ML20126J068

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Addl Response to FOIA Request for Documents Re Five Categories of Info Concerning U Mills in Ut,Nm,Az,Co & Wy. Forwards Documents Listed on App.Search for Addl Documents Is Still Underway
ML20126J068
Person / Time
Issue date: 03/24/1981
From: Felton J
NRC OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION (ADM)
To: Mcloed C
FOUNDATION FOR NATIONAL PROGRESS
Shared Package
ML19211B053 List:
References
FOIA-81-8, REF-WM-28 NUDOCS 8104230593
Download: ML20126J068 (5)
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'Mr. Christopher McLoed . , -g ,

Foundation for National Progress 625 Third Street IN RESPONSE REFER San Francisco, CA 94107 TO F01A-81-8 ,

Dear'Mr. McLoed:

This is in further respor.se to your letter dated December 1,1980 in which you requested, pursuant ~to the Freedom of Information Act, all documents relating to fiva categories of information on uranium mills in -

Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Wyoming.

The documents listed on-the appendix are enclosed.

The NRC has not completed its review of the remaining documents subject to your request. We will response as soon as th'e review is completed.

Sincerely,-

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',', ,/ l J: M. Felton, Director -

Division of Rules and Records Office of Administration

Enclosures:

As stated i

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APPENDIX

1. August 15, 1979 Letter.to Jack Womack'from T. L. Stumph , ,
2. October 18. 1979 Letter to Ed Jeffery from T. L. Stumph~ ,
3. September'13,1979 ' Letter to Michael Burkhart from Richard Hoffman, M.DR ,
4. December 2, 1979 Letter to R. A. Scarano from Gregory Eadie
5. October 10, 1979 - Letter to R. Scarano from R. L. Douglas L6. October, 1979 Report - A Radiological Dose Assessment'of the ,

Church Rock Uranium Mill Tailings Dam Failure, ,

Church Rock, NM

7. April 23,1980 Letter to Hubert Miller from Thomas E. Buhl
8. May 16, 1980 Letter to Dr. T. Wolff from R. A. Scarano ,
9. May 28, 1980 Letter to G. Wayne Kerr from T. A. Wolff
10. November 5, 1980 Memo to Guy Cunmingham from J. O. Lubenau 11 '. July 25, 1980 Letter to T. E. Baca'from G. Wayne Kerr  ;
12. September 8,1980 Letter to G. W. Kerr from T. E. Baca f
13. Undated Radiation Protection Letter
14. April 21,1980 Report Environmental Improvement Division Radiation Protection Regulations
15. June 12, 1980 Memo to John Kending from J. F. Klucsik
16. November 13, 1979 Memo to Douglas Sly from G. Wayne Kerr
17. September 12, 1979 Memo to H. Miller and G. Wayne Kerr
18. October 10, 1979 Memo to Doug Sly from G. W. Kerr  :

'19. October 17, 1979 Memo to D. Sly from G. W. Kerr

20. December- 20, 1979 Memo to D. Sly from G. W. Kerr 1
21. August 20, 1979 Report - Status Report on Sampling Program to Determine the Environmental Impact of the United '

Nuclear Corporation Mill Tailings Spill i

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Re: F01A-81a8 1

  • t APPENDIX .
22. May 4, 1979 Letter to K. G. Brown from G. Wayne Kerr *

. 23.- March 30,.1979 Letter .to Dr. -T. A. Wolff from G. Wayne Kerr

24. December 7,.1979 Letter to T. E. Baca from R. A. Scarano J.
25. November 28, 1979 Memo to D. Sly from G. Wayne Kerr ,

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26. March 11', 1977- Memo to G. W. Kerr from E. P. Resner
  • 27.- February 24, 1977 Memo to Lee Rouse from G. Wayne Kerr
28. February 16, 1977 Memo to Dudley Thompson from G. Wayne Kerr 29.' March.2, 1976 -Report of Analysis in Water Samples
30. December 20,1979 Memo to R. Scarano from G. Way .e Kerr {
31. ~ December 4, .1979 Weekly Reportto Cubia Clayton from H. J. Abbiss
32. March 11, 1980 Weekly Report to Cubi; Clayton from T. M. Hill ,
33. September 10, 1980 Weekly Report to Cubia Clayton from T. M. Hill
34. - December 9,1980 Weekly Report to Cubia Clayton from T. M. Hill

