Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for License Amendment to Source Materials License No. STC-133, To Incorporate the Decommissioning Plan for the Defense Logistics Agency's Hammond Depot Facility in Hammond, IN, 67761-67763 [E7-23218]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 230 / Friday, November 30, 2007 / Notices the Department of Labor operate in a nondiscriminatory manner. The Report requires such programs and activities to collect, maintain and report upon request from the Department, race, ethnicity, sex, age and disability data for program applicants, eligible applicants, participants, terminees, applicants for employment and employees. II. Desired Focus of Comments The Department of Labor is particularly interested in comments which: • Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have a practical utility; • Evaluate the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; • Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and • Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses. rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES III. Current Actions The Department of Labor seeks an extension of the current OMB approval of the paperwork requirements in the Compliance Information Report. Extension is necessary to ensure nondiscrimination in programs or activities funded in whole or in part by the Department of Labor. Type of Review: Extension. Agency: Civil Rights Center, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management. Title: Compliance Information Report—29 CFR part 31 (Title VI), Nondiscrimination-Disability—29 CFR part 32 (section 504), and Nondiscrimination—Workforce Investment Act—29 CFR part 37 (section 188 of the Workforce Investment Act). OMB Number: 1225–0077. Affected Public: State, local or Tribal governments. Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.00. Total Burden Cost (operating/ maintenance): $56,816.61. Comments submitted in response to this comment request will be summarized and included in the request VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:27 Nov 29, 2007 Jkt 214001 67761 for Office of Management and Budget approval of the information collection request; they will also become a matter of public record. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Signed at Washington, DC, this 20th day of November, 2007. Annabelle T. Lockhart, Director, Civil Rights Center. [FR Doc. E7–23027 Filed 11–29–07; 8:45 am] Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for License Amendment to Source Materials License No. STC–133, To Incorporate the Decommissioning Plan for the Defense Logistics Agency’s Hammond Depot Facility in Hammond, IN BILLING CODE 4510–23–P [Docket No. 040–00341] Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Issuance of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for License Amendment. AGENCY: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION National Science Board; NSB Public Service Award Committee; Notice of Meeting In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92– 463, as amended), the National Science Board announces the following meeting: Name: NSB Public Service Award Committee, #5195. Date and Time: Thursday, December 20, 2007, 1 p.m. EST (teleconference meeting). Place: Call will originate from the National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Virginia. Type of Meeting: Closed. Contact Person: Jennifer Richards, Committee Executive Secretary, National Science Board Office, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22230. Telephone: (703) 292–7000. Email: jlrichar@nsf.gov. Purpose of Meeting: To provide advice and recommendations in the selection of the NSB Public Service Award recipient. Agenda: Discussion of candidates for the NSB Public Service Award as part of the selection process. Reason Meeting Closure: The candidate nominations being reviewed include information of a personal nature where public disclosure would constitute clearly unwarranted invasions of personal privacy. These matters are exempt from open meeting and public attendance requirements under 5 U.S.C. Appendix § 10(d) and 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(6). Dated: November 27, 2007. Susanne Bolton, Committee Management Officer. [FR Doc. E7–23212 Filed 11–29–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7555–01–P PO 00000 Frm 00066 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Betsy Ullrich, Senior Health Physicist, Commercial and R&D Branch, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety, Region I, 475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406; telephone (610) 337–5040; fax number (610) 337–5269; or by e-mail: exu@nrc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Introduction The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering the issuance of a license amendment to Source Materials License No. STC–133. This license is held by Defense Logistics Agency (the Licensee), and covers several sites around the country. The proposed action pertains to the Licensee’s Hammond Depot site (the Facility), located at 3200 S. Sheffield Avenue, in Hammond, Indiana. Issuance of the amendment would incorporate the Decommissioning Plan (DP) into the license to allow completion of decommissioning activities at the site and eventual unrestricted release of the Facility. The NRC has evaluated and approved the Licensee’s DP. The findings of this evaluation are documented in a Safety Evaluation Report which will be issued along with the amendment. The Licensee requested this action in a letter dated December 8, 2005. The Licensee’s amendment request was noted in the Federal Register on February 1, 2007 (72 FR 4734). This Federal Register notice also provided an opportunity for a hearing on this licensing action. No hearing requests were received. 