[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 138 (Tuesday, July 21, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45840-45842]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2026-14653]
[[Page 45840]]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 040-38417; CEQ ID EAXX-429-00-000-1784130326; NRC-2026-
3499]
DISA Technologies, Inc.; Environmental Assessment and Finding of
No Significant Impact
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice; issuance.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering an
amendment to source materials license SUA-1605, which the NRC issued to
DISA Technologies, Inc. (DISA) in 2025 for the operation of its high-
pressure slurry ablation (HPSA) technology to remediate abandoned
uranium mine (AUM) waste. If approved, the amendment would modify the
license to allow the use of SNF Inc.'s FLOPAM AN 934 SH (FLOPAM), an
anionic, polyacrylamide flocculant (APAM) in solid (powder or granular)
form, in the HPSA process at abandoned uranium mine waste sites. The
NRC staff is issuing a generic environmental assessment (EA) and
finding of no significant impact (FONSI) associated with the proposed
license amendment. This generic EA supplements the NRC staff's 2025
generic EA for the license issuance.
DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on
July 21, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2026-3499 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-2026-3499. Address
questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Bridget Curran;
telephone: 301-415-1003; email: [email protected]. For technical
questions, contact the individual(s) 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 ADAMS Public 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]. The ``Environmental Assessment for Proposed
License Amendment for Use of Flocculant in the High-Pressure Slurry
Ablation Process'' is available in ADAMS under Accession No.
ML26196A294.
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: Christine Pineda, Office of Nuclear
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,
Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-6789; email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
The NRC is making available to the public the ``Environmental
Assessment for Proposed License Amendment for Use of Flocculant in the
High-Pressure Slurry Ablation Process.'' The NRC is also developing a
separate Safety Evaluation Report.
II. Introduction
The NRC is considering the approval of a license amendment that
would authorize DISA to use flocculant in its HPSA process. DISA
specifically requests to use solid FLOPAM, a specific formulation of
APAM, a synthetic, water-soluble polymer that is used primarily to pull
suspended particles out of liquids through a process called
flocculation. Solid APAMs such as FLOPAM are used in applications such
as mining and mineral processing, wastewater treatment, and in land
applications such as agriculture to improve irrigation and control soil
erosion. DISA's license authorizes operation of the HPSA process on AUM
waste, which results in the concentration of source material (uranium
and thorium) for authorized storage and disposition (ADAMS Accession
No. ML26008A090). Using a solid APAM such as FLOPAM in the HPSA process
would improve the separation of solid materials from process water
after the materials have passed through the HPSA unit.
As required by section 51.21 of title 10 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (10 CFR), ``Criteria for and identification of licensing
and regulatory actions requiring environmental assessments,'' the NRC
has prepared an EA documenting its evaluation. The NRC concluded that
the proposed license amendment would have no significant impact if
conditions and proposed operations at each site are consistent with the
potential impacts and assumptions detailed in the generic EA, which
supplements the NRC's 2025 generic EA for license issuance (ADAMS
Accession No. ML25265A212). The NRC will review information submitted
by DISA for each site against the generic EA and the 2025 generic EA to
determine what areas may require site-specific environmental impact
analysis.
A summary of the generic EA follows. Based on the results of the
EA, the NRC has determined not to prepare an environmental impact
statement for the license amendment and is issuing a FONSI.
III. Summary of the Generic Environmental Assessment
Description of the Proposed Action
The proposed action is a license amendment to allow DISA to use
FLOPAM, a specific APAM formulation, in the HPSA process. DISA would
need to identify any use of an alternative formulation of flocculant in
the site-specific premobilization notification (PMN) for NRC review.
The NRC's EA assesses the impacts of using specifically solid form
FLOPAM and similar APAMs, and therefore any use of non-solid APAM or
non-APAM flocculants would require additional environmental review.
DISA found through testing that FLOPAM would improve the separation
of solid materials from water after materials have passed through the
HPSA unit. The improvement in separation would result in increasing the
concentration of uranium and thorium in the fines concentrates. DISA
would add FLOPAM to the fines concentrates during a thickener stage
that would occur after the fines concentrates are separated from the
coarse material. From the thickener stage, the clumped fines
concentrates would flow to a filter press for dewatering, where process
water would be recycled. DISA proposes to add
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approximately 150 grams (about five ounces) of FLOPAM per ton of fines
concentrates.
