ML19296B978
| ML19296B978 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Sterling |
| Issue date: | 01/18/1980 |
| From: | Pohl R CORNELL UNIV., ITHACA, NY |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19296B979 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8002220516 | |
| Download: ML19296B978 (14) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES OF Af1 ERICA NUCLEAR REGULATORY C0ffilSSION Ol- 9 Z 4 q,4 .
.4 BEFORE THE AT0f1IC SAFETY AND LICENSING APPEAL BOARD [
g 6 N O In the Matter of )
) Docket No. STN 50-485 Rochester Gas and Electric Corp. )
(Sterling Nuclear Project Unit 1) )
Testimony of Robert 0. Pohl -
Q. Do you consider the calculated source terms for radon emissions from uranium mill tailings piles, as set forth in Perkins, to be conservative?
A. No. As I pointed out in my affidavit (6 July 1979), radon releases from the
~
existing, unprotected and abandoned tailings piles stuoied by the Environmental Protection Agency were determined to be 330 Ci/AFR/ year, over three times larger than those calculated in Magno's affidavit. The release rate for unprotected tailings piles predicted in the Draft GEIS for Uraniunt Milling (NUREG-0511, April 1979) is also larger; the standard, unprotected tailings pile has the area 80 ha=
5 2 7 8 x 10 m , height 8m, and contains 10 MT tailings which are the residue of ore 4
originally containing 1.5 x i0 MT U 0 (NUREG 0511 p. 5-4,5). According to 38 Magno's affidavit, fuel requirements for 1 AFR are 245 MT U 0 , for which - _
3E (245/0.9) MT = 272 MT equivalent of ore have to be mined. Hence, the standard ,
4 .
tailings pile provided fuel for 1.5 x 10 /272 = 55 AFR.lirom an 80 ha unprotected 4
pile 1.1 x 10 Ci/yr radon are estimated to escape annually into the rtmosphere, 4 ~
which amounts to 1.1 x 10 /55 = 200 Ci/yr, or twice the amount estimater in Perkins.
. t In addition, no erosion effects were con;idered -in Perkins. The standard -
=8 tailings pile considered in NUREG 0511 has a radiumkoncentration of 450 p01/
3 --
7 --
(see p. 5-4) and 4500 Ci of radium total. Of this amount, 4.5 x 10 x 3.15 10 sec -
10 -1 21 x 3.7 x 10 sec = 5.2 x 10 atoms decay in one year. This corresponds to a 80022 20M
t Testimony of Robert 0. Pohl Page 2 5 16 Rn-222 generation rate of 3 x 10 Ci/yr (1 Ci Rn-222 contains 1.75 x 10 3
atoms). From an unprotected, dry and uneraded 80-ha pile, 7 x 10 Ci/yr x 80 ha/50 ha =
4 1.1 x 10 Ci/yr Rn-222 is estimated to escape into the air (derived from 4 5 information presented on p. G-13 of NUREG 0511); that is 1.1 x 10 Ci/3 x 10 Ci =
3.7 % of the amount generated within the pile. However, the emanation rate (fraction of atoms available for diffusion within the pile divided by total number ,
generated in the pile) is assumed to be 0.20. Hence, the shielding against radon escaping from the pile which is provided by the pile height reduces the radon gas -
4 4 entering the atmosphere from 6 x 10 Ci/yr to 1.1 x 10 Ci/yr, or by 82 %. Conse-quently, as the pile spreads through erosion, one could expect the radon release :
4 4 rate to the atmosphere to increase by 6.4 x 10 / 1.1 x 10 = 5.5 or over fivefold.
Q. Has the release rate for protected mill tailings also been underestimated in Perkins?
2 .i A. That rate is defined as twice background (2 pCi/m sec above background has been proposed, NUREG 0511, p. S-2). The question here is whether the required .
degree of protection can be provided for the required length of time. The half-life of the parent isotope, thorium-230, is 80,000 y. On the time scale of hundreds of .
thousands of years, no amount of earth or rock cover, or of vegetation, can be expected to withstand the natural erosive forces of the elements. A discussion of this erosion can be found in " Evaluation of Long-term Stability of Uranium l Mill Tailing Disposal Alternatives", Final Report prepared for Argonne National Laboratories by J.D. Nelson and T.A. Shepherd, Civil Engineering Department.
Colorado State University, A,c; il,1978, p. 312 ff. As the report says:
Thus, failure, to some degree, of all impoundment elements (i.e. !
cap, liner and embankment) is highly probable. Failure due to natural phenomena would be severe if caused by floods, earthquakes within short-term periods, or dispersion by wind or water erosion. -d Failures due to other natural phenomena are less severe."
Q. Can we not expect, a certain amount of surveillance and, if necessary, l
l
Te'stimony of Robert 0. Pohl Page 3 remedial action by future generations? This view is expressed in NUREG 0511 (Sumary/0verview p.1) and also in the Perkins Partial Iaitial Decision (p.17).
A. Although the National Environmental Policy Act requires us to " fulfill the responsibilities of each generation as trustee of tha environment for succeeding generations", this is no guarantee that future tailings pile messes will be cleaned up or recognized. One must first ask whether future generations will have the economic means required for perpetual surveillance (see NUREG 0511
, App. R) and remedial actions. This question has not been considered in Perkins.
Q. Has adequate consideration been given in Perkins to localized impacts from tailings piles? _
A. No. As we go closer in to the source of the radon, the health risks for individuals increase. For example, in a study of an inactive uranium mill tailings site at Mexican Hat performed for the DOE (Phase II - Title I, Engineering Assess-men + of Inactive Uranium Mill Tailinas, Ford, Bacon and Davis Utah, March 1977) it was determined that the presence of the tailings can be expected to increase the
. rate of occurrence of lung cancer by 14 % for those persons presently within one mile from the piles. The radon from the piles was expected to produce between two-thirds and three-quarters as many lung cancers as the natural radon background in the same area (Ibid. p.1-12).
