[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 188 (Monday, September 29, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56019-56020]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-24475]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 030-29288]


Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact Related to the License Renewal Request of the 
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of 
Radiation Protection, for the Quehanna Site in Karthaus, Pennsylvania

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of availability Environmental Assessment and Finding of 
No Significant Impact.

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[[Page 56020]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Kottan, Project Manager, 
Decommissioning and Laboratory Branch, Division of Nuclear Materials 
Safety, Region I, 475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 
19406, telephone (610) 337-5214, fax (610) 337-5269 and/or e-mail 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Introduction

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering 
amending Byproduct Materials License Number 37-17860-02 issued to the 
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of 
Radiation Protection (PADEP, BRP) to authorize the decommissioning of 
the Quehanna Facility located at 115 Reactor Road, Karthaus, Clearfield 
County, Pennsylvania. In support of this action, the NRC staff has 
prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) in accordance with the 
requirements of 10 CFR part 51.
    In a letter dated February 26, 2003, PADEP, BRP submitted a request 
to renew Byproduct Materials License Number 37-17860-02, including 
submittal of a revised decommissioning plan (DP), to obtain 
authorization to decommission the Quehanna Facility. In subsequent 
letters dated June 4, 2003, and June 18, 2003, PADEP, BRP provided 
responses to an NRC request for additional information regarding the 
DP. The request, currently before the NRC, involves removing the hot 
cell complex and embedded drain lines at the facility and 
decontaminating the remaining portions of the facility to meet the 
unrestricted release criteria.
    Based upon the EA, the NRC has concluded that a Finding of No 
Significant Impact (FONSI) is appropriate.

II. Summary of EA

    An EA has been performed to evaluate the environmental impacts of 
PADEP, BRP's request for NRC's approval for PADEP, and BRP to 
decommission the Quehanna Facility. In accordance with the conditions 
currently described in its license, the licensee has been performing 
remediation of residual radioactivity from internal building equipment 
and components. The radioactive contamination at PADEP, BRP's Karthaus, 
Pennsylvania site consists of building and equipment surfaces 
contaminated with strontium-90 (Sr-90) from licensed operations that 
occurred from the late 1950s until 1967.
    The hot cell complex at this facility will be removed in order to 
expose the basement below for decontamination and embedded and buried 
drain lines will be removed. The remaining structures will be 
decontaminated as necessary to meet the unrestricted release criteria, 
and left in place. PADEP, BRP plans to use dismantlement and 
deconstruction techniques, such as cutting and drilling in taking the 
hot cells down. Coring and drilling equipment, back hoes, and mobile 
cranes will be used to remove/dismantle and to size reduce concrete or 
concrete masonry unit (CMU) structures. Steel reinforcement bars will 
be torch-cut, sheared, or saw-cut as required for dismantlement, 
leveling, or size reduction purposes. Radioactive waste generated as a 
result of decommissioning activities will be transported offsite by 
truck for disposal. PADEP, BRP estimates that approximately 300 cubic 
yards of radioactive waste will leave the site over the duration of the 
decommissioning project. The duration of the proposed action will be 
approximately 1.5 years.
    The licensee's February 26, 2003, license renewal request was 
noticed in the Federal Register on August 4, 2003 (68 FR 45859). This 
Federal Register notice also provided an opportunity for a hearing on 
this licensing action.

III. Finding of No Significant Impact

    Pursuant to 10 CFR part 51, NRC has prepared the EA, summarized 
above. On the basis of the EA, the NRC has concluded that this 
licensing action would not have any significant effect on the quality 
of the human environment, and, therefore, an environmental impact 
statement is not required. NRC believes that the approval of the 
license renewal will not cause any significant impacts on the human 
environment and is protective of human health. The NRC staff has 
concluded that exposures to workers will be low and well within the 
limits specified in 10 CFR part 20. Decommissioning activities as 
proposed by the renewal will result in a reduction of radioactive 
material at the PADEP, BRP site in Karthaus, which will reduce the long 
term potential for release of radiological contamination to the 
environment. No radiologically contaminated effluents are expected 
during hot cell dismantlement and deconstruction and decontamination 
activities. No radiation exposure to any member of the public is 
expected, and public exposure will therefore also be less than the 
applicable public exposure limits of 10 CFR part 20.

IV. Further Information

    The EA and the documents related to this proposed action, including 
the application for the license amendment and supporting documentation, 
are available for inspection at NRC's Public Electronic Reading Room at 
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (Accession Number: 
ML030800038). These documents are also available for inspection and 
copying for a fee at the Region I Office, 475 Allendale Road, King of 
Prussia, Pennsylvania, 19406.

    Dated at King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, this 17th day of 
September, 2003.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Ronald R. Bellamy,
Chief, Decommissioning and Laboratory Branch, Division of Nuclear 
Materials Safety, Region I.
[FR Doc. 03-24475 Filed 9-26-03; 8:45 am]
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