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Panel: Hot Topics and Emerging Issues in US Commercial Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management
Panel Reporter: Kathryn Haynes
This panel session discussed current issues in commercial low-level radioactive waste management in
the United States from the perspective of six active members of the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Forum, Inc. State, compact, federal and industry views were shared on topics such as
the licensing of new disposal facilities, plans for expanding existing disposal operations, long-term storage of Class B and C waste, state and compact efforts to address generator needs
and concerns, and federal use of commercial disposal options.
Panelists included Jack Spath, Program Manager, Radioactive Waste Policy and Nuclear Coordination,
Energy Research and Development Authority, State of New York; Christine Gelles, Director, Office of Commercial Disposition Options, U.S. Department of Energy; Don Womeldorf, Executive Director, Southwestern
Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission; Steve Creamer, President and CEO, Envirocare of Utah, Inc.; Larry Camper, Director, Division of Waste Management and Environmental
Protection, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Susan Jablonski, Radioactive Waste Specialist, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. For more information contact
Kathryn Haynes, Executive Director, Southeast Compact Commission for Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management, at +1(919)-821-0500 or email khaynes@secompact.org.
SUSAN JABLONSKI discussed the technical review of a license application from Waste Control
Specialists for the development of a waste disposal facility. Texas Law limits the review process to two rounds of technical deficiency. There are some unresolved land
ownership issues on the site. She expects a draft license to be available for public review by September 2006, followed by administrative hearings. A decision on the license
should be reached by early 2008.
LARRY CAMPER provided an overview of "Hot Topics and Emerging Issues in US Commercial Low-Level
Waste Management" which influence activities within the Division of Waste Management and Environmental Protection (DWMEP), USNRC. The Advisory Committee on Nuclear Waste (ACNW)
produced an independent paper providing a history and status of the NRC LLW program, concluding that the current regulations are fully protective of the public and worker health and
safety while identifying opportunities to better risk-inform Part 61. The ACNW and DWMEP plan to conduct a workshop on this topic in May 2006. DWMEP is preparing a paper to provide
options for improving understanding and awareness of the alternate disposal pathway in 10 CFR 20.2002. This regulatory process, along with other methods such as the use of Regulatory
Guide 1.86, are used by licensees to dispose of large volumes of minimally contaminated materials.
The Department of Energy (DOE) has issued an Advanced Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) for disposal of Greater Than Class C (GTCC) waste and requested that NRC be a cooperating agency in the development of the EIS. The Commission decided to
participate as a commenting agency in order to preserve the perception of independence given NRC's ultimate licensing responsibilities.
The National Academies of Science (NAS) is developing a report for release on March 7, 2006 to
identify technical and policy options for improving practices for regulating and managing low-activity waste. Given the pending closure of the Barnwell site in South Carolina, as well as
the age of the existing guidance for storage of low-level waste, DWMEP plans to update and more risk-inform NRC guidance. The NRC staff will provide a paper to the Commission later this
year recommending this update and then plans to complete the guidance revision prior to the closure of the Barnwell site in 2008.
Waste Control Specialists (WCS) has an application under review by the State of Texas to develop a
low-level waste site near Andrews, Texas. Part of this application involves Federal ownership of certain of the site to be used for disposal of waste by DOE. Assuming the State approves
the application, DWMEP expects to interact with the State regarding an exemption request relative to when the DOE must assume ownership of that portion of the site. The exemption request
will be necessary given the difference in timing of ownership requirements between the applicable State law and that of Part 61.
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2005 requires NRC to evaluate non-high level waste
determinations prepared by the DOE for the Savannah River Site and the Idaho National Laboratory and cooperate with the States of South Carolina and Idaho in monitoring disposals of
low-level waste previously classified as high-level waste. The NDAA recognizes that these wastes can be disposed based on hazard/risk, not origin. As part of an adjudicatory hearing for
the proposed Louisiana Energy Services (LES) enrichment facility, the issue of depleted uranium was addressed. The Commission directed the staff to consider, outside of the hearing
process, whether the waste classification in Part 61 needed to be modified to accommodate large quantities of depleted uranium such as that associated with the LES site.
DWMEP is developing a strategy to address the recent increased interest in the low-level waste area
given the currently limited resources assigned to the program. The staff plans to fully scope the issues and determine the best path forward to ensure that the highest priority items are
addressed.
CHRISTINE GELLES described a reorganization of the Office of Environmental Management that she
expects to occur in April.
She explained DOE policy dictates that it is a priority to manage and dispose of waste on site, where possible -- or at other Federal disposal facilities. The Department may dispose at commercial facilities when it is more cost effective or in the best interest of the Department, but the justification must be documented. Congress has expressed concerns about DOE's ability to do credible cost-benefit analysis. EM is collecting life cycle forecast data and preparing a report to Congress regarding when and where DOE waste will go. EM is also participating in the NRC Interagency task force that is development a report to the President on improving the management of disused sealed sources. This is a requirement of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. There is a split system -- DOE and CRCPD both operate programs providing for recovery and reuse of disused sources. DOE is doing an inventory analysis of GTCC and will publish a schedule this year for an environmental impact statement on commercial GTCC disposal.
STEVE CREAMER described the ongoing process of developing a new multi-service company, Energy
Solutions, and its plans for the future. After acquiring the disposal facility in Clive, Utah (formerly Envirocare of Utah), the company conducted a $50 M improvement project, to be
completed in 4 months. Among the improvements are a new shredder, a rail car dumper, and new rail cars.
Since 1987, 140 million cubic feet of capacity has been used. 700 million cubic feet of capacity remains at the Clive site. DOE waste volumes to be disposed will decline from now on. Utilities expect to dispose about one million cubic feet of Class A decommissioning waste from each of the 100 plants.
Energy Solutions has signed a 30-year agreement with Exelon and is offering long-term agreements with
all utilities and compacts.
DON WOMELDORF reported that he and Marcia Marr of the Central Midwest Compact had surveyed all the
interstate compact commissions and states not affiliated with a compact to ask how they communicate with their waste generators about their current and future waste management practices.
Communication methods reported include electronic mail, web site management, face-to-face meetings with individuals and groups, conference calls, newsletters, surveys, and workshops on specific waste management issues or practices.
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2006 Waste Management Symposium