ML20203K103
| ML20203K103 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 02/23/1998 |
| From: | Joseph Holonich NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Rael G ENERGY, DEPT. OF |
| References | |
| REF-WM-3 NUDOCS 9803040462 | |
| Download: ML20203K103 (6) | |
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4 UNITED STATES g
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION o,
WASHINGTON, D.c. 30MHoot k'****
February 23, 1998 Mr. George Rael, Director U.S. Department of Energy Albuquerque Operations Office ERD /UMTRA P.O. Box 5400 Albuquerque, NM 87185-5400
SUBJECT:
CLEANUP OF SITES UNDER TITLE I OF THE URANIUM MILL TAILINGS RADIATION CONTROL ACT
Dear Mr. Rael:
By letter dated May 20,1997, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission reiterated its commitment to support the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in meeting its September 30, 1998, deadline for completion of the uranium mill tailings reclamation work required by Title 1 of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978, as amended (UMTRCA). At that time, you were provided with a schedule that the NRC could support for licensing the remaining Title I sites under the generallicense of long term care. NRC's completion dates in that schedule were contingent upon DOE providing timely and complete submittals in support of the NRC review. Based on changes in DOE program schedules, it is appropriate to re-examine that schedule.
The purpose of this letter is to provide, for your review and comment, a status of each site remaining to be licensed and a proposed revised schedule (enclosed) for DOE submittals and NRC reviews needed to complete the Title I surface reclamation program. The dates in the revised schedule are based on discussions between members of our staffs in a meeting on February 10,1998, at DOE offices in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
l Five sites remain to be licensed. With the exception of the Maybell site, NRC anticipates that it will be able to license all Title I sites under the general license for long term care by September 30,1998. Based on tentative schedules for DOE submittals, it appears that final DOE reports related to construction completion and long-term care of the Maybell site will not be available for g@
NRC review until after September 1998. If DOE can accelerate the schedule for the Maybell site completion, NRC is prepared to support an earlier date for its reviews. Although NRC g
currently has r'o resources budgeted to support an extension of the UMTRCA surface cleanup program into f.acal year 1999, it is also prepared to provide the necessary reviews to support Nfl3q completion of DOE's program.
g For the remaining four sites, NRC expects that, under the revised schedule, three (Ambrosia, Green River, Slick Rock) would be licensed by May 1998, and the remaining one (Naturita) would be licensed by September 1998. The schedule does not include licensing of the Grand Junction, Cheney, disposal site which will remain open until filled or 2023, whichever is first.
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G. Rael 2
The enclosure also identifies 25 Vicinity Property sites where DOE has applied supplemental standards, requiring NRC approval. Sixteen of these supplemental standards applications have been submitted and are still under review by NRC. At this time, NRC has identified a need for additionalinformation to complete two of these reviews. In order far the NRC to complete its review of the Vicinity Property supplemental standards applications by September 30,1998, it requests that all such applications bo submitted no later than July 1,1998, in a letter dated March 28,1997, to Mr. James M. Owendoff, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management, DOE, NRC stated its commitment to support the DOE in completing the uranium mill tailings reclamation program. Because NRC does not control the submittals it needs to conduct the necessary reviews, NRC must look to DOE as the controlling organization for completion of the Title I licensing work. One way DOE can provide support is by providing NRC with a schedule that portrays the timing of DOE deliverables as accurately as possible. In this way, NRC can better plan staff's availability for reviews. To that end, NRC requests that DOE review the enclosed schedule to see if dates for DOE deliverables are accurately represented. NRC believes it can accomplish this schedule with DOE's support in providing timely and complete submittals that acceptably demonstrate compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards.
As demonstrated by past experience, I believe that both agencies can work together to complete the program. Please provide me with comments on the enclosed schedule within 30 days. This will allow the NRC staff to plan its work through the rest of fiscal year 1998, so that it can support DOE's completion of Title I surface reclamation. If you have any questions on the overall NRC effort or the enclosed schedule, please feel free to contact me at (301) 415-7238 Questions on the schedule for specific sites should be directed to Ms. Charlotte Abrams, of my staff, at (301) 415 5808.
Sincerely, eph J. Holonich, Chief Uranium Recovery Branch Division of Waste Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
Enclosure:
As stated cc: F. Bor 'jevac, DOE Alb D. Mathes, DOE Hqtrs
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Rael 2
February 23, 1998 The enclosure also identifies 25 Vicinity Property sites where DOE has applied supplemental standards, requiring NRC approval. Sixteen of these supplemental standards applications have been submitted and are still under review by NRC. At this time, NRC has identified a need for additionalinformation to complete two of these reviews. In order for the NRC to complete its review of the Vicinity Property supplemental standards applications by September 30,1998, it requests that all such applications be submitted no later than July 1,1998.
In a letter dated March 28,1997, to Mr. James M. Owendoff, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management, DOE, NRC stated its commitment to support the DOE in completing the uranium mill tailings reclamation program. Because NRC does not control the submittals it needs to conduct the necessary reviews, NRC must look to DOE as the controlling organization for completion of the Title I licensing work. One way DOE can provide support is by providing NRC with a schedule that portrays the timing of DOE deliverables as accurately as possible. In this way, NRC can better plan staff's availability for reviews. To that end, NRC requests that DOE review the enclosed schedule to see if dates for DOE deliverables are accurately represented. NRC believes it can accomplish this schedule with DOE's support in providing timely and complete submittals that acceptably demonstrate compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards.