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 E:\FR\FM\30NON1.SGM 30NON1 67762 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 230 / Friday, November 30, 2007 / Notices Significant Impact (FONSI) is appropriate with respect to the proposed action. The amendment will be issued to the Licensee following the publication of this FONSI and EA in the Federal Register. II. Environmental Assessment Identification of Proposed Action The proposed action would approve the Licensee’s December 8, 2005, license amendment request to incorporate the DP into the license, resulting in final decommissioning of the Facility and subsequent release of the Facility for unrestricted use. License No. STC–133 was issued on February 14, 1957, pursuant to 10 CFR part 40, and has been amended periodically since that time. This license authorized the Licensee to possess uranium and thorium as natural uranium and thorium mixtures as ores, concentrates and solids for the purpose of storage, sampling, repackaging and transfer for the activities of the National Defense Stockpile. The Facility is situated on approximately 57 acres in an industrial/ commercial area. The Facility consists of eight buildings of which three warehouses were used to store drums of licensed materials, several pads and ground areas where non-radioactive ore piles were stored, and unused grassy areas, wetlands and an adjacent lake. A number of paved and dirt roads, along with railroad tracks, traverse the site. Within the Facility, use of licensed materials was confined to Warehouse 100W, Warehouse 100E, Warehouse 200E and its outdoor re-packaging area, and the burn cage. Licensed activities ceased in August 2005. rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES Need for the Proposed Action The proposed action is to approve the DP so that the Licensee may complete Facility decommissioning activities. Completion of the decommissioning activities will reduce residual radioactivity at the Facility. NRC regulations require licensees to begin timely decommissioning of their sites, or any separate buildings that contain residual radioactivity, upon cessation of licensed activities, in accordance with 10 CFR 40.42(d). The proposed licensing action will support such a goal. NRC is fulfilling its responsibilities under the Atomic Energy Act to make a decision on a proposed license amendment for decommissioning that ensures protection of the public health and safety. VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:27 Nov 29, 2007 Jkt 214001 Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action The historical review of licensed activities conducted at the Facility shows that such activities involved the storage, repackaging and transfer of licensed material in the form of thorium nitrate, monazite sand and other ores containing source material. The licensed materials were always stored inside buildings, but were moved to other buildings and/or on and off the Facility, which resulted in some licensed materials being spilled outdoors. The NRC staff has reviewed the Licensee amendment request for the Facility and examined the impacts of this license amendment request. Potential impacts include water resource impact (e.g., water may be used for dust control), air quality impacts from dust emissions, temporary local traffic impacts resulting from transporting debris, human health impacts, noise impacts from equipment operation, scenic quality impacts, and waste management impacts. Based on its review, the staff has determined that no surface water or ground water impacts are expected from the decommissioning activities. Additionally, the staff has determined that significant air quality, noise, land use, and off-site radiation exposure impacts are also not expected. No significant air quality impacts are anticipated because of the contamination controls that will be implemented by the Licensee during decommissioning activities. In addition, the environmental impacts associated with the decommissioning activities are bounded by impacts evaluated by NUREG–0586, ‘‘Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement on the Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities,’’ (GEIS). Generic impacts for this type of decommissioning process were previously evaluated and described in the GEIS, which concludes that the environmental consequences are small. The risk to human health from the transportation of all radioactive material in the U.S. was evaluated in NUREG– 0170, ‘‘Final Environmental Statement on the Transportation of Radioactive Materials by Air and Other Modes.’’ The principal radiological environmental impact during normal transportation is direct radiation exposure to nearby persons from radioactive material in the package. The average annual individual dose from all radioactive material transportation in the U.S. was calculated to be approximately 0.5 mrem, well below the 10 CFR 20.1301 limit of 100 mrem for a member of the public. Additionally, the Licensee PO 00000 Frm 00067 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 estimates that approximately 270 cubic meters of low-contaminated demolition material waste and 1,120 cubic meters of low-contaminated soil will leave the site over the course of the decommissioning project. The waste will be transported from the Facility by rail car to its final destination. This proposed action will not significantly increase the probability or consequences of accidents, no changes are being made in the types of any effluents that may be released off-site, and there is no significant increase in occupational or public radiation exposure. Thus, waste management and transportation impacts from the decommissioning will not be significant. Occupational health was also considered in the ‘‘Final Environmental Impact Statement on the Transportation of Radioactive Material by Air and Other Modes.’’ Shipment of these materials would not affect the assessment of environmental impacts or the conclusions in the ‘‘Final Environmental Impact Statement on the Transportation of Radioactive Material by Air and Other Modes.’’ The staff also finds that the proposed license amendment will meet the radiological criteria for unrestricted release as specified in 10 CFR 20.1402. The Licensee demonstrated this through the development of derived concentration guideline limits (DCGLs) for its Facility. The Licensee conducted site specific dose modeling using parameters specific to the Facility that adequately bounded the potential dose. This included dose modeling for two scenarios: Building surfaces and soil. The building surface dose model was based on the warehouse worker scenario and the soil dose modeling was based on a resident farmer scenario. The Licensee will maintain an appropriate level of radiation protection staff, procedures, and capabilities, and, through its Radiation Safety Officer, will implement an acceptable program to keep exposure to radioactive materials as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA). Work activities are not anticipated to result in radiation exposures to the public in excess of 10 percent of the 10 CFR 20.1301 limits. The NRC also evaluated whether cumulative environmental impacts could result from an incremental impact of the proposed action when added to other past, present, or reasonably foreseeable future actions in the area. The proposed NRC approval of the license amendment request, when combined with known effects on resource areas at the site, including further site remediation, are not E:\FR\FM\30NON1.SGM 30NON1 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 230 / Friday, November 30, 2007 / Notices anticipated to result in any cumulative impacts at the site. Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action The only alternative to the proposed action of decommissioning the Facility is the no-action alternative, under which the staff would leave things as they are by simply denying the amendment request. This no-action alternative is not feasible because it conflicts with 10 CFR 40.42(d) requiring that decommissioning of source material facilities be completed and approved by the NRC after licensed activities cease. The no-action alternative would keep radioactive material on-site without disposal. Additionally, denying the amendment 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 NRC guidance and regulations. 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 State of Indiana, Department of the Environment for review on June 26, 2007. On November 2, 2007, Indiana State Department of Health, Radiological Emergency Response Program, responded by e-mail. The State agreed with the conclusions of the EA and otherwise had no comments. rwilkins on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES 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, including the application for license 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, VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:27 Nov 29, 2007 Jkt 214001 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. NUREG–1757, ‘‘Consolidated NMSS Decommissioning Guidance;’’ 2. Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 20, Subpart E, ‘‘Radiological Criteria for License Termination;’’ 3. Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 51, ‘‘Environmental Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions;’’ 4. NUREG–1496, ‘‘Generic Environmental Impact Statement in Support of Rulemaking on Radiological Criteria for License Termination of NRCLicensed Nuclear Facilities’’ 5. Letter dated December 8, 2005 (ML053500252) 6. Historical Site Assessment (ML060580605) 7. Preliminary Site Specific Derived Concentration Guidelines (ML060580629) 8. Radiological Scoping Survey (ML060580608) 9. Environmental Assessment, Disposition of Thorium Nitrate (ML060580592) 10. Letter dated July 5, 2006 (ML061870578) and July 19, 2006 (ML062070231) 11. Radiological Characterization Survey Report (ML062710179) 12. Decommissioning/Remediation Plan (ML062760618) 13. Letter dated January 12, 2007 (ML070160372) 14. Federal Register Notice of Consideration (ML070250043) 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, O 1 F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852. The PDR reproduction contractor will copy documents for a fee. Dated at 475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, PA, this 21st day of November, 2007. For The Nuclear Regulatory Commission. James P. Dwyer, Chief, Commercial and R&D Branch, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety, Region I. [FR Doc. E7–23218 Filed 11–29–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P PO 00000 Frm 00068 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 67763 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, Subcommittee Meeting on Safety Research Program; Notice of Meeting The ACRS Subcommittee on Safety Research Program will hold a meeting on December 18, 2007, Room T–2B1, 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland. The entire meeting will be open to public attendance. The agenda for the subject meeting shall be as follows: Tuesday, December 18, 2007—10 a.m. until the conclusion of business The Subcommittee will discuss the scope of long-term research the agency needs to consider. The purpose of this meeting is to gather information, analyze relevant issues and facts, and formulate proposed positions and actions, as appropriate, for deliberation by the full Committee. Members of the public desiring to provide oral statements and/or written comments should notify the Designated Federal Official, Dr. Hossein P. Nourbakhsh, (Telephone: 301–415– 5622) five days prior to the meeting, if possible, so that appropriate arrangements can be made. Electronic recordings will be permitted. Detailed procedures for the conduct of and participation in ACRS meetings were published in the Federal Register on September 26, 2007 (72 FR 54695). Further information regarding this meeting can be obtained by contacting the Designated Federal Official between 7:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. (ET). Persons planning to attend this meeting are urged to contact the above named individual at least two working days prior to the meeting to be advised of any potential changes to the agenda. Dated: November 26, 2007. Cayetano Santos, Chief, Reactor Safety Branch. [FR Doc. E7–23251 Filed 11–29–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS); Meeting of the ACRS Subcommittee on Reliability and Probabilistic Risk Assessment; Notice of Meeting The ACRS Subcommittee on Reliability and Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) will hold a meeting on December 19, 2007, Room T–2B1, E:\FR\FM\30NON1.SGM 30NON1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 230 (Friday, November 30, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67761-67763]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-23218]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 040-00341]


Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of 
No Significant Impact for License Amendment to Source Materials License 
No. STC-133, To Incorporate the Decommissioning Plan for the Defense 
Logistics Agency's Hammond Depot Facility in Hammond, IN

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Issuance of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact for License Amendment.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Betsy Ullrich, Senior Health 
Physicist, Commercial and R&D Branch, Division of Nuclear Materials 
Safety, Region I, 475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 
19406; telephone (610) 337-5040; fax number (610) 337-5269; or by e-
mail: exu@nrc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Introduction

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering the 
issuance of a license amendment to Source Materials License No. STC-
133. This license is held by Defense Logistics Agency (the Licensee), 
and covers several sites around the country. The proposed action 
pertains to the Licensee's Hammond Depot site (the Facility), located 
at 3200 S. Sheffield Avenue, in Hammond, Indiana. Issuance of the 
amendment would incorporate the Decommissioning Plan (DP) into the 
license to allow completion of decommissioning activities at the site 
and eventual unrestricted release of the Facility. The NRC has 
evaluated and approved the Licensee's DP. The findings of this 
evaluation are documented in a Safety Evaluation Report which will be 
issued along with the amendment. The Licensee requested this action in 
a letter dated December 8, 2005. The Licensee's amendment request was 
noted in the Federal Register on February 1, 2007 (72 FR 4734). This 
Federal Register notice also provided an opportunity for a hearing on 
this licensing action. No hearing requests were received. 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

[[Page 67762]]

Significant Impact (FONSI) is appropriate with respect to the proposed 
action. The amendment will be issued to the Licensee following the 
publication of this FONSI and EA in the Federal Register.

