[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 25, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20290-20291]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-10126]
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
[Docket No. 030-20457]
Environmental Assessment: Finding of No Significant Impact and
Notice of Opportunity for Hearing Related to Amendment of Materials
License No. 11-27380-01
AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
ACTION: NRC plans to issue an amendment to License No. 11-27380-01,
authorizing Idaho State University to use carbon-14 (C-14) labeled
particulate organic material in dispersion studies in two streams in
Idaho. Three streams were chosen with one being a backup location.
These are the Bloomington, Deep, and Toponce Creeks, which traverse the
Cache and Caribou National Forests and the Curlew National Grasslands.
The study calls for releases of 25 microcuries of C-14 at a time, with
no more than 100 microcuries used in each stream in a year.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Joseph Wang, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555, Telephone: (301)
415-7909.
Environmental Assessment
Identification of the Proposed Action
The proposed amendment action would authorize personnel from Idaho
State University to use C-14 labeled particulate organic material in
dispersion studies in two streams in Idaho. Three streams were chosen
with one being a backup location. These are the Bloomington, Deep, and
Toponce Streams, which traverse the Cache and Caribou National Forests
and the Curlew National Grasslands. The study calls for release of 25
microcuries of C-14 at a time, with no more than 100 microcuries used
in each stream in a year. The amount of C-14 used in an experiment is
such that the radioactivity is ``instantaneously'' diluted to
concentrations below drinking water standards and additional dilution
occurs continuously thereafter.
Background
Idaho State University (ISU) submitted a letter to the NRC, dated
December 9, 1994, requesting to amend its Byproduct Material License
No. 11-27380-01. ISU's request is for authorization to use C-14 as
radioisotopic tracers to study the dispersal and fate of ``fine
particulate organic matter'' (FPOM) in lotic ecosystems. This study is
funded through a grant by the National Science Foundation to the Stream
Ecology Center at ISU. Along with its letter, ISU also submitted an
Environmental Assessment (EA) for its proposed action based on
guidelines provided by NRC's RIV Office.
Need for the Proposed Action
FPOM constitutes that bulk of particulate organic matter carried in
the suspended matter in streams and is a major component of food webs,
energy flow, and organic matter budgets in stream ecosystems. The
issues involved in FPOM dynamics cover a range of disciplines, and
workers from many different areas, from water treatment engineering to
population dynamics of marine organisms, face similar questions about
how particles exchange between surfaces and the suspended state. The
proposed research by ISU is important to further major advances in the
understanding of the ecology of stream ecosystems because it will
result in determination of: (1) The detailed dynamics of FPOM transport
over a range of flow and channel conditions, (2) the specific
mechanisms of transport and deposition, and (3) the relative importance
of physical and biological factors in the transport of organic matter
in streams.
In its submitted EA, the applicant has considered alternatives to
the proposed isotope study. Specifically, two alternatives to
radiolabeled natural FPOM have been reviewed for the proposed study:
Use of exotic pollen and use of plastic microspheres. Although both of
these options may hold promise for future FPOM research, certain
characteristics of each may cause these particles to behave differently
from natural FPOM, thus defeating the purpose of the proposed study.
Environmental Impacts of the Proposed Action
In the EA submitted by ISU, and based on telephone discussion with
the licensee, the applicant stated that it's current plan is to conduct
approximately two or three releases per year, per stream. The study
will be for 2 years using no more than two streams. ISU identified
three streams (i.e., Bloomington Creek, Deep Creek, and Toponce Creek)
for this study, with the Toponce Creek being a backup location. The
releases would be in medium-sized surface waters (i.e., flowing streams
having discharge rates of 0.25 to 0.75 cubic meters per second or more)
located in remote areas, on Federal lands, miles away from human
habitation and domestic animals. Each release would be separated by 7
or more days and involve 25 microcuries of C-14; thus, the total amount
of C-14 introduced into any stream in any year would not exceed 100
microcuries. The introduction of C-14 into a stream takes place over
several hours and the concentrations in the stream are immediately
diluted to 26 picocuries per liter or less at the point of release.
These levels are well below Environmental Protection Agency's
established drinking water standard of 2500 picocuries per liter for C-
14 (40 CFR 141.16), even at the point (and time) of introduction.
The study sites have been selected so that the nearest human
residence is located several miles from the study area. The nearest
human community is located about 5 miles away in Bloomington, Idaho. No
endangered plants or species will be affected by this study. According
to National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP)
Publication No. 45 on Natural Background Radiation, there are 303.3
million curies or 303.3 trillion microcuries of natural C-14 in the
environment. Despite this large inventory of natural C-14 in the
environment, the average annual whole body dose, due to natural C-14 to
an adult member of the general public, is estimated to be 0.7 millirem
(page 42, NCRP 45) per year. Therefore, the dose to an adult member of
the general public, due to no more than 200 microcuries of C-14
released per year over a predominately remote Federal lands, is
insignificant. [[Page 20291]]
ISU has also submitted to the NRC, written responses from the
Division of Environmental Quality, Idaho Department of Health and
Welfare; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region X Office; and
the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service. All three
agencies responded in writing that they have no objections to the
proposed ISU study. In addition, the U.S. Forest Service has made
available in November, 1994, the submitted EA, for a 45 days public
review and comment period.
