[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 172 (Friday, September 5, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47068-47070]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-23597]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Finding of No Significant Impact Related to Amendment to 
Materials License SMB-602, RMI Titanium Company

AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

ACTION: Finding of No Significant Impact Associated with Amendment to 
Materials License SMB-602, RMI Titanium Company, Extrusion Plant, 
Ashtabula, Ohio, to Authorize Decommissioning of RMI Extrusion Plant 
Site.

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    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering a license 
amendment request submitted by the RMI Titanium Company (hereafter RMI 
or the licensee) for decommissioning of its extrusion plant facility.
    On August 28, 1995, NRC published a Notice of Consideration of 
Amendment Request for Decommissioning the RMI Titanium Company Site in 
Ashtabula, Ohio, and Opportunity for Hearing (60 FR 44517). NRC did not 
receive any response to that notice.

Summary of the Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is the decommissioning of RMI's extrusion plant 
facility in Ashtabula, Ohio, in accordance with RMI's decommissioning 
plan submitted April 27, 1995 (DP) and supplemental submittals. In this 
action, RMI is proposing to remediate the extrusion plant site for 
release for unrestricted use consistent with the NRC ``Action Plan to 
Ensure Timely Cleanup of Site Decommissioning Management Plan Sites'' 
(57 FR 13389; April 16, 1992; hereafter Action Plan). Decommissioning 
activities would include decontamination and dismantlement of the 
extrusion plant equipment and buildings (D&D), remediation of 
contaminated soils and groundwater, restoration of affected areas, and 
offsite disposal of radioactive decommissioning wastes (primarily 
uranium). Most radioactive wastes from decommissioning activities will 
be Class A low-level radioactive waste (LLW).
    The release criterion for total uranium in soil is 1.1 Bq (30 pCi)/
g. Release criteria for groundwater are: total uranium, 1.1 Bq (30 
pCi)/l; and technetium-99 (Tc-99), 33.3 Bq (900 pCi)/l. Clarification 
of these criteria for groundwater is provided in a staff note to the 
docket file.
    Uranium residues in various physical forms (such as metal turnings 
and uranium oxide dust) were generated under contract to the U.S. 
Department of Energy (DOE) and under NRC license SMB-602. As a 
consequence of those operations, the process and support buildings, 
onsite and adjacent offsite soils, and groundwater near a former 
evaporation pond are known to be contaminated with uranium (uranium-
234, uranium-235, and uranium-238) at

[[Page 47069]]

