[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 150 (Friday, August 5, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-19112]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: August 5, 1994]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 040-08724]

 

Environmental Assessment Finding of No Significant Impact Related 
to Amendment of Materials License No. SUB-1357, Chemetron Corporation, 
Inc., Cuyahoga Heights, OH

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering issuing an 
amendment of Materials License No. SUB-1357, held by Chemetron 
Corporation, Inc., to authorize the remediation of the McGean-Rohco 
Complex buildings and equipment located at 2910 Harvard Avenue in 
Cuyahoga Heights, Ohio.

Environmental Assessment

Background

    By the letter of March 24, 1994, Chemetron Corporation, Inc. 
(Chemetron) requested that NRC amend their license to authorize them to 
perform the remediation of the Harvard Avenue and Bert Avenue sites in 
accordance with their remediation plan entitled, ``Site Remediation 
Plan Chemetron Remediation Project Harvard and Bert Avenue Sites 
Chemetron Corporation, Inc. Newburgh Heights, Ohio,'' dated October 1, 
1993, November 1, 1993, and November 11, 1993. By letter of April 4, 
1994, Chemetron requested that the NRC separately review the sections 
of the remediation plan pertaining to the McGean-Rohco buildings, 
located at 2910 Harvard Avenue, in Cuyahoga Heights, Ohio. Chemetron 
indicated that they wished to initiate the remediation of these 
buildings as quickly as possible.

Proposed Action

    The proposed action is the issuance of a license amendment 
authorizing Chemetron to perform remediation of the McGean-Rohco 
Complex buildings located at 2910 Harvard Avenue in Cuyahoga Heights, 
Ohio.

Need for Proposed Action

    The purpose of the proposed action is to decommission the McGean-
Rohco Complex buildings, by removing depleted uranium contamination on 
building surfaces and in equipment, so that the buildings and equipment 
can be released for unrestricted use. These buildings are currently in 
use by McGean-Rohco, Inc. personnel. Remediating the buildings will 
allow McGean-Rohco to utilize the buildings and equipment without the 
radiological controls and training requirements that are currently 
required.

Environmental Assessment

    The NRC staff reviewed the levels of contamination, the proposed 
remediation methods, and radiological and environmental controls that 
will be used during the remediation. These controls include worker 
dosimetry, the As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) program, area 
air monitoring, routine surveys, a bioassay program for workers, and 
routine monitoring of both airborne and liquid effluent releases to 
meet 10 CFR Part 20 requirements. Worker and public doses will be 
limited so that exposures will not exceed 10 CFR Part 20 requirements. 
Chemetron proposed to remediate building surfaces and equipment to the 
levels in ``Guidelines for Decontamination of Facilities and Equipment 
Prior to Release for Unrestricted Use of Termination of Licenses for 
Byproduct, Source, or Special Nuclear Material,'' dated August 1987.
    In Chemetron's remediation plan, Chemetron proposed to dispose of 
protective clothing, equipment, and roofing wastes, generated in the 
McGean-Rohco remediation, by disposing them either at a licensed low-
level radioactive waste disposal site. Contaminated building materials, 
such as bricks, blocks, and concrete, would be disposed of in the 
disposal cell being proposed for the Harvard Avenue site. By letter of 
July 8, 1994, Chemetron proposed to store wastes, generated in the 
McGean-Rohco Complex remediation, in Building 16. On July 29, 1994, 
Chemetron proposed to also use Building 14 for waste storage. While 
wastes are in storage, Buildings 14 and 16 will be secured and 
monitored.
    Expected release to airborne and liquid pathways, as well as other 
environmental impacts will be small and acceptable.
    The NRC requested a review by the Ohio Historic Preservation Office 
(OHPO) of the McGean-Rohco Complex. In the OHPO letter of June 14, 
1994, they concluded that the project, if completed as proposed, would 
have no effect on properties listed on or eligible for the National 
Register of Historical Places.

Conclusions

    The proposed remediation of the McGean-Rohco Complex buildings will 
enable Chemetron to release buildings and equipment, currently being 
used by McGean-Rohco, Inc., for unrestricted use, and enable McGean-
Rohco, Inc. personnel access to these areas without having radiological 
controls or training requirements. On the basis of the NRC staff's 
evaluation of Chemetron's proposed remediation approach for the McGean-
Rohco Complex, and analysis of the environmental impacts of the 
proposed action, the staff concludes that the proposed remediation 
activities will not result in any significant environmental or 
radiologic impact.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    Leaving the depleted uranium contamination in place is the only 
alternative to the proposed action. This alternative would result in 
the necessity of keeping radiological controls and training 
requirements. Without remediation of the contamination, industrial 
incidents, such as the chemical explosion that occurred in December 
1993, could cause releases of radioactive material and increased costs 
to remediate the contaminated areas.

Alternative use of Resources

    The activities leading to the proposed action would result in the 
irreversible use of energy resources in the conduct of the proposed 
McGean-Rohco Complex remediation. A small amount of land at the waste 
disposal sites would be irreversibly committed for waste disposal. 
There are no reasonable alternatives to these resource uses, and the 
proposed activities do not involve any unresolved conflicts concerning 
uses of available resources.

Agencies and Persons Consulted, and Sources Used

    The EA was prepared by NRC staff. The Cuyahoga County Board of 
Health, and the Ohio Department of Health reviewed the proposed 
remediation plan. Neither of these agencies had comments applicable to 
the McGean-Rohco Complex decommissioning activities. The OHPO reviewed 
applicable documents and photographs to assess eligibility for the 
National Register of Historical Places, and concluded that the proposed 
action would have no effect on properties listed on or eligible for the 
National Register of Historical Places.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    The NRC staff prepared this EA evaluating the environmental impacts 
related to the license amendment requested from Chemetron Corporation, 
Inc., to authorize the remediation of the McGean-Rohco Complex 
buildings and equipment. This EA examines the radiological impacts 
associated with these proposed activities. As indicated above the EA 
did not identify any significant environmental impact associated with 
these proposed license amendment actions, the staff concluded that a 
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) is justified and appropriate.

Opportunity for a Hearing

    On April 11, 1994, the NRC published in the Federal Register a 
notice of Consideration of Amendment to Chemetron Corporation License 
and Opportunity for Hearing. In response to this notice, the Earth Day 
Coalition submitted a petition for hearing. The proceeding is currently 
before the Presiding Officer.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 1st day of August 1994.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John H. Austin,
Chief, Low-Level Waste and Decommissioning Projects Branch, Division of 
Waste Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.

References

    1. ``Site Remediation Plan Chemetron Remediation Project Harvard 
and Bert Avenue Sites Chemetron Corporation, Inc. Newburgh Heights, 
Ohio,'' dated October 1, 1993, November 1, 1993, and November 11, 
1993, with supplemental correspondence dated February 7, 1994, April 
15, 1994, July 8, 1994, and July 27, 1994.
    2. ``Radiological Control Plan,'' Revision 1, December 1993.
    3. ``Radiological Worker Handbook and Training Manual,'' 
Revision 1, January 1994.
    4. ``Guidelines for Decontamination of Facilities and Equipment 
Prior to Release for Unrestricted Use or Termination of Licenses for 
Byproduct, Source, or Special Nuclear Material,'' dated August 1987.
    5. Letter from M. Raymond, Ohio Historic Preservation Office, to 
T.C. Johnson, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, June 14, 1994.

[FR Doc. 94-19112 Filed 8-4-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M