[Federal Register: November 8, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 216)]
[Notices]
[Page 65488-65493]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08no06-66]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OAR-2006-0881; FRL-8240-5]
Proposed Approvals of the Central Characterization Project's
Remote-Handled Waste Characterization Programs at Idaho National
Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.
ACTION: Notice of availability; opening of public comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or we) is announcing
the availability of, and soliciting public comments for 45 days on, the
proposed approvals of the radioactive, remote-handled (RH), transuranic
(TRU) waste characterization programs implemented by the Central
Characterization Project (CCP) at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). This waste is intended for disposal
at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in New Mexico. These are the
first proposed approvals for the characterization of RH waste.
In accordance with the WIPP Compliance Criteria, EPA evaluated the
characterization of RH TRU debris waste from INL-CCP and ANL-CCP during
inspections conducted the weeks of June 12, 2006, and September 11,
2006, respectively. Using the systems and processes developed as part
of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Carlsbad Field Office (CBFO)
program to characterize RH TRU waste, EPA verified whether DOE could
adequately characterize RH TRU waste consistent with the Compliance
Criteria. The results of EPA's evaluations of the INL-CCP and ANL-CCP
programs and their proposed approvals are described in the Agency's
inspection reports, which are available for review in the public
dockets listed in ADDRESSES. We will consider public comments received
on or before the due date mentioned in DATES.
This notice summarizes the waste characterization processes
evaluated by EPA and EPA's proposed approvals. As required by the 40
CFR 194.8, at the end of a 45-day comment period EPA will evaluate
public comments received, and if appropriate, finalize the reports
responding to the relevant public comments, and issue final reports and
approval letters to DOE.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before December 26, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2006-0881, by one of the following methods:
http://www.regulations.gov: Follow the on-line
instructions for submitting comments.
E-mail: To a-and-r-docket@epa.gov.
Fax: 202-566-1741.
Mail: Air and Radiation Docket and Information Center,
Environmental Protection Agency, Mailcode: 6102T, 1200 Pennsylvania
Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.
Instructions: Direct your comments to Attn: Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-
OAR-2006-0881. The Agency's policy is that all comments received will
be included in the public docket without change and may be made
available online at http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal
information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed
to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other information
whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information
that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through http://www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The http://www.regulations.gov Web site
is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means EPA will not know your
identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of
your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without
going through http://www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be
automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is
placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you
submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name
and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any
disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to
technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA
may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid
the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of
any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA's public
docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm
.
Docket: All documents in the docket are listed in the http://www.regulations.gov
index. Although listed in the index, some
information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information
whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such
as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard copy.
Publicly available docket materials are available electronically at
http://www.regulations.gov.
As of September 22nd, 2006, the EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC) Public
Reading Room will be temporarily inaccessible to the public until
November 6th, 2006, due to construction. Public access to docket
materials will still be provided. We strongly encourage you to visit
the EPA Dockets Web site frequently (http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm
) in order to receive the latest status concerning the
Public Reading Room and public access to docket materials.
If you wish to obtain materials from a docket in the EPA/DC, please
go first to Regulations.gov (http://www.regulations.gov) and obtain
electronic copies. If the materials are listed in the docket index but
the documents themselves are not available in Regulations.gov, please
call (202) 566-1744 or e-mail the applicable Program Office Docket.
EPA Docket Center operations will still continue during this
period. In addition to electronic access through regulations.gov,
public inspection of docket materials will be available by appointment
during this period. Appointments may be made by calling (202) 566-1744
or by e-mailing the appropriate Docket Office.
If you wish to hand deliver comments during this period, you may
drop them off between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. eastern
standard time (EST), Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays
at the EPA Headquarters, Room 6146F in the EPA West Building located at
1301 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC.
EPA visitors are required to show photographic identification and
sign the EPA visitor log. After processing through the X-ray and
magnetometer machines, visitors will be given an EPA/DC badge that must
be visible at all times, and be escorted to Room 6146F to drop off
comments.
[[Page 65489]]
If you have any other questions concerning the temporary closing of
the EPA/DC Public Reading Room, you may call (202) 566-1744 between the
hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. eastern standard time.
