Department of the Air Force; Hill Air Force Base, Utah, 11597-11600 [2016-04863]
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 43 / Friday, March 4, 2016 / Notices
jstallworth on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
activities, and facilities for a two-decade
planning horizon. These operations,
activities, and facilities are described in
the 2012 CMP, which has a planning
horizon of 2012–2032. The CMP
considers a range of future scenarios for
repurposing existing facilities,
recapitalizing infrastructure,
reorganizing the management of KSC
and its land resources, and various
kinds of partnerships (some of which
are already in place).
In the coming years, KSC will remain
the world’s preeminent launch facility
for Government and commercial space
access. KSC will support NASA, and
ultimately our Nation’s competitiveness,
by investing in next-generation
technologies and encouraging
innovation. KSC will foster
partnerships—intergovernmental,
commercial, academic, and
international—to expand its ability to
support both public and private space
initiatives. These institutional efforts
and initiatives necessitate changes to
the infrastructure, facilities, and
operations at KSC over the coming
decades which are identified in a new
CMP Update that has been developed by
the Center Planning and Development
Office.
Alternatives
The DPEIS evaluates the
environmental consequences of three
alternative means of managing KSC for
the coming two decades:
(1) Proposed Action—KSC would
continue to transition to a multi-user
spaceport. A number of new facilities
would be constructed, including two
seaports and horizontal and vertical
launch and landing facilities. There
would be changes in the acreage of
designated land-use categories at KSC.
(2) Alternative 1—This was added as
a direct response to concerns expressed
in comments received during the PEIS
public scoping period in June 2014, as
well as other observations and data
acquired from stakeholders and other
agencies during the scoping process.
Alternative 1 is similar to the Proposed
Action in many regards, but is
differentiated in several key respects:
Primarily, differences in the siting and
size of vertical and horizontal launch
and landing facilities. Also, the two new
seaports would not be constructed. At
this time, Alternative 1 is NASA’s
preferred alternative.
(3) No Action Alternative—KSC
management would continue its
emphasis on dedicated NASA programs
and would not maximize its transition
in the coming years towards a multiuser spaceport with fully-integrated
NASA programs and non-NASA users.
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Rather, each NASA program would
continue to be operated as an
independent entity to a significant
degree, to be funded separately, and to
manage activities and buildings in
support of its own program. Under this
scenario there would continue to be a
non-NASA presence at KSC.
Public Meetings
NASA and its Cooperating Agencies
plan to hold two public meetings in
Florida to solicit comments on the
DPEIS.
The public meetings are currently
scheduled for:
—Tuesday, March 29, 2016, 5:00 p.m. to
8:00 p.m. at the at the Eastern Florida
State College Titusville Campus, John
Henry Jones Gymnasium;
—Wednesday, March 30, 2016, 5:00
p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the New Smyrna
Beach High School Gymnasium, 1015
Tenth Street New Smyrna Beach.
The meeting format will include an
open-house workshop from 5:00 p.m. to
6:00 p.m. KSC staff and the
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
contractor will provide an overview of
the DPEIS findings from 6:00 p.m. to
6:15 p.m., followed by a public
comment period from 6:15 p.m. to 8:00
p.m. The open-house workshop will
consist of poster stations describing the
proposed project, the NEPA process,
and the DPEIS findings. NASA KSC and
cooperating agencies’ staff will be
present during the open-house
workshop portion to accept comments.
NASA will consider all comments
received during the comment period in
developing its Final EIS and comments
received and responses to comments
will be included in the final document.
In conclusion, written public input on
environmental issues and concerns
associated with NASA’s DPEIS
analyzing its CMP Update are hereby
requested.
Cheryl E. Parker,
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016–04454 Filed 3–3–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7510–13–P
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
[Docket No. 030–28641; NRC–2015–0054]
Department of the Air Force; Hill Air
Force Base, Utah
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Environmental assessment and
finding of no significant impact;
issuance.
AGENCY:
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11597
The Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) is considering an
amendment to Master Materials License
42–23539–01AF, Docket No. 030–28641,
issued to the Department of the Air
Force (the licensee). This amendment
will allow the licensee to decommission
a former magnesium-thorium alloy
disposal trench at Hill Air Force Base,
Utah, in accordance with instructions
provided in an NRC-approved
decommissioning plan. The NRC
conducted an environmental impact
assessment in support of this licensing
action. Based on the results of this
assessment, the NRC concluded that a
Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI) is appropriate.
DATES: The license amendment will be
issued on March 4, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID
NRC–2015–0054 when contacting the
NRC about the availability of
information regarding this document.
You may obtain publicly-available
information related to this document
using any of the following methods:
• Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and search
for Docket ID NRC–2015–0054. Address
questions about NRC dockets to Carol
Gallagher; telephone: 301–415–3463;
email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For
technical questions, contact the
individual listed in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this
document.
