ML20137F426

SER Determining That Activities Are Suitable Under Possession Only License & Commensurate W/Timely Decommissioning of Site

ML20137F426
Person / Time
Site:	07000734
Issue date:	03/27/1997
From:	NRC
To:
Shared Package
ML20137F413	List: ML20137F407 ML20137F419 ML20137F426
References
NUDOCS 9704010102
Download: ML20137F426 (3)

Text

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7g y i UNITED STATES g,

j NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20666 4001 o

49

+ . . o ,o March 27, 1997 DOCKET NO: 70-734 LICENSEE: General Atomics (GA)

San Diego, California

SUBJECT:

SAFETY EVALUATION REPORT: REVISION TO PART II LICENSE SPECIFICATIONS RADIOLOGICAL SAFETY - (TAC NO. L30917) -

EXTENSION OF LICENSE (TAC NO. L21653)

BACKGROUND In correspondence dated October 15, 1996, GA submitted changes to Section 4 of Part II " Specifications Volume" of SNM-696 dated October 14, 1996. These changes describe the safety measures in place under the possession only license status approved by license amendment on September 26, 1996. Under the October 14, 1996, revision, references to safety measures and/or procedures that are no longer applicable in a possession only licensed facility were deleted. Other changes included those related to sampling and release criteria stated in 10 CFR Part 20.

DISCUSSION The licensee has provided changes to site activities and operations to further reflect the decommissioning and decontamination (D&D) activities at the site. l The following examples indicate the level of assurance provided by the licensee:

• 10 CFR Part.20 changes - Changed controlled areas to restricted areas, incorporated specific Part 20 references, established that ANSI N 13.22-1995 internal monitoring will be determined by 10 CFR 20.1204, and added a commitment to a respiratory protection program in accordance with Subpart H.

This change provides more consistent regulatory wording associated with the decommissioning activities of the site.

• Deleted Type I, II and III workplaces and replaced the air sampling frequency with quarterly surveys of air velocity unless the facility is in shutdown mode or not being used.

Type I, II, and III are not applicable for a possession only license.

9704010102 970327 PDR ADOCK 07000734 C PDR

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• Table 4.1-2 was expanded to include frequency for external radiation surveys and air sampling frequencies for various D&D activities and at facilities that are shut down. The action levels for unrestricted areas were changed to be consistent with the release criteria for unrestricted use. The analysis of air samples within 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> was changed to 3-5 days to allow for decay of radon gas.

These changes are adequate for a possession only license and D&D -

. activities.

Included information from License Condition S-12 (letter references License Condition 31, which was replaced by S-12).

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Added: " Sealed Plutonium sources shall be subject to the leak i testing and actions specified in the attached "Licens'e Condition

. for Leak Testing Sealed Plutonium Sources," dated April 1993.

. Added that GA would comply with EPA NESHAP regulations regarding airborne radioactive releases and that the EPA, NRC, and the State of  !

California would be notified if the standards were exceeded. (Note that j these regulations at 40 CFR 61 Subpart I were rescinded by EPA on '

December 30, 1996, but were established by the NRC through 10 CFR 20.1101(d) on January 1, 1997)

This change provides for continuity in meeting release criteria.

• Deleted Section 4.1.7.2 on liquid releases to the environment, since GA does not release liquids to the environment.

GA has never released liquids to the environment, and this change brings the safety measures in line with actual site operations.

• Added safety condition S-19 regarding criticality alarms.

- Added that no material handling shall be allowed in any area in which the required criticality alarm system is inoperative, as called out in safety condition S-19.

. Deleted information from Section 4.2.1.4 on fume scrubbers, since these are no longer used or required.

- With the change in site operations fume scrubbers are not applicable to this site.

• Added a reference to the Hot Cell Decommissioning Plan to Saction 4.3.2.

Updated the safety section with the addition of a reference to the Hot Cell Deconsissioning Plan.

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• Amended the date of Annex C in Section 4.3.5 to be consistent with license safety condition S-16. j Updated a reference regarding NRC guidelines on unrestricted i release.

Accordingly, these changes will be included in License SNM-696 by adding the l date of October 15, 1996, for the changes to Section 4 of Part II '

" Specifications Volume."

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

} Based on the information submitted by GA, the staff has determined that the changes are related to decreased operations at the facility due to the overall decomissioning of the site and, as such, will not adversely affect public health and safety or the environment. Accordingly, the staff has determined

,; that the criteria in 10 CFR 51.22(c)(11) for categorically excluding an action from an environmental review have been met. Therefore, neither an Environmental Assessment nor Environmental Impact Statement is necessary for this action.

EXTENSION OF LICENSE SNM-696 Finally, in view of the fact that the GA license is in timely renewal as well as in a possession only status it is the staff's opinion that renewing the license would serve no purpose. Accordingly, SNM license is hereby extended for the period of decomissioning and concluding with the final site release.

! CONCLUSION The staff has reviewed the application October 15, 1996, and has determined that the activities are suitable under a possession only license and i i

comensurate with a timely decommissioning of the site. )

The staff concluded that GA's request to amend the license to reflect

, decommission activities meets regulatory requirements and that there is reasonable assurance that these activities will not adversely impact upon the health and safety of the public and the common defense and security.

I The Region IV Principal Inspector has no objection to these proposed actions.

Principal Contributor Charles E. Gaskin

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