ML20248F087
| ML20248F087 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 11/07/1997 |
| From: | Stablein N NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Brocoum S ENERGY, DEPT. OF |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20248F090 | List: |
| References | |
| REF-WM-11 HLWR, NUDOCS 9806040100 | |
| Download: ML20248F087 (8) | |
Text
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v y 4 ,. g emog; y *, UNITED STATES
,; g g NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION t WASHINGT ON, D.C. 20eeHoot
\*****/ November 07, 1997 Dr. Stephan Brocoum i
Assistant Manager for Licensing U.S. Department of Energy Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Office P. O. Box 30307 North Las Vegas, Nevada 89036-0307
SUBJECT:
ISSUE RESCLUTION STATUS REPORT (KEY TECHNICAL ISSUE: EVOLUTION OF THE NEAR-FIELD ENVIRONMENT) 4
Dear Dr. Brocoum:
As you know, the staff of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has developed a program for early resolution of technical issues at the staff level. In the past, staff-level issue resolution has been achieved by responding to the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) proposed closure of NRC open items, or through response to topical reports. The new process for early resolution has been demonstrated through our release, on June 30,1997, of a pilot issue resolution status report (IRSR) on climate change and associated effects.
I This IRSR focuses on the evolution of the near-field environment and the effects of coupled processes on seepage, waste package (WP) lifetime, radionuclides release, and radionuclides transport (RT) at Yucca Mountain (YM). These are important subissues that must be addressed to estimate the performance of a proposed repository at Yucca Mountain. DOE's Waste Containment and Isolation Strategy states that rate of water seepage into the repository, WP lifetime, rate of release of radionuclides from breached WPs, and RT through engineered and natural barriers are important factors affecting the ability of a repository to isolate waste.
Consistent with 10 CFR Part 60 requirements and a 1992 agreement with DOE, staff-level i
issue resolution can be achieved during the relicensing consultation period. However, such resolution at the staff level would not preclude the issue being raised and consitred during the l licensing proceedings.. ls ;ue resolution at the staff level during relicensing is achieved when the staff has no further questions or comments (i.e., open items) at a point in time, regarding l
how the DOE program is addressing an issue. There may be some cases where resolution at l the staff level may be limited to documenting a common understanding regarding differences in i NRC and DOE points of view. Further, pertinent additionalinformation could raise new l: questions or comments regarding e veviously resolved issue.
l . I i The enclosed IRSR summarizes an independent, pre-licensing review of the evolution of the l near-field environment (ENFE) and the effects of coupled-processes on performance of the I
repository system. The staff has indicated several methods, including data collection within the thermal testing program, that could be used to constrain evaluations of the potential impact of coupled near-field geochemical processes on performance. Similar approaches and types of information to be collected have been proposed, and used to a limited extent, by DOE investigators and others to evaluate the importance of coupled processes on performance.
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As discussed in the IRSR, staff has identified no new open items under this Key Technical Issue (KTl), and has no disagreement with DOE conceming the system attributes being tested by DOE through its Waste Containment and Isolation Strategy. In fact, it should be noted that the subissues identified for this KTl parallel these attributes. Also, of the nine original open items from the review of the the Site Characterization Plan that relate to the ENFE KTl, two are
- considered to be resolved at the staff level.
It should be note' d that all of the information and analyses necessary to demonstrate the J <
methodology have not been qualified under DOE's Quality Assurance Program. It is necessary l that appropriate data and analyses will be fully qualified before NRC's receipt of a DOE license i application, e .
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I Finally, the enclosure should be viewed as a status report that provides the staff's most current
/. - views on the evolution of the near-field environment and the effects of coupled processes on, *
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a performance of tne proposed repository at YM. This report will be updated in 1998 to address Q0y 1 the subissues. We welcome a dialogue on this subject with DOE, the U.S. Nuclear Weste
- . .. Technical Review Board, State of Nevada, and other interested parties. If you have any '
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. q'uestions about this letter, please contact Bret Leslie of my staff at (301) 415-6652, or via ,q
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,. Original Signed By V s f 3, ;
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N. King Stablein, Acting Chief 1 i Engineering and.Geosciences Branch Q >
.,,, , Division of Waste Management -
- i- , Office of Nuclear Material Safety
{,. ; and Safeguards
Enclosure:
As stated cc: See attached list j DISTRIBUTION
- Central File MFederline SWastler NMSS r/f CNWRA ENGB r/f PUBLIC LSS ACNW OSR NEisenberg KMcConnell DOCUMENT NAME: S:\DWM\ENGB\BWL\ *Please see previous concurrence.