' 35. June 10,1980 Weekly Report to Cubia Clayton from T. M. Hill  ;

36. December 11, 1979 Weekly Report to Cubia Clayton from H. J. Abbiss
37. July 20, 1979 Letter to T. E. Baca from D. D. Turberville
38. December 2, 1979 Memo to Ross A. Scarano from gregory Eadie
39. May 21, 1980 News Release - Radioactivity Levels in Church Rock Animals
40. Undated Paper - NRC Abnormal Occurrence, Mill Tailings Impoundment Dam Failure
41. April 23,1980 Letter to Hubert Miller from T. E. Buhl g

42.) April 11,1980 Memo to G. Wayne Kerr from J. P. Knight

43. December 31, 1979 Memo to G. W. Kerr from R. A. Scarano i
44. December 26, 1979 Memo to Norman M. Haller from R. G. Rayn i

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a. m; Re:- F01A-81-8 APPENDIX t
45. December:27, 1979' Memo to R.-A. Scarano from R. E. Jackson:
46. ' Undated Paper - Office of State Program Responses to questions and comments. contained in the Udall to  !

t Hendrie letter of Decmeber.6, 1979

47. November 6, 1979 Memo to NRC-Office Directors from N. M. Haller r

48 December 10, 1979 Letter to T. E. Baca from R. A. Scarano  !

49. December .10, 1979 Memo to R. A. Scarano.from R. E. Jackson f
50. . Undated Letter to T. E. Baca from John B. Martin
51. October 19, 1979 Letter to J. B. Martin from T. E. Baca '
52. November 2, 1979 Report - Status Report on Sampling' Program' to Determine the Environmental Impact of the United Nuclear Corp. Mill Tailings Spill j
53. October 31, 1979 Letter to D. D. Turberville from Cubia Clayton
54. Ocotber 24, 1979 Notice of Non-Routine Event 18C
55. October 15,1979 Preliminary Notification t
56. September 12, 1979 Letter to T. E. Baca from H. J. Abbiss
57. October 12, 1979 Telegram to D. D. Tuberville from Governor Bruce King transmitting NRC Order Conditioning License '
58. October 4, 1979 Memo to R. E. Browining from F. Schroeder f
59. September 20, 1979 Press release re: aerial survey of river in Church Rock Area '
60. September 21, 1979 Letter to John.Dubois from R. G. Ryan I i

61.. Undated Report - Pool Survey Data, from aerial survey {

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- 62. September 6, 1979 Memo to J. H. Sniezek from G. D. Brown - Special l Inspection Report No. 79-01  !

63. September .7, 1979 Letter to T. Wolff from G. Wayne Kerr  !
64. August 13, 1979 Letter to D. D. Tuberville from T. E. Baca i

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, Re: F01A-81-8 APPENDIX

65. July 26,1979 Memo to R. G. Rayn form W. J. Dircks
66. June, 1978 Sandia Report - Uranium Mining and Milling Environmental Effects Program Plan
67. August 1, 1979 Letter to H. J. Abbiss from R. A. Searano
68. August 2, 1979 Memo to G. W. Kerr from Leo B. Higginbstham
69. November 15, 1979 Letter to P. V. Domenici from L. V. Gossick i

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Rundation frr Natinnal Progress l l

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST l

December 1, 1980 1 1

Mr. Joseph Felton FREEDOM OF INFORMATION Director, Freedom ofLInformation ACT. REQUESI Nuclear. Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555 foyq_pj_p Awd l- 9-gf

Dear Mr. Felton,

Under 5 U.S.C. 552 et seq., The Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request personal access to all documents, internal memorandum, legal opinions, scientific opinions, letters of communication, meeting minutes, hand written notes, studies, testsy charts, tahles, unsanitized reports and all other relevent documents related to the items below as listed. I am requesting this imformation as it relates to the following states: Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming.

~

Request 1: All uranium tailing spills including dam failures, flash floods and all other accidental or planned releases other than the Church Rock Spill of 1979.

