Press Release-93-129, NRC Issues Environmental Impact Statement on Proposed Envirocare License
| ML003703162 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 09/15/1993 |
| From: | Office of Public Affairs |
| To: | |
| Category:Press Release | |
| References | |
| Press Release-93-129 | |
| Download: ML003703162 (1) | |
Text
No.93-129 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tel. 301/504-2240 (Wednesday, September 15, 1993)
NRC ISSUES ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT ON PROPOSED ENVIROCARE LICENSE The Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has issued a final environmental impact statement on the proposal by Envirocare of Utah, Inc., to construct and operate a facility near Clive, Utah, for the disposal of uranium and thorium mill tailings.
The Envirocare facility would be located adjacent to a Department of Energy disposal area containing about 2.5 million cubic yards of uranium mill tailings from the former Vitro South Salt Lake, Utah, facility that were cleaned up and moved to this site under the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978.
The proposed Envirocare facility would also be adjacent to the applicant's existing facility licensed by the State of Utah to dispose of naturally occurring radioactive material, low-level radioactive waste and mixed waste.
However, only the NRC (and not the State of Utah) has the authority to regulate the disposal of uranium and thorium mill tailings, as defined in Section lle(2) of the Atomic Energy Act as byproduct material.
The NRC staff's final EIS describes and evaluates the (1) purpose of and need for licensing the proposed facility, (2) alternatives considered and (3) environmental consequences.
It concludes that the overall benefit-cost balance for the Envirocare license application is favorable, and that the indicated action is that of licensing.
A draft EIS on this subject was issued for public comment in February 1993.
Comments received were considered in preparation of the final statement, which includes a discussion of questions and comments submitted by reviewing agencies and individuals.
Copies of the "Final Environmental Impact Statement to Construct and Operate a Facility to Receive, Store, and Dispose of 11e.(2) Byproduct Material Near Clive, Utah," (NUREG-1476) are available for purchase from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S.
Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9828, or from the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161.
The report is also available for inspection and copying for a fee at the NRC Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW, Washington, DC.