[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 139 (Monday, July 21, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43237-43238]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-18411]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 030-17451]
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
Related to Issuance of a License Amendment of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission Byproduct Material License No. 52-19336-01; Wittnauer
Worldwide, L.P.
I. Summary
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is considering
terminating Byproduct Material License No. 52-19336-01 to authorize the
release of the licensee's facilities in Cayey, Puerto Rico, for
unrestricted use and has prepared an Environmental Assessment and
Finding of No Significant Impact in support of this action.
The NRC has reviewed the results of the final survey of the
Wittnauer Worldwide facility in Cayey, Puerto Rico. Wittnauer Worldwide
was authorized by the NRC from June 30, 1980, until the present to use
manufactured watch dials and hands containing luminous paint activated
with tritium for the manufacture and repair of timepieces. In August
2001, Wittnauer Worldwide ceased operations with licensed materials at
the Cayey, Puerto Rico site, and requested that the NRC terminate the
license. Wittnauer Worldwide has conducted surveys of the facility and
determined that the facility meets the license termination criteria in
subpart E of 10 CFR part 20. The NRC staff has evaluated Wittnauer
Worldwide's request and the results of the survey, and has developed an
EA in accordance with the requirements of 10 CFR part 51. Based on the
staff evaluation, the conclusion of the EA is a Finding of No
Significant Impact on human health and the environment for the proposed
licensing action.
II. Environmental Assessment
Introduction
Wittnauer Worldwide has requested release for unrestricted use, of
their building located at the Rincon Industrial Park, Road 735, Km.
2.3, in Cayey, Puerto Rico, as authorized for use by NRC License No.
52-19336-01. License No. 52-19336-01 was issued on June 30, 1980, and
amended periodically since that time. NRC-licensed activities performed
at the Cayey, Puerto Rico site were limited to the repair, service and
repair of returned timepieces and the receipt and application of
timepiece self-luminous parts typically performed on bench tops. No
outdoor areas were affected by the use of licensed materials. Licensed
activities ceased completely in August 2001 and the licensee requested
release of the facilities for unrestricted use. Based on the licensee's
historical knowledge of the site and the condition of the facilities,
the licensee determined that only routine decontamination activities,
in accordance with licensee radiation safety procedures, were required.
The licensee surveyed the facility and provided documentation that the
facility meets the license termination criteria specified in subpart E
of 10 CFR part 20, ``Radiological Criteria for License Termination.''
The Proposed Action
The proposed action is to terminate NRC Radioactive Materials
License No. 52-19336-01 and release the licensee's facilities in Cayey,
Puerto Rico, for unrestricted use. Wittnauer Worldwide's report dated
March 2003 provided survey results which demonstrated that the Cayey,
Puerto Rico facility is in compliance with the radiological criteria
for license termination in Subpart E of 10 CFR part 20, ``Radiological
Criteria for License Termination.''
Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action
The purpose of the proposed action is to release the building
located at the Rincon Industrial Park, Road 735, Km. 2.3, in Cayey,
Puerto Rico, for unrestricted use and to terminate the Wittnauer
Worldwide materials license. This will allow Wittnauer Worldwide to
stop leasing the building. The need for the proposed action is to
comply with NRC regulations and the Timeliness Rule. NRC is fulfilling
its responsibilities under the Atomic Energy Act to make a decision on
a proposed license amendment for release of facilities for unrestricted
use that ensures protection of the public health and safety and
environment.
Alternatives to the Proposed Action
The only alternative to the proposed action of amending the license
and releasing the Wittnauer Worldwide building for unrestricted use is
no action. The no-action alternative is not acceptable because it will
result in violation of NRC's Timeliness Rule (10
[[Page 43238]]
CFR 30.36), which requires licensees to decommission their facilities
when licensed activities cease. The licensee does not plan to perform
any activities with licensed materials at this location. Maintaining
the area under a license would reduce options for future use of the
property and cause Wittnauer Worldwide to continue leasing a building
for which it has no more use.
The Affected Environment and Environmental Impacts
The Wittnauer building is a one story brick building. Work with
radioactive materials was done on work benches located within several
rooms in the building. Watch parts and finished watches were stored in
a safe. The building is located within an industrial park.
