[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 183 (Monday, September 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55068-55070]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24091]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 030-06583]
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. 45-09347-01 Commonwealth of
Virginia; Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services
I. Summary
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
terminating Byproduct Material License No. 45-09347-01 to authorize the
release of the licensee's facilities in Richmond, 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
Commonwealth of Virginia, Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services
facility in Richmond, Virginia. The Commonwealth of Virginia was
authorized by the NRC from June 7, 1972, until the present to use
Nickel 63 and Hydrogen 3 in gas chromatographs for sample analysis. In
1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999, routine leak tests disclosed minor
contamination of Nickel 63 chromatograph inlets and exits. Each time
the device was removed from service and returned to the manufacturer
for repair. There was no evidence of contamination beyond the device.
In July 2003, the Commonwealth of Virginia ceased operations with
licensed materials at the One North Fourteenth Street location in
Richmond, Virginia, and requested that the NRC amend the license to
remove this place of use. The Commonwealth of Virginia 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 the Commonwealth of Virginia's request and the
results of the surveys, 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
The Commonwealth of Virginia has requested release, for
unrestricted use, of their building located at One North Fourteenth
Street, in Richmond, Virginia, as authorized for use by NRC License No.
45-09347-01. This license was issued on June 13,1963, and later amended
to authorize the Fourteenth Street location as a place of use on June
7, 1972, and amended periodically since that time. NRC-licensed
activities performed at the Fourteenth Street location in Richmond,
Virginia were limited to sample analysis. These activities were
typically performed on bench tops. No outdoor areas were affected by
the use of licensed materials. Licensed activities ceased completely in
July 2003, and the licensee requested release of the facility for
unrestricted
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use. Based on the licensee's historical knowledge of the site and the
condition of the facility, 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 amend NRC Radioactive Materials License
Number 45-09347-01 to release the licensee's facility located at One
Fourteenth Street in Richmond, Virginia, for unrestricted use. By
letters dated July 1, 2003 and August 6, 2003, the Commonwealth of
Virginia provided survey results which demonstrate that the Fourteenth
Street location in Richmond, Virginia 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.
Need for the Proposed Action
The purpose of the proposed action is to verify that residual
radioactivity at the licensee's One Fourteenth Street building in
Richmond, Virginia, permits release of the property for unrestricted
use and termination of the license. The need for the proposed action is
to comply with NRC regulations and the Timeliness Rule. The NRC is
fulfilling its responsibilities under the Atomic Energy Act to make a
decision on a proposed license amendment for release of a facility 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 amending the license
to release the Richmond, Virginia 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 further activities with licensed
materials at this location. Maintaining the areas under a license would
reduce options for future use of the property.
The Affected Environment and Environmental Impacts
The Fourteenth Street facility in Richmond, Virginia is a four
story pre-cast stone and concrete building. Work with radioactive
materials was done on work benches located within laboratories in the
building. The building is located within the central office district of
downtown Richmond. This area consists primarily of corporate and
professional offices located in three and four story buildings.
The NRC staff has reviewed the surveys performed by the
Commonwealth of Virginia 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 Commonwealth of Virginia
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 Commonwealth of Virginia facility is in compliance with 10
CFR 201402, ``Radiological Criteria for Unrestricted Use.'' The NRC has
found no other activities in the area that could result in cumulative
impacts.
Additionally, no other non-radiological impacts have been
identified. The Virginia State Historic Preservation Officer was
contacted and responded by letter dated February 24, 2003, with no
objection. Also, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff has
determined that Section 7 consultation under the Endangered Species Act
is not required because the proposed action is administrative/
procedural in nature and will not affect listed species or critical
habitat.
Agencies and Persons Contacted and Sources Used
This EA was prepared entirely by the NRC staff. The Virginia
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Information Services (VFWIS)
was contacted by the licensee and had no objection. The Commonwealth of
Virginia's Department of Historical Resources was contacted and
responded by letter dated February 24, 2003, 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 Commonwealth
of Virginia facility located at One North Fourteenth Street, in
Richmond, 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 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. 45-09347-01 inspection and licensing records.
2. Commonwealth of Virginia Amendment Request Letter from James L.
Pearson, to NRC dated July 1, 2003. (ML031910443)
3. Commonwealth of Virginia Letter from Edwin F. Shaw, Jr. to NRC
dated August 6, 2003. (ML032230412)
4. The Environmental Company, Inc. ``Environmental Impact Report,
Proposed Demolition of DCLS Laboratory & Motor Fuels Testing Laboratory
& Construction of Parking Garage'' dated November 2002.
5. Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations Part 20, Subpart E,
``Radiological Criteria for License Termination.''
6. 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.''
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.
9. Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Historical Resources
``Demolition of DCLS Laboratories and Construction of Parking Garage
Richmond, Virginia DHR File 2002-1618'' To Mr. Chinh T. Vu,
Department of General Services dated February 24, 2003.
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
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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 9th day of September, 2003.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Douglas M. Collins,
Director, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety, Region II.
[FR Doc. 03-24091 Filed 9-18-03; 12:01 pm]
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