Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for License Amendment for Rio Algom Mining LLC, Ambrosia Lake, NM, 4622-4624 [E6-1036]

Download as PDF 4622 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 18 / Friday, January 27, 2006 / Notices uranium enrichments up to 5 weight percent Uranium-235 and burnups less than 60,000 megawatt (thermal) days per metric ton of Uranium-235 (MWd/ MTU). Entergy has concluded that the fuel enrichment at VYNPS will increase to approximately 4.6 weight percent Uranium-235 as a result of the EPU. Entergy states that the expected core average exposure for the EPU is 35,000 MWd/MTU and the maximum bundle exposure is 58,000 MWd/MTU. The fuel enrichment for the EPU will not exceed 5 weight percent Uranium-235, and the rod average discharge burnup will not exceed 60,000 MWd/MTU. Therefore, the environmental impacts of the EPU will remain bounded by the impacts in Tables S–3 and S–4 and are not significant. Summary The proposed EPU would not result in a significant increase in occupational or public radiation exposure, would not significantly increase the potential doses from postulated accidents, and would not result in significant additional fuel cycle environmental impacts. Accordingly, the Commission concludes that there are no significant radiological environmental impacts associated with the proposed action. Table 3 summarizes the radiological environmental impacts of the proposed EPU at VYNPS. TABLE 3.—SUMMARY OF RADIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS Gaseous Effluents and Doses ............................ Liquid Effluents and Doses ................................. Solid Radioactive Waste ..................................... In-plant Dose ....................................................... Direct Radiation Dose ......................................... Postulated Accidents ........................................... Fuel Cycle and Transportation ............................ Alternatives to Proposed Action As an alternative to the proposed action, the NRC staff considered denial of the proposed EPU (i.e., the ‘‘noaction’’ alternative). Denial of the application would result in no change in the current environmental impacts. However, if the EPU were not approved, other agencies and electric power organizations may be required to pursue other means of providing electric generation capacity to offset future demand. Such alternatives could include construction of fossil fuel or other generating capacity, or purchase of power from generating facilities outside the service area; such alternatives, however, would likely result in environmental impacts comparable to or greater than those involved in the EPU. For example, fossil fuel plants routinely emit atmospheric pollutants, causing impacts in air quality that are larger than if VYNPS were to provide the same amount of electric generation. Construction and operation of a fossil fuel plant also creates impacts in land use and waste management. rmajette on PROD1PC67 with NOTICES Alternative Use of Resources This action does not involve the use of any resources not previously considered in the 1972 FES for operation of the VYNPS. Agencies and Persons Consulted In accordance with its stated policy, on September 2, 2005, the NRC staff VerDate Aug<31>2005 15:17 Jan 26, 2006 Jkt 208001 Up to 20% increase in dose due to gaseous effluents; doses to individuals offsite will remain within NRC limits. Volume of liquid effluent generated expected to increase by 1.2%; slight increase in the amount of radioactive material in liquid effluent; no discharge of liquid effluent expected, no increase in dose to public. Volume of solid waste expected to increase by 17.8% due to demineralizer resins; within FES estimate; increase in amount of spent fuel assemblies to be stored onsite. Occupational dose could increase by 20% overall; will remain within acceptable limits under the VYNPS ALARA program. Up to 26% increase in dose rate offsite due to skyshine; expected annual dose continues to meet NRC/EPA limits. Licensee using Alternative Source Term; doses are within NRC limits. Increase in bundle average enrichment and burnup; impacts stated in Tables S–3 and S–4 in 10 CFR Part 51 are bounding. consulted with the Vermont State official, William K. Sherman, of the Department of Public Service, regarding the environmental impact of the proposed action. The State official had no comments. Finding of No Significant Impact On the basis of the environmental assessment, the Commission concludes that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment. Accordingly, the Commission has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement for the proposed action. For further details with respect to the proposed action, see the licensee’s application dated September 10, 2003, as supplemented on October 1, and October 28 (2 letters), 2003; January 31 (2 letters), March 4, May 19, July 2, July 27, July 30, August 12, August 25, September 14, September 15, September 23, September 30 (2 letters), October 5, October 7 (2 letters), December 8, and December 9, 2004; February 24, March 10, March 24, March 31, April 5, April 22, June 2, August 1, August 4, September 10, September 14, September 18, September 28, October 17, October 21 (2 letters), October 26, and October 29, November 2, November 22, and December 2, 2005; and January 10, 2006. Documents may be examined, and/or copied for a fee, at the NRC’s Public Document Room (PDR), located at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland. PO 00000 Frm 00066 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Publicly available records will be accessible electronically from the ADAMS Public Electronic Reading Room on the NRC Web site, https:// www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. Persons who do not have access to ADAMS or who encounter problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS should contact the NRC PDR Reference staff at 1–800–397–4209, or 301–415–4737, or send an e-mail to pdr@nrc.gov. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 20th day of January 2006. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Richard B. Ennis, Senior Project Manager, Plant Licensing Branch I–2, Division of Operating Reactor Licensing, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. [FR Doc. E6–1035 Filed 1–26–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. 