ML20215K045
| ML20215K045 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 01/30/1976 |
| From: | Cunningham R NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Danni Smith ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20215G205 | List: |
| References | |
| FOIA-87-235 NUDOCS 8706250199 | |
| Download: ML20215K045 (3) | |
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e JAN 3 0 1976 r1 h)MN 1 1
1 Mr. D&vid S. Snith, _11 rector Technolcgy Assassr. cat nivicion (?!!-G) )
U. S. LMvire.mont.il IrctecLion Imr.c/ ~
l Nashington D. C. ,20aGO ~
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As rcqtrater' in your letter of re.rrrb .c .?2,1977., m havo revic'.ed the papar, "Prelimirary caLa on ite Occurronet oC Trancm anitm Nuclidoc l in the Emirorcent at t':e RWio.ictiv: bste Berial Hitr, W :ev Flats, 1 Fanttc!;y. ' 'Iho review wac inrfonr.d iy the Divi < ion cC 01to Safety 1 cnd inviralcantal c.?lyci?. CFfica of a:al.c:': .".x,utor vcc ditticu ::H l the Division of Fual cycle and Matarial f af irj, nffico cd ;uclear 1 Matarial Safaty On: Safognu23:s. Va notn r2r.: p.g.ar c3 2.cicaced tc d'e !
public by a prosa releasa dated Januarf 14,197C. ]
.I tb b211em Un .oq.ur h:t; sev. tral c'nrternince, rincip?lly, as folhis: )
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- 1. Tne pa'yr fails to givo a.b iuv.te ;q,dait t r, inc M.dic hoclC1 i signific nce of t'.o ibt, and (mc.tur:lonc i.nvrentx.. Felle health cignificr.m h r.29.cenes ia c.;g.y u ,m:.,;y : s on
_ .rcc.ca 1 Ond 4.
- 2. ' Die pa:;.cr does not give ecoc:dtion to fin Cxt the. t:he
!!amy Mats buri-d cround hsa bem. tr der a croc;ran of contimdner' ovaltation clxo the t.h e it ins 11erco..r.
- 3. Tao pqcr is bacca en da'n collecirJ. 'sy h.u.ve y durir.c t:va paricd 11/73 to S/74. Tvarc in little er no mu ..hta hrece .ts1 in t'n pqx2r. Irattd.y has br.n collect.iro md enalviiner ~
sa'ples cinco coneltaina of tin 6 -ncnth stsiy in Pay cc 199.
I,lno, tin 1Th on.3 CDCE hm baan cxy2nctine. c;.w cu.cb 2Lu3Lc3 of thr+ cite. Praliwin .rf rsruit.: of 8.::en . u ie :.m e ,
- 1.cnc.:r term evirc=cntal ronitorine Cats r;v,r m.r;.' t t ce .'cuy o.rtain of tln n;:or's c..'.clucions.
- 4. 'dio first thr:-2 abjecti.mc of Un i.a.or hava c1 ready v22n acc.3:~
plisind r.d precanted in the TOntifiy.C-: cdi rc:;rt. runo, it appocr undnsirtle : c.ttor=t Un fora-3 c..joctivt un.ig cnly six renths of data, Mt:n. as iniic.r.ted in, tho':@sr, additicnal data is avh11&lc.
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i ht . David S. Smith !
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- 5. . As the title suggests, the paper is prelhdnary in natura j since it presents several specific and gemral conclusions j
. conmrning pathways for the migration of plutonium based en !
data which the author concodes equally support or do not rule !
out other " possibilities." t'e believe that before predicting !
the future effectiveness of the Maxey Flats burial ground, i the degree to which site operations and each pathway is I mnMhuting to the radioactivity dotacted off-site chould l be detecnimd. - s
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- 6. 'Its paper s;caks of plutoniun rigration by any of four m:das-((l) surface runoff, (2) interflcw, (3) subsurface interficw, l
and (4) atnespheric dispornien) . We helieva use of the tenn !
nigration should to lindted to discussica of the nevernt of j material through the soil (interficw) and tmdarlying gaologic j fcumtions (st:bsurface flcu) . Surface runoff carrying contandnation !
fran cite operations and evaporator falloit are contributing l n%ctivity to the local envirorcent which rakes it difficult i to determine to what extent radioactivity has migrated or is i continuing to nigrate via the interficw and subsurface flw nodes. ,l ITA may want to consider a second overvicw paper wilich taxes into con-sideration the shorteccings of this paper. Such a paper could sum- l, marize the current status of the various evaluation activities being !
conducted at the site, present knger tern trend data, current nonitor- )
ing data, discuss the public health significance of the data, evaluate j
( the effect of the improved water managerant program and discuss the j
.L critical pathways contributing radicactivity to the local environment i in terms of the recent data. Ib believe such an ovarview surrary could j
, provida a useful reference dcctennt for those agencies and parties having i respons4hiHtics while still serving to focus attention on a situation j that nerits continmd nonitoring and study. j
'Ihe paper's closing conclusion notas that the goal of traste disposal l sites, i.e.,100 percent retantion of wastes for their ha::ardous life- ,
time, is not being achieved. It is our opinicn that 100 percent reten- i tion is rot a realistic goal. It is doubtful that a site could be !
found that muld not annit scre releases albeit small. Disposal l sites should M selected and operated in such a way as to minindze releases to off-sita areas, it agree that critiria for evaluating re-
, les of radimetivity from cccncreial burial grounds should be defired t l to' assist in deternining the acceptability of existing and future disposal '
sites and disposal practicas.
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Dr. DaviAl S. IMth I have enclosed, for your inforreation, a copy of the Nuclear Regulai:ory
, Comission's Mamy Flats review group report, dated July 7,1975.
, Sincerely, Original Signed by Leland 'C. Rouse
. Richard E. Cunningham Tcting Dimotor
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Division of Fml Cycle and Material Safety -l i
Enclosure- I As stated-l l
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, Distribution: -
Central File ;
Rmmni-ngham, FC 8)
DANussbatraer, FCMAT T@C : .r.ill, SSEA:ST G1Kerr, FCSA Sb(y IGiultran, 'i@ Bishop, FCPM ST:SA ...
GPTuri, TR '
KSDragonette, FC7M PEchaus, FCSA ET.eins, NMSS-289 ELD '
NMSS:R/F W.SA:R/F
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