[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 40 (Friday, February 28, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 9188]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-5035]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5697-5]
Guidance for the Implementation of EPA's Radiation Protection
Standards for Management and Storage of Transuranic Waste at the Waste
Isolation Pilot Plant (``WIPP Subpart A Guidance'')
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the amended Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Land
Withdrawal Act (WIPP LWA), Pub. L. 102-579 as amended by Public Law
104-201, EPA is required to determine, on a biennial basis, whether the
Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) complies with 40 CFR Part 191,
Subpart A, the standards for management and storage of radioactive
waste. EPA has developed guidance for the implementation of the
generally applicable standards of Subpart A at the WIPP to evaluate the
facility's compliance with radiation dose limits to the public during
the receipt and emplacement of waste, and associated activities, if the
WIPP is approved for use as a disposal system. EPA is hereby announcing
that a revised guidance document, known as the WIPP Subpart A Guidance,
is available to the public. In developing the guidance, EPA requested
and considered public comments on the draft WIPP Subpart A Guidance
that was previously announced on September 5, 1996. (61 FR 46804.)
ADDRESSES: Copies of the revised WIPP Subpart A Guidance are available
to the public by calling EPA's WIPP Information Line at 1-800-331-WIPP.
Copies of the WIPP Subpart A Guidance and supporting materials are also
available for review at EPA's Office of Radiation and Indoor Air
located at 501 3rd Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001; and at the
following addresses in New Mexico where EPA maintains public
information files for the guidance: (1) Government Publications
Department of the Zimmerman Library of the University of New Mexico in
Albuquerque, New Mexico (open from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Monday
through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m. on Saturday, and 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Sunday); (2) The
Fogelson Library of the College of Santa Fe, located at 1600 St.
Michael's Drive, Santa Fe, New Mexico (open from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00
midnight on Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday,
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, and 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on
Sunday); and (3) The Municipal Library of Carlsbad, New Mexico, located
at 101 South Halegueno (open from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Monday
through Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and
1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday). Citizens wishing to review these
materials should request to see the EPA ``WIPP Subpart A Guidance
File.''
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Betsy Forinash, U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Office of Radiation and Indoor Air (6602J), 401 M
Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460; (202) 233-9310.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The guidance document pertains to the
requirements established in the amended WIPP LWA 1 and the federal
regulations at 40 CFR Part 191, Subpart A. The document does not
establish new binding requirements but will guide EPA's implementation
of 40 CFR Part 191, Subpart A at the WIPP. Subpart A is a generally
applicable radiation protection standard that limits radiation doses to
the public from management of transuranic radioactive waste at disposal
facilities operated by the Department of Energy (DOE). The DOE is
proposing to use the WIPP, located in Eddy County, New Mexico, as a
deep geologic repository for the disposal of transuranic radioactive
waste generated by nuclear defense activities. The Subpart A
regulations apply to activities associated with receiving and emplacing
the waste in the disposal system. (Limitations on radiation doses which
may occur after closure of the disposal system are separately addressed
by EPA's disposal regulations at Subparts B and C of 40 CFR Part 191,
and by WIPP compliance criteria at 40 CFR Part 194.) The amended WIPP
LWA requires EPA to determine, on a biennial basis, whether WIPP
complies with Subpart A of 40 CFR Part 191. EPA may also conduct this
determination at any other time. If EPA determines that the WIPP does
not comply with the Subpart A dose standards at any time after
emplacement of waste has begun, the WIPP LWA requires the DOE to submit
a remedial plan to EPA describing the actions DOE will take to comply
with Subpart A.
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\1\ The 1992 WIPP Land Withdrawal Act, Pub. L. 102-579, was
amended by the ``Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Land Withdrawal Act
Amendments,'' Pub. L. 104-201. The 1996 amendments were part of the
National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 1997.
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This guidance describes the application of Subpart A to activities
associated with the approximately 35-year period during which packaged
waste would be received at the above ground portion of the WIPP;
unloaded and prepared for emplacement in the underground repository;
lowered down a mechanical hoist and emplaced in the mined-out
repository; and managed during the closure and decommissioning of the
facility, if the WIPP is approved for use as a disposal system. During
this period, the annual doses from radiation received by members of the
public must not exceed the limits specified by Subpart A. The WIPP
Subpart A Guidance interprets Subpart A for the WIPP and provides the
Agency's recommendations for methods used to demonstrate and document
compliance with the standards. The guidance also describes information
DOE should report to EPA for the Agency's evaluation of the WIPP's
compliance with the Subpart A dose limits.
The guidance does not establish a new radiation dose standard and
does not establish binding rights or duties, but will be a non-binding
guide for EPA's evaluation of the WIPP's compliance with Subpart A. In
a September 5, 1996 Federal Register notice (61 FR 46804), EPA
solicited public comment on draft WIPP Subpart A Guidance. The WIPP
Subpart A Guidance now available incorporates revisions made in light
of those comments. EPA will update the guidance as needed in the future
to reflect changes in policy, in radiation science or in the operation
of the WIPP site, or as appropriate to respond to issues raised by the
public.
Dated: February 20, 1997.
Mary Nichols,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 97-5035 Filed 2-27-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
