOE submitted the draft RAP in August 2006 and NRC staff concurred on the final RAP in late July 2008. The RAP revisions DOE is considering would be limited in scope and would likely require a limited review for the NRC staff. For planning purposes, one year would be a reasonable time to plan for the NRC staffs review. NRC staff recognizes that interactions prior to submittal of the revised RAP and timely resolution of issues identified by the NRC will be critical to the review.
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