ML20008F297
| ML20008F297 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 02/20/1981 |
| From: | Scarano R NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Luscher C INTERIOR, DEPT. OF, BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT |
| References | |
| REF-WM-20 NUDOCS 8103120780 | |
| Download: ML20008F297 (2) | |
Text
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WJR:WM-20 Mr. Charles W. Luscher Acting State Director Bureau of Land Management U. S. Department of the Interior 1600 Broadway Denver, Colorado 80202
Dear Mr. Luscher:
This letter is in response to your January 20, 1981, letter to Chairman Ahearne concerning the Pioneer-Uravan, Inc. proposed project in Colorado. You attached a copy of the !!ational Wildlife Federation coments related to the Bureau of Land Management (DLM) draft Environm5ntal Assessment for the Pioneer project and requested information' to assist in responding to these corraents.
The following infornation is offered in response to your specific questions:
1.
The proposed Pioneer-Uravan plant differs from the nodel mill evaluated in the Generic Environmental Impact Statement on Uranium Milling (GEIS - !:UP.EG-0705, Enclosure 1) in several respects.
Some examples of these differences include:
the mill capacity of the proposed Pioneer facility is only a little over one half of the capacity of the model mill evaluated in the GEIS; the estimated average ore grade for the Pioneer mill is 0.16% as opposed to 0.10% for the model nill; and the mill process proposed for the Pioneer project involves belt filtration dewatering of the tailings, therefore, the tails will be disposed of in a " dry" state as opposed to the tailings being discharged from the model nill in slurry form.
2.
The environmental impacts associated with the proposed Pioneer project are evaluated in liRC's technical assistance report submitted to the Colorado Department of Health (Enclosure 2).
This report, although limited in scope, includes a complete radiological assessment and an analysis of, and recorrnendations
- concerning, the proposed and alternative tailings management programs.
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3.
ItRC's GEIS on uranium milling pmvides the basis for the
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regulations which were issued on October 3,1980 (Enclosure 3).
The technical assistance evaluation which !!RC provided to the State, was conducted in tems of these regulations. Although the analysis in the GEIS was obviously perfomed on a generic basis and site specific reviews will generally be necessary for licensing actions associated with uranium mills, the methodology and infomation contained in this document can and should be extrapolated where appropriate.
- trust this infomation is responsive to your request; however, if I can be of any assistance in the future, please contact me.
Sincerel.
,oss A. S'carano. Chief Uranium Recovery Licensing Branch Division of Waste Management Esc 1:sures:
1.
Fir.a1 Generic Environmental Impact Shtement on Uranium Milling
(!!UREG-0706) 1.
- RC Technical Assistance Report on San Miguel Uranium Project 3.
F.egulations: Uranium Mill Licensing Requirements b