ML19339C879
| ML19339C879 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Browns Ferry  |
| Issue date: | 02/09/1981 |
| From: | Bickwit L NRC OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL (OGC) |
| To: | Allen J AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8102120191 | |
| Download: ML19339C879 (4) | |
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ebruary 9, 98.,
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Ms. June Allen 1105-C Olive Street Greensboro, North Carolina 27401
Dear Ms. Allen:
This is in response to your request for information regarding TIA's program for managing low-level radicactive waste at the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant.
As you know, sometime after your letter TVA modified its proposal to request a license anend.ent to permit the storage of low-level radioactive waste at Browns Ferry for five years.
That proposal has prompted the NRC staff to propose a com-prehensive approach to NRC licensing of the storage of low-level radioactive wastes at reactor sites.
A copy of staff's proposal was sent to you in December 1980.
Because the Cc= mission has not responded to staff's proposal, I cannot cc=pletely answer all of your questions at this time.
Turning now to your specific questions, I have the following com-ments:
1.
Ms. Ruth Jurenko's letter of April 22, 1980 was answered by Mr. Novu's letter of June 25, 1980.
2.
The Co==ission is currently considering the issue of NRC approval prior to initiation of construction of a disposal facility at a reactor site.
3 The NRC has not formally commented on TIA's Environmental Assessment.
h.
An Environmental Assessment addresses potential environmental impacts.
A finding of significant hazards consideration relates to certain rights to notice of opportunity for hearing on safety matters arising under the Atomic Energy Act.
Such a finding would be i==aterial with regard to TVA's proposal for a license amendment because a notice of opportunity for hearing has been issued.
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No regulations have been developed that are uniquely applicable to low-level waste treatment and s:crage at a reac ';;r site, with the possible exceptions of portiens of 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix A, Criterien 60 and 10 CFR 20.305.
Rather, NRC regulations applicable Oc classes of licensed activities would apply. For the case in which an amendment to the existing reacter license would be appropriate, provisions of 10 CFR Part 50 would also apply.
Any radioactive releases from waste stcrage facilities would also have to meet the Environ = ental Protection Agency's require =ents in 40 CFR Part 190.
5.
By letter dated July 27, 1979, Niagara kchaJk ?cwer Corperation advised us that the radwaste volume reducticn system propbsed for Nine Mile Poin Unit No. I was being deferred pending reevaluaticn of the system.
Licensing action en the applica-tien is in abeyance.
7.
We understand that TVA has a contract with Newsport News Industrial Corporation regarding design, develcpment and pre-curement of an incinerater for their Yellew Creek Plant.
NRC approval is not required for centracts such as this.
TVA has not submitted any amendment to their ?SAR cr application for approval regarding an incineratcr for Yellow, Creek; they currently plan to include such a request in the 1pplication for an operating license for Yellcw Creek.
S.
See the respense to questien 2.
l 9
The ten ec==ents by the Region II office of EPA were on the topical report dated June 24, 1977 submitted by Newport News Industrial Corporation (NNI).
The co==ents generally related to clarification, additional information or additional justi-l fication that EPA concluded shculd be in the report.
At the time, NNI stated they were planning to revise the tcpical l
report following completion of additienal test pregrams.
As a l
result, NRC review of the tepical report has been in the l
abeyance for the past 18 months.
l Sincerely, c._
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l leonard Bickwit, Jr.
i General Counsel i
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June 25, 1980
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..~1 Docket Nos.30-259 y,,
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Ms. Ruth C. Jurenko
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Dear Ms. Jurenko:
Reference is made to your letter of April 22, 1980 regarding management of. low-level waste at Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant.
TVA has advised us that "our ultimate objective is to provide for the onsite storage of all low-level radioactive waste generated by each of TVA's nuclear plants and to provide this storage tnrough the plant life." The plan for providing s:crage for all icw-level radioactive waste from all TVA nuclear plants has the foilewing three i
key points:
1.
Design and construct te=corary onsite stcrage facilities, if required.
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Design and construct permanent (life of the plant) onsite low-2.
l level radioactive waste storage facilities at each nuclear 7
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l plant site.
3.
Design and construct low-level radioactive waste volume reduction / solidification facilities at each nuclear plant site.
