[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 222 (Wednesday, November 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64132-64134]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-30867]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
Supplemental Information on the Implementation of the Final Rule
on Radiological Criteria for License Termination
SUMMARY: This notice provides supplemental information regarding
implementation of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's) Final
Rule on Radiological Criteria for License Termination (License
Termination Rule, LTR) which was issued on July 21, 1997 (62 FR 39058).
The information provided in this notice pertains to: (1) The end of the
``grandfathering period'' on August 20, 1998; (2) issuance of the draft
regulatory guide on the LTR for interim use; (3) availability of the
NRC's screening computer code (DandD, Version 1) for calculating
screening values to demonstrate compliance with the dose limits in the
LTR; (4) screening values for building surface contamination for beta/
gamma radiation emitters; (5) NRC plans to hold public workshops to
discuss issues related to the draft guidance and implementation of the
LTR; (6) staff plans to develop a standard review plan (SRP) for
decommissioning; and (7) status of NRC decommissioning guidance
documents.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. End of the Grandfathering Period
Subpart E to 10 CFR Part 20 contains a provision, 20.1401(b)(3),
that the criteria in the LTR do not apply to sites that submit a
sufficient decommissioning plan (DP) or license termination plan (LTP)
before August 20, 1998, provided the NRC approves the DP or the LTP
before August 20, 1999, and the plan is in accordance with the criteria
identified in the Site Decommissioning Management Plan (SDMP) Action
Plan (57 FR 13389; April 16, 1992). The period from the effective date
of the LTR, August 20, 1997 through August 20, 1998, is referred to as
the ``grandfathering period,'' during which the criteria in the SDMP
Action Plan could continue to be proposed. This notice reminds
licensees that the grandfathering period has ended, and that all future
requests to terminate a license must be in accordance with the
provisions in Part 20, Subpart E. Note that the NRC review of the
licensee plans submitted in accordance with 10 CFR 20.1401(b)(3),
incorporating the SDMP Action Plan criteria, will continue through
August 20, 1999.
2. Draft Regulatory Guide
The NRC has issued Draft Regulatory Guide DG-4006, ``Demonstrating
Compliance with the Radiological Criteria For License Termination,''
for a two-year interim use period (i.e., July 8, 1998 through July 7,
2000). NRC has also issued draft NUREG reports in support of DG-4006
(the applicable draft NUREG reports are referenced in DG-4006). A
notice of availability of the Draft Regulatory Guide was published in
the Federal Register on August 4, 1998 (63 FR 41604).
3. Availability of NRC DandD Screening Code
On August 20, 1998, NRC issued a screening computer code DandD,
Version 1. The DandD code, when used with default parameters, is an
acceptable method for licensees to calculate screening values to
demonstrate compliance with the unrestricted use dose limit in the LTR.
The DandD code can be installed by downloading the self-extracting
program file, setup.exe, accessed through the web site: ``http:/
techconf.llnl.gov/radcri/java.html,'' clicking on ``dose assessment,''
and then on ``decontamination and decommissioning software.'' The
installation instruction file ``readme.txt'' can also be downloaded,
using the above web site, to help users installing the code. Important
support documents (e.g., NUREG-1549, ``Decision Methods for Dose
Assessment to Comply With Radiological Criteria for License
Termination'' and NUREG/CR-5512, Vol. #3, ``Residual Radioactive
[[Page 64133]]
Contamination From Decommissioning, Parameter Analysis) can also be
accessed through the above web site. As discussed in DG-4006, use of
DandD with the default parameters is intended for screening
calculations only. If screening results indicate that remediation might
be needed, a site-specific dose assessment is recommended before
deciding on remedial actions. NRC expects pathway analysis/dose
assessment codes other than DandD to be more appropriate for some
conditions. Regulatory Guide DG-4006 contains guidance regarding the
information required to support the use of other codes and models. In
the interim period, NRC will review all dose assessment results on a
case-by-case basis.
The DandD code, when used with the default parameter set, provides
a method for calculating screening concentrations for radionuclides in
soil, and screening levels for surface contamination on building
surfaces. It should be noted that the screening values, based on DandD,
differ from the criteria listed in the SDMP Action Plan. In most cases,
the screening values for beta/gamma emitters are higher than the SDMP
Action Plan criteria, while the values for alpha emitters are much
lower.
During the two-year interim use period for the draft guidance (DG-
4006), NRC plans to continue to refine the screening approach and to
evaluate the extent of conservatism of the results of the DandD code.
It may be more appropriate to develop a different screening method or
approach for alpha emitters. NRC will assess the results of the DandD
screening method, particularly the low screening values for alpha
emitters, during the workshops to be held on the LTR guidance
development. Note that DG-4006 clearly encourages the use of site-
specific dose assessments, whenever needed, and recognizes that the
screening values will not be appropriate in all cases.
