ML20058L512
| ML20058L512 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 10/14/1993 |
| From: | Chilk S NRC OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY (SECY) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| FRN-58FR54071, RULE-PRM-20-22 NUDOCS 9312170037 | |
| Download: ML20058L512 (5) | |
Text
.
..-' W,eY 4..
[7590gD1-P]
r
- 93 C -6 ~C ;6 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION i
[ Docket No. PRM-20-22]
Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District; Receipt of Petition for Rulemaking AGENCY:
Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
)
ACTION:
Petition for rulemaking; Notice of receipt.
SUMMARY
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is publishing for public comment a notice of receipt of a petition for rulemaking, dated August 2, 1993, which was filed with the Commission by Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District.
The 1
i petition was docketed by the NRC on August 10, 1993, and has been-J assigned Docket No. PRM-20-22.
The petitioner requests that the NRC amend its regulations to require that all licensees provide at least 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> advance notice to the appropriate sewage treatment plant before releasing radioactive material to the sanitary sewer system.
The petitioner also requests that the NRC exempt materials that enter the sanitary waste stream from the requirements.egarding Commission approval for incineration under the NRC's current regulations.
1 P A l()f Y 1 9312170037 931014 PDR PRM i
20-22 PDR 0 51{
N 4
m df w -
---v n
a.
7
//3/Ser DATE:
Submit comments by (75 days after publication in the Federal Register).
Comments received after this date will be considered if it is practical to do so, but the Commission is able to assure consideration only for comments received on or before this date.
.i h
ADDRESSES:
Submit written comments to the Secretary of the Commission, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, Attention: Docketing and Service Branch.
Hand deliver j
comments to:
11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland, between 7:45 a.m.
and 4:15 p.m.
Federal workdays.
I For a copy of the petition, write the Rules Review and Directives Branch, Division of Freedom of Information and Publications Services, Office of Administration, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC'20555.
The petition and copies of comments received may be inspected and copied for a fee at the NRC Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, ITW. (Lower Level), Washington, DC.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michael T.
Lesar, Chief, Rules Review Section, Rules Review and Directives Branch, Division of Freedom of Information and Publications Services, Office of Administration, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, Telephone:
301-492-7758 or Toll Free:
800-368-5642.
2
L l
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMA". ION:
l
Background
The NRC has established standards for protection against i
ionizing radiation resulting from actty' 'es conducted under l
licensees and has issued these standard T the regulations I
codified in 10 CFR Part 20.
These regulations are intended to control the receipt, possession, use, transfer, and disposal of licensed material by its licensees.
Licensed material is any source, byproduct, or special nuclear material received, i
i possessed, used, transferred, or disposed of under a general or j
!~
l specific license issued by the NRC.
)
In particular, the regulations contained in 10 CFR 20.303-l l
and 20.2003 govern the disposal of licensed material or waste containing licensed material by release _into sanitary sewerage.
The regulations contained in 10 CFR 20.305 and 20.2004 govern the 1
treatment or disposal of licensed material by incineration.
In a j
petition for rulemaking received by the NRC on_ August 10, 1993, the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (District) requested j
that the NRC amend these regulations.
The Petition i
The petitioner states that the District's Southerly Wastewater Treatment Center has been contaminated by disposal of f
wastes contaminated with Cobalt-60 into the sanitary sewer system l
from other sources.
The petitioner states that the characterization and remediation of this contamination is ongoing H
3
~
q s
i
?
and will cost the District, at a minimum, in excess of one
[
million dollars.
The petitioner also believes that the i
remediation costs could rise into the billions of dollars if.off-site disposal of the contaminated ash is required.
l l
i The petitioner states that the District is not the first' j
i sewage treatment authority to experience radioactive contamination at a treatment plant.
The petitioner states that i
l l
the NRC has previously documented problems at Tonawanda and Grand j
l Island, NY; Lansing, MI; Oak Ridge, TN; Royersford, PA; and Washington, D.C.
The petitioner also stated that the NRC has recently investigated an occurrence in Youngstown, OH.
The petitioner states that it is possible that contamination currently exists undetected at other sewage treataae.it plants.
The contamination existed at the District for nearly 10 years before it was detected.
It is the petitioner's understanding that the NRC is reviewing the occurrence of unwanted radioactive material in sewage treatment plants.
Regardless of any other changes-the NRC may make to its regulations, the petitioner requests the following amendments.
1 The~ Suggested Amendments The petitioner requests that the NRC amend 10 CFR 20.303 and 10 CFR 20.2003 to require that all licensees provide not less than 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> advance notice to the appropriate sewage treatment
)
plant before releasing radioactive material to the sanitary
]
i l
4 I
--l
. _, =.
. _ ~. -.
l I
i sewer system.
The petitioner also requests that the NRC amend 10 CFR 20.305 and 10 CFR 20.2004, which prohibit the incineration of i
radioactive waste without NRC approval, to explicitly exempt i
i materials that enter the sanitary waste stream under 10 CFR i
20.303 and 10 CFR 20.2003.
The petitioner believes that this j
amendment would clarify that the NRC does not intend to inhibit' the operation of more than 200 sewage sludge incinerators
)
nationwide because of the discharges of its licensees.
{ q k day of October 1993.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this E r the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
I
{
O 3
C u
Secretary of the Com..ission.
i i
l 1
i e
i 5