As anottier example for the local impact of radon from mill tailings, we _.
mention the use of tailings for construction purposes, referring to a recent .
DOE report entitled "Prograss Report on the Grand Junction Uranium Mill Tailings
~
Remedial Action Program", (DOE /EV-0033, Feb.,1979). In August,1966, the Colorado Department of Health and the U.S. Public Health Service discovered that tailings ,
from the Climax mill were being used as construction-related material. It was
- estimated by Climax that approximately 50,000 tons of material had been used as foundation material under and around occupiable structures (Ibid, pp. 2,3). The '
average radium concentration in this case is given as 784 pCi/g (Swift et. al.,
l Testimony of Robert 0. Pohl Page 4 EPA-520/1-76-001, p. 11) and hence the radium in 50,000 tons is approximately 40 Ci. The radium in the tailings resulting from 1 AFR production is 4,500 C1/55 AFR =
f 82 C1. The relatively small amount of mill tailings used by people who were unaware )
of their toxicity between 1952 and 1966 has resulted in a massive contamination i
which is estimated to require remedial action on 800 individual structures, at !
an estimated cost of $16,960,000 (Ibid., p. iii). So far, remedial action has i
been done on 289 private residences, 14 schools, and 22 bus'.iess/ church locations, 3 or a total of 325 individual structures. This one example demonstrates the potential 4
for radioactive pollution represented by the tailings generated in the production Ji of 30 AFR needed for Sterling. They will contain 82 x 30 = 2,600 Ci Ra-226 or 60 ?
times as much radium as the tailings referred to above. !
Although Grand Junction is probably the best known example for pollution with [
mill tailings, it is not the only case. The DOE is currently conducting a national i
program to gather information on mill tailings at or near inactive uranium processing sites (00E Information 3, No. 43, 23 Oct.1979, p. 5) and is asking persons who have information to n_otify the department (Ibid., No. 34, Aug.,1979, p. 4). .
h Several sites have been surveyed and have.been shown to have "high priority" for j remedial action. They are located at or near Salt Lake City, Utah; Canonsburg, Pa.;
. Shiprock, N.M.; Riverton, Wyo.; and Durango, Grand Junction, Gunnison, Old Rifle __5 and New Rifle, all in Colorado (Ibid., No. 39, 25 Sept.1979, p. 2). E The DOE recently listed 22 inactive uranium processing sites where mill tailings i need remedial action. One site, in Middlesex, N.J., shows evidence of offsite
' contamination through water transport (DOE /EV-0005/1, pp. 60,63,81,82). !
The tailings dam at an operating mill in Gallup, N.M. broke last summer, carrying 1,100 tons of tailings into a nearby river. Newspapers have reported a i number of incidents in which unstabilized tailings piles have caused significant
- local ' impacts.(See Exhibit A).
h
Testimony of Robert O. Pohl Page 5 Many of the tailings piles presenting problems have tiny amounts of uranium and its radioactive daughters compared to the tailings pile considered in Perkins. (See 00E/EV-0005/3 on Canonsburg, pa.; DOE /EV-0005/4 on Tonawanda, N.Y.;
and 00E/EV-0005/6, also on Tonawanda).
Q. Would a properly stabilized pile, as postulated by the NRC in Perkins, pose such problems as encountered in Grand Junction and Canonsburg?
, A. Only as long as people know of the toxic potential of the tailings. Only 14 years ago, the people in Grand Junction apparently did not know this. We cannot expect people to keep remembering for hundreds of years that tailings are dangerous; -
we should not rely on it. A worst-case scenario of human intrusion into a stabilized pile -- a basement dug into the ground cover over the pile -- could _
result in exposures of 30 rem /yr from radon (NUREG 0511, p. 9-38).
As EPA says in its proposed Criteria for Radioactive Wastes: "The funda-mental goal for controlling any type of radioactive waste should be complete
. isolation over its hazardous lifetime. Controls which are based on institutional functions should not be relied upon for longer than 100 years to provide such isolation; radioactive wastes with a hazardous lifetime longer than 100 years should be controlled by as many engineered and natural barriers as are necessary."
(FR 53263,15 Nov.1978). -~
Q. Doesn't the below-grade burial presently proposed by the NRC present an '
improvement over above-grade disposal?
A. In some ways yes, in others no. Below-grade burial will reduce the risks of erosion by wind, s.urface waters and precipitation, but will enhance the potential
-s for ground water pollution. In the proposed Morton Ranch Uranium Mill (DES, HUREG 0439, April,1978) for example, the bottom of the tailings in the .it will be only 10 feet above the present ground water table (Fig.10.2). Thus only a minor rise of the ground water table, certainly not unlikely over periods of thousands
Testimony of Robert 0. Pohl Page 6 of years, will bring the tailings into direct contact with the ground water.
The potential for ground water pollution must be expected to be substantial; however, it has to my knowledge not been evaluated. A potentially serious problem would arise from drilling a well into the ground water bearing layer.
Furthermore, migration of radienucl Mes in the moving ground water can be substantial. A brief discussion of this motion is contained in NUREG 0511 (p. E-20).
From the . thorium waste pile in West Chicago, radium and thorium were found to --
travel less than two meters per year in the groundwater. By extrapolation, this 4
means that in the relatively short time span of 10 yr these nuclides could travel a distance of the order of 10 km ("less than 20 km").
