ML20217J330
| ML20217J330 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 04/11/1998 |
| From: | Greeves J NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Fiore J ENERGY, DEPT. OF |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20217J335 | List: |
| References | |
| REF-WM-39 NUDOCS 9804300221 | |
| Download: ML20217J330 (6) | |
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UNITED STATES l'-
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April 11, 1998 Mr. James F. Fiore Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary j
for Environmental Management -
U.S. Department of Energy EM40 5B-050/FORS
' Washington, DC 20585
Dear Mr. Fiore:
The purpose of this letter is to update you on interactions between the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on the status of the program for cleanup of uranium mill tailings sites. By letter dated February 23,1998, Joseph Holonich, L
Chief of the Uranium Recovery Branch, NRC informed George Rael, DOE Albuquerque Operations Office, of NRC's continuing commitment to support DOE in completing the surface cleanup program of DOE's Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project.' included j
with Mr. Holonich's letter (Enclosure 1) was a status c',' each site remaining to be licensed and a L
proposed schedule for DOE submittals and NRC reviews needed to complete the Title I surface i
reclamation program. The status and proposed schedule were submitted for Mr. Rael's review
.j and comment.
In a March 11,1998, letter, Mr. Rael responded with revisions to the proposed schedule
. (Enclosure 2), after considering the preparation and review times both DOE and NRC needed for completing the necessary steps toward licensing. Mr. Rael's revised schedule indicates that DOE will submit the necessary information for licensing three'(Ambrosia Lake, New Mexico; Green River, Utah; and Slick Rock, Colorado) of the remaining five sites by April 1998. The revised schedule does not include licensing of the Grand Junction, Colorado, site, which will remain open to receive vicinity property material until a future date, as providd by the amendment to the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act. Based or. DOE's revised completion milestones, the Naturita and Maybell, Colorado, sites are not scheduled to be licensed until January 1999 and April 1999, respectively.
Let me assure you that NRC is fully committed to supporting DOE in completing the uranium mill tailings reclamation program. Although_NRC's fiscal year 1999 budget was based on the assumption that no resources would be needed for review of DOE's surface cleanup program after fiscal year 1998, NRC is committed to support DOE's efforts to complete the UMTRA
/
Projec;, and has identified resources that can be reprogrammed to conduct Title I reviews.
However, the timely receipt of high-quality DOE submittals is an important factor in meeting the proposed schedule.
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J. Fiore April 11, 1998 Y
6 To facilitate meeting the UMTRA completion goal, the DOE Albuquerque and NRC staffs continue to keep each other informed of changes in schedules, pending delays of deliverables, or rev';ew concerns. The regularly scheduled biweekly telephone conferences between our staffs and periodic management discussions continue to be important means of communicating concerns and needs. Mr. Rael has been instrumentalin helping to establish a proactive and highly cooperative approach between our agencies to work toward the timely completion of the Title i program. To meet that goal, he has proposed increased communications between NRC and DOE staffs to ensure quicker resolution of NRC comments. NRC supports his suggestion.
Finally, we are prepared to meet with you or your staff at any time to discuss the status of, or concerns related to, the program. If you have any questions about this letter or the encloscres, please contact Mr. Holonich at (301) 415-7238.
Sincerely,
[0riginal signed by]
John T. Greeves, Director j
Division of Waste Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
Enclosures:
As stated cc: G. Rael, DOE Alb F. Bosiljevac, DOE Alb D. Mathes, DOE Hdqtrs J. Owendoff, DOE Hdqtes i
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- To facilitate meeting the UMTRA completion goal, the DOE Albuquerque and NRC staffs continue to keep each other informed of changes in schedules, pending delays of deliverables, or review concerns. The regularly scheduled biweekly telephone conferences betweeri our staffs and periodic management discussions continue to be important means of communicating l
concerns and needs. Mr. Rael has been instrumental in helping to establish a proactive and highly cooperative approach between our agencies to work toward the timely completion of the l
Title I program. To meet that goal, he has proposed increased communications between NRC and DOE staffs, to ensure quicker resolution of NRC comments. NRC supports his suggestion.