• NRC’s Agencywide Documents
Access and Management System
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly
available documents online in the
ADAMS Public Documents collection at
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/
adams.html. To begin the search, select
‘‘ADAMS Public Documents’’ and then
select ‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS
Search.’’ For problems with ADAMS,
please contact the NRC’s Public
Document Room (PDR) reference staff at
1–800–397–4209, 301–415–4737, or by
email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The
ADAMS accession number for each
document referenced in this document
(if that document is available in
ADAMS) is provided the first time that
a document is referenced.
• NRC’s PDR: You may examine and
purchase copies of public documents at
the NRC’s PDR, Room O1–F21, One
White Flint North, 11555 Rockville
Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack
E. Whitten, Region IV, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, 1600 E. Lamar
Blvd., Arlington, TX 76011; telephone:
817–200–1197, email: Jack.Whitten@
nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 43 / Friday, March 4, 2016 / Notices
I. Introduction
The NRC is considering the issuance
of an amendment to Materials License
42–23539–01AF, issued to the
Department of the Air Force (licensee),
to approve a proposed
Decommissioning Plan (DP) for
remediation of a magnesium-thorium
alloy burial pit located at Hill Air Force
Base, Utah. As required by part 51 of
title 10 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (10 CFR), the NRC
performed an environmental assessment
of the proposed activity. Based on the
results of the environmental assessment
that follows, the NRC has determined
not to prepare an environmental impact
statement for the license amendment,
and is issuing a Finding of No
Significant Impact (FONSI).
A detailed Environmental Assessment
(EA) for this project was prepared by the
NRC and can be found in ADAMS under
Accession No. ML16013A246. A
summary of the environmental
assessment is provided below. In
addition, the NRC staff analyzed the
radiological and industrial safety
impacts to workers and the public. The
resulting Safety Evaluation Report can
be found in ADAMS under Accession
No. ML16013A248.
jstallworth on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Background Information
The U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
(AEC) issued Source Material License
C–3650 (Docket No. 040–00204) to the
Marquardt Aircraft Company of Van
Nuys, California, in January 1957 for
possession of magnesium-thorium alloy.
In June 1961, Marquardt requested AEC
approval to burn machine chips and
small pieces of magnesium-thorium
scrap material in trenches at the Little
Mountain Test Annex (LMTA) at Hill
Air Force Base, Utah. Docket file records
(ADAMS Accession No. ML16021A132)
indicate that 500 pounds (226.8
kilograms) of scrap alloy was buried in
June 1959, 1,500 pounds (680.4
kilograms) of alloy was buried in
February 1960, and 3,600 pounds (1,633
kilograms) of alloy was incinerated
within the burial pit in August 1961. No
other records of disposals were
provided in the AEC’s docket file.
In September 1961, License C–3650
expired, and License STB–434 was
issued to the licensee. The AEC
subsequently terminated License STB–
434 in April 1971. During the time
frame that the two licenses were active,
regulation 10 CFR 20.304 allowed
licensees to dispose of certain
radioactive wastes by burial. The AEC
allowed License STB–434 to be
terminated in 1971 without
consideration of the magnesium-
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thorium alloy that had been incinerated
and buried at LMTA. Effective January
28, 1981, approximately 10 years after
termination of the license, NRC
regulations in 10 CFR part 20 were
amended (45 FR 71761) to delete
Section 20.304.
In November 1993, an NRC inspector
visited the LMTA to independently
ascertain whether the magnesiumthorium alloy burial trench was still
present at the facility (ADAMS
Accession No. ML16021A132). The
inspector identified two apparent
disposal pits, based on changes in
topography and changes in background
radiation exposure rates. In response,
the licensee and its contractors
conducted five separate investigations
from 1993–2013 to determine the extent
of surface and subsurface radiological
contamination at the site. The
investigations confirmed that the
surface and subsurface soils were
contaminated with thorium-232. The
licensee estimated that the volume of
soil to be remediated was approximately
2,420 cubic yards (1,850 cubic meters),
including swelling and over-excavation
factors.
The licensee submitted a draft
decommissioning Plan (DP) to the NRC
by Memorandum dated May 12, 2014
(ADAMS Accession No. ML14197A685).
This submittal included a final status
survey plan and derived concentration
guideline level evaluation for Site WR–
111, the licensee’s designation for the
burial trench. In response to preliminary
comments from NRC staff, the licensee
provided supplemental information by
Memorandum dated September 12,
2014. [The September 12, 2014,
submittal contained non-publicly
available information. The submittal
was redacted by the Air Force and rereleased as publicly available on
December 18, 2014, ADAMS Accession
No. ML15030A218]. This supplemental
information included a licensee request
for a waiver from the environmental
impact assessment process.
In support of this request for a waiver,
the licensee submitted an
environmental assessment (EA) and
FONSI (ADAMS Accession No.
ML15030A218) to the NRC dated March
2014 involving a proposed emergency
power unit overhaul complex at the
LMTA. This particular EA included the
area encompassing the magnesiumthorium decommissioning project at
LMTA, but this EA did not specifically
address the proposed decommissioning
project at Site WR–111 itself. Citing
regulation 32 CFR part 989, appendix B,
the licensee requested a categorical
exclusion from further analysis of those
actions that are similar to other actions
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which have been determined to have an
insignificant impact in a similar setting
as established in an environmental
impact statement or an environmental
assessment resulting in a FONSI. In
other words, the licensee requested a
categorical exclusion from the
environmental assessment process for
Site WR–111 based on the completion of
a similar EA and FONSI for the LMTA
in March 2014.
