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# OAR Box 1103 Prepped by Ryan Dugan



### Document

Number: 

# 48 ) II-D- 1

Docket Number: 

# A-83-4 1

Printed 4/11/20081:50:49PM

Sheet 48of 174P. 2

Ai rProduct s an d Chemicals , Inc

. AIR $*- Box53 8 OBA M JJV*T C " Allentown , P

A 1810 5 rTCVE/Vw 9 Telephon e (215) 481-491 1

1 Jul y198 6 « c c t ,., t u iNVIRONMENTA L PROTECTIO N

AGEMf. y 

### Docke t A-83-4 1 JU L 1 0 198 6 Centra l Docke t Sectio n (A-l30 ) P-PM-CA I ^ ^ 

### 40 1 N Street , S.H

. SCTSSP ^ Washington , D.C

. 2046 0 OCUMO N Gentlemen : A1 r Product s an

d Chemicals , Inc . provide s herewit hcomment s on th e advance dnotic e o f propose drulemakin g whic happeare da t 5 1 F R 2226 4 on 1 8 Jun e 1986 , 1 n regar dt o radiatio nprotectio ncriteri a fo r cleanu po f contaminate dsites . W e ar e gratifie dtha t th e Agenc y ha s state dIt s Intention s t o determin e th e criteri a fo r thes e cleanup s befor e th e cleanup s ar e begun . W e hav e observe dth e Agenc y

1 n th e pas t fe w

year s attemp t t o establis hRCR A rule s withou t havin g establishe da measuremen t o f wha t 1 s hazardous , o r wha t 1 s no t hazardous , an

d w e hav e observe dth e Agenc y attemptin g t o prepar e consen t agreement s an

d contract s fo r cleanu po f Superfun dsite s whe nI t agai nhad no t decide dho w

clea n1 s clea nan

d di d no t know

whe nt o sto pth e cleanup . Neithe r th e publi c no r th e Agenc y need s t o g o throug hthi s learnin g proces s again . Therefore , ou r firs t commen t 1 s t o urg e yo u t o establis ha complet e an d precis e se t o f definition s befor e yo u begi nyou r process . I nparticular , 1 t wil l b e necessar y fo r yo u t o star t a t th e beginnin g an d defin e th e word s "contaminate dwit hradioactivity " 1 f tha t 1 s th e conditio n whic hyo u ar e goin g t o conten dwith . Yo u wil l nee dt o prepar e mor e tha non e definitio nbecaus e thi s term wil l hav e t o b e applie dt o variou s media , suc ha s soils , surfaces , solids , liquids , an d s o on . Thes e definition s shoul dclearl y establis hwhe nItem s ar e an d ar e no t considere dcontaminated . A s th e Notic e discusse s 1 n some places , 1 t 1 s no t onl y th e leve l o f radioactivit y bu t th e typ e o f radiation , and th e typ e o f radlonuclld s tha t ar e Involve d whic hwil l b e Importan t t o establishin g thi s definition . O f particula r Interes t wil l b e th e definitio no f a contaminate dradioactiv e soli dwaste . Neithe r curren t NR C no r RCR A regulation s no w

defin e thi s clas s o f material . Any Inconsistenc y

1 n thes e definition s from existin g NR C guidanc e o r regulation s shoul db e clearl y explained . I n addition , 1 f th e definition s Involv e testing , th e tes t method s mus t b e clearl y

defined , also . Here , also , any Inconsistencie s wit hth e curren t NR C method s nee da clea r explanation . Th e basi s o f thi s definitio n shoul db e a scientificall y sound , peer-reviewe dris k assessment .P. 3

