Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Westinghouse Specialty Metals Plant in Blairsville, PA, 55515-55517 [06-8015]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 184 / Friday, September 22, 2006 / Notices
Dated: September 19, 2006.
Susanne Bolton,
Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 06–8029 Filed 9–21–06; 8:45 am]
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[Docket No. 70–7004]
Safety Evaluation Report for the
Proposed American Centrifuge Plant in
Piketon, OH, NUREG–1851; Notice of
Availability
United States Nuclear
Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of Safety
Evaluation Report.
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AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
(NRC) has issued a Safety Evaluation
Report (SER) for the USEC Inc. (USEC)
license application, dated August 23,
2004, and as revised, for the possession
and use of source, byproduct, and
special nuclear materials at its proposed
American Centrifuge Plant (ACP) in
Piketon, Ohio.
The SER discusses the results of the
safety review performed by NRC staff in
the following areas: General
information, organization and
administration, Integrated Safety
Analysis (ISA) and ISA Summary,
radiation protection, nuclear criticality
safety, chemical process safety, fire
safety, emergency management,
environmental protection,
decommissioning, management
measures, materials control and
accountability, and physical protection.
The NRC is planning to conduct a
public meeting in Ohio to provide an
overview of the staff’s safety review and
to address any comments or questions
relating to the issuance of the SER.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The SER
(NUREG–1851) is available for
inspection and copying for a fee at the
NRC’s Public Document Room, located
at One White Flint North, Public File
Area O1 F21, 11555 Rockville Pike (first
floor), Rockville, Maryland. The Public
Document Room is open from 7:45 a.m.
to 4:15 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except on Federal holidays.
Publicly available records will be
accessible electronically from the
Agency-wide Documents Access and
Management Systems (ADAMS) Public
Electronic Reading Room, and on the
Internet at the NRC Web site, https://
www.nrc.gov/NRC/ADAMS/.
Persons who do not have access to
ADAMS or who encounter problems in
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accessing the documents located in
ADAMS, should contact the NRC Public
Document Room Reference staff by
telephone at 1–800–397–4209, 301–
415–4737, or by e-mail to pdr@nrc.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Stanley Echols, Mail Stop: T–8F42,
Special Projects Branch, Division of
Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, Office
of Nuclear Material Safety and
Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555–
0001, Telephone: (301) 415–6981, and email: fse@nrc.gov.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 12th day
of September, 2006.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Joseph G. Giitter,
Chief, Special Projects Branch, Division of
Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, Office of
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 06–8013 Filed 9–21–06; 8:45 am]
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[Docket Nos. 070–00026 and 040–03558]
Notice of Availability of Environmental
Assessment and Finding of No
Significant Impact for the
Westinghouse Specialty Metals Plant
in Blairsville, PA
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Issuance of Environmental
Assessment and Finding of No
Significant Impact.
AGENCY:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mark Roberts, Senior Health Physicist,
Decommissioning Branch, Division of
Nuclear Materials Safety, Region I, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 475
Allendale Road, King of Prussia,
Pennsylvania; Telephone: (610) 337–
5094; fax number (610) 337–5069; or email: mcr@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) has decided to take
no further regulatory action at the
Westinghouse Specialty Metals Plant
site, located in Derry Township, near
Blairsville, PA, off Township Road 966
(the Site). The Atomic Energy
Commission (AEC) issued License Nos.
SUC–509 and SNM–37 to Westinghouse
Electric Corporation (Westinghouse) in
the 1950s (pursuant to 10 CFR parts 40
and 70, respectively), authorizing the
use of low enriched uranium, highly
enriched uranium, and depleted
uranium for conducting research and
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55515
development, and for manufacturing
activities related to the production of
commercial and naval nuclear fuel. The
two licenses were terminated in 1961
and 1964. The Site is currently being
used for manufacturing operations that
do not involve the use of licensed
radioactive material.
Subsequent NRC administrative
reviews in the early 1990s and
radiological surveys by Westinghouse
identified residual radioactive
contamination in excess of NRC criteria
for release for unrestricted use. The
Westinghouse corporate office at 4350
Northern Pike in Monroeville, PA, took
technical responsibility for remediating
the Site, and transmitted documentation
indicating that the Site now meets NRC
criteria for release for unrestricted use.