The NRC staff acknowledges the
licensee’s request for a categorical
exclusion; however, NUREG–1748,
Environmental Review Guidance for
Licensing Actions Associated with
NMSS Programs (ADAMS Accession
No. ML032450279), Section 1.6.1, states
that another agency’s EA can be adopted
by the NRC, but the NRC is responsible
for preparing its own EA in accordance
with the requirements of 10 CFR 51.32–
35. The NRC must prepare a sitespecific EA and FONSI (as appropriate)
to ensure that the site-specific aspects
have been addressed.
Facility Description
The LMTA is a 740-acre (300-hectare)
facility managed by Hill Air Force Base.
The property is located approximately
15 miles northwest of Hill Air Force
Base in a remote section of Weber
County, Utah. The disposal trench (Site
WR–111) is located in the southeastern
corner of LMTA. The area of the trench
is estimated to be 170 feet (52 meters)
by 170 feet (52 meters). There are no
buildings or structures within or
immediately adjacent to the WR–111
site.
The current land use is military and
industrial, with extensive rangeland
present around the property. Industrial
properties are located approximately 1
mile (1.6 kilometers) to the northeast of
the WR–111 site. The nearest residence
is situated about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers)
east of the site. The land use is not
expected to change in the near future,
and the Federal Government plans to
continue to control the LMTA property
for research and development activities.
The groundwater at the WR–111 site
is reported to occur between 34–57 feet
(10.4–17.4 meters) below ground
surface. Four monitoring wells were
installed around the site in 2006, in
part, to determine if the contents of the
disposal trench have infiltrated into the
groundwater. The licensee’s contractor
sampled the wells in November 2006.
Based on these sample results, the
licensee’s contractor concluded that the
buried thorium waste was not leaching
into the local groundwater.
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 43 / Friday, March 4, 2016 / Notices
II. Environmental Assessment
Description of the Proposed Action
The NRC’s proposed action is to
amend License 42–23539–01AF,
approving the proposed DP, as
supplemented. The licensee would then
be authorized to conduct
decommissioning as specified in the
NRC-approved DP. Concurrently with
the approval of the DP, the NRC plans
to approve the licensee’s proposed sitespecific soil cleanup criteria and final
status survey plan.
The decommissioning work includes
excavating the trench with heavy
equipment, packaging and transporting
the excavated material to an offsite
location for permanent disposal,
conducting radiological surveys to
confirm that the site has been
completely remediated, and backfilling
the trench with clean material. After
completion of decommissioning, the
NRC is expected to review the licensee’s
proposed final status survey results and
conduct an independent radiological
survey to confirm the licensee’s final
status survey results.
jstallworth on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Need for the Proposed Action
The purpose of the proposed action is
to reduce the residual radioactivity at
Site WR–111 to levels that allow release
of the property for unrestricted use. If
the licensee conducts site remediation
in accordance with instructions
provided in the DP, the licensee will be
in compliance with the radiological
criteria for license termination, as
specified in regulation 10 CFR part 20,
subpart E. Approval of the DP would
allow the NRC to fulfill its
responsibilities under the Atomic
Energy Act to ensure protection of the
public health and safety and
environment.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed
Action
In its EA and FONSI dated March 14,
2014, the Air Force summarized the
potential impacts of the proposed
construction of four buildings and
demolition of two buildings at the
LMTA to support the overhaul of
emergency power units used in fighter
aircraft. The Air Force identified and
analyzed four environmental effects—
air quality, solid and hazardous wastes,
biological resources, and water quality.
The NRC staff reviewed the licensee’s
environmental impact assessment with
an emphasis on the potential impacts
that may occur while conducting
decommissioning work at Site WR–111.
The first environmental impact is air
quality. This impact was analyzed by
the Air Force because the location of the
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project (Weber County, Utah) is not in
complete attainment status with Federal
clean air standards. For this reason, the
Air Force attempts to control emissions
originating from Hill Air Force Base.
The potential air quality impacts
resulting from decommissioning Site
WR–111 would include fugitive dust
from ground disturbance and emissions
from construction/transportation
equipment.
At Site WR–111, the primary shortterm health hazard to site workers is the
potential for airborne radioactivity
during excavation remediation. In
response, the licensee’s contractor
committed to implement engineering
controls to suppress dust and to conduct
air sampling. If the air samplers indicate
the presence of airborne radioactive
dust, the work will be suspended until
the cause of the radioactive dust is
identified and corrected. The contractor
also committed to cover soil piles as
practical and use silt fencing as needed.
Another potential impact on air quality
involves emissions from equipment and
vehicles that are used to excavate the
trenches, ship the radioactive wastes for
disposal, and transport workers to and
from the jobsite. The NRC staff
concluded that the overall air quality
impact will be minimal due to the
limited duration of the project.