Conclusions
Based on the foregoing assessment, the NRC staff concludes that the
environmental effects of using C-14 in the proposed ISU stream
ecosystems study are expected to be extremely small. Authorizing the
study will help to better understand how to preserve our ecosystems.
Since ISU's proposed study will be conducted in a predominately remote
Federal land administered by the U.S. Forest Service, there is no
environmental justice issue in this EA.
Therefore, in accordance with 10 CFR 51.31, a Finding of No
Significant Impact is considered appropriate for this proposed action.
Agencies and Persons Consulted
In performing this assessment and in accordance with the NRC's
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards procedure 1-48, the
staff consulted with Mr. Steve Oberg, State Liaison Officer with the
NRC, Division of Environmental Quality, State of Idaho, on March 17,
1995, at (208) 334-0436. The State of Idaho has no objection to the
proposed action. The staff also contacted Mr. Lee Leffert of the U.S.
Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, on March 21, 1995, at (208)
236-7534. The U.S. Forest Service informed the NRC that based on
comments received on its Federal Register Notice, it is preparing a
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and will issue a Decision
Notice authorizing ISU's project implementation as proposed.
Finding of No Significant Impact
The Commission has determined under the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the Commission's regulations in 10
CFR Part 51, that the proposed action to amend Byproduct Material
License No. 11-27380-01 to permit the introduction of C-14 into two
streams, if granted, would not have a significant effect on the quality
of the human environment and that an environmental impact statement is
not required. This determination is based on the foregoing
environmental assessment performed in accordance with the procedures
and criteria in 10 CFR Part 51, ``Environmental Protection Regulations
for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions.''
For further details on this action, see ISU's letter, dated
December 9, 1995, and the attached EA, requesting amendment of License
No. 11-27380-01 and related correspondence. These documents (in Docket
No. 030-32322) may be examined or copied for a fee in the Commission's
Region IV Walnut Creek Field Office's Public Document Room, 1450 Maria
Lane, Suite 210, Walnut Creek, California 94596.
Notice of Opportunity for a Hearing
Any person whose interest may be affected by the issuance of this
license amendment may file a request for a hearing. Any request for a
hearing must be filed with the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Nuclear
Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, within 30 days of
publication of this notice in the Federal Register and must be served
on the NRC staff by mail addressed to the Executive Director for
Operations, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555,
or be delivery to the Executive Director for Operations, One White
Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852; and must be
served on the applicant by mail or delivery to Idaho State University,
Technical Safety Office, Physical Science 103, 785 South Eighth Avenue,
Campus Box 8106, Pocatello, ID 83209. The request for a hearing must
comply with the requirements set forth in the Commission's regulations,
10 CFR Part 2, Subpart L, ``Informal Hearing Procedures for
Adjudications in Material Licensing Proceedings.'' Subpart L of 10 CFR
Part 2, may be examined or copied for a fee in the Commission's Region
IV Walnut Creek Field Office's Public Document Room, 1450 Maria Lane,
Suite 210, Walnut Creek, CA 94596 or in the Commission's Public
Document Room, 2120 L Street (Lower Level), NW, Washington, DC 20555.
As required by Part 2, Subpart L (10 CFR 2.1205), the request for
hearing must describe in detail: (1) The interest of the requestor in
the proceeding; (2) how that interest may be affected by the results of
the proceeding, including the reasons why the requestor should be
permitted a hearing, with particular reference to the factors set out
in paragraph (g) of 10 CFR 2.1205; (3) the requestor's areas of concern
about the licensing activity that is the subject matter of the
proceeding; and (4) the circumstances establishing that the request for
a hearing is timely in accordance with paragraph (c) of 10 CFR
2.1205(c).
The factors in 10 CFR 2.1205(g), which must be addressed in the
request for hearing include: (1) The nature of the requestor's right
under the Act to be made a party to the proceeding; (2) the nature and
extent of the requestor's property, financial, or other interest in the
proceeding; and (3) the possible effect of any order that may be
entered in the proceeding upon the requestor's interest.
Dated at Rockville, Maryland this 19th day of April 1995.
For The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Larry W. Camper,
Chief, Medical, Academic, and Commercial Use Safety Branch, Division of
Industrial and Medical Nuclear Safety, Office of Nuclear Material
Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 95-10126 Filed 4-24-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7590-01-M