Finally, it must be considered that the NRC has by no means ruled out above-grade disposal of mill tailings. In the Bear Creek FES (NUREG 0129, June, 1977), -
above-ground disposal was accepted; and also in the Lucky McGas Hills FES (NUREG 0357, Nov. ,1977), the Sweetwater DES (NUREG 0403, Dec. ,1977) (note,however,that according to Hubert Miller Perkins Tr 2397, applicant has agreed to below-grade disposal in this case); also, in the Shootering Canyon Uranium Project (FES, NUREG '0583, July,1979); and in the Moab Uranium Mill (FES, NUREG 0453, Jan.,1979).
In the Homestake Mining Pitch Project DES (July, 1978), the NRC agreed to disposal above ground in a sloping mountain valley. The stability of above-ground piles is doubtful (Evaluation of Long-term Stability of Uranium Mill Tailing Disposal Alternatives, CSU, April,1978, pp. 312, 316-17). It appears appropriate to consider the environmental impacts of both above-ground and below-
. grade disposal.
Q. Do you consider the disposal of mill tailings to be a major problem for the . ,.
nucieor fuel cycle?
A. Absolutely. Just, consider that the toxicity index of mill tailings is equal to that .of spent fuel which has aged 1,000 years, referred to equal amount of energy 6
., f Testimony of Robert 0. Pohl Page 7 produced in a LWR (Exhibit B). Clearly, no one would consider grinding up I 1,000-year-o?d spent fuel, mixing it with the appropriate amount of sand, and disposing of it in the way we propose to dispose of mill tailings. Or, to put it another way: i if we manage to sequester spent fuel .for an indefinite time, and leave the mill tatlings above grade or below grade, we have really only succeeded in P
permanently isolating 50 % of all the radioactive waste we generated. ~
The importance of proper mill tailings disposal has been . recognized. h According to an /serican Physics Society study on nuclear fuel cycles and waste -
management: "When we c .
onsider the relative likelihood of biospheric contact with 226 .2 geologically buried plutonium as opposed to surface piled ..
Ra,.the mill tailings p may well be more important for the long-term." (Reviews of Modern Physics, */ol. 50 ,
No.1, Part II, Jan.,1978, pp. S-79-80). In another report, the Interagency Review Group on Nuclear Waste Management (IRG) said: 9 l
"By virtue of th ie r presence :
at the surface, the actinide elements in mill tailings may constitute a greater ~
potential problem than those in deeply buried HLW and TRU wastes. Thus, dispos of' these tailings must be managed as carefully as that for HLW and TRU wastes. .
(Report to the President by the IRG. TID 29442, March, 1979, p. 81).
R h
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Robert O. Pohl ,
Professional Oualifications .
i I obtained a PhD in Physics at the University of Erlangen in 1957. Presently employed as full professor at Cornell University.
E Hy research has been in solid state physics and in energy (see g i
~
the attached list of publications in this field). I am presently studying heat flow in disordered solids and in rocks, and the I t.
influence of ionizing radiation of this heat flow, with emphasis t on heat dissipation in nuclear waste depositories. This work is ,. .
supported by a contract with the USNRC. -_.
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7/5/79 s I
Publications Related to Energy Questions By R.O. Pohl July 1979 "Ebture of our Energy Supply" (in German), Physik in Unserer Zeit 5_, 182-189 (1974). .
" Health Effects of Radon-222 from Uranium Mining" Search ,7_,
345-354, 1976.
" Radioactive Pollution" ASHRAE Journal, September 1976, p. 47-51.
" Nuclear Energy: Health Impact of Carbon-14",~ Radiation and Environmental Biophysics, 13_, 315-327, (1976).
"How Important is Nuclear Energy?", (with C. F. Zimermann) .
Power Engineering, August 1977, p. 58-60.
"L,and Use for Nuclear and for Solar Energy", Environ. Conservation, 4_, 289-290 (1977).
"The Potential Contribution of Nuclear Energ'y to U. S. Energy Requirements" (with C. F. Zimermann) Energy, 2_, 465-471 (1977).
" Trace Elements in Reactors Steels: Implications for Decocruis-sioning" (with J. J. Stephens) Nuclear Engineering and Design, 1 4, 125 (1978). ~
~ " Radiation Exposure in LUR's Higher than Expected", Nucl. Eng.
International, 2 , 36, Feb . 1979. .
O
. ExhbJ R "l
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e)I 1. k 9"M [h sl Iq APA 1979 WaterPollution Feared
' AtWestern Uranium Mill .
' WarningFromU.S. .
sANruE.3.x Nov.12cm-Evi.[
New Mexico Uranium Mill Closed " ""
After Waste !.eak t Dum Site OnUraniumResidue tllll"fJm"d5lnTid"r"d L rp WWATE;t.N.J.(AP)-Concen. min of the united suciear Corporauon, = -
1 L t.,
T state official said today, and the problem -
i:iANTA FE N.M., July B"7(UPI)- A trations of rad;oattive substances that wul have to be resolved befom the mid is rpokesman for the United Nuclear Corp
- exceed Federallimits have been found a!! owed toreopen.
ration said Monday that a uranium mill on the gmmds of a former u The mill was shut down late last week here.De pl the after the State Engineer. S.E. Reynolds, near Churchrock had been shut down on reof theDelawareRivernear orderr of the State Environmcetal im- no decided that use of the tailings did provement Division, the Delaware Memorial Bridge, was notcomplywithconditionsestab edby Cornpany officials notified the ageocy used duringtheggs.to develop a ura- the state when the m!!! was allowed to re-earlier Monday that liquids from a tai!* rdum refining. process that could be open tem rarilylatelast month, ings cond near the mill, about 15 miles used for the top. secret Manhattan -
g, sal that the problem with the tail-northeart of Gallup. had spilled into an Project. wMeh led to the production of ings pond was corrected over the week.
