ML20138E771

Provides NRC Final Position on Review of Previously Approved Reclamation Plans

ML20138E771
Person / Time
Issue date:	07/18/1995
From:	Joseph Holonich NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS)
To:	Salisbury W AMERICAN NUCLEAR CORP.
Shared Package
ML20137K545	List: ML20137K540 ML20138E771
References
REF-WM-3 NUDOCS 9507260151
Download: ML20138E771 (2)

Text

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. UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 1

.[ wAsHmGToN, D.C. 2006H001 Julyf 18, _1995 - j 2

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. Mr. William C. Salisbury, President '

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American Nuclear Corporation ~

P.O. Box 2713 i Casper, Wyoming 82602 '

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SUBJECT:

' FINAL POSITION ON REVIEW OF PREVIOUSLY APPROVED RECLAMATION PLANS l

Dear Mr. Salisbury:

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.'At the h rch 1995 Join't Nuclear Regulatory Commission - American Mining .

Congress Uranium Recovery Workshop in Denver, the status of.NRC' staff review of previously approved reclamation plans was discussed. The staff informed.-

the workshop participants that it was evaluating its approach to this. issue.

and would. seek guidance from the. Commission before proceeding' further. The

. Commission recently reviewed the issue and provided its position-to the staff.

! The purpose of this letter is to provide you with the NRC position on the review of previously approved reclamation plans.

I .The NRC position is that the NRC approval previously granted to reclamation 1

[ plans, remains as a final NRC action. The NRC will not. revisit those approvals- I unless certain conditions, as discussed below, are identified. Any sites that

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have degraded before their transfer to the long-term custodian would be required to be repaired, and the licensee would be required to justify that F the design meets 10 CFR Part 40, Appendix A requirements in light of the ,

i observed degradation. In addition, the staff would identify to the Commission u U any previously approved reclamation plans that present significant health,  !

safety. or environmental concerns. The staff would also complete its l f 9ectechnical evaluation of the disposal cells which have much hiqber seismic  !

accelerat .,..s and oetermine~if any significant concerns exist. /or those i

disposal cells that were determined to be unstable under the higher seismic accelerations, the licensee would be required to justify that the design meets

the requirements in Appendix A.

! Therefore, unless: 1) the staff identifies a significant health, safety or i

environmental concern with your site; 2) the staff detemines there is a need l to reevaluate the seismic design aspects of your design; or 3) you request that the ongoing review proceed,.the staff will not be continuing its review

of the'previously approved reclamation plan for your site. If you should

. propose a revision to your currently approved reclamation plan, the staff .

would only review the proposed revisions; it would not reevaluate aspects of -  ;

[ your reclamation plan that it had already approved.

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1. At' the time of license termination, the staff will simply confirm that the  ;

reclamation was performed consistent with the _ approved plan. This would be  ;

Should done by reviewing the construction completion report for the site.

, . degradation occur.at the site before its transfer to the long-term custodian,

! < you should inform the staff of this situation, and provide the following j information:

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Enclo'sure 1

'W: Salisbury 2

1) A description of the degradation inclLding its location and cause;

2) Corrective actions being taken or planned; and

3) Justification for why the design meets Appendix A requirements in light of the observed degradation.

A copy of the Commission paper and the associated Commission direction are provided in Enclosures-1 and 2 respectively. If you have any questions or would like to meet with the staff to discuss.it final position, please feel free to contact the Project Manager for your site, Ken Hooks at (301) 415-7777.

Sincerely, Original signed by Joseph J. Holonich, Chief High-Level Waste and Uranium Recovery Projects Branch Division of Waste Management l

Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Docket no. 40-4492 License No. SUA-667

Enclosures:

As stated

c. K. Moxley, WDEQ l

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THE STATE

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/ oF WYOMING G /

J JIM GERINGER GOVERNOR Department of Environmental Quality Herschler Building e 122 West 25th Street e Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002 ADM:NISTRAfiON ABANDONE D MINE S AIRQUAUTY (NOUSTR:AL LITING LAND OU ALITY SOLIO & HAZARDOUS WASTE WATER QUALITY (307) 777 7758 (307) 777-6145 (307)777-7391 (307)777-7368 (3071 777-7756 (307)777-7752 (307) 77b7781 FAX 777-7687 F AX 634-0799 FAX 777 5616 FAX 777-6937 FAX 634-0799 FAX 777-5973 FAX 777 o973 September 8,1995

l Mr. Joseph Holonich, Chief High-level Waste and Uranium Recovery Projects Section 40- 44 I Division of Waste Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555 0001 RE: American Nuclear Gas Hills Project

Dear Mr. Holonich,

This is in response to your letter dated July 18,1995 to Mr. Salisbury advi;ing him of the Commission's position on the finality of reclamation plans previously approved by NRC.