II. Environmental Assessment

Identification of Proposed Action

    The proposed action would approve the Licensee's December 8, 2005, 
license amendment request to incorporate the DP into the license, 
resulting in final decommissioning of the Facility and subsequent 
release of the Facility for unrestricted use. License No. STC-133 was 
issued on February 14, 1957, pursuant to 10 CFR part 40, and has been 
amended periodically since that time. This license authorized the 
Licensee to possess uranium and thorium as natural uranium and thorium 
mixtures as ores, concentrates and solids for the purpose of storage, 
sampling, repackaging and transfer for the activities of the National 
Defense Stockpile.
    The Facility is situated on approximately 57 acres in an 
industrial/commercial area. The Facility consists of eight buildings of 
which three warehouses were used to store drums of licensed materials, 
several pads and ground areas where non-radioactive ore piles were 
stored, and unused grassy areas, wetlands and an adjacent lake. A 
number of paved and dirt roads, along with railroad tracks, traverse 
the site. Within the Facility, use of licensed materials was confined 
to Warehouse 100W, Warehouse 100E, Warehouse 200E and its outdoor re-
packaging area, and the burn cage. Licensed activities ceased in August 
2005.

Need for the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is to approve the DP so that the Licensee may 
complete Facility decommissioning activities. Completion of the 
decommissioning activities will reduce residual radioactivity at the 
Facility. NRC regulations require licensees to begin timely 
decommissioning of their sites, or any separate buildings that contain 
residual radioactivity, upon cessation of licensed activities, in 
accordance with 10 CFR 40.42(d). The proposed licensing action will 
support such a goal. NRC is fulfilling its responsibilities under the 
Atomic Energy Act to make a decision on a proposed license amendment 
for decommissioning that ensures protection of the public health and 
safety.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The historical review of licensed activities conducted at the 
Facility shows that such activities involved the storage, repackaging 
and transfer of licensed material in the form of thorium nitrate, 
monazite sand and other ores containing source material. The licensed 
materials were always stored inside buildings, but were moved to other 
buildings and/or on and off the Facility, which resulted in some 
licensed materials being spilled outdoors.
    The NRC staff has reviewed the Licensee amendment request for the 
Facility and examined the impacts of this license amendment request. 
Potential impacts include water resource impact (e.g., water may be 
used for dust control), air quality impacts from dust emissions, 
temporary local traffic impacts resulting from transporting debris, 
human health impacts, noise impacts from equipment operation, scenic 
quality impacts, and waste management impacts.
    Based on its review, the staff has determined that no surface water 
or ground water impacts are expected from the decommissioning 
activities. Additionally, the staff has determined that significant air 
quality, noise, land use, and off-site radiation exposure impacts are 
also not expected. No significant air quality impacts are anticipated 
because of the contamination controls that will be implemented by the 
Licensee during decommissioning activities. In addition, the 
environmental impacts associated with the decommissioning activities 
are bounded by impacts evaluated by NUREG-0586, ``Final Generic 
Environmental Impact Statement on the Decommissioning of Nuclear 
Facilities,'' (GEIS). Generic impacts for this type of decommissioning 
process were previously evaluated and described in the GEIS, which 
concludes that the environmental consequences are small. The risk to 
human health from the transportation of all radioactive material in the 
U.S. was evaluated in NUREG-0170, ``Final Environmental Statement on 
the Transportation of Radioactive Materials by Air and Other Modes.'' 
The principal radiological environmental impact during normal 
transportation is direct radiation exposure to nearby persons from 
radioactive material in the package. The average annual individual dose 
from all radioactive material transportation in the U.S. was calculated 
to be approximately 0.5 mrem, well below the 10 CFR 20.1301 limit of 
100 mrem for a member of the public. Additionally, the Licensee 
estimates that approximately 270 cubic meters of low-contaminated 
demolition material waste and 1,120 cubic meters of low-contaminated 
soil will leave the site over the course of the decommissioning 
project. The waste will be transported from the Facility by rail car to 
its final destination. This proposed action will not significantly 
increase the probability or consequences of accidents, no changes are 
being made in the types of any effluents that may be released off-site, 
and there is no significant increase in occupational or public 
radiation exposure. Thus, waste management and transportation impacts 
from the decommissioning will not be significant.
    Occupational health was also considered in the ``Final 
Environmental Impact Statement on the Transportation of Radioactive 
Material by Air and Other Modes.'' Shipment of these materials would 
not affect the assessment of environmental impacts or the conclusions 
in the ``Final Environmental Impact Statement on the Transportation of 
Radioactive Material by Air and Other Modes.''
    The staff also finds that the proposed license amendment will meet 
the radiological criteria for unrestricted release as specified in 10 
CFR 20.1402. The Licensee demonstrated this through the development of 
derived concentration guideline limits (DCGLs) for its Facility. The 
Licensee conducted site specific dose modeling using parameters 
specific to the Facility that adequately bounded the potential dose. 
This included dose modeling for two scenarios: Building surfaces and 
soil. The building surface dose model was based on the warehouse worker 
scenario and the soil dose modeling was based on a resident farmer 
scenario.
    The Licensee will maintain an appropriate level of radiation 
protection staff, procedures, and capabilities, and, through its 
Radiation Safety Officer, will implement an acceptable program to keep 
exposure to radioactive materials as low as reasonably achievable 
(ALARA). Work activities are not anticipated to result in radiation 
exposures to the public in excess of 10 percent of the 10 CFR 20.1301 
limits.
    The NRC also evaluated whether cumulative environmental impacts 
could result from an incremental impact of the proposed action when 
added to other past, present, or reasonably foreseeable future actions 
in the area. The proposed NRC approval of the license amendment 
request, when combined with known effects on resource areas at the 
site, including further site remediation, are not

