Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for License Amendment for Revised Groundwater Protection Standards, Western Nuclear, Inc., Jeffrey City, WY, 6067-6068 [2010-2548]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 24 / Friday, February 5, 2010 / Notices any identifying or contact information, the NRC cautions you against including any information in your submission that you do not want to be publicly disclosed. The NRC requests that any party soliciting or aggregating comments received from other persons for submission to the NRC inform those persons that the NRC will not edit their comments to remove any identifying or contact information, and therefore, they should not include any information in their comments that they do not want publicly disclosed. Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for documents filed under Docket ID NRC–2008–0339. Comments may be submitted electronically through this Web site. Address questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher at 301–492– 3668, or e-mail at Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. Mail comments to: Michael T. Lesar, Chief, Rulemaking and Directives Branch (RDB), Division of Administrative Services, Office of Administration, Mail Stop: TWB–05– B01M, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555– 0001, or by fax to RDB at (301) 492– 3446. You may also send comments electronically to NicholsRanchISRSEIS@nrc.gov. srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information on the NRC’s NEPA process, or the environmental review process related to the Draft SEIS, please contact Irene Yu, Project Manager, Environmental Review Branch, Division of Waste Management and Environmental Protection (DWMEP), Mail Stop T–8F5, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC, 20555–001, by phone at 1 (800) 368–5642, extension 1951. For general or technical information associated with the safety and licensing of uranium milling facilities, please contact Stephen Cohen, Team Lead, Uranium Recovery Branch, DWMEP, Mail Stop T–8F5, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001, by phone at 1 (800) 368–5642, extension 7182. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Introduction As stated previously, in response to several requests during the public comment period, the NRC is extending the Draft SEIS comment period close date from February 1, 2010, to March 3, 2010. The comment period extension is in response to public comments indicating (1) the original comment period for the Draft SEIS included multiple Federal holidays, and (2) the VerDate Nov<24>2008 16:26 Feb 04, 2010 Jkt 220001 Draft SEIS for the Nichols Ranch ISR Project was published concurrently with two additional NRC Draft SEISs (the Lost Creek ISR Project in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, and the Moore Ranch ISR Project in Campbell County, Wyoming). Following the end of the public comment period, the NRC staff will publish a Final SEIS for the Nichols Ranch ISR Project that addresses, as appropriate, the public comments on the Draft SEIS. Campbell County Public Library, 2101 South 4J Road, Gillette, Wyoming 82718, 307–687–0009. Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 1st day of February, 2010. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Patrice M. Bubar, Deputy Director, Environmental Protection and Performance Assessment Directorate, Division of Waste Management and Environmental Protection, Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs. BILLING CODE 7590–01–P Publicly available documents related to this notice can be accessed using the following methods: NRC’s Public Document Room (PDR): The public may examine and have copied, for a fee, publicly available documents at the NRC’s PDR, Public File Area O1 F21, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland. NRC’s Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS): Publicly available documents created or received at the NRC are available electronically at the NRC’s Electronic Reading Room at https://www.nrc.gov/ reading-rm/adams.html. From this page, the public can gain entry into ADAMS, which provides text and image files of NRC’s public documents. If you do not have access to ADAMS or if there are problems in accessing the documents located in ADAMS, contact the NRC’s PDR reference staff at 1–800–397–4209, 301–415–4737, or by e-mail to Pdr.Resource@nrc.gov. The ‘‘Environmental Impact Statement for the Nichols Ranch ISR Project in Campbell and Johnson Counties, Wyoming—Supplement to the Generic Environmental Impact Statement for InSitu Leach Uranium Milling Facilities’’ is available electronically under ADAMS Accession Number ML093340536. The Draft SEIS for the Nichols Ranch ISR Project also may be accessed on the internet at https://www.nrc.gov/readingrm/doc-collections/nuregs/staff/ by selecting ‘‘NUREG–1910.’’ The Draft SEIS will be Supplement 2 to NUREG– 1910. To facilitate review, links to NEPA documents developed by other Federal agencies that were referenced in the Draft SEIS will be provided at the aforementioned internet address. Additionally, a copy of the Draft SEIS will be available at the following public libraries: Frm 00128 Johnson County Library, 171 North Adams Avenue, Buffalo, Wyoming 82834, 307–684–5546. [FR Doc. 2010–2529 Filed 2–4–10; 8:45 am] II. Further Information PO 00000 6067 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. 40–1162; NRC–2010–0038] Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for License Amendment for Revised Groundwater Protection Standards, Western Nuclear, Inc., Jeffrey City, WY AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Notice of availability. