ML20209H980
| ML20209H980 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Neely Research Reactor |
| Issue date: | 07/02/1999 |
| From: | Marsh L NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20196K342 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9907210102 | |
| Download: ML20209H980 (6) | |
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DOCKET NO. 80180 OEDAMA TECH AESEARCH REACTOR pinfMilSENTAL ARN.REENT ASE3 FWmRIG OF NO SIGIGFICANT lMPACT The U.S. massear Reguistory commission (the commiseloro is considering the leeuense of a Boones amendment to FacWty Operating Lloense No. R g7, leeued to the Georgia eneeleues of Technology (the soonesol that would asow decomrnissioning of the Georgio Tash Roesersh Rooster (OTNU located in Atlanta, Georgie.
manhoeRENTAL ASSEspMENT AdanslAnasian af the Frenaped Antlan The OTM le on the 330eers osmpus of the Georgie inethute of Technology. The sempus le pset north of the conter of downtown Atients in a residential and commercial arms. The OTM is in a sentainment bumens at the Neely Nuclear Research Center. The Nosfy Nusteer Assearch Center eine has a high boy ares, and a laboratory and o<fice buAdng.
The hip boy ares contains a hot ces facety, radio <hemistry laboratory, desentaminssion soorn and storage facety. The threestory laboratory and office bunding agains to containment bumens. The OTRR is doelened for lealetion from the rest of the Neser Musiser Resserah Facety.
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2-The heavy water modersted, cooled and reflected GTRR was licensed and first operated in 1964. The 5-megawatt thermal reactor was shut down on November 17, 1995. This shutdown was in properation to remove the high enriched uranium fuel. All fuel was removed by the end of February 1996, to allow conversion to low enriched uranium fuel. Also, the reactor was defueled during the Olympic Games which were held in Atlanta, in the summer of 1996. Since that time no new GTRR fuel has been received.
By letter dated .kdy 1,1997, the Georgia institute of Technology informed the NRC that the GTRR would be permanently shut down, The licensee applied for a possession only status on August 7,1997. By License Amendment No.12 on April 2,1998, the NRC removed the authority to operate and authorized possession of the residual radioactive metodels.
The Boonsee submitted a -f+:-:-TE'::'rk,g plan in accordance with 10 CFR 50.82(b) on July 1,1998, as supplemented on February 8,1999 Decommissioning, as doecrbed in the pien, wlN consist of transferring Econsed radioactive equipment and I meterist from the ette, and decontamination of the facility to meet unrestricted release criterie (this is cased the DECON option) After the Commission verifies that the release critade have been mot, the reactor license wiu be terminated.
A " Notice and So5 citation of Comments Pursuant to 10 CFR 20.1405 and 10 CFR 50.82(bH5) Concoming Proposed Action to Decommission Georgia institute of i l
Techneio9y Georgio Tech Research Reactor" was published in the FEDERAL REGISTER on February 1,1999, (64 FR 4902), it was also published in the Atlanta Joumal-Cor stitution I on February 14,1999, and in the Georgia Technique on February 12,1999. Comments were reashed from an individual and from the Georgians Agamst Nuclear Energy. The 15tC etsN piens to consider and respond to these comments.
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. o Further,10 CFR 51.53(d) provides that each applicant for a license amend authorize decommissioning of a production or utilization facility shall submit an environmental report that reflects any new information or significant environmenta associated with the proposed decommissioning activities. By letter dated May 2 the Georgia Institute of Technology provided their environmental report.
Need for the Proposed Action The proposed action is necessary because of Georgia institute of Technolog 1997 decision to cease operations permanently. As specified in 10 CFR 50.82, a licensee may apply to the NRC for authority to surrender a license voluntarily and to decommission the affected facility. The Georgia Institute of Technology is planning to the area for other purposes once it is released for unrestricted use.
Environmental fmoact of the Prooosed Action The Commission has completed the environmental assessment of the proposed action and concludes that the associated radiological effects of the decommissioning be acceptable. As noted in Section 3.1.5 of the Decommissioning Plan submitted on July 1,1998, the collective total effective dose equivalent to all onsite workers for the entire decommissioning program is estimated to be 7.74 person-rem. The licensee established controls to ensure occupational exposure remains below NRC regulatory limi for decommissioning personnel. No estimated exposure to the public from the proposed action was provided, but the licensee established that decommissioning activities will nc exceed 10 CFR 20.1301, " Dose Umits for Individual Members of the Public," and established ars As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) program to minimize exposu Further, the only potential radiological accident scenarios involve contaminations that
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could occur during decontamination and decommissioning activities. These scenarios would not result in release of radioactive material outside the facility nor in occupational exposures greetar than 10 CFR Part 20 Emits.