Request 2: Uranium milling practices of the 1940's, 1950's, and 1960's, specifically regarding methods of disposal and discharge of solid and liquid wastes.

Request'3: Adverse health effects associated with working in uranium mills, living in mining and milling districts or in close proximity to uranium mill tailings, and living in houses in which uranium mill tailings were used in construction.

These adverse health effects should include but not be limited to respiratory diseases, cancer, birth defects and genetic damage.

Request 4: The. Church 1 Rock spill.of July, 1979. In addition to the information requested in the opening paragraph, please be sure to include all correspondence between the NRC and the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Division and correspondence l between the NRC and United Nuclear Corp., regarding the spill.

Request 5: The ability of the state of New Mexico to regulate the uranium industry. In addition to the information requested in the opening paragraph, please be sure to include NRC opinions, anlalysis and reports on this sugject.

I hereby request a fee waiver for this information because I consider it as primarily benefitting the public interest.

If any part of this request is denied, please inform me of your appeal procedures. I will consider my request denied if I have no communication from you within 10 working days of receipt of this letter.

l 625 Third Street, San Francisco, Co. 94107 (415) 495- (83I h} 0 h blDY D

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Please be-put on notice that I consider this information clearly releasable under the Freedom of Information Act and that I consider your~ refusal to release the information to be arbitrary and capricious as defined in the Act.

Thank you for your prompt attention. If you have any questions regarding this request please contact Carolyn Marshall 415-524 7'545 or write the above address.

Sincerely, al '&:  : ![ . \;.' ' L ..

Christopher McLoed l

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OEC 0 21979 j MEMORANDUM FOR:

  • Ross A. Scarano, Chief .

Uranium Recovery Licensing Branch ,

FROM: Gregory Eadie i Uranium Recovery Licensing Branch - -

SUBJECT:

DOSE ESTIMATES FROM INGESTION OF CiURCH ROCK LIVESTOCK ht the present time, limited analytical data exi'sts of the actual radio-active concentrations in various tissues of livestock raised locally near '

the areas of the Rio Puerco affected by the UNC uranium mill tailings dam failure. Data reported by the US EPA-LVF in a letter dated October 12, 1979 (attachment #1) appears to be the only available pertinent data.

In order-to-estimate the dose received by an individual who might possibly

' _ ingest meat contamination to the highest concentration level as reported by the EPA, the following parameters and assumptions have been made: '

1. The adult meat ingestion rate is '78.3Xg per year (U.S. NRC, May 1979).

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2. The adult dose conversion factors for meat ingestion are as follows (see U.S. NRC, May 1979): '

t DOSE PER YEAR (IN MREM)PER PCI INGESTED Organ U-238 U-234 Th-230 Ra-226* Pb-210" Whole Body 5 5 4.54x10-5 3 4 Bone 7.67x10' 5.17xIO 8.36x10~ 4 2.06x10~ 5.70x10 3 4.60x10 4.60x10-2 5.44x10~2 $'

liver .. 0 0 1.17x10 5.74x10-6 1.53x10~3 i

Xidney 1.75x10~4 1.99x10'4 5.65x10~4 1.63x10-4 4.37x10 1.23x10-2

  • Note the relatively higher dose conversion factors for bone dose for radium-225 and lead-210.

i U.S. NRC, May 1979. " Calculational Models for Estimating Radiation Doses to '

Man from Airborne Radioactive Materials Resulting fmm Uranium Milling '

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3. The highest radioactivity concentrations were reported for _

cow 1iver (sample #210874):

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DOSE PER YEAR IN MREM I

0-238 U-234 Th-230 Ra-226 - Pb-210

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Concentration (in pCi/kg) 4.4 4.3 1.7 no data no data Whole Body 0.016 0.017 0.0076-* no data no data  :

Bone 0.26 0.28 0.27 no data no data Liver 0 0 0.016 no data no data Kidney 0.060 0.067 0.075 . no data no data

4. The " control" cow live,r results were (sample #210885):, -r DOSE'PER YEAR IA MREM..

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. U-238 U-234 Th-230 Ra -226 Jb-210 Concentration (in pCi/kg) <0.40 <0.34 0.18 no data . 30 data ,

Whole Body 0.0014 0.0014 0.00080 no data no data Bone 0.024 -

0.022 .0.029 no data no data Liver. 0 0 0.0017 no data no data .

