ML19342C518

Provides Revised Versions of Responses to Comments Based on NRC Staff Review

ML19342C518
Person / Time
Issue date:	09/17/1993
From:	Weber M NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS)
To:	Bonanno G ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
References
NUDOCS 9309280192
Download: ML19342C518 (4)

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l SEP 171993 l

Ms. Gail C. Bonanno l

Office of Radiation and Indoor Air Mail Code 6602J l

U.S. Environmental Protection ncy 401 M Street, S.W.

Washington, DC 20460 Dear M Bonanno:

1 I tr responding to your Septemeer 2, 1993 note to me regarding the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) draft responses to comments on the proposed amendments to 40 CFR Part 192.

Enc osure 1 provides revised versions of the two responses to comments based or Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff review. provides a descript an of the status of each site listed in Attachment A of the October 1991 Memot andum of Understanding between EPA, NRC, and the States of Colorado, Texas, and Washingt;n Concerning Clean Air Act Standards for Radon Releases from Uraaium Mill failings, Subparts T and W, 40 CFR Part 61.

If you have any questions, please contact me at (301) 504-1298.

Sincerely, ORONAt.SGNr0 gy Michael F. Weber, Section Leader i

Decommissioning and Regulatory Issues Branch Division of Low-Level Waste Management and Decommissioning i

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards I

Enclosures:

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Responses to Comments 2.

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~h DRAFT RESPONSES TO COMMENTS a

NRC MARK-UP September 17, 1993 l

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NRC Regulatory Scheme j

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Response

EPA is conducting a separate rulemaking on the issue of rescission l

of the CAA radionuclide ':ESHAP at 40 CFP 61 Subpart T, and the adequacy of 'thi existing NRC regulatory program as a basis for such rescission will be i

addressed in that rulemaking.

For a discussion of EPA's view on whether the current NRC regulatory program protects the public health with an T,p1&dequat+ margin of safety, and would thus support rescission of subpart as Tse EPA's EPA'if. fisi13. proposal to rescind subpart T, 56 FR 67561 (December 3.,1991).

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. 0si.tT6hG:= cat; on the adequacy of the current NRC regulatory l

rulemaking, :nd Orc not rchvant to thh rulem: king.

l EPA does not believe that NRC's current regulations at 10 CFR Part 40 and Appendix A BffPiFtf40 adequately address EPA's concerns on timing and monitoring toithE3effeelneeded!to?s6pp6EtWEsdissT6dfdffiO6pRfd.

40 CFR~192"SbbparCD and NRC's l

the f:ihrc^6f'S6th EPA'sUMTRCA"r6gulatid6s~(s'itI6ffisi/Efijby 5))Ei^ffEIdifyi implementing regulations did!not?FequifelplsEe e

oMErlfidatl6hMhatfad'6n]fluxithrough the[ covers /megthefflhx[sstandird{C i

eddre:: Th'ese is m s-ea+ lead to EPA's promulgation of thi CAA~NESHAP^at 40 CFR 61 SUbpart T.

EPA promulgated subpart T in 19p9 to address the timing issue and provide for verification of the 20 pCi/m -s flux standard, noting that "(S)ome piles have remained uncovered for decades emitting radon.

(A)lthough recent action has been taken to move toward disposal of these piles, some of them may still remain uncovered for years" (54 FR 51683, December 15, 1989).

Although commenters suggest that 10 CFR sections 40.63,40.42(c)(2)(iv),

(1) and (iii) adequately address EPA's timing and monitoring concerns, neither EPA's general standards nor NRC's implementing criteria compel sites to proceed toward final closure by a certain date. Moreover, EM believe: that neither EPA's general UMTRCA regulations, nor NRC's implementing criteria j

require appropriate monitoring to demonstrate the efficacy of the closure 2

design to ensure compliance with the 20 pCi/'m -s standard.

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l 11.2 Provisions for the Impacts of Flooding at the Sites Resoonse: The M00 and this rule are directed to timely compliance with the 20 pC1/m',s flux standard and not erosion pF6tictisti and gro,undwater remediation.

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finding that th-N"C progr;: prctcct; the public health with--:n ::p'c : rgin Of :

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advance timely compliance with the 20 pCi/m -s standard, e.g. installation of erosion protection and groundwater corrective actions, are not relevant to the (radon) tailings closure plans and are nat the subject of this action.

EPA does not intend today's amendments of subpart D to address groundwater and erosion protection concerns and, in addition, understands that no ncnop rational uranium mill tailings disposal site was in jeopardy due to the recent flooding in the Midwest.

Furthermore, EPA understands that the saghitsds? kind af floods considered by the NRC are based upon : design b:: S ficc~d^, i.'E.the probable maximum flood, or : reci-itative event i.e.the

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Status of Reclamation Plans for Non-Operational Uranium Mill Tailings Impoundments'

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t September 21, 1993 i

facihty Approval Date Target Date for 1

of Reclamation Plar.

Final Cover ANC. Gas Hills, %Y 4/10/83 1995 i

ARCO Coal, Bluemater, NM 1/30/92 1995 j

Atlas, Moab, UT 8

1996 Conoco. Conquista. TX 9/8/93 1996 Ford-Dawn Mining, Ford, W A Operational 2010 t

Hecla Mming, Dunta, CO Complete by 9/30/93 1997 Homestake, Milan, NM 7/23/93 1996/2001' Pathfinder-Lucky Me, Gas Hills, WY Complete by 9/ 80/93 1998 Petrotomics, Shirley Basin, %T 10/23/89 1995 Quivira. Ambrosia 12Le NM 10/5/90 1997 Rio Algom. Lisbon. ITT Complete by 9/30/93 1996 Schio L-Bar, Cchollets, NM 5/1/89 1992 UMETCO, Gas Hills. %T Various - Early 1980s 1995 l

UMETCO, Maybe11. CO 7/30/93 1997 UMETCO, Ursvan. CO 12/31/87 2002 UNC. Church Rock, NM 3/11/92 1997 Union Pacific, Bear Creek, %T 4/3/92 1996 WNI Sherwood, WA Complete by 9/30/93 1996 WNI Spht Rock WT 6/17/93 1995

'NRC and the affected Agreement States committed to complete review and approval of detailed reclamation plans, including schedules for emplacement of earthen covers on non-operational tailings impoundments by September 30, 1993.

2Delayed pending resolution of issues under National Environmental Policy Act.

3Two impoundments; large impoundment to be completed by 1996, small impoundment by 2001 1

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