ML20245L345
| ML20245L345 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 04/28/1989 |
| From: | Hawkins E NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION IV) |
| To: | Matthews M ENERGY, DEPT. OF |
| References | |
| REF-WM-48 NUDOCS 8907050454 | |
| Download: ML20245L345 (4) | |
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E REGloN IV URANIUM RECOVERY FIELD OFFICE e,,,,,o Box 25325 DENVER, CoLORAOo 00225 APR 281989 URFO:SRG Docket No. WM-48 040WM48920E Mark Matthews, Acting Project Manager Uranium _ Mill Tailings Project Office U.S. Department of Energy Albuquerque Operations Office P.O. Box 5400 Albuquerque, New Mexico 87115
Dear Mr. Matthews:
In reviewing the March 2, 1989 Status Report on Hydrological Conditions at the Bodo Canyon disposal facility, we have noted that an estimated 10,000 gallons per day is seepir.g.from the relocated tailings disposal' cell into the uppermost aquifer.
Furthermore, in examination of the water quality data, we have noted indications that Well 608 appears to be' impacted from disposal cell seepage.
This is indicated by increases of arsenic, gross alpha and selenium by orders li of magnitude, as well as increasing concentrations of chloride, nitrate and uranium by more than 100 percent. Therefore, pursuant to proposed rulo 40 CFR Part 192.02(a)(3) which references 40 CFR Part 264.92, the NRC is required to establish ground-water protection standards when hazardous constituents have entered the ground water from a regulated unit.'
We first indicated to DOE on April 12, 1989, that we had found what appeared to be indications of seepage at Well 608.
The indications were further discussed -
in a meeting held in your offices on April 20, 1989.
In this meeting,'we also told you that we would soon be requesting that you submit to us additional data l
so that we could establish background water quality and ground-water protection standards for Bodo Canyon. At the same time, you will need to propose point'of complianc6 well location (s) and hazardous constituents to be monitored.
These constituents should include four constituents you are not now monitoring; beryllium, cyanide, nickel and thallium.
These constituents have been l
identified as hazardous constituents at other mill tailings sites. With this submittal, please provide a description of the samplinp and analysis quality assurance protocols.
You will note that we have been requesting that you propose point of compliance well locations and hazardous constituents to monitor as early as June 23 -1988 (NRC comments on Draft Surveillance and Maintenance Plan) and also in our January 31, 1989 letter.
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G907050454 890428 PDR WASTE WM-48 PDC 1
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2 APR 281989 i
Once we receive the above requested data, we. will establish ground-water protection standards that will be used to judge compliance at the point of l
compliance well. 'If any hazardous constituents are found to be in exceedance l
of the standard, you will be notified to ir.plement a corrective action program for the ground water.
If found to be in'exceedance of the-standard, we would l
consider the first concern for corrective action would be to aggressively _
l eliminate the source of ground-water contamination.
Therefore, as discussed above, please submit the requested.information by May 15, 1989.
If you have any questions, please contact Scott. Grace of my staff at FTS 776-2805.
This issuance of this letter was discussed with several of your staff in the meeting held April ~20, 1989, in your offices.
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Sincerely, I
a r'
J i
ar F.
aw ins, anch hief Uranium Recovery Field Office Region IV
Enclosures:
As stated i
cc:
E. Damler, DOE S. Hamp, 00E M. Jackson, TAC R. Edge, TAC W. Milne, C0H
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Bodo Canyon Summary of. Background and Ground-Water Protection Standards (values in ag/l unless'otherwise noted)
Ground Water Values Values Table 1**
Background
Protection Exceeding Exceeding Value Value***
Standard.
Background-
. Standard-Arsenic 0.05
<0.003 0.05 0.01
. Barium
- 1. 0
< 0. 01-1.0
'<0.1
~
Cadmium 0.01
<0.004-0.01 Chromium 0.05
<0.01 0.05 0.08 Cyanide Mercury 0.002
<0.0002 0.002 Molybdenum 0.1-
<0.03 0.1 Nitrate 10.0 1.38 10.0 5.8 Nickel 0.04 0.04 l
Lead 0.05
<0.01 0.05.
Selenium 0.01
<0.004-0.01 0.016 Thallium Silver 0.05
<0.01
-0.05 0.03 Redium-226 15.0 0.2 15.0 0.8 228*
Thorium-230*
- 0. 3 0.3 Uranium
- 30.0 3.9 30.0 Gross Alpha
- 15.0 2.4 15.0 12.2 Chloride 21.4 Sulfate 795 TOS 1565 1
pH 7.1 1
apCi/1
- From Table 1, 40 CFR Part 264.92 as cross referenced by 40 CFR Part 192.02 j
- From Enclosure 2 i
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WM-48/920E/SRG/89/04/21/L DISTRIBUTION Docket File WM-48 PDR/DCS BBeach, RIV SGrace HRose RCPD, NM LLO Branch, LLWM URF0 r/f 1
i CONCURRENCE:
DATE:
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