ML20056E587
| ML20056E587 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 01/25/1993 |
| 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 9308240304 | |
| Download: ML20056E587 (8) | |
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UNITED STATES y - y, #, r g
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION g ' i c'"'
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8 WASHINGTON, D C. 20555 9.....g January 25, 1993 MEMORANDUM FOR:
James M.
Taylor Executive Director for Operations r
FROM:
John T.
Larkins, Acting Executive Director, ACRS/ACNW
SUBJECT:
49TH 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-h2 quests" made at the 49th ACNW meeting, December 17-18, 1992, that deal with requests made of the NRC staff or matters that are pertineM to NRC staff activities, n
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Ia John T.
Larkins, Acting Executive Director, ACRS/ACNW Atcachment:
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ACTIONS, AGREEMENTS, ASSIGNMENTS, AND REQUESTS 49TH ACNW MEETING DECEMBER 17-18, 1992 During its 49th meeting, December 17-18, 1992, held at 7920 Norfolk Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland, the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste (ACNW) discussed several matters and completed the following reports Reports e
Iterative Performance Assessment Phase 2 (Report to Robert M.
- Bernero, Director, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and i
Safeguards, from Dade W.
Moeller. December 22, 1992) e Impact of Lona-Rance Climate Chance in the Southern Great; Basin (Report to Robert M.
Bernero, Director, Office c'
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, trom Dade W. Moeller, J
December 22, 1992)
HIGHLIGHTS OF KEY ISSUES CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE 3
1.
NRC Staff Evaluation of DOE's Reauested Resolution of Site Characterization Analysis Obiection #1 Recardina Exploratory Studies Facility (ESF) Title I Desian Control Process l
The NRC staff briefed the Committee on the details of its rational to lift Site Characterization Analysis Objection #1 and related Comments and Questions.
In taking this step, however, the NRC staff was careful to note that they are obligated to continue to evaluate activities related to this objection.
I While the Committee indicated that it concurred with the action taken by the NRC staff, some members questioned the adequacy of the supporting documentation.
It was suggested that the NRC staff be careful to point out the extent to whi%
such action was based on oral exchanges with the DOE str.ff, coupled with insights gained by the NRC staff through cther types of interactions.
i During the discussion, Dr. Hinze requested that the Committee be provided with a copy of the anticipated DOE study plan that will address the use of a tunnel boring machine and the drill-and-blast method for gathering geologic mapping data.
Ms.
Charlotte Abrams, NMSS, agreed to provide the study plan when it becomes available.
This briefing was for information only.
No action was taken by the Committee.
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December 17-18, 1992 f
i 2.
Results of Geolocical Cross Section Balancina Activities The Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses (CNWRA) staff briefed the Committee on the results of their early work on structural geologic analyses of cross section models of Yucca Mountain.
Results and recommendations were published in a recent report entitled, " Geometric Models of Faulting at Yucca Mountain," October 1992.
The CNWRA staff also discussed some preliminary applications of the 2-D, cross section tectonic models, and implications for assessment of regional tectonics, geologic hazards, and developme nt of performance assessment scenarios.
This briefing was for information only.
No action was taken by the Committee.
3.
Report on the DOE Workshop on the Use of Expert Judament, held November 18-20, 1992 The Committee was briefed by Mr. Steven Mays, ACRS/ACNW Senior Fellow, on the DOE-sponsored Workshop held on November 18-20, 1992, on the use of expert judgment in licensing a high-level radioactive waste repository.
Mr. Mays noted that the main issues and focus of the meeting were on the political, legal, and social implications of using i
expert opinion.
The Committee considered the following possible lines of inquiry into the subject area:
Plan an interdisciplinary meeting with interested parties, including their legal representatives Plan a Working Group meeting that addresses the legal and technical resolution strategies and invitt outside groups, such as the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board, the Board on Radioactive Waste Management (National Research Council),
the State of
- Nevada, and other i
interested parties 4
e Invite representatives of the Office of the General Counsel to brief the Committee on the admissibility and limitations of decisions based on the use of expert judgment. This briefing could include representatives of DOE and their Chief Counsel.
i The Committee decided to consider these and other options i
further during upcoming meetings.
No other action was taken
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by the Committee.
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December 17-18, 1992 4.
Workina Group Chairman's Report on the Performance Assessme_n_t Workina Group Meetina
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The Committee was briefed by Dr. Pomeroy, ACNW Member, on the Working Group meeting on performance assessment for the high-level radioactive waste (HLW) program, held by the ACNW on December 16, 1992. This Working Group meeting followed a two-day NRC/ DOE Technical Exchange on this same topic that was held on December 14-15, 1992, and which was attended by Drs.
Pomeroy and Moeller.
One of the objectives of the Working Group meeting was to compare the NRC staff's Iterative-i Performance Assessment, Phase 2,
with DOE's Total System Performance Assessmen*
4 Although acknowledging the significant strides being made in HLW Total System Performance Assessment (TSPA), Dr. Pomeroy highlighted two areas of concern:
Treatment of uncertainty in TSPA e
Use of expert judgment in TSPA.
e The members were also concerned about the differences between the approaches used by NRC and DOE, including:
l Inconsistency in the definitions of scenarios and e
complementary cumulative distribution functions Inadequate validation mechanisms' e
Inappropriately heavy reliance on " turnkey" mechanisms e
for evaluating sensitivity and uncertainty.
The results of the second phase of NRC's Iterative Performance Assessment will be documented in NUREG-1464. This report will be given to the Committee when available, j
During the discussion, Dr. Moeller noted that there were a number of related topics that would make good subjects for future working group meetings, including Dr. Hinze's sugges-tion for a working group meeting on the potential use of fractals in performance assessment.