The second environmental impact is
solid and hazardous wastes. The
licensee plans to manage and dispose of
the radioactive wastes in accordance
with instructions provided in the DP
and associated work plan. Nonradioactive hazardous wastes are not
expected to be encountered during
decommissioning. In addition, liquid
hazardous wastes are not expected to be
created. The contractor will sample the
radioactive wastes for non-radiological
hazardous waste constituents to ensure
that the wastes are acceptable for
shipment to the chosen disposal site.
The third environmental impact
involves biological resources. At the
WR–111 site, the decommissioning
work will result in temporary loss of
habitat and displacement of animal
species, specifically, mule deer and
rodents. However, the footprint of the
decommissioning project is small, 1 acre
(0.4 hectares), and the contractor and
licensee plan to restore the property
after completion of work. Therefore, the
short-term decommissioning of Site
WR–111 would have a minimal impact
on biological resources.
The fourth analyzed environmental
impact involves water quality. There are
no surface water sources in the vicinity
of the proposed work area; therefore, the
work should have no impact on surface
waters. The work should not have an
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impact on groundwater because the
groundwater table is below the depth of
the excavation. There may be a potential
impact from storm water during work
activities, but the contractor has
developed procedures to respond to
potential rainwater runoff during work
activities.
The Air Force eliminated several
issues from further study, such as
cultural resources. Cultural resources
include archaeological, architectural,
and traditional cultural properties. In
the Air Force’s assessment, it explained
that four previous cultural surveys were
conducted in the area, and no cultural
resources were identified. The NRC staff
noted that the location of the disposal
trench had already been disturbed;
therefore, excavation of the radioactive
material from the trench will not result
in the disturbance of any new area not
already disturbed.
Other issues eliminated from further
study by the Air Force included impacts
on geology and surface soils,
occupational safety and health, noise,
accident potential, airfield
encroachment, and socio-economic
resources. The NRC staff reviewed these
potential impacts and concluded that
none would be significantly affected by
the decommissioning of Site WR–111.
For example, occupational safety and
health was eliminated from
consideration because the contractor
will use trained individuals and
approved procedures to control the
work.
Environmental Impacts of the
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
As an alternative to the proposed
action, the staff considered denial of the
proposed action (i.e., the ‘‘no-action’’
alternative). The no-action alternative
assumes that the status quo is
maintained. With respect to the WR–111
site, the no-action alternative means that
the licensee would not be allowed to
conduct decommissioning work, and
the disposal trench would continue to
remain onsite at the LMTA.
The no-action alternative is not
acceptable because it violates the NRC’s
Timeliness Rule regulations that are
specified in 10 CFR part 30.36. The
Timeliness Rule requires licensees to
decommission their facilities in a timely
manner when licensed activities have
permanently ceased. In addition, the
radioactive contamination at Site WR–
111 currently exceeds the radiological
criteria for license termination as
specified in subpart E to 10 CFR part 20.
Approval of the no-action alternative
would prevent the licensee from
conducting decommissioning work as
necessary to release the site for
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 43 / Friday, March 4, 2016 / Notices
unrestricted use under subpart E
requirements.
jstallworth on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy,
the NRC consulted with the Utah
Department of Environmental Quality,
Division of Waste Management and
Radiation Control, regarding the
environmental assessment and safety
evaluation impacts of the proposed
action (ADAMS Accession No.
ML15338A187). On January 6, 2016, the
State agency informed the NRC that it
had no comments on the proposed
action (ADAMS Accession No.
ML16008B076).
As part of its 2014 environmental
assessment process for the overhaul
complex, the Air Force consulted with
local Tribes and the Utah Division of
State History. The Air Force provided
documentation of their responses as
attachments to its EA. The Utah
Division of State History and the Hopi
Tribe concurred with the finding of no
adverse impacts, and the Navajo Nation
concluded that the proposed project
would not have an impact on Navajo
traditional cultural properties (ADAMS
Accession Nos. ML15282A470 and
ML15282A476). The NRC staff did not
consult with these State and tribal
entities, due to the results of the Air
Force’s consultations.
The NRC staff determined that the
proposed action will not affect listed
species or critical habitats based on the
results of previous consultations
provided by the Air Force to the NRC.
Therefore, no further consultations are
required under Section 7 of the
Endangered Species Act. Likewise, the
NRC staff determined that the proposed
action is not the type of activity that has
the potential to cause effects on historic
properties, in part, because there are no
structures located at or adjacent to Site
WR–111. Therefore, no further
consultation is required under Section
106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act.
III. Finding of No Significant Impact
The NRC staff concluded that the
proposed decommissioning project at
Site WR–111 at Hill Air Force Base,
Utah, will have a minimal impact on the
environment. The NRC staff considered
air quality, solid and hazardous wastes,
biological resources, water quality,
cultural resources, and worker safety. In
addition, the staff determined that the
affected environment and the
environmental impacts associated with
the decommissioning of Site WR–111
are bounded by the impacts evaluated
by NUREG–1496, ‘‘Generic
Environmental Impact Statement in
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Support of Rulemaking on Radiological
Criteria for License Termination of NRCLicensed Nuclear Facilities’’ (ADAMS
Accession No. ML042310492).