adjacent arroyo. Tailings are the ore the atomic bomb. end, but Cubia Clayton, deputy director wastes lef t af ter mineral extraction.
in a surveyof the7%ma Chamben of the EnvironmentalI rovement Divi-S rvsy teams from the environmental Works owned by E.~1. du Pont de Ne- sion, said that a new em relating to agency and an official of the state Engi-mours & Company, tne ederal De- water po!!ution had been discovered.
partment o! Energy found hlgh concen. He said that data from monitor we!!s neer's Office were sent to the site to determine the extent of contaimnation, trations of residual uranium in the aromed the f the taillEg-'s deposal The orroyo eventually emptses into the operations building and in surf ace and areaindicated was a highlevel Rio Puerco. subsurfacesoll, of dissolved so!!ds and a high acidi con-Dou:: Barber, a spokesman for the - c,3 y - employees at the site tent in the undergrotmd water. ater -
would not suffer exposure greater than samples taken last week'showed solid agency, said the Federal Nuclear Regu- that occuring normany in the environ-latory Co nmission had be-n notified of material and acidity levels three times as e s;:ir, and had been asked to assist men..t, but it wamed "if contaminated Ngh as they had been earner, Mr. Clay.
,ng wereused"!or growing crops,ac*
xor.tamination effcrts. The mill is oper- uans which involve agitation of abra. ton said. "We have indications the under.
~
o ed by U.N.C. Milling and Mining. a sut> ground water isn't very good, and it is
- ,1:aryof United Nuclear.
sian of dry contaminated surfaces . . .
there would be potential for radiation traveHQ.7 Wadded. -
c The mill was closed after a tailings
~.
d exposurttopeople." dam failed on July 16, releasing nearly 100 million gallons of conteMsted Ikluid
,hintothenearbyRio Puerco, M't.Kiseb Radiation - -
'Mt. Kisco Radiation -
Deemed No' Hazard . waire ,f.yyg _ omciais of west.
~ WHITE Pl.AINS - Westchester chestu County's Department of Health ~
County officials measured radiation plan to survey today an area in Mount levels near a site in Mount Kisco where Kisco where radiation levels are appar.
the Canadian Radium and Uranium i ently above state guidelines. The site, Corporation processed radium from . where radiation levels were registered 1943 to 196e and concluded that the at 0.3 and 0.35 millirems en hour, is ~
radiation posed no hazard to residents, close to where the C,artajflartladim -
even though the emissions exceed state and Uranium Corporatign .had pro. "
guidelines, cessed radmmJrum F53 to 1966. Under -
-state gufdehnes radistI6n TWels may.
The readings, officials said, were be-
- not exceed 0.23 millirems perhour. .'.
tween 0.2 and 0.42 millirems per hour. However. Calvin Weber, assistant The state guidelines list a maximum commissione* of environmental qual.
0.25 millirems an hour. Marvin Nailor. '. ity at the county's Department of
.a spokesman for the State Department Health who will be conducting the sur.
of Health, pointed out that radiation vey along with officials from Mount
' . levels at Grar.d Central Terminal were K sco, said that the radiation levels in at proximately 0.5 millirems because it the area posed noimmedsste danger.
la atuated on gramte. wluch emits rela-t:vely highlevels of radiation.
7[ h. G77
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6 TIIE NEW YORK TIMES, SATURDAY, JULY 23.1979 gg L a m a.reat Inv.es':1ga:ec; Rac.iation of S5il: Easing '
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ssma to Mei, M rs=3 GALI.UP. N.M., July 27 - When the state !!ne and looked like the results of a fg]. K23, , J.
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t dam of a tailings pond at the United Nu. heavy rainstorm.
cicar Corpiration's Church Rock Mill Qg i g. jg a j4 .' . " .
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s Timect DreakIs Uncertain 'p.6g 's 1- 7, *s ' W bro!.c. Ito million gallnus of radioactive
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.TTt-The tailings, the leavings after ura-i [hM
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water an ! I.100 tons of uramum tallings
['y h
[ N.. ..AN - M Q' Ng' Imrod into the Rio Puerco. The flash nium
!Iml carried low-Icvel radioactive ma' out t?till about f3 rmles downriver before clay is extracted form the ore, roared of the pond held back by a compacted dam; they dug an instant small can-yon by the breaks, one side of which is al-
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petering out about 45 miles past the An-k ' l " !
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t 7onshne. most pefectly vertical. %skt. U Y .. ' W ggt p' i - h@e *
- .N.'O Il'. '. ,' s \ h WA.9'b'3 . 5 L((h,.5E Y ' i Noone is sure when the dam broke; the ' '
Th,t spill on July 16, apparently the break was first noticed about 6 A.M., and ^~" . N , .
- 4 i? * ( ' T/ .i lirge.t in this countr/' involving radioac. the corporation managed to get up a re- g . _ ~ *,
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\ f saw wisies, has lef t behind stagnant taining dike with a bulldozer in two hours.
