[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 222 (Wednesday, November 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64132-64134]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-30867]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Supplemental Information on the Implementation of the Final Rule 
on Radiological Criteria for License Termination

SUMMARY: This notice provides supplemental information regarding 
implementation of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's) Final 
Rule on Radiological Criteria for License Termination (License 
Termination Rule, LTR) which was issued on July 21, 1997 (62 FR 39058). 
The information provided in this notice pertains to: (1) The end of the 
``grandfathering period'' on August 20, 1998; (2) issuance of the draft 
regulatory guide on the LTR for interim use; (3) availability of the 
NRC's screening computer code (DandD, Version 1) for calculating 
screening values to demonstrate compliance with the dose limits in the 
LTR; (4) screening values for building surface contamination for beta/
gamma radiation emitters; (5) NRC plans to hold public workshops to 
discuss issues related to the draft guidance and implementation of the 
LTR; (6) staff plans to develop a standard review plan (SRP) for 
decommissioning; and (7) status of NRC decommissioning guidance 
documents.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. End of the Grandfathering Period

    Subpart E to 10 CFR Part 20 contains a provision, 20.1401(b)(3), 
that the criteria in the LTR do not apply to sites that submit a 
sufficient decommissioning plan (DP) or license termination plan (LTP) 
before August 20, 1998, provided the NRC approves the DP or the LTP 
before August 20, 1999, and the plan is in accordance with the criteria 
identified in the Site Decommissioning Management Plan (SDMP) Action 
Plan (57 FR 13389; April 16, 1992). The period from the effective date 
of the LTR, August 20, 1997 through August 20, 1998, is referred to as 
the ``grandfathering period,'' during which the criteria in the SDMP 
Action Plan could continue to be proposed. This notice reminds 
licensees that the grandfathering period has ended, and that all future 
requests to terminate a license must be in accordance with the 
provisions in Part 20, Subpart E. Note that the NRC review of the 
licensee plans submitted in accordance with 10 CFR 20.1401(b)(3), 
incorporating the SDMP Action Plan criteria, will continue through 
August 20, 1999.

2. Draft Regulatory Guide

    The NRC has issued Draft Regulatory Guide DG-4006, ``Demonstrating 
Compliance with the Radiological Criteria For License Termination,'' 
for a two-year interim use period (i.e., July 8, 1998 through July 7, 
2000). NRC has also issued draft NUREG reports in support of DG-4006 
(the applicable draft NUREG reports are referenced in DG-4006). A 
notice of availability of the Draft Regulatory Guide was published in 
the Federal Register on August 4, 1998 (63 FR 41604).

3. Availability of NRC DandD Screening Code

    On August 20, 1998, NRC issued a screening computer code DandD, 
Version 1. The DandD code, when used with default parameters, is an 
acceptable method for licensees to calculate screening values to 
demonstrate compliance with the unrestricted use dose limit in the LTR. 
The DandD code can be installed by downloading the self-extracting 
program file, setup.exe, accessed through the web site: ``http:/
techconf.llnl.gov/radcri/java.html,'' clicking on ``dose assessment,'' 
and then on ``decontamination and decommissioning software.'' The 
installation instruction file ``readme.txt'' can also be downloaded, 
using the above web site, to help users installing the code. Important 
support documents (e.g., NUREG-1549, ``Decision Methods for Dose 
Assessment to Comply With Radiological Criteria for License 
Termination'' and NUREG/CR-5512, Vol. #3, ``Residual Radioactive

[[Page 64133]]

Contamination From Decommissioning, Parameter Analysis) can also be 
accessed through the above web site. As discussed in DG-4006, use of 
DandD with the default parameters is intended for screening 
calculations only. If screening results indicate that remediation might 
be needed, a site-specific dose assessment is recommended before 
deciding on remedial actions. NRC expects pathway analysis/dose 
assessment codes other than DandD to be more appropriate for some 
conditions. Regulatory Guide DG-4006 contains guidance regarding the 
information required to support the use of other codes and models. In 
the interim period, NRC will review all dose assessment results on a 
case-by-case basis.
    The DandD code, when used with the default parameter set, provides 
a method for calculating screening concentrations for radionuclides in 
soil, and screening levels for surface contamination on building 
surfaces. It should be noted that the screening values, based on DandD, 
differ from the criteria listed in the SDMP Action Plan. In most cases, 
the screening values for beta/gamma emitters are higher than the SDMP 
Action Plan criteria, while the values for alpha emitters are much 
lower.
    During the two-year interim use period for the draft guidance (DG-
4006), NRC plans to continue to refine the screening approach and to 
evaluate the extent of conservatism of the results of the DandD code. 
It may be more appropriate to develop a different screening method or 
approach for alpha emitters. NRC will assess the results of the DandD 
screening method, particularly the low screening values for alpha 
emitters, during the workshops to be held on the LTR guidance 
development. Note that DG-4006 clearly encourages the use of site-
specific dose assessments, whenever needed, and recognizes that the 
screening values will not be appropriate in all cases.

