[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