Following a favorable technical review,
the NRC intends to inform
Westinghouse via letter of its decision
that the Site now meets current NRC
criteria for release for unrestricted use
and the NRC will take no further
regulatory action regarding the Site. The
NRC will remove the Site from the NRC
listing of complex decommissioning
sites.
Westinghouse requested this action in
a letter dated February 15, 2006. The
NRC has prepared an Environmental
Assessment (EA) in support of this
proposed action in accordance with the
requirements of Title 10, Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR), part 51 (10
CFR part 51). Based on the EA, the NRC
has concluded that a Finding of No
Significant Impact (FONSI) is
appropriate with respect to the
proposed action. The letter will be
issued to Westinghouse following the
publication of this FONSI and EA in the
Federal Register.
II. Environmental Assessment
Identification of Proposed Action
The proposed action would approve
Westinghouse’s February 15, 2006,
request that the NRC concur that
Westinghouse provided adequate
documentation to conclude that the Site
meets the requirements in 10 CFR
20.1402 for release for unrestricted use
and that the Site can therefore be
removed from the NRC listing of
complex decommissioning sites.
The Site is situated on 485 acres and
is located in a rural area with scattered
residential and manufacturing
properties within its vicinity. One of the
four major buildings and two exterior
areas at the Site contained radioactive
contamination that has now been
remediated. Within the buildings, use of
licensed materials was primarily
confined to the southeast quarter of the
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 184 / Friday, September 22, 2006 / Notices
205,000 ft 2 main building, although
material was used in other isolated areas
of the building. Radioactive waste
material was processed in a waste
building south of the main building and
contaminated zircalloy metal was
burned in the vicinity of that building.
The waste building was subsequently
used for activities that did not involve
the use of radioactive material and the
building was later razed in
approximately 1990. Some of the waste
radioactive material had also been
dumped in a quarried area on the east
side of the Site.
Westinghouse ceased licensed
activities at the Site in the early 1960s
and moved production to other licensed
facilities. Decontamination and
radiological surveys were performed
that were sufficient to allow termination
of the licenses in the early 1960s, but
radiological survey data in the files is
limited. As a result of reviews of
terminated licenses conducted by the
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
and the NRC in the early 1990s, the Site
was identified as not having sufficient
documentation to verify that it had been
properly decontaminated prior to
license termination. Westinghouse
conducted detailed radiological surveys
that identified interior and exterior
areas where further remediation was
needed to meet applicable radiological
criteria for release for unrestricted use.
From late 1994 through 2001,
Westinghouse staff and contractors
performed remediation activities and
conducted final status surveys.
Remediation and radiological survey
activities were conducted in stages so
that ongoing non-licenced operations
would not be affected. Interior
remediation activities consisted
primarily of removing superficial
concrete and paint on floor and wall
surfaces, removing contaminated
concrete around floor penetrations (e.g.
equipment anchor bolts), excavating
contaminated drain lines and sumps,
and removing contaminated soil under
contaminated drain lines that had
leaked. Approximately 27,000 ft 2 of the
main building required remediation.
Review of records and radiological
survey results of the other buildings at
the Site did not indicate the presence of
radioactive contamination in these
areas. Exterior remediation activities
included removing ash and debris from
a quarry area and removal of drain lines,
contaminated soil, and building rubble
from the vicinity of a former waste
treatment and packaging building. All
radioactive waste from remediation
efforts was disposed at a licensed lowlevel waste disposal facility.
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Because no NRC license pertains to
the Site, remediation and radiological
survey activities were conducted
without a Decommissioning Plan. At the
request of NRC Region I staff,
Westinghouse did provide a Health and
Safety Plan for the work activities with
the commitment that activities with
radioactive material be conducted in
accordance with 10 CFR part 20,
Standards for Protection Against
Radiation. Region I staff conducted
periodic inspections of the remediation
and radiological survey activities.
