[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 25, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20290-20291]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-10126]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 030-20457]


Environmental Assessment: Finding of No Significant Impact and 
Notice of Opportunity for Hearing Related to Amendment of Materials 
License No. 11-27380-01

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

ACTION: NRC plans to issue an amendment to License No. 11-27380-01, 
authorizing Idaho State University to use carbon-14 (C-14) labeled 
particulate organic material in dispersion studies in two streams in 
Idaho. Three streams were chosen with one being a backup location. 
These are the Bloomington, Deep, and Toponce Creeks, which traverse the 
Cache and Caribou National Forests and the Curlew National Grasslands. 
The study calls for releases of 25 microcuries of C-14 at a time, with 
no more than 100 microcuries used in each stream in a year.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Joseph Wang, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555, Telephone: (301) 
415-7909.

Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed amendment action would authorize personnel from Idaho 
State University to use C-14 labeled particulate organic material in 
dispersion studies in two streams in Idaho. Three streams were chosen 
with one being a backup location. These are the Bloomington, Deep, and 
Toponce Streams, which traverse the Cache and Caribou National Forests 
and the Curlew National Grasslands. The study calls for release of 25 
microcuries of C-14 at a time, with no more than 100 microcuries used 
in each stream in a year. The amount of C-14 used in an experiment is 
such that the radioactivity is ``instantaneously'' diluted to 
concentrations below drinking water standards and additional dilution 
occurs continuously thereafter.

Background

    Idaho State University (ISU) submitted a letter to the NRC, dated 
December 9, 1994, requesting to amend its Byproduct Material License 
No. 11-27380-01. ISU's request is for authorization to use C-14 as 
radioisotopic tracers to study the dispersal and fate of ``fine 
particulate organic matter'' (FPOM) in lotic ecosystems. This study is 
funded through a grant by the National Science Foundation to the Stream 
Ecology Center at ISU. Along with its letter, ISU also submitted an 
Environmental Assessment (EA) for its proposed action based on 
guidelines provided by NRC's RIV Office.

Need for the Proposed Action

    FPOM constitutes that bulk of particulate organic matter carried in 
the suspended matter in streams and is a major component of food webs, 
energy flow, and organic matter budgets in stream ecosystems. The 
issues involved in FPOM dynamics cover a range of disciplines, and 
workers from many different areas, from water treatment engineering to 
population dynamics of marine organisms, face similar questions about 
how particles exchange between surfaces and the suspended state. The 
proposed research by ISU is important to further major advances in the 
understanding of the ecology of stream ecosystems because it will 
result in determination of: (1) The detailed dynamics of FPOM transport 
over a range of flow and channel conditions, (2) the specific 
mechanisms of transport and deposition, and (3) the relative importance 
of physical and biological factors in the transport of organic matter 
in streams.
    In its submitted EA, the applicant has considered alternatives to 
the proposed isotope study. Specifically, two alternatives to 
radiolabeled natural FPOM have been reviewed for the proposed study: 
Use of exotic pollen and use of plastic microspheres. Although both of 
these options may hold promise for future FPOM research, certain 
characteristics of each may cause these particles to behave differently 
from natural FPOM, thus defeating the purpose of the proposed study.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    In the EA submitted by ISU, and based on telephone discussion with 
the licensee, the applicant stated that it's current plan is to conduct 
approximately two or three releases per year, per stream. The study 
will be for 2 years using no more than two streams. ISU identified 
three streams (i.e., Bloomington Creek, Deep Creek, and Toponce Creek) 
for this study, with the Toponce Creek being a backup location. The 
releases would be in medium-sized surface waters (i.e., flowing streams 
having discharge rates of 0.25 to 0.75 cubic meters per second or more) 
located in remote areas, on Federal lands, miles away from human 
habitation and domestic animals. Each release would be separated by 7 
or more days and involve 25 microcuries of C-14; thus, the total amount 
of C-14 introduced into any stream in any year would not exceed 100 
microcuries. The introduction of C-14 into a stream takes place over 
several hours and the concentrations in the stream are immediately 
diluted to 26 picocuries per liter or less at the point of release. 
These levels are well below Environmental Protection Agency's 
established drinking water standard of 2500 picocuries per liter for C-
14 (40 CFR 141.16), even at the point (and time) of introduction.
    The study sites have been selected so that the nearest human 
residence is located several miles from the study area. The nearest 
human community is located about 5 miles away in Bloomington, Idaho. No 
endangered plants or species will be affected by this study. According 
to National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) 
Publication No. 45 on Natural Background Radiation, there are 303.3 
million curies or 303.3 trillion microcuries of natural C-14 in the 
environment. Despite this large inventory of natural C-14 in the 
environment, the average annual whole body dose, due to natural C-14 to 
an adult member of the general public, is estimated to be 0.7 millirem 
(page 42, NCRP 45) per year. Therefore, the dose to an adult member of 
the general public, due to no more than 200 microcuries of C-14 
released per year over a predominately remote Federal lands, is 
insignificant. [[Page 20291]] 
    ISU has also submitted to the NRC, written responses from the 
Division of Environmental Quality, Idaho Department of Health and 
Welfare; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region X Office; and 
the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service. All three 
agencies responded in writing that they have no objections to the 
proposed ISU study. In addition, the U.S. Forest Service has made 
available in November, 1994, the submitted EA, for a 45 days public 
review and comment period.

