[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 160 (Friday, August 16, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42665-42666]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-20945]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 40-8971]


U.S. Energy Corporation; Final Finding of No Significant Impact

SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) proposes to 
approve the detailed site decommissioning plan submitted by the 
licensee, U.S. Energy Corporation, for its Green Mountain Ion Exchange 
facility, and to amend NRC Source Material License SUA-1524 
appropriately. 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, D.C. 20555. Telephone 301/415-6699.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    U.S. Energy Corporation's (U.S. Energy's) Green Mountain Ion 
Exchange (GMIX) facility, located near Jeffrey City, Wyoming, is 
licensed under NRC Source Material License SUA-1524. Under SUA-1524, 
U.S. Energy is authorized for possession only of those byproduct 
materials, in the form of wastes and contaminated facilities and 
equipment, which resulted from previous GMIX operations. By letter 
dated July 22, 1991, U.S. Energy notified the NRC of its intent to 
decommission the GMIX facility and to terminate SUA-1524. By letter 
dated September 17, 1991, the NRC requested U.S. Energy to provide 
additional information to enable the NRC staff to evaluate the 
technical adequacy of U.S. Energy's proposed decommissioning plan.
    U.S. Energy submitted a final decommissioning plan for the GMIX 
facility by letters dated September 29, and November 16, 1993. 
Supplemental data and analyses were provided at NRC staff request in 
letters dated March 6, May 24, and June 8, 1995.

Summary of the Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is approval of U.S. Energy's detailed site 
decommissioning plan for the GMIX facility and an amendment to SUA-1524 
to require U.S. Energy to decommission the facility in accordance with 
the approved plan.

Need for the Proposed Action

    License Condition 13 of SUA-1524 requires U.S. Energy to submit a 
detailed decommissioning plan to the NRC at least 12 months prior to 
the planned initiation of final decommissioning activities. By letters 
dated September 29, and November 16, 1993, U.S. Energy Corporation 
submitted, for NRC approval, a detailed plan for the decommissioning 
and reclamation of the GMIX facility. This decommissioning plan 
discusses the dismantling of contaminated buildings, the clean-up of 
contaminated soils and ponds at the site, and the disposal of 
associated wastes.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    Noise and exhaust emissions associated with the small number of 
earth-moving machines employed in decommissioning activities will be 
appreciable during the 18 to 24 months U.S. Energy anticipates will be 
required to complete decommissioning. However, these impacts will be 
negligible due to the remoteness of the facility (3 persons living 
within 5 miles of the site). In addition, local wildlife disturbed by 
the activity will have access to the reclaimed site following the 
completion of decommissioning.
    U.S. Energy will transport contaminated materials (e.g., soils, 
sludge, pipes, concrete) from the GMIX facility by truck for disposal 
in the tailings impoundment at Kennecott Uranium Company's 
(Kennecott's) Sweetwater Uranium Project. The trucks will be covered 
and will travel a distance of approximately 35 miles along county roads 
between the two facilities. U.S. Energy commits to following the 
applicable Federal transportation regulations. Trucks will be monitored 
for surface contamination and inspected for road worthiness and proper 
loading prior to departure from the GMIX facility, and the results of 
the inspections will be documented. If a truck shows surface 
contamination, it will be decontaminated prior to leaving the 
restricted area.
    In the event of a spill, each truck will contain appropriate 
equipment and clothing for use by the driver in minimizing dispersal 
prior to the arrival of U.S. Energy and/or Kennecott personnel who will 
perform the actual cleanup. In addition, each truck will be equipped 
with a mobile radio or radiotelephone so that U.S. Energy and/or 
Kennecott can be informed in the case of an emergency.
    Upon arrival at Kennecott, trucks and their contents will be logged 
and the information recorded. After disposing of their contents in the 
tailings impoundment, trucks will be reweighed, resurveyed, and 
decontaminated if necessary, prior to their return to the GMIX 
facility.

Conclusion

    The NRC staff concludes that the activities to be conducted under 
U.S. Energy's site decommissioning plan will not cause significant 
environmental impacts.

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. Denial of the proposed action would result 
in a delay in the decommissioning of the GMIX facility and reclamation 
of the site. This would allow decontaminated soils, sludges, and 
structures to remain onsite and to continue to pose potential health 
and safety impacts to the public and the environment.
    Since the environmental impacts of the denial alternative are 
greater than those of the proposed action, 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 (WDEQ). 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 this 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-1524. 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

[[Page 42666]]

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.

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

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Joseph J. Holonich,
Chief, Uranium Recovery Branch, Division of Waste Management, Office of 
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 96-20945 Filed 8-15-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-U