ML20199H609
| ML20199H609 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 11/21/1997 |
| From: | Joseph Holonich NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Rehmann M External (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| References | |
| REF-WM-5 NUDOCS 9711260167 | |
| Download: ML20199H609 (2) | |
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' NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION i
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WASHINGTON, D.C. 20555-0001-k*****/
November 21, 1997 Michelle R. Rehmann Environmental Manager International Uranium (USA) Corp.
Independence Plaza, Suite 950 1050 Seventeenth St.
Denver, CO 80265
SUBJECT:
REQUEST FOR EXTENSION OF PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ON 3 RAFT STANDARD REVIEW PLAN FOR IN SITU URANIUM EXTRACTION LICENSE APPLICATIONS
Dear Ms. Rehmann,
I am responding' to your November 13,1997, request to extend the public comment period ors the Draft Standard Review Plan for in Situ Uranium Extraction License Applications. After j
' considering your request along with the request of others for an extension, I must inform you that we are unable to extend the public comment period beyond December 8,1997. The i
. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has an immediate need for a focused set of procedures in the review of in situ leach applications. - This Standard Review Plan (SRP) will provide the staff with those much needed procedures, in addition, the resources available to work on this activity are only available through March 1998. The December 8,1997, comment date was based on the time frame needed to receive and consider comments consistent with a March 1998 completion l
date.
I recognize that the SRP is the first time all of the NRC review procedures and acceptance critena have been consolioated into a single report. However, much of the information curre61y contained in the SRP has previously been made available to the industry for quite some time.
For example,' Appenc A D, " Effluent Disposal at Licensed Uranium Recovery Facilities," was issued as staff guidance in 1994. Similarly, Appndix E," Recommended Outline for Site-Specific in Situ Leach Facility Reclamation and Stabilization Cost Estimates," comes from the staff position on surety instruments which has been publicly available for nearly 10 years.
Finally, many of the regulatory guides cited as ecceptance criteria have been available to the public for more than 10 years.
/O Not only has nearly all of the information contained in the SRP been publicly available for many
. years, the NRC. staff helo a public, meeting in Riv,rton, Wyoming on March 19,1997, to obtain
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- suggestions on the content'of the proposed " Standard Review Plan for Uranium In Situ
- Applications." This meeting was attended by members of the National Mining Association, the Wyoming Mining Association, the Uranium Producers of Amt.rica,individuallicensees, and the y p)i, general public. Also, on June 5,1997, a groundwc'er mini-workshop was held with the uranium
f mining industry and the public. This workshop covered various groundwater issues of inte
. to the uranium in situ mining. industry; including a presentation on the status of the SRP.
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'2 do so, comments received after the end of the public comment period will be_ considered when finalizing the SRP. If they cannot be considered at that time, the staff will consider those.
comments in any future revisions to the SP,P.
If you haye any questions on the SRP schedule, please feel free to contact the NRC Project Manager for the SRP development, William Ford.- Mr. Ford can be reached at (301) 415-6630.
However, as stated h the October 22,1997, notice in the Federal Register; all comments -
should be written and be sent to the Chief, Rules and Directives, U.S. Nuclear P.sgulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555.
Sincerely, (Original signed by)
Joseph J. Holonich, Chief Uranium Recovery Branch Division of Waste Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards DISTRIBUTION:
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