Finally, we are prepared to meet with you or your staff at any time to discuss the status of, or I
concerns related to, the program. If you have any questions about this letter or the enclosures, i
please contact Mr. Holonich at (301) 415-7238.
j Sincerely, lf ohn T. Greeves, Director Division of Waste Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
Enclosures:
As stated cc: G. Rael, DOE Alb F. Bosiljevac, DOE Alb D. Mathes, DOE Hdqtrs i
J. Owendoff, DOE Hdqtrs l
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February 23, 1998 Mr. George Rael, Director U.S. Department of Energy Albuquerque Operations Office ERD /UMTRA P.O. Box 5400 Albuquerque, NM 87105-5400
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 cc
>letion of the uranium mill tailings reclamation work required by Title I of the Uranium Mi!: Tainngs 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 general license 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 discussior,s between members of our staffs in a meeting on February 10,1998, at DOE offices in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Five sites remain to be licensed. With the exception of the Maybell site, NRC anticipates thre it will be able to licenso all Title I sites under the general license for long-term care by September 30,1998. Based on tentative schedules for DOE submitta!s, it appears that final DOE reports related to construction completion and long-term care of the Maybell site will not be available for 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 currently has rio resources budgeted to support an extension of M UMTRCA surface cleanup program into hscal year 1999, it is also preparcd to provide the ecessary reviews to support completion of DOE's program.
For the remaining four sites, NRC expects that, under the revised schedule, three (Ambrosie, Green River, Slick Rock) would be licensed by May 1998, and the rerr,aining 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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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 additional information 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 l
' 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 l
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 j
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 i
end, NRC re luests 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 standarJs.
l As demonstrated by past experience, I believe that both agencies can work together to l
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-j 7238. Questions on the schedule for specific sites should be directed to Ms. Charlotte Abrams, of my staff, at (301) 415-5808.
Sincerely, YN 3
Joseph J. Holonich, Chief Uranium Recovery Branch Division of Waste Management Office of Nuclear Material Safoty and Safeguards
Enclosure:
As stated cc: F. Bosiljeuc, DOE Alb D. Mathes, DOE Hqtra
(:
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 issues 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 additional information 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 piws. 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 intenm Cheney construebon completion 05/98
- Final milestone if no additional concems are identified fgeen Rivt r. Utah Status:
i DOE proposes to submit a rewmed site groundwater protection strategy as a modificahon to the Remedial Action Plan (RAP) in March 1998. Om:e NRC concurs on the RAP modificahon, DOE can make corr::;-x.diig changes to the LTSP. Groundwater-related concems are the major outstanding issues on the LTSP.
Enclosure I
a
Y 2
Milestones DOE submits revised RAP modification 03/98
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NRC completes review of the RAP modification 04/98 DOE submits revised LTSP 05/98 NRC completes licensing 05/98 Mavbell. 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 I
delays in construction, DOE proposes to submit a complete CR and a final LTSP in October 1998.