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ronds with high readings of radioactivity. Now representatives from the state En- '
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. .Q j worrics about seepage mto ground water vironmental Inspection Division have 7 4
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tources and a cleanup being conducted n'$w:.C %,.v. ,r with t,uckets and shovels because heavy been joined by experts from the State En- M '*'~.4 M'
- N $*
SN ,..G % C/' ' b ogmiment cannot move into some of the gineers, the Mine Safety and llealth Ad-ministration, the Corps of Engineers, the Wh'~ '
F"#
-.s 1
, , , ' hf $ J-f hh.M hsPf**% +p M thhU ar. as where the water has collected. Environmental Protection Agency and a'.C
- DIM .* M }t' kp t! %}h$fjf,BJ F . ,h*\ .t 4 'y M.r.MJ v
It has also left behind more questions ,7 *, . ,->*
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than answers about its cause. the Nuclear Regulatory Agency in trying to flgure out what caused the 34 foot
' ' ' ', b@,,.C, . d.kI'bN-M ,[p'] DN yyM[c 'D. g N#Sh".~ 2lpN"Ip3 < T , . v. - j T'o immediate llealthllazard . break in the dam, which looks like an egg-M*d*[
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W'[.i Q. 9.'a [ .q.[$.h,' /.d.d k.m i .777d'.d .N '" d.' c q g *P 1 t' J'.'
o is em s e that there s o m
.ita he alth huard from the spill, but state a s The mill, which processes about 3.800 g .
W h 2f sh[ h nm.. v7o-.ne., i'[
Cmshed o dfy dand, Iah i ofbetals are concerned about the 0",8 , ,e g a,n
. ra eue. nlemurn and other heavy metals Earth-moving equipment making temporary repalts last week at the site of the leaking dam near Gallup, N.
m the spill materiaI. Hesidents of the passed au licensing ptocedures. In fact a rm im e tren advised not to drink from, one Government official said the dard retained by United Nuclear, is "99 per- limitisl5picocuriesperliter. As a precautionary measus pun m or otherwise touch the river was considered "the state of the a rt." cent sure" the dam failed because the By the second day, the alpha count had Nuclear ts supplying wster to i wa r anil not to let their livestock drink sand beach was not properly maintah4ed dropped to between 1.000 and 9.000 pico familles who get their supplies Q estims AboutSandBeach and a crack probably developed in the curies and it has continued to fall since. Iow wells near the river and the nut itobert Treviso, an environmental. settling.
It had been designed with the knowl- ConcernonShallow Wells spill, ne company has been I i..t with the State Environmental Im- Ilowever, Mr. Booth's tficory has not ivision, said: "You can't tell edge that it would be subject to differen- been accepted by either the Corps of En- ne phalanx of agencieJ involved are stateornclats! ruscooperam tist stress because of settling beneath be- alsotaking soll readings. ne mill's 149 cmployees at provem.ent
.. yow, l> in D.t drink th.lt water anymore, gineers or the State Engineers of flee. la the cleanup much of it belnf nt I f,or 3ou. Cows don t read cause it was built partly on bedrc o k r-d United Nucicar has been forbidden to partly on sand and gravel, but other ue- repair the d.am until those egencies are up's water supplies come from wells, and Fortunately, say health officials, Gall. Imckets and shovels because a Ih. Puerco at this time of Y'ar is sign features were intended to prevent a through investigating. And the mill has in this arid country the wells are deep. cannot get into the arroyos whe bicach. One of the Icatures was a sand been closed since the accident, although often more than t,000 feet. the stagnant ponds are. And t beach inside the dam wall that was in- clear has already stooini 30 I
.[. r. l t w ter a e f w de a the mines that supply it are still operat- Ted Wolf t. program manager of State f rom the river bottom.
a f[ .v inches alwp tended to keep !ree water away Imm the ing, with the orfs being stockptled. Radiation I rotection Program, said it ne fear, hir. Wolfs said,is Auerdmg ia those who saw the riveron faceof thedam. De river, locally called the Perky, was could be years before it is known whether theinommg cf the July 16 it was running Robert Booth, a consulting engm.eer checked for gross alpha count the first the wells are affected or not, but right the stagnant ponds may dry up a rairstorm comes the radioa I n.k to bank, at least three feet deep. By with Sergeant,11auskins and Deckwith. day and gave readings of 100.000 pico now most of the concern is for shallow other toxic materials could be
. ? that sunlit. the tido had reached the an Albuquerque sod .md engmeermg firm curies per itter. De safe drinking water wells within 200 fect of the rtver. ther dawnnver.
l 1 ,
Mh o bil H l page 3 h
, SATURDAY, MAY 22, U75
=
i.p.v ,m 17ind Blows NdGu.:sgpm .w:s sv.v.g.e a k.g at By GRACE LICHTENSTEIN NUM3,.6&irniksn.
NTS, N. M.--On many ng da
%**" m m "" M M en ill wind leased Inst month by the To.
detal l,
u.iQg.%
$ s;Q Q 1 p:yty 4 .; G #?
- qQ) &;,{.,.Q
.w:;.,q: :% p gy l];;
., pi f .yy.p{.s.: Q'j,:z{ ..i(rNOI.Q
'.% m *i @ 4 ** -
7;j..; d "[h.
g %,*; 2s
- arminew s;enco. J=~- ^Ermronmental cr. ~ w w < i g g Protec. pc g ? g M .Yfi"id..i;% .,d p c h l Q , Q;.Yf*&:n:hii
,c Afi%$ Q A9 the eation's richest dust m an benai-trt* :4 w w m m w e g.7 @ T *F - W .; n$ *lt.7 ',5 is uranium country, of fung cancer to chcoe who inhale it. d. z W p K N**i'i g
b ow i recoverable reserves mmeral used in nu. The snafy said 23 Inactive i M ,g g,k .'
f
@J* w * ,#
- " J ' d,', $ .*.t. s thr.JhD'qiMW$G#9x$
g,,*,, ,
"# s -
el' are concentrated. tashngs piles in eight West- 'Q!y era states wert gnring ees.
N . *',*".' U- @y q s. q % ' TQ < l"'f>t. p. . e , Q.!' .
Z .v DC1 M
,"c,'Ng""' mYam e<
k }N Ments of nearby communities l'n-P n near drants.
as " elevated radiat$co dose."
f*==---. ' @
gh 6 $ '
' t N.' .;' MMke.
f% .d.'
