[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 3, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10331-10332]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5198]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Number 40-8904]


Sohio Western Mining Company's L-Bar Site

AGENCY: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Final finding of no significant impact.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission (NRC) proposes to amend Sohio Western Mining Company's 
(Sohio's) Source Material License SUA-1472, to allow alternate 
concentration limits (ACLs) for ground water hazardous constituents at 
the L-Bar uranium mill site in Cibola County, New Mexico. An 
Environmental Assessment (EA) was performed by the NRC staff in 
accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR Part 51. The conclusion of 
the EA was a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for this 
licensing action.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth R. Hooks, Uranium Recovery 
Branch, Division of Waste Management, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555. Telephone (301) 415-7777.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    By letter of September 24, 1998, Sohio requested that Source 
Material License SUA-1472 be amended to allow ACLs for ground water 
constituents selenium and uranium at the L-Bar site. On October 26 and 
November 25, 1998, Sohio provided additional information that was 
requested by NRC staff. Based on its evaluations of the information 
provided, NRC staff has concluded that the ACLs proposed by Sohio are 
acceptable. In order to terminate the existing ground water corrective 
action program (CAP), the licensee must meet 10 CFR Part 40, Appendix 
A, Criterion 5B(5), which requires that, at the point of compliance 
(POC), the concentration of a hazardous constituent must not exceed the 
established background concentration of that constituent, the maximum 
concentration limits (MCLs) given in Table 5C of Appendix A, or an 
alternate concentration limit established by NRC.

Summary of the Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is an amendment to SUA-1472 to allow the 
application of ACLs for ground water hazardous constituents selenium 
and uranium, at the Sohio Western Mining Company's L-Bar uranium mill 
tailings site, as provided in 10 CFR Part 40, Appendix A, Criterion 
5B(5). NRC staff's review was conducted in accordance with the ``Staff 
Technical Position, Alternate Concentration Limits for Title II Uranium 
Mills,'' dated January 1996.
    Based on its evaluation of Sohio's amendment request, NRC staff has 
concluded that granting Sohio the request for ACLs will not result in 
significant impacts. The staff decision was based on information 
provided by Sohio, demonstrating that its proposed ACLs would not pose 
a substantial present or potential future hazard to human health and 
the environment, and are as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA). A 
review of alternatives to the requested action indicates that 
implementation of alternate methods would result in little net 
reduction of ground water constituent concentrations.

Conclusion

    NRC staff concludes that approval of Sohio's amendment request to 
allow ACLs for ground water hazardous constituents will not cause 
significant health or environmental impacts. The following statements 
summarize the conclusions resulting from the EA:
    1. Currently, all concentrations with the exception of uranium and 
selenium in a few POC wells will meet the established ground-water 
background values for the site at the POC wells.
    2. Due to the attenuation capability of the formations through 
which the acidic ground-water plume will move, the residual amounts of 
uranium and selenium will be reduced to background levels that will not 
pose any greater health risk than that assigned to the maximum 
concentration limits for ground-water protection.
    3. The POCs are located along the site boundary of the restricted 
area that will be maintained by the long-term care custodian (most 
likely the U.S. Department of Energy) following termination of Sohio's 
license for the L-Bar site.
    4. Ground water use from the First Tres Hermanos Sandstone and 
Mancos

[[Page 10332]]

Shale is unlikely because of the low volume available in these units, 
and the already poor background water quality. Ground water used in the 
area is taken from deeper aquifers with better quality water and 
higher, sustainable well yields.
    5. Additional corrective actions will have little effect on 
dewatering of the tailings or removal of contaminants and, therefore, 
will have little impact on the ground-water quality.

Because the staff has determined that there will be no significant 
impacts associated with approval of the amendment request, there can be 
no disproportionately high and adverse effects or impacts on minority 
and low-income populations. Except in special cases, these impacts need 
not be addressed for EAs in which a FONSI is made. Special cases may 
include regulatory actions that have substantial public interest, 
decommissioning cases involving onsite disposal in accordance with 10 
CFR 20.2002, decommissioning/decontamination cases which allow residual 
radioactivity in excess of release criteria, or cases where 
environmental justice issues have been previously raised. Consequently, 
further evaluation of environmental justice concerns, as outlined in 
NRC's Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards Policy and 
Procedures Letter 1-50, Rev.1, is not warranted.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    Since the licensee has demonstrated that the proposed ACL values 
will not pose substantial present or potential hazards to human health 
and the environment, and that the proposed ACLs are ALARA, considering 
practicable corrective actions, establishing other standards more 
stringent than the proposed ACLS was not evaluated. Furthermore, since 
NRC staff has concluded that there are no significant environmental 
impacts associated with the proposed action, any alternatives with 
equal or greater environmental impacts need not be evaluated. The 
principal alternative to the proposed action would be to deny the 
requested action. The licensee evaluated various alternatives, 
including continuation of the CAP, and demonstrated that those 
alternatives would result in little net reduction of constituent 
concentrations. Because the environmental impacts of the proposed 
action and the no-action alternative are similar, there is no need to 
further evaluate alternatives to the proposed action.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    NRC staff has prepared an EA for this action. On the basis of this 
assessment, NRC staff has concluded that the environmental impacts that 
may result from this action would not be significant, and therefore, 
preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement is not warranted.
    The EA and other documents related to this action are being made 
available for public inspection at NRC's Public Document Room at 2120 L 
Street, NW (Lower Level), Washington, DC 20555.
    NRC hereby provides notice of an opportunity for a hearing on the 
license amendment under the provisions of 10 CFR Part 2, Subpart L, 
``Informal Hearing Procedures for Adjudications in Materials and 
Operator Licensing Proceedings.'' 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 
hearing must be filed within 30 days of the publication of this notice 
in the Federal Register. 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 Office 
of the Secretary at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, 
Rockville, MD 20852; or
    (2) By mail or telegram addressed to the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, Attention: Docketing and 
Service Branch.
    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, Kennecott Energy Company (on behalf of Sohio 
Western Mining Company), 505 South Gillette Avenue, Gillette, Wyoming 
82717-3009, Attention: John Trummel; and
    (2) NRC staff, by delivery to the Executive Director for 
Operations, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 
20852, or by mail addressed to the Executive Director for Operations, 
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555.
    In addition to meeting other applicable requirements of 10 CFR Part 
2 of 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).
    The request must also set forth the specific aspect or aspects of 
the subject matter of the proceeding as to which petitioner wishes a 
hearing.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 25th day of February, 1999.
    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
N. King Stablein,
Acting Chief, Uranium Recovery Branch, Division of Waste Management, 
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 99-5198 Filed 3-2-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P