As demonstrated by past experience, I believe that both 80encies can work together to complete the program. Please provide me with comments on the enclosed schedule within 30 days. This will allow the NRC staff to plan its work through the rest of fiscal year 1998, so that it can support DOE's completion of Title I surface reclamation, if you have any questions on the overall NRC effort or the enclosed schedule, please feel free to contact me at (301) 415-7238. Questions on the schedule for specific sites should be directed to Ms. Charlotte Abrams, of my staff, at (301) 415 5808.
Sincerely,
' Original signed by Joseph J. Holonich, Chi]f e
Uranium Recovery Branch Division of Waste Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
Enclosure:
As stated cc: F. Bosiljevac, DOE Alb D. Mathes, DOE Hqtra DISTRIBUTION w/ Encl.:
File Center NMSS r/f URB r/f PUBLIC CNWRA ACNW URB staff w/o encl.:
MFederline MLayton DOCUMENT NAME: S:\\DWM\\ URB \\CEA\\DOERAEL2 OFC URB N h URN 6
- DGilleh, Jknich NAME CAbramsl DATE 02/f>/98 6
02/ /98
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02/')3/98 OFFICIAL RECDRD COPY I
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STATUS AND SCHEDULE FOR COMPLETING URANIUM MILL TAILINGS RADIATION CONTROL ACT, TITLE I SITES Ambrosia Lake. New Mexico Status:
NRC completed the Completion Report (CR) review and concurred in completion of the site on May 1,1997. NRC has no outstanding lasues on the Long Term Surveillance Plan (LTSP), and is waiting for the land transfer information from DOE. When that is received, staff will concur in the site LTSP, and the site will be licensed under the general license. '
Milestones DOE provides final LTSP 03/97 NRC completes licensing 03/97 Grand Junction. Colorado Status:
On March 28,1997, NRC completed the CR review for the Grand Junction processing site and transmitted its concurrence to DOE. No licensing action is required for the Grand Junction processing site. The staff reviewed the partial CR for the Cheney disposal site (site of the relocated Grand Junction residual radioactive materials) and identified missing information which DOE provided by letter of February 5,1998. Assuming no additionalinformation is needed, staff could complete its review of the Cheney CR in March 1998. On January 28,1998, NRC provided its review, consisting of one comment, on the draft LTSP for the Cheney site. DOE will not provide a final LTSP for the Cheney site as no licensing action is scheduled for the Cheney disposal site until the cellis filled or 2023.
Milestones NRC provides review of the Cheney Completion Report
- 03/98 DOE responds to comments and provides page changes to CR (if necessary) 04/98 NRC concurs in interim Cheney construction completion 05/98
- Final milestone if no additional concems are identified Green Rive Utah Status:
~ DOE proposes to submit a revised site groundwater protection strategy as a modification to the
- Remedial Action Plan (RAP) in March 1998. Once NRC concurs on the RAP modification, DOE can make corresponding changes to the LTSP. Groundwater related concerns are the major outstanding issues on the LTSP.
Enclosure
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Milestones DOE submits revised RAP modification 03/98 NRC completes review of the RAP modification 04/98 DOE submits revised LTSP 05/98 NRC completes licensing 05/98 Maybell. Colorado Status:
On April 21,1997, NRC completed its review of the RAP and provided its Technical Evaluation Report for the Maybell site. DOE submitted a partial CR and LTSP in February 1998. Due to delays in construction, DOE proposes to submit a complete CR and a final LTSP in October 1998.
Milestones DOE submits partial CR 02/98 DOE submits LTSP 02/98 NRC provides comments on partial CR and LTSP 04/98 DOE provides responses for partial CR 06/98 DOE submits complete CR and LTSP 10/08 NRC completes CR review, concurs in construction, and completes licensing 11/98 Naturita. Colorado Status:
NRC is awaiting comment responses and a revised RAP. Following the staffs determination that its comments have been resolved, NRC will finalize its review of the RAP for the processing and disposal sites and document that review in a Technical Evaluation Report. Following the completion of construction, DOE will submit a CR and LTSP for NRC review.
Milestones DOE submits revised RAP and comment responses 03/98 DOE submits processing site CR 03/98 NRC completes RAP review 05/98 NRC provides comments on processing CR 05/98 DOE subn its disposal site CR and LTSP 05/98 DOE submits responses to NRC comments on processing CR and page changes 06/98 NRC concurs in processing site CR 06/98 NRC provides comments on disposal site CR and LTSP 07/98 DOE provides responses to NRC comments on disposal CR and page changes 08/98 NRC concurs in completion of disposal site 08/98 DOE submits final LTSP 09/98 NRC completes licensing 09/98 o
3 Slick Rock. Colorado NRC provided comments on the CR and LTSP in early February 1998. DOE needs to submit l
responses to comments and pages change'4 to the CR and LTSP. Once the comments are resolved, NRC can complete licensing, Milestones DOE submits responses to CR and LTSP comments and page changes 03/98 NRC completes CR review and concurs in construction 05/98 NRC completes licensing 05/98 Vicinity Prooerty Suoplemental Standards Aeolications Under review by NRC Ambrosia VP-001 Grand Junction South Ave.
Grand Junction West Ave.
Gunnison VP-029 Maybell VP-002 Maybell VP-003 Maybell VP-004 Maybell VP-005 Maybell VP-006 Mexican Hat VF-024 (awaiting additional information from DOE)
Rifle VP-474 Rifle VP-475 Rifle VP-480 Rifle VP-493 (awaiting additional informt.tlon from DOE)
Rifle VP-581/587 Rifle VP-582 To be submitted by DOE Burrell VP-800 Grand Junction American Auto Salvage Naturita VP-058 Naturita VP-065 Naturita VP-066 Naturita VP-067 Rifle VP-476 Rifle VP-477 Rifle VP-479
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