ML20056E550
| ML20056E550 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 02/22/1993 |
| From: | Moeller D NRC ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON NUCLEAR WASTE (ACNW) |
| To: | Selin I, The Chairman NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| References | |
| NACNUCLE-S-0050, NACNUCLE-S-50, NUDOCS 9308240251 | |
| Download: ML20056E550 (6) | |
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ACNWS-0050
-t ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON NUCLEAR WASTE PDR 8/4/f3 0,,
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WASHINGTON D.C. 20555
%, *....f February 22, 1993 The Honorable Ivan Selin i
Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C.
20555 i
Dear Chairman Selin:
TEE ON UCLEAR WAST J
U 27-28, 1993 i
l During its 50th meeting, January 27-28, 1993, held at 7920 Norfolk Avenue, Bethesda, MD, the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste (ACNW) discussed several matters and completed the following reports-I 4
e Issues Raised in the Enerov Policy Act of 1992, Section 801 l
(Report to The Honorable Ivan Selin, NRC Chairman, from Dade W. Moeller, ACNW Chairman, dated February 5, 1993) e Procram Plan for the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste j
(Report to The Honorable Ivan Selin, NRC Chairman, from Dade W.
Moeller, ACNW Chairman, dated February 9, 1993)
I HIGHLIGHTS OF KEY ISSUES CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE l
1.
Review and Comment on Issues in the Enerav Policy ~ Act of 1992, Section 801, and the Imoacts This Act May Have on NRC's Hich-Level Radioactive Waste Procram I
The Committee met with representatives from the U.K. National Radiological Protection Board, the U.S.. National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurementsi and the NRC staff to discuss the three principal issues that the National Academy of Sciences will be addressing in response to the assignment outlined by. the U.S.
Congress in the Energy Policy Act of.
1992.
As a result of the discussions, a report was prepared and issued that provides comments and recommendations.
The Committee ' agreed to continue' to review the impact of the Energy Policy Act'of 1992 during future meetings.
2.
Use of Natural Analocs in Radioactive Waste DisDosal 110000 The Committee was briefed by representatives of the NRC staf f and the Center-for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses (CNWRA) 00 "XTiLTn cnic grn \\
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,i The Honorable Ivan Selin 2
February 22, 1993 on the progress and accomplishments of NRC-sponsored natural analog studies.
Specific sites, including Oklo (Gabon),
Alligator Rivers (Australia),
Pena Blanca (Mexico) and l
Akrotiri (Greece), were discussed in detail with special emphasis on the usefulness of the resulting data in developing models for the performance assessment of the proposed Yucca Mountain high-level radioactive waste (HLW) geologic reposito-l ry.
j This briefing was for information only.
No action was taken by the Committee.
3.
Performance Indicators for Low-Level Radioactive Waste l
Handlina and Disposal Discussion of a proposal for the establishment of a system of l
performance indicators for the management and disposal of low-l level radioactive waste was postponed until the Sist ACNW j
meeting, February 24-26, 1993.
j 4.
ACNW Four-Month Plan l
The Committee prepared and issued to the Commission its four-month plan for the period February - May 1993.
The Committee l
briefly discussed a draft memorandum that would delineate l
additional areas of interest.
The Committee agreed to defer j
further discussions until it has an opportunity to examine the j
current draft NRC Five Year Plan.
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l 5.
TLD Monitorina Network l
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Dr. Moeller discussed the NRC TLD Monitoring Network Report, NUREG-0837, that summarizes data recorded by TLD monitoring
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stations that have been esthblished by the NRC around each U.S. nuclear power plant.
Dr. Moeller observed that, on first
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impression, the data appear to represent exposure rates to i
nearby population groups arising as a result of radionuclide
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releases from these plants.
On further examination, however, j
a careful reader will note that the exposure rates, as recorded, have not been adjusted for the contribution from-natural background radiation.
Since radionuclide releases from the nuclear power plants are minimal,. the published data, in essence, represent summaries of natural background dose rates..Dr. Moeller suggested that consideration be given~to rewording the text of these reports to be sure that readers were made aware of'this fact.
The Committee concurred.
No formal action was taken by the Committee.
l l
E The Honorable Ivan Selin 3
February 22, 1993 6.
ACNW Future Activities The ACim staff was asked to begin planning a June site e
visit to the Whiteshell Nuclear Research Laboratories and the Canadian Underground Research Laboratory, located in Pinawa, Manitoba, Canada.
The Committee requested that the ACNW staff schedule a e
briefing on the decommissioning plans for the Fort St.
Vrain and Shoreham Nuclear Power Plants.
A briefing on Fort St. Vrain decommissioning is tentatively scheduled for the 53rd ACIN meeting in April 1993.
A briefing on the Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant decommissioning is tentatively scheduled for the 54th ACim meeting in May 1993.
