ML20212G314
| ML20212G314 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 09/24/1999 |
| From: | Joseph Holonich NRC OFFICE OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL SAFETY & SAFEGUARDS (NMSS) |
| To: | Irwin B AGRICULTURE, DEPT. OF |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9909290192 | |
| Download: ML20212G314 (2) | |
Text
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20556 0001 o
g***** ,o , September 24, 1999
. United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service ATTN: Mr. Bill Irwin, Chair, Guidelines Subcommittee P.O. Box 2890 Washington, DC 20013
Dear Mr. Irwin:
In your August 30,1999, letter, you requested that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) review the Final Draft, " Federal Guideline for Earthquake Design and Evaluation of Dams," which was established by the Task Group for Earthquake Analyses and Design for Dams, of the Interagency Committee on Large Dams.
The purpose of the guideline is to provide for a thorough and consistent framework for the earthquake design and evaluation of dams. The guideline deals with generalities, and leaves decisions on specific procedures for accomplishing the work up to the individual agency.
Sufficient flexibility of acceptable design procedures is provided in the guideline. For example, site specific analyses for determining ground motions may be by deterministic and/or probabilistic methods.
The NRC Dam Safety program is currently limited to 19 earth and earth-rock structures, including: 1) service water pond dams at nuclear-powered electric generating facilities; 2) uranium mill tailings dams; and 3) purge water storage structures from in-situ leach uranium processing facilities. The Commission does not plan, design, construct, or operate such facilities, nor does it control the land on which the facilities are constructed. It is unlikely that the
, number of dams in NRC's program will increase in the foreseeable future. Furthermore, given the small size and simplicity of the mill tailings and purge water storage dams, sophisticated earthquake design techniques have historically not been required. Finally, all 19 dams in NRC's program are " Low Hazard" structures. . For these reasons, the proposed guideline would most likely apply only to new service water pond dams, should a new nuclear-powered electric generation facility be designed.
O The guidelines have been reviewed by NRC's Dam Safety personnel and members of our Dam Safety Advisory Group. Given the range of acceptable design procedures presented in the guidelines and the agency-centered decision making process proposed, NRC concurs with the draft guidelines which you submitted.
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. We appreciate the opportunity to provide comment on the draft guideline, and trust that this letter is responsive to your request.
Sincerely, 1
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Joseph J. Holonich, Deputy Director Division of Waste Management Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards j
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, B. Irwin September 24, 1999 5
'1 We' appre'ciate the opportunity to provide comment on the draft guideline, and trust that this letter is responsive to your request.
Sincerely,
[0riginalsignedby]
Joseph J. Holonich, Deputy Director Division of Waste Management i Office of Nuclear Material Safety ;
and Safeguards 1
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