[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 181 (Tuesday, September 20, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55177-55178]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-18664]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 030-02286]


Issuance of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact Regarding a Proposed License No. 24-00889-01 
Amendment for Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City, Kansas City, MO

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

ACTION: Issuance of environmental assessment and finding of no 
significant impact.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gene Bonano, Health Physicist, 
Decommissioning Branch, Division of Nuclear Material Safety, Region 
III, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 2443 Warrenville Road, Lisle, 
Illinois 60532; Telephone: (630) 829-9826; fax number: (630) 515-1259; 
e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is 
considering the issuance of an amendment to Material License No. 24-
00889-01 to authorize Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City, Kansas 
City, Missouri (the licensee), to release from its license the Medical 
Plaza I Building at 4320 Wornall Road, and the Dickson-Diveley 
Laboratory at 4312 J.C. Nichols Parkway, Kansas City, Missouri for 
unrestricted use. The NRC has prepared this Environmental Assessment 
(EA) in support of this proposed action in accordance with the 
requirements of 10 CFR Part 51. Based on this EA, the NRC has 
determined that a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) is 
appropriate.

I. Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action would approve the licensee's request to amend 
its license to release the Medical Plaza I Building and the Dickson-
Diveley Laboratory from its license for unrestricted use in accordance 
with 10 CFR part 20, subpart E. The proposed action is in accordance 
with the licensee's December 1, 2004 (ML052510691) and June 21, 2005 
(ML052510686) request to release its Medical Plaza I Building and 
Dickson-Diveley Laboratory for unrestricted use. Both facilities are 
listed under Saint Luke's Material License Number 24-00889-01. Saint 
Luke's Hospital is authorized to use byproduct material for medical 
research. The licensee transferred all licensed material from the 
Medical Plaza I Building and the Dickson-Diveley Laboratory to its 
radioactive waste storage area in the main hospital building. The main 
hospital building is under the same radioactive materials license. The 
licensee also transferred materials to the Mayo Clinic Rochester 
[License No. 22-00519-03], and shipped material for disposal through 
Adco Services, Inc. [IL-01347-01], and GTS Duratek [R-73008-E94]. The 
licensee identified two isotopes, which are listed in the license, with 
half-lives greater than 120 days (hydrogen-3, and carbon-14), which had 
been used at the Medical Plaza I Building and Dickson-Diveley 
Laboratory facilities. The licensee conducted surveys of the facilities 
and provided information to the NRC to demonstrate that the 
radiological condition of the buildings is consistent with criteria 
specified in 10 CFR part 20, subpart E for unrestricted use. No 
radiological remediation activities are required to complete the 
proposed action.

Need for the Proposed Action

    The licensee is requesting this license amendment because it no 
longer plans to conduct NRC-licensed activities at the Medical Plaza I 
Building and the Dickson-Diveley Laboratory. The NRC is fulfilling its 
responsibilities under the Atomic Energy Act to make a decision on the 
proposed action for decommissioning that ensures that residual 
radioactivity is reduced to a level that is protective of the public 
health and safety and the environment.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC staff reviewed the information provided and surveys 
performed by Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City to demonstrate that 
the release of the Medical Plaza I Building, 4320 Wornall Road, and the 
Dickson-Diveley Laboratory, 4312 J.C. Nichols Parkway, Kansas City, 
Missouri facilities comply with radiological criteria for unrestricted 
use in 10 CFR 20.1402. Based on its review, the staff has determined 
that the radiological environmental impacts from the proposed action 
are bounded by the ``Generic Environmental Impact Statement in Support 
of Rulemaking on Radiological Criteria for License Termination of NRC-
Licensed Nuclear Facilities'' (NUREG-1496). Additionally, no non-
radiological or cumulative impacts were identified. Therefore, the NRC 
has determined that the proposed action will not have a significant 
effect on the quality of the human environment.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    The only alternative to the proposed action of releasing the 
facilities for unrestricted use is to take no action. Under the no-
action alternative, the Medical Plaza I Building and the Dickson-
Diveley Laboratory facilities would remain under an NRC license and 
would not be released for unrestricted use. Denial of the license 
amendment request would result in no change to current conditions at 
the facilities. The no-action alternative is not acceptable because it 
is inconsistent with the NRC's Timeliness Rule, 10 CFR Part 30.36, 
``Expiration and Termination of Licenses and Decommissioning of Sites 
and Separate Buildings or Outdoor Areas,'' which requires licensees who 
have ceased licensed activities to request termination of their 
radioactive materials license. This alternative also would impose an 
unnecessary regulatory burden and limit potential benefits from future 
uses of the facilities.

Conclusion

    The NRC staff concluded that the proposed action is consistent with 
the NRC's unrestricted use specified in 10 CFR part 20, subpart E. 
Since the proposed action will not significantly impact the quality of 
the human environment, the NRC staff concludes that the proposed action 
is the preferred alternative.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    The NRC staff has determined that the proposed action will not 
affect listed species or critical habitats. Therefore, no further 
consultation is required under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act. 
Likewise, the NRC staff has determined that the proposed action is not 
a type of activity that has potential to cause effect on historic 
properties. Therefore, consultation under Section 106 of the National 
Historic Preservation Act is not required. The NRC consulted with the 
Missouri Section for Environmental Public Health, Department of Health 
and Senior Services. The Missouri Section for Environmental Public 
Health was provided with the draft EA for comment on September 6, 2005. 
The State reviewed the EA and responded back to the NRC on September 7, 
2005, and did not have any additional comments.

II. Finding of No Significant Impact

    On the basis of the EA in support of the proposed license amendment 
to release the facilities for unrestricted use, the NRC has determined 
that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the 
quality of the

[[Page 55178]]

human environment. Thus, the NRC has determined not to prepare an 
environmental impact statement for the proposed action.

Further Information

    1. McPhee, Mark, M.D., Chief Operating Officer, Saint Luke's 
Hospital of Kansas City, letter to U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
December 1, 2004 (ML052510691).
    2. Decommissioning Report (Final Status Survey Report), Saint 
Luke's Hospital of Kansas City, Medical Plaza I Building, 4320 Wornall 
Road, and the Dickson-Diveley Laboratory, 4312 J.C. Nichols Parkway, 
Kansas City, Missouri facilities, June 21, 2005 (ML052510686).
    3. Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City Conversation Record, dated 
September 2, 2005 (ML052510698).
    4. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, ``Environmental Review 
Guidance for Licensing Actions Associated with NMSS Programs,'' NUREG-
1748, August 2003.
    5. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, ``Generic Environmental 
Impact Statement in Support of Rulemaking on Radiological Criteria for 
License Termination of NRC-Licensed Nuclear Facilities,'' NUREG-1496, 
August 1994.
    6. NRC, NUREG-1757, ``Consolidated NMSS Decommissioning Guidance,'' 
Volumes 1-3, September 2003.
    If you do not have access to ADAMS or if there are problems in 
accessing the documents located in ADAMS, contact the NRC Public 
Document Room (PDR) reference staff at (800) 397-4209, (301)415-4737 or 
by e-mail to [email protected]. Documents may also be viewed electronically 
on the public computers located at the NRC's PDR, O 1 F21, One White 
Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852. The PDR 
reproduction contractor will copy documents for a fee.

    Dated at Lisle, Illinois, this 12th day of September 2005.
Jamnes L. Cameron,
Chief, Decommissioning Branch, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety, 
RIII.
[FR Doc. 05-18664 Filed 9-19-05; 8:45 am]
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