[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 178 (Thursday, September 15, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-22868]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: September 15, 1994]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 40-8989]

 

Envirocare of Utah, Inc.; 11e.(2) Byproduct Material Disposal 
Facility; Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is issuing an exemption from 
the requirement of 10 CFR part 40, appendix A, criterion 7 for at least 
a full year of preoperational monitoring prior to any major site 
construction at the Envirocare of Utah, Inc. (Envirocare) 11e.(2) 
byproduct material disposal site near Clive, Utah.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    The proposed action would grant Envirocare an exemption from the 
requirements of 10 CFR part 40, appendix A, criterion 7 for at least 
one full year of preoperational monitoring for organic constituents in 
the Point of Compliance (POC) wells prior to major site construction at 
the 11e.(2) byproduct material disposal facility. In accordance with 10 
CFR 40.14, the NRC staff, upon its own initiative, has proposed this 
exemption.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    Envirocare of Utah, Inc. has conducted preoperational monitoring in 
the POC wells for hazardous constituents specified in License Condition 
11.1 of Byproduct Material License SMC-1559. Envirocare has completed 
at least one full year of preoperational monitoring for all hazardous 
constituents in the POC wells at the site with the exception of the 
nine organic constituents. Sampling of the organic constituents in the 
POC wells was conducted by Envirocare in November of 1993, and 
February, April, and July of 1994. In order to complete one full year 
of preoperational monitoring, however, Envirocare would need to take 
another round of samples from the POC wells in November, 1994 prior to 
any major site construction. Envirocare, however, wants to begin 
disposal operations in early September, 1994 in order to receive the 
11e.(2) byproduct material from the West Chicago Kerr McGee facility.
    The purpose for requiring one full year of preoperational 
monitoring data is to establish the background ground-water quality 
based on data which is representative of seasonal variations, and to 
assure a statistically significant number of samples is taken. The 
staff has determined that the sampling conducted by Envirocare for the 
organic constituents provides adequate representative samples from each 
of the four seasons and provides a statistically significant number of 
samples. In addition, each of these four samplings has shown that the 
nine organic constituents in each well are at or below the lower limit 
of detection. Envirocare, in its submittal dated August 31, 1994, has 
also proposed that the background ground-water quality for the organic 
constituents in the POC wells be set at the lower limit of detection. 
Therefore, the NRC staff concludes that the background ground-water 
quality values for the nine organic constituents set at the lower limit 
of detection, as indicated by the sampling results, provide the same 
level of protection for public health, safety, and the environment from 
non-radiological hazards at the site as would be achieved by full 
compliance with 10 CFR part 40, appendix A, criterion 7.

Environmental Impact of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action does not involve any significant environmental 
impacts. Since the proposed action does not involve a change in 
facility operation or configuration, there is reasonable assurance that 
the proposed action would not increase the probability or the 
consequences of an accident, or reduce the level of protection for 
public health, safety, and the environment from radiological and non-
radiological hazards. No changes would be made in the types or 
quantities of effluents that may be released offsite. Further, there 
would be no significant increase in the allowable individual or 
cumulative radiation exposure. Accordingly, the NRC concludes that this 
proposed action would result in no significant radiological 
environmental impact.
    With regard to potential non-radiological impacts, the proposed 
action does not affect non-radiological plant effluents and has no 
other environmental impact. Therefore, the NRC concludes that there are 
no significant non-radiological impacts associated with the proposed 
action.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    Since the NRC has concluded that there are no significant 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action, any 
alternative with equal or greater environmental impacts need not be 
evaluated.

Alternative Use of Resources

    This action does not involve the use of resources not previously 
considered in the Environmental Impact Statement (NUREG-1476, August, 
1993).

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    The NRC staff initiated this exemption. The NRC staff did not 
consult with any other agency or persons regarding the environmental 
impact of the proposed action.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    Based upon this environmental assessment, the staff concludes that 
the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality 
of the human environment. Therefore, the NRC has determined not to 
prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed exemption.
    For further details with respect to this action, see the NRC 
staff's Safety Evaluation Report regarding the licensee's background 
ground-water quality submittal dated September 8, 1994, which is 
available for public inspection at the NRC's Public Document Room, 
Gelman Building, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20555.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 8th day of September, 1994.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Joseph J. Holonich,
Chief, High-Level Waste and Uranium Recovery Projects Branch, Division 
of Waste Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 94-22868 Filed 9-14-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M