Termination of Operating Licenses for the General Atomics TRIGA Reactor Facility, 71102-71104 [2021-26961]

Download as PDF 71102 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 237 / Tuesday, December 14, 2021 / Notices The SRP contains the NRC staff review guidance for light-water reactor applications submitted under 10 CFR part 50 or 10 CFR part 52. In addition to the CP review guidance in the SRP, RG 1.70, ‘‘Standard Format and Content of Safety Analysis Reports for Nuclear Power Plants: LWR Edition,’’ Revision 3, issued November 1978 (ADAMS Package Accession No. ML011340122), offers some insights on the level of detail that is required for the PSAR in support of the CP application, but these insights may be limited to the degree that the guidance does not account for subsequent requirements, NRC technical positions, or advances in technical knowledge. RG 1.206 provides guidance for 10 CFR part 52 applications, including for early site permits and COLs, and includes insights on the level of detail needed for final design information if the CP applicant chooses to provide such information. The draft ISG discusses the use of these guidance documents and supplements the guidance in the SRP. The NRC recently issued CPs for two nonpower production and utilization facilities—SHINE Medical Technologies, Inc., and Northwest Medical Isotopes, LLC. Some of the lessons learned from these reviews are applicable to the review of powerreactor CP applications, as discussed in the draft ISG. The draft ISG also discusses other issues pertinent to the safety review of CP applications for light-water power reactors, including the benefits accruing from preapplication engagement, the relationship between the CP and OL reviews, the NRC’s approach for reviewing applications incorporating prior NRC approvals, the potential effect of ongoing regulatory activities on CP reviews, and licensing requirements for source, byproduct, and special nuclear material. Dated: December 9, 2021. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Brian W. Smith, Director, Division of New and Renewed Licenses, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. [FR Doc. 2021–27035 Filed 12–13–21; 8:45 am] jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1 BILLING CODE 7590–01–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:24 Dec 13, 2021 Jkt 256001 NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket Nos. 50–089 and 50–163; NRC– 2021–0196] Termination of Operating Licenses for the General Atomics TRIGA Reactor Facility Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: License termination; issuance. AGENCY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is providing notice of the termination of Facility Operating License No. R–38 and Facility Operating License No. R–67 for the General Atomics (GA; the licensee) TRIGA Reactor Facility in San Diego, California, where the Mark I and Mark F non power research reactors are located. The NRC has terminated the licenses for the decommissioned GA TRIGA Reactor Facility and has released the site for unrestricted use. DATES: Notice of termination of Facility Operating License No. R–38 and Facility Operating License No. R–67 was issued on December 14, 2021. ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2021–0196 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 Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2021–0196. Address questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann; telephone: 301–415–0624; email: Stacy.Schumann@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 ‘‘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, by appointment, at the NRC’s PDR, Room P1 B35, One White Flint North, SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00101 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. To make an appointment to visit the PDR, please send an email to PDR.Resource@nrc.gov or call 1–800–397–4209 or 301–415– 4737, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (ET), Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marlayna Doell, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001; telephone: 301–415–3178; email: Marlayna.Doell@ nrc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background The GA TRIGA Reactor Facility in San Diego, California, is located on the Torrey Pines Mesa within the larger General Atomics campus. The TRIGA Mark I was the initial prototype TRIGA reactor, achieved initial criticality on May 3, 1958, and was in continuous operation until late 1997. On October 29, 1997, the TRIGA Mark I license (Facility Operating License No. R–38) was amended to possession only. The TRIGA Mark F achieved initial criticality on July 2, 1960 and was in continuous operation until March 22, 1995. The TRIGA Mark F license (Facility Operating License No. R–67) was amended to possession only in 1995. In 2010, all irradiated fuel elements from the TRIGA reactors located on the Torrey Pines Mesa were shipped to an authorized off-site storage facility at the Idaho National Laboratory. II. Discussion By letter dated April 18, 1997, as supplemented by letters dated November 20, 1998, January 28 and 29, February 3, April 22, May 3 and 12, and June 15, 16, and 22, 1999, GA submitted a request to the NRC to approve the TRIGA Reactor Facility Decommissioning Plan (DP). The NRC approved the GA DP by Amendment No. 36 to Facility Operating License No. R–38 and Amendment No. 45 to Facility Operating License No. R–67, dated August 12, 1999. In February 2020, GA submitted Revision 2 of the ‘‘TRIGA Reactor Facility Final Status Survey Plan’’, which the NRC staff determined was consistent with the guidance and methodology in NUREG–1575, ‘‘MultiAgency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM),’’ and NUREG–1757, ‘‘Consolidated Decommissioning Guidance.’’ The licensee’s decommissioning activities included decontamination, dismantlement, and demolition of E:\FR\FM\14DEN1.SGM 14DEN1 71103 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 237 / Tuesday, December 14, 2021 / Notices jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1 various systems, structures, and components followed by MARSSIMbased final status surveys (FSS). The FSS was performed to demonstrate that the residual radioactivity remaining at the GA TRIGA Reactor Facility site satisfies the NRC’s release criteria in section 20.1402 of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), ‘‘Radiological criteria for unrestricted use,’’ which are (1) an annual dose limit of less than 25 millirem per year Total Effective Dose Equivalent to an average member of the critical group (i.e., a member of the public) and (2) the residual radioactivity has been reduced to levels that are as low as reasonably achievable. By letter dated December 14, 2020, GA submitted the FSS Report for the TRIGA Reactor Facility and requested the termination of Facility Operating License No. R–38 and Facility Operating License No. R–67. The NRC staff reviewed the FSS Report, which states that the criteria for license termination set forth in the GA licenses, and as established in the previously submitted DP and FSS Plan, have been satisfied. Supplemental information was provided in emails from the licensee dated February 26 and May 18, 2021, which addressed additional questions and items requiring clarification that were provided to the licensee by the NRC staff during the review of the FSS Report. The GA FSS Report and request to terminate the TRIGA Reactor Facility licenses, the NRC evaluation supporting the license termination decision, and a collection of decommissioning and license termination information, including the GA DP and associated NRC safety evaluation, as well as Revision 1 of the GA FSS Plan, are provided in the ‘‘Availability of Documents’’ table in this notice. Throughout the decommissioning process, inspectors from the NRC’s Region IV office in Arlington, Texas, conducted routine safety inspections at the GA TRIGA Reactor Facility, as documented in the following NRC Inspection Reports (IRs), which took place during and after removal of the TRIGA irradiated fuel elements in 2010: IR 50–163/2010–01; 50–89/2010–01, IR 50–163/2012–01; 50–89/2012–01, IR 50–163/2013–01; 50–89/2013–01, IR 50–163/2015–01; 50–89/2015–01, IR 50–163/2018–01; 50–89/2018–01, IR 50–163/2019–01; 50–89/2019–01, and IR 50–163/2020–01; 50–89/2020–01. The inspections consisted of observations by the NRC inspectors, interviews with GA and contractor personnel, confirmatory measurements, collection of soil samples, and a review of decommissioning work plans and work instructions. The NRC inspections also verified that radioactive waste associated with the decommissioning project had been appropriately shipped offsite and that the decommissioning and FSS activities were being conducted safely and in accordance with the appropriate regulatory requirements, licensee commitments, and the NRCapproved GA DP. No health or safety concerns were identified during the NRC inspections. During the period of August 5–8, 2019, the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) performed confirmatory surveys in support of the GA FSS and decommissioning activities, which included gamma surface scans, gamma direct measurements, alpha-plus-beta scans, alpha-plus-beta direct measurements, smear sampling, and soil/volumetric sampling within Building G21 and associated land areas, as applicable. The areas investigated included the following survey units: Mark I reactor pit, Mark F reactor pit and canal, Mark I reactor room (floor and lower walls), Mark F reactor room (floors and lower walls), the soil lab, mezzanine 1, mezzanine 2, TRIGA waste yard, TRIGA front yard, TRIGA back yard, and room 112, as well as a small section of the TRIGA Reactor Facility roof. ORISE provided the results of the confirmatory survey in a report dated November 26, 2019. The ORISE survey data support the conclusion that the residual radioactivity levels satisfy the criteria for license termination set forth in the GA licenses, and as established in the previously submitted DP and FSS Plan. Based on observations during the NRC inspections and ORISE confirmatory survey activities, decommissioning activities have been carried out by GA in accordance with the approved TRIGA Reactor Facility DP. Additionally, the NRC staff evaluated the licensee’s FSS Report and the results of the independent confirmatory survey conducted by ORISE. Based on the NRC staff’s evaluation of the GA FSS Report sampling and scanning data, NRC staff inspections, ORISE confirmatory analyses, and comparison to the TRIGA Reactor Facility DP and FSS Plan criteria, the NRC staff concludes that the GA TRIGA Reactor Facility decommissioning has been performed and completed in accordance with the approved DP, and that the facility and site are suitable for unrestricted release in accordance with the radiological criteria for license termination in 10 CFR part 20, subpart E, ‘‘Radiological Criteria for License Termination.’’ Therefore, pursuant to 10 CFR 50.82(b)(6), Facility Operating License No. R–38 and Facility Operating License No. R–67 are terminated. III. Availability of Documents The documents identified in the following table are available to interested persons through ADAMS, as indicated. Document ADAMS accession No. GA Final Status Survey Report and Request to Terminate License Nos. R–38 and R–67 ........................................... NRC Approval of License Termination Based on the Final Status Survey Report and Supporting Information ............ GA TRIGA Reactor Facility Final Status Survey Plan, Revision 2 .................................................................................. Supplemental Information Related to the License Termination Request ........................................................................ NUREG–1575, ‘‘Multi Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM)’’ ...................................... NUREG–1757, ‘‘Consolidated Decommissioning Guidance,’’ Volume 1 ......................................................................... NUREG–1757, ‘‘Consolidated Decommissioning Guidance,’’ Volume 2 ......................................................................... IR 50 163/2010–01; 50 89/2010–01 ................................................................................................................................ IR 50 163/2012–01; 50 89/2012 01 ................................................................................................................................. IR 50 163/2013–01; 50 89/2013–01 ................................................................................................................................ IR 50 163/2015–01; 50 89/2015–01 ................................................................................................................................ IR 50 163/2018–01; 50 89/2018–01 ................................................................................................................................ IR 50 163/2019–01; 50 89/2019–01 ................................................................................................................................ IR 50 163/2020–01; 50 89/2020–01 ................................................................................................................................ Independent Confirmatory Survey Summary and Results for the General Atomics TRIGA Reactor Facility ................. ML21012A268 (Package). ML21281A171 ML20049A039 ML21246A250 (Package). ML003761445 ML063000243 ML063000252 ML103060034 ML12321A127 ML13338A864 ML15328A527 ML18319A137 ML19247C512 ML20090B701 ML19337D382 VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:24 Dec 13, 2021 Jkt 256001 PO 00000 Frm 00102 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\14DEN1.SGM 14DEN1 71104 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 237 / Tuesday, December 14, 2021 / Notices Dated: December 8, 2021. For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Bruce A. Watson, Chief, Reactor Decommissioning Branch, Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery and Waste Programs, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards. [FR Doc. 2021–26961 Filed 12–13–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7590–01–P NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. 