[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 192 (Wednesday, October 2, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51470-51473]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-25175]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 40-6940]


Finding of No Significant Impact and Notice of Opportunity for a 
Hearing, Renewal of Source Material License SMB-920, Cabot Performance 
Materials Boyertown, PA

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering the renewal 
of source Material License SMB-920 for the continued operation of Cabot 
Performance Materials (CPM) facility located in Boyertown, 
Pennsylvania. CPM processes tin slags, tantalite, and columbite ores to 
extract tantalum and niobium. The ores and slags contain uranium and 
thorium, and sludges resulting from the slag and ore processing contain 
in excess of 0.05 percent uranium and thorium. Therefore, the sludges 
are source material as defined and regulated by 10 CFR Part 40, and 
their possession by CPM is licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission.

Summary of the Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is the renewal of CPM's source material license 
for five years. With this renewal, CPM will continue to operate the 
Boyertown facility to process tin slags, tantalite, and columbite ores, 
and will revise their process to use the stored sludges as supplemental 
feedstock in addition to new ores and ore concentrates. CPM is licensed 
to possess and use up to 400 tons of elemental uranium and thorium in 
slag, ores, and sludges.

Need for the Proposed Action

    CPM performs a necessary service for the commercial electronics 
industry by extracting tantalum and niobium from slag and ores. Denial 
of the license renewal application is an alternative available to the 
NRC, but would require expansion of tantalum and niobium production 
capacity at an existing facility or transfer of extraction activities 
to a new facility. Denial of the

[[Page 51471]]

application to process the sludges would result in their continued 
storage on site.

Effluent Controls and Monitoring

    The continued operation of the CPM facility will result in the 
continued release of low levels of radioactive constituents and 
fluorides. Under accident conditions, the facility could release higher 
concentrations over a short period of time. The facility uses a number 
of controls to reduce the release of radioactive materials and 
fluorides to the environment, and performs monitoring of effluents and 
the environment.
    The CPM facility produces gaseous, liquid, and solid effluent 
streams. Gaseous effluents are controlled by minimizing the amount of 
airborne radioactive materials within the plant, and by the use of a 
dust collector, baghouse, and stack scrubber on specific processes. 
Liquid effluents are controlled by the use of waste water retention 
lagoons and treatment systems that reduce the concentration of 
radioactive materials prior to discharge to West Swamp Creek. Solid 
wastes are managed through a combination of reprocessing, off-site 
disposal, and recycling.
    Stack scrubber performance is monitored by measuring the 
concentration of fluorine in the scrubber water and the flowrate of the 
scrubber recycle water. The performance of the gaseous effluent 
controls is further evaluated by the environmental air sampling program 
described below. Liquid effluents are sampled at the point of discharge 
to Swamp Creek, and the samples are analyzed for uranium and other 
constituents. Solid wastes are surveyed prior to off-site disposal.
    CPM has performed and will continue to perform monitoring to detect 
accumulation of radioactive materials in the environment. This 
environmental monitoring program samples sediment and surface water in 
West Swamp Creek; and air and ground water at locations on or near the 
facility. Forage sampling for fluoride, which was performed under the 
previous license, will not be performed under the renewed license.
    Two new air monitoring stations downwind of the plant were 
installed in 1995. Air samples will be collected continuously at these 
two locations, and the samples analyzed for radioactivity. In addition, 
CPM has committed to perform a temporary air monitoring program using a 
mobile air sampler at additional locations near the site boundaries. 
The purpose of this mobile sampling is to further assure that the most 
significant pathway for air effluents has been identified.

