[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