[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