ML20135E724
| ML20135E724 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 12/02/1996 |
| From: | Taylor J NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Shirley Ann Jackson, Rogers K, The Chairman NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| References | |
| REF-WM-3 NUDOCS 9612120009 | |
| Download: ML20135E724 (3) | |
Text
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I MEMORANDUM T0:
Chairman Jackson N
Commissioner Rogers December 2, 1996 Comissioner Dicus Comissioner Diaz j
2 Comissioner McGaffigan FROM:
James M. Tay1or CrabClGl3ned by Executive Director for OperationsdeslA. Taylor
SUBJECT:
INFORMATION ON INSPECTION OF URANIUM MILL SITES On July 29, 1996, the staff briefed the Commission on the uranium recovery program. During the briefing, Comissioner Dieus requested information on the violations of license conditions cited at uranium recovery facilities regulated by the Agreement States and those regulated by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Comission.
In the uranium recovery program, the Agreement States are Colorado, Illinois, Texas, and Washington.
Uranium recovery sites regulated by HRC include 5 in-situ facilities-(3 of which are operating), 4 i
mills capable of operating, and 16 mills undergoing reclamation.
Illinois has j
1 thorium facility (in reclamation); Washington has 2 conventional mills (1 in reclamation, and 1 in groundwater corrective action and processing water treatment sludge); Colorado has 2 conventional mills (1 in reclamation, and 1 in standbv) and 2 heap leach facilities (both in reclamation); and Texas has 17 in-sitt facilities (2 in operation, and the others in reclamation) and 3 conventional mills (all in reclamation).
The staff recently received the information from the Agreement States, and the comparison is provided in the attachment.
The violations have been tabulated in four categories. As can be seen from the attachment, during 1995-96, NRC cited 14 violations which included 2 in operational, 2 in workers' safety, 3 in monitoring, and 7 in procedural areas.
In addition, there were five non-cited violations.
Illinois and Washington reported no violations; Colorado cited 1 monitoring violation; and Texas cited 11 operational, 6 workers' safety,15 monitoring, and 13 procedural violations. The issuance of violations can be highly dependent on:
- 1) the type, number, and strictness of conditions contained in licenses; or 2) the quality of the individual licensees.
Based on the information available to NRC staff regarding NRC and Agreement State licenses and licensees, no trends have been identified and no conclusions can be drawn regarding potential root causes of these violations.
Therefore, no new regulatory or guidance development needs have been identified.
i
Attachment:
As stated cc:
SECY n;nra n a e er e
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OGC 9612120009 961202 OCA PDR WASTE WM-3 PDR 1
OPA CONTACT: Joseph Holonich, NMSS/DWM/ URB 415-6643 DH PROOFED 11/21/96 DISTRIBUTION:
F.ile~ Center 'PUBLIC NMSS r/f URB r/f ED0 r/f DIR r/f DWM r/f CSeelig, PMDA CCain (RIV)
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INSPECTION RESULTS 1995-1996 VIOLATION CITATIONS Operational Worker's Safety Monitoring Procedural Unauthorized changes to NaC sites: (48 inspections Failure of workers to Failure to ccviduct daily e Falture to e
e performed) mitt circuit (1 SL IV) shower after work in inspection of waste solution establish restricted area (1 SL disposal system (1 SL IV) specified written 5 In-Situ Facilities; Release of contaminated IV) procedures (6 SL 4 Stancby Mitts; and materials from the
- Failure to obtain a sample IV) i 16 Mitts undergoing Reclamation Atlas-Moab site (1 SL Inproper use of (2 SL IV) l
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III) dosimeters (1 SL IV) e Falture to make t
60-day report of well excursions (1 SL IV)
- Falture to record and report certain items (5 i
Noncited)
Agrecuent Ittinois None None None None States Sites:
(26 1 Thorita (in inspections reclamation)
Washington None None None None 2 Conventionet Mills (1 in reclamation);
No In-Situs Colorado None None e Failure to sanple selected None wells (1, SL not identified) 2 Conventional Mills (1 in reclamation);
I 2 Heap Leach Facilities (both in reclamation);
t No In-Situs f
i SL: Severity Level - Severity Level I has been assigned to violations the; are the most significant and Severity Level IV violations are the least i
significant.
RSO:
Radiation Safety Officer TBD:
To be determined (Severity Level yet to be assigned)
ATTACHMENT j
g e
INSPECTION RESULTS 1995-1996 (Cont.)
VIOLATION CITATIONS Operational Worker's safety Monitoring Procedurat Failure to perform daily
+ Failure to Failure to perform Solid byproduct Agreement Texas e
States sites materiet stored outside surveys for alpha inspection of liquid provide records 17 In-Situ designated area (3, SL contamination (4 SL byproduct material ponds (2, of monitoring Facilities TBD)
IV)
SL TBD) program (2, SL (2 in TBD)
Failure to perform daily Failure to determine e
Solid byproduct operation, e
e others in materiet stored outside if respiratory inspection of liquid Falture to notify e
reclamation);
designated area (3 SL protection was byproduct material ponds (2 within 30 days IV) required due to Rn-SL IV) after a leak 3 conventional 222 progeny in air detection (2, SL Failure to quarterly monitor TBD)
Mitts (att in e
reclamation) material stored beyond Rn-222 (1 SL IV)
Failure to wear film
- Failure to authorization date (1
+
Failure to quarterly monitor produce radiation SL Ill) badges (1 SL II) e groundwater (3 SL IV) protection audit Failure to fence well (4, SL TBD) e Failure to ru ter, label, fields to exclude
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livestock (2, SL TBD) and monthly inspect Failure to e gloy e
byproduct material drms (3 RSO (3 SL IV)
Failure to put in drum SL IV) e Failure to byproduct material past Failure to measure Rn-222 maintain receipt 6 months (1, SL TBD) e exposure to workers semi-records (1 SL IV)
Failure to conduct amually (1 SL IV) e Failure to report maintenance inspection e
Failure to quarterly sar@te radionuclide (1, SL TBD) e process plant surge tank (1 reteesed to SL III) mrestricted area during drying of Failure to serple irrigation yellowcake at e
- , U to perform daily
.:.-v : n of piping leaks (1, i 16D)
SL: Severity Level - Severity Level I has been assigned to violations that are the most significant and Severity Level IV violations are the least significant.
RSO:
Radiation Safety Officer TBD:
To be determined (Severity Level yet to be assigned)
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