The NRC staff expects that most of the FLOPAM would be sorbed onto
the fines concentrates or removed from process water via DISA's water
treatment system. Residual quantities of FLOPAM would likely remain
dissolved in the process water and would recirculate throughout the
HPSA system as the process water is reused. The NRC staff
conservatively assumes that FLOPAM concentrations in recirculating
water would be less than 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L), a
concentration that is comparable to concentrations applied to
agricultural fields to improve irrigation.
The NRC staff has determined that recirculation of residual FLOPAM
and similar APAMs through the HPSA system could mechanically degrade
the APAM's chemical structure, leading to the formation of acrylamide
monomer (AMD) in trace amounts. AMD has been found to break down within
hours to weeks.
The Need for the Proposed Action
The purpose of the proposed action is to enable DISA to more
effectively concentrate uranium and thorium in the fines concentrates
that result from the HPSA process, thus also removing these materials
more effectively from the process water and coarse material. Since the
coarse material and process water would be deposited on the ground
after the HPSA processing is complete, improving the removal of uranium
and thorium would reduce the amount of these radionuclides that are
deposited back onto the ground surface.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The NRC staff developed a generic assessment of the potential
environmental impacts of using FLOPAM and similarly formulated solid
APAMs in the HPSA process. The NRC staff determined that this change in
the HPSA process would not affect the NRC's evaluation in the 2025
generic EA of the following resource areas: land use, transportation,
geologic resources, air quality, noise, historic and cultural
resources, visual and scenic resources, socioeconomics, and public
health.
The NRC staff determined that the proposed action would not have
significant impacts on water resources, soils, ecological resources,
occupational health and safety, and waste management. Using solid form
FLOPAM or APAMs would not change the quantities of coarse material or
fines concentrates resulting from the HPSA process. It should increase
the concentrations of radionuclides in the fines concentrates, reduce
concentrations of radionuclides dissolved in process water, and reduce
the concentrations of radionuclides in the coarse material. Discharged
process water containing residual solid FLOPAM or similar APAMs and
potentially very small quantities of AMD would not have significant
impacts to native soils. The NRC staff will conduct site-specific
assessments of the impacts of depositing coarse material back on the
sites, including the presence of trace quantities of APAM and AMD in
the coarse material.
The NRC staff has determined that the potential impacts of FLOPAM
and similar solid APAMs use on surface water would not be significant
primarily because the staff does not expect discharges to surface
waters. Further, solid APAMs are widely used in land applications and
has been found to be nontoxic, only residual quantities would remain in
process water (less than concentrations used in agriculture), and DISA
would need to ensure compliance with applicable standards for
discharges to the ground surface. The NRC staff expects that the amount
of FLOPAM remaining in process water discharged to the ground would be
less than 10 mg/L, which is comparable to amounts of FLOPAM and similar
solid APAMs used in agriculture. Any trace quantities of AMD contained
in the process water discharges are likely to undergo microbial
degradation within hours to weeks.
Solid FLOPAM and similar APAM use is not likely to result in a
change to the potential for groundwater impacts as assessed in the
NRC's 2025 generic EA. The 2025 EA concluded that proposed HPSA
operations would have no impact on groundwater as long as DISA does not
disturb native soils below the site water table (e.g., in areas with
shallow aquifers) and does not breach a confining layer.
The NRC staff does not expect that solid APAM use in the
concentration proposed would significantly affect ecological resources.
FLOPAM is commonly used, does not bioaccumulate, and in the
concentrations proposed would not have a negative effect on flora or
fauna. Peer-reviewed publications concerning the ecological toxicity,
fate, transport, and degradation of solid APAM (such as FLOPAM)
indicate that the concentrations at which APAM could have negative
effects on studied aquatic organisms are more than 10 times the
anticipated concentrations of APAM in HPSA process water that would be
discharged onsite (and 10 times the quantities used in agriculture).
Process water would be discharged to the ground and not into water
bodies. FLOPAM does not bioaccumulate and lethal doses to certain
aquatic organisms were found to be greater than 100 mg/L. The primary
hazard presented by the use of solid APAMs (such as FLOPAM) is the
degradation of APAM polymer to AMD. While AMD is recognized as a
harmful substance, published research indicates that AMD biodegrades in
oxygenated surface water, soils, shallow groundwater, and aerobic
sediments within hours to 30 days. DISA would need to abide by any
applicable federal, state, local, or tribal requirements for discharges
of process water containing APAM or AMD.
