ML20058M518
| ML20058M518 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 09/28/1993 |
| From: | Bell M NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Oconnell R NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| References | |
| REF-WM-3 NUDOCS 9310060063 | |
| Download: ML20058M518 (3) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION k,
WAGHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001 SEP t 819AJ MEMORANDUM FOR:
Robert L. O'Connell, Project Manager Operations Branch Division of Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety FROM:
Michael J. Bell, Chief Low-Level Waste Management Branch Division of Low-Level Waste Management and Decommissioning
SUBJECT:
ALLEGATION NMSS-92-A-0003 In January 1992, James Kennedy attended a low-Level Waste Forum meeting (the LLW Forum is a group of State LLW officials involved in development of new waste disposal facilities). At that meeting, two Forum members reported on implied safety problems at licensees storing LLW in Michigan (at the time, Michigan was the only State in the country with a significant number of licensees barred from shipping their waste for disposal).
The formal meeting minutes published for this meeting contained the following summary of the comments made by the two Forum members:
" Concern was expressed that in states that have already been denied access, some generators may have had difficulty storing waste, but are refraining from reporting this to-regulators for fear of being penalized.
The same problem can occur after states are denied access in 1993 and prior to regional facilities being on-line."
Because they stated that licensees feared our response to their difficulties, and we can only respond to health and safety concerns, we interpreted this as an allegation of. safety problems.
We have obtained the following information related to this allegation:
On May 15, 1992, Mr. Kennedy called Kathryn Visocki, the Executive Director for the Southeast Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact Commission.
Ms. Visocki was one of the two Forum members who talked of storage in Michigan. She knew of no instances where there were health and safety problems from storage.
On April 27, 1993, Mr. Kennedy spoke with Carol Amick, Executive Director of the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Board in the State of Massachusetts.
She was the other Forum member who talked about storage in Michigan.
She also knew of no instances where health and safety problems have developed.
She had heard of cases where storage was creating problems for licensees, but none were related to health and safety.
The State of Michigan report identified below describes some of these non-health and safety 1
related problems.
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Robert L. O'Connell On July 15, 1992, NRC staff sent a paper to the Commission entitled
" Low-Level Radioactive Waste Storage in the State of Michigan."
In this
.l paper, which was based on the results of inspections performed by Region III, we concluded that " licensees in the State of Michigan appear to have adequate waste storage capacity and management programs to deal with the denial of access to disposal capacity for the next three to five years." Please refer to Enclosure 1 for a copy of the paper.
In April 1993, the State of Michigan published a report entitled
" Storage of Low-Level Radioactive Waste in Michigan." Although the report was based on a survey of generators which did not address health and safety concerns, it describes some of the problems these generators have faced as a result of having to store LLW.
These include curtailment of research which generates LLW, increased exposures to technicians from storing waste, and cost increases caused by shifting to non-radioactive materials for certain hospital testing procedures. contains a copy of the report.
On September 22, 1993, I spoke with Dan Semick, a senior evaluator with the GAO, who is responsible for preparing a report which will address in part LLW storage. This report is being prepared at the request of Senators Dodd and Lieberman of Connecticut. On Monday, September 20, 1993, Mr. Semick met with generators' groups from around the country to talk about LLW storage and disposal.
So i
far, he reports his research has not identified any safety concerns with LLW storage.
Based on the above, we conclude that there are no substantial health and safety concerns, that no further action is required, and that the allegation can be closed.
Because storage is a growing phenomenon around the country, particularly beginning next summer when many generators will lose access to the Barnwell disposal site in Smth Carolina, we wili continue to monitor safety in LLW storage.
If any concerns are identified, we will address them as they arise.
MIN MM Blf Michael J. Bell, Chief j
Low-Level Waste Management Branch 1
Division of Low-Level Waste Management and Decommissioning
Enclosures:
As stated DISTRIBUTION: Central File LLWM r/f JGreeves PLohaus JAustin JSurmeier JThoma NMSS r/f Mark Small Boxes in Concurrence Block to Define Distribution: Copy lPreterence.
In small Box on~ "0FC" line enter: C = Cover; E = Cover & Enclosure; N = No Copy W EdMck*
- See Previous Concurrence OFC LLWB E
LLWB,,
NAME JKennedy
- MB DATE 9/27/93 H
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/ /93 S:\\LLWMTYPE\\ KAREN \\ALLEGATI.JEK OFFICIAL RECORD COPY Ia small Box on "DATE" line enter: M = E-Mail Distribution Copy; H = Hard Copy
?DR: YES
/ NO Category:
Proprietary or CF Only f! -
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AW: YES V NO M: YES
/ NO Delete file after distribution:
Yes No _
Robert L. O'Connell.to have adequate waste storage capacity and management programs to deal with the denial of access to disposal capacity for the next three to five years."
A copy is attached.
In April 1993, the State of Michigan published a report entitled N " Storage of low-level Radioactive Waste in Michigan." Although the yeport was based on a survey of generators which did not address health and safety concerns, it describes some of the problems these generators hav'e faced as a result of having to store LLW.
These include curtA(iciansfromstoringwaste,andcostincreasescausedbyshifting Iment of research which generates LLW, increased exposures to techn to non-hadioactive materials for certain hospital testing procedures.
A copy of he report is enclosed.
On SeptembeA22, 1993, I spoke with Dan Semick, a senior evaluator with the GAO,\\who is responsible for preparing a report which will address in partxLLW storage.
This report is being prepared at the request of Senatbrs Dodd and Lieberman of Connecticut.
On Monday, Mr. Semick met with generators' groups from around the country to talk about LLW storage and disposal.
So far, he reports his research has not identified any safety concerns with LLW storage.
Based on the above, we conclude that there are no substantial health and safety concerns, that no further action is required, and that the allegation can be closed.
Because storage is a growing pheno'menon around the country, particularly beginning next summer when many generators will lose access to the Barnwell disposal site in South Carolina, we will continue tc monitor safety in LLW storage.
If any concerns are identified, we will address them as they arise.
\\
Michael J. Bell, Chief x
Low-Level Waste Management Branch, LLWM Encisoure:
As stated s
RISTRIBUTION: Central File LLWM r/f JGreeves PLoh'aus JAustin JSurmeierJThoma NMSS r/f Mark Small Boxes in Concurrence Block to Define Distribution Copy Preference.
In small Box on "0FC" line enter: C = Cover; E = Cover & Enclosure; N = No Copy y
LLWB
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0FC (LWBN f
NAME JKennedy\\
MBell
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DATE h /
93
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/ /93 S:\\LLWMTYPE\\ KAREN \\ALLEGATI.JEK OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
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In small Box on "DATE" line enter: M = E-Mail Distribution Copy; H = Hard Copy PDR: YES NO Category:
Proprietary ___ or CF Only\\
ACNW: YES NO IG: YES NO Delete file after distribution:
Yes No _
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