4. Screening Values for Building Surface Contamination
The staff has developed, as a tool to facilitate the efficient
implementation of the LTR, a screening table (Table 1) of unrestricted
release values for building surface contamination of common beta/gamma
emitting radionuclides. The screening table was derived using the DandD
screening code, Version 1, and its default input parameters. Table 1
provides criteria which permit licensees to demonstrate compliance with
the unrestricted release dose criterion in the LTR. The values in Table
1 correspond to surface concentrations of radionuclides contamination
that would be deemed in compliance with the unrestricted use dose limit
in 10 CFR 20.1402 (i.e., 0.25 mSv/yr, (25 mrem/yr)). The values
correspond to screening ``derived concentration guidelines'' (DCGL) for
each specific radionuclide based on the methodology described in DG-
4006. Sites with building surface contamination levels below those
listed in Table 1 would be deemed acceptable for release for
unrestricted use in accordance with the dose criteria in 10 CFR
20.1402, provided that residual radioactivity has been reduced to ``as
low as reasonably achievable'' (ALARA) levels. The table is intended
for use as criteria to facilitate license termination for many simple
routine decommissioning cases without a site-specific dose assessment.
For facilities with contamination levels above those in Table 1,
additional site-specific dose assessments may be necessary, and
licensees should refer to DG-4006 regarding acceptable methods for
conducting the appropriate dose assessment.
Table 1 does not include screening values for radionuclides that
emit alpha particles, or for soil contamination. The NRC staff is
assessing current screening approaches for sites with alpha emitters
and for soil contamination. For such sites, licensees are encouraged to
use, in the interim period, site-specific dose assessments based on
actual site conditions.
5. Future Public Workshops
NRC will hold a series of public workshops over the two-year
interim period to describe the status of the ongoing development of
both DG-4006 and the SRP, to provide industry and other interested
parties an opportunity to provide comments, and to discuss users'
experiences with implementing the guidance. The future dates for the
workshops are: December 1-2, 1998; January 21-22, 1999; March 18-19,
1999; June 16-17, 1999; August 18-19, 1999; and October 20-21, 1999.
All workshops will be conducted in the Auditorium located at NRC's
Headquarters (Two White Flint North Building, 11545 Rockville Pike,
Rockville, MD 20852-2738). For further details on workshops, see the
Federal Register notice published on October 21, 1998 (63 FR 56237).
6. Standard Review Plan
The NRC staff is developing an SRP for the evaluation of licensee
submittals related to compliance with the radiological criteria in the
LTR. The goal of the SRP is to enable NRC staff to evaluate information
submitted by licensees in a timely, efficient, and consistent manner,
and to determine if the decommissioning will be conducted such that the
public health and safety is protected and the facility can be released
in accordance with NRC's requirements. The development of the SRP will
be coordinated with the effort to revise and finalize DG-4006. The web
site ``http://techconf.llnl.gov/cgi-bin/topics'' provides updated
information on the status of the guidance and the SRP, and a mechanism
for the public to provide comments on the draft guidance.
7. Status of Decommissioning Guidance Documents
Guidance material in DG-4006 and the SRP will incorporate or
supersede most existing NRC decommissioning guidance documents.
Guidance documents will be revised to be consistent with the LTR, or
they will be phased out. Table 2 lists the status of existing NRC
guidance documents affected by the LTR and associated new guidance.
Under the SDMP Action Plan criteria, the tables of surface
contamination values contained in Regulatory Guide 1.86, ``Termination
of Operating Licenses for Nuclear Reactors,'' and Policy and Guidance
Directive FC 83-23, ``Guidelines for Decontamination of Facilities and
Equipment Prior to Release for Unrestricted Use or Termination of
Byproduct, Source, or Special Nuclear Material Licenses,'' were used as
the decommissioning criteria for building surfaces. The values in Table
1 are intended to replace the tables in the above two documents for
license termination purposes.
The surface contamination criteria in Regulatory Guide 1.86 have
been applied by reactor licensees for license termination only.
