ML20056E577
| ML20056E577 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 03/17/1993 |
| From: | Larkins J NRC ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON NUCLEAR WASTE (ACNW), Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards |
| To: | Taylor J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| References | |
| NACNUCLE, NUDOCS 9308240292 | |
| Download: ML20056E577 (7) | |
Text
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION K
ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON NUCLEAR WASTE
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WASHINGTON, D C. 20555 s...../
March 17, 1993 MEMORANDUM FOR:
James M.
Taylor Executive Director for Operations FROM:
John T.
Larkins Executive Director, ACRS/ACNW
SUBJECT:
51ST ACNW MEETING FOLLOW-UP ITEMS Based on discussions regarding methods for improving implementation and follow-up of ACNW recommendations, a summary of " Actions, Agreements, Assignments, and Requests" made during each ACNW meeting is sent to your office following each meeting.
Attached is a summary of the " Actions, Agreements, Assignments, and Requests" made at the Sist ACNW meeting, February 24-26, 1993, that deal with requests made of the NRC staff or matters that are pertinent to NRC staff activities.
!?
John T.
Larkins Executive Director, ACRS/ACNW
Attachment:
As stated cc:
H.
L. Thompson, EDO J.
L. Blaha, EDO D. Martin, OCM/IS S. M. Coplan, OCM/KR J.
Kotra, OCM/JC R. R.
Boyle, OCM/FR K. Whitfield, OCM/GD
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S. J.
Chilk, SECY E.
L. Jordan, AEOD R. M.
Bernero, NMSS T.
E. Murley, NRR E.
S.
Beckjord, RES G.
Sege, RES A.
L.
Eiss, NMSS H.
Pastis, NRR D. M.
Crutchfield, NRR R. H.
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s ACTIONS, AGREEMENTS, ASSIGNMENTS, AND REQUESTS FEBRUARY 24-26, 1993 SIST ACNW MEETING During its 51st meeting, February 24-26, 1993, held at 7920 Norfolk Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland, the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste discussed several matters and completed the report noted below.
REPORT e
Possible Imoacts of the Enorav Policy Act of 1992 on NRC Activities to Address Oncoina NRC Initiatives in the Hich-Level Radioactive Waste Procram (Report to Chairman Ivan Selin from Dade W.
Moeller, Chairman, ACNW, dated March 3,
1993)
HIGHLIGHTS OF KEY ISSUES CONSIDERJD BY THE COMMITTEE 1.
Assessment of the Flammability and Explosion Potential of Transuranic Waste The Committee was briefed by Dr. Matthew Silva, New Mexico Environmental Evaluation Group, on eight incidents involving fires and explosions at U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) f acilities during the transportation or handling of pyrophoric radionuclides, mixed radioactive wastes, and other volatile materials.
He concluded that, while these wastes were not compared against the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Waste Acceptance Criteria or were not clearly identified as transuranic (TRU) waste, these types of accidents should be anticipated in the transportation, handling and emplacement of TRU waste for the WIPP site.
He stated that workers need to be aware of the potential hazards of working with these materials, and clear and consistent procedures should be in place and enforced to ensure adequate safety and to help l
prevent the future occurrence of such incidents before, during, or after emplacement.
The members observed that these cited incidents occurred soon after the materials were placed in containers, usually less than a week.
Since the waste materials going into the WIPP repository will havs been in their containment drums for an extended period, the lessons learned from these incidents may not take on as much significance.
This briefing was for information only.
No action was taken by the Committee.
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i 51st ACNW Meeting 2
February 24-26, 1993 l
2.
Acceptance of Scientific Evidence Based Primarily on Expert Judament j
The Committee was briefed by Mr. Donald Jose, J.D.
on the acceptance, in an adjudicatory review, of scientific evidence based primarily on expert judgment.
He discussed the role and level of expert testimony in court proceedings, the screening of scientific opinion testimony (Frye rule versus Federal j
Rules of Evidence), and what is " junk" science.
)
This briefing was for information only.
No action was taken by the Committee.
I 3.
Possible Impacts of the Enerov Policy Act of 1992 on NRC i
Activities to Address Oncoina NRC Initiatives in the Hich-Level Radioactive Waste Procram t
The Committee reviewed with the NRC staff possible impacts of
[
the Energy Policy Act of 1992 on ongoing agency initiatives in the HLW arena.
The Committee completed and issued a report l
that comments on the NRC staff's views and offers additional t
recommendations.
i 4.
Gas-Phase Release of Radionuclides from Low-Level Radioactive Waste (LLW) Disposal Facilities l
The Committee was briefed by Dr.
Man-Sung Yim, Harvard University, on a computer model being developed for evaluating i
gas-phase radionuclide releases from LLW disposal facilities.
This briefing was for information only.
No action was taken i
by the Committee.
5.
Recent Chances to Reaulations on the Conduct of Government Employees i
t The Committee was briefed by Mr. John Szabo, Office of the l
General Counsel, on the recent changes to the Standards of l
Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch (includ-ing Part I of Executive Order 12674 and 5 CFR Part 2635) as they relate to special government employees.
This briefing was for information only.
No action was taken I
by the Committee.
6.
Meetina with the Commissioners The Committee met with the Commission to discuss items of mutual interest.
These included the ACNW reports on signifi-i I
)
4 7
Sist ACNW Meeting 3
February 24-26, 1993
)
cant issues in the HLW repository program and the possible impacts of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (Section 801).
7.
Clarification of a Previous ReDort The Committee issued a memorandum to Mr.
B.
Joe Youngblood, Director, Division of High-Level Waste Management, dated March 3,
1993, to clarify and offer additional comments on several items in the report to Chairman Selin on Issues Raised in the Energy Policy Act of 1992, Section 801 (dated February 5,
1993).
