Finding of No Significant Impact and Notice of Opportunity for a Hearing Amendment of Materials License SNM-1227, Siemen's Power Corporation Richland, WA

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION

[Docket No. 70-1257]

Finding of No Significant Impact and Notice of Opportunity for a

Hearing Amendment of Materials License SNM-1227, Siemen's Power

Corporation Richland, WA

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is considering the amendment

of Special Nuclear License SNM-1227 for the Siemen's Power Corporation

(SPC) facility located in Richland, Washington, to authorize the

release of hydrofluoric (HF) acid containing less than 3 picocuries per

milliliter (pCi/ml) of uranium for unrestricted use.

Summary of the Environmental Assessment

Identification of the Proposed Action: The proposed action is to

amend SPC's license to allow the sale of hydrofluoric (HF) acid

containing less than 3 pCi/ml of enriched uranium for use in the metal

treating and chemical compounding industries. The acid is a co-product

of the dry conversion process used by SPC to convert uranium

hexafluoride (UF6) to uranium dioxide (UO2) for the

fabrication of nuclear fuel. This amendment and assessment address only

the sale of the HF acid co-product.

SPC is planning a major expansion of the dry conversion process and

expects to increase the generation of HF acid as a result of this

future expansion. SPC will apply for an amendment to expand the dry

conversion process in the near future. This expansion amendment will be

the subject of a future environmental assessment.

Need for the Proposed Action: SPC is authorized to store liquid

process wastes in on-site lagoons and to dispose of the treated liquid

wastes via the sanitary sewer to the Richland Wastewater Treatment

facility. SPC currently discharges 45-50 metric tons of fluoride

annually to the sewer, generated from the currently-operating ammonium

diuranate (ADU) conversion lines and the prototype dry conversion line.

SPC plans to expand the dry conversion process capacity and to shut

down most of the ADU conversion process. This expanded dry conversion

process will generate HF acid as a co-product. Sale and reuse of the HF

acid from the expanded dry conversion facility will allow SPC to reduce

significantly the amount of fluoride sent to the sewer.

Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action: SPC performed a

pathway analysis to estimate the total doses to an individual resulting

from the sale and reuse of the HF acid and to demonstrate that these

doses will not exceed the standards for protection against radiation

set forth in 10 CFR Part 20 and that they are as low as reasonably

achievable.

SPC estimated radiation doses to a maximally exposed individual,

identified as a worker handling the HF acid in processes, including

chemical milling and passivating, and in the manufacturer of cleaning

solutions. The analysis considers that HF acid is highly toxic and

corrosive. Doses to members of the public will be much lower than doses

to individuals working with the material in an occupational capacity.

The results of the analyses demonstrate that doses to a maximally

exposed individual are less than 0.4 millirem per year internal dose

and less than 0.02 millirem per year external dose.

The potential for public exposure to radiation from transportation

accidents was also considered. The HF acid will be transported by truck

in 320-gallon tanks from the Richland facility to a buyer, following

Department of Transportation regulations (49 CFR Parts 173 and 178) for

the transport of HF acid. In the event of a transportation accident

involving the spill or release of the acid, fumes could be released. In

that case, radiation exposures, to an individual member of the public

could occur. However, the exposures would be of short duration, because

of the toxicity and corrosivity of the HF acid, and would be

considerably less than the worker dose estimate analyzed above.

Emergency response actions would be carried out based upon the chemical

hazards of the materials, not the radiological hazards.

Following start-up of the expanded dry conversion facility,

approximately 90 percent of the liquid wastes currently being generated

by the manufacturing facility will be eliminated as the dry conversion

process is brought on-line and the ADU conversion process for UF6

is closed down.

Conclusion: The dose assessment performed for the proposed action

demonstrates that the doses received by members of the critical group

and the exposed general population are well below the dose limits of

100 mrem/year and 25 mrem/year, as specified in 10 CFR Part 20 and 40

CFR Part 190, respectively, and are as low as reasonably achievable. To

ensure that these dose limits are not exceeded, the staff recommends

that the uranium concentration in the HF acid not exceed 3 pCi/ml in

any batch of 20,000 liters.

Consultations with other agencies and interested persons have

demonstrated that approval of this amendment will not violate any other

federal, state, or local laws or regulations.

The staff concludes that there will be no significant environmental

impact associated with the licensee's sale of the co-product HF acid.

Alternatives to the Proposed Action: The alternative to the

proposed action is for NRC not to amend the license to allow the sale

of HF acid. If the amendment is not approved, SPC would not be able to

sell the HF acid co-product. In that case, SPC would continue to

discharge fluoride to the Richland sewer. While this would eliminate

any potential risk to human health and safety, due to the trace amount

of uranium in the HF acid, there would be a continued burden on the

environment because of the disposal of the fluoride via the sewer, and

it would delay SPC's schedule for ultimate closure of the on0site

lagoons.

SPC could use alternative management methods for the HF acid,

including storage, treatment, and/or disposal. However, due to its

corrosive liquid nature, the acid is not suitable for disposal without

treatment. If the HF acid was considered to be a waste product, it

would be a dangerous waste as defined by the Washington Dangerous Waste

Regulations. However, HF acid is a commercial chemical product, and the

HF acid co-product from SPC's dry conversion process is suitable for

reuse as a substitute for virgin HF acid.

Agencies and Persons Consulted:

--Washington Department of Ecology, Nuclear and Mixed Waste Programs,

Water Quality Section, and Shorelands Program

--Washington Department of Health, Division of Radiation Protection

--Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

--U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region X

--Benton Franklin Counties Clean Air Authority

--City of Richland, Department of Water and Waste Utilities

--Yakima Indian Nation

Other sources used in the preparation of the EA include the

following:

1. Amendment application and supplement from Siemens Power

Corporation dated June 28 and July 7, 1994, respectively.

2. 10 CFR Part 70, Domestic Licensing of Special Nuclear Material.

3. 10 CFR Part 51, Environmental Protection Regulations for

Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions.

4. 10 CFR Part 20, Standards for Protection Against Radiation.

NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, U.S. Department of Health

and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control,

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1985.

6. Threshold Limit Values and Biological Exposure Indices for 1989-

1990, American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, 1989.

7. 49 CFR Part 173, Shippers--General Requirements for Shipments

and Packaging.

8. 49 CFR Part 178, Specifications for Packaging.

9. Limiting Values of Radionuclide Intake and Air Concentration and

Dose Conversion Factors for Inhalation, Submersion, and Ingestion, U.S.

EPA Federal Guidance Report No. 11, 1988.

Finding of No Significant Impact: The NRC has prepared an

Environmental Assessment related to the amendment of Special Nuclear

Material License SNM-1227 to allow the sale of HF acid meeting the 3

pCi/ml limit. On the basis of this assessment, NRC has concluded that

environmental impacts that would result from the proposed licensing

action would not be significant and do not warrant the preparation of

an Environmentally 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 amendment may file a request for a

hearing. Any request for a 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

20852-0130) and on the licensee (Siemens Power Corporation, 2101 Horn

Rapids Road, Richland, Washington, 99352-0130); and must comply with

the requirements for requesting a hearing set forth in NRC'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 why the requestor should be permitted a hearing;

3. The requestor's area 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 with 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 and safety) interest in the

proceeding; and the possible effect of any order that may be entered in

the proceeding upon the requestor's interest.

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 6th day of September 1994.

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Robert C. Pierson,

Chief, Licensing Branch, Division of Fuel Cycle, Safety and Safeguards,

NMSS.

[FR Doc. 94-22684 Filed 9-13-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7590-01-M