ML20148K751
| ML20148K751 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 11/07/1978 |
| From: | Casey Smith NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7811170280 | |
| Download: ML20148K751 (16) | |
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l COMMISSION BRIEFING NOVEMBER 7, 1978 DRAFT " REPORT TO THE PRESIDENT l
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INTERAGENCY REVIEW GROUP ON i
NUCLEAR WASTE MANAGEMENT" DR. SMITH, NMSS t
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BRIEFING OUTLINE i
I.
Discussion of IRG Process Mandate i
Organization Membership Schedule l
Products-i II.
Discussion of Report to the President i
Brief summary of findings and recommendations.-
Discussion of areas-addressed in Draft response Impacts on NRC programs 4
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PRESIDENT CARTER'S MANDATE
"... TO FORMULATE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ADMINISTRATION POLICY WITH RESPECT TO LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT 0F NUCLEAR WASTES AND SUPPORTING PROGRAMS TO IMPLEMENT THIS POLICY."
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j IR'S PARTICIPANTS AGENCIES, ADMINISTRATIONS
-WillTE il00SE COUNCILS AND 0FFICES
' DEPARTMENTS AND C0i1 MISSIONS f
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY *
. ENERGY
- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
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NATIONAL' SECURITY
- COMMERCE
' ARMS CONTROL AND DISARMAMENT INTERIOR
- NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE "
DOMESTIC AFFAIRS AND POLICY
- STATE
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TRANSPORTATION NUCLEAR REGULATORYV
- M/\\NAGEMENT AND BUDGET
- SCIENCE AND TECilN0 LOGY POLICY
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i NON VOTING MEMBER
- EXECUTIVE SUBGROUP MEMBEf 4
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t INTERAGENCY REVIEW GROUP SUBGROUP CHAIRMAN ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGY STRATEGIES
- OSTP (MIGK-LEVEL AND TRU1 FEDERAL INVOLVEMENT
(_ STANDARDS AND CRITERIA Lt.W. MILL TAILINGS, D&D)
DEFENSE WASTE *~
00E (INTERIM STORAGE AND PROCESSING) s SPENT FUEL DOE i
(STORAGE)
TRANSPORTATION
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- NRC PARTICIPATION k
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IRG SCHEDULE MARCH PRESIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM MAY FORMATION UF SUBGROUPS JULY ORAFT SUBGROUP REPORTS JULY-PUBLIC AND SMALL GROUP MEETINGS AUGUST' AUGUST-FINAL SUBGROUP REPORTS OCTOBER AUGUST FIRST ORAFT IRG REPORT-3 OCTOBER
' DRAFT IRG REPORT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW i
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I DISCUSSION OF REPORT Asterisks in the following refers to areas addressed in draft response
i E RODUCTION o BACKGROUND - EVENTS LEADING TO THE IRG AND THE ORGANIZATION OF THE IRG o HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE - BRIEF DISCUSSIUN OF THE GOVERNMENTS INABILITY TO. DEVELOP A HIGH-LEVEL
' WASTE DISPOSAL FACILITY
- o NUCLEAR WASTE DISPOSAL AND FUTURE USE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY -
RELATION BETWEEN THE USE OF-NUCLEAR ENERGY AND WASTE MANAGEMENT j
o SCUPE AND MAGNITUDE OF WASTE MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS -
4 DISCUSSION OF THE TYPES AND QUANTITIES (EXISTING AND FUTURE) 0F NUCLEAR WASTES 5
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CHAPTER I - OBJECTIVES AND PROCEDURES o PLANNING OBJECTIVES - POSSIBLE OBJECTIVES TO BE FULFILLED BY ANY SYSTEM FOR MANAGING AND DISPOSING OF NUCLEAR WASTES o DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTERIM STRATEGIC PLANNING BASIS -
BEFORE COMPLETION OF THE NEPA PROCESS AND SELECTION OF A PROGRAMMATIC APPROACH, AN INTERIM STRATEGIC PLANNING BASIS IS USED TO GUIDE PROGRAMS, ASSIGN PRIORITIES, AND i
4
. DEVELOP BUDGETS
- o DEVELOPMENT OF AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR NEPA REQUIREMENTS -
INTEGRATION OF AGENCY EFFORTS IN ORDER TO SYSTEMATIZE NEPA DOCUMENTATION
- o DEVELOPMENT OF CRITERIA AND STANDARDS - BRIEF DISCUSSION 1
0F EPA ROLE, INTERFACE WITH NRC, NEED FOR ACCELERATION,
0F EPA SCHEDULE AND EPA POSITION PAPER UN FINAL APPROACH TO BE USED IN SETTING SPECIFIC STANDARDS. DOE LEAD IN DETERMINING REMEDIAL ACTIONS o REGULATORY PROGRAM AND LICENSING PROCESS - DISCUSSION OF NRC'S ROLE IN WASTE MANAGEMENT AND THE MANNER IN i
WHICH NRC FULFILLS ITS OBJECTIVES.
