ML19339A261
| ML19339A261 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | West Valley Demonstration Project |
| Issue date: | 09/17/1980 |
| From: | Haughney C NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Gore A AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8011030458 | |
| Download: ML19339A261 (2) | |
Text
%
3 r-- p$ e -
j NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION UNITED STATES b
y
,,.M
- E WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 a
%.)[.. #
SEP 171560 Docket No. 50-201 Mr. A. L. Gore 225 East 79th Street New York, New York 10021
Dear Mr. Gore:
I am writing in response to your letter to President Carter as suggested by a letter from Mr. Michael J. Lawrence of the Department of Energy dated June 23, 1980.
I am the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) licensing project manager assigned to the West Valley case.
There are two burial grounds at the Western New York Nuclear Servict Center.
The facility burial ground is licensed by the NRC for the burial of solid waste generated as a result of reprocessing plant operations. There has been no known leakage or migration of any radionuclides from the facility burial ground. Burial of off-site ger.erated wastes in the fac*lity burial ground is not authorized.
The second burial ground at the Center is the commercial shallow land burial ground licensed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
This burial ground has been closed since 1975 following discovery of water leakage through the trench caps. As a result of this leakage, tritium had been detected in small on-site streams adjacent to the b'urial ground.
Other isotopes, including plutonium, have not been determined to have leaked from the connercial burial ground.
As an initial solution to the trench cap leakage problem, the water accumulating in the trenches has been processed in the reprocessing plant's low Level Waste Treatment Plant prior to release.
In addition, a maintenance program to minimize desication cracking in the trench caps has been undertaken..This program has consisted of the placement of additional soil cover on the trench caps, further compaction of the thicker caps and the establishment of a good, tight vegetation cover.
Finally, a research program undertaken by the New York State Geological Survey and assisted by the United States Geological Survey has been examining long-tenn considerations including erosion rates and radionuclide migration potential.
Thus, the burial grounds are receiving substantial surveil-lance, monitoring and maintenance through the efforts of responsible federal and state agencies as well as the site operator.
~
4
...a
= = =. = =.
-=.4-
-**..*e=w
p.
SEP 171980 Mr. A. L. Gore Because of your interest in West Valley, I am enclosing a copy of the NRC staff's Interim Safety Evaluation which discusses safety aspects of the site. Please do not hesitate to contact me again if I can be of any further assistance in this matter.
Sincerely, o
PA Charles J. Haughney Advanced Fuel and Spent Fue Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Cycle and Material Safety
Enclosure:
Interim Safety Evaluation I.
dated August 1977 cc:
M. J. Lawrence, Department of Energy I
m O
- ~.
m.
L
. - _.... _.,, _