These documents are also available for review in hard-copy form 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., phone number: 505-885-0731; in Albuquerque at the Government
Publications Department, Zimmerman Library, University of New Mexico,
Hours: Vary by semester, phone number: 505-277-2003; and in Santa Fe at
the New Mexico State Library, Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.,
phone number: 505-476-9700. 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rajani Joglekar or Ed Feltcorn,
Radiation Protection Division, Center for Federal Regulations, Mail
Code 6608J, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: 202-343-9601; fax
number: 202-343-2305; e-mail address:
joglekar.rajani@epa.gov or feltcorn.ed@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. General Information
A. What Should I Consider as I Prepare My Comments for EPA?
1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit this information to EPA through
http://www.regulations.gov or e-mail. Clearly mark the part or all of
the information that you claim to be CBI. For CBI information in a disk
or CD ROM that you mail to EPA, mark the outside of the disk or CD ROM
as CBI and then identify electronically within the disk or CD ROM the
specific information that is claimed as CBI. In addition to one
complete version of the comment that includes information claimed as
CBI, a copy of the comment that does not contain the information
claimed as CBI must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket.
Information so marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with
procedures set forth in 40 CFR part 2.
2. Tips for Preparing Your Comments. When submitting comments,
remember to:
Identify the rulemaking by docket number and other
identifying information (subject heading, Federal Register date and
page number).
Follow directions--The agency may ask you to respond to
specific questions or organize comments by referencing a Code of
Federal Regulations (CFR) part or section number.
Explain why you agree or disagree; suggest alternatives
and substitute language for your requested changes.
Describe any assumptions and provide any technical
information and/or data that you used.
If you estimate potential costs or burdens, explain how
you arrived at your estimate in sufficient detail to allow for it to be
reproduced.
Provide specific examples to illustrate your concerns, and
suggest alternatives.
Explain your views as clearly as possible, avoiding the
use of profanity or personal threats.
Make sure to submit your comments by the comment period
deadline identified.
II. 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 (Pub.
L. 102-579), as amended (Pub. L. 104-201), TRU waste consists of
materials that have 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.
TRU waste is itself divided into two categories, based on its level
of radioactivity. Contact-handled (CH) TRU waste accounts for about 97
percent of the volume of TRU waste currently destined for the WIPP. It
is packaged in 55-gallon metal drums or in metal boxes and can be
handled under controlled conditions without any shielding beyond the
container itself. The maximum radiation dose at the surface of a CH TRU
waste container is 200 millirems per hour. CH waste primarily emits
alpha particles that are easily shielded by a sheet of paper or the
outer layer of a person's skin.
Remote-handled (RH) TRU waste emits more radiation than CH TRU
waste and must therefore be both handled and transported in shielded
casks. Surface radiation levels of unshielded containers of remote-
handled transuranic waste exceed 200 millirems per hour. RH waste
primarily emits gamma radiation, which is very penetrating and requires
concrete, lead, or steel to block it.
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 Laboratories (LANL) until the EPA
determines that the site has established and executed a quality
assurance program, in accordance with 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)
(with the exception of specific, limited waste streams and equipment at
LANL) prohibit shipment of TRU waste for disposal at WIPP (from LANL or
any other site) until 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
(revised July 2004).
Condition 3 of the WIPP Certification Decision requires EPA to
conduct independent inspections at DOE's waste generator/storage sites
of their TRU waste characterization capabilities before approving their
program and the waste for disposal at the WIPP. EPA's inspection and
approval process gives EPA (a) Discretion in establishing technical
priorities, (b) the ability to accommodate variation in the site's
waste characterization capabilities, and (c) flexibility in scheduling
site WC inspections.