40–8905] Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for License Amendment for Rio Algom Mining LLC, Ambrosia Lake, NM Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice of availability. AGENCY: E:\FR\FM\27JAN1.SGM 27JAN1 4623 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 18 / Friday, January 27, 2006 / Notices FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael G. Raddatz, Project Manager, Fuel Cycle Facilities Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555. Telephone: (301) 415–6334; fax number: (301) 415–5955; e-mail: mgr@nrc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Introduction The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a license amendment to Source Materials License No. SUA–1473 issued to Rio Algom Mining LLC (the licensee), to authorize Alternate Concentration Limits (ACLs) at its uranium mill tailings site in Ambrosia Lake, New Mexico. NRC has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) in support of this amendment in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR part 51. Based on the EA, the NRC has concluded that a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) is appropriate. The amendment will be issued following the publication of this Notice. II. EA Summary The purpose of the proposed amendment is to authorize ACLs at the licensee’s Ambrosia Lake facility. Specifically, ACLs have been approved for hazardous constituents gross alpha, lead-210, molybdenum, nickel, radium226 & –228, selenium, thorium-230, and natural uranium and nonhazardous constituents chloride, nitrate, sulfate, and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). On February 15, 2000, May 30, 2001, and July 7, 2005, Rio Algom Mining LLC requested that NRC approve the proposed amendment. The licensee’s request for the proposed change was previously noticed in the Federal Register on June 29, 2000, (65 FR 40144) with a notice of an opportunity to request a hearing and an opportunity to provide comments on the amendment and its environmental impacts. The staff has prepared the EA in support of the proposed license amendment. The staff considered impacts to ground water, surface water, socioeconomic conditions, threatened and endangered species, transportation, land use, public and occupational health, and historic and cultural resources. The EA supports a FONSI because this licensing action does not involve any land disturbance; therefore, impacts to socioeconomic conditions, threatened and endangered species, transportation, land use, public and occupational health, and historic and cultural resources would not occur. In addition, reviews of ground water flow, fate and transport, and exposure models indicate that the ACLs are protective of human health and the environment at the point of exposure because hydrogeologic conditions, natural attenuation processes, and aquifer class of use near the facility would preclude human exposures and environmental impacts. III. Finding of No Significant Impact On the basis of the EA, NRC has concluded that there are no significant environmental impacts from the proposed amendment and has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement. IV. Further Information Documents related to this action, including the application for amendment and supporting documentation, are available electronically at the NRC’s Electronic Reading Room at https://www.nrc.gov/ reading-rm/adams.html. From this site, you can access the NRC’s Agencywide Document Access and Management System (ADAMS), which provides text and image files of NRC’s public documents. The ADAMS accession numbers for the documents related to this notice are as follows: ADAMS accession No. Document rmajette on PROD1PC67 with NOTICES Quivira Mining Company, Corrective Action Program and Alternate Concentration Limits Petition for Uppermost Bedrock Units, Ambrosia Lake Uranium Mill Facility Near Grants, New Mexico, Grants, New Mexico .......................................................................................................................................................... Rio Algom Mining, LLC, Ground Water Modeling and Feasibility Analysis for the Application of Alternate Concentration Limits .................................................................................................................................... Quivira Mining Company, Application for Alternate Concentration Limits in the Alluvial Materials at Quivira Mill Facility, Ambrosia Lake, New Mexico, Grants, New Mexico ................................................................ U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Rio Algom Mining LLC, Ground Water Alternate Concentration Limits, Request for Additional Information ................................................................................................... Rio Algom Mining LLC, Response to Request for Additional Information for the Rio Algom Mining LLC’s January 16, 2003, Application for Alternate Concentration Limits .............................................................. Rio Algom Mining LLC, 2004a, Response to Agreements Reached During August 12, 2003, Meeting With the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma ............................................................... U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, letter to J. Caverly ......................................................................................... New Mexico Environment Department, letter to Gary S. Janosko transmitting comments on the draft environmental assessment ................................................................................................................................. Rio Algom Mining LLC, Response to U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s February 10, 2005, Request for Additional Information To Incorporate Nonhazardous Constituents as Part of the Site Alternate Concentration Limit Petition ................................................................................................................................ U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Rio Algom Mining LLC, Nonhazardous Constituent Alternate Concentration Limits, Request for Additional Information .................................................................................. Rio Algom Mining LLC, 2005b. Response to October 31, 2005, Request for Additional Information ........... Environmental Assessment for Amendment of Source Materials License SUA–1473 for Ground Water Alternate Concentration Limits, Rio Algom Mining, LLC, Ambrosia Lake, New Mexico ................................ If you do not have access to ADAMS or if there are problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, contact the NRC’s Public Document Room (PDR) Reference staff at 1–800–397–4209, 301– 415–4737, or by e-mail to pdr@nrc.gov. VerDate Aug<31>2005 15:17 Jan 26, 2006 Jkt 208001 These documents may also be viewed electronically on the public computers located at the NRC’s PDR, O1 F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852. The PDR PO 00000 Frm 00067 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Date ML003687843 2/15/2000 ML003737960 7/21/2000 ML011690068 5/20/2001 ML030170464 1/16/2003 ML031080523 4/11/2003 ML040430419 ML042780480 2/9/2004 9/20/2004 ML050800062 2/21/2005 ML051990088 7/7/2005 ML052770173 ML053480214 10/31/2005 12/7/2005 ML060130097 1/20/2006 reproduction contractor will copy documents for a fee. Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 23rd day of January, 2006. E:\FR\FM\27JAN1.SGM 27JAN1 4624 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 18 / Friday, January 27, 2006 / Notices For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Michael G. Raddatz, Project Manager, Fuel Cycle Facilities Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards. [FR Doc. E6–1036 Filed 1–26–06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. 40–0299] Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for License Amendment for Umetco Minerals Corporation, East Gas Hills, WY Nuclear Regulatory Commission. AGENCY: ACTION: Notice of availability. Paul Michalak, Project Manager, Fuel Cycle Facilities Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555. Telephone: (301) 415–7612; fax number: (301) 415– 5955; e-mail: pxm2@nrc.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Introduction The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) proposes to issue a license amendment for License Condition 35 (alternate concentration limit (ACL) for ground water compliance monitoring), to Materials License SUA–648, for the Umetco Minerals Corporation (Umetco), East Gas Hills, Wyoming uranium mill site. The purpose of this amendment is to increase the Lead-210 (Pb-210) ACL from 46.7 pCi/L to 189 pCi/L in the Southwestern Flow Regime (SWFR). NRC has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) in support of this amendment in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR part 51. Based on the EA, the NRC has concluded that a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) is appropriate. The amendment will be issued following the publication of this Notice. particular, current and future ground water use, and predicted concentrations of Pb-210 at the designated point of exposure were considered in the analysis. Staff has concluded that there would be no effect to the following resources: Visual resources, vegetation and soils, ambient air quality, and transportation. Staff has also determined that the proposed action is not the type of activity that has the potential to cause effects on cultural or historic resources. II. EA Summary The staff has prepared the EA in support of the proposed license amendment. Much of the information relied upon in preparation of the EA was obtained from the licensee’s ACL application and from two previous EAs for Umteco site activities related to their revised soil decommissioning plan and a recent application for several ACLs. Since this action relates to ground water, the primary focus of the evaluation of potential environmental impacts relates to ground water. In Documents related to this action, including the application for amendment and supporting documentation, are available electronically at the NRC’s Electronic Reading Room at https://www.nrc.gov/ reading-rm/adams.html. From this site, you can access the NRC’s Agencywide Document Access and Management System (ADAMS), which provides text and image files of NRC’s public documents. The ADAMS accession numbers for the documents related to this notice are as follows: III. Finding of No Significant Impact On the basis of the EA, NRC has concluded that there are no significant environmental impacts from the proposed amendment and has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement. IV. Further Information ADAMS accession No. Document NRC’s EA for Umteco’s Revised Soil Decommissioning Plan ........................................................................ NRC’s EA for Umteco’s ACLs Application ...................................................................................................... Umetco’s ACL Amendment Request ............................................................................................................... NRC’s EA for ACL Amendment Request ........................................................................................................ For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Paul Michalak, Project Manager, Fuel Cycle Facilities Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards. [FR Doc. E6–1045 Filed 1–26–06; 8:45 am] Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 23rd day of January, 2006. rmajette on PROD1PC67 with NOTICES If you do not have access to ADAMS or if there are problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, contact the NRC’s Public Document Room (PDR) Reference staff at 1–800–397–4209, 301– 415–4737, or by e-mail to pdr@nrc.gov. These documents may also be viewed electronically on the public computers located at the NRC’s PDR, O1 F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852. The PDR reproduction contractor will copy documents for a fee. Sunshine Act Meeting VerDate Aug<31>2005 15:17 Jan 26, 2006 Jkt 208001 BILLING CODE 7590–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Notice is hereby given, pursuant to the provisions of the Government in the Sunshine Act, Pub. L. 94–409, that the Securities and Exchange Commission will hold the following meeting during the week of January 30, 2006: PO 00000 Frm 00068 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 ML010460319 ML020840234 ML051780369 ML060200288 Date 2/23/2001 3/24/2002 6/17/2005 1/20/2006 An open meeting will be held on Monday, January 30, 2006 at 10 a.m. in Room L–002, the Auditorium. Commissioner Atkins as duty officer determined that no earlier notice thereof was possible. The subject matter of the open meeting scheduled for Monday, January 30, 2006 will be: The Commission will hear oral argument on an appeal by Vladlen ‘‘Larry’’ Vindman and the Division of Enforcement from the decision of an administrativelaw judge. The law judge found that Vindman engaged in a scheme to inflate artificially the demand for and price of the stock of Marx Toys & Entertainment Corp. (‘‘Marx’’), a penny stock, in violation of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and Exchange Act Rule E:\FR\FM\27JAN1.SGM 27JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 18 (Friday, January 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4622-4624]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-1036]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 40-8905]


Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of 
No Significant Impact for License Amendment for Rio Algom Mining LLC, 
Ambrosia Lake, NM

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 4623]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael G. Raddatz, Project Manager, 
Fuel Cycle Facilities Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and 
Safeguards, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555. Telephone: (301) 
415-6334; fax number: (301) 415-5955; e-mail: mgr@nrc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a license 
amendment to Source Materials License No. SUA-1473 issued to Rio Algom 
Mining LLC (the licensee), to authorize Alternate Concentration Limits 
(ACLs) at its uranium mill tailings site in Ambrosia Lake, New Mexico. 
NRC has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) in support of this 
amendment in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR part 51. Based 
on the EA, the NRC has concluded that a Finding of No Significant 
Impact (FONSI) is appropriate. The amendment will be issued following 
the publication of this Notice.

II. EA Summary

    The purpose of the proposed amendment is to authorize ACLs at the 
licensee's Ambrosia Lake facility. Specifically, ACLs have been 
approved for hazardous constituents gross alpha, lead-210, molybdenum, 
nickel, radium-226 & -228, selenium, thorium-230, and natural uranium 
and nonhazardous constituents chloride, nitrate, sulfate, and Total 
Dissolved Solids (TDS). On February 15, 2000, May 30, 2001, and July 7, 
2005, Rio Algom Mining LLC requested that NRC approve the proposed 
amendment. The licensee's request for the proposed change was 
previously noticed in the Federal Register on June 29, 2000, (65 FR 
40144) with a notice of an opportunity to request a hearing and an 
opportunity to provide comments on the amendment and its environmental 
impacts.
    The staff has prepared the EA in support of the proposed license 
amendment. The staff considered impacts to ground water, surface water, 
socioeconomic conditions, threatened and endangered species, 
transportation, land use, public and occupational health, and historic 
and cultural resources. The EA supports a FONSI because this licensing 
action does not involve any land disturbance; therefore, impacts to 
socioeconomic conditions, threatened and endangered species, 
transportation, land use, public and occupational health, and historic 
and cultural resources would not occur. In addition, reviews of ground 
water flow, fate and transport, and exposure models indicate that the 
ACLs are protective of human health and the environment at the point of 
exposure because hydrogeologic conditions, natural attenuation 
processes, and aquifer class of use near the facility would preclude 
human exposures and environmental impacts.