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se the pnce soaring. Grantsof ura.
ex. Radioactive gas and particu. P uranium work force late matter from the plies ~
[t; - '- ~Q""""'
_M i d Y g
rff "' - -
% 7
- were carried throu #
rs. o#",%rd"A" y a geologist and br
'T",e d%';l,'l'ghout na, t, kgg the M.*@.; M "g.,-.pr 7.) ".r-i-JMr* *%%
k 1
~
-WP lung cancer after a lat D J'*-
Tur=aium
,n
' n 'ur* fu re forc teo's economy. e tea M g
. that
' , d d, ai = is
- P a e sam e wou w be true
,3f,es at mills dat are now jg M t% g n e. p $' 7 W %'{5
- ent 7 F S O J'<
G MD-@ # A M @L-j;M W- F
% ~h . > W d' -
O f-M blem is that esch m
. Another atudy by the en-md near a pile of vironmental agency that was aste tailings whips released last United Nuclear Homestake Partnerse double-lo ney also fear radioactive " , . . uranium m contamination when the ac.
a*a'a .'~~
=4'aioactga a"m=* 6% tM* year sand radia. tualmining begins.
no aiia saca. Prt=ident of Ill Wind Blows No Goode2:5-s;toa,,,,,,.
e MMg"fe'Xy'E' ": fJ* a"ts'.T "'Mv' ; .
p-.m.
p rep;s. .ejg;5, R not
- ter Jn inolation of overnment standards. However, it has room of the house he built J.] yet effected domestic issue. himsel f and dscussed the In Uranium Mine Regtoi;
', water supplies- =
' 3%
Continued From First Page,' =
We don't knowif theyare qh,/.TN" s Q Economic Health dri!!ing on the same water Second Section nonexistent." Tederal inspe tien renorti en file tdth t 3 R p4, ,.
< As scene enWonmental a- level as out well." he said taMng about part per-million state, peru and local citizens see referrin it added, were incors; ft, the uranntm bonm is 9 it wasn'g tofault Gulf. 'They said and it doesn't take much of plete and disorganiled." =
, k, * *
{
- well t their wnen the .an error to look bad. There's f went ' dry, but they of. still no positive agreement ,7 g.vt Me::ico's EnviroZ 1.ast February, the directE
% !! d tMs relati ly derdeveloped state that its hd to dri!! a new well for0"d ahe,ther there's contami- mental Improvement Agenn J]A- d .- pot ti
,,__.e.n al t_hre.a.t. t.o human The September 1 said responsibility for palk
~
How Can We Flaht.* "Ing' "the ~gminm
.w- -* - --- a- 975 " a---E.P.A.
operatiot:.;
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Exhrb7H TIIE Wall STREET JOURNAL FRIDAY. SEPT. 8. FS Pf Y
. ~ --
PERIL IN WE57 8*w*~==***'d**** =' ' " **t ='ak** N *br* *
- S5' "-
nere.wvu hasares of ww .rve'"to- "'v'id"kr.ard-enes sre gas-erstes bon m IML r su a "uw'sa'm"sta'af
- * * * ' #"~
eraruvar. and eue s tsw tara e anner ramase ve pomra waas at. sa.: taae Ote when a timed a >'n'"s U teart a'm ha:f"swei Mea.*a41r Anuicey e
P.sw wars inst umes ac as a team uw ima u paruore e uw ar une are er-knium Ore ----W uses at canrw a t.se faae
-m-w- tsE a em naranmed be armras Camrass Hrank Deserunem dew.
= -- ---
Espamre to ta se omrentrausra af in. tae acerssoned s'am a wrttua a Comty. view GrM t r
rInr To rreuce the hazas Caw em a inese reem aroev a saa surnaar uw few bacas of the c::rs puutaan casit "has an mir.,se.am.
cupmed is ewiensie anan esa rua d ksy carw?
Arr.smrate ao WaMQ) Gfh al rarca mi irmanuun is orns are Seram avun W tar tadmse are cesar. terv the state sw' age
- Osy aPina:s how ns:ved nre - The frees we pret: ear, and
-
- trian llG1 swima no see'save 2e worseaed tram tae emmems re- canauucuan wn.'ma Pad a aw af tse 't*eiT a no ere .:'e ense've ut a
- pws is wwmaswed ewet stauens enacsvay a kam e ame casse to- sie swansa mune eutanal trana morate an apav WWM En waW1 :
0 Wffl 13 3 0'tf) 1s a e w erwr uw presru mus was a uw iareraf amt haw our.ro.rvaa . C.is tar a=vwe i.i inw wiwe re stet.la sen.ma,hMD a.s acre m d taers' Ratsars sui but tre rra athe.cww.u,ct kr :
n a sa menen imen a the ma Wa,n b4n is ras W mAmine a e v.a waruar < re'==a t<= ==ncera a ewarr af C,Atthaa
,,, snAw of drairg wum uw drima af the sus- iawa has he.-seg runtums af res-ha whm a warm acreseg to k Ratoau nid Calendo) treen Harry C.beses erv aar.:7 hen;;h vsn urarra ta.rgs to fa treund 14.7 LAKE CITY-Thr aban- ctrar ert is k.,ow low that a lean redet auerruem tae usares saa remraa scenem Anstare Uuf 1450 ari afuw crees Rrwr a dreciar. s tam C.3D urs W uw abe are atenened raa e tae sa:e tad-het motrw sie a org thsy in. perd by wannan tadra la cos. twgs we removed kwa the sie *we have petzwems eiut mret ers *f't wasard erw9strea:n m a te* art 153 for har as fGI a na In-w a:e r. ima trars ters soottown trust, uw gr *esa d caprang af Casa Gant
- aDerstarg PJA la.4r43 reposswas ha. ta.e Cay asAs tan escript is bow radmanrw warm fra the 1:mwa munnu d andeg ma and even ena trarsprtatmeL" he e doestma Goverimes 47eals av th auter end si the omsear tveie-thme knew d as wre" cams tractly a"t- Eg*it timigrad ues. aimpanad se sad "There n pares e Coursso .,
>md ime rwy fmv a weed- dancy hoods arms sMs left by trenaatne ta wa an av.rst bin ew 4 su-fam navve, wea tenemA Salt wtere there is res:nor raccarw.y :
twed rse. road tract a fraed by a semms manufartwent are eurirtal saa laae Oty hatnrisman tantem' laae Cnyi e few maxm wfun a irft tv trwis ea: rowed atrg ihme -g ee mace.d red and wene ensae. power gearrsuan-a.u perverare tant recaneuve ta tras uw hus e g,m,.u a 128 ha.G. mans m4 roads a uw IWs and 12 a-se k. an arms wawr nrwer and run- gowrnmarm of'rna6s and resgana mia may have smard the sahfram ,,,as,s,"have,a,d'erve yers W rae.La New Mema ue mate $st see. .
