ML23268A049
| ML23268A049 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07000925 |
| Issue date: | 06/09/2023 |
| From: | Marla Morales NRC/NMSS/DREFS |
| To: | Shotton J, Whitehorn E Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Oklahoma |
| References | |
| Download: ML23268A049 (1) | |
Text
From: Marla Morales To: ewhitehorn@omtribe.org; jshotton@omtribe.org Cc: Christine Pineda
Subject:
RE: Update Re: Cimarron Site in Logan County, OK Date: Friday, June 9, 2023 4:19:39 PM Attachments: Cimarron Site Location.pdf image001.png
Dear Ms. Whitehorn and Chairperson Shotton,
The purpose of this email is to provide an update on U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) activities related to groundwater cleanup at the former Cimarron nuclear fuel fabrication facility in Logan County, Oklahoma (Cimarron Site). The NRC previously sent letters and emails about the Cimarron Site. Please find a summary of our previous communications to you in the email that appears below this one.
Application (Proposed Decommissioning Plan)
On October 7, 2022, the NRC received an updated request from Environmental Properties Management, the trustee for the Cimarron Environmental Response Trust (CERT). This request sought the approval of a decommissioning plan for groundwater remediation at the Cimarron Site.
The Cimarron Site stopped operating in 1975 and has been undergoing decommissioning.
Decommissioning is the process of safely removing a site from service. Decommissioning includes dismantling and decontaminating structures and cleaning up site soils and groundwater. At the Cimarron site, groundwater cleanup is the only decommissioning activity that remains. A map showing the location of the site is attached to this email.
You can access the application for approval of the decommissioning plan here:
https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML2228/ML22286A041.html. The NRC has accepted the proposed decommissioning plan for detailed technical review and begun the review. The NRC will also develop an assessment of the potential environmental impacts of the groundwater cleanup proposal. If the NRC approves the decommissioning plan and issues the license amendment, CERT would be authorized to complete the decommissioning of the site by installing well and trench systems to pump and treat contaminated groundwater and to reinject or discharge treated groundwater.
Federal Register Notice The NRC published a notice in the Federal Register on May 25, 2023, announcing an opportunity for the public to provide comments on the application and to request a hearing or petition the NRC for leave to intervene in the NRCs review of the license application. If you have comments, please submit them by June 26, 2023. If you wish to file a request for a hearing or petition for leave to intervene, please do so by July 24, 2023. The notice provides further details and is available here:
Cultural Resources Survey At the request of the Oklahoma Archaeological Survey, CERT conducted a cultural resources survey of the site in May of 2020 and produced a report that you can access here:
https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML2308/ML23083B826.pdf. The survey included shovel testing of approximately 530 acres of uplands and the Cimarron River valley floodplain and deep mechanical testing of deposits in the floodplain.
No archeological sites or artifacts were identified during the survey. Seven resources were recorded that have historic associations with the former Kerr-McGee Nuclear Corporations Cimarron fuel fabrication facility. Because this plant was important in the nuclear history of the United States, the resources are likely eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The resources include three buildings, a cooling tower structure associated with one of the buildings, and three diesel water pumps.
One metal corral was recorded in the floodplain that likely pre-dates Kerr-McGee ownership of the property. Because this corral does not have any known historical associations important to the local or national history and is not distinctive in form or design, it is not recommended as eligible for listing on the NRHP.
Next Steps After considering any comments from interested tribes, the NRC staff will forward the survey report to the Oklahoma Archaeological Survey and the Oklahoma Historic Preservation Office. The NRC staff will also request public comment on this information. Finally, the NRC staff will prepare an environmental assessment evaluating the environmental impacts of the proposed groundwater cleanup activities. The cultural resources information will be included in the environmental assessment.
Please let us know if you wish to continue receiving updates about this site. If we do not hear from you via email, we will attempt to contact you by telephone. If we cannot reach you, we will continue to send you email updates as site activities continue.
If you have any questions or concerns, you may call or email me using the contact information below (or simply reply to this email).
Kind Regards, Marla Marla Morales, P.G.
Environmental Project Manager U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission NMSS/REFS/ERMB Phone: 301.415.0715 Rockville, MD
From: Christine Pineda <Christine.Pineda@nrc.gov>
Sent: Thursday, January 30, 2020 4:49 PM To: ewhitehorn@omtribe.org
Subject:
Update Re: Cimarron Site in Logan County, OK
Dear Ms. Whitehorn,
The purpose of this email is to provide you with an update on U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) activities related to the Cimarron Site in Logan County, Oklahoma. In June 2019, the NRC sent a letter by mail to Chairman Shotton regarding possible consultation under Section of 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act for a proposed NRC licensing action that would allow groundwater cleanup at the site of the former Cimarron nuclear fuel fabrication facility. We also sent a follow-up email that included links to the letter and enclosures (see links below). To date, we have not received a response from the Tribe.
Letter to Chairman Shotton: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1915/ML19158A347.pdf - map showing location of Cimarron site:
https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1632/ML16327A617.pdf - response form: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1632/ML16327A618.pdf Cimarron Environmental Response Trust (CERT or licensee) to amend its license to accurately reflect the regulatory status of the land within the site boundary. This licensed area redefinition application can be accessed at this link: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1936/ML19365A023.html. The application proposes that certain portions of the Cimarron site be released from the license because these areas are documented to be clean and do not require further NRC oversight. The application also identifies portions of the site that need to be kept under the license during groundwater cleanup and related activities on the surface. As part of this review to redefine the licensed area boundaries, the NRC staff will develop an environmental assessment that evaluates the potential environmental impacts of removing some areas from the license and adding other areas. To support this review, and at the request of the Oklahoma Archeological Survey, the licensee (CERT) will conduct an archeological survey of the Cimarron site.
I assume you wish to be kept informed of the NRC reviews for the Cimarron Site and the site archeological survey, and I will update you when additional information is available. If you do not wish to receive updates, please let me know. If you have any questions, you may call or email me using the contact information below (or just reply to this email).
Kind Regards,
Christine Christine Pineda U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission NMSS/REFS/ERMB 301-415-6789 christine.pineda@nrc.gov