ML20154N773

Forwards Response to Question 4 for Hearing on Agreement States Program

ML20154N773
Person / Time
Issue date:	06/19/1979
From:	Bunting J NRC
To:	Browning R NRC
References
TASK-TF, TASK-URFO NUDOCS 9810220087
Download: ML20154N773 (3)

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UNITED STATES

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' NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION g

,E WASHINGTON, D C. 20555 l

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JUN 1919M j

MEMORANDUM FOR: Robert E.. Browning, Deputy Director Division of Waste Management i

FROM:

Joseph 0. Bunting, Jr., Chief Licensing Process and Integration Branch

SUBJECT:

STAFF RESPONSE TO QUESTION 4 FOR HEARINGS l

0NAGREEMENTSTATESPROGRAM(EDO6571)

As requested, enclosed is the staff response to Question 4 G r g

hearings on Agreement States Program. Wayne Kerr of State Programs also requested the staff to respond to this question and we also telefaxed.him a copy.

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' J seph 0. Bunting, Jr., Chief icensing Process and Integration BrancF, WM

Enclosure:

As stated O\\

v 9810220007 790619 PDR STPRG ESGGEN PDR

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6/19/79:

. Question for Hearing on Agreement States Program - EDO 6571 l

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' Question 4: What is..the status ~ of NRC standards and requirements for the

' siting, licensing,'and regulation of low-level waste burial grounds? How fdo these standards compare with those being implemented in, agreement states?

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, Answer: NRC is' developing a comprehensive set of regulations, regulatory guides,l and staff technical positions for the shallow land burial of low-i f_

lev' l wastes. NRC' plans on issuing proposed regulations governing waste e

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,'. m c classification and the' disposal of low-level wastes by shallow land burial

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[ by(the'e.nd oI FY80.. In addition, NRC. plans on issuing in FY80 proposed s

wr regulatory guides for the preparation.of license applications and environ-

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mental reports and ot'her regulatory guides and staff technical positions for low-level waste disposal-by shallow land burial. All proposed regulations:and regulatory guides are to be finalized by the end of FY82.

' Genera 118 as ' RC prepares and issues new regulations, regulatory guides, N

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and staff technical positions, the agreement states adopt and implement

.similarrequirementsintheihregulatore rograms.

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2 Whilelfonnal ~ regulations are being prepared, NRC is preparing staff technical

.n positions on the shallow-land burial of low-level wastes. A staff technical i

position has'been published relating to the closure and ~ stabilization of shallow lan'd burial grounds. This staff position has been incorporated'in 7,

1the state and NRC licenses covering the disposal operations at the Barnwell, t

. South Carolina facility.- In addition, progress has been made to incorporate the staff position in the state and NRC licenses for the disposal operation

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at Hanford,.Washingtori. We are working with Nevada to'similarly cover'the disposal operation 11ocated at Beatty. This staff position was filed with 1the'boardhearingtheSheffieldcase; 'All of theseIfacilities except for-

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- lSheffield are'in'agreeme'nt states.

Other interim staffft'echnical positions are being developed,' e.g.,_ solidification

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Lof liquid bearing waste, segregation of chemicals. When these staff positions

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are. completed, we will incorporate them in NRC licenses' and we will work with L the agreement states to incorporate them in the agreement states licenses.

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The agreement states.look to the NRC to set out the technical and other require-

.ments for licensing. Iow-level wast'e disposal facilities an'd are prepared to

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L implement similar requirements in their licensing programs.

NRC also has a program:to. provide technical, assistance to agreement states.

Technical assistance may be requested by the agreement ~ states on health, safety, and environmental issues. -This program helps assure that the L

technical ~ requirements;that are used by the agreement states to license h

disposal sites are' equivalent to the technical requirements that NRC uses.

In FY79 an'd FY80, 'we, plan to provide health, safety, and environment' l a

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. assessment to Washington for the renewal of their state disposal license

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.at Hanford and to Kansas'for an application to estab1ish a new-site at Lyons,-Kansas.. In FY81',"we plan on providing a health, safety and environmentalasse$sment^fortheagreementstatesrenewal.oftheBeatty,

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• Nevada ' license.-[We plan lon.doing.a.similar assessment in FY82 for the

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' ~ Lagreement state renewal of the Barnwell, South Carolina license.

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