[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 33 (Friday, February 16, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6267-6268]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-3551]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 40-8964]


Rio Algom Mining Corp.; Final Finding of No Significant Impact 
Notice of Opportunity for Hearing

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) proposes to amend 
NRC Source Material License SUA-1548 to allow the licensee, Rio Algom 
Mining Corp. (Rio Algom), to employ deep well disposal of process waste 
waters at its Smith Ranch in-situ leach facility as an alternate 
disposal option for these wastes. An Environmental Assessment was 
performed by the NRC staff in accordance with the requirements of 10 
CFR Part 51. The conclusion of the Environmental Assessment is a 
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the proposed licensing 
action.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. James R. Park, Uranium Recovery 
Branch, Mail Stop TWFN 7-J9, Division of Waste Management, Office of 
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555. Telephone 301/415-6699.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On March 12, 1992, the NRC issued to Rio Algom an NRC Source 
Material License, SUA-1548, for commercial-scale uranium recovery 
operations at Rio Algom's Smith Ranch in-situ leach (ISL) facility in 
Converse County, Wyoming.
    The NRC review of Rio Algom's license application is documented in 
an Environmental Assessment (EA), issued on January 10, 1992.
    Since the issuance of SUA-1548, Rio Algom has deferred commercial-
scale operations at the Smith Ranch facility due to the depressed 
market for uranium. However, Rio Algom has indicated that it plans to 
commence such operations in the Fall of 1997.

Summary of the Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is an amendment to SUA-1548 to allow Rio Algom 
to employ deep well injection as an alternate disposal option for 
process waste waters to be generated at its Smith Ranch ISL facility. 
The NRC staff's review was conducted in accordance with the 
requirements of 10 CFR 40.32 and 10 CFR 40.45.

Need for the Proposed Action

    Rio Algom requested NRC approval of the proposed action to allow it 
to employ deep well injection in the disposal of process solutions from 
various waste streams that would be produced at the Smith Ranch 
facility. Currently, Rio Algom is required by NRC license to return all 
liquid effluents from commercial operations to the uranium recovery 
process circuit or to discharge them to solution evaporation ponds.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    By this proposed action, Rio Algom is seeking to employ deep well 
injection to dispose of a variety of process waste streams. These 
process wastes would be injected at an average of 150 gallons per 
minute from an injection well drilled to a total depth of 10,100 feet 
below surface. The wastes would be injected into permeable portions of 
the Parkman, Teapot, and Teckla formations, at depths below surface 
ranging from 8700 to 9600 feet. Due to high levels of total dissolved 
solids, groundwater in these formations has been designated by the 
State of Wyoming, Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ), as Class 
VI water (unsuitable for use).
    The Smith Ranch facility is not currently operating. As a result, 
Rio Algom provided anticipated ranges in concentration of the principal 
chemical species to be contained in the composite solution. The ranges 
in concentration of constituents identified by Rio Algom are comparable 
to concentrations allowed by the NRC at other ISL facilities employing 
deep well disposal of process fluids.
    The NRC staff limited its analysis to a review of the radiological 
aspects of 

[[Page 6268]]
the proposed action, in accordance with 10 CFR 20.2002. To avoid 
duplication of review efforts with the State of Wyoming, the NRC staff 
relied on the State's analysis of the suitability of the proposed 
aquifers as injection zones. The WDEQ, on September 29, 1995, granted 
an Underground Injection Control (UIC) permit to Rio Algom for the 
construction and operation of a Class I injection well at the Smith 
Ranch ISL facility.
    Based on the nature of the proposed action, the NRC staff considers 
the potential impacts to the general environment and offsite 
individuals to be negligible for the following reasons:
    (1) Under the State of Wyoming's groundwater classification system, 
the groundwater in the formations to be impacted is considered to be 
Class VI (unsuitable for use);
    (2) The risk of exposure to the general public from the injected 
fluids is negligible due to the depth below surface at which process 
fluids will be injected (approximately 8700 to 9600 feet);
    (3) Rio Algom will be continuously monitoring the disposal well to 
detect and minimize a potential spill on the surface and thereby 
preclude the release of effluent to the unrestricted environment;
    (4) Rio Algom's radiation protection program in place at the Smith 
Ranch facility will adequately minimize potential exposures to as low 
as is reasonably achievable (ALARA); and
    (5) At the end of the disposal well's useful life, the disposal 
well system will be abandoned in accordance with the requirements of 
Rio Algom's Class I injection well permit with the WDEQ.

Conclusion

    The NRC staff concludes that approval of Rio Algom's amendment 
request to employ deep well disposal as an alternate waste disposal 
option at its ISL facility will not cause significant environmental 
impacts. The NRC staff also finds that the proposed action is in 
accordance with 10 CFR 20.2002 and with the NRC ``Staff Technical 
Position on Effluent Disposal at Licensed Uranium Recovery Facilities'' 
(60 FR 27993; May 26, 1995).

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    Since the NRC staff has concluded that there are no significant 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed action, any 
alternatives with equal or greater environmental impacts need not be 
evaluated. The principal alternative to the proposed action would be to 
deny the requested action. Since the environmental impacts of the 
proposed action and this no-action alternative are similar, there is no 
need to further evaluate alternatives to the proposed action.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    The NRC staff consulted with the State of Wyoming, Department of 
Environmental Quality, in the development of the Environmental 
Assessment. In a telephone conversation on February 5, 1996, Mr. Robert 
Lucht, UIC Program Supervisor, Water Quality Division of the WDEQ, 
stated that the WDEQ had no objections to the conclusions reached in 
the Environmental Assessment.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    The NRC staff has prepared an Environmental Assessment for the 
proposed amendment of NRC Source Material License SUA-1548. On the 
basis of this assessment, the NRC staff has concluded that the 
environmental impacts that may result from the proposed action would 
not be significant, and therefore, preparation of an Environmental 
Impact Statement is not warranted.
    The Environmental Assessment and other documents related to this 
proposed action are available for public inspection and copying at the 
NRC Public Document Room, in the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20555.

Notice of Opportunity for Hearing

    The Commission hereby provides notice that this is a proceeding on 
an application for a licensing action falling within the scope of 
Subpart L, ``Informal Hearing Procedures for Adjudications in Materials 
Licensing Proceedings, of the Commission's Rules of Practice for 
Domestic Licensing Proceedings in 10 CFR Part 2'' (54 FR 8269). 
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 from 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; or
    (2) By mail or telegram addressed to the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, Attention: Docketing and 
Service Branch.
    Each request for a hearing must also be served, by delivering it 
personally or by mail to:
    (1) The applicant, Rio Algom Mining Corp., 6305 Waterford 
Boulevard, Suite 325, Oklahoma City, OK, 73118;
    (2) The NRC staff, by delivery to the Executive Director of 
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.
    In addition to meeting other applicable requirements of 10 CFR Part 
2 of the Commission'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).
    Any hearing that is requested and granted will be held in 
accordance with the Commission's Informal Hearing Procedures for 
Adjudications in Materials Licensing Proceedings in 10 CFR Part 2, 
Subpart L.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 8th day of February 1996.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Daniel M. Gillen,
Acting Chief, Uranium Recovery Branch, Division of Waste Management, 
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 96-3551 Filed 2-15-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P