[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 172 (Friday, September 5, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47068-47070]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-23597]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Finding of No Significant Impact Related to Amendment to
Materials License SMB-602, RMI Titanium Company
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Finding of No Significant Impact Associated with Amendment to
Materials License SMB-602, RMI Titanium Company, Extrusion Plant,
Ashtabula, Ohio, to Authorize Decommissioning of RMI Extrusion Plant
Site.
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The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering a license
amendment request submitted by the RMI Titanium Company (hereafter RMI
or the licensee) for decommissioning of its extrusion plant facility.
On August 28, 1995, NRC published a Notice of Consideration of
Amendment Request for Decommissioning the RMI Titanium Company Site in
Ashtabula, Ohio, and Opportunity for Hearing (60 FR 44517). NRC did not
receive any response to that notice.
Summary of the Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed action is the decommissioning of RMI's extrusion plant
facility in Ashtabula, Ohio, in accordance with RMI's decommissioning
plan submitted April 27, 1995 (DP) and supplemental submittals. In this
action, RMI is proposing to remediate the extrusion plant site for
release for unrestricted use consistent with the NRC ``Action Plan to
Ensure Timely Cleanup of Site Decommissioning Management Plan Sites''
(57 FR 13389; April 16, 1992; hereafter Action Plan). Decommissioning
activities would include decontamination and dismantlement of the
extrusion plant equipment and buildings (D&D), remediation of
contaminated soils and groundwater, restoration of affected areas, and
offsite disposal of radioactive decommissioning wastes (primarily
uranium). Most radioactive wastes from decommissioning activities will
be Class A low-level radioactive waste (LLW).
The release criterion for total uranium in soil is 1.1 Bq (30 pCi)/
g. Release criteria for groundwater are: total uranium, 1.1 Bq (30
pCi)/l; and technetium-99 (Tc-99), 33.3 Bq (900 pCi)/l. Clarification
of these criteria for groundwater is provided in a staff note to the
docket file.
Uranium residues in various physical forms (such as metal turnings
and uranium oxide dust) were generated under contract to the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) and under NRC license SMB-602. As a
consequence of those operations, the process and support buildings,
onsite and adjacent offsite soils, and groundwater near a former
evaporation pond are known to be contaminated with uranium (uranium-
234, uranium-235, and uranium-238) at
[[Page 47069]]
levels that exceed NRC's Action Plan guidelines for release of the
facilities and site for unrestricted use.
Technetium-99 (a contaminant in recycled uranium) has been measured
in concentrations above background in the soil and groundwater. The
licensee also identified elevated levels of thorium-230 (Th-230) in
sediment from a former evaporation pond. The nature and extent of soil
contamination due to Tc-99 and Th-230 continues to be evaluated by the
licensee.
The RMI extrusion plant buildings and equipment also contain a
limited amount of mixed wastes (hazardous wastes contaminated primarily
with uranium). Mixed wastes will be shipped offsite, treated, and
disposed in accordance with the RMI Site Treatment Plan, which was
prepared by DOE to comply with the Federal Facility Compliance Act.
Groundwater and soils around a former evaporation pond are also
contaminated with tricholoethylene (TCE). The area contaminated with
TCE will be remediated in accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) requirements. Other hazardous wastes (limited in amount)
will be shipped offsite in accordance with EPA and Ohio Environmental
Protection Agency requirements.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The licensee does not plan any further manufacturing or processing
at its extrusion plant facility, and wants to terminate its 10 CFR Part
40 license and withdraw from NRC-licensed activities at the site. The
termination of the license would require the decontamination and
decommissioning of the facility so that it could be released for
unrestricted use in accordance with NRC requirements.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The short-term radiological impacts resulting from the proposed
action involve the release of air and water effluents, which may
contain low levels of residual radioactive contamination, to the
environment. These effluents will be generated from excavation of
soils, dismantlement of buildings, and other decommissioning
activities. The radiological consequences of these effluents on workers
and the public are estimated to be well below NRC's occupational and
public dose limits. The release of radioactive air and water effluents
is controlled by NRC regulations in 10 CFR Part 20, Appendix B. The
licensee is required to comply with these regulations. The licensee has
committed to use RMI's DP, health physics manual, and ALARA program
manual to keep effluents from the proposed decommissioning activities
below levels established in 10 CFR Part 20, Appendix B.
