[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 139 (Monday, July 21, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43236-43237]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-18410]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 030-35160]


Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact 
Related to Issuance of a License Amendment of U. S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission Byproduct Material License No. 45-25483-01; Richemont North 
America, Inc.

I. Summary

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
terminating Byproduct Material License No. 45-25483-01 to authorize the 
release of the licensee's facilities in Winchester, Virginia, for 
unrestricted use and has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) and 
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) in support of this action.
    The NRC has reviewed the results of the final survey of the 
Richemont North America facility in Winchester, Virginia. Richemont 
North America was authorized by the NRC from August 31, 1999, until the 
present to use manufactured watch dials and hands containing luminous 
paint activated with tritium for the manufacture and repair of 
timepieces. In 2002, Richemont North America ceased operations with 
licensed materials at the Winchester, Virginia site, and requested that 
the NRC terminate the license. Richemont North America has conducted 
surveys of the facility and determined that the facility meets the 
license termination criteria in Subpart E of 10 CFR part 20. The NRC 
staff has evaluated Richemont North America's request and the results 
of the surveys, performed a confirmatory survey, and has developed an 
EA in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR part 51. Based on the 
staff evaluation, the conclusion of the EA is a Finding of No 
Significant Impact on human health and the environment for the proposed 
licensing action.

II. Environmental Assessment

Introduction

    Richemont North America has requested release, for unrestricted 
use, of their building located at 202 North Loudoun Street, in 
Winchester, Virginia, as authorized for use by NRC License No. 45-
25483-01. License No. 45-25483-01 was issued on August 31, 1999, and 
amended periodically since that time. NRC-licensed activities performed 
at the Winchester, Virginia site were limited to the repair, service 
and repair of returned timepieces and the receipt and application of 
timepiece self-luminous parts typically performed on bench tops. No 
outdoor areas were affected by the use of licensed materials. Licensed 
activities ceased completely in June 2002 and the licensee requested 
release of the facilities for unrestricted use. Based on the licensee's 
historical knowledge of the site and the condition of the facilities, 
the licensee determined that only routine decontamination activities, 
in accordance with licensee radiation safety procedures, were required. 
The licensee surveyed the facility and provided documentation that the 
facility meets the license termination criteria specified in subpart E 
of 10 CFR part 20, ``Radiological Criteria for License Termination.''

The Proposed Action

    The proposed action is to terminate NRC Radioactive Materials 
License No. 45-25483-01 and release the licensee's facilities at 202 
North Loudoun Street in Winchester, Virginia, for unrestricted use. By 
letter dated September 30, 2002, Richemont North America provided 
survey results which demonstrate that the Winchester, Virginia facility 
is in compliance with the radiological criteria for license termination 
in subpart E of 10 CFR part 20, ``Radiological Criteria for License 
Termination.''

Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action

    The purpose of the proposed action is to release the building 
located at the 202 North Loudoun Street in Winchester, Virginia, for 
unrestricted use and to terminate the Richemont North America materials 
license. This will allow Richemont North America to stop leasing the 
building. The need for the proposed action is to comply with NRC 
regulations and the Timeliness Rule. NRC is fulfilling its 
responsibilities under the Atomic Energy Act to make a decision on a 
proposed license amendment for release of facilities for unrestricted 
use that ensures protection of the public health and safety and 
environment.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    The only alternative to the proposed action of terminating the 
license and releasing the Winchester, Virginia facility for 
unrestricted use is no action. The no-action alternative is not 
acceptable because it will result in violation of NRC's Timeliness Rule 
(10 CFR 30.36), which requires licensees to decommission their 
facilities when licensed activities cease. The licensee does not plan 
to perform any activities with licensed materials at this location. 
Maintaining the areas under a license would also reduce options for 
future use of the property and require Richemont North America to 
continue leasing office space for which it has no use.

