ML20153G444
| ML20153G444 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 09/25/1998 |
| From: | Joseph Holonich NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Plieness R ENERGY, DEPT. OF |
| References | |
| REF-WM-73 NUDOCS 9809300075 | |
| Download: ML20153G444 (3) | |
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4 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION I
j WASHINGTON, D.C. 206tH0c1
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September 25, 1998 l
Mr. Ray Plieness j
' U.S. Department of Energy Grand Junction Office 2597 B 3/4 Road i
l Grand Junction, CO 81503
SUBJECT:
REVIEW OF THE FINAL SITE OBSERVATIONAL WORK PLAN FOR THE TUBA CITY, ARIZONA, TITLE I UMTRA PROJECT SITE
Dear Mr. Plieness:
j The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has completed its review of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Site Observational Work Plan (SOWP), submitted by cover letter dated September 14,1998, for the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) l l-Project site at Tuba City, Arizona. The staff's review focused on the proposed ground-water i
remediation strategy for compliance with 40 CFR Part 192, and the technical information presented in support of this strategy. This review does not imply a concurrence in the ground-water cleanup activities at the Tuba City site, but is provided as a " fatal flaw" review of the proposed compliance strategy based on collected data and analyses presented in the final SOWP.
DOE has selected an active remediation strategy to remediate ground-water quality at the Tuba City site. Aquifer restoration standards (required by 40 CFR Part 192) have been established for nitrate, molybdenum, selenium, and uranium, and aquifer restoration goals (not required by 40 CFR Part 192, but requested by the Navajo Nation) have been established for total dissolved solids, sulfate, chloride, pH, and corrosivity. DOE has evaluated various altematives to implementing active remediation. At this time, the proposed attemative would involve the deployment of extraction and injection wells in a line-drive configuration. Hydraulic containment of the plume would be achieved through the creation of a down-gradient pressure ridge and an up-gradient pressure ridge to divert uncontaminated ground water around the plume. Water O
treatment would make use of distillation. However, the final compliance strategy, and the WLlC l
method to achieve it, will be selected in the site-specific environmental assessment.
i Remediation of the ground water is judged by DOE to be complete when all areas down gradient of the point of compliance wells meet the standards in 40 CFR Part 192. However, \\QO if after several years of active remediation, it is determined that active remediation could no longer effectively reduce contaminant levels in the aquifer to meet the standards, other methods of protecting human health and compliance with the standards might be pursued.
These methods may include using natural flushing after the active remediation period or using attemate concentration limits (ACLs).
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R. Plieness
- s The staff has no technical objection to utilizing this compliance strategy at the Tuba City site.
If you have any questions concerning this letter, please contact the NRC Project Manager for the Tuba City site, Mr. James Park, at (301) 415-6699.
l Sincerely, et Joseph J. Holonich, Chief Uranium Recovery Branch Division of Waste Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards cc: D. Metzler, DOE /GJO l
l
p September 25, 1998 The staff has no technical objection to utilizing this compliance strategy at the Tuba City site.
If you have any questions concerning this letter, please contact the NRC Project Manager for the Tuba City site, Mr. James Park, at (301) 415-6699.
Sincerely,
[ Signed by]
Joseph J. Holonich, Chief Uranium Recovery Branch Division of Waste Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards cc: D. Metzler, DOE /GJO DISTRIBUTION:
File Center PUBLIC NMSS r/f URB r/f CNWRA ACNW MLayton CAbrams WFord MWeber DOCUMENT NAME: S:\\DWM\\ URB \\JRP\\SOWP.LTR OFC URB C. -
URB A,,L 6 URh NAME JPark DGillh Jhich DATE 9/8 [/98 9/M/98 N
/98 OFFICIAL RECORD" COPY