030–04858; NRC–2021–0148] Dow Corning Corporation; Building DC–3 Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact; issuance. AGENCY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering approval of an amendment to Materials License 21–08362–08, issued on June 28, 2021 and held by Dow Corning Corporation, to approve the Decommissioning Plan for Building DC– 3 and its adjacent areas, located at 2200 West Salzburg Road in Auburn, Michigan. If approved, the licensee would be allowed to implement the proposed Decommissioning Plan for decontamination and remediation of the affected areas of the DC–3 Building site, in order to meet the NRC’s criteria for unrestricted use. As part of its review, the NRC conducted an assessment of the environmental impacts of the proposed decommissioning action. This notice provides details regarding the NRC’s environmental assessment (EA) and the corresponding finding of no significant impact (FONSI). DATES: The EA and FONSI referenced in this document are available on December 14, 2021. ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC–2021–0148 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 Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC–2021–0148. Address questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann; telephone: 301–415–0624; email: Stacy.Schumann@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 jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1 SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:24 Dec 13, 2021 Jkt 256001 (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 ‘‘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, instructions about obtaining materials referenced in this document are provided in the ‘‘Availability of Documents’’ section. • NRC’s PDR: You may examine and purchase copies of public documents, by appointment, at the NRC’s PDR, Room P1 B35, One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. To make an appointment to visit the PDR, please send an email to PDR.Resource@nrc.gov or call 1–800–397–4209 or 301–415– 4737, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (ET), Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael M. LaFranzo, Region III, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555–0001, telephone: 630–829–9865, email: Michael.LaFranzo@nrc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Introduction The NRC is considering issuance of an amendment to Materials License 21– 08362–08, issued to Dow Corning Corporation for operation of the Building DC–3, located at 2200 West Salzburg Road, in Bay County, Michigan. The amendment would approve the proposed Decommissioning Plan for the decontamination and remediation of the affected areas of the DC–3 Building site, to meet the NRC’s criteria for unrestricted use. Therefore, as required by Section 51.30 of title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), ‘‘Environmental assessment,’’ the NRC performed an EA. Based on the results of the EA, the NRC has determined not to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Decommissioning Plan Approval and is issuing a FONSI. II. Environmental Assessment Description of the Proposed Action The proposed action is to amend Materials License 21–08362–08 to incorporate the appropriate and acceptable derived concentration guideline levels into the license and to decontaminate and remediate the affected areas of the DC–3 Building sufficiently to enable unrestricted use of PO 00000 Frm 00103 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 the facility. The proposed action will allow Dow Corning Corporation to decommission the DC–3 building in accordance with NRC regulations. The proposed action is in accordance with the licensee’s application dated July 24, 2018, as supplemented by letter(s) dated September 10, 2018 and April 22, 2019. Need for the Proposed Action The amendment is needed so the licensee can decommission the DC–3 Building site in accordance with 10 CFR 30.36, ‘‘Expiration and termination of licenses and decommissioning of sites and separate buildings or outdoor areas,’’ and therefore reduce the residual radioactivity to a level that permits release of the facility for unrestricted use. Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action The NRC staff has assessed the potential environmental impacts from Dow Corning Corporation decommissioning activities. The NRC staff has assessed the impacts of the proposed action on land use, historical and cultural resources; visual and scenic resources; water resources; climatology, meteorology and air quality; socioeconomics; noise; ecology; geology and soil; traffic and transportation; public and occupational health and safety; and waste management, and the approval of the proposed action would not result in an increased radiological risk to public health or the environment. 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). With respect to the DC–3 Building site, the no-action alternative would mean that the licensee would not be allowed to conduct decommissioning work. The no-action alternative is not acceptable because it would put the licensee in violation of the NRC’s Timeliness Rule regulations specified in 10 CFR 30.36. The Timeliness Rule requires licensees to decommission and release a licensed site, building, or portions thereof, for unrestricted use in a timely manner when licensed activities have permanently ceased. Agencies and Persons Consulted On April 28, 2021, the NRC staff consulted with Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, regarding the environmental impact of E:\FR\FM\14DEN1.SGM 14DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 237 (Tuesday, December 14, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71102-71104]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-26961]


