[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 112 (Tuesday, June 13, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27088-27089]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-12139]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 70-7003; NRC-2017-0137]


The American Centrifuge Lead Cascade Facility in Piketon, Ohio

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; 
issuance.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing an 
environmental assessment (EA) and a finding of no significant impact 
regarding a request from American Centrifuge Operating, LLC (ACO or the 
licensee). ACO is authorized to possess and use special nuclear 
material (SNM), source material, and byproduct material at its Lead 
Cascade Facility (LCF) in Ohio under NRC License SNM-7003, issued in 
2004. ACO requested the NRC's approval to ship radioactively 
contaminated and non-contaminated classified matter and waste from the 
LCF to the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) operated by the U.S. 
Department of Energy (DOE). The classified matter and waste would be 
permanently buried at the NNSS. ACO operated the LCF on DOE's site in 
Piketon, Ohio, where a gaseous diffusion uranium enrichment plant had 
previously operated. The LCF was operated as a test facility using 
centrifuges to enrich uranium, and provided reliability, performance, 
cost and other data for use in deciding whether to construct and 
operate a commercial uranium enrichment plant at DOE's Piketon, Ohio, 
site.

DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on 
June 13, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2017-0137 when contacting the 
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You 
may obtain publicly-available information related to this document 
using any of the following methods:
     Federal Rulemaking Web Site: go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2017-0137. Address 
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-415-
3463; email: [email protected]. For technical questions, contact 
the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of 
this document.
     NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System 
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly-available documents online in the 
ADAMS Public Documents collection at http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select ``ADAMS Public Documents'' and 
then select ``Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.'' For problems with ADAMS, 
please contact the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at 
1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by email to [email protected]. The 
ADAMS accession number for each document referenced (if it is available 
in ADAMS) is provided the first time that it is mentioned in this 
document.
     NRC's PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public 
documents at the NRC's PDR, Room O1-F21, One White Flint North, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jean Trefethen, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-0867, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    By letter dated February 24, 2017 and supplemented on March 10, 
2017 (ADAMS Accession Nos. ML17073A109 and ML17087A285, respectively), 
the licensee requested NRC approval of ACO's plan to ship off site for 
disposal radioactively contaminated and non-contaminated classified 
matter and waste generated at the American Centrifuge LCF. The LCF is 
located on an approximately 3,700 acre (1,500 hectare) site in Pike 
County, Ohio, that is owned by the DOE. The DOE leases portions of this 
site, including the LCF buildings, to the licensee. The LCF classified 
matter and waste would be sent to the DOE's NNSS for permanent disposal 
there. The NRC staff has prepared an EA (ML17153A093) as part of its 
review of this proposed action in accordance with the requirements in 
part 51 of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), 
``Environmental Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and 
Related Regulatory Functions'' and associated staff guidance. The NRC 
has concluded that the proposed action will not have a significant 
effect on the quality of the human environment.

[[Page 27089]]

II. Summary of Environmental Assessment

    The licensee has identified three types of waste to be shipped: 
Solid radioactive, liquid radioactive, and solid low level mixed waste 
(LLMW). The licensee states that approximately 315 waste shipments to 
NNSS will be necessary, and anticipates that these shipments will be 
completed in calendar year 2018.
    The ACO estimates that approximately 180,000 cubic feet (5,097 
cubic meters) of Class A solid radioactive waste would need to be 
shipped to NNSS. This waste would be packaged in Intermodal Freight 
Transport and B-25 box containers for shipment. The B-25 box containers 
are nominally 4 x 4 x 6 feet steel containers with a bolted lid. The 
licensee also plans to ship liquid radioactive waste consisting of oils 
removed from LCF process equipment during disassembly. Solid LLMW, 
consisting of various electronic components from the LCF, would be 
packaged into B-25 box containers for disposal. This solid LLMW would 
first be further processed at the EnergySolutions facility in Oak 
Ridge, Tennessee, to substantially reduce surface exposure to leaching 
media, before being shipped to NNSS for disposal.
    ACO also would transfer unclassified, low-level contaminated liquid 
waste to a facility on DOE's Piketon, Ohio, site for further 
processing. This unclassified waste would not be shipped to NNSS.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    By letter dated March 2, 2016, the licensee notified the NRC of its 
decision to permanently cease LCF operations (ADAMS Accession No. 
ML16074A405). In preparation for future decommissioning of the LCF, ACO 
is packaging its classified matter and waste for transport to the NNSS 
for permanent burial.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The NRC staff evaluated the potential environmental impacts 
associated with the proposed action, and has performed its 
environmental review in accordance with the requirements in 10 CFR part 
51 and associated staff guidance. As detailed in the EA, the staff in 
preparing the EA reviewed relevant information submitted by the 
licensee, consulted with the Ohio State Historic Preservation Office 
(Ohio SHPO), and received input from the Ohio Department of Health.
    Packaging and preparation of classified matter and waste for 
shipping occurs inside the LCF buildings, and no activities involving 
land disturbance are planned. Therefore, the NRC staff finds that there 
would be no impacts to the following resources areas: Land use, geology 
and soils, water resources, ecology, meteorology, climate, air quality, 
noise, visual and scenic resources, and socioeconomic resources.
    The NRC staff evaluated the radiological impacts to workers and the 
public. The staff found that the projected radiological doses to 
workers would be below the dose limits specified in 10 CFR 20.1201, 
``Occupational dose limits to adults,'' and that radiological doses to 
the public would be indistinguishable when compared to background 
radiation.
    The proposed shipments would be made using authorized commercial 
carriers that would travel primarily on state highways using well-
established routes to the final burial site at NNSS. The NRC determined 
that the relatively small total number of shipments spread over an 
extended period of time, along with the limited duration of the 
shipping process, would not significantly affect traffic flow.
    The NRC staff also evaluated the cumulative impacts by identifying 
past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions at DOE's 
Piketon, Ohio, site, and the incremental impacts of ACO's proposed 
action. The staff determined that the proposed action would not 
significantly contribute to cumulative impacts. The staff also 
determined that the proposed action would not affect federally-listed 
endangered or threatened species or their critical habitats.

Environmental Impacts of the No-Action Alternative

    As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered 
denial of the proposed action (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative). 
Under the no-action alternative, all waste generated by LCF operations 
to date would remain onsite. The no-action alternative does not comply 
with commitments made during licensing or the decommissioning 
requirements of 10 CFR 70.38. Therefore, the NRC staff concludes that 
leaving all of the LCF the waste onsite is not a reasonable alternative 
to approving the proposed action.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    On May 24, 2017 (ADAMS Accession No. ML17111A766), the NRC 
consulted with Ohio Department of Health regarding the environmental 
impacts of the proposed action. The state official concurred with the 
environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact (ADAMS 
Accession No. ML17153A269). The NRC also spoke with the Ohio SHPO and 
consulted by letter dated April 13, 2017 (ADAMS Accession No. 
ML17102B319). The Ohio SHPO responded by letter dated May 8, 2017, 
stating that a finding of No Adverse Effect for the proposed action is 
appropriate (ADAMS Accession No. ML17144A176).

III. Finding of No Significant Impact

    In accordance with the requirements in 10 CFR part 51, the NRC 
staff has concluded that the proposed action will not significantly 
affect the quality of the human environment. Therefore, the staff has 
determined, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.31, that preparation of an 
environmental impact statement is not required for the proposed action, 
and that a finding of no significant impact is appropriate.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 5th day of June 2017.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Craig G. Erlanger,
Director, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety, Safeguards, and Environmental 
Review, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2017-12139 Filed 6-12-17; 8:45 am]
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