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)

Text

.. .. . . . - _ . -

/~ 1 cea 9 9

+ UNITED STATES

[ g ' NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION l

'$ ,E WASHINGTON, D C. 20555 l g . . . . . p' i 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) g As requested, enclosed is the staff response to Question 4 G r hearings on Agreement States Program. Wayne Kerr of State Programs l also requested the staff to respond to this question and we also telefaxed.him a copy.

, O & A -/

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

Enclosure:

As stated O\

v 9810220007 790619 PDR STPRG ESGGEN PDR

wp_-.-,---....---.--.-.---.-.-..-..~.----

,3 9 9

%~

y, n;

,4 . DRAFT i, > ETourigny:pfh, l ' ". 6/19/79:

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

H ' 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?  !

.c L

, 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'el wastes. NRC' plans on issuing proposed regulations governing waste

.r '

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

,e . .

6 [ 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-  !

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 N ' RC prepares and issues new regulations, regulatory guides,

, b; ?

and staff technical positions, the agreement states adopt and implement

.similarrequirementsintheihregulatore rograms.

4. 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 '

/

+ - - - T- - *

= c# + L; y .,

gl G

.u.

rT_ .CO ..._ '

+

.4 0.j - s. . (,

}Nr N '

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-

- lSheffield are'in'agreeme'nt states.

~

Other interim staffft'echnical positions are being developed,' e.g.,_ solidification Lof liquid bearing waste, segregation of chemicals. When these staff positions

'? "

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.

l. 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

^

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'a l t.

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

~ '

.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, 4

t. .

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

~

i m . .- ~

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

, < s ,

'b >.a ,* ,

e

+ .<

%

• t 3

C q. 1 i , ,

c/ : ,

[. i [

Li' L 3

-- g?* t

~, '

y

, M ;'