ML20140C919
| ML20140C919 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 04/16/1997 |
| From: | Cain C NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Sweeney K AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| References | |
| REF-WM-60 NUDOCS 9704210116 | |
| Download: ML20140C919 (14) | |
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April 16e 1997
' Ms. Katie Sweeney
.- National Mining Association i n b. 20036
SUBJECT:
MARCH 19, 1997. PUBLIC MEETING IN RIVERTON WYOMING l
Dear Ms. Sweeney:
o On March 19, 1997, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission held a public meeting in Riverton, Wyoming, to obtain suggestions from the public on the conterit of the '
proposed " Standard Review Plan for Uranium In Situ Mining Applications." This meeting was attended by members of the National Mining Association, the Wyoming Mining Association, the Uranium Producers of America, and the general public.
The sessions began with an overview of the purpose of the meeting by NRC staff and with a presentation by NRC contractors from the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses (CNWRA) explaining their role in developing the review plan. Meeting participants discussed a number of topics relevant to the proposed standard review plan or to the regulation of uranium in situ mining in Wyoming. These topics included: (1) a desire for increased flexibility in the use of technical methodologies. (2) reduction of regulatory review duplication. (3) establishment of appropriate ground-water restoration criteria. (4) ground-water restoration surety, and (5) timeliness of ground-water restoration. The meeting closed with the understanding that some of the participants would be providing the NRC staff with written input on the proposed Standard Review Plan Enclosure 1 contains the meeting minutes for the March 19, 1997.'public meeting. Enclosure 2 contains the list of meeting attendees. Enclosure 3 contains copies of the overheads from the presentation by the CNWRA, and Enclosure 4 contains a handout by the Wyoming Mining Association.
l The NRC staff and contractors found this meeting a useful way to gather information for the Standard Review Plan.
Sincerely.
(Original signed by) l Charles L. Cain. Acting Chief Uranium Recovery Branch Q l, 9704210116 970416 Division of Waste Management ,
PDR WASTE Office of Nuclear Material Safety WM-60 PDR and Safeguards
Enclosure:
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MARCH 19 1997. PUBLIC MEETING IN RIVERTON. WYOMING l
ENCLOSURE 1 o Meeting Minutes i
i
/
l '
On Marcti 19. 1997, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission held a public meeting in j Riverton, Wyoming. to obtain suggestions from the public on the content of the l proposed " Standard Review Plan for Uranium In Situ Mining Applications." This i meeting was. attended by members of the National Mining Association, the
- Wyoming Mining Association, the Uranium Producers of America, and the general public. The sessions began with a brief overview of the purpose of the i meeting by NRC staff and a presentation by NRC contractors from the Center-for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses explaining their role in the development of l
the proposed standard review 31an. Meeting participants discussed a wide-l range of topics relevant to t1e proposed standard review plan or to the l regulation of uranium in situ mining in Wyoming.
Some of the attendees expressed a desire for increased flexibility in the use of technical methodologies. The NRC staff commented that one way to provide l increased flexibility is through appropriately written performance based l licenses. In constructing the review plan, the staff will provide guidance for the review of performance based licenses.
j Many attendees requested a reduction of regulatory review duplication between l the State of Wyoming and NRC. Some of the suggestions were:
- 1. NRC should have no regulatory authority over the regulation of in situ mine well fields, and should not regulate them.
- 2. The State of Wyoming should become an agreement state.
- 3. The State of Wyoming should review the ground-water aspects of in situ l licenses for the State and the NRC.
i 4. Rather than develop the review plan based on the NRC Standard Format and Content Guide, the format shou M duplicate Wyoming in situ mine
, a1plications.
l 5. T1e State and NRC should closely coordinate their reviews to avoid t
duplication.
l l NRC staff responded during the meeting that since 1980. it has been the l opinion of NRC legal counsel that NRC has regulatory aL>hority over the regulation of uranium in situ mine well fields. Representatives of the State of Wyoming expressed budgetary concerns with becoming an agreement state. If l the State were to conduct reviews for both the State and NRC: the State has budgetary concerns about having to defend a ground-water review at an NRC l
hearing. NRC staff are concerned that if the standard review plan is produced
- in a format identical to State of Wyoming applications. it may not be l applicable in other states where the NRC regulates in situ mining.
Furthermore, a State format may not address all NRC staff concerns. The NRC staff have been closely coordinating their reviews with State of Wyoming staff and will continue to do so in the future.
The meeting generated requests for appropriate ground-water restoration criteria. Some of the suggestions were:
- 1. Radon needs to be considered in determining restoration success.
L 2. Restoration of ground-water quality to premining total dissolved solids concentrations should be considered adecuate restoration for major water quality parameters with no established crinking water standards.
- 3. Regulatory flexibility is needed when neither the primary goal of
]
restoration to baseline concentrations or the secondary goal of a
i t
' 2 restoration to drinking water quality standards can be achieved.
- 4. The restoration goal should be set to the mean plus a set numt'er of j
standard deviations.
l The NRC staff has stated that if primary and secondary goals cannot be
, achieved on a parameter by parameter basis. applicants will be allowed to
! propose alternatives to NRC. This demonstration must show that leaving a ;
J
, parameter at higher than secondary goal concentrations would be ' acceptable if l l it would not be a threat to public health and safety and if water use would '
L not be significantly degraded.
