[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 206 (Wednesday, October 25, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54733-54734]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-26418]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 27-48]


Consideration of an Application for Renewal of a License to 
Dispose of Low-Level Radioactive Waste Containing Special Nuclear 
Material by American Ecology Corporation and Opportunity for a Hearing

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Consideration of an application for renewal of a license to 
dispose of low-level radioactive waste (LLW) containing special nuclear 
material (SNM) by American Ecology Corporation and opportunity for a 
hearing.

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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering the renewal 
of License No. 16-19204-01. This license is issued to American Ecology 
Corporation for the disposal of wastes containing SNM in the low-level 
radioactive waste disposal facility, located on the Hanford Reservation 
near Richland, WA. The license is currently under timely renewal. NRC 
licenses this facility under 10 CFR Part 70. The license renewal 
application was tendered on October 28, 1993. NRC has delayed review of 
the application pending allocation of sufficient resources to conduct 
the review.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert A. Nelson, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, D.C. 20555, Telephone: (301) 415-7298, Fax.: (301) 415-
5397.

Background

    The LLW disposal facility located on the Hanford Reservation in 
Benton County, Washington, is licensed by the State of Washington for 
disposal of source and byproduct material. The NRC license allows the 
disposal of SNM, and acknowledges the State regulated activities 
constitute the major site activities. As a result, NRC relies 
extensively on the State's regulatory program to evaluate the facility 
and licensee's capability to demonstrate reasonable assurance that the 
disposal of LLW can be accomplished safely. To this end, NRC 
coordinates review and assessment of the licensee with the State of 
Washington, Department of Health. To avoid duplicative effort, NRC has 
identified areas in which it relies primarily on the State regulatory 
program. Areas distinct to SNM regulation are directly evaluated by 
NRC. Under the NRC license several State identified license conditions 
are referenced, this ensures that NRC is aware of significant licensee 
activities requiring State regulatory action. Additionally, NRC 
incorporates conditions in the SNM license which provide NRC the 
lattitude to enforce the Agreement State license conditions, if NRC 
determines that the Agreement State is not enforcing the license 
conditions. Finally, the NRC license does not abrogate or diminish the 
authority of the State of Washington, under its Agreement under section 
274b 

[[Page 54734]]
of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, with NRC, to regulate, 
inspect or otherwise exercise control of operations, with respect to 
source and byproduct material, for disposal of that material at the LLW 
disposal facility at Richland, Washington.
    Prior to the issuance of the proposed renewal, NRC will have made 
findings required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and 
NRC's regulations. These findings will be documented in a Safety 
Evaluation Report and an Environmental Assessment.
    The NRC hereby provides notice that this is a proceeding on an 
application for a license renewal falling within the scope of Subpart 
L, Informal Hearing Procedures for Adjudications in Materials Licensing 
Proceedings, of NRC's rules and practice for domestic licensing 
proceedings in 10 CFR Part 2. Pursuant to Sec. 2.1205(a), any person 
whose interest may be affected by this proceeding may file a request 
for a hearing in accordance with Sec. 2.1205(c). A request for a 
hearing must be filed within thirty (30) days of the date of 
publication of this Federal Register notice.
    The request for a hearing must be filed with the Office of the 
Secretary either:
    1. By delivery to the Docketing and Service Branch of the Office of 
the Secretary at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, 
Rockville, MD 20852-2738; or
    2. By mail or telegram addressed to the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555. Attention: Docketing and 
Service Branch.
    In addition to meeting other applicable requirements of 10 CFR Part 
2 of the NRC's regulations, a request for a hearing filed by a person 
other than an applicant 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 
Sec. 2.1205(g);
    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 Sec. 2.1205(c).
    In accordance with 10 CFR Sec. 2.1205(e), each request for a 
hearing must also be served, by delivering it personally or by mail, 
to:
    1. The applicant, American Ecology Corporation, 120 Franklin Road, 
Oak Ridge, TN, 37830, ATTN: Mr. Arthur J. Palmer, III, and
    2. The NRC staff, by delivery to the Executive Director for 
Operations, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 
20852, or by mail, addressed to the Executive Director for Operations, 
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555.
    For further details with respect to this action, the application 
for license renewal is available for inspection at the Commission's 
Public Document Room, 2120 L Street NW., Washington, DC 20555.

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

    For the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Michael F. Weber,
Chief, Low-Level Waste and Decommissioning Projects Branch, Division of 
Waste Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 95-26418 Filed 10-24-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P