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[Federal Register: October 7, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 194)]
[Notices]               
[Page 62120]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07oc10-50]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

 
Notice of Availability of Draft Basis for Determination Under 
Section 3116 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2005 (NDAA) for Closure of the F-Tank Farm at the 
Savannah River Site

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE) announces the availability of 
the ``Draft Basis for Section 3116 Determination for Closure of the F-
Tank Farm at the Savannah River Site'' (Draft FTF 3116 Basis Document) 
for public review and comment. DOE prepared the Draft FTF 3116 Basis 
Document pursuant to Section 3116(a) of the NDAA, which provides that 
the Secretary of Energy may, in consultation with the U.S. Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission (NRC), determine that certain waste from 
reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel is not high-level waste if the 
provisions set forth in Section 3116(a) are satisfied. To make this 
determination, the Secretary of Energy must determine that the waste in 
the FTF: (1) Does not require permanent isolation in a deep geologic 
repository for spent fuel or high-level radioactive waste; (2) has had 
highly radioactive radionuclides removed to the maximum extent 
practical; and (3)(A) does not exceed concentration limits for Class C 
low-level waste and will be disposed of in compliance with the 
performance objectives in 10 CFR Part 61, Subpart C and pursuant to a 
State approved closure plan or State-issued permit; or (3)(B) exceeds 
concentration limits for Class C low-level waste but will be disposed 
of in compliance with the performance objectives of 10 CFR Part 61, 
Subpart C; pursuant to a State-approved closure plan or State-issued 
permit; and pursuant to plans developed by DOE in consultation with the 
NRC. Although not required by the NDAA, DOE is making the Draft FTF 
3116 Basis Document available for public review and comment.

DATES: The comment period will end on January 7, 2011. Comments 
received after this date will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: The Draft Basis for Determination is available on the 
Internet at http://sro.srs.gov/f_htankfarmsdocuments.htm, and is 
publicly available for review at the following locations:

District of Columbia

U.S. Department of Energy, Freedom of Information Act Public Reading 
Room, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Room 1G-033, Washington, DC 20585, 
(202) 586-5955.

South Carolina

University of South Carolina-Aiken, Gregg-Graniteville Library, 471 
University Parkway, Aiken, SC 29801, (803) 641-3320.

    Written comments on the Draft FTF Section 3116 Basis Document may 
be submitted by U.S. mail to the following address: Ms. Sherri Ross, 
DOE-SR, Building 704-S, Room 43, U.S. Department of Energy, Savannah 
River Operations Office, Aiken, SC 29802 (ATTN: F-Tank Farm Draft 
Basis).
    Alternatively, comments may also be filed electronically by e-mail 
to sherri.ross@srs.gov, or by Fax at (803) 208-7414.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FTF is a 22-acre site, located at the 
Savannah River Site near Aiken, South Carolina. The FTF consists of 22 
underground radioactive waste storage tanks and supporting ancillary 
structures. Two of those waste tanks, Tanks 17 and 20 were cleaned and 
operationally closed in 1997, prior to enactment of NDAA Section 3116. 
Accordingly, Tanks 17 and 20 are not within the scope of this Draft FTF 
Section 3116 Basis Document. The major FTF ancillary structures are two 
evaporator systems, transfer lines, six diversion boxes, one catch 
tank, a concentrate transfer system, three pump pits, three pump tanks 
and eight valve boxes. There are three waste tank types in FTF with 
operating capacities ranging from 750,000 gallons (Type I tanks) to 
1,300,000 gallons (Type III/IIIA and Type IV tanks). The waste tanks 
have varying degrees of secondary containment and in-tank structural 
features such as cooling coils and columns. All FTF waste tanks are 
constructed of carbon steel. The FTF was constructed to receive waste 
generated by various SRS production, processing and laboratory 
facilities.
    DOE has initiated waste removal and cleaning of tanks and ancillary 
structures in the FTF using a process that includes removing bulk waste 
from tanks and ancillary structures and then deploying tested 
technologies to removing the majority of the remaining waste. After 
completing cleaning operations, a small amount of residual radioactive 
waste will remain in the tanks, ancillary equipment and piping. DOE 
plans to stabilize the residuals in the tanks and certain ancillary 
structures with grout. Tank waste storage and removal operations in the 
FTF are governed by a South Carolina Department of Health and 
Environmental Control (SCDHEC) industrial wastewater operating permit. 
Removal of tanks from service and stabilization of the FTF waste tanks 
and ancillary structures will be carried out pursuant to a State-
approved closure plan, the Industrial Wastewater General Closure Plan 
for F-Area Waste Tank Systems (GCP). Specific Closure Modules for each 
tank or ancillary structure or groupings of tanks and ancillary 
structures will be developed and submitted to SCDHEC for approval. 
Subsequent to SCDHEC's approval of the specific and final closure 
configuration documentation and grouting, the tank/system will be 
removed from the State's industrial wastewater permit. This Draft FTF 
Section 3116 Basis Document applies to stabilized residuals in the 
waste tanks and ancillary structures, the waste tanks, and the 
ancillary structures in the FTF at the time of closure.
    The Draft FTF Section 3116 Basis Document is being issued in draft 
form to facilitate public review and comment. DOE anticipates it will 
take approximately 9 months to complete consultation with the NRC, 
before the Secretary makes a potential determination under Section 3116 
(a) of the NDAA.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 30, 2010.
Frank Marcinowski,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Technical and Regulatory Support.
[FR Doc. 2010-25341 Filed 10-6-10; 8:45 am]
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