OFC ENGB # EM PAHL,_ OGC. ENfill,,. )
NAME ' BINifec/ 8"* DbNik ddh bNamer ikStIbfeln DATE 9/30/97 9/30/97 h6/97 11/03/97 ffh/97 i
OFFICIAL RECORD COPY ;
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.w S. Brocoum 3 it should be noted that all of the information and analyses necessary to demonstrate the methodology have not been qualified under DOE's Quality Assurance Program. It is necessary that appropriate data and analyses will be fully qualified before NRC's receipt of a DOE license application.
Finally, the enclosure should be viewed as a status report that provides the staff's most current views on the evolution of the near-field environment and the effects of coupled processes on performance of the proposed repository at YM. This report will be updated in 1998 to address the subissues. We welcome a dialogue on this subject with DOE, the U.S.
- Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board,- the NRC Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste, State of Nevada, and other interested parties. If you have any questions about this letter, please contact Bret Leslie of my staff at (301) 415-6652, or via intemet mail service (bwi@nrc. gov).
Sincerely.
Newton K. Stablein, Acting Chief Engineering and Geosciences Branch Division of Waste Management i Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards L ~
Enclosure:
- As stated
^
cc: See attached list 4
1 DISTRIBUTION:
Central File MFederline ' SWastler NMSS r/f CNWRA ENGB r/f PUBLIC - LSS' ACNW OSR DWM r/f NEisenberg KMcConnell DOCUMENT NAME: - S:\DWM\ENGB\BWL\ENFE.LTR l OFC. ENGB a ,, EN_GB PAHL OGC ENGB NAME BLesliNW Dhrh MBell WReamer NKStabloin DATE 9/i> /97 9/f/97 9/ /97 9/ /97 9/ /97 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY I
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S. Brocoum 2 As discussed in the IRSR, staff has identified no new open items under this Key Technical issue (KTl), and has no disagreement with DOE conceming the system attributes being tested
. by DOE through its Waste Containment and isolation Strategy. In fact, it should be noted that the subissues identified for this KTl parallel these attributes Also, of the nine original open items from the review of the the Site Characterization Plan that relate to the ENFE KTI, two are considered to be resolved at the staff level.
it should be noted that all of the information and analyses necessary to demonstrate the i methodology have not been qualified under DOE's. Quality Assurance Program. It is necessary that appropriate data and analyses will be fully qualified before NRC's receipt of a DOE license application.
Finally, the enclosure should be viewed as a status report that provides the staff's most current 'I views on the evolution of the near-field environment and the effects of coupled processes on performance of the proposed repository at YM. :This report will be updated in 1998 to address the subissues. We welcome a dialogue on this subject with DOE, the U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board,' State of Nevada, and other interested parties. If you have any questions about this letter, please contact Bret Leslie of my staff at (301) 415-6652, or via intemet mail service (bwi@nrc. gov).
Sincerely, : f N. King Stablein, Acting Chief Engineering and Geosciences Branch Division'of Waste Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety
! and Safeguards
Enclosure:
As stated cc: See attached list DISTRIBUTION-Central File MFederline SWastler NMSS r/f CNWRA
. ENGB r/f PUBLIC LSS ACNW L OSR NEisenberg KMcConnell DOCUMENT NAME: S:\DWM\ENGB\BWL\ENFE.LTR *Please see previous concurrence.
OFC ENGB* ENGB* PAHL- OGC ENGB NAME' BLeslie:cc/ P" DBrooks . MBell WReamer NKStablein i
DATE 9/30/97 9/30/97 10/ /97 10/ /97 10/ /97 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY l
L-i' ., ,
S. Brocoum 2' As disc in the IRSR, staff has identified no new open items under this Key Technical
' Issue (KTI), d has no disagreement with DOE concerning the system attributes being tested by DOE throug its Waste Containment and Isolation Strategy, in fact, it should be noted that the subissues i tified for this KTl parallel these attributes. Also, of the nine original open Litems from the rev1 of the the Site Characterization Plan that relate to the ENFE KTl, two are considered to be res ed at the stafflevel.
