View source for Press Release-99-052, NRC Issues Draft Guidance for Reviewing Future License Application for Hanford Tank Waste Remediation

{{Adams
| number = ML003709567
| issue date = 03/17/1999
| title = Press Release-99-052, NRC Issues Draft Guidance for Reviewing Future License Application for Hanford Tank Waste Remediation
| author name = 
| author affiliation = NRC/OPA
| addressee name = 
| addressee affiliation = 
| docket = 
| license number = 
| contact person = 
| document report number = Press Release-99-052
| document type = Press Release
| page count = 2
| newsletter region = 
| newsletter year = 2099
| newsletter integer = 52
}}

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{{#Wiki_filter:UnitedStatesNuclearRegulatoryCommissionOfficeofPublicAffairsWashington,DC20555Phone301-415-8200Fax301-415-2234Internet:opa@nrc.govNo.99-52FORIMMEDIATERELEASE(Wednesday,March17,1999)NRCISSUESDRAFTGUIDANCEFORREVIEWINGFUTURELICENSEAPPLICATIONFORHANFORDTANKWASTEREMEDIATIONTheNuclearRegulatoryCommission'sOfficeofNuclearMaterialSafetyandSafeguardshasissueddraftguidancefortheNRCstafftoreviewapossiblefuturelicenseapplicationfor immobilizinghighlyradioactivewasteinundergroundtanksattheDepartmentofEnergy(DOE) reservationinHanford,Washington.DOEestablishedaprogram,knownastheTankWasteRemediationSystem,in1993afterenteringintoanagreementwiththeU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyandthe WashingtonStateDepartmentofEcologyfortimelycleanupofthewastes,whichresultfrom ColdWarweaponsproductionattheHanfordsite.Thecleanupsystemisdesignedtointegrate allaspectsofthetreatmentandmanagementofthehigh-levelradioactivewasteslocatedin 177undergroundstoragetanksatthesite.DOEhasindicatedthatitplanstoprivatizetheremediation.DOEplanscallforaTankWasteRemediationSystemprivatizedfacilitytobedesignedandconstructedontheHanford reservation,andownedandoperatedbyaDOEcontractor.LastAugust,DOEsigneda contractwithBNFL,Inc.,asubsidiaryofBritishNuclearFuels,plc.,todesign,buildandoperate apermanentfacilitytotreatinitiallyabout10percentofthewaste.Atthepresenttime,NRCisassistingDOEindevelopinganeffectiveregulatoryprogramforproposedlicensing,withthepossibilitythatNRCmayassumeregulatoryauthorityinthe future.NRCandDOEinteractionsduringthisinitialphasearegovernedbyamemorandumof understandingsignedinJanuary1997.TheNRCadvisoryworkiscoveredbyaspecific Congressionalappropriation.Therecentlyreleaseddraftguidance,knownasa"standardreviewplan,"providesguidancefortheevaluationofhealth,safetyandenvironmentalprotectioninalicense application.Itsprincipalpurposeistoensurequalityanduniformityofstaffreviewsofthe applicationandanylateramendmentstothelicense.Copiesofthe"StandardReviewPlanfortheReviewofaLicenseApplicationfortheTankWasteRemediationSystemPrivatization(TWRS-P)Project--DraftReportforComment" (NUREG-1702)areavailablebywrittenrequesttotheNuclearRegulatoryCommission, DistributionServices,Washington,DC20555-0001.ItmayalsobereviewedattheNRC PublicDocumentRoom,2120LStreet,NW,Washington,DC20555-0001.Acopyisalso postedontheNRC'sInternetwebsiteathttp://www.nrc.gov/NRC/NUREGS/indexnum.html.Interestedpersonsareinvitedtosubmitcommentswithin90daysafterpublicationofaFederalRegisternoticeonthissubject,whichisexpectedshortly.Writtencommentsshouldbe directedtotheChief,RulesandDirectivesBranch,U.S.NuclearRegulatoryCommission,Washington,DC20555-0001.Commentsmayalsobesubmittedelectronicallybyselectingthe "comments"linkontheabovewebsite.
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