Environmental Consequences of Proposed License Renewal

    Implementation of the proposed action, renewal of the CPM license, 
involves both beneficial and negative impacts. The beneficial impacts 
include support for production of economically valuable electrical 
components and processing of the stored sludge into a more stable form. 
The associated negative impacts from continued plant operations include 
releases to air and surface water from plant operation. Implementing 
either the proposed action or the alternative action, non-renewal of 
the license, involves decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of the 
facility.
    For the proposed action, the handling of materials and normal 
operations of the facility will result in the continued release of low 
levels of radioactive and non-radioactive constituents. Under accident 
conditions, the facility could release higher concentrations of 
materials over a short period of time. The facility will eventually be 
decontaminated and decommissioned at the end of its useful life, but 
the impacts of such decontamination and decommissioning are beyond the 
scope of this Environmental Assessment (EA), which deals only with the 
potential environmental impact of continued operations.
    Normal operations at the CPM facility will involve groundwater 
withdrawals, discharges of fluoride and radionuclides to surface 
waters, discharges to the atmosphere, and generation of various solid 
and liquid waste streams. The impacts of normal operations are both 
radiological and nonradiological.
    The radiological impacts of the continued operation of the CPM 
facility were assessed by calculating the radiation dose to the 
maximally exposed individual located at the nearest residence and the 
collective radiation dose to the local population living within 80 
kilometers (50 miles) of the plant site.
    The results of the dose assessments are summarized below, and a 
detailed description of the methodology and results is provided in the 
appendix to the EA.
    Radionuclides which may be released to the environment include 
potassium-40 (K-40), uranium-238 (U-238), uranium-235 (U-235), thorium-
232 (Th-232), and their decay daughters, including radon-222 (Rn-222). 
The sources of the releases are the main process building (Building 
073) stacks, the ore storage pile, the sludge storage mausoleums, and 
the liquid waste system lagoons.
    Potentially exposed individuals for the atmospheric releases are 
primarily residents along the northeast and north boundaries of the 
site. Atmospheric dispersion analysis established that the maximally 
exposed individual would be located on the northeast boundary of the 
site.
    Liquid effluents are released into West Swamp Creek, a tributary of 
the Schuylkill River. Because of its low and irregular flow, West Swamp 
Creek is not a drinking water supply for area residents. Therefore, the 
analysis assumed that an individual along the Schuylkill River, and the 
surrounding population out to a distance of 80 kilometers (50 miles), 
used this potentially contaminated water.
    The radionuclide doses were estimated using the Hanford 
Environmental Radiation Dosimetry Software System GENII computer code, 
except for radon. Atmospheric release exposure pathways included 
inhalation, ingestion of contaminated crops and resuspended dirt, and 
external exposure to the airborne plume and contaminated ground. Liquid 
release exposure pathways included ingestion of contaminated drinking 
water, fish, and irrigated crops; and external exposure during 
recreational activities. Because GENII does not simulate radon 
inhalation impacts, the NRC staff developed independent dose estimates 
using dose factors specific to radon-222. Details on the method of 
radiological impact analysis are presented in the appendix to the EA.
    Potential radiation doses from releases to the atmosphere from the 
CPM facility are calculated for the maximally exposed individual and 
the population. These doses are expressed in terms of the 50-year 
committed effective dose equivalent (CEDE) from internal exposure from 
the intake of radionuclides for a period of one year. For the maximally 
exposed individual, the CEDEs for combined releases from Building 073 
and the ore storage pile were estimated as 6.5 x 10 -7 Sv/yr 
(0.065 mrem/yr), while the CEDE for release from the storage mausoleums 
was estimated as 2.5 x 10 -5 Sv/yr (2.5 mrem/yr). The doses are a 
small fraction of background doses for both the maximally exposed 
individual and other members of the population; the external background 
radiation doses from cosmic and terrestrial sources are approximately 
2.6 x 10 -4 and 2.8 x 10 -4 Sv/yr (26 and 28 mrem/yr), 
respectively. The doses from atmospheric releases are also a fraction 
of the 10 mrem/year limit set by 40 CFR 61 Subpart I, National

[[Page 51472]]