[[Page 67763]]

anticipated to result in any cumulative impacts at the site.

Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    The only alternative to the proposed action of decommissioning the 
Facility is the no-action alternative, under which the staff would 
leave things as they are by simply denying the amendment request. This 
no-action alternative is not feasible because it conflicts with 10 CFR 
40.42(d) requiring that decommissioning of source material facilities 
be completed and approved by the NRC after licensed activities cease. 
The no-action alternative would keep radioactive material on-site 
without disposal. Additionally, denying the amendment 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 NRC guidance and regulations. 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 State 
of Indiana, Department of the Environment for review on June 26, 2007. 
On November 2, 2007, Indiana State Department of Health, Radiological 
Emergency Response Program, responded by e-mail. The State agreed with 
the conclusions of the EA and otherwise had no comments.

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, including the application for 
license 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 documents 
related to this action are listed below, along with their ADAMS 
accession numbers.
    1. NUREG-1757, ``Consolidated NMSS Decommissioning Guidance;''
    2. Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 20, Subpart E, 
``Radiological Criteria for License Termination;''
    3. Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 51, ``Environmental 
Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory 
Functions;''
    4. NUREG-1496, ``Generic Environmental Impact Statement in Support 
of Rulemaking on Radiological Criteria for License Termination of NRC-
Licensed Nuclear Facilities''
    5. Letter dated December 8, 2005 (ML053500252)
    6. Historical Site Assessment (ML060580605)
    7. Preliminary Site Specific Derived Concentration Guidelines 
(ML060580629)
    8. Radiological Scoping Survey (ML060580608)
    9. Environmental Assessment, Disposition of Thorium Nitrate 
(ML060580592)
    10. Letter dated July 5, 2006 (ML061870578) and July 19, 2006 
(ML062070231)
    11. Radiological Characterization Survey Report (ML062710179)
    12. Decommissioning/Remediation Plan (ML062760618)
    13. Letter dated January 12, 2007 (ML070160372)
    14. Federal Register Notice of Consideration (ML070250043)
    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, O 1 
F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852. 
The PDR reproduction contractor will copy documents for a fee.

    Dated at 475 Allendale Road, King of Prussia, PA, this 21st day 
of November, 2007. For The Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
James P. Dwyer,
Chief, Commercial and R&D Branch, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety, 
Region I.
 [FR Doc. E7-23218 Filed 11-29-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.