[Federal Register: June 4, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 107)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 33429-33431]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr04jn03-41]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Part 194
[FRL-7507-5]
Waste Characterization Program Documents Applicable to
Transuranic Radioactive Waste From the Hanford Site for Disposal at the
Waste Isolation Pilot Plant
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
[[Page 33430]]
ACTION: Notice of availability; opening of public comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the
availability of, and soliciting public comments for 30 days on,
Department of Energy (DOE) documents applicable to characterization of
transuranic (TRU) radioactive waste at the Hanford site proposed for
disposal at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). The documents (Item
II-A2-44, Docket A-98-49) are available for review in the public
dockets listed in ADDRESSES. EPA will conduct an inspection of waste
characterization systems and processes at Hanford to verify that the
site can characterize transuranic waste in accordance with EPA's WIPP
compliance criteria. EPA will perform this inspection the week of June
16, 2003.
DATES: EPA is requesting public comment on the documents. Comments must
be received by EPA's official Air Docket on or before July 7, 2003.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be submitted to: EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC),
Air and Radiation Docket, Docket No. A-98-49, EPA West, Mail Code
6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460. The DOE
documents are available for review in the official EPA Air Docket in
Washington, DC, Docket No. A-98-49, Category II-A2, and at the
following three EPA WIPP informational docket locations in New Mexico:
in Carlsbad at the Municipal Library, Hours: Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-9
p.m., Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday, 1 p.m.-5 p.m.; in
Albuquerque at the Government Publications Department, Zimmerman
Library, University of New Mexico, Hours: vary by semester; and in
Santa Fe at the New Mexico State Library, Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-
5 p.m.
As provided in EPA's regulations at 40 CFR part 2, and in
accordance with normal EPA docket procedures, if copies of any docket
materials are requested, a reasonable fee may be charged for
photocopying. Air Docket A-98-49 in Washington, DC, accepts comments
sent electronically or by fax (fax: 202-566-1741; e-mail: a-and-r-
docket@epa.gov).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Rajani D. Joglekar, Office of
Radiation and Indoor Air, (202) 564-7734. You can also call EPA's toll-
free WIPP Information Line, 1-800-331-WIPP or visit our Web site at
http://www.epa/gov/radiation/wipp.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
DOE is developing the WIPP near Carlsbad in southeastern New Mexico
as a deep geologic repository for disposal of TRU radioactive waste. As
defined by the WIPP Land Withdrawal Act (LWA) of 1992 (Public Law 102-
579), as amended (Public Law 104-201), TRU waste consists of materials
containing elements having atomic numbers greater than 92 (with half-
lives greater than twenty years), in concentrations greater than 100
nanocuries of alpha-emitting TRU isotopes per gram of waste. Much of
the existing TRU waste consists of items contaminated during the
production of nuclear weapons, such as rags, equipment, tools, and
sludges.
On May 13, 1998, EPA announced its final compliance certification
decision to the Secretary of Energy (published May 18, 1998, 63 FR
27354). This decision stated that the WIPP will comply with EPA's
radioactive waste disposal regulations at 40 CFR part 191, subparts B
and C.
The final WIPP certification decision includes conditions that (1)
prohibit shipment of TRU waste for disposal at WIPP from any site other
than the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) until the EPA determines
that the site has established and executed a quality assurance program,
in accordance with Sec. Sec. 194.22(a)(2)(i), 194.24(c)(3), and
194.24(c)(5) for waste characterization activities and assumptions
(Condition 2 of appendix A to 40 CFR part 194); and (2) prohibit
shipment of TRU waste for disposal at WIPP from any site other than
LANL until the EPA has approved the procedures developed to comply with
the waste characterization requirements of Sec. 194.22(c)(4)
(Condition 3 of appendix A to 40 CFR part 194). The EPA's approval
process for waste generator sites is described in Sec. 194.8. As part
of EPA's decision-making process, the DOE is required to submit to EPA
appropriate documentation of quality assurance and waste
characterization programs at each DOE waste generator site seeking
approval for shipment of TRU radioactive waste to WIPP. In accordance
with Sec. 194.8, EPA will place such documentation in the official Air
Docket in Washington, DC, and informational dockets in the State of New
Mexico for public review and comment.
EPA will perform an inspection of Hanford's technical program for
waste characterization in accordance with Condition 3 of the WIPP
certification. We will evaluate the adequacy, implementation, and
effectiveness of the applicable technical activities related to the
Hanford TRU waste characterization program. We will confirm the
continued adequacy of waste characterization processes at Hanford for
(a) retrievably-stored, contact-handled debris at the Waste Receiving
and Processing (WRAP) facility, and (b) homogeneous solids
characterized at the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) approved
previously by EPA. These include: (1) Segmented Gamma Scanning Assay
System at the Plutonium Finishing Plant for characterizing debris and
solids; (2) Gamma Energy Assay (GEA) System Units A and B at the Waste
Receiving and Processing (WRAP) facility used for characterizing
retrievably-stored CH-debris waste; (3) visual examination at WRAP and
PFP; and (4) other processes (such as acceptable knowledge,
radiography, visual examination, data verification & validation). Also,
we will evaluate capabilities of the following new equipment to
characterize debris and solids, as applicable: (1) SGSAS at PFP Room
172; (2) seven calorimeters at PFP; (3) two Integrated Passive and
Active Neutron (IPAN) systems at WRAP; and (4) visual examination
technique at WRAP. The inspection is scheduled to take place the week
of June 16, 2003.
EPA has placed DOE documents pertinent to the inspection in the
public docket described in ADDRESSES. These include: (1) Hanford Site
Transuranic Waste Certification Plan, HNF2600, Rev. 10, May 2003 and
(2) Hanford Site Transuranic Waste Characterization Quality Assurance
Project Plan, HNF 2599, Draft Rev. 9, May 2003. The documents are
included in item II-A2-44 in Docket A-98-49. In accordance with 40 CFR
194.8, as amended by the final certification decision, EPA is providing
the public 30 days to comment on these documents.
If EPA determines as a result of the inspection that the proposed
processes and programs at Hanford adequately control the
characterization of transuranic waste, we will notify DOE by letter and
place the letter in the official Air Docket in Washington, DC, as well
as in the informational docket locations in New Mexico. A letter of
approval will allow DOE to ship transuranic waste characterized by the
approved processes from Hanford to the WIPP. The EPA will not make a
determination of compliance prior to the inspection or before the 30-
day comment period has closed. Information on the certification
decision is filed in the official EPA Air Docket, Docket No. A-93-02
and is available for review in Washington, DC, and at three EPA WIPP
informational docket locations in New Mexico. The dockets in New Mexico
[[Page 33431]]
contain only major items from the official Air Docket in Washington,
DC, plus those documents added to the official Air Docket since the
October 1992 enactment of the WIPP LWA.
Dated: May 30, 2003.
Robert Brenner,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 03-14186 Filed 6-3-03; 8:45 am]
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