Emissions Standards for Radionuclide Emissions from Facilities Licensed 
by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
    Potential impacts for the maximally exposed individual and the 
population from releases to surface water were also calculated. The 
largest tissue doses are to the bone surface from ingestion of lead-210 
(Pb-210), and external doses are a factor of 10,000 smaller than 
internal doses. The CEDE for the maximally exposed individual was 
estimated as 2.8 x 10-6 Sv/yr (0.28 mrem/yr). For both the 
maximally exposed individual and other members of the population, doses 
are a small fraction of background sources.
    The NRC regulations (10 CFR 20.1301) require that the Total 
Effective Dose Equivalent (TEDE) for members of the public not exceed 
1.0 x 10-3 Sv (100 mrem) per year. The TEDE is the sum of the 
effective dose equivalent (EDE) from exposure to external radiation for 
one year and the CEDE defined above. For atmospheric releases of 
radionuclides other than radon, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
regulations (40 CFR Part 61, Subpart I) require that the annual 
effective dose equivalent not exceed 1.0 x 10-4 Sv (10 mrem). 
Doses from CPM facility operations are dominated by releases to the 
atmosphere. For the maximally exposed individual, the annual TEDE 
including dose from radon was estimated as 2.6 x 10-5 Sv (2.6 
mrem). The largest annual tissue dose was estimated as 2.1 x 10-4 
Sv (21 mrem) to the lung. This tissue dose is entirely due to radon 
releases from the storage mausoleums, which would be eliminated by 
implementing the planned sludge processing modifications. Estimated 
doses for all other releases are small fractions of applicable limits.
    Continued operation of the facility is expected to have minor 
impacts on air quality, surface water, ground water, land use, and 
biota. Surface water, sediment, and groundwater monitoring during 
previous operations have indicated no significant impact from non-
radiological constitutents, including fluoride. It is expected to have 
little or no impact on cultural resources, and to have a positive 
socioeconomic impact.
    Normal operation of the CPM facility is not expected to have a 
significant effect on off-site nonradiological air quality, although 
fluoride concentrations measured in air have exceeded the State of 
Pennsylvania 24-hour maximum of 5 g/m \3\ on occasion. State-
issued operating permits for processing activities include release 
limits for compounds of fluorides, and the State's compliance and 
enforcement program addresses any exceedence of the limits.
    The primary potential impact on terrestrial resources is from 
fluoride released to the environment from the ore digestion process. 
Biannual monitoring of both corn and grasses since 1988 indicates that 
operation of the facility has resulted in elevated fluoride 
concentrations in forage crops growing adjacent to the plant.
    There are no state or federal standards for fluoride concentration 
in forage. While there has been research in this area, as reported in 
the EA, no specific regulatory limits are currently applied to this 
aspect of the environment. Additionally, there are no federal ambient 
air quality standards for fluoride. There has been no increased 
degradation in off-site vegetation from fluoride since the previous 
assessment, and the expected releases will be the same as or less than 
those from previous operations. Therefore, no adverse impacts to the 
off-site environment are expected from the continued operation of the 
facility.
    The handling, processing, and storage of material containing 
radioactive constituents at the CPM facility could result in 
uncontrolled release of radioactive material to the environment in the 
event of an accident. The relatively small quantities and low 
concentrations of the radioactive constituents constrain the 
radiological impacts of potential accidents. Use of hazardous chemicals 
in operations at the facility could also result in uncontrolled 
releases, posing a potential risk to workers and public health and 
safety.
    The accident analysis identified potential hazards, reviewed 
potential accident initiators and release mechanisms, developed 
accident scenarios, and estimated consequences for a set of potential 
accident scenarios. The hazard review identified the primary hazards as 
radionuclides in the feed material, process equipment, and sludge 
storage mausoleums, and the hazardous chemicals stored on site. For 
radioactive material in solid form, the primary release mechanisms 
would be drop and resuspension during transfer, and failure of the 
filtration systems during processing. For radioactive material in 
liquid solution, the primary release mechanism would be equipment 
failure during processing and transfer. For hazardous chemicals, the 
failure of storage equipment is the scenario with the largest potential 
impact. Based on the above considerations, a feed ore spill during 
transfer, a large-scale leak of treated liquid radioactive waste, and 
release of anhydrous ammonia from tank storage were selected as 
representative accidents.
    Feed ore is transferred to process equipment from a storage pile 
located near building 073. Equipment failure or improper operation 
could lead to inadvertent dumping of the load, resulting in an airborne 
release of 0.066 and 0.009 Ci of U-238 and Th-232, 
respectively. Based on dispersion analysis, the maximally exposed 
individual would be 205 meters (673 feet) northeast of building 073, 
and the CEDE for this release was estimated as 4.0 x 10-7 Sv (0.04 
mrem), indicating insignificant risk to public health and safety.
    Approximately 30,280 liters (8,000 gallons) of liquid radioactive 
waste are processed daily at the CPM facility. Radionuclides are 
removed as filtered solids during processing, and the resulting liquid 
is mixed with other liquid streams to generate an overall average daily 
flow of approximately 378,500 liters (100,000 gallons). The largest 
capacity tank in the system is a 378,500-liter (100,000 gallon) tank 
for storing treated liquid. Failure of this tank with release to 
surface water bounds potential accidents associated with the waste 
treatment system. The released liquid would be diluted in West Swamp 
Creek and the Schuylkill River, and the maximally exposed individual 
could receive a CEDE of 5.8 x 10-9 Sv (5.8  x  10-4 mrem). 
This dose is a very small fraction of normal background radiation, 
indicating insignificant risk to public health and safety.
    Ammonia is stored under pressure as a liquified gas in a 37,850-
liter (10,000 gallon) tank located on the southeast side of County Line 
Road. Failure of a transfer or relief line could cause an uncontrolled 
release with potential health and safety impacts. This event was 
represented as development of a 2.5-centimeter (1 inch) diameter hole 
in the tank vapor space, with isentropic escape through the hole. Under 
the assumed conditions, the release rate was estimated as 930 grams per 
second (2.05 pounds per second). The release time with no operator 
response could be as long as 6 hours. Dispersion analysis established 
that the maximally exposed individual would be located 330 meters 
(1,083 feet) north-northeast of the release point. Ambient ammonia 
concentrations were estimated as 1.3 grams per cubic meter (930 parts 
per million) at the location of the maximally exposed individual. 
Ammonia concentrations above 1,000 parts per million for an extended 
period of time can be lethal, while concentrations

