ML20044A586
| ML20044A586 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 11/07/1989 |
| From: | Fraley R NRC ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON NUCLEAR WASTE (ACNW) |
| To: | Taylor J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| References | |
| NACNUCLE, NUDOCS 9006290251 | |
| Download: ML20044A586 (7) | |
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+T UNITED STATES 8
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION o
E ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON NUCLEAR WASTE o
WASHINGTON. D.C. 20066
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November 7,1989 i
i MEMORANDUM FOR: James M. Taylor Acting Executive Director for Operations FROM:
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[. frit tor, ACNW-
SUBJECT:
14TH ACNW MEETING FOLLOW-UP ITEMS-s Based on discussions regarding methods for improved implementation and follow-up of ACNW recommendations, a summary of Actions, Agreements, Assignments, and Requests made during each ACNW meeting will. be sent to your office following; each meeting.
Attached is a list of-the requests made at the 14th ACNW meeting, October-11-13, 1989.
Those items in the list " Actions Agreements, Assignments, and Requests". that do not deal with requests made of the NRC Staff or that.are not pertinent to NRC Staff activities have not been included in this follow-up list.
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Attachment:
l As stated i
cc:
E. L. Jordan, AE00 H. L. Thompson, ED0 J. L. Blaha, E00 S. J. Chilk, SECY R. M. Bernero, NMSS T. E. Murley, NRR E. S. Beckjord, RES A. L. Eiss, NMSS, D. Persinko, NRR -
M. E.-Lopez-Otin, OCM/TR M. V. Federline, OCM/KC S. G. Bilhorn, OCM/KR K. A. Connaughton, GCM/JC l
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DESIGNATED ORIGINAL
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\\V 9006290251 891107 Certified BT' PDR ADVCM NACNL i E t
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L ACTIONS, AGREEMENTS, AS$1GNMENTS AND REQUESTS 14TH ACNW MEETING OCTOBER 11-13, 1989
' REPORTS, LETTERS AND MEMORAND,*,
The Comittee completed letters and memorandum on the following subject:
1.
Recomendations Dealing with Investigation of Potential Volcanism at the Yucca Mountain High-Level Waste Repositor.y Site (See Attechment 1),
2.
Draft Technical Positior, on Tectonic Models in the Assessment of Perfor-manceofHigh-LevelRadTQtiveWasteRepositories (See Attachment 2).
3.
Draf t Technical Position on the Design of Erosion Protection Covers for Stabilization of Uranium Mill Tailings-Sites (See Attachment 3).-
4 Low-LevelWastePerformance_AssessmentMethodology(SeeAttachment4).
5.
Proposed Rulemaking on Anticipated Processes and Events cad Unanticipated Processes and Events (See Attachment 5).
6.
PathfinderAtomicPowerPlantDismantlement(SeeAttachment6).
ACTIONS, AGREEMENTS, ASSIGNMENTS AND REQUESTS 7.
Draft Technical Position on Tectonic Models in the Assessment of'Perfor-mance of High-level Waste Repositories The Comittee was briefed by Dr. Hinze on the 2nd ACNW Working Group-Meeting held on October 10, 1989.
The Comittee discussed the con-clusions from the Working Group meeting, particularly the presentation made by Professor Bruce D. Marsh,: The Johns Hopkins University, on volcanogenesis. As a result of this discussion, the Comittee prepared a letter report dealing with, the investigation of potential volcanism at the Yucca Mountain HLW repository site.
The letter report was sent to Chairman Carr on October 18, 1989.
The Committee discussed the -draft Technical Position on Tectonic Models with the NRC' staff and provided a report to the Comission dated October 18, 1989. During the executive session Mr. Browning advised the Comit-tee that he will provide ACNW another opportunity to review the revised version of the draft Technical Position.
8.