Based on the analysis contained in
this EA, the NRC staff concludes that
the proposed action will not have a
significant effect on the quality of the
human environment and has
determined not to prepare an
environmental impact statement for the
proposed action. Accordingly, the NRC
has determined that a Finding of No
Significant Impact (FONSI) is
appropriate.
Dated at Arlington, Texas, this 17th day of
February 2016.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Jack E. Whitten,
Chief, Nuclear Materials Safety Branch B,
Division of Nuclear Materials Safety, Region
IV Office.
[FR Doc. 2016–04863 Filed 3–3–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590–01–P
adams.html. To begin the search, select
‘‘ADAMS Public Documents’’ and then
select ‘‘Begin Web-based ADAMS
Search.’’ For problems with ADAMS,
please contact the NRC’s Public
Document Room (PDR) reference staff at
1–800–397–4209, 301–415–4737, or by
email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. For the
convenience of the reader, the ADAMS
accession numbers are provided in a
table in the ‘‘Availability of Documents’’
section of this document.
• NRC’s PDR: You may examine and
purchase copies of public documents at
the NRC’s PDR, Room O1–F21, One
White Flint North, 11555 Rockville
Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Steven Lynch, Office of Nuclear Reactor
Regulation, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission, Washington, DC 20555–
0001; telephone: 301–415–1524, email:
Steven.Lynch@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION
[Docket No. 50–608; NRC–2013–0053]
SHINE Medical Technologies, Inc.;
SHINE Medical Isotope Facility
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission.
ACTION: Construction permit and record
of decision; issuance.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission (NRC) is providing notice
of the issuance of Construction Permit
CPMIF–001 to SHINE Medical
Technologies, Inc. (SHINE) and record
of decision, located in Janesville,
Wisconsin.
SUMMARY:
Please refer to Docket ID
NRC–2013–0053 when contacting the
NRC about the availability of
information regarding this document.
You may obtain publicly-available
information related to this document
using any of the following methods:
• Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and search
for Docket ID NRC–2013–0053. Address
questions about NRC dockets to Carol
Gallagher; telephone: 301–415–3463;
email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For
technical questions, contact the
individual listed in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this
document.
• NRC’s Agencywide Documents
Access and Management System
(ADAMS): You may obtain publiclyavailable documents online in the
ADAMS Public Documents collection at
https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/
ADDRESSES:
PO 00000
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Under section 2.106 of title 10 of the
Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR),
the NRC is providing notice of the
issuance of Construction Permit,
CPMIF–001 to SHINE and, issuance of
the Record of Decision (ROD) under 10
CFR 51.102(c). The construction permit,
which is immediately effective,
authorizes SHINE to construct a facility
that will house eight utilization
facilities and one production facility
designed for the production of medical
radioisotopes, as described in SHINE’s
application for construction permit, in
Janesville, Wisconsin. With respect to
the application for the construction
permit filed by SHINE, the NRC finds
that the applicable standards and
requirements of the Atomic Energy Act
of 1954, as amended (the Act), and the
Commission’s regulations have been
met. The NRC finds that any required
notifications to other agencies or bodies
have been duly made and that, among
other things, there is reasonable
assurance that the activities authorized
by the permit will be conducted in
compliance with the rules and
regulations of the Commission, that
safety questions will be satisfactorily
resolved by the completion of
construction, and that, taking into
consideration siting criteria, the
proposed facility can be constructed and
operated at the proposed location
without under risk to public health and
safety, subject to the conditions listed in
the construction permit. Furthermore,
the NRC finds that the licensee is
technically and financially qualified to
engage in the activities authorized, and
that issuance of the license will not be
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04MRN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 43 (Friday, March 4, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11597-11600]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04863]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 030-28641; NRC-2015-0054]
Department of the Air Force; Hill Air Force Base, Utah
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
ACTION: Environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact;
issuance.
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SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering an
amendment to Master Materials License 42-23539-01AF, Docket No. 030-
28641, issued to the Department of the Air Force (the licensee). This
amendment will allow the licensee to decommission a former magnesium-
thorium alloy disposal trench at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, in
accordance with instructions provided in an NRC-approved
decommissioning plan. The NRC conducted an environmental impact
assessment in support of this licensing action. Based on the results of
this assessment, the NRC concluded that a Finding of No Significant
Impact (FONSI) is appropriate.
DATES: The license amendment will be issued on March 4, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2015-0054 when contacting the
NRC about the availability of information regarding this document. You
may obtain publicly-available information related to this document
using any of the following methods:
Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2015-0054. Address
questions about NRC dockets to Carol Gallagher; telephone: 301-415-
3463; email: Carol.Gallagher@nrc.gov. For technical questions, contact
the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of
this document.
