Source: http://www.govpulse.us/entries/2001/10/11/01-25416/interim-storage-for-greater-than-class-c-waste
Timestamp: 2015-04-20 00:49:17
Document Index: 755039307

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', '§ 61', '§ 61', 'art 72', 'arts 20', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 30', 'arts 30', 'arts 30', 'art 30', 'arts 30', '§ 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', 'arts 30', 'art 72', 'art 72', '§ 72', '§ 72', '§ 72', '§ 72', 'art 72', 'art 72', '§ 72', 'art 50', '§ 72', '§ 72']

govpulse | Interim Storage for Greater Than Class C Waste
The Petition for Rulemaking ↑
The petitioner requested that the NRC amend 10 CFR part 72 to add the authority to store radioactive waste that exceeds the concentration limits of radionuclides established for Class C waste in 10 CFR 61.55.
This radioactive material is commonly referred to as “Greater than Class C” waste or GTCC waste. GTCC waste is generally unsuitable for near-surface disposal as low-level waste (LLW), even though it is considered as LLW. Section 61.55(a)(2)(iv) requires that this type of waste be disposed of in a geologic repository unless approved for an alternative disposal method on a case-specific basis by the NRC.
The petitioner is an NRC-licensed utility responsible for the Trojan Nuclear Plant (Trojan). In the petition, the petitioner anticipated that it would need to dispose of GTCC waste during decommissioning. The decommissioning plan discussed the transfer of spent reactor fuel being stored in the spent fuel pool, to an onsite Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) licensed under 10 CFR part 72. The petitioner requested that 10 CFR part 72 be revised to permit GTCC waste to be stored at the ISFSI pending transfer to a permanent disposal facility. The petitioner suggested that because the need to provide interim storage for GTCC waste is not specific to Trojan, but is generic, the regulations in 10 CFR part 72 should be amended to explicitly provide for storage of GTCC waste in a licensed ISFSI.
Public Comments on the Petition ↑
Draft Rulemaking Plan ↑
One State supported the concept. Three States indicated that they were opposed to voluntarily relinquishingtheir authority and preferred to maintain their licensing authority for GTCC waste. One doubted that inefficiencies would result from Agreement State jurisdiction over GTCC waste at a reactor site concurrent with NRC regulation of spent fuel remaining at the site. The commenter noted that similar situations already exist when LLW is stored at the site. A second noted that there “* * * have been many instances where an agreement state and NRC have effectively collaborated in the regulation of a single facility.” A third noted that the NRC recently informed the States that they could voluntarily relinquish their authority for sealed sources and devices and that it was “* * * vehemently opposed to any rule that automatically usurps a State's licensing authority without the State's consent.”
Proposed Rule ↑
The NRC believes that decommissioning activities at commercial nuclear power plants will generate small volumes of GTCC waste relative to the amount of spent fuel that exists at these sites. GTCC waste exceeds the concentration limits of radionuclides established for Class C in §§ 61.55(a)(3)(ii), 61.55(a)(4)(iii), or § 61.55(a)(5)(ii). GTCC waste is not generally acceptable for near-surface disposal at licensed low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities. Currently there are no routine disposal options for GTCC waste.
The changes in this rulemaking will allow 10 CFR part 72 specific licensees to co-locate reactor-related GTCC waste within an ISFSI or an MRS. Applicants for a specific license to store reactor-related GTCC waste will be required to provide a Safety Analysis Report (SAR) describing their programs that will (1) ensure that adequate protective measures are in place to ensure safe storage within the ISFSI or MRS, and (2)ensure that the co-location of this radioactive material will not have an adverse effect on the safe storage of spent fuel and the operation of the ISFSI or MRS. Safe storage of GTCC waste will be governed by the provisions of 10 CFR parts 20 and 72 and applicable guidance that is being developed in conjunction with this rule. Based on an acceptable review of the SAR, the NRC would issue a 10 CFR part 72 specific license. Current 10 CFR part 72 specific license holders would be required to submit a similar application to amend their 10 CFR part 72 licenses if they desire to store GTCC waste at their ISFSIs.