As described in Section 194.8(b), EPA's baseline inspections
evaluate each WC process component (equipment, procedures, and
personnel training/experience) for its adequacy and appropriateness in
characterizing TRU waste destined for disposal at WIPP. During an
inspection, the site demonstrates its capabilities to characterize TRU
waste(s) and its ability to comply with the regulatory limits and
tracking requirements under Sec. 194.24. A baseline inspection may
describe any limitations on approved waste streams or waste
characterization processes [Sec. 194.8(b)(2)(iii)]. In addition, a
baseline inspection approval must specify what subsequent WC program
changes or expansion should be reported to EPA [Sec. 194.8(b)(4)]. The
[[Page 65490]]
Agency is required to assign Tier 1 (T1) and Tier 2 (T2) to the
reportable changes depending on their potential impact on data quality.
A T1 designation requires that the site must notify EPA of proposed
changes to the approved components of an individual WC process (such as
radioassay equipment or personnel), and EPA must also approve the
change before it can be implemented. A WC element with a T2 designation
allows the site to implement changes to the approved components of
individual WC processes (such as visual examination procedures) but
requires EPA notification. The Agency may choose to inspect the site to
evaluate technical adequacy before approval. EPA inspections conducted
to evaluate T1 or T2 changes are follow-up inspections under the
authority of Sec. 194.24(h). In addition to the follow-up inspections,
if warranted, EPA may opt to conduct continued compliance inspections
at TRU waste sites with a baseline approval under the authority of
Sec. 194.24(h).
The site inspection and approval process outlined in Sec. 194.8
requires EPA to issue a Federal Register notice proposing the baseline
compliance decision, docket the inspection report for public review,
and seek public comment on the proposed decision for a period of 45
days. The report must describe the WC processes EPA inspected at the
site, as well as their compliance with Sec. 194.24 requirements.
All waste characterization site approvals for WIPP, up until this
point, have been applicable only to contact-handled (CH) TRU waste. The
aforementioned inspections at INL-CCP and ANL-CCP mark the first two
inspections related to RH waste.
EPA previously issued a preliminary approval of DOE's general
framework for characterizing RH waste on March 26, 2004 (Docket A-98-
49, Item II-B2-21). This approval requires DOE to provide site-specific
RH waste characterization plans and characterization procedures for EPA
approval prior to implementing them for characterizing RH waste.
III. Proposed Baseline Compliance Decisions
EPA has performed baseline inspections of RH TRU waste
characterization activities of INL-CCP (EPA Inspection No. EPA-INL-CCP-
RH-06-06-8) and ANL-CCP (EPA Inspection No. EPA-ANL-CCP-RH-09-06-8).
The purpose of EPA's inspections were to verify that the RH waste
characterization programs implemented at both INL-CCP and ANL-CCP for
characterizing RH TRU, retrievably-stored, debris waste (S5000) are
adequate. EPA evaluated whether the RH waste characterized meets the
regulatory requirements at 40 CFR 194.24. During these inspections, EPA
evaluated the adequacy, implementation, and effectiveness of the waste
characterization activities at INL-CCP and ANL-CCP. The Agency's
evaluation focused on the individual components--equipment, procedures,
and personnel training/experience of the following waste
characterization processes: acceptable knowledge (AK), radiological
characterization using a dose-to-curie (DTC) procedure, visual
examination (VE), and load management. The RH waste characterization
programs at INL-CCP and ANL-CCP are based on DOE-provided upper-tier
documents.
A. June 2006 INL-CCP RH Inspection Results
At INL, EPA's inspection team identified one finding in the area of
VE and six concerns that needed to be addressed by DOE. Two of these
concerns were in VE and four in AK. DOE responded to the EPA finding
and concerns and the Agency determined the DOE responses were
satisfactory. EPA's inspection team determined that INL-CCP's RH WC
program activities were technically adequate. (For complete discussion
of EPA's findings, concerns, and technical evaluation, see EPA INL CCP
RH Inspection Report A-98-42, II-A4-69 in the accompanying EPA Docket.)
EPA is proposing to approve CCP's AK, DTC, and VE processes implemented
at INL in the configuration observed during a June 2006 inspection and
during two subsequent follow-up inspections (July & August), and as
described in the inspection report A-98-42, II-A4-69. The proposed
approval includes the following:
(1) The AK process for RH retrievably-stored TRU debris in one
waste stream, Idaho National Laboratory Waste Stream No. ID-ANLE-S5000,
Lots 1 through 20, as defined in CCP-AK-INL-500, Revision 2, June 1,
2006.
