ML23082A339
| ML23082A339 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 08/07/2023 |
| From: | Timothy Mccartin Division of Fuel Management |
| To: | Chris Mckenney NRC/NMSS/DDUWP/RTAB |
| Yadav, P | |
| References | |
| Download: ML23082A339 (2) | |
Text
ML23082A339 MEMORANDUM TO:
Christepher McKenney, Chief Risk Assessment and Technical Analysis Branch Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery, and Waste Programs Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards FROM:
Tim McCartin, Sr. Level Advisor Division of Fuel Management Office of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards
SUBJECT:
CHANGING DESIGNATION OF CRITICALITY REPORTS TO PUBLIC The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff is in the process of developing a section of the guidance document (Draft NUREG-2175, Guidance for Conducting Technical Analyses for 10 CFR Part 61, Revision 1) in support of proposed revisions to 10 CFR Part 61 to address disposal of Greater-than-Class-C (GTCC) waste in a near-surface disposal facility. Certain GTCC waste streams may contain special nuclear material (SNM) in concentrations that require consideration of criticality safety. Some of the same criticality concerns issues were considered in the 1990s, however, some of the NUREG/CRs supporting this effort were not made public due, in part, to concern that the significance of the criticality issue did not support continued NRC staff effort and resources.
GTCC waste streams, with greater concentrations of SNM, has renewed NRC staff interest in referencing the technical information provided in two NUREG/CR reports that are currently non-public documents. The NRC staff is unaware of any information in these documents that would prevent their public release. The guidance development effort would significantly benefit if these were publicly available, and the technical information could be referenced in the revision to NUREG-2175. The three documents are:
1.
NUREG/CR-6626, Emplacement Guidance for Criticality Safety in Low-Level Waste Disposal, (Final draft for public comment. dated June 16, 1999), Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML993410437 2.
NUREG/CR-6505, Vol.1, The Potential for Criticality Following Disposal of Uranium at Low-Level-Waste Facilities - Uranium Blended with Soil, (June 1997), ADAMS Accession No. ML20149E455 3.
NUREG/CR-6505, Vol. 2, The Potential for Criticality Following Disposal of Uranium at Low-Level-Waste Facilities - Containerized Disposal, (June 1999), ADAMS Accession No. ML20209J547 Making these NUREG/CR reports publicly available entails minimal effort and does not represent an effort to restart NRC staff work on these reports. The public comment period on the proposed rule and guidance for 10 CFR Part 61 may indicate a need for further activities August 7, 2023 Signed by McCartin, Timothy on 08/07/23
C. McKenney 2
with respect to criticality concerns, however, any future activity on this topic would be considered a separate activity from the NUREG/CR reports published in 1999 and would follow the normal approval process.