4. Screening Values for Building Surface Contamination

    The staff has developed, as a tool to facilitate the efficient 
implementation of the LTR, a screening table (Table 1) of unrestricted 
release values for building surface contamination of common beta/gamma 
emitting radionuclides. The screening table was derived using the DandD 
screening code, Version 1, and its default input parameters. Table 1 
provides criteria which permit licensees to demonstrate compliance with 
the unrestricted release dose criterion in the LTR. The values in Table 
1 correspond to surface concentrations of radionuclides contamination 
that would be deemed in compliance with the unrestricted use dose limit 
in 10 CFR 20.1402 (i.e., 0.25 mSv/yr, (25 mrem/yr)). The values 
correspond to screening ``derived concentration guidelines'' (DCGL) for 
each specific radionuclide based on the methodology described in DG-
4006. Sites with building surface contamination levels below those 
listed in Table 1 would be deemed acceptable for release for 
unrestricted use in accordance with the dose criteria in 10 CFR 
20.1402, provided that residual radioactivity has been reduced to ``as 
low as reasonably achievable'' (ALARA) levels. The table is intended 
for use as criteria to facilitate license termination for many simple 
routine decommissioning cases without a site-specific dose assessment. 
For facilities with contamination levels above those in Table 1, 
additional site-specific dose assessments may be necessary, and 
licensees should refer to DG-4006 regarding acceptable methods for 
conducting the appropriate dose assessment.
    Table 1 does not include screening values for radionuclides that 
emit alpha particles, or for soil contamination. The NRC staff is 
assessing current screening approaches for sites with alpha emitters 
and for soil contamination. For such sites, licensees are encouraged to 
use, in the interim period, site-specific dose assessments based on 
actual site conditions.

5. Future Public Workshops

    NRC will hold a series of public workshops over the two-year 
interim period to describe the status of the ongoing development of 
both DG-4006 and the SRP, to provide industry and other interested 
parties an opportunity to provide comments, and to discuss users' 
experiences with implementing the guidance. The future dates for the 
workshops are: December 1-2, 1998; January 21-22, 1999; March 18-19, 
1999; June 16-17, 1999; August 18-19, 1999; and October 20-21, 1999. 
All workshops will be conducted in the Auditorium located at NRC's 
Headquarters (Two White Flint North Building, 11545 Rockville Pike, 
Rockville, MD 20852-2738). For further details on workshops, see the 
Federal Register notice published on October 21, 1998 (63 FR 56237).

6. Standard Review Plan

    The NRC staff is developing an SRP for the evaluation of licensee 
submittals related to compliance with the radiological criteria in the 
LTR. The goal of the SRP is to enable NRC staff to evaluate information 
submitted by licensees in a timely, efficient, and consistent manner, 
and to determine if the decommissioning will be conducted such that the 
public health and safety is protected and the facility can be released 
in accordance with NRC's requirements. The development of the SRP will 
be coordinated with the effort to revise and finalize DG-4006. The web 
site ``http://techconf.llnl.gov/cgi-bin/topics'' provides updated 
information on the status of the guidance and the SRP, and a mechanism 
for the public to provide comments on the draft guidance.

7. Status of Decommissioning Guidance Documents

    Guidance material in DG-4006 and the SRP will incorporate or 
supersede most existing NRC decommissioning guidance documents. 
Guidance documents will be revised to be consistent with the LTR, or 
they will be phased out. Table 2 lists the status of existing NRC 
guidance documents affected by the LTR and associated new guidance.
    Under the SDMP Action Plan criteria, the tables of surface 
contamination values contained in Regulatory Guide 1.86, ``Termination 
of Operating Licenses for Nuclear Reactors,'' and Policy and Guidance 
Directive FC 83-23, ``Guidelines for Decontamination of Facilities and 
Equipment Prior to Release for Unrestricted Use or Termination of 
Byproduct, Source, or Special Nuclear Material Licenses,'' were used as 
the decommissioning criteria for building surfaces. The values in Table 
1 are intended to replace the tables in the above two documents for 
license termination purposes.
    The surface contamination criteria in Regulatory Guide 1.86 have 
been applied by reactor licensees for license termination only. 
However, for materials licenses (under 10 CFR Parts 30, 40, and 70), 
the guidelines in Policy and Guidance Directive FC 83-23 have been used 
by licensees for two purposes: (a) As criteria for license termination, 
and (b) as criteria for unrestricted release of equipment and other 
materials during operations. On June 30, 1998, the Commission directed 
the NRC staff to develop a dose-based regulation for clearance of 
equipment and materials having residual radioactivity. The criteria 
that eventually emerge from this rulemaking effort are intended to 
replace the surface contamination values in Policy and Guidance 
Directive FC 83-23. Until that time, licensees may continue to use the 
criteria in Policy and Guidance Directive FC 83-23 for unrestricted

[[Page 64134]]

release of equipment and material, to the extent authorized by their 
licenses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David N. Fauver, Low-Level Waste 
and Decommissioning Projects Branch, at (301) 415-6625, or Dr. Rateb 
(Boby) Abu Eid, Performance Assessment and High-Level Waste Integration 
Branch, at (301) 415-5811, both of the Division of Waste Management, 
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 12th day of November 1998.

