ML20056E830

Summary of 930519-20 53rd Meeting of ACNW in Bethesda,Md to Discuss Several Matters & Completed Listed Repts & Memo

ML20056E830
Person / Time
Issue date:	06/15/1993
From:	Moeller D NRC ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON NUCLEAR WASTE (ACNW)
To:	Selin I, The Chairman NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
References
NACNUCLE-S-0053, NACNUCLE-S-53, NUDOCS 9308250214
Download: ML20056E830 (6)

Text

..

l t-p'%a,\\

UNITED STATES l'

,i NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION ACNWS-0053 m

,c ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON NUCLEAR WASTE

- s e

8 WASHINGTON D.C. N PDRgg-

%, v...../

June 15, 1993 The Honorable Ivan Selin Chairman l

U.S.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Wachington, D.C.

20555 l

SUMMARY

REPORT FIFTY-THIRD MEETING OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON NUCLEAR WASTE, MAY 19-20, 1993 1

During its 53rd meeting, May 19-20, 1993, held at 7920 Norfolk Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland, the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste discussed several matters and completed the reports and memorandum noted below.

REPORTS e

Review of April 21. 1993. Draft Hich-Level Radioactive Waste Research Procram Plan (Report to James M. Taylor, Executive i

Director for Operations, from Dade W. Moeller, Chairman, ACNW, dated May 25, 1993)

Revision 1 of the Final Standard Review Plan for the Review of e

Remedial Action of Inactive Mill Tallinas Sites Under Title I of the Uranium Mill Tallinas Radiation Control Act (Report to Chairman Selin from Dade W. Moeller, Chairman, ACNW, dated May 25, 1993)

MEMORANDUM Memorandum for Robert M. Bernero, Director, NMSS, from Dade W.

e Moeller, Chairman, ACNW, dated May 26, 1993, regarding NRC staff participation in the ACNW meeting.

HIGHLIGHTS OF KEY ISSUES CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE 1.

UDdate on the Systematic Reaulatory Analysis (SRA)

The Committee was briefed on the current status of the Systematic Regulatory Analysis, conducted by the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses, and products resulting from 1 1 (1( M IC M MTo onIp N -

)

930B250214 930615 D

DVCM NACN E

g3

\\

I 4

The Hor. arable Ivan Selin 2

June 15, 1993 1

this initiative, including technical assistance efforts and the development of the License Application Review Plan.

This briefing was for information only.

No Committee action was taken as a result of this briefing.

i 2.

NRC Hich-Level P.adioactive Waste Research Procram Plan The Committee was briefed by representatives of the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research on the revised Draft HLW Research Program Plan, NUREG-1406.

Following the staff's presentation, the Committee discussed its concerns with the current draft plan.

Specific concerns are enumerated in the transcript of the meeting session.

The Committee prepared and issued a report.

3.

Standard Review Plan for the Review of Remedial Action of Inactive Mill Tallinas Sites The Committee reviewed and was briefed by the NRC staff on Revision 1 of the Standard Review Plan for the Review of Remedial Action of Inactive Mill Tailings Sites Under Title I of the Uranium 11ill Tailings Radiation Control Act.

i The Committee prepared and issued a report.

l 4.

NRC Staff's Review Plan for DOE Study Plans The Committee was briefed by a representative of the NRC staff on the NRC Review Plan, Revision 2, for the DOE Study Plans.

The Committee was also briefed by a representative of the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project, DOE, on the current status of the DOE Study Plans. The content and format specified by the Level of Detail Agreement between NRC and DOE i

was explained.

l This briefing was for information only.

No Committee action was taken as a result of this briefing.

5.

DOE Site Characterization Procress Reports The Committee was briefed by a representative of the NRC staff on NRC's responses and follow-up to the DOE Site Character-ization Progress Reports for the proposed Yucca Mountain j

repository.

The Committee was briefed by a representative of the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project, DOE, on the current status of the Progress Reports and how DOE handles NRC's comments.

i i

The Honorable Ivan Selin 3

June 15, 1993 This briefing was for information only.

No Committee action was taken as a result of this briefing.

6.

ACNW Future Activities e

The Committee and staff continued their plans for the site visit on June 23-24, 1993, to the Whiteshell Nuclear Research Laboratories and the Underground Research Laboratory, located in Pinawa, Manitoba, Canada.