III. Finding of No Significant Impact

    On the basis of the EA, NRC has concluded that there are no 
significant environmental impacts from the proposed amendment and has 
determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement.

IV. Further Information

    Documents related to this action, including the application for 
amendment and supporting documentation, are available electronically at 
the NRC's Electronic Reading Room at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/
adams.html. From this site, you can access the NRC's Agencywide 
Document Access and Management System (ADAMS), which provides text and 
image files of NRC's public documents. The ADAMS accession numbers for 
the documents related to this notice are as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      ADAMS  accession
              Document                       No.              Date
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quivira Mining Company, Corrective         ML003687843         2/15/2000
 Action Program and Alternate
 Concentration Limits Petition for
 Uppermost Bedrock Units, Ambrosia
 Lake Uranium Mill Facility Near
 Grants, New Mexico, Grants, New
 Mexico.............................
Rio Algom Mining, LLC, Ground Water        ML003737960         7/21/2000
 Modeling and Feasibility Analysis
 for the Application of Alternate
 Concentration Limits...............
Quivira Mining Company, Application        ML011690068         5/20/2001
 for Alternate Concentration Limits
 in the Alluvial Materials at
 Quivira Mill Facility, Ambrosia
 Lake, New Mexico, Grants, New
 Mexico.............................
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,        ML030170464         1/16/2003
 Rio Algom Mining LLC, Ground Water
 Alternate Concentration Limits,
 Request for Additional Information.
Rio Algom Mining LLC, Response to          ML031080523         4/11/2003
 Request for Additional Information
 for the Rio Algom Mining LLC's
 January 16, 2003, Application for
 Alternate Concentration Limits.....
Rio Algom Mining LLC, 2004a,               ML040430419          2/9/2004
 Response to Agreements Reached
 During August 12, 2003, Meeting
 With the Nuclear Regulatory
 Commission, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,            ML042780480         9/20/2004
 letter to J. Caverly...............
New Mexico Environment Department,         ML050800062         2/21/2005
 letter to Gary S. Janosko
 transmitting comments on the draft
 environmental assessment...........
Rio Algom Mining LLC, Response to          ML051990088          7/7/2005
 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
 Commission's February 10, 2005,
 Request for Additional Information
 To Incorporate Nonhazardous
 Constituents as Part of the Site
 Alternate Concentration Limit
 Petition...........................
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission,        ML052770173        10/31/2005
 Rio Algom Mining LLC, Nonhazardous
 Constituent Alternate Concentration
 Limits, Request for Additional
 Information........................
Rio Algom Mining LLC, 2005b.               ML053480214         12/7/2005
 Response to October 31, 2005,
 Request for Additional Information.
Environmental Assessment for               ML060130097         1/20/2006
 Amendment of Source Materials
 License SUA-1473 for Ground Water
 Alternate Concentration Limits, Rio
 Algom Mining, LLC, Ambrosia Lake,
 New Mexico.........................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    If you do not have access to ADAMS or if there are problems in 
accessing the documents located in ADAMS, contact the NRC's Public 
Document Room (PDR) Reference staff at 1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or 
by e-mail to pdr@nrc.gov.
    These documents may also be viewed electronically on the public 
computers located at the NRC's PDR, O1 F21, One White Flint North, 
11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852. The PDR reproduction 
contractor will copy documents for a fee.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 23rd day of January, 2006.


[[Page 4624]]


    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Michael G. Raddatz,
 Project Manager, Fuel Cycle Facilities Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle 
Safety and Safeguards, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and 
Safeguards.
 [FR Doc. E6-1036 Filed 1-26-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
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