Conclusions

    Based on the foregoing assessment, the NRC staff concludes that the 
environmental effects of using C-14 in the proposed ISU stream 
ecosystems study are expected to be extremely small. Authorizing the 
study will help to better understand how to preserve our ecosystems. 
Since ISU's proposed study will be conducted in a predominately remote 
Federal land administered by the U.S. Forest Service, there is no 
environmental justice issue in this EA.
    Therefore, in accordance with 10 CFR 51.31, a Finding of No 
Significant Impact is considered appropriate for this proposed action.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    In performing this assessment and in accordance with the NRC's 
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards procedure 1-48, the 
staff consulted with Mr. Steve Oberg, State Liaison Officer with the 
NRC, Division of Environmental Quality, State of Idaho, on March 17, 
1995, at (208) 334-0436. The State of Idaho has no objection to the 
proposed action. The staff also contacted Mr. Lee Leffert of the U.S. 
Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, on March 21, 1995, at (208) 
236-7534. The U.S. Forest Service informed the NRC that based on 
comments received on its Federal Register Notice, it is preparing a 
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and will issue a Decision 
Notice authorizing ISU's project implementation as proposed.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    The Commission has determined under the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the Commission's regulations in 10 
CFR Part 51, that the proposed action to amend Byproduct Material 
License No. 11-27380-01 to permit the introduction of C-14 into two 
streams, if granted, would not have a significant effect on the quality 
of the human environment and that an environmental impact statement is 
not required. This determination is based on the foregoing 
environmental assessment performed in accordance with the procedures 
and criteria in 10 CFR Part 51, ``Environmental Protection Regulations 
for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions.''
    For further details on this action, see ISU's letter, dated 
December 9, 1995, and the attached EA, requesting amendment of License 
No. 11-27380-01 and related correspondence. These documents (in Docket 
No. 030-32322) may be examined or copied for a fee in the Commission's 
Region IV Walnut Creek Field Office's Public Document Room, 1450 Maria 
Lane, Suite 210, Walnut Creek, California 94596.

Notice of Opportunity for a Hearing

    Any person whose interest may be affected by the issuance of this 
license amendment may file a request for a hearing. Any request for a 
hearing must be filed with the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, within 30 days of 
publication of this notice in the Federal Register and must be served 
on the NRC staff by mail addressed to the Executive Director for 
Operations, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, 
or be delivery to the Executive Director for Operations, One White 
Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852; and must be 
served on the applicant by mail or delivery to Idaho State University, 
Technical Safety Office, Physical Science 103, 785 South Eighth Avenue, 
Campus Box 8106, Pocatello, ID 83209. The request for a hearing must 
comply with the requirements set forth in the Commission's regulations, 
10 CFR Part 2, Subpart L, ``Informal Hearing Procedures for 
Adjudications in Material Licensing Proceedings.'' Subpart L of 10 CFR 
Part 2, may be examined or copied for a fee in the Commission's Region 
IV Walnut Creek Field Office's Public Document Room, 1450 Maria Lane, 
Suite 210, Walnut Creek, CA 94596 or in the Commission's Public 
Document Room, 2120 L Street (Lower Level), NW, Washington, DC 20555.
    As required by Part 2, Subpart L (10 CFR 2.1205), the request for 
hearing must describe in detail: (1) The interest of the requestor in 
the proceeding; (2) how that interest may be affected by the results of 
the proceeding, including the reasons why the requestor should be 
permitted a hearing, with particular reference to the factors set out 
in paragraph (g) of 10 CFR 2.1205; (3) the requestor's areas of concern 
about the licensing activity that is the subject matter of the 
proceeding; and (4) the circumstances establishing that the request for 
a hearing is timely in accordance with paragraph (c) of 10 CFR 
2.1205(c).
    The factors in 10 CFR 2.1205(g), which must be addressed in the 
request for hearing include: (1) The nature of the requestor's right 
under the Act to be made a party to the proceeding; (2) the nature and 
extent of the requestor's property, financial, or other interest in the 
proceeding; and (3) the possible effect of any order that may be 
entered in the proceeding upon the requestor's interest.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 19th day of April 1995.

    For The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Larry W. Camper,
Chief, Medical, Academic, and Commercial Use Safety Branch, Division of 
Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, Office of Nuclear Material 
Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 95-10126 Filed 4-24-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M