Similarly, FLOPAM and similar solid APAMs use in accordance with
the manufacturer's instructions would not have significant effects on
worker health. FLOPAM does not have chronic or acute toxicity effects.
DISA has used FLOPAM in testing processes and has not experienced
issues related to worker health and safety.
The use of FLOPAM and similar solid APAMs would not generate a
separate waste stream. The solid APAM used in the HPSA process would
end up in existing streams: the fines concentrates, process water,
water treatment media (filters), and coarse material, as discussed
above and in the generic EA. Therefore, solid APAM use would not have
significant effects on waste management.
Before mobilizing to a site, DISA would provide site-specific
information to the NRC in a PMN, which the NRC staff would review to
determine whether the conclusions and assumptions in the generic EA and
in the 2025 generic EA apply for that site. If any site conditions,
proposed operations, or potential impacts are not consistent with the
impacts and assumptions in the EAs, the NRC staff would assess whether
further analysis is needed.
Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action
As an alternative to the proposed license amendment, the NRC
considered the no-action alternative. Under the no-action alternative,
the NRC would not amend the license and DISA would not be allowed to
use FLOPAM in its HPSA process. If the NRC does not amend DISA's
license to allow use of FLOPAM or a similar solid APAMs in HPSA
operations, DISA would need to identify another way to improve the
separation of uranium-bearing solids from the process water. The
potential
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environmental impacts of the no-action alternative would depend on the
nature of an alternative separation method. Alternatively, DISA might
choose not to operate HPSA, and section 2.2 of the 2025 generic EA
describes other site remediation activities that could occur at the AUM
waste sites.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
The NRC provided a draft of this EA for awareness to the 14 states
identified by DISA for potential HPSA operations. The final EA will be
sent to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the 14 states,
Federally recognized Indian tribes, and DISA.
The proposed action is a license amendment that itself has no
potential to affect threatened or endangered species under the
Endangered Species Act (ESA). Upon receiving the site-specific PMNs,
the NRC will assess the potential effects of HPSA operations on
threatened and endangered species at each site, and the need for
consultation under Section 7 of the ESA for each site. The NRC staff's
National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Section 106 responsibilities
are complete for the licensing undertaking according to section
800.3(a)(1) title 36 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which states:
``If the undertaking is a type of activity that does not have the
potential to cause effects on historic properties, assuming such
historic properties were present, the agency official has no further
obligations under Section 106 or this part.'' The NRC's consultation
and assessment of the potential effects of HPSA operations on cultural
and historic properties would occur when specific sites are identified.
IV. Finding of No Significant Impact
Based on its review, in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR
part 51, the NRC has determined that granting the license amendment
would not significantly affect the quality of the human environment at
a specific site if the site conditions, proposed operations, and
potential impacts at the site are consistent with the assumptions and
potential impacts assessed in this EA and in the 2025 generic EA. In
accordance with 10 CFR 51.31, the NRC concludes that the proposed
action does not warrant the preparation of an environmental impact
statement, and, pursuant to 10 CFR 51.32, a FONSI is appropriate. If
the PMN indicates there are differences in site conditions, proposed
operations, or potential impacts, the NRC will evaluate whether these
differences require further analysis. If DISA proposes to use a
flocculant other than FLOPAM, DISA will need to include this
information in the PMN and the NRC staff will determine whether
additional environmental review is needed. Subject to confirmation of
site-specific conditions and upon the successful conclusion of site-
specific consultation under Section 106 of the NHPA, the NRC staff
concludes that the proposed HPSA operations with the use of FLOPAM or
other similar solid APAMs will not have significant impacts on historic
and cultural resources at AUM waste sites. Subject to confirmation of
site-specific conditions and upon the successful conclusion of site-
specific consultation under Section 7 of the ESA, the NRC staff also
concludes that the proposed HPSA operations with the use of FLOPAM or
other similar solid APAMs will have no effect or would not be likely to
adversely affect any Federally listed threatened or endangered species.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.
Dated: July 16, 2026.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Robert Sun,
Chief, Environmental Review Materials Branch, Division of Spent Fuel
Storage, and Transportation, Office of Nuclear Material Safety, and
Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2026-14653 Filed 7-20-26; 8:45 am]
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