ML20217R012
| ML20217R012 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 08/29/1997 |
| From: | Joseph Holonich NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Rael G ENERGY, DEPT. OF |
| References | |
| REF-WM-68 NUDOCS 9709040089 | |
| Download: ML20217R012 (2) | |
Text
'; , # Yog 4 UNITED STATES
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON D.C. 2055M001
% # August 29, 1997 Mr. George Rael, Director U.S. Department of Energy l
Albuquerque Operations Office ERD /UMTRA l P.O. Box 5400 Albuquerque, NM 87185-5400 t
SUBJECT:
DECOMMISSIONING OF NEUTRON ACCESS TUBES AT THE GREEN RIVER, UTxH UMTRA PROJECT SITE
Dear Mr. Rael:
By letter dated October 24,1996, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) requested U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission comments on DOE's proposal to decommission the neutron t.ccess tubes at the Green River, Utah Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA)
Project site. DOE had committed to conducting neutron moisture monitoring in the Green River tailings disposal cell using these access tubes as part of the approved site groundwater protection strategy, but DOE suspended monitoring in 1991 due to problems in data collection.
DOE has p*oposed a revision to the approved groundwater protection strategy and believes that, if the revised strategy is concurred in by the NRC staff, the neutron Lccess tubes will no longer be needed.
The approved groundwater protection strategy for the Green River site requires DOE to conduct groundwater monitoring at point of compliance (POC) wells and to compare results of groundwater sample analyses to the standards established in the approved Remedial Action Plan. Neutron moisture monitoring was, intended to provide an early waming of potential contaminant movement within the disposal cell; howcVer, the NRC staff considers that this monitoring is not required for compliance with the standards in 40 CFR Part 192, Subpart A, when POC monitoring is part of the groundwater protection strategy. The NRC staff considers some types of in-cell monitoring, such as neutron moisture monitoring, as an acceptable replacement for POC monitoring if POC monitoring is determined to be technically inappropriate
' for a particular site. For the Green River site, tqerefore, the staff has no objection to DOE decommiscioning of the neutron access tubes and continuing POC monitoring.
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If you have any questions concerning this letter, please contact the NRC Project Manager for the Green River site, Mr. James Park, at (301) 415-6699.
i Sincerely, I
(OriginalsignedbyDanielM.Gillenfor) l 4
. Joseph J. Holonich, Chief 1
Uranium Recovery Branch t Division of Waste Management i
Office of Nuclear Material Safety i: and Safeguards
! Docket No. WM-68
R. Plioness, DOE /GJPO W. Sinclair, UT DRC l
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DATE R/Af/97 6/ ZA/97 4 sit */97 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY a
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