Because radioactive contamination at
the Site was identified at approximately
the same time that the Site
Decommissioning Management Plan
(SDMP) was initiated, Westinghouse, at
the start of its remediation activities in
the early 1990s, agreed to utilize
relevant release criteria identified in the
SDMP Action Plan. The relevant criteria
used by Westinghouse were Regulatory
Guide 1.86, ‘‘Termination of Operating
Licenses for Nuclear Reactors,’’ June
1974, for residual surface
contamination, and Option 1 of the
Branch Technical Position, ‘‘Disposal or
Onsite Storage of Thorium or Uranium
Wastes from Past Operations’’ (46 FR
52601; October 23, 1981), for soil and
demolition debris. Westinghouse
conducted radiological surveys at the
Site and provided information to the
NRC to demonstrate that the above
referenced criteria were met, and that its
calculations demonstrated that the
annual dose criteria in subpart E of 10
CFR part 20 for unrestricted release
were met at the Site.
Need for the Proposed Action
Westinghouse no longer conducts
licensed activities at the Site and its
AEC licenses were terminated in 1961
and 1964. However, because residual
radioactive material at the Site in excess
of the current NRC criteria for release
for unrestricted use was later identified,
Westinghouse performed remediation
and radiological survey activities that
demonstrate that the Site now meets the
criteria for release for unrestricted use.
Westinghouse seeks concurrence from
the NRC that the NRC has no further
regulatory interest in the Site and the
Site can be removed from the NRC
listing of complex decommissioning
sites.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed
Action
The historical review of licensed
activities formerly conducted at the Site
shows that such activities involved use
of the following radioactive material
with half-lives greater than 120 days:
Highly-enriched uranium, low enriched
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uranium, and depleted uranium. Prior
to performing the final status survey,
Westinghouse conducted remediation
activities, as necessary, in the areas of
the Site affected by these radionuclides.
Westinghouse conducted final status
surveys throughout the duration of the
remediation project from 1994 through
2001. The results of the final
radiological surveys were compiled onto
a single compact disc that was
transmitted with their February 15,
2006, letter. This final radiological
survey covered the entire Site including
all interior and exterior remediated
areas, unaffected buildings, and exterior
areas that were not remediated.
Westinghouse demonstrated compliance
with the applicable SDMP Action Plan
criteria for the radioactive materials it
formerly used at the Site, and also
elected to demonstrate compliance with
the radiological criteria for unrestricted
release as specified in 10 CFR 20.1402
by performing dose calculations using
the RESRAD and RESRAD BUILD
computer programs. Appropriate sitespecific parameters were used in the
calculations. The Westinghouse dose
calculations show the potential dose
from residual radioactive material is less
than one millirem per year and thus
satisfies the NRC requirements in
subpart E of 10 CFR part 20 for
unrestricted release.
Based on its review, the staff has
determined that the affected
environment and any environmental
impacts associated with the proposed
action are bounded by the impacts
evaluated by the ‘‘Generic
Environmental Impact Statement in
Support of Rulemaking on Radiological
Criteria for License Termination of NRCLicensed Nuclear Facilities’’ (NUREG–
1496) Volumes 1–3 (ML042310492,
ML042320379, and ML042330385). The
staff finds there were no significant
environmental impacts from the use of
radioactive material at the Site. The
NRC staff reviewed the docket file
records and the final status survey
report to identify any non-radiological
hazards that may have impacted the
environment surrounding the Site. No
such hazards or impacts to the
environment were identified. The NRC
has identified no other radiological or
non-radiological activities in the area
that could result in cumulative
environmental impacts.
The NRC staff finds that the proposed
release of the Site for unrestricted use is
in compliance with 10 CFR 20.1402.
Based on its review, the staff considered
the impact of the residual radioactivity
at the Site and concluded that the
proposed action will not have a
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 184 / Friday, September 22, 2006 / Notices
significant effect on the quality of the
human environment.
Environmental Impacts of the
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
Due to the largely administrative
nature of the proposed action, its
environmental impacts are small.
Therefore, the only alternative the staff
considered is the no-action alternative,
under which the staff would leave
things as they are by simply denying the
request from Westinghouse. This noaction alternative is not practical
because it perpetuates NRC attention to
a site where remediation activities for
residual contamination have been
completed. The NRC’s analysis of
Westinghouse’s final status survey data
confirmed that the requirements of 10
CFR 20.1402 for unrestricted release
have been met. Additionally, denying
the request would result in no change in
current environmental impacts. The
environmental impacts of the proposed
action and the no-action alternative are
therefore similar, and the no-action
alternative is accordingly not further
considered.
