ML12363A197

R. Holm Ltr. Termination of Facility Operating License No. R-115 for University of Illinois Research Reactor

ML12363A197
Person / Time
Site:	University of Illinois
Issue date:	01/17/2013
From:	Persinko A NRC/FSME/DWMEP
To:	Holm R University of Illinois
John Hickman
References
Download: ML12363A197 (5)

Text

January 17, 2013

Dr. Richard L. Holm, Reactor Administrator University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Department of Nuclear, Plasma and Radiological Engineering 216 Talbot Laboratory 104 South Wright Street Urbana, IL 61801-2983

SUBJECT:

TERMINATION OF FACILITY OPERATING LICENSE NO. R-115 FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS RESEARCH REACTOR AT THE NUCLEAR RESEARCH LABORATORY

Dear Dr. Holm:

On March 28, 2006, you submitted the Decommissioning Plan (DP) for the University of Illinois (U of IL) Nuclear Research Laboratory (NRL) and provided a supplement on August 20, 2007. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved the U of IL DP by Amendment No. 15, dated December 31, 2007 (ML073330022).

You submitted the Final Status Survey (FSS) Plan for the NRL on August 20, 2007. The NRC reviewed the survey plan and determined that it was consistent with the guidance in NUREG-1757, AConsolidated Decommissioning Guidance

@ and the MARSSIM [Multi-Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual] methodology.

The licensee's decommissioning activities included remediation, dismantlement, and demolition of various systems, structures and components followed by MARSSIM based release surveys.

After receiving approval from NRC Region III, the reactor building was demolished, leaving only concrete footers and pylons in place. Prior to being backfilled, subsurface structures and building materials that were unable to be removed from the site due to stability concerns were surveyed as a part of the building release survey, and all measurements were in the range of general site background. The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) also performed a satisfactory confirmatory survey prior to building demolition (ML12226A070). Issues raised in the ORISE report were addressed by the licensee in a letter dated July 13, 2012 (ML12355A096). The issues were addressed satisfactorily.

You submitted the FSS Report for the NRL on October 9, 2012 (ML12345A245). NRC staff reviewed the FSS Report. The licensee performed a final status survey on the remaining site areas in accordance with the NRC approved FSS Plan, and the NRC staff reviewed the results of that survey. The final status survey consisted of gross gamma scans and soil samples analyzed via gamma spectroscopy. Survey areas designated as Class 1 and Class 2 (by MARSSIM definition) were surveyed by 100% gamma walkover using 2 inch by 2 inch sodium iodide gamma scintillation detectors. A total of 28 primary soil samples were collected on 15 foot centers within

R. Holm 2

the triangular grid pattern laid over the Class 1 excavation area, followed by 28 secondary samples taken at the center of every four primary soil samples. The primary samples were analyzed for gamma emitting and Hard to Detect (HTD) radionuclides, while the secondary samples were analyzed for only HTD radionuclides. An additional 28 soil samples were collected at evenly spaced intervals in a Class 2 survey unit around the perimeter of the Class 1 unit. All 28 Class 2 samples were analyzed for gamma emitting radionuclides, and every fourth sample was analyzed for HTD radionuclides. Direct 1-minute gamma measurements were also taken at each of the 56 sample points in the Class 1 unit and the 28 sample points in the Class 2 survey unit. In both areas, gamma walkover surveys did not indicate the presence of near-surface radioactive materials above background. Soil sample results indicated that two

samples within the Class 1 survey unit and 4 samples within the Class 2 unit contained Cs-137 detectable above background but the maximum detected concentration was a fraction of the approved release criteria. After all decommissioning activities were complete, the licensee concluded that the absolute maximum dose to an average member of the public was less than 2%

of the NRC release criteria designated in 10 CFR 20.1402. Based on the review of the FSS Plan, the NRC staff concludes that the licensee's survey and analyses were adequate to ensure that the unrestricted release criteria of 10 CFR 20.1402 are met.

Additionally, a confirmatory survey including soil samples and a gamma walkover survey was completed by NRC Region III staff. Their conclusions, as noted in NRC Inspection Report 05000151/12005 (ML12307A330), were that "the results of the confirmatory surveys were consistent with the licensee's final status survey results and below the required cleanup levels, or DCGLs," and "the licensee adequately classified the survey units and applied the correct DCGLs in accordance with the FSSP."

The NRC has reviewed your request dated October 9, 2012 (ML12345A245), to terminate Facility Operating License No. R-115 for the U of IL. Pursuant to 10 CFR 50.82(b)(6), the NRC Staff has concluded that the final status survey and associated documentation demonstrate that the decommissioning is finished and the facility and site meet the criteria for license termination in accordance with the NRC-approved DP.

Therefore, on the basis of decommissioning activities carried out by you, the NRC

=s review of your FSS Plan, the results of NRC inspections conducted at your facilities, and the results of NRC confirmatory surveys, the NRC concludes that decommissioning is finished and the facilities and site are suitable to be released for unrestricted use. Facility Operating License No. R-115 is hereby terminated.

In connection with the license termination, we are enclosing two copies of Amendment No. 16 to Indemnity Agreement No. E-20. Please sign and return one copy to this office.

Also enclosed is a copy of the Notice of License Termination, which is being sent to the Office of the Federal Register for publication.

R. Holm 3

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's "Rules of General Applicability," a copy of this letter and the referenced correspondence will be available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publically Available Records (PARS) component of the NRC's document system (ADAMS) at the referenced ML numbers. ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html.

If you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact John Hickman at (301) 415-3017.

Sincerely,

/RA/ Andrew Persinko, Deputy Director

Decommissioning and Uranium Recovery Licensing Directorate Division of Waste Management and Environmental Protection

Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs Docket No.: 50-151

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 16 to Indemnity Agreement No. E-20 2. Federal Register Notice cc: Docket Service List

R. Holm 3

In accordance with 10 CFR 2.390 of the NRC's "Rules of General Applicability," a copy of this letter and the referenced correspondence will be available electronically in the NRC Public Document Room or from the Publically Available Records (PARS) component of the NRC's document system (ADAMS) at the referenced ML numbers. ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html.

If you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact John Hickman at (301) 415-3017.

Sincerely,

Andrew Persinko, Deputy Director

Decommissioning and Uranium Recovery Licensing Directorate Division of Waste Management and Environmental Protection

Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs

Docket No.: 50-151

Enclosures:

1. Amendment No. 16 to Indemnity Agreement No. E-20 2. Federal Register Notice cc: Docket Service List

DISTRIBUTION RidsOgcMailCenter RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter RidsRgn3MailCenter RidsFsmeOd JHickman CLipa, RIII

ML12363A199 OFFICE DWMEP/PM DWMEP/LADWMEP/HPDWMEP/BC NAME JHickman CHolston JClements BWatson DATE 1 / 2 / 2013 1 / 2 / 2013 1 / 2 / 2013 1 / 3 / 2013 OFFICE NRR/IFIB OGCDWMEP NAME RTurtil JBiggins APersinko DATE 1 / 7 / 2013 1 / 15 / 2013 1 / 17 / 2013 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY University of Illinois Docket No. 50-151

cc:

Mayor of the City of Urbana

400 South Vine Street Urbana, IL 61801 Illinois Emergency Management Agency

Bureau Chief Bureau of Nuclear Facility Safety 1035 Outer Park Drive Springfield, IL 62705

Dr. James Stubbins, Head Department of Nuclear Engineering University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 103 South Goodwin Avenue Urbana, IL 61801-2984

Test, Research, and Training Reactor Newsletter University of Florida 202 Nuclear Sciences Center Gainesville, FL 32611