ML19309G955

Responds to 800306 Request for Info Re Possible Groundwater Contamination Resulting from Church Rock U Mill Tailings Spill.State of Nm,Indian Health Svc & EPA Responsible for Related Evaluation.Available Data Appears Accurate

ML19309G955
Person / Time
Issue date:	04/09/1980
From:	Ahearne J NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
To:	Udall M HOUSE OF REP., INTERIOR & INSULAR AFFAIRS
Shared Package
ML19309G956	List: ML19309G955 ML19309G962
References
REF-WM-28 NUDOCS 8005080056
Download: ML19309G955 (2)

Text

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1st April 9,1980

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The Honorable Morris K. Udall Chairman Comittee on Interior and Insular Affairs U.S. House of Representatives Washington, D. C.

20515

Dear Mr. Chairman:

l This letter responds to your letter of March 6,1980 concerning the tailings spill at the Church Rock New Mexico uranium mill of United Nuclear Corporation i

'(UNC). You requested coments on information you received from the Southwest l

Research and Information Center (SRIC) on groundwater contamination which may

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have occurred as a result of the spill. I trust that our March 17. 1980 response to the questions contained in your initial December 6.1980 letter.

concerning the Church Rock spill has been adequate.

As we stated in our March 17 letter, the NRC has not been directly involved in evaluating contamination of ground and surface water which is occurring ~

from the spill. This responsibility lies with the State of New Mexico, the Indian Health Service (IHS), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Our involvement in contamination aspects of this incident has been limited primarily to establishing cleanup criteria for, and evaluating the impacts.

of, soil contamination which has occurred. We are continuing to provide technical assistance to the State for soil cleanup efforts.

You specifically asked in your letter that we coment on the accuracy of the data provided by SRIC, and on the implications of these Svels of contamina-tion in tenas of health impacts and in tenns of the safvty of the UNC operation.

Based on our discussions with the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Division, we believe these data are accurate. Together with more recent well data which show a decrease in contamination concentrations from the sharply elevated levels shown in the data you provided it appears as though the tailings spill caused a " spike" of contamination in groundwaters connected with the affected streams. It is not possible to make a detailed statement concerning the potential public health impacts which may be occurring on the basis of the limited data provided, however. This is a complex problem and requires observing data trends over an extended period of time and obtaining informa-tion about potential stream and groundwater use, duration of use, and so on.

The problem of evaluating impacts due to the dam failure is compounded by contamination which may be occurring during to continuous mine water discharges.

i In general, we can coment that the levels of contamination are of concern and should be evaluated very carefully. We understand that EPA. IHS. and the State are continuing to monitor wells near the affected streams We understand further that the State plans to issue a report in late sumer on this contami-nation incident. We will be contributing as requested by the State to an evaluation of the contaminated soils aspects of such a report.

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-e-Data from wells located near UNC's tailings impoundment appear to indicate there is seepage from the impoundment during nomal operations. This warrants scrutiny by the State to determine what. if any mitigative actions need to be taken until UNC tailings operations can be relocated to a new site. Prior to the recent amendment of the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 (UMTRCA). while NRC still had a direct licensing role in the~ Church Rock case, we obtained a commitment from UNC for such a relocation. Although the licensing authority now resides with the State, we hope that UNC will still

, honor that conunitment and we have encouraged the State to press UNC to relocate the tailing disposal site as quickly as possible. NRC. of course, stands ready to assist the State, at its request, in any way we can in evaluating the safety of continued milling operations by UNC at the Church Rock site.

I hope this has been responsive to your request. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely.

Original Signed By John F. Ahearne l

John F. Ahearne,

cc: Rep. Don H. Clausen Gov. Bruce King Distribution:

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/,15e HonorableIMorris K. Udall, Chairman

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Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs U. S. House of Representatives.

Washington..DC 20515 a

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Dear Mr.;Chairnan:

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This letter responds' to your'-lett'er o'f: March,1980, concerning 'the ?

I tailings spill at the. Church Rock, New Mexi uranium mill of United NuclearCorporation(UNC). You requested ents on information you l

received.from the Southwest Research and fornation Center (SRIC) on.

l groundwater contamination which nay have accurred as a result of the l

. spill. I trust that our March 17,'1980 esponse to the questions contained 1

l in you'r initial, Decenber 6,1980-lett concerning,the Church Rock

' ~

spill has been adequate.

As we stated in our March 17.lette the NRC has not been directly.

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involved in. evaluating contamioat n of ground and surface water. which -

is occurring from the spill. Th responsibility lies with the State of -

New flexico, the Indian Health S ice (IHS), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Our nvolvenent in contamination: aspects of

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this incident has primarily lated to ' establishing cleanup criteria j

j for, and evaluating the, imp ts of, soil contamination which has ' occurred.

l We 4re continuing to prov1

. technical. assistance to the State for soil

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cleanup efforts.

You-specifically asked n your letter that we consont on the accuracy of i

the data provided by IC, and on the implications' of these -levels of contamination in te of health. impacts and in tenns of the safety of l

the UNC operation.

rom our discussions with the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Divisi we believe these data are accurate. Together with, more recent well ta which show a decrease in contamination concentrations from the sharply clevated levels shown in' data you provided,'it appears i

as though the ilings spill caused a, " spike" of contamination. in groundwaters, connected wit the affected streams. It is not possible to rake a detailed sta ent concerning the potential public health impacts which may be oc ing on the' basis of the limited data provided, however; this is a omplex problem and requires ^ observing data trends over ari extende period of time and obtaining information about. potential stream and groundwater use, duration of use, and so on. The problem of evaluating impacts which may be due to the dam failure is compounded by contamination which may be occurring due. to continuous mine water discharges.

