[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 104 (Tuesday, May 30, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34507-34508]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-13452]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 040-08868]


Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact and 
Notice of Opportunity for a Hearing

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact 
and Notice of Opportunity for a Hearing for disposal pursuant to 10 CFR 
20.2002.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering the 
license amendment request for disposal pursuant to 10 CFR 20.2002 of 
solid residual material containing up to 25 picocuries of thorium-232 
and progeny per gram of filtercake from II-VI, Incorporated, to an 
industrial landfill. II-VI, Incorporated, is authorized to perform 
activities with source material pursuant to License STA-1455. The 
licensee and the NRC performed dose assessments of the disposal of this 
material in this manner, and determined that such disposal, with the 
restriction that not more than two effective containers per month be 
disposed of in this manner, would result in doses of less than 25 
millirem per year.

Introduction

    II-VI, Incorporated (II-VI), is a specialty manufacturer whose 
products include optical components for the laser industry, some of 
which contain thorium. They are authorized to perform manufacturing 
activities with source material pursuant to License STA-1455. 
Filtration of liquid effluents to remove metals prior to release to the 
sanitary sewerage system results in collection of small quantities of 
thorium in the solid residual material (filtercake). The licensee 
generates 10 or fewer containers of filtercake each year. Each 
container holds approximately 23.9 cubic meters of material having a 
mass of approximately 36,000 kilograms, which is defined as an 
``effective container'' for the purpose of dose assessment. The 
material typically contains less than 25 picocuries of thorium-232 and 
progeny per gram of filtercake (25 pCi/g Th-232). The licensee 
requested disposal of this material pursuant to 10 CFR 20.2002 to an 
industrial landfill, and provided a dose analysis to justify their 
proposed limit of 25 pCi/g. The licensee and the NRC performed dose 
assessments of the disposal of this material in this manner, and 
determined that such disposal would result in doses of less than 25 
millirem per year to members of the public so long as not more than two 
effective containers per month would be disposed of in this manner.

Proposed Action

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering the request 
for disposal pursuant to 10 CFR 20.2002 to an industrial landfill, of 
not more than two effective containers per month of solid residual 
material (filtercake) containing up to 25 picocuries of thorium-232 and 
progeny per gram of filtercake from II-VI, Incorporated.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    Filtration of liquid effluents is required by other regulatory 
agencies to remove metals from the liquid effluent prior to release to 
a public sanitary sewerage system, and small amounts of thorium are 
retained in the filtercake. The licensee needs this amendment to the 
license in order to have a cost-effective method of disposal of the

[[Page 34508]]

filtercake containing metals. Prior to filtering of the liquid 
effluents, thorium in this waste stream was released to a public 
sanitary sewerage system in accordance with 10 CFR 20.2003 regulatory 
limits. A restriction is required, that not more than two effective 
containers be disposed of each month, in order to ensure that such 
disposals do not exceed the criterion of 25 millirem per year (25 mrem/
y) to a member of the public.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    The staff considered results of analyses using a generic model for 
unrestricted release of the material. The staff concluded that disposal 
pursuant to 10 CFR 20.2002 of this material without restrictions would 
meet the 25 mrem/y criterion only if the filtercake did not exceed 4.1 
pCi/g Th-232.
    The staff considered results of analyses to determine if site-
specific data, such as regional meteorological and subsurface 
information, would be likely to change the dose assessment results 
significantly. The staff concluded that annual doses would be less than 
those resulting from assessments using the generic model, but the 
annual doses still would be in excess of the 25 mrem/y criterion if the 
filtercake contained up to 25 pCi/g Th-232.
    The staff considered results of analyses using a model that assumed 
the landfill would not be used for any future activities, as could 
occur if deed restrictions were in place that prevented exhumation of 
the landfill. The staff concluded that doses would meet the 25 mrem/y 
criterion but that such deed restrictions are unlikely at this time.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The activities that NRC staff will authorize, pursuant to 10 CFR 
20.2002, through the issuance of an amendment to License No. STA-1455 
is expected to have an insignificant impact on the environment. The 
disposal of the filtercake containing up to 25 pCi/g Th-232, restricted 
so that no more than two effective containers of filtercake are 
disposed of per month to an industrial landfill, would not exceed the 
criterion of 25 mrem/y to a member of the public.

Conclusion

    The environmental impacts from the proposed action are 
insignificant.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    The Commission has prepared an Environmental Assessment related to 
the proposed disposal pursuant to 10 CFR 20.2002 of filtercake 
containing up to 25 pCi/g thorium-232 and progeny from II-VI. On the 
basis of the Environmental Assessment, the Commission has concluded 
that this licensing action would not significantly affect the 
environment and does not warrant the preparation of an environmental 
impact statement. Accordingly, it has determined that a Finding of No 
Significant Impact is appropriate.
    The above 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.

Opportunity for a Hearing

    The NRC hereby provides notice that this is a proceeding on an 
application for a license amendment falling within the scope of Subpart 
L, Informal Hearing Procedures for Adjudications in Materials Licensing 
Proceedings, of NRC's rules and practice for domestic licensing 
proceedings in 10 CFR Part 2. Pursuant to 10 CFR 2.1205(a), any person 
whose interest may be affected by this proceeding may file a request 
for a hearing in accordance with 10 CFR 2.1205(c). A request for a 
hearing must be filed within thirty (30) days of the date of 
publication of the 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 Office 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 the 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 10 CFR 
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 10 CFR 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, II-VI Incorporated, 375 Saxonburg Boulevard, 
Saxonburg, PA 16056, Attention: Mr. John Lebrecque, and
    2. The 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.
    For further details with respect to this action, the application 
for amendment request is available for inspection at the Commission's 
Public Document Room, 2120 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20555.

    Dated at King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, this 16th day of May, 
2000.

    For The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Francis M. Costello,
Deputy Director, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety, Region 1.
[FR Doc. 00-13452 Filed 5-26-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P