The first step - design and construction of temporary ensite storage facilities has been completed.
In response to ?/A's application of January 21, 1980, on March 17, 1980, the staff amended the licensees for Browns Ferry Units 1, 2 and 3 to authorize TVA to stcre low-level waste onsite for a period of up to two years.
The waste to be stored will be primarily dry, comoacted trash with icw specific activity.
The waste will be stored in an existing building, located onsite, which has been codified by the addition of concrete curbs, enclosed sumps, steel grating shield walls, and additional security fencing.
5y the end of the two year period, TVA is required to remove all the metal drums and containers frca the building.
Under the provisions of 10 CFR 50.59, TVA has also modified the concenser pullout area adjacent to the east wall of the Uni: 3 turbine building to store up to 50 liners containing radioactive spent ion exchange resin.
To date, neither of these temcoray storaga facilities have been used.
TVA hes been acle to ship all low-level waste generated at Browns Ferry to Sarnwell, Scuth Carolina for disposal.
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' June 25,1980 As a Federal agency, TVA is subject to the requirements of NEPA. On February 28, 1980, TVA issued a programatic environmental assessment on their conceptual low-level radioactive waste management plans for Brcwns Ferry, including both long-term storage and eventually volume reduction by incineration.
The environmental assessment was prepared to obtain project approval from the TVA Board of Directors.
We under-stand that you have copies of this assessment.
As you probably noted from the environmental assessment, to implement the long-range plans, TVA proposes to ecnstruct two facilities ensite -
a storage facility and a processing f acility.
The proposed storage building will be used only for stcrage of low-level waste which is drummed or packaged in the plant.
Aside from hancling the containers, there will be no processing or treatment of the waste in the storage buildi ng.
The processing facility would be an addition to the existing Radwaste building and is primarily intended to house a volume reduction and solidification system designed to incinerate low-level waste.
Your letter requested that there be a public hearing and environmental impact statement on the incineration f acility.
TVA aavises us that their proposal schedule is to cocplete construction of the building by the summer of 1984 and to have the incinerator cperational by 1985.
Cocnissiion Regulations (10 CFR 20.305) specifically require NRC approval for incineration. TVA is evaluating several incinerator -
designs but they have not requested bics on such ecuipment.
Cons e-quently, no target date has been established by TVA for submission of an application for approval of incineration.
When we re'ceive arr application 'rege'rdfTig incineration, we expect to publish a notice of proposal action pursuant to ! 2.105 of the Cornns-ssion's regulations..in a proceeding involving a licensing action, any person such as yourself who can demonstrate that his or her j
l interest may be affected, can reouest a hearing.- Until we receive an apolication regarding the incinera: ton f acility, it would be premature to decide whether an environmental impact statement or environmental icpact appraisal is indicated.
We expect to perform an environmental assessment which will determine the form in which the evaluation will be issued.
The :rincipal regulations that wculd be involved in the design of the facility would be the requirements in :ne Code of Federal Regulations, 10 CFR Par: 20, regarding allowable raciation execsures and effluent eleases,10 CFR Part 30 regarding licensing cf byproduct material and l
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3-June 25, 1980 10 CFR Part 50, Appendix A, General Design Criteria 60 and 64.
Copies of these NRC regulations are enclosed.
Waste treatment or disposal by incineration is specifically addressed in 10 CFR Part 20.305.
Any radio-active releases from waste storage facilities would also have to meet the Environmental Protection Agency requirements in 40 CFR Part 190, as well as the Corr.ission's Appendix I to 10 CFR Part 50.
Sincerely,
/?" f Theras M. Novak, Assistant Director for Operating Reactors Division of Licensing
Enclosures:
1.
10 CFR ? art 50, Appendix A 4.
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Er. Harold H. D :nkn hf Q
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Dear Mr. Denton 4
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The purpose of this letter is to request that there i
be a public hearing and environmental imoset statement l
on the proposed $71 million low level waste facility i
for co=paction and incineration of loir level waste at the T74.3rowns Ferry Plant.
The Bantarille branch of the American Association 1
of University Tecien (AAUW) has been exploring energy-
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related issues in a study group called Crosstalk. The 8
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i machers of that group believe that the public, the i
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utility, and the 3BC need a public hearing preceded by
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an environmental impact statement before such a facility i
is experimentally installed at 3rowns Ferry.