In general, we % n co'.,ont that the levels of contamination are of concern ~

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.5 The Honorable Morris K. Udall.

and-the State'are continuing to monitor wells near the affect streams.

We understand further that the State plans on issning a repo in late sumer on this contamination incident. We will be.contribut ng as of such a report.

soils aspects

. requested by the State to an eval'uation of the contamina With regard to data from wells located near UNC's.taili gs ' impoundment. -

. it certainly appears as1though there is a prpblem witl}/ impoundment seepage during normal operations. This warrants scruti.ny by the State to detemine what, if any, mitigative actions need t6 be taken until UNC -

tailings opeiations-can be relocated to a new site / Befope the Uranium.

Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 (UMTREA) was amended, while wo were involved in the Church Rock case in a dir'ect licensing role, wp

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obtained a commitment from UNC for such a reloc& tion. - However, since

'the amendment was passed, we 'have not been involved in eval.uation of continued mill tailings operations at the Chu'ch Rock site. The State has indicated they are in need of no assistance from us on this matter j

and, as a result, we can be no more specific.in our response about the safety of the UNC operation.

l I hope this has been responsive to you request.

If.you have any further questions, pleas ~e do not hesitate to ontact me.

l

incerely, i

John F. Ahearne Chairman Distribution:

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l The Honorable Morris K. Udall, Chairman '

Committee on Interior and. Insular Affairs U. S. House'of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 l'

Dear Mr. Chairman:

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i This letter responds to your lettee of March 6,1980' concerning the tailings'snill.at the Church Rock, New Mexico urani mill of United on information Nuclear Corporation '(UNC). You. requested comment on Center (SRIC)you received from the Southwest Research and Informa en

. groundwater contamination which may have occurr as a result of the spill. I trust that our March 17, 1980 respon e to the questions contained in your initial, December 6,1980 letter co rning the Church Rock spill has been adequate.

s As we stated in 'our March 17 letter, the

,C hasNnot been directly j

involved in evaluating contamination of round and surface water which is occurring from the spill. This resp nsibility lies with the State of New Mexico, the Indian Health Service IHS), and the Environmental ProtectionAgency(EPA). Our involv ent,in contamination aspects of this' incident has primar.ily related establishing cleanup criteria for, and evaluating the impacts of soil contamination which has occurred.

i We are continuing to. provide tech ical assistance.to the State for soil cleanup efforts.

j You specifically asked in your letter that'we coment on the accuracy of the data provi'ded by SRIC, a on the implications of the'se levels,f contamination in tems cf h lth impacts and in terms of the safety of.

the UNC operation.

From r discussions with the New Mexico' Environmental Improvement Division, we elieve these data are accurate. Together with

,more recent well data w) ch show a decrease in contamination concentrations

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from the. sharply elevaged levels shown in data you provided, it appears l

as though the tailings. spill caused a " spike". of contamination in groundwaters p

connected with the ffected streams. It is not possible to make a deta.iled'statemen concerning the' potential.public health impacts which i

may be occurringf n the basis of the-limited data provided, however; this is a complex problem and requires observing data-trends over an extended period of time and obtaining infomation about potential stream -

and groundwatfr use, duration of use, and so on. The problem of evaluating

- impacts whig 6 may be due to the dam fa1Ture is compounded by contamination which may h6 occurring due to continuous mine water' discharges..In general, w6 can coment that the levels of contamination are of concern and should be evaluated very carefully.. We understand that EPA,-IHS,

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and should be evaluated very ' carefully. We understand that EPA, IHS,'

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and the State are continuing to monitor wells near the affected streams; i

We understand further that the State plans to issue a report in late i.

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sumer on this contamination incident.

W requested by the State to an evaluation of the contaminated soils aspects-

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of such a report.

-With regard to data from wells ilocated near UNC's tailings impoundment, I

it certainly appsars as though there is a problem with impoundment

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seepage during nomal operations. 4 This: warrants scrutiny by the State to determine what, if any, mitigative actions need 'to be taken until UNC l

tailings operations can be relocated to'a new site. Before the Uranium

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[1111TallingsRadiationControlActof1978(UMTRCA)wasamended,while we were involved in the Church Rock case in a direct licensing role, we obtained a comitment from UNC for such a relocation. However, since the amendment was passed, we have not been involved in evaluatic:1 of continued mill tailings operations at the Church Rock site. The State has indicated they are in need of no assistance from us on'this matter; and as a result, we can be no more specific-in our response about the safety of'the UNC operation.

I hope this has been responsive to your request.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.'

l Sincerely, I

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ACTION CONTROL DATES CONTROL NO morets K. Udall. Chalemen COMPL DEA w NE-.V20/m 08524 esaulttee es fatarier and Inselar Affairs ACKNOW LEDGM ENT DATE OF DOCUMENT' l

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DESCRIPTION O LETTER OMEMO O REPORT O OTHER SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS j,

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