The Committee agreed to cancel the proposed Working Group meeting on Synergistic Data Needs for Resolving Volcanic and Tectonic Concerns at Yucca Mountain.
The appendix summarizes the proposed items endorsed by o
the Committee for the Sist ACNW Meeting, February 24-26, l
1993, and future Working Group meetings.
Sincerely, i
Dade W. Moeller Chairman l
l
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'O j
l APPENDIX i
r FUTURE SCHEDULE i
Sist ACNW committee Meeting February 24-26, 1993 (Tentative Schedule) i Meetina with the Commissioners (Open)
The Committee will meet I
with the Commission to discuss items of mutual interest.
These i
i include the Committee's report on a systems analysis of the HLW disposal program and its review of the charge given by Congress to l
EPA and the National Academy of Sciences regarding the development j
of standards for the proposed Yucca Mountain HLW repository.
r The Committee will review j
Enerav Policy Act of 1992 (Open) with the NRC staff possible impacts of the Energy Policy Act of l
1992 on ongoing agency initiatives in the HLW arena.
i i
Standards of Ethical Conduct (Open)
The Committee will be briefed by the NRC staff on standards of ethical conduct for i
employees of the Executive Branch.
l Gas-Phase Release of Radionuclides (Open)
The Committee will l
be briefed on computer models for evaluating gas-phase radionuclide l
releases from LLW disposal facilities.
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l Comouter Models for Conductina Performance Assessments (Open)
The Committee will discuss computer models for conducting perfor-mance assessments of LLW disposal facilities.
l Expert Judament (Open)
The Committee will be briefed on the acceptance, in an adjudicatory review, of scientific evidence based primarily on expert judgment.
Low-Level Radioactive Waste Performance Indicators' (Open)
The l
Committee will xplore the creation of a performance indicator or event reporting system that would monitor the current status and trends in the management and disposal of low-level radioactive l
waste.
i Committee Activities (Open/ Closed)
The Committee will discuss anticipated and proposed Committee activities, future meeting
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agenda, and organizational matters, as appropriate.
Also, the members will discuss matters and specific issues that were not completed during previous meetings.
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Working Group Meetings Low-Level Radioactive' Waste Performance Indicators, March 23, 1993, The Working Group will 7920 Norfolk Avenue, Bethesda, MD, explore the creation of a nationwide performance indicator or event l
reporting system that would monitor the current status and trends l
in the management and disposal of low-level radioactive waste.
Eeaulatorv Guides for Implementina Revisions to 10 CFR Part 20, March 26, 1993, 7920 Norfolk Avenue, Bethesda, MD, The ACNW Working Group and the ACRS Subcommittee on Occupational and Environmental Protection Systems will jointly review the following proposed final regulatory guides being developed for implementing the revised 10 CFR Part 20:. (1) DG-8006, " Control of Access to High and Very High Radiation Areas in Nuclear Power Plants," (2) i DG-8009, " Interpretation of Bioassay Measurements," and (3) DG-i
- 8013, "ALARA Radiation Protection Program for Effluents from Materials Facilities."
. Characterization of the Unsaturated Zone Flow and Transport l
The Properties, May 1993, 7920 Norfolk Avenue, Bethesda, MD, l
Working Group will examine the relationships between precipitation, recharge, and flux through the unsaturated zone at the proposed l
Yucca Mountain site, and the adequacy of ongoing field studies to 1
l ascertain these relationships. The Working Group will focus on the l
l status of modeling activities of flow in the unsaturated zone, and alternative conceptual models of fracture versus matrix flow, and the conditions under which fracture flow can be shown to predominate.
The Working Group will also focus on the recharge
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term in hydrogeologic models, alternative conceptual models for how and where regional recharge
- occurs, and-the sensitivity of i
assumptions about recharge on model results.
Potential Impact of Groundwater Use on the Performance of a Proposed Hiah-Level Waste Repository (Date and location to be determined),
The Working Group will consider the impacts of potential groundwater use on site performance.
The Working Group will also consider the potential for the development of geothermal energy as a natural resource within the vicinity of the proposed site.
'This will be a follow-on meeting to the Working Group meeting on the potential for natural resources at the Yucca Mountain site, held October 20, 1992.
Encineered Barrier Systems (Date to be determined), 7920 Norfolk Avenue, Bethesda, MD - The Working Group will review the role of, and the degree of reliance that should be placed on, engineered versus natural barriers within an HLW geologic repository.
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Use of Fractals for Fluid Flow at Yucca Mountain (Date to be determined), Bethesda, MD The Working Group will examine the use of fractals in the development of conceptual and nuroerical models of fluid flow in ursaturated, fractured rock.
Studies show that the roughness characteristics of fracture surfaces can be simulated by the use of fractals.
DOE is considering the use of this approach in its study plan on fluid flow in unsaturated fractured rock systems.
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