Potential radiological impacts on workers from the proposed
decommissioning activities will be below the NRC occupational dose
limit of 50 millisieverts/yr (mSv/yr)(5 rem/yr), as required in 10 CFR
20.1201(a)(1)(i). The average dose to the onsite worker would be 0.17
mSv/yr (1.7E-2 rem/yr) for performing building D&D, and 9.8E-2 mSv/yr
(9.8E-3 rem/yr) for performing soil remediation activities. The dose
pathways would be inhalation of radioactive airborne dust and direct
radiation.
Potential radiological impacts to the public from normal operations
are expected to be well below the NRC public limit of 1 mSv/yr (100
millirem/yr (mrem/yr)) dose limit, as required in 10 CFR 20.1301(a)(1).
The total effective dose equivalent (TEDE) to the maximally exposed
individual member of the public (MEI) would be 6.8E-9 mSv/yr (6.8E-07
mrem/yr) from D&D operations, and 1.9E-3 mSv/yr (1.9E-1 mrem/yr) from
soil remediation activities. Doses would occur principally from
inhalation of fugitive radioactive airborne dust.
Doses from the transportation of LLW (under non-accident
conditions) are as follows: average worker dose would be 2.9 mSv/yr
(0.29 rem/yr), and the TEDE for the MEI would be 6.1E-7 mSv/yr (6.1E-05
mrem/yr). Potential doses would be from direct radiation exposure
during transport of LLW to disposal or processing facilities.
Doses from the maximum credible accident scenario (a transportation
accident that results in the failure of the LLW containment vessel, and
subsequent release of respirable uranium oxide material) would be 3
millisieverts (mSv) (0.3 rem) for both a worker and the MEI.
The short-term nonradiological impacts of decommissioning are not
expected to be significant. There is a beneficial long-term impact
associated with the proposed action: when remediated, the RMI extrusion
plant site would be suitable for release for unrestricted use.
Conclusion
On the basis of the NRC staff's evaluation of the applicant's
proposed action, as described in RMI's DP and supporting documentation
and from NRC staff field inspection of the applicant's facility, the
staff concludes that the proposed action will not result in any
significant environmental impact. The staff recommends that the
proposed action, with its radiation protection and site safety
programs, be implemented.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
The NRC staff identified two alternatives to the proposed action:
(1) no action and (2) onsite disposal of LLW. The no-action alternative
represents the status quo, and would constitute continued surveillance
and maintenance of the contaminated site. These conditions would be
noncompliant with NRC requirements for cleanup of inactive nuclear
material processing facilities, RMI's RCRA permit, and the RMI/DOE
contract.
Onsite disposal of wastes (under 10 CFR 20.2002 and Option 2 of
NRC's Branch Technical Position on Disposal or Onsite Stroage of
Thorium and Uranium Wastes from Past Operations) is not a viable
alternative, because the groundwater table on the site is very shallow.
Waste disposed onsite would not meet NRC guidance for depth to water
table from the waste.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
The NRC staff prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for this
license amendment. Staff consulted with the Ohio Department of Health,
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. EPA for review of the
EA.
Finding of No Significant Impact
Based on the NRC staff's Environmental Assessment related to
amending License SMB-602, the Commission concludes that the proposed
action will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human
environment. Accordingly, the Commission has determined not to prepare
an Environmental Impact Statement and that a Finding of No Significant
Impact is appropriate.
Additional Information
The Environmental Assessment and the documents related to this
proposed action are available for public inspection and copying at the
NRC's Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20555.
For additional information, contact Dr. Ronald B. Uleck, Project
Manager, Materials Decommissioning Section, Low-Level Waste and
Decommissioning Projects Branch, Division of Waste Management, Office
of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards, (301) 415-6722.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 29th day of August 1997.
[[Page 47070]]
For the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John W.N. Hickey,
Chief, Low-Level Waste and Decommissioning Projects Branch, Division of
Waste Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
[FR Doc. 97-23597 Filed 9-4-97; 8:45 am]
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