8.
ACNW Future Activities I
e The Committee agreed to cancel the Committee meeting scheduled for April 28-29, 1993, so that several members and staff can attend the 4th International High-Level Radioactive Waste Management Conference and Exposition on April 26-30, 1993, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Subject to the availability of resources, the ACNW staff e
was asked to continue planning a June site visit to the Whiteshell Nuclear Research Laboratories and the Under-l ground Research Laboratory, located in Pinawa, Manitoba, Canada.
[Mr. Giorgio Gnugnoli has the follow-up action on this item.]
i The Committee requested that the ACNW staff reschedule e
the briefing on the decommissioning plans for the Fort St. Vrain Nuclear Power Plant (tentatively rescheduled for the ACNW meeting in May 1993) and the upcoming briefing on the Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant decommis-sioning.
[Mr. Howard Larson has the follow-up action on i
this item.]
e Dr. Pomeroy requested that arrangements be made for him to meet with Commissioner Curtiss to discuss the role and level of expert testimony in court proceedings and other related items of mutual interest.
[A meeting has been tentatively scheduled for March 26, 1993.
Mr. Giorgio Gnugnoli has the follow-up action on this item.)
The Committee asked the ACNW staff to invite Ms. Margaret Federline, NMSS, to brief the Committee on the staff's appraisal of the Environmental Protection Agency's HLW and transuranic standards for WIPP and lessons learned from the WIPP experience that can be applied to the Yucca Mountain project.
[Mr. Giorgio Gnugnoli has the follow-up action on this item.]
t T
Sist ACNW Meeting 4
February 24-26, 1993 e
The Committee requested the ACNW staff to invite Mr.
B. Joe Youngblood, NMSS, to provide a briefing on the NRC's timely responses and follow-up to the DOE Site Characterization Progress Reports for the proposed Yucca Mountain repository.
- Also, the committee expressed interest in learning more about the revised procedures for evaluating the DOE study plans.
[Ms. Lynn Deering has the follow-up action on this item.]
e The Committee discussed the proposed objectives for a working group meeting (scheduled for March 23, 1993) on the feasibility 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 waste.
The Committee agreed to modify the objectives for the planned Working Group meeting to emphasize source terms, particularly as they may provide input data for performance assessments and potential groundwater contamination for various types of LLW disposal facilities.
[Mr. Howard Larson has the follow-up action on this item.)
The appendix summarizes the proposed items endorsed by the Committee for the 52nd ACNW Meeting, March 24-25, 1993, and future Working Group meetings.
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i Sist ACNW Meeting 5
February 24-26, 1993 APPENDIX.
FUTURE SCHEDULE 52nd ACNN Committee Meeting March 24-25,1993 (Tentative Schedule)
Workino Group Chairman's Report on Source Terms for LLW The Committee will hear a report from the Working Group Chairman on the recent meeting on source terms for LLW.
Reiection of an LLW Disposal Site The Committee will be briefed on the reasons surrounding the rejection of a proposed LLW disposal site by the LLW host State.
Representatives from the host State will participate.
NMSS and State Programs representatives will participate as deemed necessary.
State Radiation Control Procram
- The Committee will be briefed by representatives of the NRC Office of State Programs on its recent reviews of the radiation control programs in several states.
Rulemakinc/ Clarification of Assessment Recuirements for Sitina Criteria and Performance Obiectives The Committee will be briefed by representatives of the Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS), on rulemaking/ clarification of assessment requirements for siting criteria and performance objectives.
Committee Activities The Committee will discuss anticipated and proposed Committee activities, future meeting agenda, and organizational matters, as appropriate.
Also, the members will discuss matters and specific issues that were not completed during previous meetings.
Working Group Meetings Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility Source Term, March 23, 1993, 7920 Norfolk Avenue, Bethesda, MD, (Howard Larson)
The Working Group will meet with various groups to obtain informa-tion on the sources, quantities and characteristics of LLW being generated. The Working Group will review what percent of the waste is stored on-site by the generator as compared to that sent to disposal facilities.
Also, the Working Group will discuss methods for waste volume reduction and site performance assessment techniques including methods to ensure groundwater protection.
Reculatory Guides for Innlementino Revisions to 10 CFR Part 20, March 26,
- 1993, 7920 Norfolk Avenue,
- Bethesda, MD,
(Giorgio Gnugnoli/Elpidio Igne)
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)
i Sist ACNW Meeting 6
February 24-26, 1993 DG-8006, " Control of Access to High and Very High Radiation Areas in Nuclear Power Plants," (2) DG-8009, " Interpretation of Bioassay Measurements," and (3) DG-8013, "ALARA Radiation Protection Program for Effluents from Materials Facilities."
Characterization of the Unsaturated Zone Flow and Transport Properties, May 1993, 7920 Norfolk Avenue, Bethesda, MD, (Lynn The Working Group will examine the current understand-Deering) ing of processes controlling matrix and fracture-flow in the unsaturated zone at Yucca Mountain, existing approaches to model or bound fracture flow in the unsaturated zone, insights gained from performance assessment activities regarding the sensitivity of infiltration and other parameters and assumptions, on-going site characterization studies, the relationship between performance assessment and site characterization activities, and significant data gaps.
Encineered Barrier Systems, (Date to be determined), 7920 Norfolk
- Avenue, Bethesda, MD (Giorgio Gnugnoli/Lynn Deering)
The Working Group will review the role of, and the degree of reliance that should be placed on, engineered and natural barriers within an HLW geologic repository.
Use of Fractals for Fluid Flow at Yucca Mount _qin, (Date to be i
determined), Bethesda, MD The Working Group will examine the use of fractals in the development of conceptual and numerical models of fluid flow in unsaturated, 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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