[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 49 (Thursday, March 13, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 11936]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-6347]
[[Page 11936]]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50-72]
Enviromental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
Regarding Issuance of a Specific Exemption to the Requirements of 10
CFR 50.82(b)(6)(ii) University of Utah AGN-201 Research Reactor
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
granting, upon its own initiative, a specific exemption in accordance
with 10 CFR 50.12 to the part of the requirements of 10 CFR
50.82(b)(6)(ii) that requires a terminal radiation survey and
associated documentation to demonstrate that the site is suitable for
release as a condition of license termination for Amended Facility
Operating License No. R-25 for the University of Utah (the licensee)
AGN-201 Research Reactor (AGN-201) located on the licensee's campus in
Salt Lake City, Utah.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of Proposed Action
By application dated July 17, 1990, as supplemented on July 18,
1990, and June 12, 1991, the licensee requested authorization to
dismantle the AGN-201, dispose of its component parts in accordance
with the proposed decommissioning plan, and terminate Amended Facility
Operating License No. R-25. Following an ``Order Authorizing
Dismantling of Facility and Disposition of Component Parts,'' dated
August 1, 1991, (56 FR 37733), the licensee completed the dismantlement
and submitted a final survey report dated April 13, 1994, as
supplemented on March 17 and 22, 1995, and February 6, 1996.
Representatives of the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education
(ORISE), under contract to NRC, conducted a survey of the reactor on
April 9, 1996. The survey is documented in an ORISE report,
``Radiological Survey of the University of Utah AGN-201M Research
Reactor, Salt Lake City, Utah,'' dated June 1996. In a memorandum dated
July 15, 1996, NRC Region IV found that the ORISE report findings
support the data developed in the licensee's final survey report.
Because the AGN-201 is in the same room as the TRIGA Research
Reactor (Docket No. 50-407, Facility Operating License No. R-126) that
the University continues to operate, the Reactor Room of the Merrill
Engineering Building will continue to be subject to the terms of the
TRIGA license. The Reactor Room will be considered for release by NRC
as part of the request to terminate the TRIGA license at some time in
the future. Because the site will continue to be used under a NRC
license and will be surveyed in the future, and because application of
the regulation is not necessary to achieve the underlying purpose of
the rule, the NRC is considering granting, upon its own initiative, a
specific exemption in accordance with 10 CFR 50.12 to the part of the
requirements of 10 CFR 50.82(b)(6)(ii) that requires a terminal
radiation survey and associated documentation to demonstrate that the
site is suitable for release as a condition for license termination.
The Need for Proposed Action
The exemption is needed for termination of Amended Facility
Operating License No. R-25.
Environmental Impact of Granting of Exemption
The licensee indicates that the residual contamination and dose
exposures comply with the criteria of Regulatory Guide 1.86, Table 1,
which establish acceptable residual surface contamination levels, and
the exposure limit, established by the NRC staff, of less than 5 micro
rem/hr above background at 1 meter. These measurements have been
verified by the NRC staff. The NRC finds that since these criteria have
been met, there is no significant impact on the environment and the
reactor components can be released for unrestricted use and the license
terminated. Because the site will continue to be used under an NRC
license, granting the exemption will have no effect on the status of
the site and, thus, no significant impact on the environment.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered
denying the proposed action. Not granting the exemption would result in
no change in current environmental impacts and would require
continuance of the Amended Facility Operating License No. R-25. The
environmental impacts of the proposed action and of the alternative
action are similar. Since the contaminated and activated reactor and
component parts already have been dismantled and disposed of in
accordance with NRC regulations and guidelines, there is no alternative
with less environmental impact than the granting of the exemption and
termination of Amended Facility Operating License No. R-25.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
The staff consulted with personnel from ORISE (an NRC contractor),
who conducted the confirmatory survey for the AGN-201. The staff also
consulted with the Utah State official regarding the environmental
impact of the proposed action. The State official had no comments.
Finding of No Significant Impact
The NRC has determined not to prepare an environmental impact
statement for the proposed action. On the basis of the foregoing
environmental assessment, the NRC has concluded that the granting of
the exemption will have no significant effect on the quality of the
human environment.
For further details with respect to this proposed action, see the
application for termination of Amended Facility Operating License No.
R-25, dated July 17, 1990, as supplemented. These documents are
available for public inspection at the Commission's Public Document
Room, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC. 20037.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 6th day of March 1997.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Seymour H. Weiss,
Director, Non-Power Reactors and Decommissioning Project Directorate
Division of Reactor Program Management, Office of Nuclear Reactor
Regulation.
[FR Doc. 97-6347 Filed 3-12-97; 8:45 am]
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