[[Page 51473]]

between 25 and 200 parts per million produce transient irritation. The 
potential for this release to occur for an extended period of time is 
low because CPM would take response actions in accordance with their 
Preparedness, Prevention, and Contingency Plan.

Alternative to the Proposed Action

    An alternative to the proposed action is non-renewal of the 
license. In this case, CPM would shut down the processes that involve 
source material, and would decontaminate and decommission (D&D) the 
site in accordance with an approved plan. Cabot would do a thorough 
survey of the site grounds and buildings and prepare a detailed D&D 
Plan. The environmental impacts of the D&D activities would be assessed 
during NRC review of the detailed D&D Plan.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    During the preparation of the EA, various state and local agencies 
were contacted for gathering information. These contacts included the 
Tri-County Area Chamber of Commerce for employment information, the 
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for 
threatened and endangered species information, the Pennsylvania 
Department of Environmental Protection for air quality information, and 
the Pennsylvania Registry of Historic Places for cultural resources 
information.

Conclusion

    The staff concludes that the impact to the environment and to human 
health and safety from operations at this facility has been and is 
expected to remain minimal. Results of the environmental monitoring 
program conducted during the previous license period indicate no 
significant impact to the environment as a result of site operations. 
Radioactive materials in effluents released to the environment are well 
below regulatory limits. The total whole body dose received by the 
maximally exposed individual is below federal regulatory limits.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    The NRC has prepared an EA related to the renewal of source 
Material License SMB-920. On the basis of this assessment, the NRC has 
concluded that environmental impacts that would be created by the 
proposed licensing action would not be significant and do not warrant 
the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement. Accordingly, it 
has been determined that a finding of no significant impact is 
appropriate.

Opportunity for a Hearing

    Any person whose interest may be affected by the renewal of this 
license may file a request for a hearing. Any request for hearing must 
be filed with the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555, within 30 days of the publication 
of this notice in the Federal Register; must be served on the NRC staff 
(Executive Director for Operations, One White Flint North, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852) and on the licensee (Cabot 
Performance Materials, County Line Road, Boyertown, PA 19512); and must 
comply with the requirements for requesting a hearing set forth in the 
Commission's regulation 10 CFR Part 2, Subpart L, ``Informal Hearings 
Procedures for Adjudications in Materials Licensing Proceedings.''
    These requirements, which the requestor must address in detail, 
are:
    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;
    3. The requestor's area of concern about the licensing activity 
that is the subject matter of the proceeding; and
    4. The circumstances establishing that the request for hearing is 
timely, that is, filed within 30 days of the date of this notice.
    In addressing how the requestor's interest may be affected by the 
proceeding, the request should describe the nature of the requestor's 
right under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, to be made a 
party to the proceeding; the nature and extent of the requestor's 
property, financial, or other (e.g., health, safety) interest in the 
proceeding; and the possible effect of any order that may be entered in 
the proceeding upon the requestor's interest.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 25 day of September 1996.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Robert C. Pierson,
Chief, Licensing Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, 
NMSS.
[FR Doc. 96-25175 Filed 10-1-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P