Docke t A-83-4 1 -2 - 1 Jul y 198 6

W e recommen dtha t EPA develo pforma l standard s fo r thi s progra m rathe r tha nguidelines . Thes e standard s shoul db e develope dthroug hth e ful l proces s o f th e Administrativ e Procedures Act , an d1 f necessary , judicia l challenge . W e find tha t guideline s ar e subjec t t o varyin g Interpretation s andd o no t hav e a consistentl y

applie dlega l position . Therefore , th e Agenc y shoul dwor k towar dth e developmen t o f a ful l se t o f standards . Inrespons e t o th e questio nonInstitutiona l controls , w e ca nse e wher e the y woul db e time s whe nthese control s ma y b e th e mos t appropriat e and effectiv e us e o f society' s resources . Fo r example , 1 f there ar e onl y short-live dradiatio nsource s presen t 1 t ma y b e mos t effectiv e t o simpl y ba r publi c contac t wit hth e are a unti l these hav e bee nreduce dbelo w a leve l o f concern . I t 1 s assume dtha t there 1 s n o publi c acces s t o th e contaminate d are a befor e th e cleanup , andtherefore , nothin g 1 s los t b y continuin g t o ba r publi c acces s unti l th e are a become s safe , 1 f 1 t wil l d o s o simpl y from natura l deca y

processes . A s th e Notic e state s o npag e 22265 , costs , andmor e Importantl y

potentia l exposure s t o th e cleanu pperson , ma y b e avoide db

y waitin g som e reasonabl e perio do f time , whic hmigh t b e a generatio no r tw o o r three , unti l th e radioactivit y ha s declined . W e suppor t th e suggestio ntha t ther e shoul db e a noptimu m amoun t o f recyl e o f equipment , material , an dfacilities . I t woul db e quit e wastefu l o f ou r resource s t o abando nan ddestroy , o r otherwis e rende r no nuseful , any equipmen t o r facilitie s whic hca nb e recycle da t a cos t les s tha nreplacement . W e hop e tha t th e Agenc y wil l bea r 1nmind Executiv e Orde r 12,29 1 andIt s requiremen t tha t th e cur e b e les s damagin g tha nth e Illness . I never y cas e w e hop e tha t th e Agenc y

wil l allo w

fo r procedure s whic hd o no t expos e worker s t o mor e potentia l harm

tha n1 s necessar y

o r tha n1 s avoide db y th e publi c 1 n general . Ther e 1 s littl e nee dt o try t o sav e th e publi c from a mino r amoun t o f radiatio nb

y exposin g a fe w

worker s t o a significan t amount , 1 f ther e ar e simpl e mean s t o protec t th e public . Neithe r 1 s there any nee dt o attempt t o retur na nare a t o unimpede dpubli c acces s 1 f th e value o f tha t acces s t o th e publi c 1 s les s tha nth e cos t o f makin g 1 t available . Finally , w e urg e th e Agenc y t o conside r th e fac t tha t w e shoul dno t b e attemptin g t o secondgues s Mothe r Nature . I t shoul db e mad e clea r 1 nthes e standard s tha t there 1 s n o nee dt o clea nu pa sit e t o a lowe r backgroun dtha t 1 t wa s befor e 1 t becam e "contaminated" . Ther e undoubtedl y wil l b e some site s whic hnaturall y

hav e highe r backgroun dradiatio ntha nd o others . Ther e ma y b e th e tendenc y

t o establis hon e generi c definitio no f clean . Tha t shoul dno t b e done , becaus e 1 f on e sit e hada highe r natura l backgroun dradiatio ntha n anothe r befor e 1 t wa s use dfo r th e purpos e whic hcause d1 t t o becom e furthe r contaminated , there 1 s n o justificatio nfo r spendin g publi c mone y t o reduc e 1 t t o a lesse r contaminatio na t th e en do f th e period . Clea nshoul dno t b e th e cleanest , bu t 1 t shoul db e a nacceptabl e level . Therefore , 1 nthi s poin t an d 1 nman y others , 1 t wil l b e necessar y fo r th e Agenc y

t o provid e a grea t dea l o f flexibilit y

1 nth e standards .P. 4

I •

J '

Docke t A-83-4 1 

### -3- 1 Jul y 198 6

W e appreciat e th e opportunit y t o commen t onthi s rulemaking , and w e wil l b e please d t o discus s an y o f thes e point s 1 nfurthe r detai l shoul d tha t b e desirable . Very trul y yourl T

JohnT/Nsarr , Manage r Regtrrator

y Respons e JTB:pb r 1005 c