ML20041C048
| ML20041C048 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 01/29/1982 |
| From: | Scarano R NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Martin J NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| References | |
| REF-WM-40 NUDOCS 8202260088 | |
| Download: ML20041C048 (4) | |
Text
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DISTRIBUTION WMUR w/f WMUR /f 40/MNE/82/01/26/0 ro,ect_40 jg 2 9 1982 WM r/f NMSS r/f
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'GEadie,ill WMUR:WM-40 HPetteng RS o
MEMORANDUM FOR:
John B. Martin, Director g
Bp Division of Waste Management g.y.
a FROM:
Ross A. Scarano, Chief c&g 4
Uranium Recovery Licensing Branch JMardiji' N
Division of Waste Management
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SUBJECT:
F' TATUS REPORT - EDGEMONT CLEANUP. PROGRAM x
The NRC has contracted with the Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories (PNL) to conduct radiological surveys to determine the extent of usage of uranium mill tailings at off-site properties in the vicinity of Edgemont, South Dakota.
To date, PNL has performed extensive collection and analysis of radon progeny sanples, gamma radiation surveys and soil sampling.
PNL has also been tasked to complete engineering assessments as warranted, and to propose the extent of needed remedial action (i.e.,
the cleanup of residual radioactive materials).
One methodology for proposing remedial action will be comparison to interim. standards promulgated by the U.S. EPA (40 CFR 192
" Proposed Cleanup Standards for Inactive Uranium Processing Sites") which became, effective June 21, 1980.
The EPA has estimated that its final cleanup standards pill not be promulgated before early 1983; hence, until such'finaljstandards are.
available, the PRC will designate those properties requiring remedial action based on the interim EPA standards.
i summarizes the resultsiof the PNL radiological surveys throuqh December, 1981.
In sum, 96 out of 636 structures and 10 out of 138 vacant lots surveyed to date fail to meet the interim' EPA standards due to gamma radiation levels greater than 20pR/hr above background oc radium-226 in soil content greater than SpCi/g.
At least 356 structures still require long-term radon progeny sampling in order to compare their annual average Working Level to the EPA's criterion of 0.015 WL, (including background).
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40/MNE/82/01/26/0 g 7g g Gamma radiation surveys have been completed at 138 vacant residential i
lots out of-the 145 lots for which survey requests have been received.
(The number of lots has been changed in this report as compared to j
previous reports due to the reclassification of tracts (i.e., equal to 16 i
_ lots) now being considered as a one owner block (i.e., equal to one large l
lot).) PNL is continuing to conduct these gamma surveys; but because of l
the weather and of the emphasis of completing all required engineering assessments (EA) as soon as possible, PNL will not be able to complete all requested lot surveys until the Spring of 1982.
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I PNL has also completed the additional field radiological survey required for an engineering assessment on 93 properties.
On the basis of those surveys, a total of 45 properties have been identified which have l
" residual radioactivity" which produces radiation levels in excess of the interim EPA gam.4 radiation or radium in soil standards (i.e.,
j 4
40 CFR 192).
i The length of time required to complete all necessary radiological surveys is complicated by the need to perform long-term (annual) radon j
l progeny sampling at 356 structures.
In order to investigate the possibility of eliminating the need for these long-term RPISU
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measurements to determine the annual average Working Level, PNL has prepared a protocol for a " mini-EA." This procedure has been tested at f
31 properties at'which no residual radioactivity has been found thereby eliminating the need to perform long-term radon progeny sampling at any i
of these properties.
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Due to the severe winter in Edgemont, PNL will not keep a field team of f
scientists in Edgemont to complete the remaining radiological' surveys and-j engineering assessments at this time.
However, it~is anticipated that
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all required radiological field work, except for the long-term radon j
j progeny monitoring, will be completed during the Summer of-1982.
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l In the last report it was noted that all requested U.S. Department of i
4 Housing and Urban Development (HUD) surveys had been completed.
The HUD i
criteria are less restrictive than those put forth by EPA and require i
that grab Working Level sampling be conducted in any structure and gamma r
surveys of vacant lots be performed in Edgemont before federal financial
. assistance will be approved.
At the request of HUD and the State, the j-NRC has instructed PNL to conduct these surveys.
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40/MNE/82/01/26/0 JAN 2 9 19W Recently, at the request of NRC, PNL made an extensive effort to contact all property owners who had previously refused the offer of free surveys.
As a result, 75 more property owners requested surveys and all but 22 of these additional surveys have been completed in Edgemont.
Results to date indicate that 68 structures fail the HUD criterion of having less i
than 0.033 WL (i.e., 0.02 Weighted Working Levels) and 7 lots fail the HUD criterion that vacant land have an average background gamma radiation level of less than 14.5pR/hr.
Engineering assessments have been completed at the 68 structures but the 7 lots will not be completed until the weather improves this Spring, 1982.
Original Signed by:
J. J. Linehen
'&vRoss A. Scarano, Chief 3
i Uranium Recovery Licensing Branch V Division of Waste Management
Enclosure:
Summary of Findings DIST:
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NAME : GEad eh
- HPettengill :
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DATE :82/0 29
- 82/01/ N
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e Edgemont-Cleanup-Action-Program Summary of Findings as of December,1981 Number of Structures in Town 707 Number of Structures Requesting Surveys 636 Number of Structures Still Requiring Surveys 22 Number of Structures Passing EPA's Gamma Radiation and Rcdium in Soil Interim Cleanup Standards (40 CFR 192)*
and Co Not Require Long-Term Progeny Sampling 126 Number of Structures Failing EPA's Gamma Radiation and Radium in Soil Interim Cleanup Standards (40 CFR 192)*
96 Engineering Assessments Completed 93 Structures Requiring Remedial Actions 45 Number of Structures Requiring Long-Term Radon Progeny Sampling for Comparison to EPA's Working Level Standard 356 Number of Vacant Lots in Town **
223 Number of Vacant Lots Requesting Surveys **
145 Number of Vacant Lots Passing EPA's Interim Cleanup Standards (40 CFR 192)*
12; Number of Vacant Lots Failing EPA's Interim Cleanup Standards (40 CFR 192)*
10 Number of Vacant Lots Remaining To Be Surveyed 7
- EPA's Interim Cleanup Criteria (40 CFR 192) became effective June 21, 1980 and requires radium-226 in Fril to be less than SpCi/g, gamma radiation to be less than 20pR/hr above background, and the annual average Working Level to be less than 0.015 WL including background.
- The number of lots has been changed in this report as compared to previous reports due to the reclassification of tracts (i.e., equal to 16 lots) now being considered as a one owner block (i.e., equal to one large lot).
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