[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 131 (Tuesday, July 9, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45554-45555]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-17119]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 030-36000]


Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for 
a New Byproduct Material License Requested by the U.S. Army 
Contaminated Equipment Retrograde Team Field Service Facility, Rock 
Island Arsenal, Rock Island, IL; Notice of Availability

Environmental Assessment Summary

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering issuing a new 
Byproduct Material License Number 12-00722-15 to the Department of the 
Army to authorize the collection of unwanted Army commodities 
containing radiological sources, and preparation of these sources for 
shipment and proper disposal using the Army Contaminated Equipment 
Retrograde Team Field Services Facility (ACERTSF) located in Rock 
Island, Illinois.
    This Environmental Assessment (EA) reviewed the potential 
environmental impacts associated with the proposed activities outlined 
in the Department of the Army's April 10, 2002, license application. 
The EA considered the licensee's proposed radiation protection program, 
and the types, quantities, the physical forms of the radioactive 
materials to be received, processed, stored and shipped by the Army at 
its proposed location. The EA included evaluation of the building, 
adjoining grounds, security, fire protection, and engineering controls 
used to ensure the safe use of licensed materials.

Proposed Action

    The ACERTSF proposes to receive unwanted DoD commodities containing 
radiological sources, consolidate the sources into U.S. Department of 
Transportation (DOT) approved shipping containers, and ship the 
consolidated sources to an NRC approved disposal facility, or to 
another authorized NRC or Agreement State licensee for reuse.
    The Service Facility will process radioactive sealed sources or 
commodities containing radioactive material in solid, non-dispersible 
form. The consolidation process will not involve any physical or 
chemical work which could damage or change the integrity of the 
radioactive sealed sources. If a commodity is determined to be damaged 
upon receipt with the potential for leakage of the radioactive sealed 
source, it will be repackaged appropriately, without any processing, 
and sent to an appropriate waste disposal facility.
    The isotopes to be received will include americium-241, carbon-14, 
cesium-137, lead-210, nickel-63, promethium-147, cobalt-60, strontium-
90, thorium (natural and alloyed with magnesium), uranium (depleted), 
special nuclear material (check sources only) and sealed sources in 
gaseous form i.e. hydrogen 3 and krypton 85. The radioactive sealed 
sources have been evaluated and registered with the NRC pursuant to 10 
CFR Part 32, Sec. 32.210, Registration of product information. 
Additionally, ACERTSF management has established maximum possession 
limits for each isotope, such that an Emergency Plan pursuant to 10 CFR 
Part 30, Sec. 30.72 Schedule C--Quantities of radioactive materials 
requiring consideration of the need for an emergency plan for 
responding to a release, is not required. The Army also does not intend 
to store radioactive material for long periods of time. The Army has 
committed to make shipments of material after repackaging, 
approximately every 180 days.

Need for Proposed Action

    The Army request will:
     Reduce personnel and transportation costs associated with 
the retrieval of the sealed sources, from temporary job-sites 
throughout the U.S. or U.S. military bases in other countries;
     Reduce the disposal cost, since the use of each DOT 
shipping container can be maximized by filling each container to 
capacity rather than putting one device/sealed source in it for 
disposal;
     Conserve limited land disposal resources;
     Ensure that the personnel retrieving the sealed sources 
and devices are specifically authorized to perform these activities, 
and that they have the most current and highest level of radiological 
training;
     Ensure that processing of the radioactive materials will 
be done in a specially designed facility, rather than at temporary job-
sites and foreign US military bases; and
     Reduce the turn around time for receipt of reports of leak 
tests performed on radioactive sources, to verify their acceptability 
for receipt or transfer.

[[Page 45555]]

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    NRC staff reviewed the proposed consolidation and recycle 
activities, the licensed radiation protection program, and the 
potential for release of radioactive materials from the Service 
Facility. The work practices and safety criteria are specified in the 
Army's application so that operational activities will meet the 10 CFR 
Part 20 radiation protection requirements. Worker and public doses will 
be limited so that exposures will not exceed Part 20 requirements and 
are as low as reasonably achievable.
    The EA also addressed other Non-radiological impacts, such as 
transportation, air quality, noise, environmental justice, and 
endangered species.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    The alternatives, and the associated impacts and conclusions, are 
discussed in the EA. These included: no action; contracting with 
private vendors; and, the proposed action.

Conclusions

    Based on the NRC staff evaluation of the licensee's April 10, 2002 
license application, for the Rock Island Arsenal facility, as 
documented in the EA, the staff has determined that the proposed 
activities can be accomplished in compliance with NRC's public and 
occupational dose limits, effluent release limits, and residual 
radioactive material limits. In addition, the issuance of the license 
will not result in a significant adverse impact on the public health 
and safety or the environment.

Agencies and Individuals Contacted

    NRC staff consulted with the Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    Based upon the analysis documented in the EA, the Commission 
concludes that the proposed action will not have a significant impact 
on the quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the Commission 
has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the 
proposed action.
    The NRC Notice of Opportunity for a Hearing will consider all 
written comments received before July 31, 2002. Comments received after 
July 31, 2002, may be considered if time permits. Comments should be 
addressed to the contact listed below.

ADDRESSES: The document U.S. Army Contaminated Equipment Retrograde 
Team Field Service Facility, Rock Island, Illinois, Environmental 
Assessment, Finding of No Significant Impact, is available for 
inspection and copying for a fee at the Commission's Public Document 
Room, U.S. NRC, Region III, 801 Warrenville Road, Lisle, Illinois 
60532.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The EA is available for review at NRC's 
Electronic Reading Room, on the NRC's Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. The accession [file] number for this document is 
ML021790380. The NRC Project Manager for this action is Mr. George 
McCann. Mr. McCann can be reached at (630) 829-9856 at the following 
address: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 801 Warrenville Rd., 
Lisle, Illinois 60532-4351.

    Dated at Lisle, Illinois this 28th day of June, 2002.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Bruce L. Jorgensen,
Chief, Decommissioning Branch, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety, 
RIII.
[FR Doc. 02-17119 Filed 7-8-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P