ML20135B144

Summary of 87th Meeting of ACNW on 961022-23 in Rockville,Md to Discuss Matters & Issued Submitted Rept

ML20135B144
Person / Time
Issue date:	12/02/1996
From:	Pomeroy P NRC ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON NUCLEAR WASTE (ACNW)
To:	Shirley Ann Jackson, The Chairman NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
References
NACNUCLE-S-0084, NACNUCLE-S-84, NUDOCS 9702280102
Download: ML20135B144 (3)

Text

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, 8[our %;E% UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULN70RY COMMISSION ACNWS-0084 4

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s% e ADVISORY COMMIT 7;iE ON NUCLEAR WASTE WASHING /.oN, D.C. 20666 PDR A/,2/ph71 Dee, ember 2,1996 l

\ l The Honorable Shirley Ann Jacksort Chairman U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commiss;on Washington, D.C. 20555-0001

Dear Chairman Jackson:

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SUMMARY

REPORT - EIGHTY-SEVENTH MEETING OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON NUCLEAR WASTE, OCTOBER 22-23,1996, AND OTHER  ;

j RELATED ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMITTEE ,

During its 87th meeting, October 22-23,1996, held at Two White Flint North,11545 Rockville j Pike, Rockville, Maryland, the Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste discussed the following i 1

matters and issued the following report:

REPORT I l Comments on Coupled Processes in the NRC Hiah-Level Waste Prelicensino Proaram l '

(Report to Shirley Ann Jackson, Chairman, NRC, from Paul W. Pomeroy, Chairman, ACNW, I dated November 8,1996) i

N_lGHLIGHTS OF KEY ISSUES CONSIDERED BY THE COMMITTEE

1. Stratsalc Assessment Mr. James L. Milhoan, Deputy Executive Director for Operations, and other members of the rebaselining steering committee / task force briefed the ACNW on the status of s the rebaselining effort, and provided an overview of four Direction-Setting Issues (DSis) of most interest to the Committee, which include DSI 5, Low-Level Waste Options; DSI 6, High-Level Waste and Spent Fuel; DSI 9, Decommissioning Non-Reactor Facilities; and DSI 12, Risk-Informed, Performance-Based Regulation. Other members of the steering committee present included Dr. Malcolm Knapp, who discussed the four DSis, Mr. Jesse L. Funches, Deputy Controller, Office of the Controller, who discussed Phase 3, development of the strategic plan, and Ms. Clare V. DeFino, special assistant. The Committee requested an update briel .i on the strategic plan when comment evaluation has been completed.

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i a ' >The' Honorable Shiriey Jackson 2 1

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2. Branch Te:hnical Position on Reauirements for Radioactive Waste Land Burial [

Sites Authorized Under Fonner10 CFR 20.304.10 CFR 20.302. and Current 10 i j CFR 20.002  ;

Mr. Michael F. Weber and Ms. Heather M. Astwood, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS), discussed the screening methodology that will be employed l prior to decommissioning sites that had previously buried radioactive wastes in j accordance with the applicable sections of 10 CFR Part 20.

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( Mr. Weber provided the background and history of the issue and described its l t anticipated magnitude. Mr. Weber also discussed the principal points in NRC i

Information Notice 9647, which reminded licensees of their obligation to notify the l j NRC of " unused areas" and to commit to a schedule for decommissioning. He noted l that not all sites will require remediation. Ms. Astwood presented the three steps in l

! the screening method, noting that should the licensee not pass the screening, the site i

then would require more detailed evaluation. She then discussed the assumptions to  !

I' be used in this process and provided several sample calculations derived from the analysis of an actual site. ]

j l Conclusions / Action items-4

! The Committea, in addition to providing comments to the staff during the meeting, i plans to prepae a letter forwarding its comments to the Commission.

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l Pronosed Schedule for the 88th ACNW "::das l

l The Committee agreed to consider the following during the 88th ACNW Meeting, November 3 12-13, 1996:

• Plannino Session - The Committee will conduct a planning session during which the Committee will discuss the conduct of Committee activities, procedures and opera-tions, and priorities for ACNW tasks.

• Preparation of ACNW Reports - The Committee will discuss proposed reports.

including the following: (1) radionuclide transport at Yucca Mountain, (2) specification of a critical group and reference biosphere to be used in the performance assessment for a nuclear waste disposal facility, (3) time of compliance in high- and low-level waste disposal, (4) comments on selected NRC Strategic Assessment and Rebase-lining Direction-Setting issue papers, (5) shallow land burials licensed under the former 10 CFR 20.304 and 20.302 requirements, and (6) ACNW priority issues.

• Committee Activities / Future Aaenda - The Committee will consider topics proposed for future consideration by the full Committee and Working Groups. The Committee will discuss ACNW-related activities of individual members.

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Th'e' Hborable Shirley Jackson 3 Miscellaneous - The Committee will discuss miscellaneous matters related to the conduct of Committee activities and organizational activities and complete discussion of l matters and specific issues that were not completed during previous meetings, as time and availability of information permit.

OTHER RFI ATED MATTERS OF THE COMEu s EE  ;

j The Committee will hold its 89th meeting on January 28-30,1997. It also agreed on tentative i meeting dates for calendar year 1997.

Sincere!y, 4-1

] Paul W. Pomeroy

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Chairman l t l s ,

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