NRC's Agencywide Documents Access and Management System
(ADAMS): You may obtain publicly available documents online in the
ADAMS Public Documents collection at https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html. To begin the search, select ``ADAMS Public Documents'' and
then select ``Begin Web-based ADAMS Search.'' For problems with ADAMS,
please contact the NRC's Public Document Room (PDR) reference staff at
1-800-397-4209, 301-415-4737, or by email to pdr.resource@nrc.gov. The
ADAMS accession number for each document referenced in this document
(if that document is available in ADAMS) is provided the first time
that a document is referenced.
NRC's PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public
documents at the NRC's PDR, Room O1-F21, One White Flint North, 11555
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack E. Whitten, Region IV, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 1600 E. Lamar Blvd., Arlington, TX
76011; telephone: 817-200-1197, email: Jack.Whitten@nrc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
[[Page 11598]]
I. Introduction
The NRC is considering the issuance of an amendment to Materials
License 42-23539-01AF, issued to the Department of the Air Force
(licensee), to approve a proposed Decommissioning Plan (DP) for
remediation of a magnesium-thorium alloy burial pit located at Hill Air
Force Base, Utah. As required by part 51 of title 10 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (10 CFR), the NRC performed an environmental
assessment of the proposed activity. Based on the results of the
environmental assessment that follows, the NRC has determined not to
prepare an environmental impact statement for the license amendment,
and is issuing a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).
A detailed Environmental Assessment (EA) for this project was
prepared by the NRC and can be found in ADAMS under Accession No.
ML16013A246. A summary of the environmental assessment is provided
below. In addition, the NRC staff analyzed the radiological and
industrial safety impacts to workers and the public. The resulting
Safety Evaluation Report can be found in ADAMS under Accession No.
ML16013A248.
Background Information
The U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) issued Source Material
License C-3650 (Docket No. 040-00204) to the Marquardt Aircraft Company
of Van Nuys, California, in January 1957 for possession of magnesium-
thorium alloy. In June 1961, Marquardt requested AEC approval to burn
machine chips and small pieces of magnesium-thorium scrap material in
trenches at the Little Mountain Test Annex (LMTA) at Hill Air Force
Base, Utah. Docket file records (ADAMS Accession No. ML16021A132)
indicate that 500 pounds (226.8 kilograms) of scrap alloy was buried in
June 1959, 1,500 pounds (680.4 kilograms) of alloy was buried in
February 1960, and 3,600 pounds (1,633 kilograms) of alloy was
incinerated within the burial pit in August 1961. No other records of
disposals were provided in the AEC's docket file.
In September 1961, License C-3650 expired, and License STB-434 was
issued to the licensee. The AEC subsequently terminated License STB-434
in April 1971. During the time frame that the two licenses were active,
regulation 10 CFR 20.304 allowed licensees to dispose of certain
radioactive wastes by burial. The AEC allowed License STB-434 to be
terminated in 1971 without consideration of the magnesium-thorium alloy
that had been incinerated and buried at LMTA. Effective January 28,
1981, approximately 10 years after termination of the license, NRC
regulations in 10 CFR part 20 were amended (45 FR 71761) to delete
Section 20.304.
In November 1993, an NRC inspector visited the LMTA to
independently ascertain whether the magnesium-thorium alloy burial
trench was still present at the facility (ADAMS Accession No.
ML16021A132). The inspector identified two apparent disposal pits,
based on changes in topography and changes in background radiation
exposure rates. In response, the licensee and its contractors conducted
five separate investigations from 1993-2013 to determine the extent of
surface and subsurface radiological contamination at the site. The
investigations confirmed that the surface and subsurface soils were
contaminated with thorium-232. The licensee estimated that the volume
of soil to be remediated was approximately 2,420 cubic yards (1,850
cubic meters), including swelling and over-excavation factors.
The licensee submitted a draft decommissioning Plan (DP) to the NRC
by Memorandum dated May 12, 2014 (ADAMS Accession No. ML14197A685).
This submittal included a final status survey plan and derived
concentration guideline level evaluation for Site WR-111, the
licensee's designation for the burial trench. In response to
preliminary comments from NRC staff, the licensee provided supplemental
information by Memorandum dated September 12, 2014. [The September 12,
2014, submittal contained non-publicly available information. The
submittal was redacted by the Air Force and re-released as publicly
available on December 18, 2014, ADAMS Accession No. ML15030A218]. This
supplemental information included a licensee request for a waiver from
the environmental impact assessment process.
In support of this request for a waiver, the licensee submitted an
environmental assessment (EA) and FONSI (ADAMS Accession No.
ML15030A218) to the NRC dated March 2014 involving a proposed emergency
power unit overhaul complex at the LMTA. This particular EA included
the area encompassing the magnesium-thorium decommissioning project at
LMTA, but this EA did not specifically address the proposed
decommissioning project at Site WR-111 itself. Citing regulation 32 CFR
part 989, appendix B, the licensee requested a categorical exclusion
from further analysis of those actions that are similar to other
actions which have been determined to have an insignificant impact in a
similar setting as established in an environmental impact statement or
an environmental assessment resulting in a FONSI. In other words, the
licensee requested a categorical exclusion from the environmental
assessment process for Site WR-111 based on the completion of a similar
EA and FONSI for the LMTA in March 2014.