Conclusion
The NRC staff has concluded that the
proposed action is consistent with the
NRC’s unrestricted release criteria
specified in 10 CFR 20.1402. Because
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.
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
Agencies and Persons Consulted
NRC provided a draft of this
Environmental Assessment to the
Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection, Bureau of
Radiation Protection for review on
August 14, 2006. On August 17, 2006,
the Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection, Bureau of
Radiation Protection responded by
email. The State agreed with the
conclusions of the EA, and otherwise
had no comments.
The NRC staff has determined that the
proposed action is of a procedural
nature, and will not affect listed species
or critical habitat. Therefore, no further
consultation is required under section 7
of the Endangered Species Act. The
NRC staff has also determined that the
proposed action is not the type of
activity that has the potential to cause
effects on historic properties. Therefore,
no further consultation is required
under section 106 of the National
Historic Preservation Act.
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III. Finding of No Significant Impact
The NRC staff has prepared this EA in
support of the proposed action. On the
basis of this EA, the NRC finds that
there are no significant environmental
impacts from the proposed action, and
that preparation of an environmental
impact statement is not warranted.
Accordingly, the NRC has determined
that a Finding of No Significant Impact
is appropriate.
documents located in ADAMS, contact
the NRC 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.
IV. Further Information
Documents related to this action 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 documents
related to this action are listed below,
along with their ADAMS accession
numbers.
1. February 15, 2006, Letter from
Westinghouse to M. Roberts, NRC
Region I, ‘‘Submittal of Report
Documenting the Radiological Status of
the Westinghouse Specialty Metals
Plant Site and Demonstrating
Compliance with the Provisions of 10
CFR 20.1402 to Release the Site for
Unrestricted Use’’ and accompanying
reports (document package
ML003741979);
2. July 24, 2006, Region I Technical
Assistance Request regarding the
Blairsville site, Memorandum from
George Pangburn, Region I to Dominic
Orlando, NMSS. (ML062050308);
3. August 17, 2006, e-mail from
Robert Maiers, Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental
Protection, Bureau of Radiation
Protection to Mark Roberts, DNMS,
USNRC Region I (ML062480365);
4. Terminated License file for License
SNM–37;
5. Terminated License File for License
SUC–509;
6. NUREG–1757, ‘‘Consolidated
NMSS Decommissioning Guidance;’’
7. Title 10 Code of Federal
Regulations, part 20, subpart E,
‘‘Radiological Criteria for License
Termination;’’
8. Title 10, Code of Federal
Regulations, part 51, ‘‘Environmental
Protection Regulations for Domestic
Licensing and Related Regulatory
Functions;’’
9. NUREG–1496, ‘‘Generic
Environmental Impact Statement in
Support of Rulemaking on Radiological
Criteria for License Termination of NRCLicensed Nuclear Facilities.’’
If you do not have access to ADAMS,
or if there are problems in accessing the
Dated at King of Prussia, Pennsylvania this
15th day of September, 2006.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Marie T. Miller,
Chief, Decommissioning Branch, Division of
Nuclear Materials Safety, Region I.
[FR Doc. 06–8015 Filed 9–21–06; 8:45 am]
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Draft Regulatory Guides: Impending
Issuance, Availability, and Applicability
to New Reactor Licensing
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
AGENCY:
Issuance, Availability, and
Applicability of Draft Regulatory Guides
for New Reactor Licensing.
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) is currently
reviewing and revising numerous guides
in the agency’s Regulatory Guide (RG)
Series. This series has been developed
to describe and make available to the
public methods that are acceptable to
the NRC staff for implementing specific
parts of the NRC’s regulations,
techniques that the staff uses in
evaluating specific problems or
postulated accidents, and data that the
staff needs in its review of applications
for permits and licenses.
The proposed revisions do not
constitute a backfit to any previously
issued staff position for existing nuclear
power reactors. The purpose of the
ongoing revision of the NRC’s RGs is to
ensure that prospective applicants have
complete, accurate, and current
guidance for use in preparing early site
permit (ESP), design certification (DC),
and combined license (COL)
applications for proposed new reactors.