Draft Technical Position on the " Design of Erosion Protection Covers for Stabilization of Uranium Mill Tailings Sites" The Committee was briefed by the NRC staff on the proposed draf t Techni-cal Position.
A letter report was sent to Chairman Carr on October 18, 1989.
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14TH ACNW - ACTIONS & AGREEMENTS,
9.
LLW Performance Assessment Methodology f
The Comittee was briefed by the NRC staff on the proposed Performance Assessment Methodology.
A letter report was sent to Chairman Carr on j
October 18, 1989.
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- 10. Waste Acceptance Process for Defense and West Valley Wastes The Comittee was briefed by the NRC staff on the process to ensure that the waste forms prepared at Savannah Rive,r Laboratory and West Valley Demonstration Project will be satisfactory for storage in the high-level waste repository.
The NRC staff agreed to and has provided a copy of a letter, dated October 10, 1989, to Mr. Stein, DOE, related to the waste acceptance process.
This briefing was for information only.
No Comit-tee action was taken.
4 11.
Proposed Rule Related to Consideration of Anticipated Processes and Events (APES) and Unanticipated Processes and Events (UPEs) l The Comittee was briefed by the NRC staff on the rulemaking philosophy and definition of APES and UPEs. The NRC staff requested coments on the draft provided to the Comittee.
During the discussion, individual Members and Consultants offered the following coments to the NRC staff:
l a.
A definitive statement of the problem is needed.
This should include a sumary for using the rulemaking approach in resolving these issues, as well as the impacts on this action of the wording of specific sections of 10 CFR 60, b.
There should be a clear delineation of the areas of disagreement between the NRC and DOE staffs.
This should include a statement outlining each area of controversy and a summary of the positions of each agency.
It is incumbent on the NRC staff to alert DOE of these concerns, and the APE /UPE rule may be a good mechanism for accomplishing this goal, c.
A proposed approach for resolving these issues, including an outline of the criteria for classifying processes and events, and the significance of errors in such classifications, needs to be developed.
For example, what difference does it make whether the potential effects of human activities on the site are classified as APES or UPEs?
The proposed rule is too long and frequently does not say(what is d.
intended.
If the NRC staff believes that more guidance includ-ing legal) is needed, the revision should clarify what is to be accomplished.
In addition, criteria for classifying processes and events should be clearly identified in one section of the rule.
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4 14TH ACNW - ACTIONS & AGREEMENTS l During their presentations, the NRC staff expressed concerns whether the 4
current DOE site characterization program was sufficiently comprehensive to gather the data necessary to answer the key questions, and whether it r
provided for analyses of certain processes and events in sufficient detail and early enough in the program to identify potentially " fatal flaws." ACNW members share these concerns.
The Comittee also concluded that, while the regulatory fundamentals used by the NRC staff in developing the proposed rule may be available in a coherent form, the explanatory envelope of concepts and approaches that t
are necessary to convert the proposed rule into practice has not been t
clearly developed and is inadequately described in the draft rulemaking document.
Mr. Browning agreed to revisit the APES /UPEs issue, and the Comittee
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agreed to meet with the NRC staff before its next regularly scheduled meeting in January, if the NRC staff desires to have an early Comittee review of the next version of the proposed rule. A letter on this matter i
was sent to Mr. Robert Bernero, Director, NMSS, on October 19, 1989.
- 12. Proposed Rule for LLW Manifest Information and Reporting The Comittee was briefed by the NRC staff on LLW manifest information and reporting.
This briefing was for information only.
The Committee i
expressed interest in being briefed again by the NRC staff in approxi-mately six months, af ter the public coment period.
- 13. EPRI and EE! Comments on the HLW Repository The Comittee was briefed by representatives of the Electric Power I
Research Institute and the-Edison Electric Institute on their concerns i
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with the DOE HLW repository program and on thet'r near-term plans.
This briefing was for information only.
No Comittee action was taken.
