[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 95 (Wednesday, May 17, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26464-26465]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-12103]



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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket 40-3392]


Finding of No Significant Impact and Notice of Opportunity for a 
Hearing; Renewal of Source Material License Sub-526 AlliedSignal, Inc. 
Metropolis, Illinois

    The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering the renewal 
of Source Material License SUB-526 for the continued operation of the 
AlliedSignal, Inc. (Allied), UF<INF>6 conversion facility, located in 
Metropolis, Illinois.

Summary of the Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action

    The proposed action is the renewal of Allied's Source Material 
License SUB-526 for 10 years. With this renewal, the Metropolis 
facility will continue to convert natural uranium ore concentrates into 
UF<INF>6 for the commercial nuclear power industry. The production of 
UF<INF>6 is one phase in the fuel cycle resulting in production of fuel 
elements for nuclear reactors.

The Need for the Proposed Action

    Allied performs a necessary service for the commercial nuclear 
power industry by converting natural uranium ore concentrates into 
UF<INF>6. The UF<INF>6 product is then shipped to gaseous diffusion 
plants for the enrichment of the uranium (U-235) isotope; following 
enrichment, the uranium is converted into fuel for use in nuclear power 
reactors. Currently, Allied is the only UF<INF>6 conversion facility 
operating within the United States. Denial of the license renewal for 
Allied's Metropolis facility is an alternative available to the NRC, 
but would require the construction of a new facility at another site.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action

    The radiological impacts of the continued operation of the 
Metropolis facility were assessed by calculating the radiation dose to 
the maximally exposed individual located at the nearest residence and 
the collective radiation dose to the local population living within 80 
kilometers (50 miles) of the plant site.

Doses From Routine Airborne Releases

    Atmospheric releases were determined for three locations at the 
Metropolis facility: (1) the feed material building, (2) the uranium 
recovery facility, and (3) the ore sampling plant. Based on information 
provided in the application, the projected annual average quantity of 
uranium released from each emission point was estimated. The isotopic 
distribution of the uranium and the solubility class of the uranium 
were also determined. Relatively small amounts of thorium-230 and 
radium-226 are also released from the Metropolis facility. The 
radiation doses resulting from atmospheric releases were estimated 
using the XOQDOQ and GENII computer codes. The maximally exposed 
individual was located at the nearest residence, which was 564 meters 
(1,850 feet) north northeast of the Metropolis facility. The radiation 
dose Total Effective Dose Equivalent (TEDE) to the nearest resident is 
estimated to be 1.5 mrem per year. This estimated radiation dose is 
less than the limit of 10 mrem per year established by the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 40 CFR Part 61 for the air 
pathway and less than the limit of 25 mrem per year established by the 
EPA in 40 CFR Part 190 for all pathways. It is also less than the 100 
mrem per year limit established by the NRC in 10 CFR Part 20. The 
highest organ dose is to the lungs from insoluble forms of uranium. The 
estimated lung dose of 9.3 mrem per year is less than the dose limit 
established in 40 CFR Part 190; the thyroid doses were also an 
insignificant fraction of the 75 mrem per year thyroid dose limit 
established in 40 CFR Part 190.
    The population surrounding Allied's facility is about 471,410 
people, based on 1990 census data. The collective dose to the 
surrounding population is estimated to be 4.1 person-rem per year. 
Based on an average background radiation dose of 0.360 rem per year for 
individuals in the U.S., the same population would receive about 
170,000 person-rem per year from background radiation. Thus, the 
collective radiation dose associated with atmospheric releases from 
Allied's facility is a very small percentage (0.0024%) of the 
collective radiation dose from background radiation for these same 
people.
Doses From Aqueous Releases

    The projected annual average quantity of radionuclides released to 
the Ohio River from the Metropolis facility was estimated using 
information provided by the applicant. The GENII computer code was used 
to estimate radiation doses through ingestion, shoreline exposure, and 
water submersion pathways. The estimated radiation dose (TEDE) to the 
maximally exposed individual located 8 kilometers (5 miles) downstream 
of the Metropolis facility is estimated to be 0.0013 mrem per year. 
This estimated radiation dose is far less than the 100 mrem per year 
limit established by the NRC in 10 CFR Part 20 and the 25 mrem per year 
limit established by EPA in 40 CFR Part 190. The estimated radiation 
dose of 0.0013 mrem per year is also far less than the dose of 4 mrem 
per year that is the basis for the drinking water standards contained 
in 40 CFR Part 141.
    The estimated collective radiation dose to the population (4,846 
people) located in Cairo, Illinois, as a result of liquid releases is 
estimated to be 0.0030 person-rem per year. Based on an average 
background radiation dose of 0.360 rem per year for individuals in the 
U.S., this same population would receive about 1,700 person-rem per 
year from background radiation; the collective radiation dose 
associated with liquid releases from Allied's Metropolis facility thus 
is a small percentage of the collective radiation dose from background.

