State of Utah: NRC Staff Assessment of Utah's Proposed Alternative Standard To Use Utah's Existing Groundwater Regulation in Lieu of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Regulations

Zusammenfassung

By letter dated October 23, 2002, to Paul Lohaus, Director, Office of State and Tribal Programs, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), William J. Sinclair, Director, Division of Radiation Control (the Division), State of Utah, submitted information on how the Division proposes to regulate a portion of the groundwater aspects of uranium milling in the State of Utah. Utah's proposed approach is to use its existing groundwater protection regulations, based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) drinking water limits, in lieu of a portion of the specific groundwater requirements in Appendix A to 10 CFR part 40 (Appendix A). The Commission has determined that Utah's proposed approach constitutes use of alternative standards. Under section 274o of the Atomic Energy Act, as amended (Act), the Commission must make a determination that such alternatives will achieve a level of stabilization and containment of the sites concerned, and a level of protection for public health, safety, and the environment from radiological and non-radiological hazards associated with such sites, after notice and opportunity for public hearing. Through this Federal Register notice, the Commission intends t