As you are aware, we have contracted with a consuhing firm and are presently redesigning the reclamation plan for the ANC site. It s our intent to achieve a plan that will improve on the 1984 approved plan as well as to .aeet budgetat., poristraints. We wiL sontinue to work closely i with your staff t( achieve this goal. Based on the Commission's decision, we could theoretically fall cack and simply construct the reclaraation in accordance with the old approved plan. We do not think this approach would be acceptable to either the NRC or DOE. NRC has.

after all, identified nine pages of staff comments and concerns relative to ANC's previous designs. Thus we take very little comfort from NRC's decision to accept the old plans. The State does not wish to be the owner of this site. We only wish to see it properly reclaimed and then accepted by DOE for long tenu care.

We look forward to meeting with you on the 19th in Casper.

Sincerely, Ric ar A. anc$1 Administrator, RAC/MM:mm Land Quality Division

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cc: M. Moxley 9509260373 950908 PDR ADOCK 04004492 C PDR Fnrinsuro 2

Mr. Mark Moxley Wyoming Department of-Environmental Quality

Land Quality Division

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250 Lincoln Street Lander, Wyoming 82520-2848

SUBJECT:

ALTERNATE METHOD OF WINDBLOWN CLEANUP AT GAS HILLS SITE

Dear Mr. Hoxley:

By letter dated March 1, 1996 Shepherd Miller Inc.-(SM1) proposed performing I windblown material cleanup at the American Nuclear Corporation (ANC) Gas Hills '

site in Wyoming by discing or tilling certain areas of windblown tailings.

This method was proposed by SMI to minimize costs and maximize the site reclamation work which can be accomplished within the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) budget. The possibility of using this method, under_certain conditions, to achieve site cleanup criteria was also discussed between Kent Bruxvoort of SMI and Elaine Brummett of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff by telephone on March 19, 1996.

As stated by Robert Fonner of the NRC at the NRC/ National Mining Association ,

meeting in Denver, Colorado on March 12, 1996, the NRC staff is willing to I considered such " alternative" methods of meeting regulatory requirements, as long as equivalent protection of public health and safety can be demonstrated.  ;

It is the staff's understanding that the final ANC Gas Hills site reclamation '

' design report, to be submitted by SMI for the WDEQ, will provide details on the method, areas to be tilled, and justification for use of the method. NRC staff will evaluate the proposed method and implementation during its review of the reclamation design report.

If you have any questions concerning this letter, please contact Ken Hooks, the NRC Project Manager for the ANC Gas Hills site, at (301) 415-7777.

Sincerely, j

(Original signed by) Joseph J. Holonich, Chief l'

Uranium Recovery Branch Division of Waste Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety cc: 'R. Chancellor, WDEQ Cheyenne R. Medlock, SMI Ft. Collins K. Bruxvoort, SMI Ft. Collins

_ J. Vi roona. 00Lr.nnd .inaa ia- -

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w Updated 3/03/97 8 3

O Project Abbrev. Docket # NRC Project Licensee Contact / Phone Manager

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W TITLE I SITES Ambrosia Lake AMB WM-67 Kenneth Hooks Mike Abrams - (505) 845-5758 (301) 415-7777 Belfield/ Bowman BEL / BOW WM-75/74 Mohammad Haque John Evett - (505) 845-4865 (301) 415-6640 Burrell BUR Ted Johnson Joe Virgona - (970) 248-6006 (301) 415-6658 Canonsbur9 CAN WM-42 Ted Johnson Mike Abraans - (505) 845-5758 (301) 415-6658 Durango DUR WM-48 Ted Johnson Jay Pape (505) 845-4030 (301) 415-6658 Falls City FCT WM-65 Elaine Brummett Woody Woodworth - (505) 845-5637 (301) 415-6606 Grand Junction GRJ WM-54 Charlotte Jay Pape - (505) 845-4030 Abrams (301) 415-5808 Green River GRN WM-68 James Park Mike Abrams - (505) 845-5758 (301) 415-6699 Gunnison GUN WM-61 Harold Lefevre Sharon Arp - (505) 845-5668 (301) 415-6678 Lakeview LKV WM-64 Ted Johnson Joe Virgana (970) 248-6006 (301) 415-6658

.Lowman LOW WM-43 Ted Johnson Joe Virgona (970) 248-6006 (301) 415-6658 o

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Project Abbrev. Docket # NRC Project Licensee Contact / Phone Manager Faybell MAY WM-69 Robert Carlson Woody Woodworth - (505) 845-5637 (301) 415-8165 Mex Hat / Monument Valley HAT / MON WM-63/70 Harold Lefevre Sharon Arp - (505) 845-5668 (301) 415-6678 Naturita NAT WM-66 Robert Carlson Woody Woodworth - (505)845-5637 (301) 415-8165 Nif1* RFL WM-62 Janet !-e_:nbert Snaron Arp - (505) 845-5668 (301) 415-6710 Riverton RVT WM-60 Jim Park Don Metzler - (970) 248-7612 (301) 415-6699 Salt La'ke City SLC WM-41 Mike Fliegel Sharon Arp - (505) 845-5668 (301) 415-6629 Shiprock SHP WM-58 Ted Johnson Steve Hamp (301) 415-6558 Slick Rock SRK WM-86 Charlotte Jay Pape - (505) 845-4030 Abrams 9 (301) 415-5808 l Spook SPK WM-72 Ted Johnson Joe Virgona (970) 248-6006 (301) 415-6658 Tuba City TUB WM-73 Ted Johnson Steve Hamp (301) 415-6658 O