Ki dney 0.0055 0.0053 0.0080 no data no data

5. The highest concentrations for sheep liver were (sample #210890):

DOSE PER YEAR IN MREM ,

U-238 U-234 Th-230 Ra-226 Pb-210_

Concentration (in pCi/kg) 2.0 2.1 2.1 no data no data Whole Body 0.0071 0.0085 0.0094 no data no data Bone 0.12 '

0.14 '0.34 no data no dats  :

Liver 0 O 0.019 no data no data Kidney 0.027 'O.033 0.093. no data no data i

6. The " control" Sheep liver results were (sample #210902):

DOSE PER YEAR IN MREM U-238 U-234 Th-230 Ra-225 Pb-210 Concentration (in pCi/kg) 0.23 0.30 0.22 no data nci data Whole Sody 0.00082 0.0012 0.00098 no data no data lone 0.014 0.020 0.035 no data no data Liver 0 0 0.0020 no data no data Ki dney 0.0032 0.0047 0.0097 no data no data e

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L7. Therefore, frowLthe above' computations, it appears that the , -

. incremental W6nt dose would be about 0.74 mrem per year for i tne ingestion of cow,'s liver and about 0.53 mrem per year ..

- from sheep's~ liver due to the increase above " control" levels

. for the radionuclides U-238. U-234, and Th-230.  !

It should be noted' that radium-226. and lead-210 hhva h.ighe.r dose conversion factors than for uranium and thorium; therefore, the total dose calculations must considers the contribution a from radium and lead in .these livestock- tissues. Un fortunately, at this time, the actual data for radium and lead concentrations is not available. ' The ' assumption ,that these radionuclides  ;

. may be present at about 10 times the uhanium content (i.e., , ,

radium and lead of 50 pCf/kg) has been made, and it is estimated that they'would contribute.less than 240 mrem additional bone dose. This assumption seems conservative in that the available  ;

data on radium in water and soil samples from the affected areas has been generally less than 10 times the uranium' content.

Therefore, at this time, without confirmatory radium and lead data, it would seem prudent to refrain from eating livestock possibly contaminated by radioactive materials released from the uranium mill tailings dam. failure. A complete dose assess-ment will be performed upon receipt of all the pertinent

  • livestock tissue radiological analyses data. .

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Gregory G. Eadie Uranium Recovery Licensing Branch

, Division of' Waste Management Attachment '

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t 4"i g UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (g, "*#,tgy 0FFICE OF RA0!ATION PROGRAMS LAS VEGAS FACluT(

P.O. BOX 18416. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA 89114* 702M36-2969 (FTS 595 2969) 3CT 12 1979 U.S. Nuclear R69ulatory Comission

. Attn: Mr. Ross Scarand - '

Willste Building , .

Mail Stop 396-55 ,

Washington, DC 20555

Dear Mr. Scarano:

Enclosed is a printout showing the preliminary radionuclide results which we i have obtained to date on the tissue samples collected by the Indian Health Service from livestock associated with the United Nucicar Churchrock tailings dam release. In keeping with the conventi the results are expressed as picoeuries on of the literature of r&dionuclide in thisoffield, per kilogram wet tissue. Note that the error term .is a calculated two-sigma counting error, based on the random nature of the radioactive decay process., it does not account of for other process.

the analytical errors or variability which may occur in the numerous steps order of 5 to 20%. Of course, These other errors are considered to be en the sampling variability is probably considerably greater than the total analytical variability.

As I have explained previously, we analyze the samples in groups of six or eight for laboratory operational reasons. This report covers the first two groups of samples which we have analyzed. These particular samples were '

selected on the combined bases of a f of adequate size to allow for re-a)nalysis in case unforseen problem '

and c) our desire to analyze the control animals early in~ the sequence to provide a basis for comparison of the results. We analyzed the muscle and liver samples first because we felt they were the most significant frem the viewpoint of human consumption.