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

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket Nos. 50-089 and 50-163; NRC-2021-0196]


Termination of Operating Licenses for the General Atomics TRIGA 
Reactor Facility

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: License termination; issuance.

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

SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is providing 
notice of the termination of Facility Operating License No. R-38 and 
Facility Operating License No. R-67 for the General Atomics (GA; the 
licensee) TRIGA Reactor Facility in San Diego, California, where the 
Mark I and Mark F non power research reactors are located. The NRC has 
terminated the licenses for the decommissioned GA TRIGA Reactor 
Facility and has released the site for unrestricted use.

DATES: Notice of termination of Facility Operating License No. R-38 and 
Facility Operating License No. R-67 was issued on December 14, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Please refer to Docket ID NRC-2021-0196 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 Website: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2021-0196. Address 
questions about Docket IDs in Regulations.gov to Stacy Schumann; 
telephone: 301-415-0624; email: [email protected]. 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 ``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 [email protected]. 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, by appointment, at the NRC's PDR, Room P1 B35, One White 
Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852. To make 
an appointment to visit the PDR, please send an email to 
[email protected] or call 1-800-397-4209 or 301-415-4737, between 
8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (ET), Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marlayna Doell, Office of Nuclear 
Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 
Washington, DC 20555-0001; telephone: 301-415-3178; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The GA TRIGA Reactor Facility in San Diego, California, is located 
on the Torrey Pines Mesa within the larger General Atomics campus. The 
TRIGA Mark I was the initial prototype TRIGA reactor, achieved initial 
criticality on May 3, 1958, and was in continuous operation until late 
1997. On October 29, 1997, the TRIGA Mark I license (Facility Operating 
License No. R-38) was amended to possession only. The TRIGA Mark F 
achieved initial criticality on July 2, 1960 and was in continuous 
operation until March 22, 1995. The TRIGA Mark F license (Facility 
Operating License No. R-67) was amended to possession only in 1995. In 
2010, all irradiated fuel elements from the TRIGA reactors located on 
the Torrey Pines Mesa were shipped to an authorized off-site storage 
facility at the Idaho National Laboratory.

