[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 48 (Thursday, March 12, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12114-12115]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-6391]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No.: 040-08980]
Heritage Minerals, Incorporated License Renewal and Opportunity
for Hearing
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice of intent to approve renewal request for the Heritage
Minerals, Inc. (HMI), facility located in Manchester Township, New
Jersey, and opportunity for hearing.
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The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
approval of the renewal request for Source Material License No. SMB-
1541, issued to Heritage Minerals, Inc. (HMI), to authorize
decontamination and decommissioning activities of those areas of the
licensee's Manchester Township, New Jersey site which require
remediation prior to release for unrestricted use. The proposed
licensing action also will authorize temporary storage of licensed
material prior to disposition and be issued for a period of five years.
HMI is authorized by the NRC to perform within specific areas of
its Manchester Township facility decontamination activities of licensed
radioactive materials, and to possess, package, store, and transfer to
authorized recipients monazite sands containing natural thorium.
Residual radioactive contamination may also be present in some interior
areas of the mill facilities on the site. There are no processing
activities authorized by the license or by the proposed license
renewal. The renewal is to promote timely decommissioning and
remediation of the licensed material and associated monazite stockpile
by HMI. Due to the lack of progress regarding disposition of the
monazite pile from past operations, the NRC added this site to its Site
Decommissioning Management Plan (SDMP) in 1990. The NRC established and
implemented the SDMP to identify and resolve issues associated with the
timely and effective cleanup of the sites on the list.
HMI ceased active operations in 1990 and maintained an active
license until it expired on December 31, 1995. The licensee submitted a
timely renewal
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request to the NRC on November 9, 1995 for an additional license term,
followed by submittal of a proposed decommissioning plan and schedule
on December 30, 1996, and a Final Status Survey on November 3, 1997.
The NRC requires the licensee to remediate those portions of the HMI
facility licensed by NRC to meet the NRC guidance criteria for release
of facilities for unrestricted use, and to maintain effluents and doses
within NRC requirements and as low as reasonably achievable during
remediation activities.
The decommissioning plan schedule describes time estimates to
complete various elements of the decommissioning process. Included in
the schedule are arrangements to obtain governmental approval to export
materials, obtain agreements with freight handlers and transporters,
complete facility decontamination, and conduct a final NRC survey
followed by license termination. The licensee also intends to remediate
interior areas of the site in accordance with the NRC guidance
criteria. No demolition of site structures was requested, however, the
licensee may determine future use of the buildings and equipment after
license termination. Open land areas within the site where enhanced
natural radioactivity has been detected will not be addressed by this
action. NRC final radiation surveys and inspection will not be
performed and license termination will not be approved until HMI's
decontamination and remediation activities are completed.
Prior to approving the renewal request, NRC will have made findings
required by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, and NRC's
regulations. These findings will be documented in a Safety Evaluation
Report.
The NRC hereby provides notice that this is a proceeding on an
application for renewal of a license falling within the scope of
Subpart L, ``Informal Hearing Procedures for Adjudications in Materials
and Operator Licensing Proceedings,'' of NRC's rules and practice for
domestic licensing proceedings in 10 CFR part 2. 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 of 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 Secretary
at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852-
2738; or
2. By mail or telegram addressed to the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555. Attention: Docketing and
Service Branch.
In addition to meeting other applicable requirements of 10 CFR part
2 of the NRC'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).
In accordance with 10 CFR 2.1205(e), each request for a hearing
must also be served, by delivering it personally or by mail, to:
1. The applicant, Heritage Minerals, Inc., Attention: Anthony J.
Thompson, Esquire, Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge, 2300 N Street NW,
Washington, DC 20037-1128; and
2. The NRC staff, by delivery to the Executive Director for
Operations, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD
20852-2738 or by mail, addressed to the Executive Director for
Operations, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555.
For further details with respect to this action, the application
for amendment request is available for inspection at the NRC's Public
Document Room, 2120 L Street NW., Washington, DC 20555 or at NRC's
Region I offices located at 475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, PA
19406. Persons desiring to review documents at the Region I Office
should call Ms. Sheryl Villar at (610) 337-5239 several days in advance
to assure that the documents will be readily available for review.
Dated at King of Prussia, Pennsylvania this 27th day of February
1998.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
A. Randolph Blough,
Director, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety, Region I.
[FR Doc. 98-6391 Filed 3-11-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P