ML20249C140

Forwards Two Ltrs That Will Provide Info Needed.Route Mentioned in Ltrs Has Since Changed to Listed Info

ML20249C140
Person / Time
Site:	07001252
Issue date:	03/19/1998
From:	Mclain R ENERGY, DEPT. OF
To:	Bennington G NRC
Shared Package
ML20249B929	List: ML20249B928 ML20249C140
References
NUDOCS 9806260102
Download: ML20249C140 (6)

Text

_

m -

' MEMORANDUM Date: Mamh 19,1998 Fmm: RoyMcLain Department of Energy-Savannah River Operations Office P.O. Bax A Aiken,SC 29801 l

To:

Glotia Bennington, Fax 301-415-8555 l

Confirming cw conversatir yesterday with Franchone at Edlow, I have included two lettars which I think will provide the information you need. The route mentioned in the l

letters (I-26, US 301, SC 125) has since changed to I-26, US 301, SC 70, SC 64 to comply with the trovisions of 49 CFR 397.101 [c] [2].

The last attachmerat is a page from the Tri-State Transportation Plan for spent fuel shipments from Brookhaven Labs to Savannah River Site. The route includes US 301, SC 70, SC 64.

If you have any quertions my phone number is 803-725-2206 or e-mail roy.melainWsrs. gov.

Thanh 4

/

f 9906260102 990320 POR ADOCK.07001252 l

C PDR g

l

s.e, am an m.amambi n semaname eas e

assi. w. u..w.ua m. ombaea epis a u=.m-am ne mmmm.

e e

• ', E n,

susemsooned emasnesi.tas n

m m

m,m.a *---.

om.: et s. c. news.nmsese.: ssFMuse P.s: WWpasest January 17, 1997 Mon. Rasel R. O' Leary Secretary of Energy U.S. Department of Energy 1000 Independanoa Avenue, s.W.

Washington, DC 20585 Re:

Foreign Research Reactor sparit Puel Transportation Proposed Highway Routing

Dear secretary O'Imery,

Staff of the Department of Energy are about to initiate transportation of foreign research reactor spent fuel using the wrong highway route.

Yc,= staff is apparently deferring to the contractor, who in turn ap overly ' simplistic criteria.parently bases its choice of route on.

The Department of Energy proposes to bring spent fuel from,

foreign research reactors into the Port of Charleston, 5.C.,

and-then transport the fuel elements by highway to the savannah River Site.

Shipments of high-level nuclear materials have been moved over south Carolina h:.ghways without incident for a number of years; however, DDR anc, its contractor now propose to change the routing in a way which I think is most unwise.

DOE's contractor for this project has stated its intention to bring the fuel casks up I-26 from Charleston all the way to Columbia, then down I-20 to one of the exits near the Savannah River Site.

DDR contractors and other shipper have successfully used a shorter and more direct route since 1975 for shipments of spent fuel and Nighway Route controlled quantities of low level wasta.

While it is true that the primary interstate system is typically the

" Preferred Route,a it makes no sense in this situation to haul spent fuel from Charleston to Columbia to SRs over interstates.

The route is.50% longer than the direct route, and it transits the I-25/I-125/I-20 interchange, which has one of the highest accident rates in the state.

In fact, the area surrounding this interchange is known locally as ' Malfunction Junction."

The direct and customary route is an acceptable alternative meeting the 49 CFR Subpart D criteria for alternative e

e-

--_m

___m

_____m

___m

-.mm

_mm mma nm

.mn

.mm

f f

e b

routing of class 7 (Radioactive) materials. Neither che contraccor l

nor 828 staff have offered any explanation for the choice of I-25/I-20,other than that it is interstate.

The alternative route (from charleston via I-25 to US 301; US 301 to Sc 125; SC 125 to the Savannah River site) is safer,

shorter, and faster.

The Nuclear Regulatory commission has approved it in accordance with nuclear safeguards criteria.

state and local officials are familiar with it.

If there is soma I

compalling reason DOE is unwilling to consider it now, after using it for 20 years or more, we have not been told what that reason is.

Pleasa zwview this with your staff.