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Project Abbrev. Docket # NRC Project Licensee Contact / Phone

, Manager 1

i TITLE II SITES Conventional Mills:

l ANC-Gas Hills ANC 40-4492 Kenneth Hooks Bill Salisbury - (307) 234-6059 (301) 415-7777 ARCO-Bluewater ABW 40-8902 Kenneth Hooks Nat Patel - (505) 287-4593 (301) 415-7777 Atlas-Moab ATM 40-3453 Myron Fliegel Richard Blubaugh - (303) 629-2440 (301) 415-6629 Fax (303) 629-2445 Exxon-Highlands EXH 40-8102 Janet Lambert Dave Range, Staff Eng. - (713) 978-1438 (301) 415-6710 and Russ Taylor, Site Contractor -

(307) 436-8513 H vestake-Grants HSG 40-8903 Kenncth Hooks Roy Cellan - (505) 287-4456 (301) 415-7777 Kennecott-Sweetwater KSW 40-8584 Charlotte Oscar Paulson, Site Mgr - (307) 324-4924 Abrams and James Berson, HQ - (801) 322-7285 (301) 415-5808 Pathfinder-Lucky Mc PLM 40-2259 Mohammad Hague Tom Hardgrove - (307) 234-5019 (301) 415-6640 Pathfinder-Shirl'v Basin PSB 40-6622 Mohammad Haque Tom Hardgrove - (307) 234-5019 (301) 415-6640 Petrotomics-Shirley Basin PET 40-6659 Mohammad Hague Ron Juday - (307) 234-9341 (301) 415-6640 Plateau-Shootaring Canyon PSC 40-8698 James Park Ken Webber - (307) 856-9271 *

. (301) 415-6699 Quivira-Ambrosia Lake QAL 40-8905 Kenneth Hooks Bill Ferdinand - (405) 842-1773 (301) 415-7777 Y

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s Project Abbrev. Docket # NRC Project Licencae Contact / Phone Manager Rio Algom-Lisbon RAL 40-8084 Mike Fliegel Marvin Freeman - (405) 848-1187 (301) 415-6629 Sohio Western-L-Bar SWL 40-8904 Charlotte Dave Crouch - (801) 322-7280 and Tom Abrams Osborn, Site contractor -

(301) 415-5808 (512) 346-2000 TVA-Edgemont TVA 40-1341 Ted Johnson Joe Virgona - (970) 248-6006 (301) 415-6658 Umetco-Gas Hills UGH 40-0299 Mohammad Haque Bert Hankins - (307) 457-2311 (301) 415-6640 EFN-White Mesa EWM 40-8681 Jim Park William N. Deal (801) 678-2221 -

(301) 415-6699 Michelle Rehman (303) 899-5647 UNC-Church Rock UNC 40-8907 Kenneth Hooks Ed Morales - (505) 722-6651 (301) 415-7777 Juan velasquez - (505) 262-1800 __

Union Pacific-Bear Creek UBC 40-8452 Charlotte Gary Chase, RSO (307) 358-2511 and Ernie Abrams Scott, Operations Mgr - (801) 25G-9474 (301) 415-5808 WNI-Split Rock WNS 40-1162 Robert Carlson Stephanie Baker - (303) 989-8675 (301) 415-8165 S

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Project Abbrev. Docket # NRC Project Licensee Contact / Phone Manager In-Situ Sites:

EFN-Reno Creek ERC 40-9024 Harold Lefevre Terry Wetz - (303) t?3-8317 (301) #15-6678 Crow Butte Resources CBR 40-8943 James Park Steve Collings - (303) 825-2266 (301) 415-6699 HRI-Crown Point HRC 40-8968 Robert Carlson Mark Pelizza - (214) 387-77Ti (301) 415-8165 Pathfinder-North Butte PNB 40-8981 Janet Lambert Donna Wichers - (307) 234-5019 (301) 415-6710 PRI-Highland PRH 40-8857 Jane Marshall Bill Kearney - (307) 358-6541 (301) 415-6390 Rio Algom-Smith Ranch RAS 40-8964 Robert Tinsley Bill Ferdinand - (405) 848-1190 (301) 415-XXXX COMIN-Irigary/ Christ. CIC 40-8502 Janet Lambert Donna Wichers - (307) 234-5019 (301) 415-6710 Other Facilities:

Grace Energy GRC 40-8912 Dan Rom (Info forthcoming)

(301) 415-6704 US Energy-Green Mt USE 40-8971 James Park Ken Webber - (307) 856-9271 (301) 415-6699 Envirccare ENV 40-8989 Harold Lefevre Ken Alkemu - (801) 532-1330 (301) 415-6678 __

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