In particular, the NRC staff is focused on
ensuring that the agency’s regulatory
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rulemaking to update Title 10, part 52,
of the Code of Federal Regulations (10
CFR part 52), ‘‘Licenses, Certifications,
and Approvals for Nuclear Power
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 184 (Friday, September 22, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55515-55517]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-8015]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket Nos. 070-00026 and 040-03558]
Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of
No Significant Impact for the Westinghouse Specialty Metals Plant in
Blairsville, PA
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Issuance of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No
Significant Impact.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Roberts, Senior Health Physicist,
Decommissioning Branch, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety, Region I,
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 475 Allendale Road, King of
Prussia, Pennsylvania; Telephone: (610) 337-5094; fax number (610) 337-
5069; or e-mail: mcr@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has decided to take no
further regulatory action at the Westinghouse Specialty Metals Plant
site, located in Derry Township, near Blairsville, PA, off Township
Road 966 (the Site). The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) issued License
Nos. SUC-509 and SNM-37 to Westinghouse Electric Corporation
(Westinghouse) in the 1950s (pursuant to 10 CFR parts 40 and 70,
respectively), authorizing the use of low enriched uranium, highly
enriched uranium, and depleted uranium for conducting research and
development, and for manufacturing activities related to the production
of commercial and naval nuclear fuel. The two licenses were terminated
in 1961 and 1964. The Site is currently being used for manufacturing
operations that do not involve the use of licensed radioactive
material.
Subsequent NRC administrative reviews in the early 1990s and
radiological surveys by Westinghouse identified residual radioactive
contamination in excess of NRC criteria for release for unrestricted
use. The Westinghouse corporate office at 4350 Northern Pike in
Monroeville, PA, took technical responsibility for remediating the
Site, and transmitted documentation indicating that the Site now meets
NRC criteria for release for unrestricted use. Following a favorable
technical review, the NRC intends to inform Westinghouse via letter of
its decision that the Site now meets current NRC criteria for release
for unrestricted use and the NRC will take no further regulatory action
regarding the Site. The NRC will remove the Site from the NRC listing
of complex decommissioning sites.
Westinghouse requested this action in a letter dated February 15,
2006. The NRC has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) in support
of this proposed action in accordance with the requirements of Title
10, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), part 51 (10 CFR part 51). Based
on the EA, the NRC has concluded that a Finding of No Significant
Impact (FONSI) is appropriate with respect to the proposed action. The
letter will be issued to Westinghouse following the publication of this
FONSI and EA in the Federal Register.
II. Environmental Assessment
Identification of Proposed Action
The proposed action would approve Westinghouse's February 15, 2006,
request that the NRC concur that Westinghouse provided adequate
documentation to conclude that the Site meets the requirements in 10
CFR 20.1402 for release for unrestricted use and that the Site can
therefore be removed from the NRC listing of complex decommissioning
sites.
The Site is situated on 485 acres and is located in a rural area
with scattered residential and manufacturing properties within its
vicinity. One of the four major buildings and two exterior areas at the
Site contained radioactive contamination that has now been remediated.
Within the buildings, use of licensed materials was primarily confined
to the southeast quarter of the
[[Page 55516]]
205,000 ft \2\ main building, although material was used in other
isolated areas of the building. Radioactive waste material was
processed in a waste building south of the main building and
contaminated zircalloy metal was burned in the vicinity of that
building. The waste building was subsequently used for activities that
did not involve the use of radioactive material and the building was
later razed in approximately 1990. Some of the waste radioactive
material had also been dumped in a quarried area on the east side of
the Site.
Westinghouse ceased licensed activities at the Site in the early
1960s and moved production to other licensed facilities.
Decontamination and radiological surveys were performed that were
sufficient to allow termination of the licenses in the early 1960s, but
radiological survey data in the files is limited. As a result of
reviews of terminated licenses conducted by the Oak Ridge National
Laboratory (ORNL) and the NRC in the early 1990s, the Site was
identified as not having sufficient documentation to verify that it had
been properly decontaminated prior to license termination. Westinghouse
conducted detailed radiological surveys that identified interior and
exterior areas where further remediation was needed to meet applicable
radiological criteria for release for unrestricted use.