(2) The radiological characterization process using dose-to-curie
(DTC) and modeling-derived scaling factors for assigning radionuclide
values to one RH waste stream for which the scaling factors are
applicable, as described in CCP-AK-INL-501, Revision 1.
(3) The VE process used for a total of 8 retrievably-stored RH
debris waste drums included in three batch data reports--BDR No.'s
RHINLVE 6001-03. CCP has terminated the use of VE process for this
waste until further notice. If CCP decides to use VE in the future EPA
inspection and approval is necessary.
Any changes to the WC activities from the date of the baseline
inspection must be reported to and, if applicable, approved by EPA,
according to Table 1 below.
[[Page 65491]]
Table 1.--Tiering of RH TRU WC Processes Implemented by INL-CCP
[For details see EPA's INL-CCP RH inspection report in EPA Docket No.: A-98-49, II-A4-69]
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INL-CCP RH WC process--T2
RH WC process elements INL-CCP RH WC process--T1 changes changes*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acceptable Knowledge (AK)............. Any new waste streams not approved under Changes to AK documentation as
this baseline.. a result of WCPIP
Load management for any RH waste stream. revisions.**
Substantive modification(s)*** that have AK accuracy report for Lot 16
the potential to affect the (or the appropriate Lot)
characterization process to the wherein individual drum data
following documents: CCP-AK-INL-500, assessed by INL (e.g., P030)
Revision 2; CCP-AK-INL-501, Revision 1; will be compared against DTC-
or CCP-AK-INL-502, Revision 0. derived values; all other AK
Addition of K Cell or other debris Accuracy reports prepared
wastes to ID-ANLE-S5000. annually at a minimum.
Waste stream data package for
debris waste stream once
completed, and any
modifications to the WSPF
including the CRR and AK
Summary.
Completed Correlation or
Surrogate Summary Form of RH
containers identified in this
waste stream identified as CH
based upon measured dose
rates that present NDA
results for assayed
containers, including
isotopic ratios.
Updates to CCP-INL-AK-500, 501
and 502 made available when
each update is approved.
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Radiological Characterization, Use of any alternate radiological Revisions of CCP-AK-INL-501or
including Dose-To-Curie (DTC). characterization procedure other than CCP-TP-504 that require CBFO
DTC with established scaling factors as approval.**
documented in CCP-TP-504, Revision 3,
or substantive modification of the DTC
procedure.***.
Application of new scaling factors for
isotopic determination other than those
documented in CCP-AK-INL-501, Revision
0.
Any new waste stream not approved under
this baseline or addition of containers
to waste stream ID-ANLE-S5000 that
require a change to the established
radionuclide scaling factors.
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Visual Examination (VE)............... Implementation of VE following this None.
Baseline approval is a T1 change. If
CCP decides to use VE in the future EPA
approval is necessary.
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Real Time Radiography (RTR)........... Any use of RTR requires EPA approval.... None.
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WIPP Waste Information System (WWIS).. Any use of WWIS requires EPA approval None.
prior to RH waste disposal.
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\*\ Upon receiving EPA approval, INL-CCP will report all T2 changes to EPA every three months.
\**\ Excluding changes that are editorial in nature or are required to address administrative concerns.
\***\ Substantive modification refers to a change with the potential to affect INL's RH WC process, e.g., the
use of an inherently different type of measurement instrument or the use of the high range probe as described
in CCP-TP-504.
EPA will notify the public of the results of its evaluations of
proposed T1 and T2 changes through the WIPP Web site and by forwarding
e-mails to the WIPP-NEWS list. All T1 changes must be submitted for
approval before their implementation and will be evaluated by EPA. Upon
approval, EPA will post the results of the evaluations through the WIPP
Web site and the WIPP-NEWS list, as described above. EPA will post T2
changes approximately every three months beginning with the date of
EPA's approval of the TRU WC program implemented at INL-CCP. EPA
expects the first report of INL-CCP's T2 changes approximately three
months from date of EPA's approval of the TRU WC program implemented at
INL-CCP.