II. Discussion

    By letter dated April 18, 1997, as supplemented by letters dated 
November 20, 1998, January 28 and 29, February 3, April 22, May 3 and 
12, and June 15, 16, and 22, 1999, GA submitted a request to the NRC to 
approve the TRIGA Reactor Facility Decommissioning Plan (DP). The NRC 
approved the GA DP by Amendment No. 36 to Facility Operating License 
No. R-38 and Amendment No. 45 to Facility Operating License No. R-67, 
dated August 12, 1999.
    In February 2020, GA submitted Revision 2 of the ``TRIGA Reactor 
Facility Final Status Survey Plan'', which the NRC staff determined was 
consistent with the guidance and methodology in NUREG-1575, ``Multi-
Agency Radiation Survey and Site Investigation Manual (MARSSIM),'' and 
NUREG-1757, ``Consolidated Decommissioning Guidance.'' The licensee's 
decommissioning activities included decontamination, dismantlement, and 
demolition of

[[Page 71103]]

various systems, structures, and components followed by MARSSIM-based 
final status surveys (FSS).
    The FSS was performed to demonstrate that the residual 
radioactivity remaining at the GA TRIGA Reactor Facility site satisfies 
the NRC's release criteria in section 20.1402 of title 10 of the Code 
of Federal Regulations (10 CFR), ``Radiological criteria for 
unrestricted use,'' which are (1) an annual dose limit of less than 25 
millirem per year Total Effective Dose Equivalent to an average member 
of the critical group (i.e., a member of the public) and (2) the 
residual radioactivity has been reduced to levels that are as low as 
reasonably achievable.
    By letter dated December 14, 2020, GA submitted the FSS Report for 
the TRIGA Reactor Facility and requested the termination of Facility 
Operating License No. R-38 and Facility Operating License No. R-67. The 
NRC staff reviewed the FSS Report, which states that the criteria for 
license termination set forth in the GA licenses, and as established in 
the previously submitted DP and FSS Plan, have been satisfied. 
Supplemental information was provided in emails from the licensee dated 
February 26 and May 18, 2021, which addressed additional questions and 
items requiring clarification that were provided to the licensee by the 
NRC staff during the review of the FSS Report.
    The GA FSS Report and request to terminate the TRIGA Reactor 
Facility licenses, the NRC evaluation supporting the license 
termination decision, and a collection of decommissioning and license 
termination information, including the GA DP and associated NRC safety 
evaluation, as well as Revision 1 of the GA FSS Plan, are provided in 
the ``Availability of Documents'' table in this notice.
    Throughout the decommissioning process, inspectors from the NRC's 
Region IV office in Arlington, Texas, conducted routine safety 
inspections at the GA TRIGA Reactor Facility, as documented in the 
following NRC Inspection Reports (IRs), which took place during and 
after removal of the TRIGA irradiated fuel elements in 2010: IR 50-163/
2010-01; 50-89/2010-01, IR 50-163/2012-01; 50-89/2012-01, IR 50-163/
2013-01; 50-89/2013-01, IR 50-163/2015-01; 50-89/2015-01, IR 50-163/
2018-01; 50-89/2018-01, IR 50-163/2019-01; 50-89/2019-01, and IR 50-
163/2020-01; 50-89/2020-01.
    The inspections consisted of observations by the NRC inspectors, 
interviews with GA and contractor personnel, confirmatory measurements, 
collection of soil samples, and a review of decommissioning work plans 
and work instructions. The NRC inspections also verified that 
radioactive waste associated with the decommissioning project had been 
appropriately shipped offsite and that the decommissioning and FSS 
activities were being conducted safely and in accordance with the 
appropriate regulatory requirements, licensee commitments, and the NRC-
approved GA DP. No health or safety concerns were identified during the 
NRC inspections.
    During the period of August 5-8, 2019, the Oak Ridge Institute for 
Science and Education (ORISE) performed confirmatory surveys in support 
of the GA FSS and decommissioning activities, which included gamma 
surface scans, gamma direct measurements, alpha-plus-beta scans, alpha-
plus-beta direct measurements, smear sampling, and soil/volumetric 
sampling within Building G21 and associated land areas, as applicable. 
The areas investigated included the following survey units: Mark I 
reactor pit, Mark F reactor pit and canal, Mark I reactor room (floor 
and lower walls), Mark F reactor room (floors and lower walls), the 
soil lab, mezzanine 1, mezzanine 2, TRIGA waste yard, TRIGA front yard, 
TRIGA back yard, and room 112, as well as a small section of the TRIGA 
Reactor Facility roof. ORISE provided the results of the confirmatory 
survey in a report dated November 26, 2019. The ORISE survey data 
support the conclusion that the residual radioactivity levels satisfy 
the criteria for license termination set forth in the GA licenses, and 
as established in the previously submitted DP and FSS Plan.
    Based on observations during the NRC inspections and ORISE 
confirmatory survey activities, decommissioning activities have been 
carried out by GA in accordance with the approved TRIGA Reactor 
Facility DP. Additionally, the NRC staff evaluated the licensee's FSS 
Report and the results of the independent confirmatory survey conducted 
by ORISE. Based on the NRC staff's evaluation of the GA FSS Report 
sampling and scanning data, NRC staff inspections, ORISE confirmatory 
analyses, and comparison to the TRIGA Reactor Facility DP and FSS Plan 
criteria, the NRC staff concludes that the GA TRIGA Reactor Facility 
decommissioning has been performed and completed in accordance with the 
approved DP, and that the facility and site are suitable for 
unrestricted release in accordance with the radiological criteria for 
license termination in 10 CFR part 20, subpart E, ``Radiological 
Criteria for License Termination.''
    Therefore, pursuant to 10 CFR 50.82(b)(6), Facility Operating 
License No. R-38 and Facility Operating License No. R-67 are 
terminated.

