ML20042F854
| ML20042F854 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 04/16/1990 |
| From: | Taylor J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Bentsen L SENATE |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20042F855 | List: |
| References | |
| FRN-53FR49886, RULE-PR-CHP1 CCS, NUDOCS 9005100082 | |
| Download: ML20042F854 (2) | |
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UMTED STATES l
,g NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 7,
j WASHINGTON D. C. 20666 4
April 16,1990 The Honorable Lloyd Bentsen United States Senator 961 Federal Building Austin, Texas 78701
Dear Senator Bentsen:
s I am responding to your letter of March 22, 1990, which requested our consideration of. issues raised by your constituents, Messrs. Harry W. Bates and Bill Jackson and Mrs. Beverly McLaughlin.. Their concerns involve the disposal of low-level radioactive wastes, and, in particular, those wastes characterized as "below regulatory concern" or "BRC."
t I would first note that the Nuclear Regulatory Comission (NRC) has not waste (LLW) y proposed regulations which would allow disposal of low-level published an 25 under the BRC provisions of the low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy AmendmentsActof1985(Pub.L.99-240).
However, the Act directed the NRC to
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... establish standards and procedures... and develop the technical capt.bility for considering and acting upon petitions to exempt specific radioactive waste streams from regulation... due to the presence of radionuclides in such waste sti.ams in sufficiently low concentrations or l
quantities as to be below regulatory concern."
In response to the legislation, l
NRC developed and published in-1986, a Statement of Policy and Procedures which outlines the criteria for considering such petitions.
I have enclosed a copy of the statement which you may find.useful in responding to your constituents (Enclosure 1). We are aware that the nation's nuclear power utilities are preparing such a petition but, to date, this petition has not been submitted to us.
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Besides our 15d policy the Comission continues to be active in pursuing the development of a policy that would identify the principles and criteria that govern Comission decisions which could exempt radioactive material from some or all regulatory controls. This policy, although applicable to BRC waste disposal, would also provide the basis for decomissioning decisions involving the release of lands, structures, or recycled materials for ~ unrestricted use as l
well as decisions regarding' consumer prcduct exemptions. is a copy of the advance notice published in the Federal Register in December 1988. We believe the nation's best interests would be served by a policy that establishes I
a consistent risk framework within which exemption decisions can be made with assurance that human health and the environment are protected. Such a policy would also contribute to the focusing of our limited national resources on l
thote risks with greatest potential impact on public health and safety.
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f Th'e Honorable Lloyd Bentsen 2
In addressing your constituents' general concerns on the dangers of radiation, I I
would point out that any LLW considered to be "below regulatory concern" under the provisions of Pub. L.99-240 would only involve materials with the lowest-levels of radioactivity content.
In fact, the level of_ radioactivity for some potential BRC wastes may be such a small fraction of natural background radiation that it may not be readily detectable.
1 It may be.also helpful to summarize the typical exposures which we all routinely receive from a variety of sources of radiation. -These exposures occur from radiation that is natural in origin as well as from sources which involve man-made uses of radioactive material.
In total, as estimated by the National Counc4 T on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP Report No. 93),
the effective dose equivalent received by the United States population averages about 360 millirem per year.
Of this total, over 83 percent (about 300 millirem per year) is a result of natural sources, including radon and its decay products, while medical exposures such as x-rays, when averaged over the U.S. population, contribute an estimated 15 percent (53 millirem per year). Other man-made sources, including nuclear fallout, contribute the remaining 1 to 2 percent of the total exposure. This 1 to 2 percent also includes the contribution from nuclear power plant effluents.
I am presenting this total exposure " picture" to provide a perspective on the hypothetical risks which may be associated with potential BRC waste disposal practices.
This perspective is one of several that the Commission believes are relevant to its decisions involving regulatory i
resource allocations to control the potential radiological risks associated with the use of radioactive materials.
In closing, I want to assure you that we take our mandate to protect the health and Wety c,f the public very seriously.
As a result, the concerns expressed by your constituents are among those that we must carefully consider 1
and address as we carry out our regulatory mission.
Sincerely,
^
.n JiesM.Ta/or xecutive Director for Operations I
Enclosures:
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- 1. Final Policy (51 FR 30839)
.2. Federal Register (53 FR 49886) i I