ML20133C223
| ML20133C223 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 12/30/1996 |
| From: | Lefevre H NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Sinclair W UTAH, STATE OF |
| References | |
| REF-WM-3 NUDOCS 9701070077 | |
| Download: ML20133C223 (6) | |
Text
December 30, 1996 1
William J. Sinclair, Director Division of Radiation Control Department of Environmental Quality 168 North 1950 West P.O. Box 144850 Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4850
SUBJECT:
BI-MONTHLY NRC/ STATE OF UTAH MEETING /TELECONFERENCE ON URANIUM REC 0VERY LICENSEES
Dear Mr. Sinclair:
The purpose of this letter is to transmit the enclosed minutes from the bi-monthly Nuclear Regulatory Commission / State of Utah meeting /teleconference on uranium recovery licensees that was conducted on October 8, 1996.
If you have any questions concerning this subject, please contact me at (301) 415-6678.
i Sincerely,
[ original signed by:]
Harold E. Lefevre, Project Manager Uranium Recovery Branch Division of Waste Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
Enclosure:
As stated DISTRIBUTION:
FILE CENTER NMSS r/f URB r/f MBell JAustin TCombs PUBLIC DSollenberger CCain RIV JPark CAbrams MFliegel l
DOCUMENT NAME:
S:\\DWM\\ URB \\HEL\\ UTAH \\0CT96\\ MINUTES \\FINALLTR.008 0FC URB E
URS W b
NAME HLefevrN*
JH6)oIich DATE 12/73/96 N
12/al>/96 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY V\\
ACNW: Yes No X
I IG : Yes No X
Delete file after distribution: Yes ___
No X
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9701070077 961230 7
PDR WASTE i/
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i Enclosure j
i CONVERSATION RECORD NRC HEADQUARTERS STAFF NENBERS INVOLVED: Joe Holonich (NMSS/DWM)
Dan Gillen (NMSS/DWM)
Mike Fliegel (NMSS/DWM)
Harold Lefevre (NMSS/DWM) l James Park (NMSS/DWM)
DATE: October 8, 1996 (2:00 p.m. EDT) 4 Meeting /Teleconference Location: NRC Headquarters Two White Flint North, Conference Room T78-1 l
PERSONS IN CONTACT ORGANIZATIONS TELEPHONE NUMBERS Charles Cain' NRC/DNMS (REG-IV) (817) 860-8186 i
Ross Scarano' NRC/DNMS (REG-IV) (817) 860-8106 i
i i
i William Sinclair Utah /DEQ (801) 536-4250 Dane Finerfrock'-
Utah /DEQ (801) 536-4250 Loren Merton:
Utah /DEQ (801) 536-4250 I
' participated in meeting via telephone from Region IV offices, Arlington, TX 3
2Participated in meeting via telephone from Salt Lake City, Utah i
SU6 JECT:
BI-NONTHLY NRC/ STATE OF UTAH NEETING/TELECONFERENCE ON URANIUM REC 0VERY LICENSEES i
SUNNARY:
4 The following narrative provides a summary of the items discussed during the October 8,1996, meeting /teleconference. See Attachment 1 for the list of agenda items.
Enerav Fuels Nuclear. Inc. (EFN). White Mesa The NRC discussed the following topics (identified in the attached agenda) in varying detail: (1) EFN's request for authorization to process alternate feed material (U-bearing potassium diurinate in KOH/KF solution), (2) scheduling of the NRC's inspection during the week of October 21, and (3) description of the nature of the enforcement action (Severity Level III) taken against the mill foreman both by the NRC and by the White Mesa management. The NRC indicated that it is ready to close the issue.
The State described its policy for requesting that the licensee seek a groundwater discharge permit indicating that a November 8,1996, meeting with EFN has been scheduled to clarify the State's policy on the matter.
The State indicated that new facilities need a groundwater discharge permit automatically, but is a bit more lenient with respect to existing facilities.
l Atlas. Moab The ' NRC discussed the following topics in varying detail: (1) the reasons underlying cancellation of the Moab, Utah meeting (originally scheduled for mid-September) with the Department of the Interior, (2) indicated that a meeting of A+.las management and the NMSS Director had taken place, (3) indicated that 11 of
'r.e 30 TER open issues had been closed with the engineering details of the Peclamation Plan remaining. A copy of the letter to Atlas summarizing the statu of the TER open items has been provided to the State. The NRC hopes to issue a i
final TER by the end of this calendar year, and (4) indicated that the NRC Chairman has acknowledged receipt of the State's letter of Sept. 16, 1996, regarding comments made by NRC staff at the Commission briefing of July 29, 1996.
Among other topics the State described the nature of the meeting with Atlas management during the previous week.
i Plateau Resources Limited (PRL). Shootarina Canyon The NRC discussed several matters, including the NRC's receipt of the initial draft detailed site recluation plan and the commencement of the review of the document by NRC's contractor.
On this subject, the NRC indicated that if PRL voluntarily raised its surety to cover the costs outlined in the reclamation plan and the NRC approved the costs, PRL could resume mill operations while the NRC conducts its detailed technical review of the plan. The NRC also noted that it had conducted the annual site inspection in June and found no violations as indicated in the July 31, 1996, inspection report.
