98-23877. Receipt of Petition for U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Action

[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 172 (Friday, September 4, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 47333]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23877]


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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION


Receipt of Petition for U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Action

    Notice is hereby given that by petition dated July 28, 1998, the 
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has requested that the U.S. 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) take action with regard to the U.S. 
Department of Energy's (DOE's) Savannah River Site (SRS). Petitioner 
requests that NRC assume and exercise immediate licensing authority 
over all high-level radioactive waste (HLW) that is stored in the 51 
underground tanks located at SRS. DOE plans to remove the bulk of the 
waste from each tank, then fill each tank with grout to close it in 
place. DOE believes that the residual tank wastes can be classified as 
``incidental'' waste outside the definition of ``high-level waste'' in 
appendix F of 10 CFR part 50. Consistent with the requirements of the 
Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, the facilities used for disposal of 
DOE wastes that are not HLW are not subject to NRC licensing authority.
    As the basis for this request, petitioner states that although DOE 
claims that residual tank wastes can be classified as incidental, there 
is no legal basis for such a term. Furthermore, NRDC states that even 
if the definition of the term ``incidental waste'' were acceptable, the 
residual tank waste at SRS does not meet the definition as the term is 
currently interpreted by DOE. The petition requests immediate response 
by NRC.
    The request has been referred to the Director of the Office of 
Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards. A copy of the petition is being 
sent to DOE, and DOE is being given the opportunity to comment. 
Appropriate action will be taken on this petition within a reasonable 
time. For further information, contact John Greeves, Director, Division 
of Waste Management, Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards, 
U.S. NRC, [phone]. A copy of the petition is available for 
inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room at 2121 L Street, 
N.W., Washington, DC 20555.

    Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 27th day of August, 1998.

    For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
John T. Greeves,
Director, Division of Waste Management, Office of Nuclear Material 
Safety and Safeguards.
[FR Doc. 98-23877 Filed 9-3-98; 8:45 am]
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