Would you be kind encugh to a and us a copy of the 3R0 regulations which cover the requirements for con-gi191/ 4 i
sthletion and operation of such a facility?
.g USNRC
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t MAY 91980
- q Thank you for your consideration.
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Tours truly.
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Dachating A 3andse i!.
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- Cor:=is s ioners (Mrs.) Buth C..Turenko AAUW Crosstalk Chairman Mailing Address:
Second Tice-President Alabama Division AAC"7 5715 Criner Hosd l
oF 2:staville, AL 35802 p pE j
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FROM THE DESK OF m'
Settecbur 19, 1980 gguejf JUNE All!N 4:W Ne
Dear Senator Stexart:
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the llc General Counsel fro Y
the !!antsville branch of the s
American Associktion of Uniser-y, O, 3 s ',0 si ty M omen ( AAU'.'t).
Since four months have nor passed, se be-j Lieve your assistancs to be a t: ropria t e.
t oJ 1( you aisc.lehde as,;
for a e c py o f.h
..1111a= wirc.;s '
re '. I V t o.htC Co::is sioner Brad-
!crd's June 2, 1960 re,uest to
..i: fcr a sut:;kry of T.'A ' s :. l a n s lov-level unstr. sornLe ar.c.
incineration at
.ro r. 5 ?erry.
I A res: anse s.as requested by June
- 13. lybc.
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Thans; you for your i:inci assistance.
Sincer:1v.
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(.u of s L. r.sne rresely.. emen tn May lb 1960 l'r. Leous.rd 31ckrit a
Ge=eral Cc :sel
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U. S. Nuclec Regalatory C==issic:
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Oes.: Mr. 31ctrit:
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m 70:ld you 21:11y clarify the f:llowing =a-ters in re9d to,,,, D1 g D f
the 3rew:s Fer:.- L:w Level 17aste I: i=eratio=, Cc=n= tie =1.and My
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Storare Fa:ility :::s: 17 u= der ec=structic: at that s ita."
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- 7. hat dispositic: has bee: =ade of a: 1p'ril 22 I W, request to 1.'r. Ear:1d Deste fer a =blic hea-ing a:d envir:::e::a1 L--act state =ert there::?
2.
Can such =a'cr constructic= be==dertaken on the site of three cperati g ressters with::t for=al a theri:atics by the Cc=:issic 7 2.
Oces the "EC *.cw Level "laste irs ch censider the e::.cseA-.,..a. :.. t.
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5.mm..a: a:y way m.
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as adequate and specific d::::ast i= supper: of the preposed stcrase, ec=pa::i =, cni 1::i=eratic=?
4.
- es the ASSESSUI-* suppert a fi= ding that =0 sig sift:z:: he.:ards are i:volved?
5.
7:ich S C retclati::s g:rer: rea:::r-site :::stra :1 :,
L.J.7 i= 1:eratic=, c= parti::, a:d s: Ora.; e7 6.
W:st dispcsitic: did 20 =ake cf the 51:e "ile ?cint lice =se asent:e : re::est cf 9 1-75 to us e the re=. crt News Radws.ste Hed:::1:= Syste=?
7.
What %ind of 20 zuth:ri:ati : T:: req;irci far the selectie: c f the re p:rt News syste= for 071's Yeller Creek.1a=:?
8.
Eas the C::=issic= ruled that it is ::t =e:essary for C71 to ap;17 for a=y %20 auth:ri:stic: prior :: b eg'--ing c -
site ec=st: :ctic: ef its $71 :11110: facility?
If :::,
h:w far ca: ce=str:: tie: legally prceeed?
9.
Has "20 resolved the seriens cc::er:s I?1 raised regar11:g waste incincratic: 1: 2a:1 Giardi a's letter to i'.. Oen c:
of Oc cber 24,197S?
Ce lo % forward to y::: ass iste::e.
d S! :erely, Mailing Ac. dress :
J: e ille:
412 Owens Drive Ucragi=g Rescurces Topic Chair =s-liu nt svi11 e, AL 33001 IEJ"", E2:03ville 3ra.ch g(>GQ I Q OD'd)IO bY
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