Miledones 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 10/98 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 staff's 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 03/98 DOE submits processing site CR 05/98 NRC completes. RAP review 05/98 NRC provides comments on processing CR DOE subn.its disposal site CR and LTSP 05/98 DOE submits responses to NRC comments on processing CR and page changes 06/98 06/98 NRC concum in processing site CR 07/98 NRC provides comments on disposal site CR and LTSP DOE provides responces to NRC comments on disposal CR and page changes 08/98 08/98 NRC concurs in complebon of disposal site DOE submsts final LTSP 09/98 09/98 NRC completes licensing
+O 3
Slick Rock. Colorado NRC provided comments on the CR and LTSP in early February 1998. DOE needs to submit responses to comments and pages changes 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 Sucolemental Standards Acolications Under revbw 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 VP-024 (awaiting additional information from DOE)
Rifle VP-474 Rifle VP-475 Rifle VP-480 Rifle VP-493 (awaiting additional information frc n DOE)
Rifle VP-581/587 Rifle VP-582 To be submitted by DOE l
Burrell VP-800 i
- Grand Junction American Auto Salvage Naturita VP-058 l
Naturita VP-065
(
Naturita VP-066 Naturita VP-067
)
Rifle VP-476 Rifle VP-477 Rifle VP-479 i
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- FT!NT&R9 DOE ERPO P.01 s
Department of Energy Albuquerque Operations Ofke P.O. Box 5400 AIDuquerque. New Mexico 87186-6400
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IMR 1 1 W Mr. Joseph J. Holonich, Chief Uranium Recovery Branch Omco of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards Mail Stop T7J9 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 11545 Rockville Pike Rockville, Maryland 20852-2747
Dear Mr. Holonich:
I appreciated your letter dated February 23,1998, restating your strong commitment to support the U.S. Department of Energy in meeting its September 30,1998, deadline for completion of the uranium mill tellings reclamation work. During the past several weeks, I nave enellenged my staff and our contractors to do everything practical to improve the Maybell and Naturita schedules. The results of this effort are reflected in the attached milestone dates.
The revised site project schedules have new dates indicating when DOE will deliver documents to NRC for review and approval. I took into consideration the dates for NRC review periods for Maybell and Naturita completion report and long-term surveillance plan documents as discussed with Ms. Charlotte Abrams of your staff in a maesting on February 10,1998.
Both the Maybell and the Naturita licensing logic has been shortened from the previously established 16-month schedule to a new proposed 7-month schedule. The changes to the Maybell and Naturtta licensing schedules are primarily from overlapping and raducing contractor and DOE activities. The duration for the NRC review of documents has not changed, however, the comment resolution review cycle was shortened by several weeks. I feel that with increased communication between our staff's that comments can be resolved quicker than previously scheduled.
Maybell site construction is not scheduled to be completed until September 30,1998, therefoto,...:. 0~,.spletion Report can not be submitted to NRC for review until early January 1999. Licensing should then be completed by April 1999.
The Naturita Completion Report will be submitted to you for review during September 1998. Under the 7-month licenalng schedule, the site documentation should be completed and the site licensed by January 1999.
o g'
assv=msrsrns aw7ssww verwee p.s2 Joseph J. H61onich
-2 ham :; see All remaining documents for Ambrosia Lake, Green River, and Slick Rock will be submitted no later than April 1998 for your review and licensing of these sites.
There are now 31 vicinity property sites identified by DOE for applying supplemental standards. Sixteen of these supplemental standards applications have been submitted to NRC for review. The remaining 15 applications will be delivered to NRC no later than -
July 1,1998. However, additional applications could be encountered during the cours's of scheduled remedial action.
I hope this new schedule will assist NRC in developing a plan for staff availability for Title I document reviews. If you feel that further conversations would be beneficial, I would suggest a meeting with you and your staff to review these schedules I will continue to provide you the status of construction at the Maybell and Naturita s!tes on a monthly basia. and attempt to identify any unforeseen changes which would impact licensing of either site. Please let me know if you have any concerns with the assumptions as presented.
Again, thank you for your continued commitment to the successful completion of the UMTRA Surface Project. If you have any questions on the attached site schedule, please feel free to contact me at (505) 845 4311.
l Sincerely, Geo nel Director Environmental Restoration Division Attachments cc w/ attachments:
C. Abrams, NRC J. Dockler, CUPHE I
D. Mathes, EM-45, HQ i
F. Bosiljevac, ERD, AL R. Cooney, RAC L. Pinkel, TAC
03-12-1998 16:51 595 845 6070 DOE ERPO P.03 Status and Schedule for Completing
~
Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act, Title i Sites Ambrosia Lake, New Mexico Status:
NRC finished their review of the Completion Report (CR) and concurred in site completion on May 1,1997. NRC has no outstanding issues on the Long-Term Surveillance Plan (LTSP). _The state of New Mexico cleared the title to the alte in February 1998 and forwarded the title to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) to complete the land transfer for the federal govemment. After the ACE concurs and the state records the deed, the land transfer Information will be forwarded to NRC as a page insert to the LTSP. After NRC concurrence with the site LTSP, the site will be licensed under the generallicense.