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Chang, Project Manager, Special Projects Branch, Division of Waste Management and Environmental Protection, Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001. Telephone: (301) 415– 7188; fax number: (301) 415–5369; email: richard.chang@nrc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Introduction The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering issuing a license amendment to Materials License No. SUA–56, held by Western Nuclear, Inc. (WNI), to authorize revised groundwater protection standards for its facility near Jeffrey City, Wyoming. On June 19, 1981, WNI announced that the facility would be placed on standby because of a diminishing demand for the ore and because of depressed uranium prices. The facility remained on standby until 1986 when the NRC staff amended the license to terminate the use of the tailings impoundments for disposal, and WNI was required to submit a tailings reclamation plan. On December 1, 2008, as supplemented by a February 7, 2009, submittal, WNI submitted a license amendment request for revised groundwater protection standards. On E:\FR\FM\05FEN1.SGM 05FEN1 6068 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 24 / Friday, February 5, 2010 / Notices March 9, 2009, WNI submitted an additional amendment request for groundwater protection standards for other constituents. NRC staff sent a request for additional information on April 1, 2009, which WNI responded to on June 16, 2009. NRC has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) in support of this amendment request 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 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 revised groundwater protection standards for the site. Specifically, WNI has requested that an alternate concentration limit (ACL) be set for selenium at the point of compliance wells equal to 0.05 mg/ L. This requested selenium value is equal to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) maximum contaminant level (MCL) for selenium in drinking water. WNI has also requested that natural uranium trigger levels for licensee action at the point of exposure be set at background levels, specifically 0.087 mg/L for the Split Rock aquifer and 0.044 mg/L for the flood-plain aquifer. The request excludes one well (Well SWAB–32), where the existing standard will not change. The NRC staff has prepared the EA in support of the proposed license amendment. The NRC staff considered impacts to groundwater, surface water, endangered and threatened species, historic and cultural resources, socioeconomic conditions, and transportation. This EA references previously approved ACLs, which were granted in 2006. The site currently has institutional controls in place limiting the domestic use of groundwater within the proposed long-term surveillance boundary. Because WNI is requesting a standard for selenium values at the points of compliance equal to EPA’s MCL and the trigger levels for licensee action at the point of exposure for natural uranium at background levels, the staff does not expect the proposed action to significantly impact the following resource areas: groundwater, surface water, endangered and threatened species, historic and cultural resources, socioeconomic conditions, and transportation. 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 that there is no need 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 Documents 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: Document title Date Accession No. Split Rock Uranium Mill Tailings Facility Proposed Amendments to LC 74 ............................................... License Amendment Request for Western Nuclear, Inc., Source Materials License SUA–56 .................. License Amendment Request for Western Nuclear, Inc., Source Materials License SUA–56 .................. Request For Additional Information—Amendments To License Condition 74, Materials License SUA– 56, Western Nuclear Inc., Split Rock Site, Jeffrey City, Wyoming. Request for Additional Information—Amendments to L.C. 74, Materials License SUA056, Western Nuclear Inc., Split Rock Site. Final Environmental Assessment ................................................................................................................ December 1, 2008 ..... February 7, 2009 ....... March 9, 2009 ........... April 1, 2009 .............. ML083380453 ML090430285 ML090750922 ML090820330 June 16, 2009 ........... ML091680563 January 28, 2010 ...... ML092780271 srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD 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.resource@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. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Keith I. McConnell, Deputy Director, Decommissioning and Uranium Recovery Licensing Directorate, Division of Waste Management and Environmental Protection, Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management Programs. [FR Doc. 2010–2548 Filed 2–4–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC–2008–0391] Extension of Public Comment Period on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Lost Creek In-Situ Recovery Project in Sweetwater County, WY; Supplement to the Generic Environmental Impact Statement for In-Situ Leach Uranium Milling Facilities AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). ACTION: Extension of Public Comment Period. Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 28th day of January, 2010. SUMMARY: This notice revises a notice published on Friday, December 11, 2009, in the Federal Register (74 FR 65804), which announced, in part, that the public comment period for the NRC’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft SEIS) for the Lost Creek VerDate Nov<24>2008 16:26 Feb 04, 2010 Jkt 220001 PO 00000 Frm 00129 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\05FEN1.SGM 05FEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 24 (Friday, February 5, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6067-6068]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-2548]