- o LICENSING DETERMINATIONS - PRINCIPLES (NATIONAL SECURITY GUARANTEE, EQUIVALENT PROTECTION, INDEPENDENT REGULATION)
RELEVANT IN DETERMINING EXTENT OF AUTHORITY; IHREE ALTERNATIVES OFFERED l
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i CHAPTER II - TECHNICAL STRATEGIES FOR HIGH-LEVEL AND TRANSURANIC WASTES l
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o STATUS.0F ' KNOWLEDGE ON MINED REPOSITORIES - FINDINGS OF THE IRG REVIEW OF-SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE PERTINENT TO MINED REPOSITORIES ARE:
1 1.
A SYSTEMS APPROACH SHOULD BE USED TO SELECT THE GEOLOGIC ENVIRONMENT, REPOSITORY SITE, AND WASTE i
FORM:
i 2.
SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE IS ADEQUATE TO PROCEED WITH REGION SELECTION AND SITE. CHARACTERIZATION:
3.
DETAILED STUDIES OF SPECIFIC, POTENTIAL REPOSITORY SITES IN DIFFERENT GEOLOGIC ENVIRONMENTS SHOULD BEGIN IMMEDIATELY; 4.
THE ACTINIDE ACTIVITY IN TRU AND HIGH-LEVEL WASTES SUGGESTS THAT'BOTH WASTE TYPES PRESENT CDMPARABLE LONG-TERM NEEDS; I
- 5.
THE DEGREE OF LONG-TERM ISOLATION PROVIDED BY A i
REPOSITORY CAN ONLY'BE ASSESSED THROUGH ANALYTICAL MODELING; AND 6.
THE EFFECTS OF FUTURE HUMAN ACTIVITIES MUST BE EVALUATED MORE CAREFULLY.
- o REGIONALITY - THE IRG RECOMMENDS THE CONSTRUCTION OF-SEVERAL REPOSITORIES SITED ON A REGIONAL BASIS INSOFAR-AS TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS PERMIT.
o INTERMEDIATE SCALE FACILITIES - THE IRG BELIEVES THAT 1 INTERMEDIATE SCALE FACILITIES CAN PLAY A DISTINCT AND DESIRABLE ROLE IN THE TRANSITION FROM R&D TO FULL-SCALE OPERATIONAL DISPOSAL FACILITIES e
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CHAPTER II (continued)
- o INTERIM' STRATEGIC PLANNING BASIS FOR HIGH-LEVEL WASTES -
1.
FIRST DISPOSAL FACILITIES WILL BE MINED REPOSITORIES.
. POTENTIAL SITES IN SEVERAL GEOLOGIC ENVIRONMENTS POSSESSING A WIDE VARIETY OF GEOLOGIC MEDIA WILL BE EXAMINED.
- 2. ~R&D AND SITE DIARACTERIZATION OF A BROAD RANGE OF MEDIA AND ENVIRONMENTS SHOULD BE PROMPTLY INCREASED.
3.
R&D ON NEAR-TERM ALTERNATIVES TO MINED REPOSITORIES I
(i.e., DEEP OCEAN SEDIMENTS AND VERY. DEEP HOLES)
SHOULD BE GIVEN FUNDI.3 SUPPORT SO THEY MIGHT BECOME POTENTIAL COMPETITORS.
4.
OTHER TECHNOLOGICAL OPTIONS SHOULD BE LIMITED TO FEASIBILITY AND DESIGN WORK.