In this notice, EPA is not proposing to approve WIPP Waste
Information System (WWIS) for tracking of waste contents of RH debris
wastes. Although the WWIS is currently approved by EPA for tracking CH
waste, this system has not been demonstrated by DOE for the Agency for
tracking RH waste. Therefore, in accordance with 194.8(b)(2)(iii), EPA
is placing a limitation on this proposed baseline that requires DOE to
provide WWIS information as a T1 change. EPA will review the WWIS
database populated with actual RH waste content data when the RH
modules have been completed. EPA may conduct the evaluation of the WWIS
during this comment period; however, no final decision or approval of
the WWIS will be made until a baseline approval is finalized. No RH
waste can be shipped to WIPP for disposal until EPA approves the WWIS
database through the T1 process. Similarly, if INL-CCP intends to use
an RTR unit to evaluate RH drum contents, EPA will also evaluate this
process as a T1 change. Although EPA may evaluate INL-CCP's RTR prior
to a baseline approval, no decision or approval regarding RTR will be
made until a baseline approval is finalized.
B. September 2006 ANL-CCP RH Inspection Results
At ANL, EPA's inspection team identified three concerns; two in VE
and one in AK. DOE responded to the EPA concerns and the Agency
determined that the DOE responses were satisfactory. EPA's inspection
team determined that ANL-CCP's RH WC program activities were
technically adequate. (For a complete discussion of
[[Page 65492]]
EPA's findings, concerns, and technical evaluation, see EPA ANL CCP RH
Inspection Report A-98-42, II-A4-70 in the accompanying EPA Docket.)
EPA is proposing to approve CCP's AK, DTC, and VE processes implemented
at ANL in the configuration observed during the September 2006
inspection and as described in the inspection report A-98-49, II-A4-70.
The proposed approval includes the following:
(1) The AK process for RH retrievably-stored TRU debris in one
waste stream, Waste Stream AERHDM, as defined in CCP-AK-ANLE-501,
Revision 0, July 21, 2006.
(2) The radiological characterization process using DTC and
modeling-derived scaling factors for assigning radionuclide values to
one RH waste stream for which the scaling factors are applicable, as
described in CCP-AK-ANL-501, Revision 1.
(3) The VE process for retrievably-stored RH debris waste.
Any changes to the WC activities from the date of the baseline
inspection must be reported to and, if applicable, approved by EPA,
according to Table 2 (as seen below).
Table 2.--Tiering of RH TRU WC Processes Implemented by ANL-CCP
[For details see EPA's ANL-CCP RH inspection report in EPA Docket No: A-98-49, II-A4-70]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANL-CCP RH WC process--T2
RH WC process elements ANL-CCP RH WC process--T1 changes changes*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acceptable Knowledge (AK)............. Any new waste streams not approved under Changes made to AK
this baseline. documentation as a result of
Load management for any RH waste stream. WCPIP revisions.**
Substantive modification(s)*** that have AK accuracy reports, prepared
the potential to affect the annually at a minimum.
characterization process to the Waste stream data package for
following documents: CP-AK-ANLE-500, debris waste stream once
Revision 1; CCP-AK-ANLE-501, Revision completed, and any
0; or CCP-AK-ANLE-502, Revision 0.. modifications to that WSPF
Modification of the approved waste including the CRR and AK
stream AERHDM to include additional Summary.
containers beyond the approximately 45 Comparison of AK versus DTC-
included in CCP-AK-ANLE-500, Revision derived radiological data to
3.. support the use of waste
stream-specific instead of
drum-specific radiological
data and the completed DTC
results for all containers in
this waste stream.
Updates to documents as
follows:
CCP-AK-ANLE-500 and
CCP-AK-ANLE-502 to address
freeze file changes.
All future revisions
of CCP-ANLE-AK-500, CCP-ANLE-
AK-501 and CCP-ANLE-AK-502.
Listing of the
references that document the
assembly of fuel pin data and
review process.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Radiological Characterization, Use of any alternate radiological Revisions of CCP-AK-ANLE-501
including Dose-To-Curie (DTC). characterization procedure other than or CCP-TP-504 that require
DTC with established scaling factors as CBFO approval.**
documented in CCP-TP-504, Revision 3,
or substantive modification*** of the
DTC procedure.