It should be noted that all the information and analyses necessary to demonstrate the methodology have not been alified under DOE's Quality Assurance Program. It is necessar/
' that appropriate data and analy a will be fully qualified before NRC's receipt of a DOE license application.
Finally, the enclosure should be viewe s a status report that provides the staffs most current views en the evolution of the near-field e ironment and the effects of coupled processes on performance of the proposed repository at . This report will be updated in 1998 to address the subissues. We welcome a dialogue on th subject with DOE, the U.S. Nuclear Waste -
~ Technical Review Board, the NRC Advisory Co ittee on Nuclear Waste, State of Nevada, and other interested parties. If you have any que 'ons about this letter, please contact Bret Leslie of my staff at (301) 415-6652, or via internet all service (bwi@nrc. gov).
Sincerely, Newton K. Stablein, ing Chief Engineering and Geos ' nces Branch Division of Waste Mana ment Office of Nuclear Material fety and Safeguards
Enclosure:
As stated cc: See attached list DISTRIBUTION
_ Central File MFederline SWastler NMSS r/f CNWRA
. ENGB r/f PUBLIC LSS ACNW OSR. NEisenberg KMcConnell DOCUMENT NAME:' S:\DWM\ENGB\BWL\ENFE.LTR *Please see previous concurrence.
OFC ENGB* -
ENGB* PAHL OGC ENGB NAME . BLeslie:cc/ Prf rd DBrooks MBell WReamer NKStablein DATE 9/30/97. 9/30/97 10/ /97 10/ /97 10/ /97 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY h_____m--m.__.____'_m____________m -
_ , . - . ...-._: ____.__s._ __..___1 _ . _ _ _ , _ _ , _ . . _ m _ _ - _
S. Brocoum 2 As discussed in the IRSR, staff has identified no new open items under this Key Technical l
Issue (KTl), and has no disagreement with DOE concerning the system attnbutes being tested by DOE through its Waste Containment and Isolation Strategy. In fact, it should be noted that the subissues identif;ed for this KTl parallel these attributes. Also, of the nine original open items from the review of the the Site Characterization Plan that relate to the ENFE KTI, two are considered to be resolved at the staff level.
It should be noted that all of the information and analyses necessary to demonstrate the methodology h&ve not been qualified under DOE's Quality Assurance Program. It is necessary that appropriate data and analyses will be fully qualified before NRC's receipt of a DOE license application.
Finally, the enclosure should be viewed as a r.tatus report that provides the staffs m. J. current views on the evolution of the near-field env!rnnment and the effects of coupled processes on performance of the J. sposed repository at YM. This report will be updated in 1998 to address the subissues. We welcome a dialogue on this subject with DOE, the U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board, State of Nevada, and other interested parties. If you have any questions about this letter, please contact Bret Leslie of my staff at (301) 415-6652, or via internet mail service (bwl@nrc. gov).
Sincerely, b
"/
N. Ki< n g Stablein, Acting Chief Engineering and Geosciences Branch Division of Waste Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Enclosure. As stated cc: See attached list
.-_ ,.~.. - - .. _ . m y cc: R. Miln r, OCRWM R. Loux, Stats of Navada B. Price, Nevada Legislative Committee J. Meder, Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau W. Barnes, YMPO C. Einberg, DOE / Wash, DC M. Murphy, Nye County, NV M. Baughman, Lincoln County, NV D. Bechtel, Clark County, NV D. Weigel, GAO P. Niedzielski-Eichner, Nye County, NV B. Mettam, Inyo County, CA V. Poe, Mineral County, NV W. Cameron, White Pine County, NV T. Manzeni, Lander County, NV L. Fiorenzi, Eureka County, NV J. Regan, Churchhill Gounty, NV L. Bradshaw, Nye County, NV W. Barnard, NWTRB R. Holden, NCAI A. Collins, NIEC R. Arnold, Pahrump County, NV N. Stellavato, Nye County, NV J. Lyznicky, AMA ]
R. Clark, EPA A. Gil, YMPO 4 R. Anderson, NEl C. Henkel, NEl
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ENCLOSURE
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