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

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 40-1162; NRC-2010-0038]


Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of 
No Significant Impact for License Amendment for Revised Groundwater 
Protection Standards, Western Nuclear, Inc., Jeffrey City, WY

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Chang, Project Manager, 
Special Projects Branch, Division of Waste Management and Environmental 
Protection, Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental 
Management Programs, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 
20555-0001. Telephone: (301) 415-7188; fax number: (301) 415-5369; e-
mail: richard.chang@nrc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering issuing 
a license amendment to Materials License No. SUA-56, held by Western 
Nuclear, Inc. (WNI), to authorize revised groundwater protection 
standards for its facility near Jeffrey City, Wyoming. On June 19, 
1981, WNI announced that the facility would be placed on standby 
because of a diminishing demand for the ore and because of depressed 
uranium prices. The facility remained on standby until 1986 when the 
NRC staff amended the license to terminate the use of the tailings 
impoundments for disposal, and WNI was required to submit a tailings 
reclamation plan. On December 1, 2008, as supplemented by a February 7, 
2009, submittal, WNI submitted a license amendment request for revised 
groundwater protection standards. On

[[Page 6068]]

March 9, 2009, WNI submitted an additional amendment request for 
groundwater protection standards for other constituents. NRC staff sent 
a request for additional information on April 1, 2009, which WNI 
responded to on June 16, 2009. NRC has prepared an Environmental 
Assessment (EA) in support of this amendment request 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 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 revised 
groundwater protection standards for the site. Specifically, WNI has 
requested that an alternate concentration limit (ACL) be set for 
selenium at the point of compliance wells equal to 0.05 mg/L. This 
requested selenium value is equal to the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency's (EPA's) maximum contaminant level (MCL) for selenium in 
drinking water. WNI has also requested that natural uranium trigger 
levels for licensee action at the point of exposure be set at 
background levels, specifically 0.087 mg/L for the Split Rock aquifer 
and 0.044 mg/L for the flood-plain aquifer. The request excludes one 
well (Well SWAB-32), where the existing standard will not change.
    The NRC staff has prepared the EA in support of the proposed 
license amendment. The NRC staff considered impacts to groundwater, 
surface water, endangered and threatened species, historic and cultural 
resources, socioeconomic conditions, and transportation. This EA 
references previously approved ACLs, which were granted in 2006. The 
site currently has institutional controls in place limiting the 
domestic use of groundwater within the proposed long-term surveillance 
boundary. Because WNI is requesting a standard for selenium values at 
the points of compliance equal to EPA's MCL and the trigger levels for 
licensee action at the point of exposure for natural uranium at 
background levels, the staff does not expect the proposed action to 
significantly impact the following resource areas: groundwater, surface 
water, endangered and threatened species, historic and cultural 
resources, socioeconomic conditions, and transportation.

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 that there is no need 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 
Documents 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:

 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Document title                    Date              Accession No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Split Rock Uranium Mill       December 1, 2008..........     ML083380453
 Tailings Facility Proposed
 Amendments to LC 74.
License Amendment Request     February 7, 2009..........     ML090430285
 for Western Nuclear, Inc.,
 Source Materials License
 SUA-56.
License Amendment Request     March 9, 2009.............     ML090750922
 for Western Nuclear, Inc.,
 Source Materials License
 SUA-56.
Request For Additional        April 1, 2009.............     ML090820330
 Information--Amendments To
 License Condition 74,
 Materials License SUA-56,
 Western Nuclear Inc., Split
 Rock Site, Jeffrey City,
 Wyoming.
Request for Additional        June 16, 2009.............     ML091680563
 Information--Amendments to
 L.C. 74, Materials License
 SUA056, Western Nuclear
 Inc., Split Rock Site.
Final Environmental           January 28, 2010..........     ML092780271
 Assessment.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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.resource@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 28th day of January, 2010.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Keith I. McConnell,
Deputy Director, Decommissioning and Uranium Recovery Licensing 
Directorate, Division of Waste Management and Environmental Protection, 
Office of Federal and State Materials and Environmental Management 
Programs.
[FR Doc. 2010-2548 Filed 2-4-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.