[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 199 (Wednesday, October 15, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59420-59421]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-25987]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 40-8905]


Finding of No Significant Impact and Notice of Availability of 
the Environmental Assessment Addressing a License Amendment Request To 
Approve Rio Algom LLC's Plan To Demolish Its Mill at Its Ambrosia Lake 
Uranium Mill Tailings Impoundment Located in Mckinley County, NM

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of availability of an environmental assessment and 
Finding of No Significant Impact.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jill Caverly, Fuel Cycle Facilities 
Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Mail Stop T8-A33, Washington, DC 20555-0001, telephone (301) 415-6699 
and e-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Introduction

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering the 
issuance of an amendment to Rio Algom Mining LLC's (Rio Algom) Source 
Materials License SUA-1473. The proposed action would allow Rio Algom 
to begin demolition of the uranium mill buildings at the Ambrosia Lake 
uranium facility. The proposed action is in accordance with the 
licensee's plan dated December 10, 2002, as revised by additional 
information sent, at the staff's request, on March 27, 2003 and 
September 17, 2003.
    Pursuant to the requirements of 10 CFR part 51, Environmental 
Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory 
Functions, the NRC has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) to 
evaluate the environmental impacts associated with this request. Based 
on this evaluation, the NRC has concluded that a Finding of No 
Significant Impact (FONSI) is appropriate for the proposed licensing 
action.

II. EA Summary

    The EA was prepared to evaluate the environmental impacts 
associated with Rio Algom's plan to demolish the mill at its Ambrosia 
Lake uranium facility. The objectives of the Mill Demolition Plan are 
to: (1) Perform mill demolition activities in a manner that protects 
employee health and safety and the environment; (2) release equipment 
or packages from the restricted area for unrestricted release and do so 
in accordance with NRC decommissing criteria and approved Mill 
Demolition Plan; (3) transfer equipment to another NRC-licensed 
facility in accordance with applicable Federal laws and regulations; 
(4) perform work following established operating procedures; and (5) 
dispose of byproduct material in accordance with the source material 
license.
    The Demolition Plan addresses the removal of surface structures in 
preparation for subsequent implementation of the surface reclamation 
soil cleanup release phase of the overall site decommissioning process. 
The Demolition Plan does not address the soil cleanup criteria that 
would be used as part of license termination and transfer to the site 
long-term custodian.
    Prior to the start of mill demolition, the mill facilities and 
equipment in the immediate area would be washed down to minimize 
potential residual contamination. Any salvageable materials would be 
surveyed and if required, decontaminated until established release 
levels are obtained. Salvageable materials would be placed in a 
designated salvage area. Mill dismantling and washing would occur in 
accordance with NRC approved demolition plan. Contaminated equipment 
would be dismantled/broken up and buried in the approved disposal 
areas. Uncontaminated underground foundation, utilities and pipelines 
that are more than 2 feet below final grade would be buried in place. 
These foundations and pipes may be left in place if they are 
characterized and released in a manner consistent with 10 CFR part 40, 
appendix A, criterion 6(6). Areas where Rio Algom expects to leave 
foundations intact include the lower portions of the thickeners, any 
basement type area, and any foundations that extend 2 feet below 
existing grade. Underground cavities that are below grade, such as the 
crushing circuit from the primary crusher to the transfer house, would 
remain in place and would be backfilled. The final grade (contour) is 
projected to approximate the existing surface elevation in the mill 
area.
    Disposal of all demolition waste that is classified as 11e.(2) 
byproduct material, as defined by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (AEA), 
as amended, would be performed in accordance with approved disposal 
practices as authorized by License Conditions 30, 32, 36, and 41 with 
the following modification. Disposal areas would be restored in 
accordance with License Condition 41(I), which requires Rio Algom to 
submit a final reclamation plan upon the end of milling operations. Rio 
Algom anticipates that reclamation efforts in areas where mill 
demolition debris would be disposed would involve either the placement 
of an engineered cover to control radon emissions or alternate release 
criteria would be requested.
    Surplus chemicals/materials would be removed for sale or disposal 
prior to demolition of the area where these materials may be present. 
All gear boxes, transformers, motors, etc., would be drained prior to 
demolition with the drained material disposed of in accordance with 
applicable regulations.

[[Page 59421]]

    A demolition schedule would be developed between site management 
and the selected demolition contractor and would take into 
consideration safety, radiation protection, personnel availability, 
salvage potential, contamination control, and weather constraints. At a 
minimum, any regulated asbestos containing materials would be abated 
from a structure prior to commencing structure demolition.

III. Finding of No Significant Impact

    Pursuant to 10 CFR part 51, the NRC has prepared the EA, summarized 
above. The staff has determined that no ground water impacts are 
expected from building dismantlement and deconstruction. There will be 
no deep excavations that could potentially impact ground water. Waste 
management activities will be implemented for gaseous effluents, liquid 
and solid wastes. Air particulate (dust) created by the mill demolition 
will be reduced by pre-washing all facility components. Liquid wastes 
used during the demolition will be isolated by creating a 
decontamination area for equipment washing. This area will either be 
enclosed with a sump or water containment system or will be a building 
slab from a previously dismantled building. All wash water will be 
collected and disposed of within lined evaporations cells. Solid waste 
generated during demolition will be separated into contaminated and 
uncontaminated. Uncontaminated wastes will be disposed of within a 
landfill owned by Rio Algom under regulation of the State of New 
Mexico.
    Contaminated waste will be disposed of in the mill tailings 
disposal area in accordance with NRC regulations. Management of 
material contaminated with asbestos will be performed by specialized 
contractors experienced in decontamination and handling of asbestos. 
Additionally, the staff has determined that no historic or cultural 
resources and ecological resources would be impacted. The U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service has concurred that no threatened or endangered habitat 
has been impacted.
    The proposed NRC approval of the action when combined with known 
effects on resource areas at the site, including further site 
remediation, is not anticipated to result in any cumulative impacts at 
the sites. Therefore, the NRC staff has concluded that there will be no 
significant environmental impacts on the quality of the human 
environment and, accordingly, the staff has determined that preparation 
of an Environmental Impact Statement is not warranted.

IV. Further Information

    The EA for this proposed action, as well as the licensee's request, 
as supplemented and revised, are available electronically for public 
inspection in the NRC's Public Document Room or from the Publicly 
Available Records (PARS) component of NRC's document system (ADAMS). 
ADAMS is accessible from the NRC Web site at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. The ADAMS Accession Numbers for the licensee's 
request, as supplemented and revised, are: ML030940616 and ML030940279. 
The ADAMS Accession Number for the EA summarized above is ML032720534. 
Most of the documents referenced in the EA are also available through 
ADAMS. Documents can also be examined and/or copied for a fee, at the 
NRC's Public Document Room, located at One White Flint North, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 6th day of October, 2003.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Robert Nelson,
Chief, Fuel Cycle Facilities Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and 
Safeguards, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 03-25987 Filed 10-14-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P