ML22068A051

Westinghouse ADR 4- Letter to Us Ecology

ML22068A051
Person / Time
Site:	Westinghouse
Issue date:	03/24/2022
From:	Jacob Zimmerman NRC/NMSS/DFM/FFLB
To:	Jenkins T US Ecology
J TOBIN NRC/NMSS/DFM/FFLB 3014152328
References
Download: ML22068A051 (3)

Text

UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION March 24, 2022 Timothy Jenkins US Ecology Corporate Health Physicist US Ecology, Inc 101 S. Capitol Blvd, Suite 1000 Boise, ID 83702

SUBJECT:

EXEMPTION FOR ALTERNATE DISPOSAL OF SPECIFIC WASTE FROM THE WESTINGHOUSE COLUMBIA FUEL FABRICATION FACILITY UNDER 10 CFR 20.2002, 10 CFR 30.11 AND 10 CFR 70.17

Dear Timothy Jenkins:

In a letter dated November 5, 2021 (Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML21351A038), US Ecology, Inc. (USEI) cited a request from Westinghouse Electric Company, LLC (WEC) for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to approve an alternate disposal request pursuant to Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Section 20.2002, Method for obtaining approval of proposed disposal procedures and requested that the NRC staff grant USEI exemptions from licensing requirements in 10 CFR 30.3 and 10 CFR 70.3. WECs request was submitted via a separate letter dated November 5, 2021 (ADAMS Accession No. ML21309A095). WEC subsequently corrected that submission and submitted an updated letter, dated December 1, 2021 (ADAMS Accession No. ML21336A461). In these letters, WEC requested that the NRC approve an alternate disposal request for the disposal of specified volumetrically contaminated and surface-contaminated low-activity radioactive waste containing byproduct material and special nuclear material from the Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility (CFFF) at the USEI Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Subtitle C hazardous and low-activity radioactive waste treatment and disposal facility located near Grand View, Idaho. All of this material is known to contain < 0.5 weight percent U-235.

WECs submittal proposes to dispose of the material at USEI and requests exemptions from the NRC licensing requirements in 10 CFR 30.3 and 10 CFR 70.3 with respect to the proposed disposal action. Thus, approval of the 10 CFR 20.2002 request and requested exemptions would allow WEC to transfer waste meeting the established criteria for disposal at USEI rather than in a 10 CFR Part 61 Low-Level Waste disposal facility, as would otherwise be required.

By this letter, the NRC is informing you that it has granted WECs alternate disposal request and WECs and USEIs exemption requests. The NRC staff is issuing WEC CFFF license amendment No. 29, which reflects the WEC and USEI exemptions from the licensing requirements for this material. WEC is now permitted to dispose of the volumetrically contaminated waste and surface-contaminated waste at the USEI Grand View disposal site as specified in its alternate disposal request.

T. Jenkins 2 The basis for the NRC staffs approval is provided in the enclosed Safety Evaluation Report (SER). Associated with the enclosed SER, the staff evaluated the environmental impacts of approving the alternate disposal request and the associated exemptions and license amendment. The staff determined that approving the alternate disposal request and granting these exemptions and license amendment would not result in any significant environmental impacts. A notice of availability of an environmental assessment and a finding of no significant impact were prepared and published in the Federal Register 87 FRN 16772. We have also enclosed the Federal Register notice issuing the exemptions and license amendment.

In accordance with 10 CFR Section 2.390 of the NRCs Agency Rules of Practice and Procedure, a copy of this letter will be available electronically for public inspection in the NRC Public Document Room (PDR) or from ADAMS. The PDR is currently closed. You may submit your request to the PDR via e-mail at PDR.Resource@nrc.gov or call 1-800-397-4209 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (EST), Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html.

If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Jenny Tobin of my staff at 301-415-2328 or via e-mail at Jennifer.Tobin@nrc.gov.

Sincerely, Bartlett, Matthew signing on behalf of Zimmerman, Jacob on 03/24/22 Jacob I. Zimmerman, Chief Fuel Facility Licensing Branch Division of Fuel Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket No. 70-1151 License No. SNM-1107

Enclosures:

1. Safety Evaluation Report

2. Federal Register Notice Issuing Exemption and License Amendment cc: westinghouse_ff@listmgr.nrc.gov

ML22068A051 (Ltr), ML22054A047 (Encl. 1),

ML22069A342 (Encl. 2)

OFFICE NMSS/DFM/ NMSS/DFM/ NMSS/DUWP/ OGC/NLO NMSS/DFM/

FFLB/PM FFLB/LA RTAB/BC FFLB/BC NAME JTobin ELee CMcKenney KRoach Matt Bartlett for JZimmerman DATE 3/4/2022 03/09/2022 3/17/2022 3/17/2022 3/24/2022