'I believe you will fin'd that the shorter, less congested route is the safer and wiser choice.

sincerely,

% E. Bryan [ &

d Dougl commiissionar ec:

Non. David M. Beasley l

Bon. Strom Thsrmond

' Mon. Frits Hollings Hon. Floyd spence Hon. John Spratt Hon. James clybarn Mon. Robert Inglis Mon. Mark sanford Mon. Lindsay Graham

.o 2

m

_____.______.__m_

m

,m._m-

.mmm mmn

,m

.mm en nn omm aM

0 e

$0Uf1 C a d M

,_m g g gry,ng D H E C Sea,d; JohnH.Bumes.Chearman Rechard E Jambour. DOS Wilhasa M. Muu,Jr MD.Vice Chewsman Cynd C. MeeteNer payenmenset,seannons.:- _ _ r General rendy

.u. -.e

r. _ en, August 30,1996 Mr. Roy McLain, Transportation Manager U.S. Depanment of Energy Savannah River Operations Office P.O. Box A Aiken, SC 29802

Dear Mr. McLain:

During the July 30,1' 996, meeting held by the Department of Energy (DOE) with representatives of the Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel Transponation Gmup, DOE requested comments and concerns regarding the highway routing in South Carolina as an alternative to rail shipments.

Members of my staff expressed their concerns of using the I-26 and I-20 route. It was recommended that if it becomes necessary to make highwa shipments from Charleston,- '.

these shipments should depart I-26 at the US 301 intersection, proceed on US 301 to Allendale, to Nonh 125, to the Savannah River Site (see attachment 1).

This route is considered consistent with the intent of 49-CFR Subpart D-Routing of Class 7 (Radioactive) Materials (attachment 2), avoids heavily populated areas and minimizes travel time. Section 397.101(a)(2) requires the consideration of accident rates, transit time, population densities, the time of day and level of radiological risk. In addition, paragraph (c)(2) allows deviation from the interstate system if the delivery route is the shonest-distant and more direct to reduce travel time.

The US 301 route is similar and consistent with those which have been used in the past since highway routing of large quantities of radioactive material was first mandated by HM-164.

Those routes were also approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for security purposes.

It is therefore recommended that DOE consider the I-26, to US 301 to 125, to SRS route for j

the proposed foreign spent fuel shipments, and for the contract carrier (licensee) to submit i

this route to the NRC for their approval. Similarly, proposed shipments which originate in Canada and Northern States and enter South Carolina on I-95, should also be routed on US 301 below Santee. We also encourage DOE to route all Idaho bound highway shipments through SRS for inspection purposes, and depan South Carolina via 125, 25, and I 20 thus avoiding other heavily populated areas.

i

.-c

'.b.

Mr. Roy Mclain U.S. Department of Energy Page 2 -

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact rne or Virgil Autry of my staff at (803) 896-4244.

Sincerely, R. Iewis Shaw, P.E.

Deputy Commissioner for EQC MCLAIN/sd!.

Attachments cc:

Beth Partlow, Office of the Governor Captain Ben Thomas, SLED Bob Duggleby, EPD Bill Clark, DOE-SRS

. Ron Kinney, Emergency Planning Virgil Autry, Radioactive Waste Mgmt.

l

...r "HICHWAY ROUTE CONTROLLED RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL SHIPMENT PRO NO.

SHIPPER

?===

h u.h TM-1 N,,

a

( t-CITY & STATE Par +a-wh VA

'70O CONSIGNEE Eava h River Plaw CITY & STATE Nh= SC EQUIPMENT DRIVERS DATE VA 'r'+c=d an=Aw 1.v Street cha*=u.ua Ave-S164 ROUTING 1664 U58-195-NC-195-SC-195-1301. SC70-SC64 DEPARTURE & TIME ETA AT CONSIGNEE

.. ~,

,p PLANNED SiOPS Eam kataw

(

TELEPHONE # FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE EACH ST. ATE VA B04-674 2400 NC 919 733.sta? (nAer hourni NC 919 733 3861' SC B03-896-4244 Planned stops will be at mior truck stops on the designated route or tri-state terminals no more than 6ve (5) miles Rom the designated route. Any deviations from this must be brought to the attention of the RAM people in Joplin, MO when it happens MUST HAVE ESCORT FROM PORT TO STATE LINE

_ _ __ _ _ _ _ - -