[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 207 (Friday, October 27, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73886-73887]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-23695]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 030-02278; NRC-2023-0147]
Curators of the University of Missouri; South Farm
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 a
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and accompanying Environmental
Assessment (EA) for the unrestricted release of the Curators of the
University of Missouri South Farm site located in Columbia, Missouri.
Based on the analysis in the EA, the NRC staff has concluded that there
would be no significant impacts to environmental resources from the
proposed unrestricted release and, therefore, a FONSI is appropriate.
DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on
October 27, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2023-0147 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 Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2023-0147. Address
questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann;
telephone: 301-415-0624; 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 https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, 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, at 301-415-4737,
or by email to [email protected]. For the convenience of the reader,
instructions about obtaining materials referenced in this document are
provided in the ``Availability of Documents'' section.
NRC's PDR: The PDR, where you may examine and order copies
of publicly available documents, is open by appointment. To make an
appointment to visit the PDR, please send an email to
[email protected] or call 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, between 8
a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern time (ET), Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael M. LaFranzo, Region III, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone:
630-829-9865; email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
By letter dated November 9, 2018, the Curators of the University of
Missouri requested the removal from License 24-00513-32 of the South
Farm site located in Columbia, Missouri. The South Farm site,
approximately 60 m by 23 m (200 ft by 75 ft), was operated as a
chemical waste disposal facility, including the radiological component,
between 1969 and 1972. As required by section 51.30 of title 10 of the
Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), ``Environmental Assessment,'' the
NRC prepared an EA that documents the NRC staff's independent
evaluation of the potential environmental impacts associated with the
unrestricted release of the South Farm site. Based on the analysis in
the EA, the NRC staff has concluded that there would be no significant
impacts to environmental resources from the Curators of the University
of Missouri proposal and, therefore, a FONSI is appropriate.
II. Environmental Assessment
Description of the Proposed Action
By application dated November 9, 2018, as supplemented by letters
dated
[[Page 73887]]
May 8, 2020, November 9, 2020, April 19, 2022, and May 19, 2022, the
licensee proposed the unrestricted release and removal from License 24-
00513-32 of the South Farm site. The site is approximately 60 m by 23 m
(200 ft by 75 ft) and was operated as a chemical waste disposal
facility between 1969 and 1972. The chemical waste disposed of at the
South Farm site also included a radiological component.
Need for the Proposed Action
Approval of the proposed action would permit additional remediation
of the site (soil) for non-radiological constituents at a later time
and allow the NRC to fulfill its responsibilities under the Atomic
Energy Act of 1954, as amended (AEA), to ensure protection of the
public health and safety and the environment by verifying that the site
meets the requirements for unrestricted release in 10 CFR 20.1402,
``Radiological criteria for unrestricted use.''
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The NRC's evaluation of the proposed action is that the South Farm
site will have minimal impacts on the environment to include future
land use, geology and soils, water resources, ecology, air quality, and
noise and will comply with NRC's unrestricted release criteria pursuant
to 10 CFR part 20, ``Standards for Protection Against Radiation.''
Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action
As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered
denial of the proposed action (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative). An
alternate approach is not to release the area for unrestricted use. The
consequences could significantly limit the ability of the Curators of
the University of Missouri to remediate the site for non-radiological
constituents at a later time and allow the NRC to fulfill its
responsibilities under the AEA to ensure protection of the public
health and safety and the environment.
Alternative Use of Resources
The proposed action does not involve any different environmental
resources beyond those considered in the final environmental statement.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
Between May 9, 2020, and May 19, 2022, the NRC staff consulted with
the State of Missouri's Radiological Control Department regarding the
environmental impact of the proposed action. The State of Missouri's
Radiological Control Department made comments which were addressed by
NRC staff. On May 19, 2022, the State indicated that they did not have
additional comments for consideration.
III. Finding of No Significant Impact
The NRC staff has concluded that the proposed licensing action, to
release the South Farm disposal area as designated by the Curators of
the University of Missouri for unrestricted use, would not
significantly affect the quality of the human environment. The NRC
staff considered the impacts on land use, transportation, geology and
soils, water resources, ecology, air quality, noise, historical and
cultural resources, visual and scenic resources, socioeconomic
resources, public and occupational health, and waste management and
concluded that radiological doses to members of the public would be
below applicable limits in 10 CFR part 20. On the basis of the EA, the
NRC finds that there are no significant environmental impacts from the
action, and that preparation of an environmental impact statement is
not warranted. Accordingly, the NRC has determined that a FONSI is
appropriate. In accordance with 10 CFR 51.32(a)(4), this FONSI
incorporates the EA set forth in this notice by reference.
IV. Availability of Documents
The documents identified in the following table are available to
interested persons through one or more of the following methods, as
indicated.
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Document description ADAMS accession No.
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Curators of the University of Missouri-- ML18318A032.
Columbia--Decommissioning Amendment Request--
Partial Site Release of South Farm, dated
November 9, 2018.
Request for Comments on Draft Environmental ML20127H882 (non-public,
Assessment and Safety Evaluation Report for withheld pursuant to 10
Proposed Decommissioning Project at South CFR 2.390).
Farm site, Curators of the University of
Missouri--Columbia of Missouri, dated May 8,
2020.
Request for Comments on Draft Environmental ML20329A267 (non-public,
Assessment and Safety Evaluation Report for withheld pursuant to 10
Proposed Decommissioning Project at South CFR 2.390).
Farm Site, Curators of the University of
Missouri--Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, and
the Dose Assessment for the South Farm--
License No. 24-00513-32, dated November 9,
2020.
Comment Resolution on Draft Environmental ML21299A026 (non-public,
Assessment and Safety Evaluation Report for withheld pursuant to 10
the Proposed Decommissioning Project at CFR 2.390).
South Farm Site, Curators of the University
of Missouri--Columbia; Columbia, Missouri,
and the Dose Assessment for South Farm--
License Number 24-00513-32, dated April 19,
2022.
Response to Comment Resolution on Draft ML22146A346.
Environmental Assessment and Safety
Evaluation Report for the Proposed
Decommissioning Project at South Farm Site,
Curators of the University of Missouri--
Columbia; Columbia, Missouri, and the Dose
Assessment for South Farm--License Number 24-
00513-32, dated May 19, 2022.
Environmental Assessment for Release of South ML23279A056.
Farm Site at Curators of the University of
Missouri, Columbia, Missouri; Materials
License 24[dash]0051332, Docket 030-02278.
Safety Evaluation Report for Release of South ML23278A150.
Farm Site at the Curators of the University
of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri; Materials
License 24-00513-32, Docket 030-02278.
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Dated: October 23, 2023.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Michael M. LaFranzo,
Senior Health Physicist, Decommissioning, Reactors, ISFSI and Health
Physics Branch, Division of Radiological Safety and Security, Region
III.
[FR Doc. 2023-23695 Filed 10-26-23; 8:45 am]
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