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TWO KEY OPTIONS FOR NEAR-TERM
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ESTIMATED INTERIM STRATEGIC PLANNING BASIS
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' INITIAL OPERATION '
i o NEAR-TERM PROGRAMS PLAN FOR AN EARLY 1988 - 1992 CHOICE OF A FIRST REPOSITORY SITE FROM POTENTIAL SITES COVERING A LIMITED RANGE OF GEOLOGIC ENVIORNMENTS o NEAR-TERM PROGRAMS ASSUME THAT CHOICE 1992 - 1995 0F FIRST REPOSITORY SITE WILL AWAIT AVAILABILITY OF A SET OF POTENTIAL SITES COVERING A BROADER RANGE OF GEOLOGIC ENVIRONMENTS 1
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i o TECHNICAL STRATEGIES FOR DISPOSAL OF TRU WASTES -
THE IRG RECOMMENDS, AS AN INTERIM STRATEGIC PLANNING BASES, PROCEEDING WITH AN EARLY TRU-WASTE REPOSITORY IF AN OPPORTUNITY EXISTS TO i
DO S0.
o DEFENSE WASTE - THE IRG RECOMMENDS THAT DOE ACCELERATE ITS R&D ACTIVITIES TOWARD IMPROVING IMMOBILIZATION AND WASTE FORMS AND REVIEW ITS CURRENT IMMOBILIZATION PROGRAMS.
THE IRG ALSO RECOMMENDS THAT REMEDIAL ACTION, INCLUDING IMMOBILIZATION OF THE WASTE, SHOULD BEGIN AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE.
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CHAPTER III - TECHNICAL' STRATEGIES FOR OTHER WASTE TYPES' i
- o TECHNOLOGIES EXIST FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND DISPOSAL OF LOW-LEVEL WASTES,' URANIUM MILL TAILINGS, AND WASTES FROM
-DECONTAMINATION AND DECDMMISSIONING ACTIVITIES.
EXISTING i
PRACTYCES HOWEVER, MUST BE IMPROVED CONSIDERABLY TO FURTHER REDUCE THE: POTENTIAL FOR PUBLIC HAZARD ASSOCIATED WITH THESE i
MATERIALS.
INOREASED EMPHASIS NEEDS TO BE GIVEN TO THE i
SCOPE AND VIGOR 0F R&D PROGRAMS FOR DEVELOPING IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY FOR THESE WASTE MATERIALS.
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' CHAPTER IV - Institutional' Issues
- o Cooperation with State and local governments - Several recommendations to encourage interaction and interface with all interested and affected parties, are discussed. The most.
specific recommendation is the formation of an Executive-s Planning Council.
i o. Public Participation The IRG recommends that the President'
., encourage, direct, and/or coordinate a program to routinely e
update the status of scientific and technical knowledge in nuclear waste management and provide this information to the l
public, increase interaction and' discussions between Federal program managers and special interest groups, and support private sector effects to generate a greater degree of social and technical understanding.
- o Spent Fuel - Liability coverage for nuclear incidents involving the transport, storage, and-disposal of spent fuel is provided by the Price-Anderson Act.
- o Low-Level Waste - 00E'should assume responsibility for ' developing and coordinating a national plan for.LL% The IRG recommends that Statestbe'provided the option to retain management control; of existing. connercial LLW sites or to transfer. such control to ~
the Federal Government.
i o International Waste Management Efforts - Guides.are proposed for the U.S. involvement in Waste management activities of foreign j
countries.
o ' Transportation of Nuclear Wastes - The public rulemaking proceeding-by DOT is an important step towards resolution of issues-in the transportation of nuclear materials. Guidelines are provided for a Federal program to aid in the resolution of transportation issues.
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O CHAPTER V - Management Considerations o Organizational Issues - The IRG recommends that'D0E be given the-primary responsibility for developing and integrating the overall planning for the non-regulatory Waste Management Program and for interfacing with the regulatory programs.
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- o Waste Management Costs and Financing - A need 1s identified to update
.. costs estimates for remedial actions for uranium mill tailings, U&D of both commercial and government facilities, and other waste management activities.
Costs for commercial waste management will be recovered. Analysis needed to determine best methods of payment.
o Summary of Legislative Requirements o Work Plans - Summary " idealized" schedule of major products and key milestones in waste management with a brief description of related agency activities.
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