The Committee agreed to hold an administrative meeting in August to review the future role and goals of the I

Committee.

The session will be in lieu of the regularly scheduled Committee meeting on August 25-26, 1993. A proposed agenda and list of questions will be prepared and distributed to the ACNW members for comment.

A site close to the One White Flint North Building will be selected for the meeting. The members expressed interest in meeting with the Commissioners during the session, The Committee agreed to have a technical exchange meeting e

with the Yucca Mountain Project Office in Las Vegas, Nevada, on October 27-28, 1993. This meeting, along with a site visit to Yucca Mountain, will be in lieu of a full Committee meeting in October.

Dr. Hinze recommended that, in conjunction with this trip, a working group meeting be held in Las Vegas on the characterization of the unsaturated zone flow and i

transport properties.

r Dr. Pomeroy noted that he has a conflict on September 22-I e

23, 1993. The Committee agreed to reschedule the Commit-tee meeting for September 29-30, 1993.

The Committee agreed to postpone a planned briefing on e

performance assessment computer codes for site cleanups, such as DITTY and GENII, until the NRC staff's plan for code use becomes more evident.

1 The Committee agreed to postpone a planned briefing on e

the status of the Licensing Support System until DOE and NRC plans are further developed.

The Committee requested a briefing from representatives of the NRC and U.S. Geological Survey on thermal loading uncertainties and rock-water interactions.

i l

I l

\\

The Honorable Ivan Selin 4

June 15, 1993 e

Dr. Moeller reminded the Committee of his interest in scheduling a working group meeting that will examine lessons learned from both HLW and LLW facility siting and operational experiences. The working group will focus on technical and regulatory deficiencies. Planning for this meeting will be deferred until the Committee has identi-fled areas of high prioritv during the August administra-tive session.

The appendix summarizes the proposed items endorsed by the Committee for the 54th ACNW Meeting, July 21-22, 1993, and future Working Group meetings.

Sincerely, Dade W.

Moeller Chairman i

4 l

L

1s A

APPENDIX FUTURE SCHEDULE June 23-24, 1993

- Several ACNW members and staff will visit the Canadian Research Laboratories (Whiteshell and Underground Research Laboratories), Pinawa, Manitoba Province, Canada.

54th ACNW Committee Meeting July 21-22, 1993 (Tentative Schedule)

Hich-Level Radioactive Waste Manacement Ouality Assur M The Committee will be briefed by.epresentatives of the

'C staff on HLW Management Quality Assurance.

DOE and State of Nevada representatives will be invited to participate.

Decommissionina Plans The Committee will be briefed by representatives of the NRC staff on the status of the decommission-ing plans for the Shoreham and Fort St. Vrain Nuclear Power Plants.

Decision Support System The Committee will be briefed on the Decision Support System, an interagency cooperative effect being j

developed by Sandia National Laboratories to generate an i

environmental risk evaluation and database management system.

I Encineered Barrier Systems The Committee will be briefed on the status of the Engineered Barrier System (EBS), the role of site characterization in defining the EBS, and other related issues.

canadian Whiteshell Nuclear Laboratory Trio Report Several members and staff will report on their visit to the Canadian Research Laboratories (Whiteshell and Undergrc..ud Research Laboratories), Pinawa, Manitoba Province, Canada.

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 Characterization of the Unsaturated Zone Flow a id Transport Properties (October 26, 1993), Las Vegas, Nevada The Working Group will examine the current understanding of processes controlling matrix and fracture-flow in the unsaturated zone at Yucca Mountain, existing approaches to model or bound fra'.:ture 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.

m t

A 2

6 Use of Fractals for Fluid Flow at Yucca Mountain (Date to be determined), Bethesda, Maryland 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 i

that the roughness characteristics of fracture surfaces can be simulated by the use of fractals.

DGE is considering the use of this approach in its study plan on fluid flow in unsaturated l

fractured rock systems.

Lessons Learned in HLW and LLW Disposal Procrams (Date to be determined),

7920 Norfolk Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland The Working Group will examine lessons learned from both HLW and LLW facility siting and operational experiences.

The Working Group will focus on technical and regulatory deficiencies.

r i

i i

l 1

i

_1