On the basis of the Working Group meeting and additional discussions held on the first day of its 49th meeting, the ACNW issued a report providing comments on the Iterative Performance Assessment, Phase 2.
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December 17-18, 1992 5.
Impact of Lona-Rance Climate Chance in the Area of the Southern Basin and Rance i
The Committee completed and issued a report on the impact of long-range climate change in the southern Great Basin.
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6.
Commission Meetina with John W.
Bartlett. Director, Office of f
Civilian Radioactive Waste Manacement, U.S.
Department' of Enerav The Committee members traveled to the one White Flint North Building to observe the Commission meeting with Dr. John W.
- Bartlett, Director, Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management, DOE, Dr. Hugo Pomrehn, Under Secretary of Nuclear
- Energy, DOE, and Mr.
Carl Gertz, Project Manager, Yucca Mountain Project Office, DOE.
The Committee members learned that DOE does not expect to meet the 1998 deadline for establishing a monitored retrievable storage (MRS) facility under the current legislation and has outlined in a letter to f
U.S.
Senator Bennett Johnston, dated December 17, 1992, a proposal to locate an MRS at Federal government sites, such as Savannah River.
Dr. Pomrehn also discussed the development of a universal canister system for interim storage and transpor-l tation of HLW.
[ Subsequent to this meeting, Dr.
Pomeroy recommended that the Committee learn more about these canis-ters.]
7.
Standards for Permissible Residual Radioactive Contamination l
1 The Committee was made aware of a draft position statement on
" standards for pernissible residual radioactive contamination"
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that has been prepared by the Scientific and Public Issues Committee of the Health Physics Society.
The Committee plans i
to review this statement during its deliberations on this issue.
l 8.
ACNW Future Activities I
e The Committee agreed to hold two meetings away from Bethesda, Maryland, during 1993.
The ACNW s'ca f f was requested to explore holding the May or June meeting near the Whiteshell Nuclear Research Laboratories and the Canadian Underground Research Laboratory, Canada, and the October meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, The Committee agreed to coordinate with the NRC staff on e
an analysis of the three principal HLW standard issues that the National Academy of Sciences will be addressing as a result of actions mandated by the Energy Policy Act 1
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December 17-18, 1992 i
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of 1992.
Additional discussion on this topic will be held during the 50th ACNW meeting.
The Committee agreed to postpone the briefing on the HLW.
licensing and research plan integrated strategy until the NRC staff completes its strategy document, now scheduled for May 1993.
The Committee agreed to delete the following issues from the list of proposed topics for future meetings:
NRC staff position on penetration of the Calico l
Hills tuff and the staff review of DOE's Calico Hills / Risk Benefit Analysis NRC staff review of the DOE reports on the Explor-atory Studies Facility Alternatives Study Modeling efforts underway for HLW repository sys-tems.
Dr. Steindler recommended that the NRC staff be invited to brief the Committee on SECY-92-374, Fort St. Vrain Generating Station - Public Service Company of Colorado -
Approval of Decommissioning Plan and Amendment of License, and particularly on those aspects relating to i
the waste water system and the tritium inventory.
The members concurred.
Appendix summarizes the proposed items endorsed by the Committee for the 50th ACNW Meeting, January 27-28, 1993, and future Working Group meetings.
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1 49th ACNW Meeting 6
December 17-18, 1992 APPENDIX.
FUTURE SCHEDULE i
l 50th ACNW Committee Meeting January 27-28, 1993 (Tentative Schedule)
Enercy Policy Act of 1992 (Open)
- The Committee will review and comment on the NRC staff's analysis of the issues that the National Academy of Sciences will be addressing as a result of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 and the impact this Act will have on NRC's high-level radioactive waste program.
Natural Analoas (Open)
The Committee will be briefed on the role of natural analogs in model development.
Low-Level Radioactive Waste Performance Indicators (Open)
- The Committee will explore 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 waste.
ADNW Four-Month Plan (Open)
The Committee will prepare and submit its four-month plan to the Commission.for the period February-May 1993.
Committee Activities (Open/ Closed)
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 Reculatory Guides for Implementina Revisions to 10 CFR Part 20, (Date to be determined),
7920 Norfolk Avenue,
- Bethesda, MD, (Giorgio Gnugnoli)
The ACNW Working Group and the ACRS Subcommittee for Occupational and Environmental Protection Systems i
will jointly review the following proposed final regulatory guides 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) DG-8009, " Interpretation of Bioassay Measurements,"
and,3) DG-8005, " Assessing External Radiation Doses from Airborne Raotoactive Materials."
LowLevel Radioactive Waste Performance Indicators, March 23, 1993, 7920 Norfolk Avenue, Bethesda, MD, (Howard Larson)
- The Working Group will explore 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 waste.
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December 17-18, 1992
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D Syneraistic Data Needs for Recolvina Volcanic and Tectonic Concerns i
at Yucca Mountain, (Date to be determined), 7920 Norfolk Avenue,.
I Bethesda, MD (Howard Larson/Lynn Deering)
The Working Group will attempt to determine what data are necessary to resolve and/or 1
move toward closure in the subject areas.
An area of focus will be how data should be integrated, including those related to heat flow, strain, geophysics, and seismic monitoring.
Another area of concentration will be to determine how and by whom those data will be analyzed.
Encineered Barrier Systems, (Date to be determined), 7920 Norfolk Avenue, Bethesda, MD (Giorgio Gnugnoli/Lynn Deering)
The j
Working Group will review the role of engineered barriers versus natural barriers within an HLW geologic repository.
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