ML20247E482

Statement Directing Staff to Prepare Environ Assessment Re Proposals to Decontaminate & Dispose of Radioactively Contaminated Waste Water from TMI

ML20247E482
Person / Time
Site:	Three Mile Island
Issue date:	05/25/1979
From:	Chilk S NRC OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY (SECY)
To:
Shared Package
ML20244B007	List: ML20244B006 ML20247E388 ML20247E407 ML20247E419 ML20247E426 ML20247E437 ML20247E441 ML20247E471 ML20247E478 ML20247E482
References
FOIA-89-88 NUDOCS 8904030103
Download: ML20247E482 (4)

Text

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'p- 2 STATEMENT

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(, # Thh staff is directed to prepare an Environment 1Jssessment regarding '.

s proposals to decontaminate and dispose of radi'oactively contaminated waste water from the 'Three Mile Island facility. The Assessment Vill be divided into sseveral portions. The first portion of the Assessment will deal with the proposed decontamination of intennediate-level waste water using the EPI'COR-II sys' tem at TMI . The Assessment should include discussion of potential risks to '

the public health and safety, including ' ccupatioNa1. o exposures and the risk of accidental releases, and a discussion of alternatives to the EPICOR-II systenil-  ;

Pending completion of this portion of the Assessment and opportunity for L

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public coment, the staff shov.d direct the licensee not to operate the -.

I EPICOR-II system. Testing of the EPICOR-II system without using contaminated l

j waste may proceed. Except for discharge of waste water decontaminated by the .

I existing EPICOR-I decontamination systed and discharge of industrial waste' ,

waterU as consistent with the facility operating liEenses, no discharge of waste water shall be . permitted until completion of a second portion of the  ;

Assessment dealing with any such proposed discharges. This portion shall in-

~ I clude a discussion of alternatives to discharge into th'e Susquehanna River.

The decontamination and, disposal of high-level waste water will be the subject of a subsequent f.ssessment. However, the Director of the Office of Huclear  !

l Reactor Regulation may authorize measures deemed necessar'y to cope with an .

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1/ Primarily pre-accident waste water from Unit 1 which has been par'tially contaminated by water from Unit 2, with an activity level of less than '

1 microcurie per cc. prior to treatment and with an activity. level approxi wtely 10-7 microcuries per cc. in the discharge canal after ' treatment.

2/ Waste water slightly contaminated (approximately 10-7 microcuries per'cc.)

x 'due to leakage from secondary plant service support systems. The dischargt N of this industrial waste water is necessary to maintain TMI Unit 2 in a -

' safe condition.

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,eme'rgency. .

r: i If the Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor-Regulation be- s lieves the pubite health and safety requires the use of the.EPICOR-II prior to completion of the first portion of the Assessment, he shall so re to the Comission and the Comission may then permit use crf the system. The staff: should inform the Comission promptly regarding its estimated schedule

- for. completing each portion of the Assessment and f6r cocpleting the entire

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Asses sment. ' ,

f For the Comission '

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,n h LR b SAMUEL J. I;HILK '

Secretary of thd Comission -

Dated at Washington.1DC, '

this Z 5 day of M 1979.

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STATEMENT 3 ( .. -

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1. Thb. staff is directed to prepare ar. Environmental)ssessment regarding g\ .

proposals to decontaminate and dispose of radi'oactively contaminated waste 4

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water 'from the 'Three Mile Island facility. The Assessment t/ill be divided 0

• - into several . portions. The first portion of the Assessment will deal with the proposed decontamination of intermediate-level waste water using the EPI'COR-II l

i sys' tem at TMI. The Assessment should include discussion of potential risks to'

'" 1 the public health and safety, including occupational 1. exposures and the risk of  !

1 accidental ieleases, and a discussion of alternatives to the EPICOR-II systeniU I

f Pending completion of this portion of the Assessment and opportunity for public comment, the staff shotAd direct the licensee not to operate the -.

EPICOR-II system. Testing of the EPICOR-II system without using contaminated

, waste may proceed. Except for discharge of waste water decontaminated by the existing EPIC,0R-I decontamination syste.8 and discharge of industrial waste wated as consistent with the facility operating hiEenses, no discharge of waste water shall be . permitted until completion of a second portion of the Assessment dealing with any such proposed discharges. This portion shall in-clude a discussion of alternatives to discharge into the Susquehanna River. ,

The decontamination and. disposal of high-level waste water will be the subject '

of a ' subsequent Assessment. However, the Director of the Office of Nuclear ,

Reactor Regulation may authorize measures deemed necessary to cope with an I/ primarily pre-accident waste water from Unit 1 which has been partially contaminated by water from Unit 2, with an activity level of less than 1 microcurie per cc. prior to treatment and with an activity. level approxi-mately 10-7 microcuries per cc. in the discharge canal after ' treatment.

2/ Waste water slightly contaminated (approximately 10-7 microcuries per'ec.) '

s ' due to leakage from secondary plant service support systems. The discharge.

' of this industrial waste water is necessary to maintain TMI Unit 2 in a

' safe condition.

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energency. .- r If the Director of the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation be- '

lieves the public health and safety requires the use of the.EPICOR-II sy

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prior to completion of the first portion of the Assessment, he shall so repo

> to the Comission and the Comission may then permit use of the system.

staff should inform the Comission promptly regarding its estimated schedule The for completing each portion of the Assessment and f6r cocpleting the entire

} kssessment.

For the Comission

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. ..A SAMUEL J b.-

cHILK N

5ecretary of thd Comission -

Dated at Washington, DC,- -

this Z5 day of % 1979, i .

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