ML20155C400
| ML20155C400 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07109271 |
| Issue date: | 09/24/1998 |
| From: | Jim R YAKIMA INDIAN NATION |
| To: | Erickson J WASHINGTON, STATE OF |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9811020226 | |
| Download: ML20155C400 (3) | |
Text
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Confederated Tribss cnd Bands Esttblished by th
. of th: Yck:mn Indian Nation Treaty of Juna 9,1855
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A4te EAveh e WO 10/2l98 September 24,1998 Dr. John Erickson, Director Division of Radiation Protection Washington State Department of Health Airdustrial Park, Bldg. 5 P.O. Box 47827
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Olympia WA 98504-7827
SUBJECT:
RIVER TRANSPORTATION AND BURIAL OF THE TROJAN REACTOR VESSEL
Dear Dr. Erickson,
We understand that there is a proposal to transport the Trojan reactor vessel up the
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Columbia River to Hanford and bury it at the US Ecology landfill on Hanford. Thank
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you for allowing us to review the proposal and for being patient about our schedules. We have concerns about both the transport and the disposal.
We do not think it is a good idea to ship this1000 ton item containing 2 million curies on the River. If there were an accident and the barge sank, this item is too large to ever retrieve. This would leave a monolith with 2 million curies to leach into the river essentially forever (especially Tc99 and Nb94). The river and its resources are far too importont as natural and cultural resources to subject them to this kind of risk, even if the j
probability of a barge accident is low. Since the owner of the reactor already has the permits to cut it into pieces and ship over land, there is no reason to put the river at risk.
I Secondly, we object to burial of an additional 2 million curies at Hanford when we do not know the long-term effects of all the material that is already on Site. The original D&D plan was to cut the reactor into pieces and dispose the highly radioactive core elsewhere (not at Hanford). The core would have to be packaged in a cask and kept at the Trojan facility until a suitable disposal site were developed (there is none currently). The new 0\\
proposal to leave the vessel intact would allow the core to b6 disposed at Hanford -
h because its radioactivity would be averaged along with the less radioactive outer portions.
l This essentially would allow the core, which is too radioactive to be buried anywhere by itself at p, resent,,tq.be buried at Hanford immediately. Since this vessel contains an
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Post Office Box 151, Fort Road, Toppenish, WA 98948 (509)865-5121 9811020226 980924 l
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.million curies that would be buried at the US Ecology landfill, the ongoing US Ecology EIS'must include it along with all of the other reactor pieces already there (as well as the l_
other radioactive and hazardous materials).
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Until the EIS is completed with a truly complete source term, and until a performance j
assessment is completed that extends the analysis for 10,000 years, we oppose adding an additional 2 million curies to the landfill, and oppose expanding the permit to cover any new material.' We suggest as an alternative to take the same strategy as is being followed at Hanford, namely to cocoon the reactor in place for up to 75 years to allow substantial radioactive decay and reduce worker risk, then address final disposal.
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Please recognize that the Washington Department of Health needs to establish a consultation protocol with the Yakama Tribal Government to discuss the Centennia!
l Accord, Treaties, natural resource trusteeship, and protecting the health of tribal members.
j If you have any questions, please feel free to call me.
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Sincerely,.
g Russell Jim, Manager Environmental Restoration & Waste Management Program ec:
Merilyn Reeves, HAB j
John Wagoner, Manager, DOE /RL John Cook, Nuclear Regulatory Commission
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David Stewart-Smith, Oregon Office of Energy Richard Doyle, U.S. Department of Transponation l
Kevin Clarke, DOE /RL Stuart Harris, CTUIR l
Donna Powaukee, NPT Fred Ike Sr., YIN /RHW Committee Russell Billy, YIN /RHW Committee Wendell Hannigan, YIN /RHW Committee Clifford Moses, YIN /RHW Committee Carroll Palmer, YIN DNR Deputy Director l
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Environmental Restoration Con [NfiNfd98ds OnlTands r
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Post Office Iku 15 t, Fort Road I < 03r/33
- 0032 Toppemsh. WA 98948 s
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JOHN COOK OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFEGUARDS US HUCLEAR REGULARTORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON DC 20555-0001 3
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