The NRC staff acknowledges the licensee's request for a categorical
exclusion; however, NUREG-1748, Environmental Review Guidance for
Licensing Actions Associated with NMSS Programs (ADAMS Accession No.
ML032450279), Section 1.6.1, states that another agency's EA can be
adopted by the NRC, but the NRC is responsible for preparing its own EA
in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR 51.32-35. The NRC must
prepare a site-specific EA and FONSI (as appropriate) to ensure that
the site-specific aspects have been addressed.
Facility Description
The LMTA is a 740-acre (300-hectare) facility managed by Hill Air
Force Base. The property is located approximately 15 miles northwest of
Hill Air Force Base in a remote section of Weber County, Utah. The
disposal trench (Site WR-111) is located in the southeastern corner of
LMTA. The area of the trench is estimated to be 170 feet (52 meters) by
170 feet (52 meters). There are no buildings or structures within or
immediately adjacent to the WR-111 site.
The current land use is military and industrial, with extensive
rangeland present around the property. Industrial properties are
located approximately 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) to the northeast of the
WR-111 site. The nearest residence is situated about 2 miles (3.2
kilometers) east of the site. The land use is not expected to change in
the near future, and the Federal Government plans to continue to
control the LMTA property for research and development activities.
The groundwater at the WR-111 site is reported to occur between 34-
57 feet (10.4-17.4 meters) below ground surface. Four monitoring wells
were installed around the site in 2006, in part, to determine if the
contents of the disposal trench have infiltrated into the groundwater.
The licensee's contractor sampled the wells in November 2006. Based on
these sample results, the licensee's contractor concluded that the
buried thorium waste was not leaching into the local groundwater.
[[Page 11599]]
II. Environmental Assessment
Description of the Proposed Action
The NRC's proposed action is to amend License 42-23539-01AF,
approving the proposed DP, as supplemented. The licensee would then be
authorized to conduct decommissioning as specified in the NRC-approved
DP. Concurrently with the approval of the DP, the NRC plans to approve
the licensee's proposed site-specific soil cleanup criteria and final
status survey plan.
The decommissioning work includes excavating the trench with heavy
equipment, packaging and transporting the excavated material to an
offsite location for permanent disposal, conducting radiological
surveys to confirm that the site has been completely remediated, and
backfilling the trench with clean material. After completion of
decommissioning, the NRC is expected to review the licensee's proposed
final status survey results and conduct an independent radiological
survey to confirm the licensee's final status survey results.
Need for the Proposed Action
The purpose of the proposed action is to reduce the residual
radioactivity at Site WR-111 to levels that allow release of the
property for unrestricted use. If the licensee conducts site
remediation in accordance with instructions provided in the DP, the
licensee will be in compliance with the radiological criteria for
license termination, as specified in regulation 10 CFR part 20, subpart
E. Approval of the DP would allow the NRC to fulfill its
responsibilities under the Atomic Energy Act to ensure protection of
the public health and safety and environment.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
In its EA and FONSI dated March 14, 2014, the Air Force summarized
the potential impacts of the proposed construction of four buildings
and demolition of two buildings at the LMTA to support the overhaul of
emergency power units used in fighter aircraft. The Air Force
identified and analyzed four environmental effects--air quality, solid
and hazardous wastes, biological resources, and water quality. The NRC
staff reviewed the licensee's environmental impact assessment with an
emphasis on the potential impacts that may occur while conducting
decommissioning work at Site WR-111.
The first environmental impact is air quality. This impact was
analyzed by the Air Force because the location of the project (Weber
County, Utah) is not in complete attainment status with Federal clean
air standards. For this reason, the Air Force attempts to control
emissions originating from Hill Air Force Base. The potential air
quality impacts resulting from decommissioning Site WR-111 would
include fugitive dust from ground disturbance and emissions from
construction/transportation equipment.
At Site WR-111, the primary short-term health hazard to site
workers is the potential for airborne radioactivity during excavation
remediation. In response, the licensee's contractor committed to
implement engineering controls to suppress dust and to conduct air
sampling. If the air samplers indicate the presence of airborne
radioactive dust, the work will be suspended until the cause of the
radioactive dust is identified and corrected. The contractor also
committed to cover soil piles as practical and use silt fencing as
needed. Another potential impact on air quality involves emissions from
equipment and vehicles that are used to excavate the trenches, ship the
radioactive wastes for disposal, and transport workers to and from the
jobsite. The NRC staff concluded that the overall air quality impact
will be minimal due to the limited duration of the project.
The second environmental impact is solid and hazardous wastes. The
licensee plans to manage and dispose of the radioactive wastes in
accordance with instructions provided in the DP and associated work
plan. Non-radioactive hazardous wastes are not expected to be
encountered during decommissioning. In addition, liquid hazardous
wastes are not expected to be created. The contractor will sample the
radioactive wastes for non-radiological hazardous waste constituents to
ensure that the wastes are acceptable for shipment to the chosen
disposal site.