From late 1994 through 2001, Westinghouse staff and contractors
performed remediation activities and conducted final status surveys.
Remediation and radiological survey activities were conducted in stages
so that ongoing non-licenced operations would not be affected. Interior
remediation activities consisted primarily of removing superficial
concrete and paint on floor and wall surfaces, removing contaminated
concrete around floor penetrations (e.g. equipment anchor bolts),
excavating contaminated drain lines and sumps, and removing
contaminated soil under contaminated drain lines that had leaked.
Approximately 27,000 ft \2\ of the main building required remediation.
Review of records and radiological survey results of the other
buildings at the Site did not indicate the presence of radioactive
contamination in these areas. Exterior remediation activities included
removing ash and debris from a quarry area and removal of drain lines,
contaminated soil, and building rubble from the vicinity of a former
waste treatment and packaging building. All radioactive waste from
remediation efforts was disposed at a licensed low-level waste disposal
facility.
Because no NRC license pertains to the Site, remediation and
radiological survey activities were conducted without a Decommissioning
Plan. At the request of NRC Region I staff, Westinghouse did provide a
Health and Safety Plan for the work activities with the commitment that
activities with radioactive material be conducted in accordance with 10
CFR part 20, Standards for Protection Against Radiation. Region I staff
conducted periodic inspections of the remediation and radiological
survey activities. Because radioactive contamination at the Site was
identified at approximately the same time that the Site Decommissioning
Management Plan (SDMP) was initiated, Westinghouse, at the start of its
remediation activities in the early 1990s, agreed to utilize relevant
release criteria identified in the SDMP Action Plan. The relevant
criteria used by Westinghouse were Regulatory Guide 1.86, ``Termination
of Operating Licenses for Nuclear Reactors,'' June 1974, for residual
surface contamination, and Option 1 of the Branch Technical Position,
``Disposal or Onsite Storage of Thorium or Uranium Wastes from Past
Operations'' (46 FR 52601; October 23, 1981), for soil and demolition
debris. Westinghouse conducted radiological surveys at the Site and
provided information to the NRC to demonstrate that the above
referenced criteria were met, and that its calculations demonstrated
that the annual dose criteria in subpart E of 10 CFR part 20 for
unrestricted release were met at the Site.
Need for the Proposed Action
Westinghouse no longer conducts licensed activities at the Site and
its AEC licenses were terminated in 1961 and 1964. However, because
residual radioactive material at the Site in excess of the current NRC
criteria for release for unrestricted use was later identified,
Westinghouse performed remediation and radiological survey activities
that demonstrate that the Site now meets the criteria for release for
unrestricted use. Westinghouse seeks concurrence from the NRC that the
NRC has no further regulatory interest in the Site and the Site can be
removed from the NRC listing of complex decommissioning sites.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
The historical review of licensed activities formerly conducted at
the Site shows that such activities involved use of the following
radioactive material with half-lives greater than 120 days: Highly-
enriched uranium, low enriched uranium, and depleted uranium. Prior to
performing the final status survey, Westinghouse conducted remediation
activities, as necessary, in the areas of the Site affected by these
radionuclides.
Westinghouse conducted final status surveys throughout the duration
of the remediation project from 1994 through 2001. The results of the
final radiological surveys were compiled onto a single compact disc
that was transmitted with their February 15, 2006, letter. This final
radiological survey covered the entire Site including all interior and
exterior remediated areas, unaffected buildings, and exterior areas
that were not remediated. Westinghouse demonstrated compliance with the
applicable SDMP Action Plan criteria for the radioactive materials it
formerly used at the Site, and also elected to demonstrate compliance
with the radiological criteria for unrestricted release as specified in
10 CFR 20.1402 by performing dose calculations using the RESRAD and
RESRAD BUILD computer programs. Appropriate site-specific parameters
were used in the calculations. The Westinghouse dose calculations show
the potential dose from residual radioactive material is less than one
millirem per year and thus satisfies the NRC requirements in subpart E
of 10 CFR part 20 for unrestricted release.