The NRC staff has reviewed the surveys performed by Wittnauer
Worldwide to demonstrate compliance with the 10 CFR 20.1402 license
termination criteria and has performed a confirmatory survey. Based on
its review and the results of the confirmatory survey, the staff has
determined that the affected environment and environmental impacts
associated with the decommissioning of the Wittnauer Worldwide facility
are bounded by the impacts evaluated by the ``Generic Environmental
Impact Statement in Support of Rulemaking on Radiological Criteria for
License Termination of NRC-Licensed Facilities'' (NUREG-1496). The
staff also finds that the proposed release for unrestricted use of the
Wittnauer Worldwide facility is in compliance with 10 CFR 20.1402,
``Radiological Criteria for Unrestricted Use.'' The NRC has found no
other activities in the area that could result in cumulative impacts.
Agencies and Persons Contacted and Sources Used
This Environmental Assessment was prepared entirely by the NRC
staff. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was contacted for comment and
responded by letter dated October 16, 2002, with no opposition to the
action. The Puerto Rico State Historic Preservation Office was also
contacted and responded by letter dated March 11, 2003, with no
opposition.
Conclusion
Based on its review, the NRC staff has concluded that the proposed
action complies with 10 CFR part 20. NRC has prepared this EA in
support of the proposed license termination to release the Wittnauer
Worldwide facility located at the Rincon Industrial Park, Road 735, Km.
2.3, in Cayey, Puerto Rico, for unrestricted use. On the basis of the
EA, NRC has concluded that the environmental impacts from the proposed
action are not expected to be significant and has determined that the
preparation of an environmental impact statement for the proposed
action is not required.
List of Preparers
Orysia Masnyk Bailey, Materials Licensing/Inspection Branch 1,
Division of Nuclear Materials Safety, Health Physicist.
List of References
1. NRC License No. 52-19336-01 inspection and licensing records.
2. Wittnauer. ``Termination of License'' Letter from F. Pagan to
NRC requesting license termination and transmittal of survey
results, dated January 2, 2002. (ML020070510)
3. Radiation Safety & Control Services, Inc. ``Remediation,
Decontamination and Final Status Survey to Support Release of
Facilities for Unrestricted Use and License Termination,'' Final
status survey report prepared by Frederick P. Straccia, CHP, dated
March 2003.
4. NRC Inspection Report No. 52-19336-01/2003-002, dated April
8, 2003. (ML031060565)
5. Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations part 20, subpart E,
``Radiological Criteria for License Termination.''
6. Federal Register notice, Volume 65, No. 114, page 37186,
dated Tuesday, June 13, 2000, ``Use of Screening Values to
Demonstrate Compliance With The Federal Rule on Radiological
Criteria for License Termination.''
7. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. ``Request for comments
regarding endangered wildlife, plant, and marine life resources at a
site in Puerto Rico'' Letter from C. Diaz to NRC, dated October 16,
2002. (ML022950292)
8. Puerto Rico State Historic Preservation Office. ``SHPO: 09-
26-02-03 Wittnauer Worldwide, L.L.P., Rinco Industrial Park, PR
735, KM 2.3, Cayey, Puerto Rico'' Letter from E. Torregrosa
de la Rosa to NRC, dated January 24, 2003. (ML030350437)
III. Finding of No Significant Impact
Based upon the environmental assessment, the staff concludes that
the proposed action will not have a significant impact on the quality
of the human environment. Accordingly, the staff has determined that
preparation of an environmental impact statement is not warranted.
IV. Further Information
The references listed above are available for public inspection and
may also be copied for a fee at the NRC's Public Document Room, located
at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland
20852. These documents are also available for public review through
ADAMS, the NRC's electronic reading room, at: http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.htlm.
Any questions with respect to this action should be referred to
Orysia Masnyk Bailey, Materials Licensing/Inspection Branch 1, Division
of Nuclear Materials Safety, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Region
II, Suite 23T85, 61 Forsyth Street, SW., Atlanta, Georgia 30303-8931.
Telephone 404-562-4739.
Dated at Atlanta, Georgia the 7th day of July, 2003.
For the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Douglas M. Collins,
Director, Division of Nuclear Materials Safety, Region II.
[FR Doc. 03-18411 Filed 7-18-03; 8:45 am]
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