6- f*om yt:rsi raase wears see eve than inece dreseas after us tuumr th ,, g g,,ru free tne Arce amput R.af of the inuon's ura:t-The rue meses 'he Tremamarr 4 wnirgatuwsummeare rest ry,at forced the renovas d he t f.
non concemrme afical concern use orna tua a e apes and asguares tan Thre ken-Irns earwe av ase three monum asa ,he,se,g
,, ,hm,,m,,ise
,, s and aa,c,rwed seus has is unerr.
been eipremed anma pothama te ar** Rxnard E weta. premont of a .
sevd tesonarey urmgnmaa the estreuune coreany, and he essed ,s,,,,,,,u,,s,,,.isse resaw u u 3:;
hehana .nr fmre e shat I' tan One. enuntry and contrewrey has haunied property and estad arer t'w tategs serptum fir une cmsed by wanum drummunmghan teen and sta-See is Lineum rats "the terres the gewwvement's araret 64 a p. art refdarty far eg*t scars and euened As e tr prare measiat g eg. Raealgar y,ycy etal.imarwW" m 14 "
e.ut.a.e s ein w-t -)e se permanenug d.coar d uwm The h.s amars as wer iner, was a F
r.
re 'e m ast-tt t crt rwa.s v 6% a* w a em e : ps.au.y saat n.e carter f,*{ Q*8,ia me and m,,,,p ate a,t e g,,
wt. a r,.,
,,,ate heaat ar-,.
rt e rnis left my
- ears al erep a un una nets af smaswar.ers resuiwd bmm espeart is the ra- n e mazrtas deeme whrowr is g,,,,g was e 3,, yas g p,.<es e wenist are ..
See menzo. has saches aff art enaarrity. Jact up :in tuders and russe the Anala sect *.t as gmonen, 1ne vve m.e aa *ne saa take baawd dresse that uw smets for al- "If LAs a hspeerg a me. E somig tausgs e aply as= imam um strue. W" Afenry erwy of gwnd Cr sans a amn a ow af 22 temma espant aim a berg semeur- he happear.g is a good many passie
- meawed wam.sn aca c t estern mad Althougt nun aumenal, the th,a kupeans ,,,, humed IT ,,,, QQ,",,, ,g,QE,[g ,
i s.em trat ver esrea a haaareme and e wnare immyavatted a the wat:s ad a a sumuu wtur m- g,g-sswmg a-ny a uw wes.
wrs.neg.eeted weary W Aaraitsa af urstman sadsgs e awal um we amed seattrere.k late cryhuan==wre tatms, e tua . m W taenam petars, breaus selving a resrumerJ *a teu tromuted at a carg ruunal trates pe* w the naurarage aemet one em a Isod prusumt a roam Departawes W Energy re. N rearmhm &msp*md GM ,
see wward resaters ear af the pet es minear ease % said, piant whsme owner guecy had the arvem af 72 w=*== had raum enn.
The is ese of a swesere seria es Deswiss af safety esame af re- "The ruk of metrryg keg emnrue m samurds 44 ma a las swa suprnme-- cretreuens a ema of sandLdt
- r**e *eme menee be Garterd enaruve ramae-a haver prevera. atmas doubar the turnal to popu.ause try the Cetted States tmra placrg h a tsame prunnsty to tae Lad. m*entA'*8 ud-la '8EI'4 888 puhatsty lest that P-*da gewrit. Aad downsLivata train one mitt ther
&ase. enaaet ed the 19 f Pulaser Prwe ier amuesai resssess ehee ts g.eawr retarre em snausar prow as mg Ans is sama more procus m. wead rum he h==== restrt be amt,"T1 been e shadow squier 3 im*y asutammanes weh . _
= Desee, herese shuf for the Las Aa. a mestaouni energy enace.* aasd formama, the apartmess bred a- But suthonem hsu bem unde te mMIlmat stramaatw to emstu foise Timek Mania CnefMd Jr. erua af ine amadtrg fan to conmat saades attsirm P:r a.i r.331 uss d radiose- arepage fnre a aere) tadugs ponC _
Genered Menunung 05s e energy auaLas ai uw cantar uusmL use fJ remend from Wu Y1tre um and unnernm evusst The Ismirty of arunnan reembes The private resortsars amttuned "Te ail e, taew. there muy be kuls that af arsent an4 i espasue m ms. , .