Application of new scaling factors for
isotopic determination other than those
documented in CCP-AK-ANLE-501, Revision
0.
Any new waste stream not approved under
this baseline or addition of containers
to waste stream AERHDM that require
changing the established radionuclide
scaling factors.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Visual Examination (VE)............... VE by reviewing existing audio/visual Changes made to any VE
recordings for S4000 and S3000 wastes. procedure(s) that require
VE by any process other than review of CBFO approval.
existing audio/visual recordings for Addition of new S5000 debris
S5000 debris wastes.. waste streams.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Real Time Radiography (RTR)........... Any use of RTR requires EPA approval.... None.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WIPP Waste Information System (WWIS).. Any use of WWIS requires EPA approval None.
prior to RH waste disposal.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\*\ Upon receiving EPA approval, ANL-CCP will report all T2 changes to EPA every three months.
\**\ Excluding changes that are editorial in nature or are required to address administrative concerns. New
references that are included as part of the document revision may be requested by EPA.
\***\ Substantive modification refers to a change with the potential to affect ANL's RH WC process,e.g., the use
of an inherently different type of measurement instrument or the use of the high range probe as described for
CCP-TP-504.
EPA will notify the public of the results of its evaluations of
proposed T1 and T2 changes through the WIPP Web site and by forwarding
e-mails to the WIPP-NEWS list. All T1 changes must be submitted for
approval before their implementation and will be evaluated by EPA. Upon
approval, EPA will post the results of the evaluations through the WIPP
Web site and the WIPP-NEWS list, as described above. EPA will post T2
changes approximately every three months beginning with the date of
EPA's approval of the TRU WC program implemented at ANL-CCP. EPA
expects
[[Page 65493]]
the first report of ANL-CCP's T2 changes approximately three months
from date of EPA's approval of the TRU WC program implemented at ANL-
CCP.
In this notice, EPA is not proposing to approve WIPP Waste
Information System (WWIS) for tracking of waste contents of RH debris
wastes. Although the WWIS is currently approved by EPA for CH waste,
the system has not yet been demonstrated by DOE for the Agency for
tracking RH waste. Therefore, in accordance with 194.8(b)(2)(iii), EPA
is placing a limitation on this proposed baseline that requires DOE to
provide WWIS information as a T1 change. EPA will review the WWIS
database populated with actual RH waste content data when the RH
modules have been completed. EPA may conduct the evaluation of the WWIS
during this comment period; however, no final decision or approval of
the WWIS will be made until a baseline approval is finalized. No RH
waste can be shipped to WIPP for disposal until EPA approves the WWIS
database through the T1 process. In the future, if ANL-CCP intends to
use an RTR unit to evaluate RH drum contents, EPA will evaluate this
process as a T1 change.
IV. Availability of the Baseline Inspection Report for Public Comment
EPA has placed both reports discussing the results of EPA's
inspections of INL-CCP and ANL-CCP in the public docket as described in
ADDRESSES. In accordance with 40 CFR 194.8, EPA is providing the public
45 days to comment on these documents. The Agency requests comments on
the proposed approval decisions and tiering designations, as described
in EPA's inspection reports. EPA will accept public comment on this
notice and supplemental information as described in Section 1.B. above.
EPA will not make a determination of compliance before the 45-day
comment period ends. At the end of the public comment period, EPA will
evaluate all relevant public comments and revise the inspection reports
as necessary. If appropriate, the Agency will then issue approval
letters and final inspection reports, both of which will be posted on
the WIPP Web site. DOE must obtain EPA approval of the WWIS, through
the T1 change system prior to the disposal of RH waste at WIPP.
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 the three EPA WIPP informational docket
locations in New Mexico (as listed in ADDRESSES). The dockets in New
Mexico 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: October 31, 2006.
Elizabeth Cotsworth,
Director, Office of Radiation and Indoor Air.
[FR Doc. E6-18847 Filed 11-7-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P