Based on its review, the staff has determined that the affected
environment and any environmental impacts associated with the proposed
action are bounded by the impacts evaluated by the ``Generic
Environmental Impact Statement in Support of Rulemaking on Radiological
Criteria for License Termination of NRC-Licensed Nuclear Facilities''
(NUREG-1496) Volumes 1-3 (ML042310492, ML042320379, and ML042330385).
The staff finds there were no significant environmental impacts from
the use of radioactive material at the Site. The NRC staff reviewed the
docket file records and the final status survey report to identify any
non-radiological hazards that may have impacted the environment
surrounding the Site. No such hazards or impacts to the environment
were identified. The NRC has identified no other radiological or non-
radiological activities in the area that could result in cumulative
environmental impacts.
The NRC staff finds that the proposed release of the Site for
unrestricted use is in compliance with 10 CFR 20.1402. Based on its
review, the staff considered the impact of the residual radioactivity
at the Site and concluded that the proposed action will not have a
[[Page 55517]]
significant effect on the quality of the human environment.
Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action
Due to the largely administrative nature of the proposed action,
its environmental impacts are small. Therefore, the only alternative
the staff considered is the no-action alternative, under which the
staff would leave things as they are by simply denying the request from
Westinghouse. This no-action alternative is not practical because it
perpetuates NRC attention to a site where remediation activities for
residual contamination have been completed. The NRC's analysis of
Westinghouse's final status survey data confirmed that the requirements
of 10 CFR 20.1402 for unrestricted release have been met. Additionally,
denying the request would result in no change in current environmental
impacts. The environmental impacts of the proposed action and the no-
action alternative are therefore similar, and the no-action alternative
is accordingly not further considered.
Conclusion
The NRC staff has concluded that the proposed action is consistent
with the NRC's unrestricted release criteria specified in 10 CFR
20.1402. Because 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
NRC provided a draft of this Environmental Assessment to the
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of
Radiation Protection for review on August 14, 2006. On August 17, 2006,
the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of
Radiation Protection responded by email. The State agreed with the
conclusions of the EA, and otherwise had no comments.
The NRC staff has determined that the proposed action is of a
procedural nature, and will not affect listed species or critical
habitat. Therefore, no further consultation is required under section 7
of the Endangered Species Act. The NRC staff has also determined that
the proposed action is not the type of activity that has the potential
to cause effects on historic properties. Therefore, no further
consultation is required under section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act.
III. Finding of No Significant Impact
The NRC staff has prepared this EA in support of the proposed
action. On the basis of this EA, the NRC finds that there are no
significant environmental impacts from the proposed action, and that
preparation of an environmental impact statement is not warranted.
Accordingly, the NRC has determined that a Finding of No Significant
Impact is appropriate.
IV. Further Information
Documents related to this action 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 documents related to this
action are listed below, along with their ADAMS accession numbers.
1. February 15, 2006, Letter from Westinghouse to M. Roberts, NRC
Region I, ``Submittal of Report Documenting the Radiological Status of
the Westinghouse Specialty Metals Plant Site and Demonstrating
Compliance with the Provisions of 10 CFR 20.1402 to Release the Site
for Unrestricted Use'' and accompanying reports (document package
ML003741979);
2. July 24, 2006, Region I Technical Assistance Request regarding
the Blairsville site, Memorandum from George Pangburn, Region I to
Dominic Orlando, NMSS. (ML062050308);
3. August 17, 2006, e-mail from Robert Maiers, Pennsylvania
Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Radiation Protection
to Mark Roberts, DNMS, USNRC Region I (ML062480365);
4. Terminated License file for License SNM-37;
5. Terminated License File for License SUC-509;
6. NUREG-1757, ``Consolidated NMSS Decommissioning Guidance;''
7. Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations, part 20, subpart E,
``Radiological Criteria for License Termination;''
8. Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, part 51, ``Environmental
Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory
Functions;''
9. NUREG-1496, ``Generic Environmental Impact Statement in Support
of Rulemaking on Radiological Criteria for License Termination of NRC-
Licensed Nuclear Facilities.''
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 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 King of Prussia, Pennsylvania this 15th day of
September, 2006.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Marie T. Miller,
Chief, Decommissioning Branch, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety,
Region I.
[FR Doc. 06-8015 Filed 9-21-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
