[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 40, Volume 24]

[Revised as of July 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 40CFR191.14]



[Page 11]

 

                   TITLE 40--PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT

 

         CHAPTER I--ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED)

 

PART 191_ENVIRONMENTAL RADIATION PROTECTION STANDARDS FOR MANAGEMENT AND 

DISPOSAL OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL, HIGH-LEVEL AND TRANSURANIC RADIOACTIVE 

WASTES--Table of Contents

 

             Subpart B_Environmental Standards for Disposal

 

Sec.  191.14  Assurance requirements.



    To provide the confidence needed for long-term compliance with the 

requirements of Sec.  191.13, disposal of spent nuclear fuel or high-

level or transuranic wastes shall be conducted in accordance with the 

following provisions, except that these provisions do not apply to 

facilities regulated by the Commission (see 10 CFR Part 60 for 

comparable provisions applicable to facilities regulated by the 

Commission):

    (a) Active institutional controls over disposal sites should be 

maintained for as long a period of time as is practicable after 

disposal; however, performance assessments that assess isolation of the 

wastes from the accessible environment shall not consider any 

contributions from active institutional controls for more than 100 years 

after disposal.

    (b) Disposal systems shall be monitored after disposal to detect 

substantial and detrimental deviations from expected performance. This 

monitoring shall be done with techniques that do not jeopardize the 

isolation of the wastes and shall be conducted until there are no 

significant concerns to be addressed by further monitoring.

    (c) Disposal sites shall be designated by the most permanent 

markers, records, and other passive institutional controls practicable 

to indicate the dangers of the wastes and their location.

    (d) Disposal systems shall use different types of barriers to 

isolate the wastes from the accessible environment. Both engineered and 

natural barriers shall be included.

    (e) Places where there has been mining for resources, or where there 

is a reasonable expectation of exploration for scarce or easily 

accessible resources, or where there is a significant concentration of 

any material that is not widely available from other sources, should be 

avoided in selecting disposal sites. Resources to be considered shall 

include minerals, petroleum or natural gas, valuable geologic 

formations, and ground waters that are either irreplaceable because 

there is no reasonable alternative source of drinking water available 

for substantial populations or that are vital to the preservation of 

unique and sensitive eco systems. Such places shall not be used for 

disposal of the wastes covered by this part unless the favorable char 

acter is tics of such places com pen sate for their greater likelihood 

of being dis turbed in the future.

    (f) Disposal systems shall be selected so that removal of most of 

the wastes is not precluded for a reasonable period of time after 

disposal.