The meeting also discussed ground-ware, restoration surety and timeliness of I ground-water restoration. NRC and State of Wyoming staff expressed concerns about obtaining accurate estimates of ground-water restoration costs to 1 calculate sureties and about the need for an approach to encourage timely j restoration of ground water. Some attendees recommended that any approach to encourage timely r estoration should aiso allow well fieius to be placed on l standby while awaiting an increase in uranium prices.
The meeting closed with the understanding that some of the participants would be providing NRC staff with written input on the proposed Standard Review
- Plan.
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MARCH 19. 1997. PUBLIC MEETING IN RIVERTON. WYOMING ENCLOSURE 3 o Center for Nuclear Waste Presentation l I l l l
CNWRA SUPPORT TO NRC IN S/TU FACILITY STANDARD REVIEW PLAN DEVELOPMENT Presented to Uranium Mining Industry Representatives March 19,1997 Presented by Pat Mackin CNWRA Uranium Recovery Project Manager
SUMMARY
OF CNWRA TASKING AND STAFF CAPABILITIES
'e CNWRA Exists to Provide Centralized, Integrated Technical and Regulatory Support to NRC
- Areas of Expertise Are Applicable to Uranium Recovery Licensing Geochemistry -
Geotechnical Engineering Hydrology - Regulatory Analysis I Health Physics
- Purpose of CNWRA Uranium Recovery Contract with NRC
.i
- Standard Review Plan Development Specific Licensing Reviews ;
i March 19,1997/7 , i
STANDARD REVIEW PLAN DEVELOPMENT PROCESS : I
- Build on Standard Format and Content Guide for ISL Facilities ,
(Regulatory Guide 3.46)
- Incorporate All Available Sources of Licensing Guidance and History .
Regulations Regulatory Guides Docket Files : Agreement State Experience
- Interactions with NRC/ State Regulatory Staffs
- Interaction with Industry Representatives 3
General Public
- Status
- Submit internal Draft SRP to NRC in Spring / Summer '97 March 19.1997/8
P MARCH 19.1997. PUBLIC MEETING IN RIVERTON, WYOMING ENCLOSURE 4 o Wyoming Mining Association Presentation O 1 1 6
t 11AR-18-97 TUE 16:57 WY0t11 tic tiltiltl0 ASSOC FAX t10. 3077786240 P.02 4 h) i ac) W Y O MIN G MININ G A S S O CI ATIO N Jotnt Meettng or Nuclear Regulatory LollunisstorvWyonung Department ot Environmental Quality and the Uranium Industry PHONE 635o331 March 19.1997, Holiday Inn, Riverton, Wyoming AREA CODE 307 HITCHING POST INN P. O. Box 866 I. Introductions Cheyenne. Wyoming 82003 IL Proposed Activities-NRC , l A. Licensing Action Requested B. Project and Ownerslup History C. Summary of Operational Changes Since Last Renewal IIL Site Description and Characteristics , l A. Area Location and Description-NRC/DEQ l B. Regional Demography-NRC C. Regional Historical, Archaeological, Architectural, Scenic, Cultural and National Landmarks-DEQ D. Climatology and Meteorology-NRC/DEQ [FW k /Wc) I E. Geology and Seismology-DEQ @ed '44c/dK; MJ-M acc. F. Hydrology-DEQ G. Ecology-DEQ H. Background Nen-Radiological Characteristics-DEQ IV. Description of Proposed Operations A. Site Description and Facilities Layout-NRC/DEQ B. Description of the Orebodies-DEQ C. Well Field Design, Construction and Operation-DEQ D. Uranium Recover Processing Facilities-NRC E. Access Roads-DEQ ? F. Construction Considerations. S;il Hydrology-DEQ G. Development Schedule-DEQ V. Effuent Control Systems A. Gaseous and Airborne Particulates-NRC/DEQ B. Liquids and Solids, Wastewater Disposal-NRC/DEQ C. Contaminated Equipment-b%C
, s. .
MAR-18-97 TUE 16:57 WYONIMG HINING ASSOC FAX NO. 3077786240 P.03 Page 2 VI. Operations A. Corporate Organization and. Administrative Procedures-NRC B. Management Control Program-NRC C. Management Audit and Inspection Program-NRC D. Qualifications-NRC E. Training -NRC l'. Security-NRC G. Radiation Safety Controls and Monitoring-NRC H. Environmental Monitoring Programs-NRC/DEQ
- l. Air'corne E&luent and Environmental Monitoring Programs-NRC
- 2. Groundwater and Surface Water Monitoring Programs-DEQ 3: Evaporation Pond Leak Detection Monitoring-NRC/DEQ I. Quality Assurance Program-NRC J. Reporting Procedures-NRC/DEQ VII. Restoration and Reclamation Plans A. Groundwater Restoration-DEQ i B. Decontamination and Decommissioning-NRC/DEQ l
- 1. Process Buildings and Equipment-NRC/DEQ
- 2. Evaporation Pond Decommissioning-NRC/DEQ l 3. Well Field Deconunissioning-DEQ l 1 Soil Decontamination-NRC
- 5. Decommissioning Health Physics and Radiation Safety-NRC C. Surface Reclamation-DEQ D. Bonding Assessment-NRC/DEQ VIII. Endronmental Effects l
! A. Site Preparation and Construction-NRC B. OperationalImpacts-NRC C. RadiologicalImpacts-NRC D. Non-Radiological Effects-DEQ E. Effects of Accidents-NRC
- 1. Accidents Involving Radioactivity
- 2. Transportation Accidents
- 3. Other Accidents IX. Alternatives to Proposed Action-NRC X. BeneSt-Cost Summary-NRC J
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