[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 3, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52430-52431]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-22396]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 030-33819]


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. 55-14065-03; Unitime 
Industries, Inc.

I. Summary

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
terminating Byproduct Material License No. 55-14065-03 to authorize the 
release of the licensee's facilities in Christiansted, St. Croix 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 Unitime 
facility in Christiansted, St. Croix. Unitime Industries was authorized 
by the NRC from March 23, 1995, until the present to use manufactured 
watch dials and hands containing luminous paint activated with tritium 
for the manufacture and repair of timepieces. In November 2001, Unitime 
Industries ceased operations with licensed materials at the 
Christiansted, St. Croix site, and requested that the NRC terminate the 
license. Unitime Industries 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 Unitime'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 FONSI on human health and the environment for the proposed 
licensing action.

II. Environmental Assessment

Introduction

    Unitime Industries has requested release, for unrestricted use, of 
their building located at Parcel 1C, Estate Diamond, Plots 8 and 9, in 
Christiansted, St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands, as authorized for use 
by NRC License No. 55-14065-03. License No. 55-14065-03 was issued on 
March 23, 1995, and amended periodically since that time. NRC-licensed 
activities performed at the Christiansted, St. Croix site were limited 
to the service and repair of returned timepieces the incorporation of 
timepiece self-luminous parts into timepieces. These activities were 
typically performed on bench tops. No outdoor areas were affected by 
the use of licensed materials. Licensed activities ceased completely in 
November 2001, 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 Number 55-14065-03 and release the licensee's facilities in 
Christiansted, St. Croix, for unrestricted use. By letters dated 
November 30, 2001, February 11, 2002, and July 18, 2003, Unitime 
Industries provided survey results which demonstrate that the 
Christiansted, St. Croix facility is in compliance with the 
radiological criteria for license termination in Subpart E of 10 CFR 
Part 20, ``Radiological Criteria for License Termination.'' No further 
actions will be required on the part of the licensee to remediate the 
facility.

Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action

    The purpose of the proposed action is to release the building 
located at Parcel 1C, Estate Diamond, Plots 8 and 9, in Christiansted, 
St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, for unrestricted use and to terminate 
the Unitime Industries materials license. The need for the proposed 
action is to comply with NRC regulations and the Timeliness Rule. The 
licensee does not plan to perform any activities with licensed 
materials at this location. Maintaining the area under a license would 
reduce options for future use of the property and cause Unitime 
Industries to continue leasing a building for which it has no more use. 
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.

Alternative to the Proposed Action

    The only alternative to the proposed action of terminating the 
license and releasing the Christiansted, St. Croix facility 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 these locations. Maintaining the areas under a 
license would also reduce options for future use of the property.

The Affected Environment and Environmental Impacts

    The Unitime building is a one story block building. Work with 
radioactive materials was done on work benches located within several 
rooms in the building. Watch parts and finished watches were stored in 
a safe. The building is located within an industrial park.
    The NRC staff has reviewed the surveys performed by Unitime 
Industries to demonstrate compliance with the 10 CFR 20.1402 license 
termination criteria and has performed a confirmatory survey. Based on 
its review and the results of the confirmatory survey, the staff has

[[Page 52431]]

determined that the affected environment and environmental impacts 
associated with the decommissioning of the Unitime 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 Unitime 
Industries 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 and responded by letter dated October 
16, 2002, with no opposition to the proposed action. The U.S. Virgin 
Island's Department of Planning and Natural Resources was also 
contacted and responded by letter dated October 18, 2002, with no 
objection.

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 Unitime 
facility located at Parcel 1C, Estate Diamond, Plots 8 and 9, in 
Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, 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 preparation of an environmental impact statement for 
the proposed action is not required.

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. 55-14065-03 inspection and licensing records.
    2. Unitime Industries, Inc. ``Termination of License for Activities 
and Storage'' Letter from E. Rebmann and B. Buksch to NRC dated 
November 30, 2001. (ML022060401)
    3. Unitime Industries, Inc. ``Request for Additional Documents'' 
Letter from E. Rebmann to NRC dated February 11, 2002. (ML020450333)
    4. License amendment request and supporting documentation dated 
July 18, 2003. (ML032030481)
    5. NRC Inspection Report No. 55-14065-03/2003-001, dated March 11, 
2003. (ML030720115)
    6. NRC Inspection Report No. 55-14065-03/2003-001, Supplemental 
Information dated April 8, 2003. (ML031060560)
    7. Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations Part 20, Subpart E, 
``Radiological Criteria for License Termination.''
    8. 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.''
    9. NRC. NUREG-1757 ``Consolidated NMSS Decommissioning Guidance,'' 
Final Report dated September 2002.
    10. 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.
    11. Virgin Islands State Historic Preservation Office. ``Request 
for Comments Regarding Cultural and Historical Resources at Unitime 
Industries, Inc. Parcel 1C, Estate Diamond, Plots 8 and (, 
Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S.V.I.'' Letter from D. E. Plaskett, Esq. 
To NRC dated October 18, 2002. ( ML023080328)
    12. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. ``Request for comments 
regarding endangered wildlife, plant and marine resources at a site in 
U.S. Virgin Islands'' Letter from C. A. Diaz to NRC dated October 16, 
2002. (ML022950399)

III. Finding of No Significant Impact

    Based upon the EA, 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, MD 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.html. 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. Telephone 404-562-4739.

    Dated at Atlanta, Georgia, the 15th day of August, 2003.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Douglas M. Collins,
Director, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety, Region II.
[FR Doc. 03-22396 Filed 9-2-03; 8:45 am]
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