The Affected Environment and Environmental Impacts

    Richemont North America leased office space in a Wachovia Bank 
building in downtown Winchester, Virginia. The building was of brick 
construction, the offices encompassed the second floor. The building is 
surrounded by other small business buildings.
    The NRC staff has reviewed the surveys performed by Richemont North 
America to demonstrate compliance with the 10 CFR 20.1402 license 
termination criteria. Based on its review, the staff has determined 
that the affected environment and environmental impacts associated with 
the decommissioning of the Richemont North America facility are bounded 
by the impacts evaluated by the ``Generic Environmental Impact 
Statement in Support of Rulemaking on Radiological Criteria for License 
Termination of NRC-Licensed Facilities'' (NUREG-1496). The staff also 
finds that the proposed release for unrestricted use of the Richemont 
North America facility is in compliance with 10 CFR 20.1402, 
``Radiological Criteria for Unrestricted Use''. The NRC has found no 
other activities in the area that could result in cumulative impacts.

Agencies and Persons Contacted and Sources Used

    This EA was prepared entirely by the NRC staff. The U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service was contacted for comment and responded by letter 
dated January 16, 2003, with no opposition to the action. The Virginia 
Department of Historic Resources was also contacted and had no comment.

Conclusion

    Based on its review, the NRC staff has concluded that the proposed 
action complies with 10 CFR part 20. NRC has prepared this EA in 
support of the proposed license termination to release the Richemont 
North America facility located at 202 North Loudoun Street in 
Winchester, Virginia, for unrestricted use. On the basis of the EA, NRC 
has concluded that the environmental impacts from the proposed action 
are not expected to be significant and has determined that the 
preparation of an environmental impact statement for the proposed 
action is not required.

[[Page 43237]]

List of Preparers

    Orysia Masnyk Bailey, Materials Licensing/Inspection Branch 1, 
Division of Nuclear Materials Safety, Health Physicist.

List of References

    1. NRC License No. 45-25483-01 inspection and licensing records.
    2. Richemont. ``Request to terminate license'' Letter from J. 
Brown to NRC dated September 30, 2003. (ML020870095)
    3. Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations part 20, subpart E, 
``Radiological Criteria for License Termination.''
    4. Federal Register notice, Volume 65, No. 114, page 37186, 
dated Tuesday, June 13, 2000, ``Use of Screening Values to 
Demonstrate Compliance With The Federal Rule on Radiological 
Criteria for License Termination.''
    5. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. ``Richemont North America, 
Inc. Termination of Byproduct Materials License, 2806, 
Frederick County, Virginia,'' Letter from K. Mayne to NRC dated 
January 16, 2003.
    6. NRC. NRC Inspection Report No. 45-25483-01/02-01, dated 
November 26, 2002. (ML023300524)
    7. NRC. NUREG-1757 ``Consolidated NMSS Decommissioning 
Guidance,'' Final Report dated September 2002.
    8. NRC. NUREG-1496 ``Generic Environmental Impact Statement in 
Support of Rulemaking on Radiological Criteria for License 
Termination of NRC-Licensed Nuclear Facilities,'' Final Report dated 
July 1997.

III. Finding of No Significant Impact

    Based upon the environmental assessment, the staff concludes that 
the proposed action will not have a significant impact on the quality 
of the human environment. Accordingly, the staff has determined that 
preparation of an environmental impact statement is not warranted.

IV. Further Information

    The references listed above are available for public inspection and 
may also be copied for a fee at the NRC's Public Document Room, located 
at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 
20852. These documents are also available for public review through 
ADAMS, the NRC's electronic reading room, at: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.htlm.
    Any questions with respect to this action should be referred to 
Orysia Masnyk Bailey, Materials Licensing/Inspection Branch 1, Division 
of Nuclear Materials Safety, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Region 
II, Suite 23T85, 61 Forsyth Street, SW., Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8931. 
Telephone 404-562-4739.

    Dated at Atlanta, Georgia the 7th day of July, 2003.

    For the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Douglas M. Collins,
Director, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety, Region II.
[FR Doc. 03-18410 Filed 7-18-03; 8:45 am]
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