The third environmental impact involves biological resources. At
the WR-111 site, the decommissioning work will result in temporary loss
of habitat and displacement of animal species, specifically, mule deer
and rodents. However, the footprint of the decommissioning project is
small, 1 acre (0.4 hectares), and the contractor and licensee plan to
restore the property after completion of work. Therefore, the short-
term decommissioning of Site WR-111 would have a minimal impact on
biological resources.
The fourth analyzed environmental impact involves water quality.
There are no surface water sources in the vicinity of the proposed work
area; therefore, the work should have no impact on surface waters. The
work should not have an impact on groundwater because the groundwater
table is below the depth of the excavation. There may be a potential
impact from storm water during work activities, but the contractor has
developed procedures to respond to potential rainwater runoff during
work activities.
The Air Force eliminated several issues from further study, such as
cultural resources. Cultural resources include archaeological,
architectural, and traditional cultural properties. In the Air Force's
assessment, it explained that four previous cultural surveys were
conducted in the area, and no cultural resources were identified. The
NRC staff noted that the location of the disposal trench had already
been disturbed; therefore, excavation of the radioactive material from
the trench will not result in the disturbance of any new area not
already disturbed.
Other issues eliminated from further study by the Air Force
included impacts on geology and surface soils, occupational safety and
health, noise, accident potential, airfield encroachment, and socio-
economic resources. The NRC staff reviewed these potential impacts and
concluded that none would be significantly affected by the
decommissioning of Site WR-111. For example, occupational safety and
health was eliminated from consideration because the contractor will
use trained individuals and approved procedures to control the work.
Environmental Impacts of the Alternatives to the Proposed Action
As an alternative to the proposed action, the staff considered
denial of the proposed action (i.e., the ``no-action'' alternative).
The no-action alternative assumes that the status quo is maintained.
With respect to the WR-111 site, the no-action alternative means that
the licensee would not be allowed to conduct decommissioning work, and
the disposal trench would continue to remain onsite at the LMTA.
The no-action alternative is not acceptable because it violates the
NRC's Timeliness Rule regulations that are specified in 10 CFR part
30.36. The Timeliness Rule requires licensees to decommission their
facilities in a timely manner when licensed activities have permanently
ceased. In addition, the radioactive contamination at Site WR-111
currently exceeds the radiological criteria for license termination as
specified in subpart E to 10 CFR part 20. Approval of the no-action
alternative would prevent the licensee from conducting decommissioning
work as necessary to release the site for
[[Page 11600]]
unrestricted use under subpart E requirements.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In accordance with its stated policy, the NRC consulted with the
Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Waste Management
and Radiation Control, regarding the environmental assessment and
safety evaluation impacts of the proposed action (ADAMS Accession No.
ML15338A187). On January 6, 2016, the State agency informed the NRC
that it had no comments on the proposed action (ADAMS Accession No.
ML16008B076).
As part of its 2014 environmental assessment process for the
overhaul complex, the Air Force consulted with local Tribes and the
Utah Division of State History. The Air Force provided documentation of
their responses as attachments to its EA. The Utah Division of State
History and the Hopi Tribe concurred with the finding of no adverse
impacts, and the Navajo Nation concluded that the proposed project
would not have an impact on Navajo traditional cultural properties
(ADAMS Accession Nos. ML15282A470 and ML15282A476). The NRC staff did
not consult with these State and tribal entities, due to the results of
the Air Force's consultations.
The NRC staff determined that the proposed action will not affect
listed species or critical habitats based on the results of previous
consultations provided by the Air Force to the NRC. Therefore, no
further consultations are required under Section 7 of the Endangered
Species Act. Likewise, the NRC staff determined that the proposed
action is not the type of activity that has the potential to cause
effects on historic properties, in part, because there are no
structures located at or adjacent to Site WR-111. Therefore, no further
consultation is required under Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act.
III. Finding of No Significant Impact
The NRC staff concluded that the proposed decommissioning project
at Site WR-111 at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, will have a minimal impact
on the environment. The NRC staff considered air quality, solid and
hazardous wastes, biological resources, water quality, cultural
resources, and worker safety. In addition, the staff determined that
the affected environment and the environmental impacts associated with
the decommissioning of Site WR-111 are bounded by the impacts evaluated
by NUREG-1496, ``Generic Environmental Impact Statement in Support of
Rulemaking on Radiological Criteria for License Termination of NRC-
Licensed Nuclear Facilities'' (ADAMS Accession No. ML042310492).
Based on the analysis contained in this EA, the NRC staff concludes
that the proposed action will not have a significant effect on the
quality of the human environment and has determined not to prepare an
environmental impact statement for the proposed action. Accordingly,
the NRC has determined that a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
is appropriate.
Dated at Arlington, Texas, this 17th day of February 2016.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Jack E. Whitten,
Chief, Nuclear Materials Safety Branch B, Division of Nuclear Materials
Safety, Region IV Office.
[FR Doc. 2016-04863 Filed 3-3-16; 8:45 am]
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