- 14. EPA Standard.:0 CFR 191 The Comittee was briefed by a representative of. EPA on recent develop-ments in proposed revisions in the environmental radiation protection standards for the management and disposal of spent nuclear fuel, high-level and transuranic radioactive wastes.
This briefing was for informa-j tion only. No Comittee action was taken.
- 15. Pathfinder Atomic Power Plant Dismantlement Plan The Committee concluded its discussion on the review of the Dismantlement Plan for the Northern States Power Company Pathfinder Facility. A report was sent to Chairman Carr on October 18, 1989. The Comittee agreed that.
further review may be appropriate after issuance of the Safety Evaluation Report (SER).
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14TH ACNW - ACTIONS & AGREEMENTS -
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- 16. Site Visits The Comittee, consultants, and staff made a site visit to the West Valley Demonstration Project, West Valley, New York on Thursday, October 26, 1989. The Comittee is expected to make its observations and views known to the Comission.
The Comittee plans to visit the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses on Thursday, November 30, 1989.
In order for the Comm ttee to prepare for the site visit, the NRC staff has agreed to provide a revised l
CNWRA staffing plan that includes staff (and consultant) skills and curriculum vitae.
The plan is also expected to identify the function of each unit within the organization.
The Comittee observed that past CNWRA reports have not been received as expected. The Comittee, once again, requested that the NRC staff ensure that future CNWRA reports are routinely sent to the Comittee.
FUTURE ACTIVITIES Appendix A summarizes the tentative agenda that were proposed for future meetings of the Comittee.
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1 APPENDIX A FUTURE AGENDA l
l JANUARY 24-26, 1990 (tentativeagenda) j Meeting with the Comissioners (0 pen)
The Comittee l
Anticipated and Unanticipated Processes and Events (0 pen) l will review the revised rule being prepared by the NRC staff concerning the i
i conside m ions of anticipated and unanticipated processes and events for the i
l proposed high level waste repository.
l The Comittee will i
IAEA Safety Principles and Technical Criterion (0 pen) be briefed.on "IAEA Safety Principles and Technical Criterion for the l
l Underground Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Wastes", and the NRC staff position paper on this standard.
Definition of Substantially Complete Containment (0 pen)
The Comittee will be briefed by the NRC staff on the Substantially Complete Containment i
Definition.
Seismic Hazards (0 pen) - The Comittee will be briefed by the NRC staff on the Branch Technical Position on seismic hazards.
r The Comittee will be briefed by Site Characterization Plan (0 pen) representatives of DOE on the semiannual SCP progress repo.t.
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Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel (0 pen)
The Comittee will be briefed by
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the NRC staff on the storage of spent nuclear fuel in NRC approved casks at comercial nuclear power plant sites (final rule for information and com-j ment)
Technical Position on Waste forms (0 pen)
The Comittee will be briefed by the NRC staff on modifications to the LLW Waste Fom Technical Position MRS Comission Recomendations (0 pen)
The Committee will be briefed by representatives of the NRS Comission on their position report.
j American Society for Testing Haterials (0 pen)
The Comittee will be briefed'on the radioactive waste activities of ASTM.
Comittee Activities (0 pen) - The Comittee will discuss anticipated and proposed Comittee activities, future meeting agenda, and organizational matters, as appropriate.
I FEBRUARY 21-23, 1990 (tentative agenda)
Comittee Activities (0 pen) - The Comittee will discuss anticipated and proposed Comittee activities, future meeting agenda, and organizational
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matters, as appropriate.
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APPENDIX A - ACTIONS & AGREEMENTS
-P-14TH ACNW HEETING MARCH 21-23. 1990 (tentativeagenda) pathfinderAtomicpowerplantDismantlement(0 pen)
The Comittee will be briefed on the NRC staff's finding in their Safety Evaluation Report.
Comittee Activities (0 pen) - The Comittee will discuss anticipated and proposed Comittee activities, future meeting agenda, and organizational matters, as appropriate.
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