Because of the chemistry involved in cur analytical procedures, the sample is separated into two fractions after the initial dissestion of the tissue. One

' fraction is analyzed for urani um', thorium, and polonium using chemical separation of these elements followed by alpha spectroscopy to determine the particular radionuclides. The other fraction is analyzed for radium-226 and lead-210. These analyses take longer because the methods we use depend on the ingrowth of daughter products (raden-222 for radium-226 and polonium-210 for lead-210) which are counted to determine these two radionuclides. Consequent-ly, these results will not be available for a few weeks yet.

I would like to offer a few comments regarding the enclosed results. 'The ,

Po-210 levels are considerably higher than the uranium and thorium. This is not surprising, since pb-210 and Po-210 are daughters of Rn-222. Since Rn-222 is released into the air from any material containing Ra-226, its daughters )

are available in the atmosphere for inhalation. Estimates in the literature indicate that approximately half of the Pb-210 intake (for humans) is from inhalation. Once Pb-210 is deposited in the body,'primarily in the skelton,  ;

it becomes a source generating Po-210 which is released into the soft tissues. '

It has been estimated that as much as 90% of the Po-210 in soft tissue may be from this source.  !

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A RA0!0 LOGICAL 00SE ASSESSMENT OF THE -

CHURCH ROCK URANIUM MILL TAILIflGS DAM FAILURE CHURCH ROCX. NEW MEXICd "

s Prepared by Staff of Uranium Recovery Licensing Branch Division of Waste flanegement Office of fluclear ilaterial Safety and Safeguards U. S. Nuclear Regulatory'Cong,ission G. fl. Gnugnoli G. G. Eadie H. J. Miller October, 1979 xna nyugia. a nes g -

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UNITED STATES

~ NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION i . ., I w AsmNCTON, D. C. 20555

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MAY 1 A 1980

'i Dr.,T. Wolff New Mexico Environmental Improvement t

Division

,P. O. Box 968, Crown Building Santa Fe,.New Mexico 87503

Dear Dr. Wolff:

This is in response to the letter from'T. Buhl of your staff to H. Miller of my staff, dated April 23, 1980, and received on April 28,1980, requesting our review of proposed revisions to cleanup criteria established in connection with the Church Rock dam failure.

I I regret to inform you that because of a lack of available resources, we cannot provide the review and technical assistance you requested, As you are aware, we have contracted with Battelle Pacific-Northwest Laboratories (SPNL) to reduce and statistically analyze soil sample '

data gathered frce affected streams after the incident. This work is nearing completion and we fully intend to provide the BPNL reports to you as they are completed.

If you have any questions on this matter, please contact me.

Sincerely, Ross A. Scara'no, Chief Uranium Recovery Licensing Branch

, Division of Waste Management

. G. W. Kerr, SP ,

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Enclosure 4

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OfuCe Kirig GOVERNOR j "A  %+ STATE OF NEW TAEXICO George $. Goldstein, Ph.D.

m # L e ENVIRONMENTA1. IMPROVEMENT DIVISION H

  • q 0NMENT; <,j '#P.O. Box 968, (505)

Santa Fe, New Mexico 87503 827 5271 Larry J. Gordon. M.5.. M.P.H.

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OEPUTY SECRETARY Thomas E. Baca, M.P.H., Director .

RADIATION PROTECTION BUREAU

' May 28, 1980 G. Wayne Kerr, Assistant Director For State Agreement Progrpms .

Office of State Programs ,

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ).

Washington, D.C. 20555

Dear Mr. Kerr:

I have received a letter dated May 16, 1980 copied to you from Mr.

Scarano stating that a lack of available resources will prevent review of our proposed revision of cleanup criteria established in connection with the Church Rock dam failure.

. Since the Uranium Recovery Licensing Branch lacks available resources to assist us in the requested review, I request you seek the assistance we requested from the Office of Standards Development or other appro-

, priate NRC Offices. A copy of our original letter requesting assistance is enclosed.

Sincerely, Theodore A. Wolff , Ph. D. ,

Environmental Manager TAW ag Enclosure cc: Thomas Buhl Enclosure 5 l

EQUAL CPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

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