Request for Public Input on Specific Issues ↑
Regulatory Action ↑
The rule will not eliminate the current availability of storing GTCCwaste under the authority of a 10 CFR part 30 or 70 license. However, neither 10 CFR parts 30 nor 70 include explicit criteria for storage of GTCC waste. Therefore, a licensing process conducted under 10 CFR parts 30 or 70 regulations would be more resource intensive because the licensee would need to develop new proposed storage criteria. If the licensee decides to obtain a 10 CFR part 30 or 70 license, the NRC will still maintain Federal jurisdiction over the reactor-related GTCC waste stored under 10 CFR parts 30 and 70.
Therefore, the NRC is adding a definition of GTCC waste within § 72.3 that will be consistent with 10 CFR 61.55. The NRC has evaluated 10 CFR part 72 to determine which sections need to be modified to accommodate storage of separate containers of solid GTCC waste co-located with spent fuel within an ISFSI or an MRS. The majority of the changes to 10 CFR part 72 will simply add the term “GTCC waste” to the appropriate sections and paragraphs (typically immediately after the terms “spent fuel” or “high-level waste”). In support of this rulemaking, the NRC is developing Interim Staff Guidance for NRC staff and licensee use in applying 10 CFR part 72 storage criteria for various GTCC waste types.
A public comment resulted in the recognition of the need to modify 10 CFR parts 30 and 70 to provide exceptions to the requirements in these parts when the GTCC waste is being stored under the provisions of 10 CFR part 72. Without these changes, licensees would need 10 CFR part(s) 30 and/or 70 licenses in addition to the 10 CFR part 72 license. Other comments resulted in clarification of the preamble and § 72.120 with regard to the commingling of material that is associated with spent fuel assemblies.
In addition, during the review of comments, NRC staff identified the need for several clarifications in the final rule that are not specifically based on public comments. The clarifying changes that NRC made are: § 72.2(a) regarding power reactor-related GTCC waste is being modified to clarify that GTCC waste does not have to be stored in a complex that is designed and constructed specifically for storage of spent fuel; the definition in § 72.3 of “spent fuel cask or cask” in the proposed rule is being withdrawn to eliminate an unnecessary storage requirement; § 72.6 is being revised to indicate clearly that reactor-related GTCC waste, if stored under 10 CFR part 72, can only be stored under the provisions of a 10 CFR part 72 specific license; § 72.24(r) in the proposed rule is being removed for consistency with 10 CFR part 50's handling of radioactive material; § 72.40(b) in the proposed rule is being revised to correct an error (the proposed rule inadvertently removed existing text instead of adding a new introductory sentence) and to remove reference to the Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Board, which no longer exists; and §§ 72.72, 72.76, and 72.78 are being modified to clarify the reporting requirements for special nuclear material as specified in 10 CFR 74.13(a)(1).
NRC to Maintain Authority for Reactor-Related GTCC Waste ↑
Under section 274 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (AEA), Agreement States possess regulatory authority over radioactive waste only where the Commission has relinquished its pre-existing authority. Section 274agreements cannot be understood as a general matter to relinquish Commission authority over reactor-related GTCC waste. These wastes are integrally related to the operation of reactors, because these wastes consist for the most part of activated metal reactor components such as core shrouds, support plates, nozzles, core barrels, and in-core instrumentation. When, under the section 274 program, the Commission reaches agreements with States and relinquishes regulatory jurisdiction to them, the Commission specifically retains authority over the “operation” of reactors, as required by an NRC rule promulgated nearly 40 years ago. See10 CFR 150.15(a)(1). That rule defines “operation” as follows:
Comments on the Proposed Rule ↑
The NRC, in the proposed rule, invited comments on (1) six specific topics dealing with safety, technical or licensing issues