Milestones:
DOE provides final LTSP (with land transfer information)
March 1998 NRC comoided lloonsing March 19%
Grand Junction, Colorado Statue:
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 GreM Junction processing site. The NRC staff reviewed the partial CR for the Cheney disposci site and identified missing information which DOE provided by letter of February 5,1998. Assuming no additional information is needed, NRC 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. CDPHE provided both CR and LTSP comments in its letter of February 20,1998. DOE will respond to these comments and will incorporate the appropriate response into the CR and LTSP. DOE will not provide a final LTSP for the Cheney site as no licensing action is scheduled for the Cheney disposal site until the cell is filled or the year 2023.
Milestones:
NRC prov~de review of the Cheney Completion Report March 1998 (Final milestone if no additional conoems are identified)
DOE responds to NRC and CDPHE comments and provides March 1998 page changes to LTSP DOE responds to NRC and CDPHE comments and provides April 1998 page changes to CR NRC concurs in Interim Cheney construction completion May 1998
03 12-1998 16:52 505 845 6370 DOE ERPO P.04
=.
Green River, Utah' Status:
DOE proposes to submit a revised site groundwater protection strategy as a modification to the Remedial Action Plan (RAP) in March 1998. The state of Utah and the NRC will concur on the RAP modification. The LTSP will be changed to reflect this modification. When LTSP page changes are received, and upon NRC concurrence with the site LTSP, the site will be licensed under the general license.
Milestones:
i DOE submits revised RAP modification March 1998 NRC and state of Utah concur on modi 6 cation to RAP April 1998 DOE provides final LTSP April 1998 NRC completes licensing May 1998 4
,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 4
February 1998. Construction is scheduled to be completed by September 30,1998.
Following completion of construction, DOE will submit a complete CR and a final LTSP to NRC for review.
Milestones:
DOE submits partial CR February 1998 DOE submits LTSP February 1998 NRC proviu.l. comments on partial CR and LTSP April 1998 DOE provides responses to LTSP comments April 1998 DOE provides responess for partial CR May 1998 DOE submits complete CR January 1999 NRC provides comments on complete CR March 1999 DOE submits rosponses to NRC comments on exnplete CR March 1999 and page changes DOE submits fina! LTSP March 1999 NRC rancurs with site certification summary April 1999 NRC completes licensing April 1999
03-12-1998 16:53 505 845 6070 DOE ERPO P.05
.i
'j Naturita, Colorado Status:
DOE will provide NRC and CDPHE comment responses and a revised RAP. Following NRC and CDPHE determination that the RAP comments have boon resolved, NRC will produce its Technical Evaluation Report. Upon resolution of regulatory comments, DOE, NRC, and CDPHE will approve the RAP. DOE will submit the LTSP for review.
DOE will submit Appendix J of the CR, containing the processing site grid verification data, to the NRC for review. Followin0 the completion of construction DOE will submit a complete CR and LTSP fbr NRC review.
Milestones:
DOE submits reviewed RAP and comment responses March 1998 DOE submits Appendix J of CR May 1998 NRC and CDPHE completes RAP review May 1998 DOE submits LTSP for review June 1998 NRC provides comments on Appendix J of CR July 1998 NRC provides comments on LTSP August 1998 DOE submits complete CR September 1998 NRC provides comments on complete CR November 1998 DOE subm!ts responses to NRC comments on complete CR December 1998 and page changes DOE submits final LTSP December 1998 NRC concurs with site certification summary January 1999 NRC completes licensing January 1999 Slick Rock, Colorado Shtus:
NRC provided comments on the CR and LTSP in February 1998. DOE will submit responses to comments and page changes to the CR and LTSP. Once the comments era resolved, the NRC will proosed with licensing.
Milestones:
DOE submit responses to CR and LTSP comments and page changes March 1998 NRC complete CR rev6ew and concur with site enttification summary May 1998 NRC completes licensing May 1998 4
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