However, for materials licenses (under 10 CFR Parts 30, 40, and 70),
the guidelines in Policy and Guidance Directive FC 83-23 have been used
by licensees for two purposes: (a) As criteria for license termination,
and (b) as criteria for unrestricted release of equipment and other
materials during operations. On June 30, 1998, the Commission directed
the NRC staff to develop a dose-based regulation for clearance of
equipment and materials having residual radioactivity. The criteria
that eventually emerge from this rulemaking effort are intended to
replace the surface contamination values in Policy and Guidance
Directive FC 83-23. Until that time, licensees may continue to use the
criteria in Policy and Guidance Directive FC 83-23 for unrestricted
[[Page 64134]]
release of equipment and material, to the extent authorized by their
licenses.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David N. Fauver, Low-Level Waste
and Decommissioning Projects Branch, at (301) 415-6625, or Dr. Rateb
(Boby) Abu Eid, Performance Assessment and High-Level Waste Integration
Branch, at (301) 415-5811, both of the Division of Waste Management,
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555-0001.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 12th day of November 1998.
For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John W.N. Hickey,
Chief, Low-Level Waste and Decommissioning Projects Branch, Division of
Waste Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards.
Table 1--Acceptable License Termination Screening Values of Common
Radionuclides for Building Surface Contamination
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acceptable screening
levels \1\ for
Radionuclide Symbol unrestricted release
(dpm/100 cm\2\) \2\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hydrogen-3 (Tritium).............. \3\H 1.2E+08
Carbon-14......................... \14\C 3.7E+06
Sodium-22......................... \22\Na 9.5E+03
Sulfur-35......................... \35\S 1.3E+07
Chlorine-36....................... \36\Cl 5.0E+05
Manganese-54...................... \54\Mn 3.2E+04
Iron-55........................... \55\Fe 4.5E+06
Cobalt-60......................... \60\Co 7.1E+03
Nickel-63......................... \63\Ni 1.8E+06
Strontium-90...................... \90\Sr 8.7E+03
Technetium-99..................... \99\Tc 1.3E+06
Iodine-129........................ \129\I 3.5E+04
Cesium-137........................ \137\Cs 2.8E+04
Iridium-192....................... \192\Ir 7.4E+04
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Screening levels are based on the assumption that the fraction of
removable surface contamination is equal to 0.1. For cases when the
fraction of removable contamination is undetermined or higher than
0.1, users may assume, for screening purposes, that 100% of surface
contamination is removable, and therefore the screening levels should
be decreased by a factor of 10. Alternatively, users having site-
specific data on the fraction of removable contamination (e.g., within
the 10% to 100% range) may calculate site-specific screening levels
using DandD Version 1.
\2\ Units are disintegrations per minute per 100 square centimeters (dpm/
100 cm\2\). 1 dpm is equivalent to 0.0167 becquerel (Bq). The
screening values represent surface concentrations of individual
radionuclides that would be deemed in compliance with the 0.25 mSv/yr
(25 mrem/yr) unrestricted release dose limit in 10 CFR 20.1402. For
radionuclides in a mixture, the ``sum of fractions'' rule applies; see
10 CFR Part 20, Appendix B, Note 4. Refer to NRC Draft Guidance DG-
4006 for further information on application of the values in this
table.
Table 2--Existing Guidance Documents Applicable to Decommissioning That Will Require Revision or Discontinuation
in Order To Implement the License Termination Rule (LTR)
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Decommissioning guidance document Status with respect to LTR
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Decommissioning Criteria in Action Plan to Ensure Superseded by LTR and DG-4006 (Note: Still applicable
Timely Cleanup of Site Decommissioning Management Plan to sites ``grandfathered'' in accordance with 10 CFR
Sites (SDMP Action Plan) (57 FR 13389). 20.1401(b)).
Policy and Guidance Directive FC 83-23, ``Guidelines Superseded by DG-4006 for License Termination (Note:
for the Decontamination of Facilities and Equipment This document may continue to be used as criteria for
Prior to Release for Unrestricted Use or Termination unrestricted release of equipment and material from
of Byproduct, Source, or Special Nuclear Material licensed material facilities during operational
Licenses''. activities prior to license termination, to the extent
authorized by the licensees).
Draft Branch Technical Position on ``Screening Superseded by LTR and DG-4006.
Methodology for Assessing Prior Land Burials of
Radioactive Wastes Authorized Under Former 10 CFR
20.304 and 20.302'' (96 FR 28223).
``Preliminary Hazards Analysis for Contaminated Superseded by DG-4006.
Buildings at Formerly Licensed Sites''.
NUREG/BR-0241, ``NMSS Handbook for Decommissioning Fuel References to decommissioning criteria are superseded
Cycle and Materials Licensees''. by the LTR and DG-4006. The Handbook will be updated
as appropriate to be consistent with the LTR and
current guidelines.
Regulatory Guide 1.86, ``Termination of Operating Superseded by DG-4006
Licenses for Nuclear Reactors''.
Draft NUREG/CR-5849, ``Manual for Conducting Superseded by DG-4006.
Radiological Surveys in Support of License
Termination''.
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[FR Doc. 98-30867 Filed 11-17-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-P