levels that exceed NRC's Action Plan guidelines for release of the 
facilities and site for unrestricted use.
    Technetium-99 (a contaminant in recycled uranium) has been measured 
in concentrations above background in the soil and groundwater. The 
licensee also identified elevated levels of thorium-230 (Th-230) in 
sediment from a former evaporation pond. The nature and extent of soil 
contamination due to Tc-99 and Th-230 continues to be evaluated by the 
licensee.
    The RMI extrusion plant buildings and equipment also contain a 
limited amount of mixed wastes (hazardous wastes contaminated primarily 
with uranium). Mixed wastes will be shipped offsite, treated, and 
disposed in accordance with the RMI Site Treatment Plan, which was 
prepared by DOE to comply with the Federal Facility Compliance Act.
    Groundwater and soils around a former evaporation pond are also 
contaminated with tricholoethylene (TCE). The area contaminated with 
TCE will be remediated in accordance with U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA) requirements. Other hazardous wastes (limited in amount) 
will be shipped offsite in accordance with EPA and Ohio Environmental 
Protection Agency requirements.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    The licensee does not plan any further manufacturing or processing 
at its extrusion plant facility, and wants to terminate its 10 CFR Part 
40 license and withdraw from NRC-licensed activities at the site. The 
termination of the license would require the decontamination and 
decommissioning of the facility so that it could be released for 
unrestricted use in accordance with NRC requirements.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The short-term radiological impacts resulting from the proposed 
action involve the release of air and water effluents, which may 
contain low levels of residual radioactive contamination, to the 
environment. These effluents will be generated from excavation of 
soils, dismantlement of buildings, and other decommissioning 
activities. The radiological consequences of these effluents on workers 
and the public are estimated to be well below NRC's occupational and 
public dose limits. The release of radioactive air and water effluents 
is controlled by NRC regulations in 10 CFR Part 20, Appendix B. The 
licensee is required to comply with these regulations. The licensee has 
committed to use RMI's DP, health physics manual, and ALARA program 
manual to keep effluents from the proposed decommissioning activities 
below levels established in 10 CFR Part 20, Appendix B.
    Potential radiological impacts on workers from the proposed 
decommissioning activities will be below the NRC occupational dose 
limit of 50 millisieverts/yr (mSv/yr)(5 rem/yr), as required in 10 CFR 
20.1201(a)(1)(i). The average dose to the onsite worker would be 0.17 
mSv/yr (1.7E-2 rem/yr) for performing building D&D, and 9.8E-2 mSv/yr 
(9.8E-3 rem/yr) for performing soil remediation activities. The dose 
pathways would be inhalation of radioactive airborne dust and direct 
radiation.
    Potential radiological impacts to the public from normal operations 
are expected to be well below the NRC public limit of 1 mSv/yr (100 
millirem/yr (mrem/yr)) dose limit, as required in 10 CFR 20.1301(a)(1). 
The total effective dose equivalent (TEDE) to the maximally exposed 
individual member of the public (MEI) would be 6.8E-9 mSv/yr (6.8E-07 
mrem/yr) from D&D operations, and 1.9E-3 mSv/yr (1.9E-1 mrem/yr) from 
soil remediation activities. Doses would occur principally from 
inhalation of fugitive radioactive airborne dust.
    Doses from the transportation of LLW (under non-accident 
conditions) are as follows: average worker dose would be 2.9 mSv/yr 
(0.29 rem/yr), and the TEDE for the MEI would be 6.1E-7 mSv/yr (6.1E-05 
mrem/yr). Potential doses would be from direct radiation exposure 
during transport of LLW to disposal or processing facilities.
    Doses from the maximum credible accident scenario (a transportation 
accident that results in the failure of the LLW containment vessel, and 
subsequent release of respirable uranium oxide material) would be 3 
millisieverts (mSv) (0.3 rem) for both a worker and the MEI.
    The short-term nonradiological impacts of decommissioning are not 
expected to be significant. There is a beneficial long-term impact 
associated with the proposed action: when remediated, the RMI extrusion 
plant site would be suitable for release for unrestricted use.

Conclusion

    On the basis of the NRC staff's evaluation of the applicant's 
proposed action, as described in RMI's DP and supporting documentation 
and from NRC staff field inspection of the applicant's facility, the 
staff concludes that the proposed action will not result in any 
significant environmental impact. The staff recommends that the 
proposed action, with its radiation protection and site safety 
programs, be implemented.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    The NRC staff identified two alternatives to the proposed action: 
(1) no action and (2) onsite disposal of LLW. The no-action alternative 
represents the status quo, and would constitute continued surveillance 
and maintenance of the contaminated site. These conditions would be 
noncompliant with NRC requirements for cleanup of inactive nuclear 
material processing facilities, RMI's RCRA permit, and the RMI/DOE 
contract.
    Onsite disposal of wastes (under 10 CFR 20.2002 and Option 2 of 
NRC's Branch Technical Position on Disposal or Onsite Stroage of 
Thorium and Uranium Wastes from Past Operations) is not a viable 
alternative, because the groundwater table on the site is very shallow. 
Waste disposed onsite would not meet NRC guidance for depth to water 
table from the waste.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    The NRC staff prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for this 
license amendment. Staff consulted with the Ohio Department of Health, 
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. EPA for review of the 
EA.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    Based on the NRC staff's Environmental Assessment related to 
amending License SMB-602, the Commission concludes that the proposed 
action will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human 
environment. Accordingly, the Commission has determined not to prepare 
an Environmental Impact Statement and that a Finding of No Significant 
Impact is appropriate.

Additional Information

    The Environmental Assessment and the documents related to this 
proposed action are available for public inspection and copying at the 
NRC's Public Document Room, 2120 L Street, NW., Washington, DC 20555.
    For additional information, contact Dr. Ronald B. Uleck, Project 
Manager, Materials Decommissioning Section, Low-Level Waste and 
Decommissioning Projects Branch, Division of Waste Management, Office 
of Nuclear Materials Safety and Safeguards, (301) 415-6722.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 29th day of August 1997.


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    For the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John W.N. Hickey,
Chief, Low-Level Waste and Decommissioning Projects Branch, Division of 
Waste Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards
[FR Doc. 97-23597 Filed 9-4-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P