ML20151D016
| ML20151D016 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000824 |
| Issue date: | 07/08/1988 |
| From: | Laroche G, Swift J NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8807220298 | |
| Download: ML20151D016 (3) | |
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UNITED sTA1 Es
!" n NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
{. j WASHINGTON, D. C 205f 5
\...../ JUL 8 yjeg IMUF:GL DOCKET NO: 70-824 LICENSE NO: SNM-778 LICENSEE: Babcock & Wilcox (B&W)
FACILITY: NNFO Research Laboratory
SUBJECT:
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FOR AMENDMENT APPLICATION DATED DECEMBER 8, 1987 RE: TEMPORARY STORAGE FACILITY Bdckground By application dated December 8, 1987, as supplemented March 30 and June 20, 1988, Babcock & Wilcox NNFD Research Laboratory, requested an amendment to License No. SNM-778 for the authority to construct and use a temporary storage ,
facility. This facility is to be located within the existing restricted area l for the storz Je of hot ci.ll waste. At the present time, containers of hot cell ;
waste are storad in the Annex to Building J. The Annex was constructed for l short-term storage of the hot cell waste curing a period when the ultimate disposition of the waste had not yet been determined. This Annex now iiouses approximately 100 drums of waste and is full. Normal operations over the next !
5 years in support of existing and anticipated contracts will 5,enerate approximately 100 more dim.
The Proposed Action The proposed action is the construction and use of a temporary storage facllity for hot cell waste. This facility will be an in-ground array of eight vertical, concrete cylinders arranged in two rows of four with 24 inches of concrete shielding at the top of each cylinder. The bottom of the cylinders will be at approximately 560 ft MSL which is 58 ft above the Standard Project Flood determined by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the James River at the B&W site.
The top of the concrete shielding will be approximately at ground level. Each cylinder will be 6 feet in diameter and 13-feet tall, is equipped with a stainless steel drain pipe which leads to a comiion sampling pit, and rests on a common concrete pad. The concrete slab is surrounded by a foundation drain system which pipes to a second sampling pit. The two sampling pits will be sampled regularly and analyzed for the presence of radioactive material, in cnis facility, the stored waste is in long-Itfe containers, the mejority of which are stainless steel, 30-gallon drums. Others will be 30- and 55-gallon carbon steel drums but will be overpacked in stainless steel or galvanized drums.
In addition, the licensee also requests that Beilairg C no longer be designated as an arer. where licensed materiel may be used or storea.
8807220298 eso7og PDR I)
C ADOCK 07000324 PDC ,
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2 'E f! ig g Need for the Proposed Action Presently, hot cell waste is stored in the Annex af Building J. This facility is full, and the normal operations in support of v:1 sting and anticipated contracts will generate approximately 100 more drums over the next 5 years.
This waste is being stored onsite until it is accepted by the DOE under the Nuclear haste Policy Act of 1982. Denying the construction and use of this f acility would completely curtail the normal operations associated with the hot cells.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action Not granting authority to constNet and use the temporary storage facility would cause NNFD Research Labo:atory to cease hot cell operations. This alternative Would be Considered only if issues of adverse public health and safety impacts could not be resolved or mitigated. However, as discussed below, the environmental impacts associated with the proposed license amendment are small and acceptable and denial of the amendment would result in no benefit to the environmer.t.
Environmental Impact of the Proposed Action Since only dry containerized waste will be stored in this facility, there shoulo be no effluents produced. Any rain or snowmelt that manages to enter the concrete cylinders will automatically drain into the sampling pit. This water will be periodically removed. In the unlikely event that water should penetrate the drums, any leachate would flow to the sampling pit before radioactive material could enter the ground water. The drums, concrete walls, and subterranean location will provide shielding to reduce radiation levels above ground to below regulatory levels.
Building C has been c2 contaminated, and a report of its subsequent radiological survey hos been received from NRC's contractor, the Raciological Site Assessment Program of Oak Ridge Associated Universities (0RAU), confirming that the remaining contamination levels meet the NRC release criteria. 1 Accioent Analysis The temporary storage facility design is basei o a requirement to preclude any credibility of an inadvertent criticality after 6e facility is put into i routine use. The fact that the ecttom of the cy. incers will be about 58 ft I above the Standard Project Flood precludes the possibility that this f6cility will be flooded.
Conclusion Based upon the above infonnation, the environmental impacts associated sin the proposed license amendment are expected to be insignificant. Essentie: q no effluents will be released, and acceptable controls will be implementea <.)
prevent a raciological accident.
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Therefore, in accordance with 10 CFR 51.31,. a Finding of No Significant Impc t is recomended for this action.
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, )Qc w ut % l'- o-Germain LaRoche Uranium Fuel Section-Fuel Cycle Safety Branch Division of. Industrial
,.and Medical Nuclear Safety, hMSS
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Approved by: _. - / ,
prryff. Swif t, Section Leader L
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