    For the 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.

   Table 1--Acceptable License Termination Screening Values of Common   
            Radionuclides for Building Surface Contamination            
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    Acceptable screening
                                                       levels \1\ for   
           Radionuclide                 Symbol      unrestricted release
                                                     (dpm/100 cm\2\) \2\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hydrogen-3 (Tritium)..............  \3\H            1.2E+08             
Carbon-14.........................  \14\C           3.7E+06             
Sodium-22.........................  \22\Na          9.5E+03             
Sulfur-35.........................  \35\S           1.3E+07             
Chlorine-36.......................  \36\Cl          5.0E+05             
Manganese-54......................  \54\Mn          3.2E+04             
Iron-55...........................  \55\Fe          4.5E+06             
Cobalt-60.........................  \60\Co          7.1E+03             
Nickel-63.........................  \63\Ni          1.8E+06             
Strontium-90......................  \90\Sr          8.7E+03             
Technetium-99.....................  \99\Tc          1.3E+06             
Iodine-129........................  \129\I          3.5E+04             
Cesium-137........................  \137\Cs         2.8E+04             
Iridium-192.......................  \192\Ir         7.4E+04             
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Screening levels are based on the assumption that the fraction of   
  removable surface contamination is equal to 0.1. For cases when the   
  fraction of removable contamination is undetermined or higher than    
  0.1, users may assume, for screening purposes, that 100% of surface   
  contamination is removable, and therefore the screening levels should 
  be decreased by a factor of 10. Alternatively, users having site-     
  specific data on the fraction of removable contamination (e.g., within
  the 10% to 100% range) may calculate site-specific screening levels   
  using DandD Version 1.                                                
\2\ Units are disintegrations per minute per 100 square centimeters (dpm/
  100 cm\2\). 1 dpm is equivalent to 0.0167 becquerel (Bq). The         
  screening values represent surface concentrations of individual       
  radionuclides that would be deemed in compliance with the 0.25 mSv/yr 
  (25 mrem/yr) unrestricted release dose limit in 10 CFR 20.1402. For   
  radionuclides in a mixture, the ``sum of fractions'' rule applies; see
  10 CFR Part 20, Appendix B, Note 4. Refer to NRC Draft Guidance DG-   
  4006 for further information on application of the values in this     
  table.                                                                


Table 2--Existing Guidance Documents Applicable to Decommissioning That Will Require Revision or Discontinuation
                            in Order To Implement the License Termination Rule (LTR)                            
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Decommissioning guidance document                            Status with respect to LTR              
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Decommissioning Criteria in Action Plan to Ensure        Superseded by LTR and DG-4006 (Note: Still applicable  
 Timely Cleanup of Site Decommissioning Management Plan   to sites ``grandfathered'' in accordance with 10 CFR  
 Sites (SDMP Action Plan) (57 FR 13389).                  20.1401(b)).                                          
Policy and Guidance Directive FC 83-23, ``Guidelines     Superseded by DG-4006 for License Termination (Note:   
 for the Decontamination of Facilities and Equipment      This document may continue to be used as criteria for 
 Prior to Release for Unrestricted Use or Termination     unrestricted release of equipment and material from   
 of Byproduct, Source, or Special Nuclear Material        licensed material facilities during operational       
 Licenses''.                                              activities prior to license termination, to the extent
                                                          authorized by the licensees).                         
Draft Branch Technical Position on ``Screening           Superseded by LTR and DG-4006.                         
 Methodology for Assessing Prior Land Burials of                                                                
 Radioactive Wastes Authorized Under Former 10 CFR                                                              
 20.304 and 20.302'' (96 FR 28223).                                                                             
``Preliminary Hazards Analysis for Contaminated          Superseded by DG-4006.                                 
 Buildings at Formerly Licensed Sites''.                                                                        
NUREG/BR-0241, ``NMSS Handbook for Decommissioning Fuel  References to decommissioning criteria are superseded  
 Cycle and Materials Licensees''.                         by the LTR and DG-4006. The Handbook will be updated  
                                                          as appropriate to be consistent with the LTR and      
                                                          current guidelines.                                   
Regulatory Guide 1.86, ``Termination of Operating        Superseded by DG-4006                                  
 Licenses for Nuclear Reactors''.                                                                               
Draft NUREG/CR-5849, ``Manual for Conducting             Superseded by DG-4006.                                 
 Radiological Surveys in Support of License                                                                     
 Termination''.                                                                                                 
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[FR Doc. 98-30867 Filed 11-17-98; 8:45 am]
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