III. Availability of Documents

    The documents identified in the following table are available to 
interested persons through ADAMS, as indicated.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Document                                           ADAMS accession No.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GA Final Status Survey Report and Request to Terminate       ML21012A268 (Package).
 License Nos. R-38 and R-67.
NRC Approval of License Termination Based on the Final       ML21281A171
 Status Survey Report and Supporting Information.
GA TRIGA Reactor Facility Final Status Survey Plan,          ML20049A039
 Revision 2.
Supplemental Information Related to the License Termination  ML21246A250 (Package).
 Request.
NUREG-1575, ``Multi Agency Radiation Survey and Site         ML003761445
 Investigation Manual (MARSSIM)''.
NUREG-1757, ``Consolidated Decommissioning Guidance,''       ML063000243
 Volume 1.
NUREG-1757, ``Consolidated Decommissioning Guidance,''       ML063000252
 Volume 2.
IR 50 163/2010-01; 50 89/2010-01...........................  ML103060034
IR 50 163/2012-01; 50 89/2012 01...........................  ML12321A127
IR 50 163/2013-01; 50 89/2013-01...........................  ML13338A864
IR 50 163/2015-01; 50 89/2015-01...........................  ML15328A527
IR 50 163/2018-01; 50 89/2018-01...........................  ML18319A137
IR 50 163/2019-01; 50 89/2019-01...........................  ML19247C512
IR 50 163/2020-01; 50 89/2020-01...........................  ML20090B701
Independent Confirmatory Survey Summary and Results for the  ML19337D382
 General Atomics TRIGA Reactor Facility.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



[[Page 71104]]

    Dated: December 8, 2021.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Bruce A. Watson,
Chief, Reactor Decommissioning Branch, Division of Decommissioning, 
Uranium Recovery and Waste Programs, Office of Nuclear Material Safety 
and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 2021-26961 Filed 12-13-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
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