Occupational and public exposure may result from offsite disposal of the low-level residual radioactive material from the GTRR. The handling, storage, and shipment of this radioactive material are specified to meet the requirements of 10 CFR 20.2006, " Transfer for Disposal and Manifest," 49 CFR Parts 100177, " Transportation of Hazardous Materiais," 10 CFR Part 61, " Licensing Requirements for Land Disposal of Radioactive Waste," 40 CFR Part 261
- identification and Listing of Hazardous Waste," and applicable disposal site license conditions. Experience with such disposal has shown that occupational and public exposure associated with such disposal is minimal.
Based on the review of the specific proposed activities associated with the dismantling and decontamination of the GTRR, the Commission has determined that the proposed action will not increase the probability or consequences of sooldents, no changes are being made in the types of any effluents that may be released off site, and there is no significant increase in occupational or public radiation exposure. Therefore, no significant radiological environmentalimpacts are associated with the proposed action.
With regard to potential non radiologloal impacts, the proposed action does not involve any historic sites. It does not affect non-radiological plant effluents and has no other environmental impact. Therefore, no significant non-radiological environmental impacts are associated with the proposed action.
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o i 5-AcconAngly, the Commission concludes that no significant environmental impacts are associated with the proposed action.
Afternatives to the Pronosed Action The three altamstives to the proposed action for the GTRR are SAFSTOR, ENTOMS, and no action. SAFSTOR is the attemative in which the nuclear facility is placed and maintained in a condition that anows the nuclear facility to be safely stored and subsequently decontaminated (deferred decontamination) to levels that permit release for unrestricted use. ENTOM8 is the altamative in which radioactive contaminants are encased in a structurally long-lived material, such as concrete, the entombed structure is appropriately maintained and continued surveillance is carried out until the radioactivity decays to a level permitting rolesse of the property for unrestricted use. The no action altomative would leave the facility in its present configuration. However, the regulations e
in 10 CFR 50,82(b) only anow a limited time for this condition to exist.
The radiological Arnpocts of SAFSTOR would be less because of radioactive decay prior to DECON. The ENTOMB option would result in lower radiological exposure but continued use of resources. Georgia Institute of Technology has determined that the proposed action (DECON) is the most efficient use of the existing facility, since it wants to use the space that will become available for other academic purposes. The SAFSTOR, ENTOMS and no action alternatives would entail continued surveillance and physical secunty measures to be in place and continued monitoring by licensee personnel.
Attomatrve Use of Resources The action does not involve the use of resources different from those previously committed for construction and operation of the GTRR.
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1 in accordense wth ks eleted poecy, the feC staff coneufted with the State of Georgie. In ressonse to the fmC's nodos and somaltadone for comments on the GTRR decomedesionine, Themes L fe, Mensper of the Resoecthe Metariele Program for the Georgio Department of Neeures Aeoeuroes wrots, in part, shot 'twle fuey support Georgia l Tash's geef of f:::r' "13.i the feesty to provide for noense terminettone and reisese of the fassey for unrestricted use.-
FINDedG OF NO BlWAFCUR EaPACT f
on the beeis of the environmentes asessement, the Commission conciudes thet the proposed sodon we not have a signmcent effect on the aussey of the human enetronment. Accordingly, the fmC has determined not to propero an erwironmental impoet steesment for the proposed sodon.
Per further desses wkh respect to the proposed sodon, see the scensee's setta deced Ady 1, less, as supplemented try isttar deced Fetruary 8, and May 2s,1999, which are symmatdo for pubes inspection at the NRC's Pub 5o Document Room, the Gelman Budding,2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20665.
Deted at Hoctwas, Maryland, this 2nd der of July 1999, r,
FOR THE NUCLEAR REOULATORY COMMISSION 9::
Ladrard 8. Marsh, Chief Evente Aeoseement, Generic Communications and NorWower Reactors granch DMelon of Reguistory improvement Programs Office of Nucteer Reactor Reguistion 4