Frun the hre of tae Mannettan The veiene af tadmss at snaruve that remedw! artum u the 22 tadaga 4 yuq wah a a and tsunL" C4> bcrit can came euth artsrdmg to -
Ps'oert a the 190)e Utredt the Caed traamm aus a unswner M muaan am woui4 avo>t El canter seed casse EPA 43rianentt mer J the IWa 8ArartOmarada arul then austr4s unemcutme feet.anThe means that i uw tad. earms the erst 103 ?sers Samstan take harC:'y's suerth tir the I% *.trw rars macked a s*g)r h= 5=2 The EPA mudy caDed for tightesi.
14ca. New tience Oregart Trza friit l'w readtang ade wedd be more af them a Salt taae Oly Ofboats asene rohmeuse tat:rss, however. lag of antmarNtza proceeres a the I ten end a ressg secretip than 11Mileet lag 1L -s-ad tha uit esumme andd a dwarted by the wen pubicised en- .
enry by a far*m af t2 ret e far. periente of Grand Junt".aut Cset. 4 sranran tenhtaa and uw Nutwar Regulatcry Ag*frv 3 prepart10rs
?
erwe=eae was annuma d are una And uw tadsrgs tentas abmit gM meenug that a $e figill Wtme't Sty El suID OR the w':merg more af rettareme far ac2ve Slas evirw' wami.at for we a produr. af the racometrrity argwEr a lae smes as few as $4 cases e as many the Rottet irJ a P.4ses ee'Purnea* etacurta Mentrwhoe. Ihuse who hw w strl Oralhan Ort barrar rMaMIB and m I.M(Dund te a na&E TPe p*F*@r( It br ngg tj gel. * (flggigg.[hg grtegg,3j ftt?M e IrWW 1950 Ormsh M Grarid near ine abararewd sadar4s pues are a
@ LT2all Otsat Utars dast Jertacas esierusas avaised twru. frtstrated by ye d instarg le .
we petm:s p.ers sandofhat uravsn fr.anc% Lad.rgs stJttereqlhwee la radmaruve nIFmally remsved dwird emaanons the m.Jr4 a em na healta effser. said radas gas Irves a selves of a waanan mi;l e af'e of free go,eminern ansa ar%4 the eus e.ui Lit e protacuce the Yarn ste are E taasliigneeIhas tantegt whrt tseputed so weil The owner d a garage sur manu. _"
Of sne toe. raeum a 13e most eg- uw ag9er kana prtet:nbad 67 um nr.
- frer" es: ant ta n pdrart arecr%*2 to 8 GM.) a*.a'yE3 Eney om widety unas as haAmg facurms 9Lrn usualty narsted near Ine rwe~ eat.ane of *ahrr avuy asued tas mesmer. The report en- (tacal$2remedsauaEL And malenal Mme thaB 7017 hornEL bus- $ah Lake Cl!y e Yr.rt Ste. has moWd in tre Verrt ere u eP. tunes trets sama vast the futat wie . rwises. =hwa and churters-pWs eisruherelna has tanid no one mte -
r e uni , m m au.a l.,e p.a,.i har net why a vey krg riemrm we. brW4,1 agefmar:t u m and a monan. GDent,Dat Bdr.ea: 18 and Oty ErTet8 gasd a bgymg gr )sagr4 jus grupty
- rs ca. . .a IM
- ar'e 1 trJr. -w. wi sxum ursdLas matdags lat#g thmsands of years tiefere R tal worry, that tatt tant new and llauled fnza the adL he 8 e y eart tre f asurgs were sort- blars as ra&oacusav. This easr-cad. He swid the la sat siracone-but
- sdkeri ete*Weg h fact ;*d rJer:al Incar stier:ufs rJama: ann betshaus the eas*y 15ML mate Henah whom' *N upsett.r4 part a that te v
e'1 r3& cat 1s e decay-prge*ses two avamable. as is the case of aw new Departmerit of*irials becaine can.
em m rore.aw asem deurcs ivoes s t.a.nre.t tw f.ru wa== tr meassmg roomt the eernre anma kgs invits of radmen- reacy das t know ene,re is sauit the -
e' Pmend ett.ef Du Je.gs .5 L'tak t+pe is hgs.'T pe#f'raung garE I re. finger. uw owner.Ja satan tais a av! GJn clerit of IAe hasard a cont 2uded to Tity a Grand JurrtmIL TheirItn esb. repor*er *l just per9 aria!! der t f
d.aueS Es90s4*e ta tJ' 41 et fer.L!y Mr.eest*, rarntirJ amonets af fa2rL'He rad 4AR Carl be Bass cent be warte 12.42 jnTelouby thm43
- gauon ned to a irogra. mate p=igrara know what to OE Otat the beg k?i -
le lot 3;e and reIDove Ibe laua"IgL $s gf utarf g uus la hve vi A anyt sy" ASPECIALKINDOFJOURNAUSM.
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EXHIBIT B 13 10 N' ' ' ' '
LW R's 12 _
>,10 - -
3 Snent r Fuel -
2.
3 Actinides in O li e
Spent Fuel 7 xu 1.0 .- e
.__ _ '/
.o o --__.._.s
'~~g Mill Tailings g 3 10 -
N ~
10 l m \ :
E \ \
\ \ ;
i x e \ l :
e 10 Actinides in s _ t
'O is t
.E Reprocessing i s -
Waste N .
x i N !
.1 8 N
~
\
.9 lo i x
N [
x s o - s .
1- \ % -
F.ission i
.- N 7 - N - - -
10 Products I .
\ '
\~_ __ !
6
~ ' s, $
i 10 e i i i N E 2 3 4 5 6 i:
1 10 10 10 10 10 10 . .
Time, years s Fig.3. comparison of the Toxicity Index as defined in the text '
E of uranium mill tailings, spent fuel, and of high level -
waste, referred to equal amounts of energy produced.
O