ML20053A899
| ML20053A899 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000824 |
| Issue date: | 05/12/1982 |
| From: | Crow W, Ketzlach N NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20053A898 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8205270407 | |
| Download: ML20053A899 (3) | |
Text
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DISTRIBUTION:
Docket File 70-824 PDR NMSS rf FCUP rf j
NKetzlach (2) hs" MAY 121982 ro JBlaylock RErickson JRobertson DOCKIT NO:
70-324 EYShum BMKosla APPLICANT:
Babcock & Wilcox GLTroup, R:II AF01sen, LRC FACILITY:
Lynchburg Research Center
SUBJECT:
REVIEW OF S0IL DECONTAMINATION PROGRAM I.
Background
i Recently, the Babcock & Wilcox Company, Lynchburg Research Center (LRC),
had decontaminated soil found in both restricted and unrestricted areas of its facility. The contaminated soil was traceable to an incident which occurred in January 1%9 involving leakage of contaminated water into a stom sewer. The contaminated water came from a burst pipe which carried contaminated liquid from a demineralizer, used in connection with the LRC test reactor, to the Liquid Waste Disposal Facility. The sewer line emptied down the hillside behind Building J (solid waste storage building). Surveys at the time indicated the contamination was confined to the soil of the water drainage area on the hillside and to a marshy area at the base of the hill. A fence was constructed around the con-taminated area and signs were displayed to meet the criteria of a restricted area. The above infonmation was reported to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission by letter dated January 30, 1969 (License TR-4, Docket No. 50-200).
I Radiation measurements were later conducted during the sunser of 1980 when both the hillside and marshy area at the base of the hill were dried out. The measurements confirmed that the restricted boundary was properly located on the south, east and west perimeters of the hill; hauster ssoil samples indicated that Co-60 contamination extended beyond the original north boundary of the restricted area adjacent to the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad right-of-way, to approximately 20 feet within the right-of-way.
The extended boundary was fenced to restrict access to the area nod 4to maintain the exposure level at the new boundary below 0.5 mP/hr.
By letter dated November 26, 1980, the LRC submitted a preliminary plan for decontaminating the soil so that it could be released for unrestricted use.
The decontamination plan included the following:
l.
Surface soil was selectively excavated from each of the above-defined contaminated areas until the exposed surface activity of such areas approached the interim decontamination criteria of 10 uR/hr above background.
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OFFICI AL RECORD C.OPY
- MAY 121982 2.
Contaminated soil with the highest levels of activity was properly packaged and shipped offsite to a licensed waste disposal facility.
3.
Remaining contaminated soil was stored within the restricted area on LRC property and appropriately posted. Storad soil was covered with plastic sheets to preclude with and rain erosion.
4.
Construction of the soil retention basin, in conformance 4
with the Soil Decontamination Plan, was completed.
4 5.
The three contaminated areas delineated above were divided into labeled grids, as required, and survey measurements of external radiation were conducted.
NMSS requested further information on December 30, 1980 needed to establish criteria for the decontamination of the soil.
Based on infomation supplied by the LRC by letter dated February 4,1981, HMSS supplied the LRC with the criteria on April 21, 1981. By letters dated May 26, 1981, and its supplement dated October 12, 1981, the LRC submitted its decontamination plan to the NRC. Three categories of con-taminated areas were established:
(1) a restricted area on LRC property confind largely to the hillside located behind and north of the solid waste storage facility (Building J), (2) an unrestricted area (not on LRC property) adjacent to the base of the hill which incNdes the C&O Railroad right-of-way, and (3) area an LRC property which includes the area imedi-ately north of the railroad right-of-way characterized by a small creek which crosses the property and terminates in the canal. Region II has made a confimatory survey of the property. The soil has been decontami n ted in accotMance with the plan. Since continued surveillance by the LRC is required to provide assurance of the containment of the remaining con-tamination, license corditions are recomended covering the necessary i
surveillance.
II. Discussion 4
The LRC informed the NRC, by letter dated November 19, 1981, the results of its decontamination survey when its decontamination activities were essentially complete. The NRC made a confirmatory survey on December 9-10, 1981, and determined the Soil Decontamination Plan was being implemented as proposed.
i Implementation inclodes a surveillance program.
In a memo from J. P. Stohr (Region II) to R. G. Page dated March 4,1982, the decontamination plan was referenced, the impracticality of removing the railroad track to replace DATEh unc ronu 3i no no
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MAY 121982 the contaminated culverts and establishing a restricted area where further decontamination is not practical were discussed, and recom-mendations to include annual surveys to assure containment of the contaminated soil in the restricted areas. The following license conditions are recommended:
1.
An annual survey shall be nade of direct radiation of water channel (culverts passing under Chesapeakd &
Ohio Railroad spur and main line) passing through the railroad ribht-of-way to assure that radioactivity is not migrating from the LRC restricted area (hillside) or the culverts.
2.
An annual direct radiation survey shall be made at the east end of the canal to detect migration of activity to the canal via the creek.
3.
Accumulated water in the retention basin shall be sampled at least annually and if its activity exceeds 107, of the concentrations specified in Appendix B, Table 2, Column 2 of 10 CFR Part 20, the colledted water shall be pumped to the liquid waste tetention basins for disposal as low level radioactive wastes.
4.
A restricted zone shall be establithed on the area north of the Chesapeake & Ohio main line right-of-way with a fence line based on radiation levels not exceeding an exposure dose rate of 500 mR/yr.
III. General The soil contamination control program and proposed license conditions were discussed with G. L. Troup, Region II Project Manager of the LRC,on May 7, 1982. He foresaw no safety or environmental related problem with the soil contamination control surveillance program.
IV.
Conclusion Issuance of the license amendment is recomended suldect to the abo've conditions.
Original Signed by N. Ketzlach
/
H. Ketzlach Uranium Process Licensing Section Uranium Fuel Licensing Branch e
Division of Fuel Cyclesand FCUF d Material Safety, NMSS LTyson OM + ninimcaby1 5/Jn'i82 FCU tdTCUP l
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""F W. ' T. ' ' Crow '5ectiori Leader s u "N a "' )
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