[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 160 (Thursday, August 19, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45290-45291]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-21531]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 40-7580]


Finding of No Significant Impact for Proposed Decommissioning 
Activity at the Fansteel Facility in Muskogee, OK

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering an 
amendment to Source Material License No. SMB-911 for approval of a 
decommissioning plan to remediate for unrestricted use under the Site 
Decommissioning Management Plan (SDMP) Action Plan (57 FR 13389) of the 
Eastern Property Area of the Fansteel, Inc., (Fansteel) facility in 
Muskogee, Oklahoma. This area covers approximately 56.6 acres of the 
site and is defined in Revised Figure 3 of Fansteel's submittal dated 
July 16, 1999.

[[Page 45291]]

Summary of the Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is approval of a decommissioning plan to 
remediate the Eastern Property Area, approximately 56.6 acres, of the 
Fansteel site for unrestricted use under the SDMP Action Plan. 
Currently, Fansteel is in active operation to reprocess onsite waste 
residues from previous metal extraction operations to recover tantalum, 
niobium, scandium, and other rare earth elements for commercial use. 
These residues contain natural uranium and thorium in sufficient 
quantities to be classified as a source material by the NRC. 
Reprocessing operations take place on the Eastern Property Area of the 
site and are expected to continue for approximately 11 years. Initial 
decommissioning activities involving waste reduction, soil remediation, 
and groundwater treatment are scheduled to take place concurrently with 
operations. Final decommissioning activities are proposed to take place 
after 11 years, or after reprocessing operations have ceased. The 
entire decommissioning process is estimated to be a 13 year project.

Need for the Proposed Action

    Fansteel requests the proposed action to remove radioactive 
contamination from areas of land, groundwater, buildings, and equipment 
located on the Eastern Property Area of Fansteel's facility in 
Muskogee, Oklahoma.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The 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 occur during the various decommissioning activities such as 
excavation of soils, dismantlement of buildings, waste management, and 
transportation of wastes. The release of radioactive materials in air 
and water effluents will be within the regulatory limits set forth in 
10 CFR Part 20, Appendix B.
    The non-radiological impacts resulting from the proposed action are 
not expected to be significant. Land use, air quality, surface water 
quality, and groundwater quality are expected to be improved. 
Industrial safety will be maintained under the existing safety program 
for operations. Ambient noise and traffic around the site will not 
increase substantially over that present for operations. No known 
threatened or endangered plants or animals are known to occur at the 
Fansteel site. There will be no disproportionally high or adverse 
effects or impacts on minority or low-income populations.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    There are two alternatives to the proposed Action:
    1. No action and continued surveillance and maintenance of the 
contaminated soil, groundwater, and facilities; and
    2. Decommissioning under the radiological dose criteria of the new 
License Termination Rule (Subpart E to 10 CFR Part 20).
    The first alternative is inconsistent with NRC's requirements for 
timely decommissioning as described in 10 CFR 40.42(h)(1). Fansteel has 
requested an exemption from the second alternative as is permitted by 
the general provisions of 10 CFR 20.1401(b)(3).

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (OKDEQ) and the 
Office of the Attorney General (OAG) of the State of Oklahoma were 
consulted concerning this proposed action.

Conclusion

    The NRC has determined that the proposed decommissioning plan will 
not result in significant impact to human health or the environment.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    The Commission has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) 
related to the amendment of Source Material License SMB-911. On the 
basis of the EA, the Commission has concluded that environmental 
impacts associated with the proposed action would not be significant 
and do not warrant the preparation of an Environmental Impact 
Statement. Accordingly, it has been determined that a Finding of No 
Significant Impact is appropriate.
    The EA and other documents related to this proposed action are 
available for public inspection and copying at the Commission's Public 
Document Room at the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street NW, Washington, DC 
20555. Questions should be referred to the NRC's Project Manager for 
Fansteel, Michael E. Adjodha, at 301-415-8147 or by electronic mail at 
[email protected].

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 12th day of August 1999.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Theodore S. Sherr,
Chief, Licensing and International Safeguards Branch, Division of Fuel 
Cycle Safety and Safeguards, NMSS.
[FR Doc. 99-21531 Filed 8-18-99; 8:45 am]
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