The State discussed a number of matters including: (1) a summary of its activities relative to the restart of the mill indicating that it had some concerns including, but not limited to: (a) the low TDS in the ground water indicating the presence of a Class I aquifer, and (b) an estimate indicating that perhaps 15 gpa is being lost from the impoundment to the aquifer, questioning the design of the clay liner and suggesting that perhaps there may be a need for a leak detection system, and (2) its schedule for visiting the site in mid-October.
Rio Alaos. Lisbon
)
l The NRC (Region IV) indicated that an inspection was conducted on September 3 and 4, 1996, with the inspection report issued on October 3, 1996.
There were no violations.
The State reported that due to low combined water flow (due either to the loss of a well or pump) the licensee applied to the State to drill and install another well in order to recover the site's pumping capacity.
Envirocare of Utah. Inc.. Clive The NRC discussed: (1) the results of its July 8-11, 1996, inspection as stated in its report of July 31 finding Envirocare in violation (Severity Level IV) of its license by failing to notify the NRC of exceedances of its uranium constituent background limit in Compliance Well GW-28, (2) Envirocare's letter
of September 11, 1996, denying that a violation had occurred, and (3) a NRC/Envirocare teleconference of October 3,1996, in order to discuss NRC's views on the licensee's bases for denial of the violation.
The staff indicated to Envirocare that it will prepare and transmit a letter to Envirocare within the i
next several weeks indicating that the violation stands.
Additionally, the NRC indicated that: (1) a routine inspection is tentatively i
scheduled for the week of November 18, 1996, and (2) the staff was notified by
)
telephone on October 1, 1996, that there may be arsenic exceedances in a number of wells, subject to confirmation by Envirocare's consultant.
The State indicated that, because of recent exceedances in a number of constituents for State-licensed portions of the site, it was in the process of reevaluating its standards for both the LAWR and lle.(2) operations.
j Other Item i
The State indicated that Envirocare of Utah, Inc. has announced its intention to locate a facility similar to its Tooele County, Utah in Andrews County, Texas near Lubbock.
The facility would not accept 11e.(2) materials and would be i
limited by its license to wastes originating from the cleanup of U.S. Department of Energy sites and those of the military.
Next Bi-Monthly Teleconference The next bi-monthly teleconference will be on December 3,1996, at 3:00 p.m. EST.
F0LLOW-UP RESPONSIBILITY:
I Harold Lefevre will coordinate the next teleconference, to include the agenda.
He can be reached at (301) 415-6678.
TELEPHONE CONVERSATION / MEETING OF OCTOBER 8.
1996. DOCUMENTED BY HAROLD E.
LEFEVRE i
j l
NRC/ STATE OF UTAH NEETING/TELECONFERENCE AGEWA ITENS Tuesday, October 8, 1996 Two White Flint, Conference Room T78-1, 2:00 p.m.
1.
WITE NESA - Energy Fuels Nuclear, Inc. (EFN) (PN - Jim Park)
Alternate feed amount request received on Sept. 24, 1996 (NRC)
U-bearing potassium diurinate (K U 0 ) in KOH/KF solution - from Allied 22 7 Signal Inc. (NRC)
Inspection to be conducted during latter part of October (NRC - Region IV)
Enforcement action (Severity Level III) issued on Sept.
6,
- 1996, against mill foreman (NRC - Region IV)
State requesting licensee seek a groundwater discharge permit for non-radiologics (State) 2.
NOA8 - Atlas (PN - Mike Fliegel) i Meetings in Moab 9/17-19 cancelled (NRC)
Atlas management meeting with NMSS Director (NRC)
Letter to Atlas summarizing status of TER open issues (NRC) i Letter to Utah - groundwater monitoring of all constituents found in tailings (NRC)
Status of State letter of Sept. 16, 1996, to Chairman Jackson t
regarding comments made by NRC staff at the Commission briefing of July 29, 1996 (State) 3.
SHOOTARING CANYON - Plateau Resources Limited (PN - Jim Park) 1 Receipt of initial portions of detailed site reclamation plan on Sept.
l 10, 1996.
Contractor conducting review. (NRC)
Annual inspection conducted June 17-18, 1996; inspection report issued on July 31 with no violation. (NRC - Region IV) j NRC staff requests a State briefing on activities being conducted by any State agency relative to the mill's restart (NRC)
Planned site visit by State and a summary of State activities to date (State)
~
4.
LI580N - Rio Algon (PN - Nike Fliegel)
FY 96 inspection conducted during the week of Sept. 3, 1996. (NRC Region IV) 5.
CLIVE - Envirocare (PN - Harold Lefevre)
Report of NRC's July 8-11 inspection issued on July 31, 1996; Severity Level IV violation issued because of failure to notify NRC of ranium exceedance of background limit in Compliance Well GW-28 (NRC - Region IV)
Licensee's letter of Sept. 11, 1996, denies Severity Level IV violation for not reporting Uranium background concentration exceedances (NRC)
Teleconference held on October 3 with Vernon Andrews, Envirocare RSO, to discuss NRC's views on the licensee's bases for denial of license condition violation related to Uranium background concentration exceedances (NRC - Region IV)
Routine inspection tentatively scheduled for November,1996 (NRC -
Region IV)
NRC notified by telephone on October 1,1996, of arsenic possibly exceeding background concentration levels at a number of wells (NRC) 6.
OTHER None identified.
INPORTANT To access teleconference, perform the following:
- 1) dial (301) 415-7605; 2) listen for " stutter" dial tone; then 3) dial access code "432-1789"