Accident Evaluation

    In the Environmental Assessment, the NRC evaluated a suite of five 
accident scenarios. Four of the five scenarios [[Page 26465]] evaluated 
the accidental release of radioactive materials. The intakes and 
predicted doses for three of the radiological accident scenarios were 
small with negligible associated health impacts. The fourth 
radiological accident, rupture of a UF<INF>6 cylinder (liquid), 
produced a dose of 3.9 rem at the nearest resident. While the potential 
consequences of such an event would be severe, the likelihood of such 
an event is low because of design and procedural controls. The fifth 
accident analyzed, the release of gaseous ammonia, would be expected to 
produce noticeable, but non-life-threatening effects both onsite and 
offsite. Given the low likelihood for these accidents, it is concluded 
that the proposed license renewal will not have a significant impact on 
the general population.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action

    Alternatives to the proposed action include denial of Allied's 
renewal application. Not granting a license renewal for the facility 
would cause Allied to cease production of UF<INF>6 at this site. The 
only benefits to be gained by nonrenewal would be the cessation of the 
minor environmental impact from operation of the facility. Because 
Allied's site is the only operating facility to convert uranium ore to 
UF<INF>6, denial of a license for Allied would result in the transfer 
of the activity and associated environmental impact to an alternative 
site.

Agencies and Persons Consulted

    The staff utilized the application dated July 11, 1994, and 
additional information dated September 6, and November 16, 1994. 
Discussions were held with the Agreement States of Illinois and 
Kentucky. The Region III inspectors and Allied representatives were 
also consulted in preparing this document.

Conclusion

    The staff concludes that the environmental impacts associated with 
the proposed license renewal for continued operation of Allied's 
Metropolis facility are expected to be insignificant.

Finding of No Significant Impact

    The NRC has prepared an Environmental Assessment related to the 
renewal of Source Material License SUB-526. On the basis of the 
assessment, NRC has concluded that environmental impacts that would be 
created by the proposed licensing action would not be significant and 
do not warrant the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement. 
Accordingly, it has been determined that a Finding of No Significant 
Impact is appropriate.
    The Environmental Assessment and the documents related to this 
proposed action are available for public inspection and copying at 
NRC's Public Document Room at the Gelman Building, 2120 L Street NW, 
Washington, DC.

Opportunity for a Hearing

    Any person whose interest may be affected by the issuance of this 
renewal may file a request for a hearing. Any request for hearing must 
be filed with the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory 
Commission, Washington, DC 20555, within 30 days of the publication of 
this notice in the Federal Register; be served on the NRC staff 
(Executive Director for Operations, One White Flint North, 11555 
Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852), and on the licensee 
(AlliedSignal, Inc., Route 45 North, P.O. Box 430, Metropolis, IL 
62960); and must comply with the requirements for requesting a hearing 
set forth in the Commission's regulation, 10 CFR Part 2, Subpart L, 
``Informal Hearing Procedures for Adjudications in Materials Licensing 
Proceedings.''
    These requirements, which the requestor must address in detail, 
are:
    1. The interest of the requestor in the proceeding;
    2. How that interest may be affected by the results of the 
proceeding, including the reasons why the requestor should be permitted 
a hearing;
    3. The requestor's areas of concern about the licensing activity 
that is the subject matter of the proceeding; and
    4. The circumstances establishing that the request for hearing is 
timely, that is, filed within 30 days of the date of this notice.
    In addressing how the requestor's interest may be affected by the 
proceeding, the request should describe the nature of the requestor's 
right under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, to be made a 
party to the proceeding; the nature and extent of the requestor's 
property, financial, or other (i.e., health, safety) interest in the 
proceeding; and the possible effect of any order that may be entered in 
the proceeding upon the requester's interest.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 11th day of May 1995.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Robert C. Pierson,
Chief, Licensing Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle Safety and Safeguards, 
NMSS.
[FR Doc. 95-12103 Filed 5-16-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P